Antique Dress Forms are hot, Hot, HOT!!!

The vintage lovelies bring to mind a time of custom-made 
clothing in our off-the-rack world.  Elegant in their faded 
beauty, old dress forms are not just works of art, they're 
also ideal for displaying jewelry. 

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 Hard to find, vintage mannequins and dress 

forms are usually quite expensive.  

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Aren't they lovely?  Do you want one?  Make one!

    Patty at A Few Pennies offers these simple instructions:

          1.)  Order a plastic mannequin form online
          2.)  Outline the back with a piece of stiff backing
          3.)  "Slip cover" the form
          4.)  Glue gun a backing and trim
          5.)  You now have a charming dress form!

 

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Plastic dress forms can be purchased at web sites

such as Specialty Store Services for under $10.

The 'vintage' dress form below was actually 

created with brown paper bags - truly!  

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Click  here for pictorial instructions on how 

to create this charming mannequin top.

When I post photos of Before and After projects I always keep in mind the inspiration 
and hard work that go into each transformation.   Someone spent their time, money and 
energies creating a Phoenix, if you will, out of cast off ashes:

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Sammy, of Renew-Redo, faced a daunting challenge - high winds snapped off a large tree 
branch which fell into her yard.  Did Sammy cry, wring her hands, pull her hair, call the 
Tree Doctor?  Nope.  She got out her chain saw!

The tree is now a beautiful coffee table in Sammy s living room!

I winced when I saw these magenta velvet chairs - 

could hardly get beyond the fabric fail:

The three pitiful pink piggies are now a regal bench seat. 

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The next time you're out thrifting, keep an eye out for dated entertainment centers.  
By removing part of the crown molding, sanding and painting, and replacing the hardware 
you, too, could have a 'new' storage cabinet.

Kim at A Brush of Whimsy is one of the most genius girls around.  She has The Eye 
for vision and can rehab just any piece of discarded furniture you throw at her:

 Vanity Before:                                               Vanity After:

 

Desk Before:                                                   Desk After:  (it's now a vanity, too!)

 

If you're new to rehabbing, start with something small:

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 A $10 Goodwill mirror makes a darling menu board.

Keep your eye out for pieces that you think would

be ideal for a re-do.  Often you can start with

something you already own - just enjoy the process!