What to do with an old picture frame?

Ok so the title is a little misleading since my picture frame is BRAND NEW but I fell in love with it and had to have it! I found this frame at Ikea for $29.99 and I know it was a bit pricey but it's also about two feet high and the insides for the project I got for free.

This is a bad quality pic, but I took it from my phone when I got home. So I decided to fill the inside with a collage of old sheet music. My dad, being a music minister, found an ole book for me from the 1800s! I wasn't sure if he knew I was going to tear pages out but I double checked and he said it was fine. So the only other thing I needed was a little glue! I used plain ol' Elmer's glue.

This book was really really really old!

I found this funny little card inside saying "Don't forget the old ones!"

So I tore a few pages out of hymns I recognized like It Is Well, Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, etc.

I used the paper backing that came in the frame so I didn't have to cut anything to size. The pages were so old and brittle they tore perfectly. I slowly glued each piece down to the paper oval and made sure no white was showing through the cracks.

It took a really long time! Like two hours!

I let the glue dry, trimmed the edges, and put it in the frame! That easy! I used the title of the book at the top, because it said Victory Songs. I laid it down and put heavy books on the back overnight just because the paper was curling badly. Now it looks awesome!

My first Sewing Project!

So I followed a tutorial on a website I found because I wanted to learn how to make skirts to take with me to Haiti. This one turned out so cute! It's an easy tutorial and I did it as a beginner.

I DID have trouble finding my way around the sewing machine, because it was given to me by a friend with no instruction manual. So I looked it up on youtube (don't you just love the internet?) and I think I've got it mostly figured out! So what do you think?

It has a rolled top "yoga pant" waist that was really easy to add on top.

The tutorial can be found here: http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=8450

Pillow

One thing I've been thinking about in redoing my room is how to make it look cute without spending a lot of money. The desk was a big purchase already, and I know I have to get paint, too. So for accessories, I decided to make most of my new decorations. So for the last two nights, I've been working on this pillow! It was my first one ever and I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Everything I used was scrap. I found the old material in a poor abandoned box of fabric in the basement, and the buttons were a collection we gathered over the years from old pieces of clothes, spares that came with new items, and a few bought just for fun.

I picked all the neutral colors since my room will be neutral. Basically I cut the white fabric into two squares, laid out the buttons where I wanted them and secured each with a dot of fabric glue. The grey roses were made from a tutorial I found online that suggested simply twisting scraps of old fabric round and round until a rose shape forms. Then I sewed each button and the roses for extra security and sewed it and stuffed it! Pretty easy! But it did take me a long time since this was a first for me. Pretty cool, huh?

I'm getting ready to redecorate my room and thought I'd give you a sneak peak of what's to come. I'm wanting to do striped grey and white wall and three grey walls that look a bit like this:

I also just bought this awesome desk/bookcase from ikea which is perfect because I was planning on getting new furniture anyways and this is both for less!

And..... I found this AMAZING frame there that I am still deciding what to do with it. I think I might fill it with old sheet music to match the vintage feel of the room. Everything will be white, black, or grey (except my dresser but I can't do anything about that....)

I can't even say sorry to the fact that it's been almost a year since I posted anything! But I'm going to try and get into it more. Today I thought I'd share a Christmas cookie recipe that my mom and I are just about famous for! It's our gingerbread cookie recipe. This cookie is great anytime of year, especially in winter, but best during the holidays.

You will need:

1 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 cup molasses (or for a sweeter cookies use 1/3 cup molasses, 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup brown sugar)

2 tablespoons vinegar

5 cups all purpose flour (for roll cookies) OR 3 3/4 cups (for drop cookies which are my favorite)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 or 3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons vanilla (optional)

What to do:

Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg, molasses (or molasses substitutes in my case), vanilla and vinegar. Sift together dry ingredients and blend in. Chill for 3 hours.

For rolled cookies: Roll dough 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes. Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 5-6 minutes. Cool slightly; remove to rack. Makes about 5 dozen.

For drop cookies: Scoop out into small balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes.

I always decorate them with squeezable icing or sprinkles and candies when they are cool.

These cookies will change the way you think about gingerbread cookies! They are softer, less tart and much chewier (which I really enjoy!)

Here's some pictures from my Bearcats Sugar Bowl Party. Too bad they lost!

I made this banner with some leftover paper I had from Grandpa's Birthday Party.

My famous gingerbread cookies!

Christmas Tree

Here's some pictures of my favorite ornaments on our tree!

Me in first grade!

A smores man : )

"Wishlist: A Perfect Season"

Little donut mouse

Merry Christmas!