A Banner to Sing About

     I love buntings- also known as banners or pennants. I see lots of different ones throughout the Blogosphere, but I don't usually take the time to make one myself.
     Well, I'm helping to decorate for a music themed graduation party, and I thought that a bunting would be a cute and easy decoration that I could make . . . out of sheet music!

 

Here's what I came up with.

It was very easy.

In case you haven't noticed, easy is my middle name!

 

If you'd like to make one, here's what you need:

sheet music (or map paper or scrapbook paper- I got mine at a thrift store)

paper trimmer

hole punch

twine

piece of cardstock or other stiff paper measuring 7"x 5 1/2"

 

First, take your cardstock and make a fold at one of the short ends.

 

Open it back up and you should see a fold mark. You need to make a diagonal cut from the top right corner to the center mark at the bottom.

Do it again on the left side.

 

You will be left with a triangle.

 

Use this as your template to cut however many triangles that you'd like on your banner.

I made one with fifteen triangles and a second one with twenty triangles.

To make wise use of my paper, I placed the first triangle at the top left of my piece of sheet music. Then I used the bottom right piece that was left to make another triangle. Yes, that means that some of my music notes are upside down on the triangles, but I figure nobody will be looking that hard. And I hate to waste paper:)

 

Then punch holes in the two corners along the short end of the triangles. Sheet music is very thin, so you should be able to stack several pieces together for this step.

 

Then string each triangle onto the twine and tie the twine off at the ends.

 

TA-DA! Pretty cute, huh?

 

Just a thought: if you string this on red/white/blue ribbon instead of twine, it would make a great Fourth of July decoration!

 

This would be cute for party decor, but would even work just to hang in your house. It was so easy, I think I'll make a few to hang around my house. Living with all these boys, I always enjoy a pretty thing here and there:)

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

As for God, His way is perfect;

the word of the Lord is proven;

He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

2 Samuel 22:31

 

 This post is linked to Happy Hour Projects, Five Days Five Ways, and My Repurposed Life.

 

Thrifty Thursday #70

     I went on my annual girls' trip last weekend and had a great time. The three of us have been friends since we started nursing school (fifteen years ago!). We always look forward to our trips. We stop at places that we don't usually get to when we're on family trips. This time we swung by some secondhand stores.

 

Our first stop was at an antique store/consignment shop. I was so excited when I spotted this jar of keys. It was definitely more than I usually spend at one time, $20, so I asked if the shop owner could knock any off the price. She gave me ten percent off. There are 90 keys in here, so it was worth the money! I should be able to do quite a few crafts with all these!

 

There are some really unusual keys in the jar. My favorite is the one on the right.

 

Then we stopped by a flea market. It was pouring rain and the people at the market said they didn't think they'd have any shoppers. Maybe that's how we got such good deals:)

 

This crystal bowl was only $1. It's about eight inches across.

I love the etching on the bottom. It's so pretty!

 

I found this dress for $2. It has a tie that goes around the neck. I like all the patterns on it, but what really sold me was the pretty ruffle at the bottom.

I think I'll pair it with a pretty shrug and some cute shoes!

 

 

My friend scored this great deal at the rainy flea market. This whole load was in one plastic bucket. It's mostly beads and charms for jewelry making. She offered $30, and the seller accepted.

Once she got it home, she went through it. She said there's a lot of packages that haven't even been opened. One baggie alone had original store prices and totaled $28!

 

We had such a great time on our trip. We stopped at a couple of thrift stores, too (I'm such a bad influence:) Come back next week and I'll show you what we found there!

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect.

2 Samuel 22:33

 

 

This post is linked to Apron Thrift Girl and My Dedicated House.

This Post Is Brought To You By The Letter N

     In lieu of Layout of the Week, I am going to show you a photo display that I just completed.
     I've been working on decor for a graduation banquet and needed a way to display the graduate's baby photos.

 

I knew that I wanted to put the letters in the shape of the graduate's first initial. I went to Hobby Lobby and got the biggest letter I could find- it's 18" tall and is wooden.

 

I started by painting the edges red (his school color).

 

I had already made copies of all his baby photos and changed them to black and white. Then I placed photos here and there until it was all covered.

I adhered them section by section so I could make sure my spacing was right. It's like building a puzzle only you're making the puzzle.

Some of the photos overlapped the edge of the wooden letter, so I just used a sanding block and sanded the edges until the extra photo paper came off.

 

Here's a view from the side- the red edges add some pop. I think I like that better than if I had just left them the wood color.

 

This idea would also work for a birthday party decor or would even make a nice Father's Day gift!

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

For who is God, except the Lord?

And who is a rock, except our God?

2 Samuel 22:32

 

This post is linked to Glitter, Glue and Paint, Today's Creative Blog, My Girlish Whims, Ivy and Elephants, and Skip to My Lou.

 

 

Recipe of the Week #69-Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
1 lb ground turkey/ beef
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 can tomato soup
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef with the veggies. Place in the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cook on low for four hours.

Note: I used ground beef, and I omitted the green peppers.

This is a tasty recipe- and super easy! It's a repeat at our house!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation!

Psalm 68:19

This post is linked to Shabby Creek Cottage.

For Memorial Day. . .

 

 

Just a Peek

     Yesterday I showed you two chairs that I had gotten for free. In the post, I had mentioned to stop back by today to see them all cute and distressed.
     Well, all I can do is show you a peek of a leg. I, unfortunately got started sanding, but didn't get to finish. Life got in the way.
    My hubby always says that I plan too much in too little time. That is a lesson I refuse to learn. One of these days, I'll complete my list and that'll show him!:)

     But they're going to look nice, huh? 

 

     Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock!

Let God be exalted, The Rock of my salvation!

2 Samuel 22:47

 

 

 

 

Thirfty Thursday #69

     I have to show you two fantastic curbside finds. . .

 

these awesome chairs!

They are nice and sturdy. I really don't know why somebody was throwing them away.

All I have to do is wash them really well and knock off a mud dauber nest (see it on the left side under the edge of the seat?).

Then I think I'll take the hand sander to them to distress them a bit. I can't wait to see how they turn out! (If you'd like to see, come back tomorrow:)

 

 

and I found this huge frame!

 It measures 31 1/2" x 28" and, it too, is in good shape.

I plan to paint it a bright color and distress it a bit. Then I'll put some chicken wire in it. I think it should look pretty cute.

     As much as I love secondhand shopping and good deals, you've gotta know that I am delighted when I find treasures like these for free!

     Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:32

This post is linked to Apron Thrift Girl

Layout of the Week #55- Cutting Photos Into Shapes

     Back when I first started scrapbooking about ten years ago, the layouts looked a lot different than they do now. But just like with clothes, you can bring back old techniques and make them new again. For this week's Layout of the Week, I'm going to do just that by cutting photos into shapes.

 

Here's the layout we're going to create.

Yours will look different because you'll use different supplies, but the "bones" will be the same.

 

To make it, you'll need:

one piece of 12"x 12" cardstock

two pieces of coordinating pattern papers

stickers to match the theme you're going with

notebook paper for the journaling

letter stickers for the title (I cut a word out of this paper that is covered with words)

five photos

photo shape template (I used Coluzzle)

paper trimmer

adhesive 

 

Choose one of your pattern papers that you want to be the border. Trim four strips that measure

1/4" x 12" and adhere them around the edges of the cardstock.

 

Trim two photos into one large circle and one small circle, and trim three photos into different

size rectangles.

I used my old Coluzzle for this step. You could also use a circle punch. If you don't have any way to cut your photos into circles, just cut them into squares.

Adhere your first three photos like this. Don't put adhesive under the top left photo- you'll see why when we adhere our journaling.

 

Then place your last two photos like this.

The circles add a lot, don't they?

 

Now create your title block.

To make mine, I trimmed a word out of this pattern paper. Then I used a glitter border strip and cut it to fit around the edge of my title.

Letter stickers will work for this step, if you'd rather. 

 

Here's the back of the title block. See how the border pieces are attached? I used regular Scotch tape.

 

Adhere your title centered at the top.

 

Trim your notebook paper to 7 1/2" x 4 1/2". Add your journaling, then adhere the paper about two inches below the top right corner. Lift the top right photo and slide the notebook paper slightly behind it. Now you can place some adhesive under the right edge of the top photo.

 

 

Optional: add a subtitle or quote below the notebook paper. I trimmed this from the same paper I got my title.

 

 

Finally, add some embellishments. I placed some word stickers in the upper left corner of the cardstock and placed three stickers around the photos.

And, we're done!

 

I think we rocked the shaped photos, huh? :)

     I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. I do a Layout of the Week every Wednesday. Feel free to stop by and give it a whirl! I intend for the layout to be simple and easy to follow. I also encourage you to use supplies you all ready have rather than having to go out and buy something new. If I'm using an item that you don't have, replace it with something else.
     I intend for my tutorials to be generic enough that you can use them for any topic or theme. I'm hoping this feature helps you to get some of your photos scrapbooked and to use up supplies that you have.
     If there is some topic that I haven't covered that you'd like to see, please leave me a comment letting me know. If I'm not explaining it well enough, please let me know.
     Thanks so much for stopping by and God bless.

Oh, bless our God, you peoples!

And make the voice of His praise to be heard

Psalm 66:8

This post is linked to My Girlish Whims.

Recipe of the Week #68-Cinnamon Sugar Bread

Cinnamon Sugar Bread

1/3 cup white sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup white sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9"x 5" loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 cup sugar. Add egg, milk, and oil. Stir until just moistened.

Pour half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar.
Cover with remaining batter.
Top with more cinnamon/sugar if desired.

Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Wrap in foil and let sit overnight before slicing.

 

I love to make breakfast for my family, but I don't always love getting up really early to do so. Bread recipes like this work great for me. I can make them the night before and they still taste great in the morning.

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

Psalm 18:32

 

This post is linked to Today's Creative Blog, Between Naps on the Porch, and My Dedicated House. 

Mini Album Monday #2- School Days Mini Album

     Today for Mini Album Monday, I'm here with a school themed album.
     You may be able to use a few of these ideas to make an album for your child's teacher as an end of the year gift.

 

Here's the cover which I made with chipboard and painted with chalkboard paint. For a unique touch, I bound it with a protractor.

For the title, I used a regular shipping tag and a stamp with lines and brackets. Then I hand stamped the words on it.

For the white pattern paper, I used a notebook paper punch along the edge.

This album is 6"x 6".

 

 

On the inside cover, I used a label maker to write out my name and K-8th grade.

The first page is a large index card folded in half. I tore about two inches off the front folded side, then stamped it with a school themed stamp. I placed a paper clip at the bottom corner.

Throughout the album, you'll see regular office supplies that I added to give it a more school- like feel.

 

Here's the index card opened. I added a photo to the right side and journaling on the lines to the left. Above the photo, I used a tab punched form an old book and added two star stickers. (Remember those star stickers from when we were in school?)

 

The page to the left is the back of the index card with just another photo and some journaling.

The page on the right is a page out of an old children's song book.

 

Here's the back of the song page. I used regular office labels to add some journaling.

The page on the right is a piece of Kraft cardstock. I used some of my boys' old workbooks and a circle punch to make these four circles. This is such an easy and authentic way to add embellishments to a school page or album.

 

Here is the back of the craft cardstock. If you notice, I just added bits and pieces of pattern paper to some of the pages. The page on the left has graph paper at the bottom with a thin strip of alphabet paper above it.

The page on the right is a white paper sack. I placed pattern paper that looks like a locker on the flap, then I trimmed the flap so it was only attached at the bottom of the sack to make it look like the locker door opens.

 

Here is the flap opened- I put graph paper on the back and journaled on it.

 

Here's the back of the paper bag. The #6 is from a set I bought at the Target clearance section- it was intended to number tables at a wedding. I thought the number went well with the school theme. I added a couple of school themed word stickers to it and folded some decorative tape over as a tab at the top right corner.

 

The page on the right is actually the top of the paper bag. I used a silk flower, Staz On ink, and a ruler stamp and made my own patterned flower.

Since this is the opening of the bag, I placed a library card in it with a tab stapled to the top. 

 

The bottom edge of the protractor is right here since this is the center of the book.

I covered the back of the paper sack with a piece of map.

On the right page, I just used a piece of red pattern paper with numbers stamped at the bottom and a strip from a book page above the numbers.

At the top, I placed a regular office binder clip.

 

 

The star is cut out of an old dictionary.

I added the flashcard just because I thought it was cute and school-y.

 

 

Here's the first full piece of school themed paper in the book.

On the far right edge, I used a journaling sticker and folded it in half over the edge.

 

The back of the scool paper was blank, so I added a strip of paper that looks like notebook paper and journaled to the left of that.

The right page is a 6"x 9" envelope trimmed down with an alphabet stamp along the side.

It's a pocket, so I added a journaling card inside.

 

Here's the back of the envelope with another strip of pattern paper and one photo.

The very last thing I added was a strip out of an old child's dictionary. I trimmed it down to just have one word on it.

 

The inside back cover: a few more strips of school themed pattern paper. I also handstamped the years that I was in these grades: 1981-1989 (explains the hair in the photos, huh!?!).

 

This album has a lot of basic items that would work in a school themed album or layout:

graph paper

paper clips

manilla envelopes

binder clips

large note card

shipping tag

label maker

star stickers

book pages

 

Don't overlook everyday items when you plan out a mini album or layout. They can add a very cute element and cost nothing if you have them laying around.

 

I put this album together before knowing who I would feature. Since I already had school scrapbooks for my boys, I used it for my school photos. I added some memories that I have from my school days. I know that it's hard to scrap about yourself, but think what a treasure something like this will be to have someday. I'm sure I won't always be able to remember all my teachers from Kindergarden to sixth grade!

 

If you decide that you'd like to make a school album, but would like an easier version, you could follow the steps to this envelope album using school themed papers and embellishments.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by and God bless.

 

The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.

And all the upright in heart shall glory.

Psalm 64:10

 

This post is linked to Today's Creative Blog, Craft-O-Maniac, I Heart Naptime, Skip to My Lou, and Making the World Cuter.