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The Crossest Stitches, Ever – DIY

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Not sure how I’ve just discovered the art of subversive cross stitching, which is apparently taking the DIY world by storm.  But I have, and I thank my freaking hilarious co-worker (and Covet Living’s brand spankin’ new DIY guest blogger!) Heather on telling me about this burgeoning hobby.  Before we continue, let me just notify those with virgin eyes, that yes, there could be some salty language on this post.  So get your Bibles out; you might need them.  Without further ado, here’s Heaths!

(Heather aka Lady In Red)

Hi all!  So, I used to do a lot of cross stitching with my mom.  We’d sit together on the couch and crank out butterfly, unicorn and puppies-rolling-in-flower bed patterns ’til our little fingers bled.  Ahhh the good old days.  I wanted to relive the magic but juuzz up my needlepoint with something that screamed “I’ve become an angry, bitter woman”… so I made this!  It’s my stab at subversive cross stitching, commissioned by Covet Living’s own Karrie.

And here’s how I did it:

MATERIALS

  • Stitch Fabric (14 count is the most common)
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Thread
  • Embroidery
  • Scissors
  • Pattern
  • Pictures

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Get inspired

What up subversivecrossstitch.com?!

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Step 2: Map out your pattern


I really hope imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, because my design was (*cough) inspired by Miso Funky.

I counted all the little x’s in the picture and then plotted out the masterpiece on graph paper.  Sounds easy, but I never excelled at math… or counting.  I’m not going to lie; I struggled a bit.  Kind of sad.  Good luck to you though.

Step 3: Get your sew on

For those of you who haven’t cross stitched since you were in the 1st grade, here is a great sewing 101 tutorial. They’ll do a much better job explaining than I ever could.

Step 4: Put a frame on it! (Karrie’s note: This frame below cost a whopping $3 at Goodwill)


Step 5: Voila!


Happy stitching everybody!

Thank you, Heather, not just for your awesome little DIY project, but for always, and I mean always, being the life of the party at our work holiday bashes.

Below are some other ideas pulled from the web.  I die:

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(My mommy friends will appreciate this one the most I’m sure; via)

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One thing’s for certain, kittens.  This ain’t your grandma’s cross stitching.

Oh, and too lazy to craft these delights yourself?  Check out Subversive Cross Stitch’s Etsy shop for some inexpensive gifts.

Happy Fat Tuesday you little heifers!

xoxo,

Big Tacky Plastic Clam Shell Re-Do: VOILA!

Purchased: January 2012

Where: Goodwill Store in Santa Monica

Price: $3

Size: 18″ x 12″

Thoughts: Why would anyone pay any kind of cheddar for a large, plastic, found-in-a-Big Lots-in-Naples-lookin’ clam shell?  Well, I’d been eyeing giant clam shells for quite some time to use as a lovely, natural accent piece in our apartment.  This summer I even participated in an epic, Saving Private Ryan-esque, hour-long haggle fest with some poor vendor at the Pasadena Flea Market.  He wanted $75 for a shell; I acted all hard, then pouted, then melodramatically stomped off, sulking to my visiting mom.  I guess these things are really, really rare (the clam shells… not my tantrums), so you’ve either got to fork over major dough for the real thing, or pay a good amount for a fake version like this one from Z Gallerie.  No thanks to both.

So this DIY was the easiest I’ve ever finished. First, I took it out back like Old Yeller and spray painted it white.  I made sure to leave the tiniest bit of the original blue color to seep through, giving it a slightly more bit of depth:

Then I went to town and filled it with darling little succulents just purchased at Home Depot.  PS, they’ve got some great cacti/succulents for those with a history of killing off regular plants.  Anywho, so I filled the shell, and

VOILA!

My formerly cheap-a@@ looking tchotchke became a pretty miniature succulent garden that’s provided a nice organic touch to our place.  I love it.  And if I defy the odds and am the .001% of the population to kill the succulents, I’ll probably end up using it as either a magazine holder…

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Or as a fruit basket on my kitchen table, to hold my new obsession, clementines:

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The moral of the story?  As Steph’s pointed out a ton in her Goodwill Hunting posts, you gotta look in the most unexpected places for little gems to emerge.   Go to your Goodwills, go to rummage sales, go to Salvation Armys.  Put on your No Excuses overalls and slap some paint, some new knobs, or some new fabric on your find and there you go: a little dime piece that cost you a fraction of the fancier newer pieces out there in stores!

Jam out with your clams out, people.

Yours truly,




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