Flip It!

     Here it is! Tada!  My second pin cushion!  The reasoning behind calling this post "Flip It" is because there are people out there who take broken down houses, fix them up, and "flip them" for a profit.  The part I like is taking junk and making it useful.  Not necessarily for a profit, although that would be nice.  I guess it is the pioneer spirit of "make-do's" that inspire me.  (Oooh, note to self: During my fifth grade pioneer unit have students create their own "make-do's".)

     So here's how it is a "make-do"/flipped sort of thingy.  First, I got it from Goodwill.  I have the picture to prove it.  It even shows what I paid for it!  It looks, to me, to be a punched metal votive holder.  It does seem to be plated with copper, as there is a nice verdigris patina in some areas.  But, if you look at the spot above the price tag, it appears to be just dark metal.  I was thinking (Danger!) if it was solid copper, it would be a golden color inside too.  But, anyway, it is super cute.  Back to the story...  

     I made the little "muffin top" cushion like last time.  I sewed a little cheese cloth on it to look like a frayed patch.  I also sewed some of your normal stitches to make it look repaired. I stitched a little tiny "1776" on it.  I don't know why.  I don't know why I kept putting "1807" on the other stuff.  Sounds like a good date.  I just hope it wasn't the year of a plague or epidemic.  "Here buy my primitive remembrances of a cholera epidemic."  Nice.  

     I coffee stained and baked my fabric. Drank a little coffee too  Oh! I did do something a little differently.  While it was damp, I sprinkled some instant coffee on it.  Instead of "bleeding out" like it normally does, it left little brown spots.  Love it!  

     Finally, when it was dry and stuffed, I shoved it into the tin.  Well, I looked at it, and the edges needed something.  I didn't want to use the lace like the other one because it would cover up the punched work on the base.  What to do?  So I decided to wrap some jute string around it and tie it.  I then thought about it, "Now, if I sell this, you KNOW that string is going to pop right off."  I decided to whip-stitch it on.  

     Okay, I have to be honest.  My decision to do the whip-stitching was out of pure laziness.  I was going to hot glue it.  HOWEVER, I did not feel like searching for my glue gun, which was probably out of glue sticks, and  I soooo did NOT feel like burning my fingers.  I hate that.  So, stitching it was!  It is funny, but I am glad I didn't use the glue.  I like the contrast of the black thread. And, well, since I am sharing, I am terrible at hot gluing.  Remember, I told you about my patience issue.  Wellll, I have a hard time waiting for the glue gun to properly heat up.  So, ok, I try to use it too soon and, rather than realizing the glue gun is not ready, I go ahead and use it, and it makes gloops and spider-webby things and, good grief, what a mess! Phew!  I am glad I got that off my chest. Again, another tool I just need to say "no" to. 

     So, here is my product.  I am going to try to sell it on eBay.  It is a scary thing to sell something you have created.  It is a different kind of critiquing that goes on when you sell something.  I have only really sold one thing I made in my entire life. When you sell something, you put yourself out there.  If it doesn't sell, you think to yourself, "Is it really ugly?"  Or, "Is it not really worth that much?" Oh, and here's my biggest fear- the eBay buyer gets it home and leaves a comment like "Not as pictured" or some other negative comment.  Ugh.  Well, here it goes... I am "flipping it"...

Coffee Talk for Today:

• What is the first thing that you ever sold? How did you feel?
• Bonus Question (Gold stars for answering)- If I were to have my students create their own make-do's from the pioneer times, what are some ideas that you have so I can make the activity "authentic".  I would like them to be able to design something totally new, but limit them to materials or items that would be useful to that time period.  Some of you are really experts in this area.  What do you think?