Recycled T-Shirt Notebook

I seem to be on a notebook kick, but after all it is September and we're back in school!

What You'll Need

Notebook

Fabric large enough to cover notebook

Fabric Glue

Spray glue

Newspaper

T-shirt

Scissors 

Trim

Silk flowers

Pencil

2 Decorate Papers large enough to cover each inside of notebook

Step 1

How to Make It

1. Place fabric on work surface, right side down. Place notebook on fabric. Trace around notebook with pencil. Cut fabric 3/4” wider than lines.

2. Working outside, place newspaper to protect surface. Spray glue on back of fabric. Immediately place sprayed fabric on work surface and place back of notebook on fabric. (step 2a) Turn notebook over and smooth fabric in place with hands.

Step 2

Step 2a

3. Flip notebook to inside and smooth excess fabric to inside. Clip corners and ease in excess fabric.

4. To cover inside of notebook, trace one side of notebook on decorative paper. Repeat on second piece of paper. Cut out.

Step 3

5. Spray back of one piece of paper with spray glue. Smooth into place on inside of notebook. Repeat for second piece.

Step 6a

Step 6b

6. Cut sleeve from T-shirt. If desired, cut smaller to fit notebook. Glue raw edges together (step 6a). Glue trims along raw edge (step 6b). Let dry. Glue on notebook leaving top edge open to use as pocket. See finished photo for suggested placement. Glue on silk flowers. 

Costco International Photo Contest

 I did it, have you?
Time is running out to enter your photo in the Costco International Photo Contest.  The deadline is September 30, 2012.  Better hurry, it took me quite a while to pick 'the winning photo' from my archives!

Happy Fall!

Eye Glass Jewelry

What do you do with broken eye glasses?  Toss them? Put them in a drawer and find them again ages from now?  Nope, you create personalized jewelry with them!



What You'll Need
Eyeglasses
Glue - Decoupage or any glue that dries clear
Napkins, Tissue Paper or Fabric
Gold or Silver Pen - optional
Pin Back or Leather Necklace
Words printed on your printer
Pliers - optional
Pencil
Scissors
1/2" wide or larger paintbrush

 How to Make It
1. If desired, remove lens from frame. (Note:  The necklace was made leaving the lens in the frame, cutting the frame at the center and after decoupaging it was glued to the leather necklace.)
2. Print desired word on printer to fit inside lens. Cut to desired size and shape.
3. Place lens on tissue paper, napkin or fabric. Trace with pencil.  Cut out on inside of lines.
4. Brush glue on back of lens. Immediately place words and then tissue, napkin or fabric piece over it. Smooth with your fingers. Brush glue over back. Let dry.
5. If desired, apply gold or silver pen along edges of lens.
6. Glue pin back on back of lens or glue frame to necklace. Let dry.

Doughlicious Fun!!!

It was such a fun day!!!  I had a doughlicious time visiting the twenty-six fifth graders at the elementary school I attended.  We had a great time making marbles and leaves using dough created from cornstarch, glue and acrylic paint.

For tons more ideas to create with the dough, check out the Make Healthy Fun! book under the shopping section and if you just can't wait to receive the book in the mail go to http://www.lulu.com/shop/joan-martin-fee/make-healthy-fun/ebook/product-16790209.html and download the ebook!



Dough Recipe
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup white glue
Acrylic paints - desired colors

Place the cornstarch and glue in a ziptop bag.  Smoosh until mixed.

If you want to make several colors, divide the dough and place each in a clean bag. Add a few drops of acrylic paint and guess what?  You get to smoosh again until it's mixed.

Marbles - Form a ball. For the swirls in the marbles, make very small 'snake' shapes and press into the ball.  Roll until the blended in.

Leaves - Roll green dough into a ball and flatten on wax paper with your hands or use a rolling pin.  Press cookie cutter into the dough. Remove cookie cutter.  Make veins with a toothpick.

Let dry.  Depending on the humidity, it make take a couple of days.  If the marbles start to flatten on the bottom, roll again.

Fall Leaf Notebook

Transform a boring inexpensive dollar store notebook into a work of art!

What You'll Need
Notebook
Felt - assorted colors plus one large enough to cover notebook
3D Fabric Paint
Spray Adhesive
Felt Pen - any color
Newspaper
Scissors

How to Make It
1. Place large piece of felt on work surface. Open notebook and place on felt.  Trace around outside edge with felt pen. Cut along traced lines.
2. Place felt piece on newspaper in a well ventilated area. Spray one side of felt with spray adhesive following instructions on bottle.  Place felt on back of open notebook. Smooth with your hands.
3. If desired, cut squares and / or rectangles from different colors of felt. Arrange on notebook. Free form circles and leaves from other colors of felt.
4. Spray adhesive on leaves and circles. Press in place on notebook. 
5. Apply 3D Fabric Paint where desired.  See photo for suggestions. Let dry.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my first attempt at making a photobook through Costco.

Who Doesn't Like 20% Off?

Check out the wide-array of my books at http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?type=&keyWords=joan+martin+fee&x=11&y=8&sitesearch=lulu.com&q= and use the code to the left to save.  Offer ends September 7, 2012 so hurry.