Tiny Cat House Tipi Tepee Teepees

Cat House Tipi

Our first pictures from a customer are in! Many thanks to David, the owner of Elvis and Pocahontas, for his purrrrrfect photos. The two retired Abyssinian Show Cats reportedly enjoy lounging in their Tipi between rounds of play. These happy cats are proud to be owners of a Tiny Tipis brand Tipi Tepee Teepee!

 Tiny Tipis is a small handmade company providing environmentally friendly products to help customers reduce their carbon footprint. We focus on using high quality materials with attention to detail and running our company as close to zero waste as we possibly can. All shipping materials are recyclable, compostable, and/or biodegradable. See more of what Tiny Tipis does for our planet at any of the links below: 

 

facebook.com/TinyTipis

pinterest.com/TinyTipis
TinyTipis.blogspot.com

instagram.com/tinytipis/
TinyTipis.etsy.com

 

 Thank you for being environmentally responsible!!!

To Dye For

 I love Natural Dyes. It's a recent thing. Maybe even a new obsession. The smell, the variety, the mystery of what will I get this time?... It makes my heart go pitter-patter.

Canvas Market Tote in Rose

When I was in 1st grade I sat next to a boy named Wesley. Other kids made fun of us. We didn't care. We used to sharpen our colored pencils together with a common interest in the resulting color of the shavings.  Somehow, for some strange reason, it made us happy. Wesley and I bonded over the simple pleasure. 

I haven't seen Wesley since 1st grade but I still think of him when I mix colors. The child-like eagerness to experiment comes back in the blink of an eye. I wash my soul in the colored water and it gives back to me the vibrant joy I seek.

Only Nature makes colors like this...

You can purchase a piece of my soul if you like. It comes in the form of a soft hand dyed market tote that will serve you well for a long time. I guarantee it is made with all the love and care one can put into it.

Tiny Tipis Etsy Store

Tiny Tipis Website

Tiny Tipis Facebook

Tiny Tipis Pinterest

The Garden Blog

More Articles by Tiny Tipis

DIY - How to Make a Pattern from a Sketch

How to make a sewing pattern from an idea or sketch - Step by step Tutorial with Pictures

One of the most essential skills of sewing is being able to make your own pattern from an idea. In this post I will take you through the basic steps involved in creating your own pattern from a sketch. This tutorial will be best if you are an intermediate to advanced seamstress.

The original idea I had for a fun yet responsible looking shirt

Sometimes the idea comes first and the fabric must be sought out, other times I see certain fabrics that scream "MAKE ME INTO SOMETHING AMAZING!!!" Either way you need to start out with a loose plan. I sketched out an idea I had for a professional looking yet fun top as my first step. When drawing the idea I thought about things like shape and the way the fabric might fit after being sewn. All patterns are basic geometric shapes. Keep that in mind when you create your drawing. Also remember to be flexible, especial on your first few attempts to do this. My shirt varied slightly from my plan because I changed small things as I went in order to save time or simplify certain steps.

Old Men's Dress Shirts before being upcycled into a sexy Woman's business shirt.

 My next step was to pick the fabric that would become my top. I had saved several of my grandfather's old dress shirts when he passed away thinking that I could re-purpose them later. I chose Grey, Pink, and a fancy white and silver one. The combination of colors reminded me of a tie my husband had from probably before I was born that would work well with the theme of my shirt: responsible yet sexy.

Old Sports Bra being recycled to make a sewing pattern.

Now that I had all my supplies gathered it was time to start making my one dimensional drawing into a pattern that would create a three dimensional object. A very easy way to start is to choose an old article of clothing with a similar fit to what you want that you don't mind chopping up. I saved this sports bra with stains and holes for this purpose. I put the bra on and decided where I wanted the seams to be in the chest area. I then marked exactly where those seams would be with a sharpie. I took the bra off and chopped along the lines. The resulting bits and pieces are what I would later use to make the actual pattern. (Yes, this bra is just a precursor to the actual pattern.)

To make the official pattern I laid the cut up bra pieces on top of some junk mail and traced around them making sure to leave 1/4" to 1/2" inch of extra space around the edge for seam allowance and/or hemming. This only gave me the pattern for the bust of the shirt though. To design the body of the shirt I matched the waist pieces to the bust parts so they were the same width. I decided length by measuring from the bottom of where the bust would be to the place I wanted the bottom hem to lay around my hips. I then added seam allowance where needed. To get the shape of the sides I simply drew a rectangle that matched up to the width of the side bust piece and the length of the center body piece. I then trimmed it to look like an hourglass shape. If the hourglass isn't perfectly shaped for your body don't worry too much. There are ways to take it in later that will save frustration and brain cells. It just needs to be close to correct at this point (error on the side of too large.)


Lay your pattern on a flat surface in the way that it will be sewn together. This will allow you to see if there are any big mistakes before you cut into fabric. When you are sure it looks like what you want transfer your pattern onto the fabric you intend to use. If you are worried about mistakes or wasting expensive fabric I suggest buying some muslin or linen to make a tester.


At this point you will need to decide what order to sew the parts in. Think about what will fit easily on your machine without a lot of bunching in the arm. Also consider where the various seams will join up. There's almost nothing worse than a seam that doesn't line up right. For the shirt I made as an example I joined the upper and lower parts first, then sewed the vertical panels together. I hemmed everything after joining so that they were all a consistent size. I did some decorative top-stitching on the gray panels at this point to make the shirt lay nicer when worn and because it makes the seams more sturdy.

My last step was to attach an old men's tie I was going to reuse for the straps. I had my hubby help me with this because it was late at night, I was getting lazy, and my girl friend was on her way to pick me up so we could go out ( I really wanted to wear this.) I sewed the small end of the tie where I wanted it to hold up the front and threw the extra over my shoulder. I told my hubby to snip the tie parallel to the upper back hem of the blouse and to leave me at least half an inch for the seam. The second strap was easier - I sewed the snipped portion of the tie opposite the other strap on the back, threw on the shirt, and marked where the excess portion of the tie fell on the front. I then took the shirt off and sewed the fat part of the tie in a decorative manner on the front. Voila! A brand new and completely unique piece of clothing for me to wear!

I tried the shirt on and noticed that there was extra space in the waist area. This is the simple fix I was telling you about: Mark with straight pins or a light pencil mark how much extra room there is in the areas needing adjusting. Turn the clothing inside out and add another row of stitches further in where you marked. Turn right side out and try on again. Repeat this step if needed - I had to take the shirt in twice after I finished it. I have since altered my pattern to save me this trouble if I ever make this shirt again.

If you are having problems with a pattern take a deep breath and remember to reduce all of it to simple shapes. It's just geometry wrapped around your body.

Thanks for reading! For more DIY articles by Tiny Tipis click here.

 Tiny Tipis is a small handmade company providing environmentally friendly products to help customers reduce their carbon footprint. We focus on using high quality materials with attention to detail and running our company as close to zero waste as we possibly can. All shipping materials are recyclable, compostable, and/or biodegradable. See more of what Tiny Tipis does for our planet at any of the links below: 

 

facebook.com/TinyTipis

pinterest.com/TinyTipis
TinyTipis.blogspot.com

instagram.com/tinytipis/
TinyTipis.etsy.com

 

 Thank you for being environmentally responsible!!!

DIY Tie Dye with Red Wine

Easy Do It Yourself Dye

 I'm obsessed with Fabric, especially canvas. It's natural, it's strong, it has more uses than a swiss army knife... and it can be a challenge to Dye. There's nothing I love more than a challenge. 

I also love red wine. 

Here is how I use Red Wine to Dye Fabric, including so-called "non-dye-able" Canvas, and a shirt I never wore:

Supplies: 

White or light colored fabric (I used cotton)

2+ cups Red Wine

Rubber Bands or Hemp Twine

Oven

Clean Baking Pan

Jar or Bucket 

Iron

An Old Towel

Supplies laid out ready to start dying fabric

 Step 1: Tie up items to be dyed. If you bind it with more wrinkles you will end up with more light colored areas after you are done. The tighter you tie or band it up the more areas of light color will remain as well.

Cotton articles tied up and ready to be Dyed with Red Wine

  Step 2: Steep the items in the Red Wine for at least 2 hours. I let mine soak for 4 hours.

A white shirt after soaking in red wine for 4 hours

Step 3: Squeeze the wine out of the fabric. Leftover wine can be saved to re-use next time you want to dye but the color won't be quite as strong. For really dark dye wring until no liquid drips. For lighter dye wring as much out as possible.

Wine Dyed items being laid flat to dry in the oven

 Step 4: Lay items as flat as possible on your clean baking sheet. Try not to let them touch or overlap so the color doesn't bleed from one article to another. Your baking sheet must be clean or you risk discoloring your dyed items. I covered mine with foil just to be safe.

Wine Dyed clothing and fabric drying in an oven

 Step 5: Set oven at 170 to 180 Fahrenheit with damp dyed items inside. The combination of heat and drying with the wine pigment still on the fabric helps set the color. Make sure to set a timer so you don't start a fire. I checked on my items every 10 minutes. The small items took about 20 minutes to dry fully while the shirt took over an hour. I didn't want to put freshly dyed items in the dryer in case it might leave color behind which is why I chose to do it in the oven.

Check your items every 10 minutes: Safety First!

Step 6: (This step is optional. I did it to make sure the color was fully set.) Lay your old towel on an ironing board. Iron dyed items as you normally would. The heat will help set the color so it won't fade with washing. The towel prevents your ironing board cover from getting any color on it if your dyed articles aren't fully dry yet.

Small test items in a Red Wine Dye Project

Step 7: Hand wash dyed clothing and fabric in warm water to get rid of any pigment that didn't set. This way the color won't spread to items you don't intend to dye when you wash it after regular use. After dying an article you should avoid washing it in hot water to keep the colors bright.

Gorgeous color and pattern from Red Wine Tie Dye

 And the finished product... 

I like this shirt so much better with the natural earthy rouge dye than I did when it was plain white. I think I'll actually wear it now!

Thanks for reading!!!

Click here for more great DIY ideas or visit the other Tiny Tipis Blog to learn about recycled urban gardening.

 Tiny Tipis is a small handmade company providing environmentally friendly products to help customers reduce their carbon footprint. We focus on using high quality materials with attention to detail and running our company as close to zero waste as we possibly can. All shipping materials are recyclable, compostable, and/or biodegradable. See more of what Tiny Tipis does for our planet at any of the links below: 

 

facebook.com/TinyTipis

pinterest.com/TinyTipis
TinyTipis.blogspot.com

instagram.com/tinytipis/
TinyTipis.etsy.com

 Thank you for being environmentally responsible!!!

A Rare Level of Care

I purchased some LEDs from eBay the other day and they just arrived. Nicely wrapped around the bag of lights inside the box was a little comic strip about why leaving feedback is so important. It got me thinking about my own feedback for my online store and I came to the conclusion that I don't mind when people don't leave feedback.

Most sellers are anal about getting that positive feedback. They print notes to send with each package and try to find polite ways to say "give me good marks." If you don't leave feedback right away some give you neutral reviews. They get their undies in a bundle over a couple mouse clicks and stars!

There are times when I make an online purchase and, even though it arrives at it's destination, it takes me an extra week to pick it up. I'm not trying to procrastinate in leaving feedback. I'm simply busy. I'm just as excited to open that package as the seller is to get their positive review. I also like to take the time to really evaluate the product so I know my review is accurate. Times like these I get really bothered by sellers who nag about giving scores. My approach as a seller is a little different.

When I sell an item, custom orders especially, I know that my buyer is looking for something specific. They took the time to converse with me about the most minute details to ensure they get what they want and I put forth every effort to honor that request by sending them the best product I can offer. (Note: I'm a perfectionist almost to a fault.) I take the time to write them a personal note about the item and include it in the shipment. I give them multiple ways to contact me for any reason they might need to. Most importantly, I do not pester them about scores, feedback, stars, or positive reviews. I send them a message online asking to let me know their product arrived safely and that they are pleased. I let them know that if they are in any way unsatisfied to let me know so I can do everything in my power to fix the situation. I really do care that they are happy with their purchase and everything I need to know can be summed up in an email. It would seem almost rude to me to ask my customer to log into a website, click such-and-such link, write a few blah-blahs, and click some stars. That is their choice and I do not feel I have a right (or need) to nag.

I feel my approach is more personal. I think it shows a level of caring that many online shoppers never experience. I take the time to ask them personally if they are happy, not ask them to boast my stats with a silly score. When I do get a positive review (no negative reviews yet!) I see it as a bonus. That customer was so happy with their purchase they took the time from their busy schedule to leave me a good review. If I email a customer inquiring about a purchase and never hear back from them I take it as a sign that they are satisfied and may not have the time to reply, that is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. Yes, I have made many sales online. No, my stores do not show a lot of reviews. If you could see my email though, it tells a different story.

I don't mind when you don't leave feedback - but it makes my day to get a happy email. :)

Thanks for reading!

Keep up with news, sales, and giveaways from Tiny Tipis on Facebook

Rummage through Tiny Tipis 4,000+ Pins on Pinterest

Check out the Tiny Tipis Website

See Tiny Tipis great listings on Zibbet

Purchase Tiny Tipis Items in the Etsy Store

Second January Feature - Crooked Corks Wine Racks

How is your year going so far? Have you been able to stick to your New Years resolutions? My resolutions this year were to get organized and to finish projects. I want to make a point of finishing the lovely things I started! I'll admit it, I'm already falling behind on the finishing projects but the organizing is going great!

I'll bet you've been waiting all week for the new feature artist and super secret coupon code. A new and tasty talent for you to sip up into your eager mind... Wait no longer! This week I have an especially juicy, and perhaps even fermented, treat for you.

Crooked Corks Wine Racks

Elise, the brilliant mind behind Crooked Corks, hand-crafts each wine rack sold in her online store. Her wooden wine holders are made with careful attention to detail to ensure the functionality is second only to the visual appeal. Here was what she had to say when asked why her shop is so unique:

"Crooked Corks creates custom made wine racks, wine stands, wine gift sets and wine accessories for anyone who simply enjoys a glass of wine. Our natural wood designs are made by hand and are designed to be unique, eye catching, and functional. We love exploring the different flavors and cultures wine brings to our kitchen table and taste buds. Wine is special, and so are you!"

The idea for Crooked Corks creations was born from a very special Christmas gift given to Elise by her husband a few years ago, a handmade wine rack of course! The gift brought tears to her eyes as she unwrapped it and inspired her to start her shop. Now, over 3 years later, Elise still loves selecting old, new, and recycled wood to turn into the wine accessories she will sell in her store. You can find Crooked Corks on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Wanelo in addition to their Etsy Store.

You have to check out these gorgeous hand crafted wine racks! Order from them now and receive 10% off your entire purchase with the Special Coupon Code BLOGTIME.

Thanks for looking! To browse items from Tiny Tipis visit the following sure-to-please links:

Buy Direct from Tiny Tipis Website

Etsy Store

Zibbet Shop

eBay Listings

Tophatter Auctions

Follow Tiny Tipis on Pinterest for all the latest and greatest Pins.

Tune in next week for a great feature on Angelinas Avenue

Like to see your shop featured here? Leave me a comment on how to contact you with details!

Happy New Year - 1st January Feature

Happy New Year Everyone!!! How were your holidays? Mine were great but I'm so glad to be done with all the craziness. This year I decided to take a look at other artists and creative people that I admire. I want to share their passion with you and hope that you will be inspired. As a bonus the artists I feature will be sharing a super uber secret coupon code for you to use in their store. Do you feel loved yet? Good.

www.etsy.com/shop/TheNavigatrix

Meet Sally-Ann. She is the creative genius behind Etsy Store The Navigatrix. Her store features Upcycled Steampunk creations and other Victorian inspired jewelery. I asked her what inspired her and why she started making Steampunk accessories. Here is what she had to say:

"I have a background as a professional modelmaker and began making costume and props for Live Roleplay, a favourite hobby. I began getting involved in Steampunk fairly recently, being introduced to it by a friend and by my brother Matt simultaneously, who both encouraged me to take my Steampunk costume creations further. My creative impulse has re-awakened and now I'm doing the cliche: making stuff on my dining room table out of bits and bobs and inspirations. Etsy taught me the verb 'to upcycle'; my materials come mostly from charity shops and family hoards!"

Her brother Matt has an Etsy Store as well, Arcane Armoury. The two of them work closely together to inspire each other and create one of a kind items. Both Sally-Ann and her brother are located in England and come from a creative family. Sally-Ann has a degree in model making from the University of Hertfordshire and enjoys being a mom.

If you would like to purchase any of Sally-Ann's lovely items you can find them in her Etsy Store and don't forget to use your special coupon code: BLOG15 for 15% off!

Thanks for reading the Tiny Tipis blog and as always, you can find my creations at any of the following online vendors:

Buy Direct from Tiny Tipis Website

Etsy Store

Zibbet Shop

eBay Listings

Tophatter Auctions

Follow me on Pinterest for all my latest and greatest inspirational Pins.

Tune in next week for a great feature on Crooked Corks! 

 Like to see your shop featured here? Leave me a comment on how to contact you with details!

DIY Lace Patch for Clothes and Jeans

5 Simple Steps to Patch old Jeans with Lace

      Recently one of my favorite pairs of pants started ripping at the back. For a while I sucked it up and wore them with shorts underneath but the hole just kept getting worse every time I wore them so I decided to do something about it. In my massive piles of sewing odds and ends I happened to have lace... lots of lace (Thanks Grandma.) Follow along to see how I fixed my favorite pants to make them even better!

1) Lay clean pants on a flat surface with lace on top of the hole. My hole was big enough I needed two rows of lace to cover it. Cut the lace about an inch too long (1/2" extra for each side of the rip). If you don't cut the lace long enough your patch won't cover the entire hole and it will continue to rip further. 

2) Since my lace needed to be wider to cover the hole I just cut two pieces the same length and cut a piece of hemp cord (about 2" longer than lace segments) to use as a stabilizer for joining the lace. I then placed both lace segments back to back with the hemp in the middle. To join them I used the widest zig-zag stitch on my machine with a short stitch length for the maximum amount of strength in the seam. I stitched down the middle ensuring the hemp cord was captured inside the zig-zag and both pieces of lace were secured together. I decided to use hemp because I have it on hand, it is cheap, and I like the natural look of it with the lace. You could use any type of strong cord pretty much.

3) After joining my two lace segments I cut the hemp cord to be 1/4" longer than the lace on each side. I left the hemp longer so I would be able to turn it under and prevent unraveling. 

Broken needles happen... just make sure you pull out all the little metal pieces or it can really damage your machine. My needle broke while I was sewing around the extra thick seams in the crotch. If you advance the needle by hand in the thickest parts it's less likely to break.

4) (Showing stitches inside jeans) I first zig-zag stitched a big rectangle to secure the lace to the jeans. Make sure to turn your cording under and zig-zag over it extra well if you had to use it to stabilizer. If you don't the stabilizer cord will pull out and your patch will fail. I tried to only zig-zag on the busy parts of the lace to hide as much of my thread as possible on the visible side. The rectangle will keep the lace in place but you still need to sew down any ends that are loose so they don't stick out when you wear your pants. I did this by using a straight stitch to sew around the outer edges of the lace patch. You can see this in the photo above where the straight stitch makes little triangles outside of the zig-zagged rectangle. This way I don't have any loose lace bits flapping around on my butt.

 

 5) Last Step! Cut any loose thread ends and try pants on. Now brag because your favorite pants just got even better!

This took me about 30 minutes to do (even with taking photos) and maybe half a brain cell. When I wash these pants I try to turn them inside out to protect the lace from snagging on other clothes. So far the patch has held excellent with no damage. Let me know how your lace patches turn out!

 Tiny Tipis is a small handmade company providing environmentally friendly products to help customers reduce their carbon footprint. We focus on using high quality materials with attention to detail and running our company as close to zero waste as we possibly can. All shipping materials are recyclable, compostable, and/or biodegradable. See more of what Tiny Tipis does for our planet at any of the links below: 

 

facebook.com/TinyTipis

pinterest.com/TinyTipis
TinyTipis.blogspot.com

instagram.com/tinytipis/
TinyTipis.etsy.com

 

 Thank you for being environmentally responsible!!!

As You Wish...

     Sometimes relationships aren't all they are cracked up to be. Sometimes you butt heads and chase each other round and round about daily worries. Sometimes the stress of life works it's way into our happy place.

     With the move coming up and a bunch of other major changes coming up in our life my honey and I have been finding the rough spots. As a loving wife I feel it is my job to find creative ways to brighten his day and help put him in a good mood. One of my simple ways to show him I care is to write a message for him on the mirror in our bathroom. I use our sons bath crayons that he never plays with and change the message each time I clean the mirror. Today I wrote "As you wish..." for him because he loves The Princes Bride movie. It's a small way to show him I care that doesn't cost me anything (maybe 5 minutes of time) and who wouldn't want a little positive message every time they look in the mirror!?

     If you don't have bath crayons (also called soap crayons) you can use dry erase markers. The darker colors work better. Sometimes if the message isn't easy to read you will need to make the lines thicker. The only downside to dry erase markers is that when the bathroom gets really steamy from the shower the message can start to run. It's not a huge deal but you will want to use the soap crayons for messages that you want to last longer.

     My honey had to run off to work before I changed the mirror this morning so I will have to wait till he gets home to see if he likes it. Some of the other messages I've left him are "You make me Smile!" and "You're Amazing!" but a simple "I love you" is always nice too.  :)  What messages are you going to leave?

For more updates like me on Facebook or follow me on Pinterest! Also make sure to check out my Recycled Urban Garden Blog if you love a green thumb. Thanks for Reading!

Step-by-Step Vintage Hunting Vest Upcycle

     I was browsing the items at a yard sale one day when I found this treasure of a hunting vest. The piece had character and had seen many days of love and use but lacked any kind of style that would make me wear it in public. So I decided to redo it! With a little lace and an hour of my time I transformed this beast into a beauty. Here's how:









     1) I removed the fabric on the back that just kind of hung there using my seam ripper. This took maybe 10 minutes.

2) I got a bit impatient and added lace around the collar next. To do this I buttoned the vest and marked where the left and right sides came together above the buttons. I don't use pins when I sew so I just folded the lace under and started using a zig-zag stitch to attach it where my first mark was. I didn't cut the lace to length until I was perhaps 2" away from having it fully sewn on the front. Then, I tacked the lace down every so often to keep it from rolling up around the neck while being worn.

3) I used my seam ripper to finish separating the fabric below the arm. I wanted to give the vest a more feminine shape so to accomplish this I measured 1" in on each side at the base of the back. I connected this to the top where the armhole comes together. That's the brown line you see in the photo. I cut the excess off and sewed the seam back together. If you aren't confident in your altering skills you can always pin and try it on before you trim.

4) The last step was to add lace along the back where I took the old fabric panel off. To do this I once again folded my lace under at the edges and used a zig-zag stitch to attach it to the vest. Again, to avoid wasting lace, I always sew first and cut the lace to length when I'm a few inches away from having it completely sewn on. This eliminates concerns about elasticity differences between the vest and the lace.









     I left the back of the vest shorter than the front as a style choice. I like the way it causes the fabric to add even more of an hourglass shape around the waste. This can make boobs look bigger, mid sections look slimmer/longer, and hips look more feminine. Below is the end result... it's hard to get good pictures of yourself! This vest can be purchased on my etsy store if you like it as much as I do.

Fabric Bowl Project Obsession

http://whipup.net/2008/09/20/how-to-fabric-bowl/

I've been a bit obsessed with fabric bowls this week. What a useful concept! They are washable, portable, and nearly unbreakable (perhaps the most useful feature for a stay at home mom.) I saw a picture on pinterest of a tutorial on how to crochet a sturdy bowl using multiple threads. When I clicked the link of course they wanted $4.99 for the "pattern" so as a seamstress/artist/creative type I stared at the picture for a moment and then set about making myself a bowl. I've since moved on to making nesting bowls for my husband and I's fifth wheel as these proved so nice.

First I would like to cover the various types of Cloth Bowls I saw. There are wrapped and sewn bowls, pattern sewn bowls (I call them petal bowls because of how the pattern looks before sewn), woven bowls, glue hardened bowls, and crocheted bowls. Of these types of handmade bowls the ones hardened with glue or fabric stiffener are the least portable. A soft bowl can be folded so that it fits in a small flat area and takes up less space - something I appreciate very much for storage space in the camper.

I decided to try the crocheted bowl since I had the materials readily available. Since there are two threads involved it makes the bowls a little stronger and more able to retain shape. The outer thread that is seen is plain yarn while the inner thread is an old t-shirt I cut into strips. The t-shirt yarn is thicker than the regular yarn so it gives the bowls the stability the standard yarn lacks. As you can see in the photo I used a single crochet and simply worked my stitch around the t-shirt yarn. When I've completed 10-15 stitches I gently tug the t-shirt yarn and it tightens everything. I repeat this the whole way through giving the bowl a more finished look. Don't tug too hard on the t-shirt yarn though or it will cause the prior stitches to buckle. 

I don't really have a formula or pattern I follow. I increase stitches and do my best to keep the first few rows flat and even because these become the base of the bowl. When I have the base 10% larger than looks needed I stop increasing so the sides will start to come in. I like to pull the sides of the  bowl in at the top as an extra stability feature. I do this by decreasing stitches on the top 2 rows only. I do the top 2 rows with a contrasting standard yarn and no t-shirt yarn filler. 

You can cut the t-shirt yarn and simply leave it loose in the stitches over it or you can pull it out and use it as a decorative stabilizer. I pulled my white t-shirt yarn out when the main bowl color ended and stitched it in swirls around the exterior of the bowl. This seemed to pull the various rows together even more and added a look I liked. 

The first bowl I made. It contains my husbands lighters on the counter.

There are no limits to these bowls except your ability and creativity. Crochet stitches come out so try something new. If you don't like it just pull it out!

To see other things I've made that are for sale or to request custom items and art visit my Etsy Page.

Curds and Whey

Little Miss Muffet 

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey;

I remember the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet from when I was a kid. My mom used to recite it to me while she bounced me on her leg and I always got so confused by the words. Who is Miss Muffet and what is a tuffet? And what are curds and whey? 

Curds and Whey is similar to cottage cheese. In fact cottage cheese IS curds and whey. Curds are the little globs of fat that form when milk begins to curdle and whey is what is left over after the curds are strained. In the case of cottage cheese some of the whey remains but is washed to remove the acidity. Making curds and whey isn't hard and I decided to try my hand at it late last night.

Click here for the instructions I kinda followed...

I started with 1 cup of milk even though the recipe called for two. I figured if I failed in my attempt I would waste less milk that way. I brought the milk to a boil in a pan on my stove, turned off the burner (leave the pan on the heating element after turning it off) and added 5 tsp of Balsamic Vinegar (it's all I could find in my messy pantry) and 2 tsp of garlic powder. I stirred the nasty looking liquid until it was mixed well and then let it sit for about 10 minutes to cool. 

After sitting for 10 minutes I strained the chunky liquid through several layers of cheese cloth. To do this I lined a colander with the cheese cloth and put a large bowl under the colander to catch the liquid that drained off (whey). It worked great and left me with a nice handful of curds that I then added a pinch of salt to and twisted tight to get the excess moisture out. I hung this curd ball in my fridge over the whey bowl over night and this morning I woke up to a beautiful ball of very balsamic smelling cheese. For lunch today I plan to fry this up (I believe it is called Paneer) with whatever I can find in my fridge. I also plan to try this again with a white vinegar to see how that effects the outcome.

I saved my whey of course as I have heard that it makes good bread. I've been making my own bread at home for almost a year now ($0.45 per loaf compared to $2-3 at the grocery store) and I am always looking for new recipes. If the bread and the paneer both turn out edible I know I will be repeating this process a lot. It's very quick and simple and would cut my grocery costs down even further. 

Now on to slice, dice, and fry some paneer! And as for Miss Muffet...

Along came a spider,

Who sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away. 

For the Birds

Baby bird I found behind my trash cans

Yesterday was kind of inspiring. I found a baby bird in my house yesterday. I managed to snap a few pictures before I grabbed a cardboard box to transport him outside. Poor little guy was pretty freaked out.

I was fixing to empty my vaccume cleaner and put some things outside when I noticed him on my front steps. He didn't look hurt so I decided to leave him where he was since he seemed content. I guess I didn't notice him fly inside while I was doing stuff and even though I looked for him when I came back in I didn't see him right then.

I went about my day as usual and a few hours later decided to let my son play with the ferret. Oz, the sweetest ferret alive, is one of my sons favorite toys. I kept having to remove the ferret from the corner where I keep my trash cans. He seemed really interested in it and was getting more worked up than normal. I thought maybe there was a bug back there he wanted to get at so I put him back in his cage for a moment to grab a tissue for whatever bug I thought he cornered.

He hopped away quickly when I set him down outside

When I moved the trash can I saw this poor little bird.  I can only imagine what that ferret looked like to him while he was trapped in that corner. He gave me a few peeps and tried to fly showing me that his wings were healthy, just not mature. I grabbed a cardboard box knowing I shouldn't touch him with my hands and herded him into it. He chirped and squeaked all the way to the spot where I plopped him outside.

He looked at me with surprise as if he just knew I was going to eat him and then hopped his way away from me as quick as possible. Momma bird and several others swarmed the area. They had missed him.

One of the adult birds that kept watch

I checked on him during the day to see if he had managed to get off the ground but he mostly just sat next to the front stairs kind of hidden until my husband came home. As dark neared his fellow birds kept coming back to him and encouraging him to climb into the trees and rose bushes. I watched for a while as panicking mama bird frantically pushed him from behind to go higher and higher. Each time he would fall out of the tree a different bird would swoop down to help him up and keep making him try.

I need to clean behind the trash cans...

I stepped away for a bit to make dinner and when I returned to the window I had been watching him from I saw him no where. The mass of angry birds had gone as well. I hope he made it to safety but I will probably never know. I'm just glad I got the opportunity to witness such inspiring and heart warming teamwork in nature. Maybe someday he will come sit on my doorstep to sing. I'ld like to think so anyways.

Personal Growth

Big Rig Jig by Mike Ross

I grew up with a wasteful attitude. I didn't know it, I was American. I lived life big, always wanted the newest and best of everything. Shopping used and recycled meant poor to me. I can remember ducking my head whenever mom wanted to shop at Goodwill just in case someone from school would see me. The word handmade was usually followed by the word "crap" when I was younger as I saw homemade gifts as cheap knock-offs. I stupidly thought as a child that people only move up in this world. Once a solid middle-class girl, now I am a struggling lower-class artist.

With age comes appreciation though. I live in a tiny house with a walk in closet for a nursery and an oven that is older than sin to cook on. One of our built-ins used to be a window and it never got properly sealed so if I forget to spray it with bug repellent I sometimes have the pleasure of fending off a line of ants that comes in the cracks. Eventually I will caulk it myself but at the present time I don't have money in my budget for even that.

My mom still can't believe I manage to buy groceries for three, diapers, and formula on a $300 per month budget. Sometimes I don't think I believe it either. The key to that is actually making sure to buy only what you need and NEVER waste. Single serving casserole dishes are a huge help as well as having access to a large freezer. I almost never buy meat at full price and instead make sure I get to the store early enough to have first pick of the sale items and then I can put them in my sub-zero freezer when I get home. After graphing my monthly food expenses I found that between non-obsessive coupon clipping, shopping sales, saving scraps, and doing the eCoupons through Safeway's website I can save myself an average of 30% of my bill. Potatoes that sprout no longer look like trash can liners to me. Shredded, soaked, and frozen between wax paper will save that bag of spuds and give me a side dish for breakfasts.

Recycling is not some lofty concept for me anymore. I can't afford new canvases to paint on which means I definitely can't afford a new frame to put it in. Instead I frequent Goodwill, the Arc, and other thrift stores. It feels better to only spend $5 and walk out of a store with 2 canvases and frames that fit. Then I watch out for free sample quarts of paint in the papers so when I redo the frames it costs me nothing but time. I make it a goal to only fill a bag a week with trash so the landfills aren't as filled by me. I started using Chickory in my coffee too which saves me a few bucks a week. Heaven help the world if I don't get my coffee.

The other day a friend of mine called to say he was moving and to see if I wanted anything from his house that he wasn't going to take. The old me would have scoffed at the food that wasn't directly from the supermarket, anything I already had, or something that I might need to wipe the dust off. I would have taken the office chair I'm sitting in and that's about it. The current me however took everything and then blushed as I said thank you. It still feels weird sometimes to take "handouts" but I just remind myself that it's better that I use it then it get tossed out. "It's not greedy if you use it, it's thrifty" I keep telling myself.

Never again, I promise myself, will I walk by a penny on the ground and kick it further into the street. Never again will I use a freezer bag once and toss it out because it has condensation droplets inside. For the days ahead; I hope to be thrifty while leaving a smaller footprint on the planet. It's not just necessity anymore. I feel a passion for living small and being within my means. Life is more rewarding when my waste is less.     :)

Catch My Dreams -Featuring Dream Catchers made by Tiny Tipis

Dream Catchers are a popular part of Native American Art and culture; but, not many people know the history and legends surrounding them. Very few dream catchers sold in stores are "real" dream catchers these days as they are made from non-natural and processed materials. Let's take a step back and investigate the origins, legends, and traditional materials that led to the popular Native American themed decorations.

All Natural Dream Catcher with Beaded Green Leaves by Tiny Tipis

According to Wikipedia dream catchers originated with the Sioux Nation but spread among the other nations to represent many things. They have also been said to have originated from the Chippewa tribe (also Ojibwe or Annishnabe). Some tribes considered them to be a symbol of unity between peaceful nations while others thought of it as protection from night terrors. Still, present day popularity presents a challenge for the Native American dream catcher as certain people consider it too commercialized.

The legends surrounding dream catchers vary greatly from tribe to tribe. According to Soul Tones:

"An ancient Chippewa tradition
The dream net has been made
For many generations
Where spirit dreams have played

Hung above the cradle board
Or in the lodge up high
The dream net catches bad dreams
While good dreams slip on by

Bad dreams become entangled
Among the sinew thread
Good dreams slip through the center hole
While you dream upon your bed."

The First People website describes the Chippewa Legend as follows:

"A spider was quietly spinning his web in his own space. It was beside the sleeping space of Nokomis, the grandmother. Each day, Nokomis watched the spider at work, quietly spinning away. One day as she was watching him, her grandson came in. "Nokomis-iya!" he shouted, glancing at the spider. He stomped over to the spider, picked up a shoe and went to hit it.

"No-keegwa," the old lady whispered, "don't hurt him."

"Nokomis, why do you protect the spider?" asked the little boy.

The old lady smiled, but did not answer. When the boy left, the spider went to the old woman and thanked her for saving his life. He said to her, "For many days you have watched me spin and weave my web. You have admired my work. In return for saving my life, I will give you a gift."

He smiled his special spider smile and moved away, spinning as he went.

Soon the moon glistened on a magical silvery web moving gently in the window. "See how I spin?" he said. "See and learn, for each web will snare bad dreams. Only good dreams will go through the small hole. This is my gift to you. Use it so that only good dreams will be remembered. The bad dreams will become hopelessly entangled in the web."

Most tribes have similar variations of these legends. The reason for the name dream catcher is apparent in the legends as the spider's web catches only the bad dreams but lets the good dreams float on by. The heart-warming qualities that make people love them can be seen in the nurturing side that personifies the spider as a gracious and kind being.

Sage Dream Catcher with Summer Theme by Tiny Tipis

When dream catchers originally started being made the Natives didn't have access to glass beads, metal hoops and the likes so they would use what nature provided. Willow branches were the most common since they were so easy to bend into a circle. The original dream catchers were all natural and as a result they broke down over time. Modern dream catchers use manufactured materials for cost reasons, to extend the life expectancy, and also because it is easier to produce a consistent product. These man made material products lack the feel of a real dream catcher even though they may be more visually appealing to the consumer in some cases.

Dream Catchers symbolize many different things to people. The legends that surround them and the meanings are almost as varied in history as they are today. Each person must find the meaning that fits them best for we are each as unique as the dream catchers that catch our dreams.

Beaded "Snowy" Top on a Winter Dream Catcher by Tiny Tipis

BUY Dream Catchers Online NOW!
See the Tiny Tipis Website
Follow Tiny Tipis on Pinterest
Watch Tiny Tipis Product Videos on YouTube
Like us on FACEBOOK