HomeSpun-Threads: You Can Make This

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I found a clear mailing tube at the thrift store today and knew what I was going to do with it when I got home. I'd been making those "I Spy" bags in the past for gifts but this is SO much easier. Just add a filler, I happened to have the clear plastic poly beads from the craft store but rice will work, fill half way. I used the little trinkets I have collected but you can use any toys that are too small for your little ones mouth; pennies, marbles, barbie shoes, etc.

Add a little bit more filler, leaving a couple of inches in the top. Attach the second lid and make sure to super glue them on. They stay on well by themselves but you do not want this thing coming open.

They love playing with this and the more stuff you can sneak in the better. Look for beads shaped like sports balls, animals, even confetti with cool shapes or letters. This is a great item to take on long trips or to the doctor to keep them entertained. Help your little ones look for items you know are in there and be surprised by the ones you've forgot.

I'm thinking for just over a dollar or so per kid, these would be great party favors as well! Or even a teacher appreciation gift that can be appreciated by a whole classroom of kids too.

Let's face it, those mouthwash bottles look horrid left out on the bathroom vanity. They just look like something that someone forgot to put away. However, if you put it away, you may forget to use it. So, I retrieved an old glass bottle and refilled it. Then labeled it with metal letters and super sticky dots. This is worth leaving out right? Kinda made me wish I knew how to use my Cricut. Vinyl lettering would have been cool too.

Two questions have been burning in my mind about my Book Look post a few days ago...

What if I want to be able to read the books?
How will I know what the titles are?

I have found the solution to both problems...

When recovering the front of your book with fabric you only need to do the following different than the first technique.

Don't cut the book away from the cover.
Make two tin slits in the fabric at the spine of the book.

This is how...

Just fold and glue down the edges to the book as shown in the original New
Book Look post.

Now if you want labels try this...

Printable Fabric and these beautifully simple labels from Poppytalk. Be sure to buy the printable fabric that irons on, you can find it at most office supply stores and even Wal-Mart has been known to carry it.

Yesterday I had a bright idea and I did this...

I've always wanted one of these really cool books that have the pages cut out so you can't tell that it's a book that's hiding something. So, I did it. I used these tools...

Let me tell you, those super sharp scalpel blades are AWESOME! It sliced right through those pages. I love this tool. It's my favorite. I buy the blades in bulk I love it so much. Mostly, it's my seam ripper but today it added a new function to its resume'.

I spent most of my time gluing the pages together but that was easy too with the help of spray adhesive and couple flicks of the pages. Eventually they all stuck together.

Now, can you tell which book is stashing ~~all that dough~~ nothing at all yet. : ) I don't know what I'll put in it really, I just always wanted one.

A couple of weeks ago I was walking through the church were I work and on a table by the library there was a big pile of hardback books marked FREE BOOKS! Me and my two little boys loaded our arms down with books and hauled them to the car. The books themselves weren't bad looking but they didn't suit me as they were...

See what I mean, some are really pretty colors and some are blah. One day I'm going to set out to only find books in one shade, like that pretty Tiffany Blue one above. Another project for another time. Today, after weeks of waiting, I decided to give my desire to recover these books a try. Here's my first attempt.

While I love the muted colors and patterns, they sort of just get lost in my house so I had to turn the color dial up a bit and move from paper to fabric. I do have to stay true to myself...fabric is just more fun. So, I pulled out a few of my fat quarters that I bought for my quilting (translation: I need to buy more fat quarters). Here's the easiest book covering project ever...

Iron the fabric.

Trim the book away from the cover

Mod Podge the front of the book cover.


Flip cover over and press to wrong side of fabric, trim and fold edges over.

Use the first and last page of the book and glue the book back into the cover.

I can't wait to fill my bookshelf up with pretty covered books. I love fabric, fabric stores are like my candy stores and I should display what I love, this is an easy way to do just that.

And the winner was "Paint it White!" So I did. I drug the old table out and started painting it as soon as it was warm enough out side. We still had snow on the ground but it was the perfect temp outside for me!

I'm not a good painter and I'm not patient at ALL. So, I took the old antique-it approach. I know, I know, it was already an antique but because you can tell when I spray paint something that it has been spray painted, I have to hide my mistakes. To do that, I got out my sand paper. Easy enough!

So this was transformed into this...

After every light coat of paint I sanded with a 100 grit sandpaper. On my final coat of paint, I used a 220 grit sandpaper and then sprayed a clear coat over the entire table. This project took most of the day but for me that's better than days and days.

P.S. In response to a question about the wall plaque. The making of that piece is here.