I spend quite a lot of time each week on digitizing or tinkering with the website, but I also like to work on other crafts and projects. This page showcases mostly things I've been working on, though I do sometimes feature items made by my sisters. Most are embroidery-related, but some show other crafts and activities as well. Many of the items, though not all, are gift items for friends and siblings, mainly for Christmas, the biggest gift-giving time of the year in my family.
If any of these project ideas interest you, please let me know and I'll post some detailed instructions.
TRISH V -- If you get this, can you e-mail me again? Yahoo deleted all my m essages.
Singer 185 Case Repair
Posted 2026 June 19
I'm all about sewing machines these days as I uncrate the ones that arrived from my friend's warehouse.
My little 185 was sitting off-kilter in its case bottom, so I investigated and found that it needed a repair to properly support the machine.
Snowshoe Ornaments for Louise
Posted 2026 June 12
It's time to get going on Louise's ornament projects, and once again she's given me a challenge: a snowshoe ornament.
I was up for it, and I even had a lot of fun. Best of all, I'm chuffed with the result, and I'm pretty sure Louise will be too.
Singer's First Zigzaggers
Posted 2026 May 29
Believe it or not, this beautiful machine is one of the most controversial of all the vintage Singers. It has lots of enthusiastic fans (like me!), but it also has some fierce detractors. Find out why.
Bridey Needs a New Pair of Shoes
Posted 2026 May 22
Now what the heck is that thing? You might not be able to tell, but that little piece of metal is an integral piece of the shoes I made for my vintage 18" fashion doll!
Kimmie's Undies
Posted 2026 May 15
Kimmie's got new undies, and it looks as though Scampers is just as pleased as she is! I'm pleased myself with how they turned out.
Making Metallic Buttons
Posted 2026 May 8
I love a good crafting hack, especially when it ups my button-making game, as this one did. Now I can make metallic-look buttons for crafting and ornament making.
Remembering Melinda
Posted 2026 May 1
I've been looking for Melinda for a long time, and though I still haven't found her, I may have found a substitute -- for now.
Red Scissors Makeover
Posted 2026 April 17
Oh no -- the rivet has given out, and my red scissors have fallen apart. Oh well: they're dull anyway, and the big handle is showing signs of failing. Maybe I should just throw them out . . . or maybe I can fix them up.
I promise this will be my last post about scissors for a while, but after I got that Sharpal device, I've been busy sharpening every pair in the house!
Look Sharp!
Posted 2026 April 10
If there's anything I like better than scissors, it's scissors that are nice and keen.
And this nifty new gadget is going to help me keep all my sewing and craft scissors at their sharpened best.
Broken Souvenir Magnet
Posted 2026 April 3
My friend's little granddaughter acccidentally broke this souvenir magnet from their trip to New Zealand. She's devastated, and Grandpa asked me if I could make a repair. See how it worked out.
Reviving my YES! Stikflat Glue
Posted 2026 March 27
This paste-style glue is supposed to be a great product for gluing paper: certainly it's expensive. But my old tub of the product has hardened to the point that it's unusable. Should I throw it out, or try to rescue it? What do you think I did?
Scissors: A Love Story
Posted 2026 March 20
Judging by this sticker I saw on line, I'm not the only one who loves scissors. For me it's been a life-long affair, and it shows no sign of diminishing as I age. Let me tell you how it began.
The Florian Pinker
Posted 13 March 2026
Curious about this funky gadget? So was I, because it looks kind of like a pair of scissors. It is, and it isn't. Find out how this nifty gadget will put you in the pink!
Queen of the Vintage Buttonholers
Posted 27 February 2026
I love these handy vintage gadgets, which make beautiful buttonholes even on a straight-sew only machine, and I've collected quite a few of them. I also use them regularly on my projects. Here's why.
Zipper Pull Repair
Posted 13 February 2026
Oh no -- the zipper pull has broken off DH's favourite winter jacket. Usually these break in such a way that they can't be fixed, so you need to install a new zip, but in this case, I think it can be salvaged. See how I did it.
Tissue Box Bins
Posted 13 February 2026
So I always seem to need small bins and boxes to organize odds and bobs in the craft room, and I don't particularly care for the plastic ones you find in the dollar store. What to do?
Turns out these cardboard ones are a nice size, and they're even decorative. Best of all, they're easy to make.
A New Screwdriver Handle
Posted 6 February 2026
As so often happens with these cheesy plastic screwdriver handles, this one has splintered and crumbled. The blade of the screwdriver, though, is still in good shape, so I thought maybe I could salvage it.
Repairing a Plastic Dustpan
Posted 30 January 2026
From the festive to the mundane . . . my old plastic duspan developed a stress fracture that rendered it useless. Apart from that it's in good shape, and it's a nice size and heft for sweeping up in the basement and garage. I didn't want to throw it out, so I fixed it!
Little Piggies Ornament
Posted 23 January 2026
I've been intending to make an ornament with these teeny piggies ever since I got them for Christmas in 2024. Last week, I finally did, and I think it's pretty cute. Take a look!
Ornament Faves III: Looney Tunes
Posted 16 January 2026
Since we launched our Looney Tunes tree in 2015, I've made more than 150 LT-themed ornaments, to augment the commercial ones also on the tree. As I packed up the ornaments after Christmas, I thought it might be fun to round out the "favourites" series with an offering from our Looney Tunes collection.
Origami-Style Boxes
Posted 9 January 2026
My sister recently asked me to refresh her memory on my method for making lidded origami boxes from card stock. I make a lot of these, and she figured it might be a worthwhile project to post. I thought so too, so here it is.
More Ornaments for Louise
Posted 2 January 2026
After I sent along the ornaments she'd requested back in August, Louise discovered a few more that she wanted to gift to friends and family. Check out the balance of her requests for Christmas 2025.
