Stained Glass Studio: A Rainbow Panel & Scraps Sun Catcher

I have two more stained glass creations to share with you and they both center around rainbows. I’ve always loved rainbows and actively hunt for them after rainstorms. Lately, I feel like I’ve needed more rainbows in my life so I decided to make a rainbow honeycomb panel.

For this panel, I created my own pattern and learned a lot from it (once again). Looking back, the little pieces around the top and bottom are WAY too small and I should have adjusted the pattern to get rid of them. For the first time, I used sticker paper for my pattern pieces and that was an absolute game changer! Even with the challenges, I love the way that this one turned out.

As I was cutting each glass piece for the panel, I kept all the scraps in a little container. I loved the colors I used and realized that they would make a really fun scrappy sun catcher.

Here’s what sparked the idea:

This sun catcher turned out to be so dang difficult and I had to teach myself how to do a bunch more things to make it happen. It started off as scraps, which I then foiled and soldered individually. I then made handmade jump rings for every single piece of glass, and soldered them on to the top and bottom of each piece.

I tried hanging on jewelry string and clear plastic string and just didn’t like the look of it. So, I purchased some jewelry making chain, cut each piece to the length I wanted, added jump rings and attached them to each piece of stained glass. And then, I hung each strand on a piece of driftwood.

This was absolutely one of those “for science” pieces because I had to stumble through each and every step. Also, I’m not sure if this is going to hold up long term. When soldering on jump rings, you typically need to extend the metal into a space between two pieces of glass to anchor it. Since I was working with just individual pieces, that wasn’t an option. So, it is quite possible that the weight of the piece eventually pulls the solder away from the glass. Guess I’ll see! And learn from it, of course.

Next Up on the Horizon

I still have a plan to try 3D designs like plants/succulents, as well as use scrap glass for mosaics. However, my next challenge is… plant stakes!

I have a couple designs in mind that I’m going to start with, including a bee and hexagonal hive, and some cute cactus/succulent plants. I plan to gift some of my plant stakes, so in addition to learning how to solder them onto a copper stake properly, I’m also going to be experimenting with lead-free solder.

August Thrift Haul

I’m so excited to share this month’s Thrift Haul with you, because I think it might be the BEST haul of the year! I went out to my favorite thrift store for some ‘medicinal thrifting’ for my mental health and I found so many amazing goodies.

Let’s check it out:

Black Cotton Slip, $6.79

I actually own this exact slip in white, which is why I recognized it as a slip and not a skirt when I was flipping through the racks. I bought it a few years ago from Amazon and the current cost is $23. I’m quite happy to add this to my closet for less than $7 for any black slip needs that may arise in the future.

Pink Tulle Skirt, $6.79

This is another ‘cheapie Amazon find’, but I really liked it and it was secondhand, so I’ll allow it. On the website it’s called a ‘prom skirt’ (for $30) but it’s just a sparkly pink skirt with a layer of tulle overtop and a stretchy waistband. This is surprisingly cute on and I feel like it will pair well with a pair of Docs and a graphic tee. For $7, I couldn’t pass it up. Especially because I have a niece obsessed with sparkly tulle skirts and she will totally think I’m a princess in this.

Eileen Fisher Cotton Skirt, $9.49

As you all know, I have a weakness for Eileen Fisher, so to find this classic skirt for less than $10 had my heart racing. There was no sizing tag though, so I just eyeballed it and crossed my fingers it would fit. And… it does! I thought that this might be linen, but according to the side interior tag, it’s 100% organic cotton. The retail price was somewhere between $158 -198 according to my research. As it is, I’ll be pairing this with a graphic tee or comfy tank top this summer.

Kerri Rosenthal Vacance Pintuck Skirt, $9.49

Even though I didn’t recognize the designer’s name, I had a feeling that this skirt was one of those items that had a shocking retail price. Some things that tipped me off: the cotton of the skirt is a really nice weight, the pintuck/lace details are done really well, and there is a full cotton slip underneath to give it an extra swish factor. Also, the fact that the brand did an extra embroidery detail of a heart on the back of the waistband… cheapo brands don’t spend extra time/money with those little details.  So, I was surprised, but also not surprised, to find that this was the “Vacance Pintuck Skirt” from Kerri Rosenthal that retails for $328!

Once again, I didn’t try it on until I got home… but unfortunately the top tier fits me a little wonky. BUT, I’ve done this exact tailoring trick before where I move the waistband to the top of the second tier, so I got right on that. Here’s the “after” and I’m super happy with how it turned out!

Okay, let’s stop here for a sec because I just want to point out that with the last four items I paid $33 and the total retail prices equal $539!

Thrifting is the BEST!

On to the last item… and it’s a doozie!

Dooney & Bourke All Weather Leather Tack/Marble Bag, $44.44

The thrift store had a big hanging display with a bunch of purses behind the counter, so I was squinting over at it and saw the profile of this little saddle bag. I asked the nice lady to let me take a look, took a quick peruse, and purchased it ASAP before she took it away from me or someone else tried to steal it out of my hands!

I saw that it was fully leather, had an old school Dooney & Bourke “Made in the USA” tag inside and looked like it was in perfect condition. That was ALL I needed to know. Once I got home, I did all the research and found that it is the All Weather Leather Tack bag that is also called the Marble bag in British Tan. It was sold sometime between 1988 – 1992 and retailed around $200.

I would say that this is pretty comparable to my vintage Coach bags, in that the design is so classic and the leather is so hearty. I absolutely love it and it fills a hole in my closet for a small brown leather bag. It’s the perfect crossbody to hold my wallet, glasses and phone while I’m out and about on my daily adventures!

Quick DIY Fix for Tiered Skirts That Fit Weird

I thought I had shared this tip before, but I did a quick look through my previous posts and didn’t see it… so I wanted to make sure this idea gets ejected from my brain in case it helps someone else. Okay, so you know how I love, love, love a good flowy skirt? Obviously. And I find myself drawn to those tiered skirts of the mid-90’s because they are just a fabulous kind of boho chic.

However, sometimes the top tier is a bit rude in how it fits my tummy.

At some point over the last few years, I realized I could just CUT THE TOP OFF.  So, instead of having a too-tight top tier, I cut the top tier off entirely and then reattach the waistband to the next tier (which has more room).

I did this previously with a Laura Ashley skirt

And I just did this again with a newly thrifted Kerri Rosenthal skirt. I thrifted the skirt for under $10 and when I did my online research after the fact, I found that it retails for $328. Sure, I could have listed it for sale to try and make some money off of it, but I LIKED the skirt. And the whole idea of thrifting is to buy things to wear and keep them out of a landfill, right?

So, I grabbed my trusty scissors, chopped the top tier off and then reattached the next tier to the existing waistband. I didn’t even get my sewing machine out, I just hand sewed it. After I got everything in place, I then chopped the interior slip a bit shorter (so it didn’t stick out) and did a quick running stitch by hand for a new hem. That was it!

And now, I have a gorgeous flowy, cotton and lace skirt that fits my body well. For $10 and a little elbow grease.