u/Cooperland

I found this great African Ankara backpack at the thrift store. It had a broken strap (the broken piece thoughtfully tucked inside) and a small hole. I used darning for the hole and did my best to get a rainbow embroidery thread to match the colorful fabrics. It was difficult to do because I had to punch through the quilted fabric of the bag and even part of the zipper fabric for some of it. I used pliers and bent the needle pretty good, but it turned out not too bad.

The strap was sewn back together, but unfortunately snapped at a different spot as soon as I put it on. I’ll have to buy some more webbing and completely replace that strap. I might go ahead and replace the other strap too, just in case.

The matching pouch with keychain were found a couple months later, so I’ll have to use them all together. I can’t wait to wear my cheerful backpack!

(I used the great instructions from the book Creative Mending by Hikaru Noguchi. I checked it out from the library, but it is a must buy.)

I hit the mother lode at Goodwill! Most of this was in a bin that was just wheeled out, so I think it likely came from the same owner. I love apothecary jars, pottery, brass, and glass refrigerator dishes.

As far as I can tell, I have a amber Federal Glass refrigerator dish, a Tonala folk art fish planter from Mexico, not sure on the green jar, a nautilus shell brass trivet by Omnibus, a Belgian bubble lid apothecary jar, a pot marked Gus Gikas 1973, Japanese fish salt and pepper shakers, and a random brass bee.

I love decorating my home with this kind of thing. 💚🩵

Hi! I was hoping I could get help identifying this green glass jar I found at Goodwill. I thought it might be uranium, but it’s not. It does look hand blown and has a deep pontil mark. I just want to make sure it’s not super old or valuable before I start throwing tea bags in it. I’m not a reseller. I just like to collect interesting things.