The Maker in Me

I enjoy making things, all kinds of things. Today I wanted to show two of my recent non-sewing creations.

I didn’t make either of them all my myself, my kids helped me. The leather purse came as a pre-cut kit. My son and I designed the pictures, he cut and I painted them then I laced it all up. Working with leather is really fun, but not really cheap. This purse is so perfect because I love the design and because it is the perfect size for running errands with just my phone and my wallet.

Other things I’ve crafted out of leather are hair barrettes and ponytail holders (oval of leather with holes, run a small stick through it), key chains, and belts.

Another medium I like to create with is wood. I’ve made six large bookshelves all in one summer for our bedrooms and living room book piles. We really love books at our house! I designed and made the shelves entirely out of ¾” plywood. They are heavy! I’ve also made canopy frames for my girls’ beds, wall-mounted shelves for my bedroom and bathroom, and tomato cages out of combinations of ply wood and 2” square boards.

The second picture is something my girls and I made from scrap pieces of ply wood and carpet. I kept a mailing tube and hot glued twine all down it for the scratching post and we hot glued and stapled the carpet to the wood. We put the shelves on the wall with simple metal brackets. 

Our cat needed his own space and his own carpet to destroy. He was frequently clawing up our living room carpet and it was making me crazy! So in this corner of the room we gave him space just for him: carpet and a post that he could claw up all he wanted. This was a fun project and it is very useful!

I get so excited about new projects and I really love the satisfaction when I get one done. I feel overwhelmingly blessed to be able to obtain supplies for all the different kinds of creating I want to do!