The Friday 5 - Vintage Cameras

I love, love, love vintage cameras.  Even if they're no longer functional, why not repurpose them as a great piece of three dimensional art?  Here are five great looks for vintage cameras that get my heart racing!

{1}  How much do you adore this vintage camera repurposed as a nightlight?

{source:  Jayfish via Buzz Feed blog}

{2}  A no longer functioning camera is transformed into a lamp.

{source:  1LightArtLamps.com}

{3}  Reclaimed wood made into a shelf for a camera.

{source:  Mamie Jane's}

{4}  I love these vintage cameras with simple black frames around them.

{source:  Pocket Full of Pretty}

{5}  These bookends made from an old camera and game pieces are so clever!

{source:  1453 Designs on Etsy}

So the truth is that cameras on a shelf are art in an of themselves, but there are also so many wonderful ideas for repurposing cameras out there too.  I hope you'll think of me next time you see an old camera at a flea market or swap meet!

Make the Best Lotion...Ever

Here is a great recipe for my favorite make it yourself hand and foot cold cream.  Three simple ingredients and that's it!

This stuff is great for cracked hands and feet.   You can also slather it on your feet and then wear socks to bed so it can soak in to your skin.

The Best Lotion...Ever

• 16 oz. Johnson & Johnson's baby lotion {I like the bedtime lotion; the lavender smell is great!}
• 8 oz. Vaseline
• 8 oz. Vitamin E Cream

1.  Blend all three ingredients together with an electric mixer until it has the consistency of icing.

2.  Package in small containers and enjoy!

*If you want to make smaller batches, just be sure you keep the following ratio:  2 parts baby lotion to 1 part Vaseline to 1 part vitamin E cream.*

Top kitchen substitutions you can make

I'm all for streamlining in the kitchen.  This past holiday, I was making cookies with the kids and ran out of baking powder as we're ready for step #3.  {insert groan}  What could I use instead without trekking to the grocery store on Christmas Eve?

After this experience, I started to research some common kitchen ingredients that can be substituted for each other.  Here is my list.  I'll keep adding whenever I run out of anything in the future!

IF YOU DON'T HAVE...	AMOUNT	IN A PINCH, YOU CAN USE...
Baking Powder	1 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Bread Crumbs	1 cup	1 cup of crushed crackers
Brown Sugar	1 cup	1 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup molasses; decrease the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup
Corn Syrup	1 cup	1 1/4 cups white sugar + 1/3 cup water   OR   1 cup honey
Cottage Cheese	1 cup	1 cup ricotta cheese
Cream (half & half)	1 cup	7/8 cup milk + 1 tablespoon butter
Cream of Tartar	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
Evaporated Milk	1 cup	1 cup light cream
Flour (Cake)	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
Flour (Self-Rising)	1 cup	7/8 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Herbs (fresh)	1 Tablespoon	1 teaspoon of dried herbs
Honey	1 cup	1 1/4 cups white sugar + 1/3 cup water   OR   1 cup corn syrup
Ketchup	1 cup	1 cup tomato sauce + 1 teaspoon vinegar + 1 tablespoon sugar
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon vinegar   OR   1 teaspoon white wine   OR   1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon	2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Mayonnaise	1 cup	1 cup sour cream   OR   1 cup plain yogurt
Molasses	1 cup	3/4 cup brown sugar + 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Ricotta	1 cup	1 cup dry cottage cheese
Shallots, chopped	1/2 cup	1/2 cup chopped onion   OR   1/2 cup chopped green onion
Sour cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt
Soy sauce	1/2 cup	4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce + 1 Tablespoon water
Stock--beef or chicken	1 cup	1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
Vinegar	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice   OR   2 teaspoons white wine
White sugar	1 cup	1 cup brown sugar   OR   1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar   OR   3/4 cup honey   OR   3/4 cup corn syrup
Wine	1 cup	1 cup chicken or beef broth   OR   1 cup fruit juice + 2 teaspoons vinegar   OR   1 cup water
Yogurt	1 cup	1 cup sour cream   OR   1 cup buttermilk

The Friday 5 - Vintage Suitcases

Vintage suitcases have loads of style, are sturdy, and make some of the most interesting pieces of furniture I've ever seen!  Here are some favorites for this week.

{1}  A very organic looking, yet very precise wall of suitcases.  This studio is to die for!

{source:  Rieke Studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico}

{2}  This suitcase turned bar is to die for!  How great would this be in an apartment or in a man cave?

{source:  Vanity Case Etsy Shop}

 {3}  The only question I have for the makers of this suitcase table, is how in the world did they get all of those different suitcases to even out?

{source:  Elements of Style}

{4}  Suitcase chair with leather upholstery.  I love the tags dangling down!

{source:  REcreate}

{5}  A suitcase of shelves or shelves filled with suitcases?

{source:  This Made My Day on Tumblr}

I cannot believe that vintage suitcases came in so many varieties, colors, and sizes.  So many creative people out there making wonderful furniture pieces out of them too!

A few tips for working with pallets

Here are a few tips about repurposing pallets that I've collected from some of my DIY buds.  I hope these can help you before you attempt one of my favorite industrial trend projects!

1.  Finding Them.  They're easy to find.  Most people tell me that industrial parks and around the back of home improvement stores & shopping centers are the best place to find pallets.  Please make sure you ask before you take them.  Sometimes they are not free and you don't want anyone chasing you down!

2.  Working with Them.  Anyone I know who has ever worked with pallets tells me that they are difficult to get apart.  After all, they're made to hold hundreds of pounds, so I guess that should be a no-brainer, but I never thought about it before.  Just work carefully, and be prepared to sweat if you plan to take them apart.  You may want to bribe a strong friend or employ some power tools.
 
3.  Cleaning Them.  Not that you can really tell when these collect dust {until it's way too late}, but this tip will help you avoid splinters.  If you make furniture or storage out of pallets, the best way to clean them is to use a vacuum with a brush attachment.

Three things to do with an old sweater

It's 25 degrees today in Virginia, which is painful for me.  I love when it's cold and there is snow outside, but when it's just cold and windy....nah, no thanks!

Cold days remind me my favorite sweater, which is sadly too small after an accidental date with the dryer.  What to do?  Find a new purpose for my shrunken sweater of course!  Here are my three favorite ideas and tutorials to upcycle some old sweaters into something fabulous.

{source:  Sweater bag tutorial from a Lemon Squeezy Home}

{source: Sweater Pillows from Better Homes & Gardens}

{source: Knitted Bracelets by Left Coast Knits}

Gas up the car and get me to a thrift store...quick!

Repurposed pallets

I love decorating with free things.  The industrial trend was hot in 2011.  In an effort to mix the two, I found a few of my favorite pallet projects that I would love to do.  What a great way to be green and on trend.

A bookcase made entirely out of old pallets and crates.

Source: looplane.com via Emily on Pinterest

Stack a bunch of pallets for quick and rustic shelving.

{source}

Simple shelving made from pallets.

Source: looplane.com via Emily on Pinterest

I love how palettes add texture to this focal wall.  The colors are great too.  How great would a bed look against this wall.  It looks like you can just use the vacuum to clean the wall up too.

Source: bowerpowerblog.com via Emily on Pinterest

Where do you find old pallets?  Check out back behind home improvement stores like Home Depot, Lowes, or COSTCO.  Also check industrial parks and warehouses.  If you ask, they'll likely give you the pallets for free!

I sort of like this trend, it's rustic and most important, inexpensive!  What do you think?  Do you like the repurposed pallet trend?