I've been staying inside today trying to keep cosy while wild winds have been whistling over most of Scotland. I found a nice relaxing little project to do and this is something that might inspire you to look in your cupboards and see what you can transform.
I own this pretty little silver salt cellar with cobalt glass insert and I will use it occasionally. I also own another the same, but this one no longer has it's glass - not a whole lot of use. It is not worth getting an insert custom made for it, so what do I do with it?
Make it into a cute little pin cushion, that's what.
I drew around the cellar and cut two bits of card a little smaller than my drawn lines. One bit of card I stuck into the bottom of the cellar to form a base which will hide any raw edges of fabric. Then I cut an oval of fabric for the top and a straight piece to go around the edges with a bit extra for gathering and turning under, and I stitched it wrong sides together. I turned it the right way around and stuffed it with dried lavender. Then I put the other oval of card on top of the stuffing and made a running stitch around the bottom edge of the fabric and gathered it together around the card and then popped it into the silver cellar. I could hot glue it in, but it is a firm fit so doesn't really need it,
Every time I stick a pin into it I get a delightful aroma of lavender. I will really enjoy using this now instead of it being pointlessly stuck in a cupboard.
Perhaps you have some small dish or other small silver item that doesn't seem very useful at the moment. Why not turn it into a pretty little pin cushion to enjoy - or even give as a gift. Or if you don't own one but would like to, then keep your eyes open in the charity shops, you might just pick up the perfect thing.
I hope I inspired you today.
Happy crafting
BEautiful!!!
Posted by: GlitteryKatie | December 09, 2011 at 08:20 AM
Beautiful, a fantastic idea and you'll get the feeling of a hot summers day when you smell the lavender:)
Posted by: Lynne V. | December 09, 2011 at 08:25 AM
brilliant upcycling Doda :) and i love that you put lavendar in it too!
Posted by: Alix | December 09, 2011 at 08:57 AM
Just beautiful,Doda. I am making candles with my dried lavender and maybe some little hearts that I saw on Kirstie's programme. Wasn't it wild yesterday- we are in the Central Belt and did not bear the brunt of the wind..
Posted by: Catriona | December 09, 2011 at 09:29 AM
Great pin cushion.
Erika.
Posted by: Erika | December 09, 2011 at 10:24 AM
wow... fab idea and so useful.
mandy
Posted by: Mandy | December 09, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Absolutely gorgeous. Perfectly reused!
Posted by: ifa | December 09, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Such a clever idea! Will have a rummage round my cupboards to see what I have lying around that could be upcycled!
Posted by: Gabrielle | December 09, 2011 at 11:47 AM
It's lovely. What a fantastic idea to add the lavender.
Posted by: Kerry | December 09, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Simply delightful Doda, and the velvet is the perfect colour with the silver.
Elx
Posted by: Eleanor | December 09, 2011 at 10:27 PM
Will have to try this, brilliant idea putting in some lavender, could be very calming when a sewing project isn't going quite right x
Posted by: Debbie | December 11, 2011 at 08:02 AM
gorgeous love this and now youll use it more than a salt dish :)
Posted by: jayne | December 15, 2011 at 08:56 PM