And it's not a bad one. I just realized that I'm an upcycler. Or a refashioner (refashionista?), if you will. I have never liked following patterns or taking the time to properly learn something. I'm more of a jump in with both feet kinda girl (oh good heavens, not in real life, though... just when it comes to making crafty things) If I can't do something my way the first time and get great results then I'm not even going to try. So I thought I wasn't a real... anything, really.

Turns out there are lots of people out there like me. People who sew without bothering with patterns (just trace around a shirt that fits you well). People who like combing through thrift stores to find something that they can turn into something else. People who look at one thing and see something else. DIYers who see something they like somewhere and think, "I could make that!" People who take something that was and make something that is.

So, I've had fun, realizing this is a real thing. I'm allowed to do it, I don't have to follow the rules or learn the proper way. This is the proper way, for me. I've been making skirts and pants and crafts and gifts. It's been fun.

And here are a few samples of what I've made, minus some skirts (made out of t-shirts and super cute bedsheets) that I didn't think to take photos of before I gave them away to little girls, and some bird mobiles (made from fabric scraps and twigs that I picked up during a walk) that I made for gifts. But you get the idea. Refashioning is fun!





A pair of Ninja Turtle pants that I made for Becky who has a crazy love for TMNT. Made them out of a couple of extra large t-shirts and now they don't fit Becky. I should have know, she's not an extra large anything! Anyway, now I have to figure out a lazy way of taking them in that doesn't involve totally undoing everything... good luck with that, corrie.



My skirt that is oh-so-comfortable that I made out of t-shirts.



Shopping bags that I made (you guessed it) out of t-shirts. Bee tee dubs, the best time to buy t-shirts at a thrift store is when they have a bag sale or 50% off day. I totally scored these ones on Friday. Who wouldn't want to go grocery shopping with these stylish bags to carry your purchases home in?



These are some journals that I made (or have not quite finished making) out of old children's books. I love the covers, and the best part is that I saved some of the really great pictures inside and dispersed them throughout the new pages. They're so cute. I love 'em. (Thanks for helping me with this one, Justin!)

Anyway, it's nice to know there are other (much more talented) people out there. I'm not lazy, I just do things my own way.

I'm not cheap, I'm just upcycling : )