Repurposing

On one Tuesday night of the month, I meet with a group of paper-crafters to create a couple of projects and shop from the Stampin' Up! catalog. Most of the ladies in the group are card-makers, and usually our projects are cards. For our last meeting, we did make one card, but our leader, a wonderfully creative lady named Sharon, decided to do a french-fry box treat holder.

While I thought it was an adorable project, I really didn't have much use for one treat holder, and I didn't see myself making more of these. Instead, I did something I love to do: I repurposed.

Here's the supplies I started with:

Four little stamped, die-cut pieces, the stamped, punched greeting element, a yellow ribbon, and that french fry box, stamped and already assembled.

First, I decided to make a card with the supplies. I used a piece of card stock from a previous free project I'd done at Archivers several years ago for the card front, and I took apart the french fry box. Playing around with the flat pieces, trying to figure out how to use them, I finally cut two strips that, put-together, would be the right length to span a standard card.

Next, I arranged the die cut pieces in a cluster I liked and cut the ribbon into two pieces, adhered with a tiny attacher. Using a bit of red twine, I tied the greeting piece to the ribbon and attached the card front to a bright yellow card. For my last step, I splattered gold mist on the card, a finishing touch that really makes the design work.

The result:

A card that I can use, and all those cute supplies did not go to waste.

Favorite Photos - October 2014

1. My sweet husband and I ventured North for our anniversary trip, and it rained every day of the week we were there. I love this selfie of the two of us under an umbrella on the shore of Lake Huron. Dude...it was cold, too.

2. Horse drawn carriages for hire on one of the main streets of Mackinac Island, one of the places we visited off-Mitten during our getaway. No cars are permitted on the island, so the only forms of transportation are these vehicles, horses, bicycles, and our own two feet.

3. During our horse-drawn tour of Mackinac Island, we stopped at this high point, and whoa! What a gorgeous view!

4. The monumental Mackinac Bridge, connecting the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, a beautiful feat of modern engineering. I love this photo because I summoned the courage to face my fear of heights and drive over it, and because my husband took the photo from the passenger seat to mark the occasion.

5. Our second visit to Mackinac Island, as we were waiting for the ferry to take us back to the Mitten, a bright and fantastic double-rainbow filled the sky. Here is one end of it, anchored in Lake Huron.

6. On our actual anniversary, dinner out. Twelve years of marriage, and oh, what a crazy wonderful ride it's been! How lucky I am. How happy. How grateful for us.

7. My sweet little Mommy holding up a wreath we made together. Love, love, love that smile!

8. A lovely, luscious autumn day, walking through the neighborhood.

9. And on another fall day, these birds, taking flight.

10. Little Mommy with a brand new hairdo. While taking photos of her out in front of the nursing home, I told her, "Show me sexy!" and that's the response I got. Beautiful woman. Always has been. And I sure do love her.