2 years ago, I took an art class where our project was to make altered book art.  One of my friends actually introduced me to these. We would sit and fold book pages for what seemed like hours.  She even made a book mobile with a World Book.  It was sooooo heavy!

I have 3 hanging in my bedroom.  They are really easy and free/cheap to make.  Where I live, we have a recycling center that has a book bin.  We would rummage through the bin to find book sizes that were suitable.

Your hands will get very dirty in the process, from all the ink.

1.  To start the project, first tear the covers off of your books.  (Using a paperback makes it much easier.) Begin by folding one of your pages in half. Fold the next two pages in half as well.

2.  Everything in the mobiles is done in groups of threes.  This way there is nice volume.  Fold the next three pages individually at any angle you want.

3.  Fold three pages individually in half again.

4.   Fold the next three pages individually at any angle you want. (It could be the opposite, so that the mobile is symmetrical, or fold the pages ends toward the middle to make a lantern shape.

5.  Continue alternating until you have folded the entire book, or until the book has curled up on itself.

6.  The pages will be so tight that the mobile will form itself.  Next, use a long piece of ribbon, tie a knot, and feed the ribbon through the center of the book mobile.  Hot glue the knot at the base to secure it.

7.  Cut out two pieces of scrapbook paper in large circles.  Glue one on the bottom to hide the ribbon knot.

8.  Poke or punch a hole in the second circle of paper, feed the ribbon through it, and hot glue it to the top of the mobile.

9.  Because these mobiles are so light weight and bonded with hot glue, the ribbon should not pull through.

10.  Now you have a recycled piece of art. Hang and enjoy!

I just noticed that this one was glued upside down.

 

I remember when I was younger and I would sneak into my mom’s room and look at all her pretty vintage jewelry on her dresser.  I would look at her pieces and then carefully put them back where they belonged. I couldn’t wait until I was older and had my own.

Now that I’m older, I’ve created a collection of my own.  It has evolved over the years.  In junior high, I loved wearing big, bold beads and stuff that looked like candy.  Everything was as bright as Lisa Frank gear.  Now my collection is a little more refined, and making your own jewelry makes it even more fun.

A lot of my jewelry I wear the most I actually made.  I love finding charms in clearance bins or in thrift stores and making new jewelry with them.  I don’t have any expensive jewelry because I feel it is a waste of money.  Why would I wear diamond earrings, when I would where fake ones that cost me only a few bucks?

Here’s a peek at some of my stash.  I have another jewelry holder on my nightstand with rings and bigger earrings.

I made this jewelry holder.  It was super easy.  Just hot glue or staple lace inside a frame.  I made this one 3 years ago, and it’s still holding up nice.

My birdcage is from Michael’s, with a vintage Avon owl inside it.

I love owls. 🙂

After Christmas the gift sets are so cheap, and Victoria’s Secret has their Semi Annual Sale, so I stock up on more perfume.  My favorites are sweet or food-like smells.

Yesterday, I  made a t shirt quilt, and I had a ton of scraps.  Scraps that were huge and itty bitty.  I was originally going to make a plain skirt, but after staring at it, I decided to try make it have a fish scale texture.

1.  Lay out an old t shirt (I had the bottom half as a scrap) and trace a skirt that already fits you. Cut.

2.  To make a foldover waistband (like on yoga pants) cut one long strip that is twice as tall as what you want the finished waistband to be. Sew up the short sides to make one giant loop.

3.  Turn the raw edges of the waistband to the inside as you fold it in half.  Also, sew the two side seams of the skirt body together.

4.  Place right sides together.  As in, flip the band over so that its raw edges match the skirt body’s raw edges.  When you sew them together, you will sewing through 3 layers of fabric.

5.  All raw edges should be on the inside, stitch them down, and now you can fold over the waist band.

6.  Cut out your first fish scale.  Mine is 4 inches wide, and 3 inches tall.

7.  With tailors chalk, mark where you want your layers to overlap.  I did mine every 1.5 inches, except the bottom.

8.  Cut out a ton of scales.  I did 12 for each row (all the way around the skirt) for 7 rows.  I cut out 84 scales.

9.  Make sure you have your machine set to a stretch/knit setting.  (I didn’t use a normal zig zag because it warps my fabric like crazy.)

10.  Sew your scales onto the body of the skirt, following the lines you drew.  I overlapped my scales half an inch while sewing them onto the skirt.  Also make sure you alternate your rows- this way they won’t line up perfectly.