Trash to Treasure Notebooks

Today I have a project where I used what some may consider trash
and turned it into something useful.
I turned tea box covers into notebooks.

Here's how they turned out.

For the front covers, I cut off the tops of two different boxes of tea.

For the back covers, I cut two pieces of chipboard to the same size as the box lids.

I used a pad of graph paper and cut pieces to fit in between the covers. I had 30 pages for each book.

I like the look of graph paper in notebooks:)

I bound the books using my Bind-It-All.
It's made by Zutter.
Heidi Swapp and Tim Holtz also have machines that will bind like this.
If you don't have one of these machines, you could bind your books using two office rings.

 I made these notebooks for a friend for her birthday.

She's a huge fan of tea.

I wrapped the notebooks with the tea infuser dude.

These notebooks are so simple to make.

You could use any type of packaging like Mac and Cheese boxes, movie theater candy boxes,

or even a soda box.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to which also you were called in one body;

 and be thankful.

Col 3:15

This post is linked to That DIY Party, The Crafted Sparrow, Lil' Luna, The Crafty Blog Stalker,
and I Gotta Create.  

Handmade Notebooks

Today is the Christmas party at work.

Every year I have given my 13 co-workers handmade gifts for Christmas.

My goal is always to find a project that is quick, easy, and inexpensive.

 

This year I made handmade notebooks.

 

I used various things for the covers: paint chips, maps, game cards,

Yoo Hoo and Mac and Cheese boxes. . . that sort of thing.

  

Then I cut up graph papers and ledger papers to fill the insides. Each book has about 40 pages.

I bound the books using my Zutter Bind It All.

 

 

To finish off the look, I made flower pens and attached them to the notebooks with ribbon.

I figure everybody can use a notebook, right?

 

These would make darling teacher gifts, too.

If you'd like to make some, but don't have a binding machine, office rings would work just as well.

 

What else would make cute covers for notebooks?

 

Thanks so much for stopping by and God bless.

 

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

1 Cor. 13:13

 

 

 This post is linked to My Repurposed Life, Too Much Time On My Hands,
Funky Junk, and Today's Creative Blog.



Mini Album Monday #42- Simple Gratitude Journal

I am a firm believer that we should be grateful for what we have.

Even on our bad days, there's always somebody worse off than we are.

This time of year always makes me want to stop and show appreciation.

I know that I'm not always good about counting my blessings,

so today's project should help me with that.

It's a Gratitude Journal.

All I did was use a mini composition notebook (that I got at the dollar store),

and wrote My Gratitude Journal on the cover.

Then I added "I am thankful for..." to the first page,

and now every night before I go to bed, I'll write down at least one thing.

This is such an easy project- and such a lovely idea.

I challenge you to try it.

All you need to do is get a cute notebook

and try everyday to write down what you're thankful for.

  

That's it.

You're welcome to take it up a notch and really cute-sy up the front of your notebook.

But I decided to stay simple with mine.

Last November, I daily asked my family what they were thankful for
and recorded it in this mini album.

I can't wait to go back and read this to them this year.

Thanks so much for stopping by and God bless.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13


This post is linked to Skip to My Lou, It's Overflowing, Be Different, Act Normal,
 and Natasha In Oz.

Thrifty Thursday #32

     Hey My Friends, I'm late posting today, but I'm here. School started this week and I'm home-schooling my boys (though K12, which is online public school). Between school, grocery shopping, making dinner, and going to my son's two hour football practice, this is my first chance I've had to sit down and post.

     As I headed out to make a quick stop at the thrift stores the other day, I spotted a yard sale. I found the cutest plate for fifty cents. I was so excited to hang it in my kitchen. But as I had it in my pile to take photos, I carelessly dropped it to the ground and it shattered. My son giggled when I said, "Fifty cents down the drain." I wasn't trying to be funny, though. I actually meant it.

My other yard sale purchases were these two doilies. Though I probably won't leave them in the embroidery hoops. I got them for a quarter a piece which is quite a bargain for two doilies and two embroidery hoops!

My favorite thrift store often has pretty old plates. I love the print on this one and even though there's a little chip on the lower side and we can't eat off it, I can hang it on my kitchen wall.

I seriously cannot pass up old sheet music- especially when it's only fifty cents!

It's finds like these that make me feel like dancing in the aisles of the thrift store! ( I'm just kidding- the thrift store doesn't have aisles!)

Old paper products are like the Holy Grail for me. These notepads are 8.5" x 14". That means one of these pieces of papers will go from the top to the bottom of a 12"x12" scrapbook page! 

One is notebook paper, while the other is my favorite. . . ledger paper.

I was in a hurry, so I only got to stop at two thrift stores. There was one more that I wanted to go to, but I knew that my hubby and I would be in that part of town later that evening for date night, so I decided to wait until then.

It's not every guy who agrees to make a thrift store run at the beginning of a date! I do believe he's a keeper:)

This is the reason I wanted to go to this particular store. I had seen this music stand buried behind some stuff the last time I was there. My older son, the drummer, claimed our only music stand, so my younger son, the guitarist, lays his sheet music on the floor when he practices. 

This stand is in great shape and is very heavy duty. This bodes well since my younger son is so hard on his stuff. 

While I was waiting for the thrift store guy to un-bury the music stand, I was shuffling through the dishes. I have a nice collection of the saucer size plates, but I don't have any dinner plates. Imagine my surprise when I found this beauty! Got it for a dollar. My goal is to have a set of mismatched dinner plates. I think there's such charm in that:) When I stayed at the B&B recently, we ate off of their mismatched china plates and I found it delightful.

     Happy treasure hunting to you all. Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

Your word I have treasured in my heart

that I might not sin against You.

Psalm 119:11

     This post is linked to Embracing Change, Apron Thrift Girl,  and My Repurposed Life.


Cute Little Notebooks

     I was looking at my Pinterest boards for a project to post for today and I came across this tutorial for these cute little notebooks.

     So, I pulled out some library cards that I had in my stash and started making them. I've had these brightly colored library cards for awhile, but never used them because they're so- well, bright. This is the perfect project for them!
     For the inside papers, I cut up graph paper, handwriting paper, ledger paper, and even some awesome old yellow graph paper that, yes, I found at the thrift store:)

     It's hard to see in this photo, but this is vintage handwriting paper.

     Here's one with ledger paper. The notebooks are small, but they're cute and I'm sure they have their purpose- it all depends on who's using them.
     I thought that they might be good for my son to try to sell at my mom's yard sale this coming weekend. I figure he can sit at his own table and sell these for fifty cents a piece. If I came across a kiddo selling something like this, I would surely buy at least one.

     I mean, who could resist this little guy?

     Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who

are called according to His purpose.

Romans 9:28

This post is linked to Brassy Apple, Making the World Cuter, I Heart Naptime, and