Too Hot to Handle, Part 2

So remember those leftover pages from the Dave Ramsey Book?  

They found a new life as an entry way light at our house!  

Here is how:

I used a metal hoop I had leftover from a failed project,

and attached wire, to make a bicycle wheel looking frame.

 I took all those pages I had cut out of the middle of my book...

 and used a circle punch to make a lot of circles.

 The step I didn't take pictures of was to feed the circles

 through the sewing machine to make chains of 4, 5, and 6 circles.

I attached them to the frame using a hot glue gun. 

I think it's beautiful like this, and would make a nice modern mobile to hang. 

And, bonus, since the book is a murder mystery,

 the little phrases you catch on each circle can be very, um, interesting...

I couldn't stop here though because we have a light fixture I've been wanting to change for a long time, and this seemed like the perfect fix. 

I added one more row of paper chains to a large embroidery hoop

 and connected them to the mobile with more wire.

As Kai would say, "Tadaa!"

I love it! 

So much better than the Menards light we had!

 It casts a really fun pattern on the ceiling and walls too.  

*****

 My next job is to replace the bulbs I have for some compact fluorescents so I don't start a fire.

eek! 

The Dave Ramsey Book

My husband and I went through a Dave Ramsey financial class a couple year ago.  

We loved it. 

Well, maybe that's an exaggeration... 

anything to do with money and budgeting is bound to be a bit stressful, 

but we love where it has gotten us today.  

So, this post is in honor of Mr. Ramsey and his cash budget plan! 

You'll need to find yourself an appropriate hardcover book.  

This one is from a library sale for 50 cents.  

The title is "Too Hot To Handle." 

I think I'll use it for my date night money stash. 

hee hee! 

Start by removing a rectangular area from the middle of the book. 

Use a utility knife and ruler to make your cuts through the pages.  

This will take a while and several cuts, keep peeling out the layers as you cut through them.

Please don't cut yourself!!!

You will have a nice little stash of pages when you are done, don't throw those! 

I'll show you what to do with them in a post later this week.

Your book should now have all the pages removed from the front cover to the back.

Clean up the corners if you need to.

Then, bust out your Mod Podge.  

Find a piece of scrapbook paper you like and cut it to fit inside the back cover.  

Apply Mod Podge to the back of the scrapbook paper and smooth the paper on to the inside of the back cover.  Smooth out any air bubbles with an old credit card.  

If you are patient you will wait 5 minutes until it is dry, and then continue.  

If you are me, you will plough ahead.

Apply Mod Podge to the entire back of the cover, and the last page of the book.

Close the pages, and apply Mod Podge to the inside of the pages.

Use some rulers, or paint sticks, or whatever you have on hand to make a little platform.

Then put a pile of weight on top and let it dry.

*It would be wise to make sure there is no Mod Podge on your top page before adding you weight, or you might have trouble peeling your rulers off.  Not that I would know*

Apply Mod Podge to the outside edges of the pages. 

Add your treasures!

Perfect little hiding spot for your the money you didn't spend on T.P this week

 so you can sneak a date night in instead.  

Not only does it keep little hands from finding it, 

but it helps so that you don't go digging for that extra cash to spend before date night!

You win some, you lose some.

These fun little pieces were a flop.... I'll have to try them again. 

I love the composition, but the paper ended up puckering with the glue.  

The good news is the tiles washed off okay, so they are reusable.  

Next time- heavy paper.  

And I won't do three at a time.  

Bah.

:)

Sale!

Sorry for the little absence... I am working like crazy and having so much fun!  

I opened an Etsy shop today, you can find me here.

This weekend I bring a load to a new shop in Buffalo, MN called Meshed Designs to sell on consignment.  Here are some samples of what will be there.  

If you see something you think you'd like, let me know and I would be happy to make something similar!  

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And the mirrors!  I love these!!!  

They are antique looking mirrors with fabric behind them.  

So cool.  I'm just saying.  

I'm also hoping to finish up a little desk, I'll post a before and after later...

Happy Tuesday! 

And bean ball makes three

Okay Joanne, we are gonna try this again...

One more ball makes a perfect trio for the coffee table.

So why not dried beans! 

This idea came from my friend's home, she has a purchased "bean ball." It sits on her table with a grouping of different balls, and you have to pick them up, they are so fun!

So, of course I had to try to make one myself.

 A foam ball, glue sticks, glue gun, and a pound of kidney beans later...

 Make sure Mr. Lego is supervising.

 Three fun spheres that have great textures.