I've Redecorated!

Okay, so I've mentioned that I am new to blogging!  I am getting the hang of fixing this blog up

so that it looks pleasant and still has the concept that I am looking for.  I think that this new look 

is more pleasing to the eye.  Just wanted to let you all know that when you pull the blog up and

it looks different..... it's still the same blog.... it just had a facelift! 

1.) New Header

2.) New Grab My Button

3.) New Picture

My husband mentioned to me that I change the old photo and update it.... then today, my sister told me the same thing.  I am normally the person BEHIND the camera and that means that I don't have any good pics of myself.  I will have to work on that, but in the meantime, I have updated with a different picture.  Hopefully, this one is a little better and will hold until I do a better job.

I hope you enjoy it.

I have a post coming later tonight..... something I have done with a couple of frames!  

Here is a sneak peek!

Catch me later tonight!

Until then, be blessed...

:-)  Tonya

Photo Clothespins

Given my love for clothespins, I cannot believe that it has taken me so long to think of this! 

I have been trying to come up with some creative ideas for clothespins that were easy to make,

but something I had not seen before.  I have seen the Mod Podge scrapbook paper on clothespins, 

but I had never seen photos on clothespins!  So.... here we go!

First, I chose the photos that I wanted to use and then I resized them (3.25 inches by .50 inches) 

and altered them in Adobe Photoshop.  (I love Adobe Photoshop).  

After I altered my photos, I printed them onto card stock.  

Then I gathered my supplies {paper cutter, Mod Podge, sponge, clothespins :-), 

printed photos, super glue, recycled magnets cut to size).

Next, I cut my photos and I applied Mod Podge to the clothespins.

While I was at it, I couldn't resist making a few clothespins for my

potato chip bags.

If you put the Mod Podge on your paper instead of the clothespin,

it will make your paper wet and will cause tearing if you try to move it.

Apply Mod Podge directly onto the clothespin instead of the paper.

After you place your photo on the clothespin, apply Mod Podge to the top.

You can use twisted paper to keep the clothespin from closing so the 

Mod Podge will dry without sticking the clothespin together.

Once they are dry, you can use them however you wish.

I decided to add magnets to the back of three of the clothespins 

to stick them on the refrigerator.  I plan to use one clothespin for 

each of our kids so that if we need to leave them notes, we can 

just clip the note to the clothespin for whom the note is written.

So, these are my new photo clothespins.  

I hope this project inspires you to make use of photos you love 

that you may not be able to see everyday!

Please leave me a comment and let know what you think!

If you have time to type in your email address on the sidebar, 

I would {L O V E} for you to join my site! 

Until next time, be blessed!

:-)  Tonya

* P.S. - I linked this post to 52 Mantels and House of Hepworths and live laugh {linky}

and Southern Lovely- Show & Share and The 36th Avenue and The Shabby Nest and My Repurposed Life and 30 Handmade Days and Just Us Four and Fine Craft Guild

Stitched Bird

Well, this project will go a lot smoother next time!  

I had to make my own pattern... which means a lot of revising!  

I am still not 100% happy with it ... which means I have to make another one!

I want to start making some birds for my classroom and this project

only took a little bit of fabric.  I had some fabric samples recently 

given to me from a friend that I mentioned in a previous post (thanks, Leigh!).

Anyway, here are the pictures of the bird as it progressed.  

After I drew the pattern, I cut it out and then cut my material.  I used a simple stitch and sewed it

to look like it was "inside out" to give it a more vintage feel.

You can see in the next pictures that I cut the tail down significantly! 

And, here it is... finished in my crafting area! 

I have to admit that when I was in Adobe Photoshop, I played with the color.  

I am convinced that my next bird with have to be a black and 

white check.... what do you think?!?! 

I hope this inspires you to use a little creativity and a 

little bit of scrap material to make a cute project.

If you have a minute to type in your email address on the side of my blog,

I would absolutely {L O V E} for you to follow me! :-)

Until next time, be blessed!

:-)  Tonya

*P.S. - I linked this post to The Winthrop Chronicles and In the Old Road

My New Button!

I would like to thank "Grab My Button" Code Generator for the making it possible 

for me to be able to create my button!  If there are any new bloggers out there that 

would like to easily create a new "Grab Button", check it out!

Please let me know what you think of my button. 

The real button is in the right sidebar.

While you are here, I would {L-O-V-E} for you to click the link to follow my blog.

Thanks!  :-)  Tonya 

Repurposed Antique Muffin Pan

This is actually a post for Saturday, but I started working on it too late tonight and 

it is now after midnight, so the post will have a Sunday time stamp.  

I found this really cool looking muffin pan at an antique store last week 

and I decided to use it as a desk organizer.  It was really yucky a challenge

for me to clean it up.  In fact, I think if I tried any harder, it would have

fallen apart, so I improvised!  Take a look at how it turned out and the process.

Here it is straight from the antique store. I think the shape and 

designs on the pan are fabulous so I couldn't resist!

  You can see the challenge!

I sprayed this twice and let it sit for over 2 hours each time!  

I put in quite a bit of elbow grease and realized that I needed to accept

the coloration as part of the character of the pan.  The problem was,

I was not going to be able to put my embellishments in the pan's wells

if I couldn't get it any cleaner.  So... here is the part where I improvised...

I decided to incorporate praise and worship into this project!  I am so 

glad that I bought this old Worship Hymnal at an antique store a while

back.  I use this often in my projects.  It adds great character and defines me!

In each well, I used a crocheted doily, a cupcake liner and the circles

that I cut out of the old worship hymnal.  Then I layered them in the wells.

The cupcake liners went in first, then the circles from the hymnal, then the doilies.

Now I was ready to fill each well with my goodies!

Of course... tiny clothespins!

... and some of my Tim Holtz embellishments.

I love how I can see the music between the layers of the crochet.

It shows up better in person than on camera, but I tried to get a 

good view so you could tell.

(Thank you Leigh for my buttons!)

And here it is.... my Repurposed Muffin Pan!

I love how it looks in my crafting area!

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

I hope this inspired you to use items you love in unconventional ways.

If you have just a second I would LOVE for you to follow my blog!

Until next time, be blessed!

:-)  Tonya

* P.S. - I linked this post to Cherished Treasures and Full Circle Creations and Primp and Adventures of a DIY Mom and The Shabby Creek Cottage and The 36th Avenue and The Farmhouse Porch

Making a Birdhouse with a Book

I can't take credit for this idea...  

I saw a version close to it at a local art walk last weekend.  I made some changes to it 

(actually, I made a lot of changes...)!  The one I saw used a book for the roof and that's about 

all I kept the same.  I think they used wood for the rest of the house.  I chose to use heavy 

cardboard so it would be light. 

 I plan to use it in my (future) classroom.  

You can see that I incorporated a clothespin! In the classroom, I plan to clip notes there.

So, here are the pictures and how I did it.  

I hope this inspires you to make a project like this from recycled books.

First, I gathered my materials... a book with a lot of ripped pages inside, my paper cutter, Tim Holtz embellishments (of course!), scrapbook paper, scissors, Mod Podge, heavy cardboard (I used a box), a tiny clothespin :-), a large button (from my friend Leigh), a hot glue gun, spanish moss and floral moss.

I cut a template of the front (and back) of the house from white paper and then used it to cut the front 

and back from cardboard.  I then cut the scrapbook paper and Mod Podged it to the cardboard.  

I used a page from the book to Mod Podge to the backside so it would match the book on the top.

After cutting the side walls and covering them with paper, I hot glued the walls

 together and then I hot glued the book to the top.  To hide the "seams", I added the spanish moss 

and floral moss.  Then I added the embellishments like little rhinestones scattered here and there and the Tim Holtz embellishment for the "house number".  I added my tiny clothespin to hold my messages and I added some Spanish moss behind my beautiful button.  Finally, I added a ruler sticker (Tim Holtz) to the bottom to give it more of a classroom look (and because rulers have numbers on them...  and of course you know that I love numbers!)

See the message on the ruler, "Property of Board of Education  City of New York"

View of back with the page from the book.

Side View

This is the book I used.

I love how it turned out! 

So, what do YOU do with old books that have ripped pages?

Don't throw them away.... recycle them for a project!

I hope this inspired you to think of ways to recycle old books.

Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think.

I would really like to hear from you.

If you return to visit my blog, I would {L-O-V-E} for you to become a follower.

Until next time, 

:-) Tonya

* P.S. - I linked this post to Nifty Thrifty and Twigg Studios and 

Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes and I {heart} Nap Time and Keeping It Simple Crafts and 

Destination: Craft and Tip Junkie and Ginger Snap Crafts and The Shabby Creek Cottage 

and Fine Craft Guild

This post was FEATURED on Destination: Craft

A Big Thank You!

I just wanted to peep in for a minute because I was blessed so much today by a family friend who donated a lot of great project potentials!  Leigh ran an elderly daycare center and positively affected the lives of many.  She recently made the decision to begin working with elderly who are affected by Alzheimer's Disease.  This debilitating disease took the lives of both my maternal and paternal grandmothers.

I wanted to make a post that would raise awareness to this disease.   There are trials being tested right now that may be able to help slow Alzheimer's Disease if caught early enough.

If you are looking for an organization to donate to, please consider donating to the cure for Alzheimer's.
Many cities have walks to raise money and awareness.  Please visit Walk To END Alzheimer's for more information or to see if there is a walk in your area.

If you would like to donate to The Hawthorn House at Bob Hope Village, please visit Donations to the Hawthorn House.

Thank you,

:-)  Tonya