Flowers From Old Books (Revamped Lamps)

 I found an old, tattered book, and it begged me to give it new life. I took it to my office, and it almost shouted out to a couple of lamps. The lamps were a snooze fest. They were boring and unrelated to one another. I decided to cut out flower shapes from the book pages. An Ellison die cut machine made quick work of my project.

(Not the actual book I used, but this could have been its twin.)

My short, plump lamp.

Yawn.

I used six die-cut pages per flower, and punched a tiny hole in the 

center of each shape.

Scrunch the first page around a brad. Be careful not to tear the hole, 

or the brad will fall out.

Continue to crumple pages onto the brad. I wadded the last two pages in my hand before adding them. This was to get a good shape without pulverizing the bud already formed on the brad.

The finished project. Cute, huh?

The last step was to use one of my favorite tools ever - a glue gun!

I have four glue guns, but I keep thinking I need another.

My tall, waif lamp.

Grandma!

I liked it much better after the lace and trim was removed.

It's even cuter with the flowers. I brushed a bit of pale pink onto the pages for this lamp.

Cuteness

I think these flowers could find a happy home in so many places. They would be super cute on a package or gift bag, or how about a bunch of them on stems for a bouquet? 

How would an old book spark your creativity? I'd love to hear your ideas.

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Instant, No Sew Apron

I saw a set of cute, simple valances at a thrift store. Since I have no need for a window treatment, I thought of other uses for the embroidered sweetness.

So I threaded a 2" ribbon through the rod pocket, and

voilà 

a cute, ruffled apron.

Of course you could make two or more with each panel, if you don't like the full, ruffled look. That would mean cutting and sewing, but it would still be simple.

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Mod Podge a Paper Copy of a Fabric Print (Sparking Creativity)

Good heavens. It's been two months since I introduced the Sparking Creativity feature. Oops.

It all started with a trip to a flea market where I found this dandy fabric. It's a a 60" poplin called French Fox, and it runs $25/yard. I paid $7 for four yards! That said, I still don't know what I'm going to use it for, but it did give me a spark of an idea.

I printed a copy of the pattern from the internet, Mod Podged it onto a chipboard letter, and placed it inside an empty frame. The outer edges were covered with a contrasting paper to pop against the blue wall of my office. I think it's adorable. Now to come up with a fab idea for the actual fabric.

Thanks for stopping by. If you like what you've seen then "like" my page creative confetti (website)  on Facebook, and subscribe on the right. Feel free to pin and share via the green widget to the left. I'd also love to hear from you, so leave a comment or send me an email.

Sparking Creativity

I want to introduce a new blog series I've been stirring around. It combines photos with everyday things and places that inspire me creatively, like the typewriter above. It will give me a chance to practice my photography skills while I glean ideas from everyday life. I'm hoping to post weekly, and maybe the photos will get better as I go along.

One thing that inspires me is a flea market. It is exciting to see past an item on a shelf, and envision what it can be. Sometimes I wonder about the life of an object.

Whether it's a re-purposing project, or a decorating idea, flea markets and thrift stores are treasure hunts for me. Here are a few things that have caught my eye recently.

I'm a  sucker for a cabinet with lots of drawers.

 Who doesn't like frying pans filled with knobs...

and trays with more knobs?

These bowls have stories.

Tiny jars have much potential. 

They can hold homemade glosses, bath salts, and salves.

Such character in these old tins.

Quilts are one of my favorite things to find. Vintage quilts are a treasure indeed. 

Unfortunately they usually come with a hefty price.

One treasure I did score was four yards of this 60" poplin above. It's a bit quirky, and I love it. It combines everything I adore; shabby chic colors, toile, and a vintage feel. The SHAZAM moment was when I learned the original price was $25/yard. I got four yards for $7.00!

So where do you find creative inspiration? Do tell!

Thanks for stopping by. If you like what you've seen then give my page a "like" creative confetti (website) on Facebook, and subscribe on the right. Feel free to pin and share via the widget to the left. I'd also love to hear from you, so leave a comment or send me an email