Vintage Paris Book Bundle Tutorial & Homemaking Link-Up Weekend

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Yesterday I showed off my hutch makeover and some of the cute accessories I've been making this past week.  This book bundle is so easy to make so I want to share the simple steps with you!

First, I hit my local Dollar Tree to find some books that were all the same size.  I checked under the dust jackets to see what color the hardbound books were.  Lucky for me, these were a perfect shade of cream!

Next, I chose a picture from Google Images.  I knew I wanted to do something with either a bird theme and a Paris theme.  I found an image with both!  Then I picked out my paper.  My husband had got me this cute vintage-look paper for Mother's Day but it was too thick.  So, I photocopied five sheets of it and then printed my image over it.  I think these colors are so pretty:  a cream background with pretty PINK flower bundles!

I measured the width of my book spine and then multiplied that by 3.  Mine were about an inch wide so that made it easy.  I just drew 1 inch vertical lines on the back of each paper and then cut out a strip from each paper that was 3 inches wide, moving over 1 for each new paper.  Then I used my favorite crafting supply, Elmer's Craft Bond Extra Strength Glue Stick, to secure the pieces to the binding of each book.

Easy and Adorable!  Make sure and check out my entire hutch makeover!

Vintage Whimsy St. Patrick's Day Art

I've been planning out this fun St. Patrick's Day art piece all week long.  This morning, I got it all done!

I started off by printing a St. Patrick's Day song that I borrowed from Online Sheet Music.

I decided it would be fun to make the paper look sort of vintage.  While you may be thinking it's a super easy thing to whip up something like this real quick, I was actually met by many obstacles!!

Soy sauce made it look too dark..and smell really bad!

Here's my attempt at using peppermint tea...

Finally, I decided to just work on my frame while I was considering what to do with the paper.  First, I sanded the frame to remove the glossy stain.

Then I spray painted the frame with Krylon Satin Ivory.

By this time, I had given up on traditional methods of "antiquing" paper, so I decided to just wing it.  Using some products I have purchased from Close To My Heart over the past couple of years, I came up with this:

This is the beginning of my new trend, Vintage Whimsy.  Remember, you heard it here first!  Ha!  But this was only the beginning...

I had to crumple it up a bit and burn all the edges.  I must say, that's my best burn job yet!

My husband bought me this great scrapbooking paper last Mother's Day so I used it to cover the cardboard frame backing.  Since it wasn't quite long enough to cover the whole piece of cardboard, I added some of this neat vintage lace to the top and bottom.  A friend from Holland sent it to me at Christmastime.

Then, I glued the sheet of music to the cardboard piece and began adding embellishments.

This cute little Irish girl got the Stickles treatment in Gold and Diamond.  I found her and her brother at Salvation Army a few days ago! They're vintage Dennison...I just love them!

I cut this little clover from a shamrock template I found online and added some more Stickles and a cute embellishment that my husband put in my Christmas stocking!  I also added more of that lace from Holland in each corner.

All done!  I wonder if I should do another one featuring the little boy cut out that matches her?

 

One Hour Pillow UpCycle

  Are you here for Pink Saturday?  After you read this one, see my PINK here!

One day, about a year ago, I was shopping at a thrift store in Mount Vernon, Washington, when I came upon this...

I was not just excited because of the neat Regency-era picture, the really big deal here for me was:  I had just discovered printable fabric!!!

Since then, I have found lots of inspiration on The Graphics Fairy's wonderful website and have made a couple pillows on my own. I decided to make one tonight for my March Giveaway Jubilee!

I began by selecting the graphic I wanted on The Graphics Fairy, then I create a correctly-sized text box in Word.  The size of my text box depends on how big I want the picture to be on my pillow.  I insert the picture into the text box, then I print it off onto printable fabric.

Next, I assemble my supplies.  I use Elmer's Craft Bond spray adhesive, which bonds really well right away, so I've got to work quickly once I get that sprayed on.  I find my pillows at thrift stores. I take them home, toss them in the wash, and then trim off any loose strings that might be hanging around...good as new!

I always like to position my graphic onto the pillow to get a feel for how it will look.

Then I peel the backing off of the fabric piece and spray it with the glue.  I do the pillow too.

I very gently tap the picture down.  I don't want any wrinkles at all in the fabric.  I also don't want to smear the wet ink.

I knew my pillow definitely needed something extra...but what?  I quickly decided against paper flowers and moved on to something else.

Yes! Raid the vintage jewelry collection!!

I decided on this vintage gold brooch because the swooping design of it reminds me of a bird (there are birds on the graphic I'm using---click on the pictures to enlarge if you need to).  I also chose this purple and gold earring set.  I can use the second earring on a bottle or something to go with this pillow.

Now what this pillow needs is some trimmings!

I found a length of pretty blue vintage lace.

Then I found this cute eyelet trim for around the graphic...but, OH! There's not enough!

Hooray for thrift store finds...I knew this would come in handy!

But, I don't really like the trim all the way around the graphic after all...so I go back to the way I had it!

Now it's time to glue!

I did end up finding a place for those paper flowers after all---I put them at the ends of the eyelet trimming.  See the pretty pink flowers there?

I think this turned out super cute---what do you think?  

Shabby Chic Chandelier --- Guest Post

I am so happy and honored to have my good friend Rachel from Bubbly Nature Creations here guest posting today!  I have been inspired countless times by her unique creativity and bubbly personality!  So many of you have commented on how much you love my blog design---we have Rachel to thank for that, as she is the one who put it together for me!  Enjoy the tutorial and be blessed!

 Hi everyone!  My name is Rachel from Bubbly Nature Creations and  I am
so excited to be featured here on Sarah's blog!!!  She is such a
sweetie and I love her
kind and gentle spirit.  She lifts me up in so many ways and I am so glad to be
her friend!  I also love her blog and wanted to share with all of
you over here how to make a regular chandelier, or other type of hanging light, into a
cute Shabby
Chic Chandelier just in time for Valentine's
Day!  

what you will need: 

strings of pearls and beads- fake or real if you wish... mine are
totally fake! (make a color scheme from these) 

a few yards of lace

ribbons in coordinating colors 

 First take your strings of pearls and beads and wrap them around
the inside so that they hang down the middle.  It doesn't have to
be perfect either! 

Then take your lace and start hanging it between the lights... tie the
two ends of the lace together and just adjust how they hang down from
there.  Next tie little ribbons to the light posts and then you
have your cute shabby chic chandelier!!! Wasn't that so easy?!?

I really love the way
that this turned out!  I am thinking of going to the
dollar jewelry store for some Easter colored
beads next! 

Happy Creating!!! 

Be sure to visit my
blog this week to find out more about my Valentine's
decor... I will be offering a tutorial on how to make
these: 

and I also have a great post about a Valentine's Themed
Iced Coffee Party  which shows everything that I
have made for Valentine's decor... well so far! :P

Thanks for letting me come and
share this with you today!!! 

Modest Dressing: Modern Regency Look

It's that time of year for me---the in-between pregnancies time when I'm so so SO tired of the maternity clothes but the regular clothes aren't quite fitting yet!  (Yes, this really is a yearly thing for me!)  One of my favorite things to do during this time is to experiment with what I have in my closet and see if I can come up with some new outfits!

Here is an idea that readers of all generations might like to try out:

I often find so many cute dresses that I'd love to wear but they're too short!  Here is a gorgeous burgundy, high-waisted dress that I found last year at Motherhood.  It hits just above my knees, which is shorter than I'm comfortable wearing. 

I found this black, flower-print skirt at a yard sale a few years ago and fell in love with it (even though I don't normally wear a lot of black).  The only thing I didn't like about it was that it was semi-sheer and I didn't like how the outline of my legs could be seen when light shined through the fabric.  So, I stuck it in my mending pile and planned to *someday* make a lining for it.  

I sprayed the two pieces inside and out with Scotch Guard to keep them from forming static and layered the dress over the skirt.

Because the top of this dress is a little big on me, especially post-maternity, I layered a lace-topped camisole from Maurices underneath.

My jewelry included this vintage-style necklace that I found at Maurices last year.  I've gotten so many compliments on this necklace---I love it!

I finished the look with a light-weight sweater (also from Maurices).

 I like to call this my "Modern Regency Look".  Whenever I wear this dress over another skirt, it reminds me of this pattern that Mrs. Jennie Chancey created for Simplicity:

 

This dress is a popular style today and is reminiscent of the lovely empire-waists and puffed sleeves of Jane Austen's England.  

Here's an image from Ackerman's Repository of a Regency lady wearing a Spencer jacket.  I suppose my little black sweater could serve as a Spencer jacket for my modern-day walking dress!

Hmmm, now to find me a bonnet...

Have you entered my Giveaway?  Check it out here!

This article was published in The Christian Home Magazine, Issue 37.  Check out this great online magazine here!

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