Someone once told me that I was good at making "something out of nothing." I definitely took it as a good thing... as it was said in the context of me being creative and resourceful. It was said way back when I was working as a cook/cleaning lady/ organizer during my college years... and was a compliment about a dinner I had made when the owner thought the fridge was too empty to produce anything for a meal. I try to apply that to everything though.

My grandmother was a bit of a hoarder... but she was so good at so many different craft mediums... I can understand her thinking everything could be used at some point for something. While I am not a hoarder... I do tend to hang on to things that I think I can tweak a little and make into something new and interesting.

These past few days I have been working on some design ideas to apply to some old ties. Some of them were my dad's... some I have just picked up at thrift stores and such over the years. I have been cleaning them... repairing them *as needed*... and embellishing them.
Something old.... made into something... new and creative :)

*photos and needlework by Elaine A. Russell