Tagged: upcycled
My DIY Traveler’s Notebook
Most people who are in the arts and crafts or planner worlds know what a traveler’s notebook is. There are tons of videos and blog posts about how to set up your TN (traveler’s notebook). And what you use them for is only limited by your imagination. I have watched many YouTube videos showing pretty TNs filled with TN inserts and paraphernalia all which add up to the cost of a new car! I’m not kidding, the bare bones TNs, without inserts, sell from $30.00-$70.00. Yeah, I’m so not cool with that.
So I decided to make my own TN. Basically all they are is a piece of leather or vinyl and some elastic cord. So how hard could it be to make my own? Not hard at all. I used two pieces of sample vinyl wallpapers from one of those huge sample books. First I glued them backsides together so I have a pretty cover and inside. Then I followed a video detailing how to attach the elastic pieces.
This is what my bare bones TN looks like.
Okay, I know it doesn’t look great yet, but that is because I haven’t worked on any of the pages inside.
I am using my TN as a prayer and Scripture book. But if that’s not your thing, you can use them as day planners, art journals, junk journals, glue books, etc…
Here are some of the pages I’ve made for my journal. As my prayers are private, I photographed these pages before I wrote my prayers on them.
Traveler’s notebooks, however you deem to use them, are a great way to use your creativity as well as use your stash!
If you don’t already have a TN, check out some videos about them. I bet you’ll get hooked just like I did!
A Little Up-cycled Project
I purchased this ugly metal match box holder a couple of weeks ago because I thought the shape was really nice. The flower cart picture on the front, not so much.
The bottom needed help too!
I decoupaged some scrapbook paper on the front and the bottom.
I attached an old piece of broken jewelry on the front to add some bling. Now it is worthy to sit on a desk and hold pens, pencils and “old lady eyes”.
It can also hang on a wall. There are many things (including a match box) that you can corral in this up-cycled holder!
It was a quick and easy re-do that saved this vintage piece from going to the junk yard! It is now available at Moss Cottage Vintage in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The Many Faces of Success
I’m back from participating in the Virginia Beach Antiques Show and I can happily call it a success. Some people think a show is successful only if they make a large profit. Large profits are always nice, but there are other ways to measure whether a show was successful or not.
Every time I do a show, my booth looks different because my merchandise is always different. So if I can set up my booth so it looks good and showcases my merchandise I consider that a success. Here are a few pictures of my booth.
Table spaces in the booth.
Handmade cross-body bags from vintage fabrics.
Handmade ruler pendant necklaces with various charms.
Mantiques. Something I rarely used to have.
A dose of girly goodness!
Lots of fun vintage wares.
Another way I gauge a shows success is by the people I meet. You can have crabby, demanding customers or you can have delightful, happy customers. This show was filled with the latter. The same holds true for the other vendors, particularly those who are right around your booth. I definitely had a successful show in this area. Three dealers in particular helped to make this show fun and friendly. First is Libbie Hiner from Rusticity Decor. I have participated in a previous show with Libby, but never really got a chance to talk to her because our booths were not close to each other. Thankfully we had some time to talk and get to know each other better this time. Her booth was absolutely the cutest one there. She certainly has a knack for design. You can find out more about Libbie and her designs by visiting her web page at http://www.rusticitydecor.com.
Libbie Hiner from Rusticity Decor.
Right across from me was Mike Prieto from Barrel-Art. Mike is super talented and creates the most beautiful and amazing items from old wine barrels. He makes everything from chairs and pet beds to lazy susans and wine racks. The list of what he can create seems to be endless. Please excuse my blurry picture and check out his web page at http://www.Barrel-Art.com to see his impressive creations.
Mike Prieto from Barrel-Art.
Then there is Liea Spano-Baily from Rusty Cottage Antiques and Vintage. Liea and I have done several shows together and are plotting to do some more. She has the most fun and cool stuff in her booths. She sells antique and vintage jewelry as well as other antiques. Her vintage offerings are also to die for! You can check out Liea on eBay as vendor liea2004. You can also follow her on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LSRepurposedChic.
Liea Spano-Baily with some of her awesome wares!
So to me this show was successful because I was able to set up a pretty booth, the customers were friendly and the dealers around me were super talented and friendly. Of course, the profit was nice too!
Junk on My Desk
I tend to be a really tidy person and like to keep my work surfaces somewhat clean. However, I seem to have a problem throwing out the little bits and pieces left over from my projects. I think I must have a crow, hoarder, good steward gene that keeps me from wasting even the tiniest scraps.
As June is on the horizon, I have to get everything ready to start making my items for the Fall. A quick tidy up was called for. When most of my work table was cleared off, however, I was left with this….
A pile of scraps and left-over supplies my hoarder self could not throw out.
I am a professional at making something out of nothing, however, even this pile did not have enough in it to make any decent projects. So I went to my trusty suitcase of scrap paper to supplement “the pile”.
Little suitcase stuffed with scraps of every kind of paper imaginable.
I used these papers to cover the writing on the tags and provide a nice solid background.
Scraps of paper to make backgrounds for the tags.
Even though the background scraps didn’t fit perfectly, I was able to hide them with pictures cut from a calendar and the bits and bobs from my scrap pile.
I had fun decoupaging. cutting. gluing and snipping for an hour. And at the end of it all, my scrap pile had shrunk down to this…
Now this little pile can just be thrown away, right? Maybe if you are sane. I, however, have squirreled this little pile into a bowl on my desk in hopes to use it another day!
If anybody would like me to send them the little tags I made, I would be more than happy to pop them in the mail. The first person who lets me know they want them, by leaving a comment ON MY BLOG PAGE, can have them. See, I am able to get rid of some things after all!!!!
What Am I Doing?
Have you ever had one of those days (or weeks) when you feel like you are so terribly busy and yet you don’t feel like you have accomplished anything? Well I felt that way earlier this week so I decided to stop and take stock of what I had actually done. Now, I’m not talking about laundry, cleaning, cooking or any of that boring stuff. I’m talking about “making” and “creating” because, well, that stuff is more fun. So even though I felt like I hadn’t done anything, this is what was made.
Psalm 93:4 Mixed Media
Mixed Media Necklaces
Close up of Mixed Media Necklaces
One of a Kind Trinket Necklaces
Close Up of Trinket Necklaces
Oh, and there is a Christmas Mini Album I am working on for a swap, however, I cannot show you that because I know the intended recipient (yes, you Camilla) reads this blog. So I guess besides laundry, cleaning and cooking, the fun stuff is getting done too. The next time you are feeling unproductive, just grab everything you have been working on, put it on a table and revel in the fact that you too are actually”doing”!
glitteronmyface 