I've been meaning to post this for a while now but I haven't had the chance. A few weeks back I was on one of my favorite blogs studs and pearls when I came accross a pretty cool how-to. Kirsten took a placemat an created a beautiful clutch out of it:

Isn't that great!??! I was so inspired by this creation that I began searching the stores for the perfect placemat to use to make a handbag. Then this glorious day came when I was in the Christmas Tree Shop (one of my favorite thrifty places!) and some lovely quilted placemats caught my eye. The best part? The placemats where two for a dollar. Two for a Freakin' Dollar!!! ... I bought Four.

I didn't want to make a clutch because the magnitude of things I carry at one time would require a much larger receptical so I used all four of the placemats to craft a large purse. Then I ran out to Joanne's and grabbed a faux bamboo handle and threw everything together. This is what I came up with:

It's kinda vera bradley-ish and I love it! Thanks Kirsten for the inspiration!!!

One of my favorite blog - Chic Steals - has a wonderful How-to and a fabulous Give Away going on right now! Stacie from Stars for Streetlights provided a How-To on Carly's blog which involves tranforming a beautiful scarf into an equally beautiful vest. The best part? Not only do they share the secret on how to make this awesome piece, but they are having a give away to win the scarf! so head on over and enter; I'm going to!

I had won some fringe in a contest a year or so ago and decided to finally put it to good use. I ran out to Forever 21 and I bought myself two tanks: 1 in red and 1 in black and I put my fringe to work!

I handstitched the fringe on, although you could just as easily use a machine. On the black tank-top I layered 4 strips of the white fringe around the kneck. On the red tank top I layered two strips of the black fringe in a diagonal down the shirt. I unfortunately didn't have enough of the black fringe to keep going, but I would love to add another strip or two to fill it out!

Although I won my fringe from a company no longer around, you can get the same type of chainette fringe from Jo-ann's. The fringe is only about $3!

I'm hoping to use fringe some more in the future! I would love to make a shirt with fringe sleeves, or a skirt covered in fringe. There are so many great uses for fringe. Fringe, Fringe, Fringe! It's my new favorite craft piece!