Search Results for: book page

  My heart sings for simple doable home decor. Even more... when it's inexpensive to make. Oh!  And packs a WOW! Are you ready for a project that's all that and more? I'm going to show you how to create a flowery book page pumpkin that's extraordinary!     The best part is that it's whimsical.... it delights children... and make adults smile. I brought one with me when I went to visit a friend and she fell in love with it. Don't you think it's looks adorable in her tabletop greenhouse.     Sometimes we take seasonal home decor too … [Read more...]

  With Sweetest Day coming up this weekend, I thought it would be fun to share a little vignette I recently put together at my friend's home. You might have seen her jewel-toned dining room here.  Or her amazing tree-lined entryway here.  Or her screened porch here.     Today we're back in her entryway. She has the sweetest desk there and it made a perfect spot to create this vignette.     Here's how it all started. Around Valentine's Day, I created a box disguised as a stack of letters filled with words of affirmation.  (You can find the tutorial … [Read more...]

  It's true!  I've been at it again..creating home decor with book pages. Today, I'm going to show you how to make pumpkins made from paperback books and create realistic pumpkin stems, too.     Right now, pumpkins and gourds are overflowing at every farm stand along the road. They're beautiful and colorful and expensive. So...what'a gal to do when her pocketbook isn't filled with extra pennies for a plethora of pumpkins? Create them from book pages, of course! A nice tall book page pumpkin is easy to make.  Crafting skills not required! And those amazing pumpkin … [Read more...]

We all have favorite moments, favorite things, and favorite people. This book page tablescape is my favorite tablescape, and I've create a few. I created it last year with what was around my house....books, mason jars, and crabapple blossoms.     It came about because of some lovely limitations and forced me to be super creative. I'd love to hear about your most creative moment and how it came to be.       And now...on to our party!   Mary Beth from Cupcakes and Crinoline    ~   Malia from Yesterday on Tuesday Stephanie Chan from The Silly … [Read more...]

  St. Patrick's Day. It's all about the green....and this saint that seems to have spoken out against slavery, valued women, and influenced Ireland with Christianity.   All good things, wouldn't you say? So why not splash a few shamrocks around the house. Flash some green. And listen to some toe-tappin' music.     When it comes to seasonal  home decor,  I'm all about simple and using what you have on hand. And...because I love all things book page, I decided to use book pages and hand-cut shamrocks in decorating the mantel for St. Patrick's Day. This little project was … [Read more...]

Raise your hand if you have decorated your valentine mantel or some area of your house only to have members of your household tell you it's pretty ordinary? Did you see my hand go up? Yup.  It did. That's what they said in not so many words. It's not a good thing when your blog name includes the word, "extraordinary."     Remember my winter birch branch mantel with the hand cut book page snowflakes? I liked that "mantelscape."  It was different.  And it seems that since it's being featured a few places, some of you like it too. Why not tweak it just a bit for Valentine's … [Read more...]

  I've been hearing this question a lot lately, "Is there enough snow for you?" Having lived in West Michigan and in the Buffalo area, I am familiar with snow.  Lots of it.  Record snowfalls.  This year, it snows or seems to snow every day.  Regardless of the amount, it's enough!   Prior to this year's white avalanche, I shared my winter mantel and asked if anyone wanted me to create a tutorial for making pretty snowflakes.  It seems that I am not the only one who did not know that there was a paper-folding technique that would make all the difference in the world.  So, today, just in case … [Read more...]

It's cold here in the Great Lakes. I woke up to a fresh blanket of sparkly snow and a big fat zero on the thermometer this morning.     It was a gloriously beautiful morning with deep blue skies and sunshine casting dark purple shadows between the rows of trees.     As I ate my blueberry banana pancakes this morning, I noticed  a large flock of birds flying around the backyard.  When I got up and went to the slider, I looked up to see a host of Cedar Wax Wings* flitting around in the tops of the maple tree, their breasts a gorgeous gold, illuminated by the rising … [Read more...]

  Are smitten with creating book page crafts, or is it just me? I was going through some old photos and discovered my first effort in book page crafting.     A Book Page Medallion Wreath When I decided to make this wreath I watched videos and read all kinds of how-to's.  It seemed pretty complicated to me.  And really, it was a piece of cake.  Kind of.  Don't laugh, but rolling the pages into mini horns was not as easy as it looked.  I think I needed a third hand.  You know how it is....some things come very easily for a few and the rest of us we have to work it. The wreath looks … [Read more...]

  Usually, this time of year I am up to my eyeballs creating fantastic spaces for kids.  I would hardly have time to notice the beauty of creation around me.  But, this year....I am having so much fun picking blossoms, creating fun tablescapes, and enjoying springtime.     I love how the pink detail on the plates comes alive with the pink crabapple blossoms.     Just for fun, I put together a centerpiece for the table using book pages and my vintage Ball Mason jars. The jars usually take residence on the shelves in my laundry room.  They are so happy in their … [Read more...]

Do you have a framed print that you like, but the mat needs to be refreshed? Several people have commented about this wall art which makes an appearance whenever I share a new vignette on my piano. This is the latest iteration.     Today I'm going to show you an Easy DIY Book Page Mat Tutorial. Last year I picked up a typical pink floral print with a mauve mat in a gold frame from the thrift store.  It screamed early 90's and I had no idea what I was going to do with it.  So it sat in my studio whispering my name. By now, you must know that I am smitten with book pages.  Is it because … [Read more...]

  Spring!  Where art thou? How would you like to bring a bit of spring into your home without it breaking the bank?  Yes, please!! Patience, please.  I'll get there in a minute.   If you've been a reader for a while you may remember that I stuck branches up in my sunroom this winter for Christmas and hung red snowflakes from them.   It was part of transforming my sunroom into a Swedish Christmas room.   I loved those snowflakes and left them up all winter.  After I cut the snowflakes down I was left with these bare branches.  Oh my...they couldn't stay like that.  I had a choice...either take … [Read more...]

  Have you ever read a book that resonated with you? I just put down a well-written, humorous yet poignant, behind the scenes story of a life that looked so perfect to me. But, things aren't always as they appear are they?   I remember wearing a new outfit to elementary school that my mom made for me.  Back then, most of my school clothes were handmade, except that special outfit my Aunt Martha would buy for my birthday or Christmas.  My mom was pretty good with the sewing machine, actually, most everything involving a needle including putting needles in the veins of her patients when … [Read more...]

  While on Facebook, of all places, I was prodded to change my outlook. I read a phrase that stuck with me. Forget talking about your troubles. Talking about our troubles is a bad habit for most of us.  It's what we do. So if we can't talk about our troubles...what do we do? Celebrate our joys!     I have a good friend that I chat with irregularly via email.  At this time in our lives it's the best form of communication.  It's efficient.  When we get the chance to talk on the phone....it's a looooong talk.  And we usually don't have time to do that very often. Today I … [Read more...]

  Here we are three quarters of the way through the first month in the New Year. Can you feel it?  The pause and quiet that we felt the first few days of the New Year are gone. You know that sensation you have as the airplane lumbers down the runway, picking up speed, bump by bump, and all of a sudden you're thrust firmly into your seat as the rumbling ceases and the plane lifts off the ground?  I feel we're in that part of the year where we feel the speed and that pressure of take-off. Before the year runs away with us on our individual jet planes... and it will... let's pause for a moment. … [Read more...]

It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but until just a few years ago, I didn't have a very regular devotional life. Sure I prayed every day. And some days a lot. I would read my Bible sometimes... or even a devotional book. But, when life got busy one of things that I would let go was my time of soul feeding.     Most of us eat three meals a day. When we're busy we might skip one, or two, but we don't go a whole day without eating unless we're purposely fasting for medical or spiritual reasons. So why is it that we often soul fast for days on end?  Or maybe I should say soul … [Read more...]

  If you've been following here for any length of time, you know how much I love book page projects. Creating everything from Christmas trees to medallion wreaths, to spring-flowering branches with book pages makes my heart sing.     As summer rolled into fall, I got the itch to create another book page project. Any guesses as to what I might have tried my hand at? Yup! You guessed it! Pumpkins and gourds.    Please "pin" and share this image.   You really can create pumpkins and gourds from paperback books! Especially if you have a great … [Read more...]