how to make a rolled page wreath {for free}

I keep seeing rolled paper everywhere: jewelry beads, adorning picture frames, edging mirrors.
So inspiring. Surely one could use that stack of magazines gathering dust in the corner and come up with something sorta fun, no?

I used catalogs, since they have lots of yummy colors/patterns, and tried to get photos that didn't have words on the edge that was going to show. There are no rules in crafting though -
if you want words, by all means LET THE WORDS BE SEEN.

Pull a cereal box from the recycle bin, and cut a circle.

Using a pencil as your guide, roll each (cut in half) page into a tube, then secure with a line of hot glue. 

It's truly brain surgery.

{two random jump rings in the photo = not required}

You can lay it out however you want.

I pretended it was a clock and put a 3, 6, 9 and 12, filling in between those spots.

A cup (or measuring/paying more attention/being more precise) keeps things even-ish.

If things are a little catty wonk in the end, some snipping with scissors will fix it.




My finished wreath ended up with 3 layers:

- the original one

- a staggered (medium/short/medium/short pattern) on top of that

- a layer glued to the back of the circle when I realized the finished wreath was too small

See? Fool proof.


 

A piece of twine glued in a loop to the back is the "hanger".

I thought perhaps it would be too delicate for the constant opening and closing of the front door by five children and their friends, but it's been over a month and no sign of distress yet.
Not too shabby for free.



 

Linking up over at Jen's place.

current obsessions

1. THESE GIFT TAGS

printable chalkboard tags from ellinee.

Okay, so hers look all sophisticated and elegant,
whereas mine gets paired with Target Dollar Spot paper and some yarn, but WHO CARES? Everything else is just the Jan Brady to that tag anyhow.

2. THIS SERIES

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

My daughter insisted I read this book one Saturday afternoon, and by bedtime it was finished.

After that I paced myself and took my time, rationing out to the second book over two days, but
Oh Mylanta.
It's even better than the first one.




Palace scandals, treason, magic, and young love? Sign me up.
If this is not made into a movie then I know nothing about nothing.
If you have an ongoing library hold list (and who doesn't) this needs to be on it.

{on a sidenote, I'm now experiencing reading withdrawals until the third book comes out in August...any suggestions for a can't-put-down-even-to-make-dinner story?}

3. CROSS STITCH PATTERNS

I've been dealing with a wee bit of anxiety lately, and what better way to self medicate than with some embroidery thread and a needle? But how to pick a favorite?? It can't be done.

from nerdylittlestitcher 

from nerdylittlestitcher

from BacktoYours

from aliciawatkins

from bananya stand

 

 

4. THIS TREAT

from Lick the Bowl Good

Ritz crackers (grains) + Rolos (dairy) = healthy snacking.

The kids will be "testing" out this recipe on me this weekend, because something as important as nutrition should be a family affair.


Speaking of this weekend...

5. THIS SUNDAY IS MOTHERS DAY

which means it's card time.

"...you don't suck as much as I thought you did." (from sweetperversion)

from duvdesigns

from witandwhistle


My hubby already got me flowers and called it a day. And when I say got I mean that I ordered it off of etsy while he was at work. And when I say flowers, I mean the vintage oil kind that never die. Which are the best.

They're currently leaning against the mirror in the bedroom until they get a permanent spot,
but they make me smile and distract from the fact that this room is simultaneously on the "need to finish" and "need to start" list. It's been over 4 years...no reason to rush things.


Happy Weekend.

Like Sunshine in the Morning {a hutch makeover}

I got a text late one night from my bestie saying that a friend of hers was purging

and one of the (free) items up for grabs was a hutch.

"Do I need it?" was my reply.

"I don't know, but it's cute."

(original FB photo)

Smitten. Is what I was. The very next day it was in my garage.

(those little glass doors fit in front of the top two right shelves and slide to open, 

but let's pretend it's more bookcase and less china cabinet)

There was nothing wrong with the shabby chic finish, but after getting it in the house it looked plain and drab and not at all like it belonged.

 Enter some leftover paint from this "makeover" forever ago.

The pulls seemed a bit too modern for the vibe this guy was giving off, so they got swapped out.

Two pulls and a dingle dangle knob half off at Hobby Lobby = $7.53

Random bits from around the house perch on the shelves for now until I figure out exactly I want to use it for. Not so pretty cookbooks are all in one spot for reference, should I be so inclined to...you know...cook or something. It could happen.

The little peak of sunshine from the dining room makes that {previously empty} corner smile.
A big cheesy grin with dimples, I'd say.

Nothing wrong with it before, 

but what a difference a bit o' color makes.

Linking up over at Sarah's before and after party.

$3 gifts: little stuff that girls love

A while back our Young Women at church had a gift swap activity. 

I *adore* White Elephants, as it's socially acceptable and even encouraged to be absurd, but this time the party had been pooped on: no funny / silly / non-useful items allowed.

via nerdylittlestitcher

 Dang.

Did I mention a $3 max? Eek.

We needed two gifts (Sierra and I were both participating), which pumped up the challenge, as I didn't want it to be two of the same thing because that's boring and, more importantly, lame.

Although these were supposed to be little gifts, they turned out fun enough that they could also be used as a cheap we-just-paid-$1000-to-treat-termites-and-don't-have-money-for-anything-extra birthday present too. As usual, it's all in the presentation.

TIP: find something and let it inspire a theme. 

In this case, it was socks.

Present #1 : Rainbow Brite

socks and candy - Dollar Tree  //  polka dot pen - Michaels

The rainbow theme continues on to the wrapping because that's how homie plays it.

 A simple construction paper bow gives lots of bang for no buck, and it's finished off with a bottle cap scrapbooking embellishment from Target that was sold, at best, in 2002. 

I wish I was joking about that.

Present #2: Black & White & Awesome All Over

socks - Dollar Tree  //  tape dispenser - Hobby Lobby (2.99, but use your 40% off coupon and enjoy the puzzled look of the cashier when you let out a cowboy yee-haw about saving $1.19)(although they really should be used to it by now)

More ancient, completely uncool scrapbook embellishments, a free printable zebra tag from here, some twine, and a leftover piece of ribbon from the scrap jar.

Three bucks never looked so fancy.

A Batman Boutonniere {comic book flowers go to prom}

I remember going to prom when I was 16.

And although it was a century ago during covered wagon days,

I still remember how I detested all the fuss. Not the festivities themselves (we all know I make magic on the dance floor), but all the pomp and circumstance surrounding the event was just ridiculous.

My mom made the dress so it could be just how I wanted it: plain and simple and devoid of anything horrid (pink!) or foofy. Please no shimmer. For heaven's sake no bows.

The one thing that there was no getting around was that stupid "necessity" of corsages. They seemed so showy and so...elderly, and gosh darn it, when it came to the boutonniere,

I couldn't even get the blasted thing to stay on.

Fast forward twenty years, and MY 16 year old is going to prom. Also in black. And pearls. 

And Mary Janes. I don't know if it's nature or nuture, but boy howdy is it strong.

Her date got her flowers, but we asked him beforehand if he was game for something a little less traditional for his adornment. Which he was.

So we brainstormed and came up with this.

Batman (his favorite superhero) + paper flower + feathers = Awwwww Yeah.

Pretty easy, although there were 2 "trials" with catalogs before the comic book was busted out.
Don't wanna waste those splendiferous graphics.

Here's what we did:

* printed out the free paper rose template from here

* traced the pattern onto the comic book pages, making sure the coolest parts/faces are on the petals and therefore will be visible

* cut

* hot glued together

 

  

(at this point it looked okay from up top, but from the side it was pretty tall, so we took out the middle part and replaced it with a pearl scrapbooking brad with the prongs pulled off)

A few feathers were hot glued behind the flower because a Dark Knight is practically naked without polka dots. A circle cut out of felt is glued to the back to cover it all up, and then a pin back is glued to the back of that so there aren't any I-can't-get-it-to-stay-on issues.
Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

We also fashioned a wristlet (proper term?) with the same theme, but instead of curled petals, these are just flower shapes, folded into quarters and stacked. It could've attached to a ribbon or elastic, but since he got her REAL flowers, this didn't get used.

{Sierra said it's getting a pin back too, and will funkify her purse.}

Final Total

comic book : 50 cents
feathers : $1.80 (40% off of 2.99)
brad / pin back / felt : already had

= $2.30

Cause for celebration.

And celebrate they did.