Update

The the book page canvas project.

I already mentioned that I wasn't a huge fan of how it turned out. It felt like it was missing something, and today I found out what. I decided to personalize it and make it more applicable to Eric and I, so I could hang it somewhere we both could appreciate it. 

These are the supplies I used. 

 Step 1: Print and cut out your design or words.

This is the best part. You don't need a stencil or a predesigned image (unless you want one), you can use your creative energy in this part.
Then print it and cut it out. Place it where you want on the canvas. 

Step 2: Shade the back of each piece.

Use a dark pencil to shade the back of the image. You don't need to cover the whole paper, but make sure you cover the back of the entire design. 

Step 3: Place the design back in place.

After you've shaded all the pieces, put them back in place, face up. Place the shaded side down, against the canvas. Then use a pencil to trace the design or the letters. Just outline and copy it exactly (or what you want to show through).

Step 4: Trace it with a darker or coloured pen or marker.

After you trace over the letters with the pencil, and remove the paper, you will see it in very faint pencil marks on the canvas.
I just chose to make my design black, so that was easy. I used a really thin, but wet ink pen to trace over those faint pencil marks. I did each piece separately; in pencil first, then in this thin pen.
From here you can decide whether you want it to be just an outline, or whether you want to fill it in. I chose to fill it in.

Step 5: Fill it in.

For this part I used three different black markers {that's why it was so convenient that I wanted just black, because I could find three the same colour}. First I filled everything in loosely with a thick chizzled tip marker. I didn't get close to the edges with this one.
Then I used a regular sized Sharpie marker to get closer to the edges, and then to make the edges straight. Finally I used the thinnest point Sharpie. I used this one to shape the corners of each letter, and to fill the edges of my smaller letters.
I may have gone a little overboard on this part, but I want on the phone while I was doing it, and just kept going and going. You may not fell the need to do all these steps, and that's fine. It will still look great to the naked {not-your} eye.

I am very pleased with the way this one turned out. It just amped up the first version, and made it ours. Do the letters look perfect? Of course not. Are they perfectly straight? Unfortunately not. But this is now something that means something to Eric and I and that I do plan to eventually hang in our home.

A Post for a Parcel

I talked with my mom on the phone a couple times this week {which I am ashamed to say is a lot for recently} and she was bugging me for a post. I posted my photography assignment, but that's boring. I promised I would post this project.

Then she sent me a little parcel of some things I've been looking for and wanting, so I owe her this in return.

To be honest, it was not a great project. I had a disappointing day today and was kind of unmotivated to work on it, which may have something to do with it, but it was kind of dull and I'm not super happy with the results. Anyway, it looks cute enough, and it was an experiment, so here's what happened.

These are the things I used (plus a staple gun, which was unexpected, but useful)

If you find a canvas at Michael's that has a small hole in it, and is therefore 75% off, do buy that one. It works just the same. Just make sure you reinforce the hole at the back with some tape or something.

 Step 1: Tear out the pages you want to use. 

Okay, this part was actually tough for me. I didn't think it would be. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite stories but, to be honest, I've never actually read the book. I only read every once in a while, and I'm terrible for finishing books I start. It was sad to rip apart a book that I have never and will never read. But, I got over it.

 Step 2: Arrange them on the canvas.

This part took me forever. I was literally arranging and rearranging for like an hour or something ridiculous. Make sure you leave enough hang off {I don't know what to call it} all the way around, to wrap around the edges. I didn't do this in all spots, and it makes for a somewhat sloppy finish.

 Step 3: Lift pages slowly, and brush glue onto the canvas.

Not much to say here. It was boring and a little tricky. I was surprised how well the pages stuck though, when I put the glue straight onto the canvas.

 Step 4: Fold edges down and glue them onto the back.

Like I said, I didn't really leave enough on the edges to be able to do this everywhere. My edges are mostly covered, but do look a little sloppy in some parts. 

{This is where the unexpected staple gun comes in}

Step 5: I stapled the edges to keep them from popping up.

My edges were so small in some parts that the glue wouldn't keep them flat, and they kept wanting to spring up. So luckily I actually don't mind the look of nice big staples, and in this particular spot I think it adds to the vintage feel of the whole thing, so I was able to find an alternative method. I just used the staple gun to make sure that everything sat flat. I may have gone overboard on the necessary number of staples, but eventually it just started to look nice so I put them there for looks, evenly spaced out on all sides.  

Step 6: Glue down loose corners.

I saw something like this done before, where the woman coated the whole thing in Mod Podge when she was done, to seal the face of it. I decided I didn't like that. I tried it in one small corner of the canvas and decided not to do anymore. I just put a little glue on each corner that was sticking out, and left some page edges rough, because I think it looks better.

 Step 7: When you don't have your own walls to hang it on, take something of your mother-in-law's down so you can hang it on the wall to take a picture of it. Done!

So I think it looks kind of cute and stuff, but it does seem like it might wear out really fast. {Maybe I should have painted that extra coat of sealer over it, but too bad.} Maybe if you ever attempt it, just don't use a book quite as old as the one I used. The pages might last you a little longer if they're a little newer.
It's not my favourite, but it is actually kind of sweet for fall. I'm just thinking now of anything I might use it for as a fall specific decoration, but we'll see!

One man's trash

...truly is another man's treasure.
This week I spent a fair bit of time in thrift stores. I worked just about every big one south of downtown Calgary these last couple of days. I was thinking about it, while I was in there looking at things and trying them on, and I honestly think I've gotten better at this whole thing. I am obsessed with it these days, and I love love love doing it. So I started analyzing what has made me good at it, and what makes me enjoy it so much. Thus was born, this idea for a post. With fall in the air now, I think just about everyone is looking for some change. Eric and I have decided we want to change our personal styles a little bit, and I would like to be more committed to looking nice and put together when I go places. So I looked for jeans a lot in the malls and decided, I hate malls! SO MUCH! I feel like a little piece of my soul is taken every time I put on a piece of clothing that has 5 in each size hanging on the shelf. I've decided, I buy jeans and shoes brand new, and as little else as possible. I live in the thrift stores, and there are certain things I was looking for this week.
So I thought about what I do, and what I tried to do this week, to make my thrifting successful and satisfying.
1. Never stick only to your size rack.  There are two reasons for this. First is that it's a second hand store, so they don't have a ton of people staging the place to make sure it stays clean and tidy. Things get mixed up, and you'll sometimes find a treasure put in the wrong spot by someone else {either by accident or on purpose}. Second, the best finds are the old vintage ones right? Well older size guides are very different from today's, so take a look at sizes that you may think are too big or too small and you just might find something that fits quite nicely, but has a weird number on the tag.
The other thing I discovered here, just the other day, is that the employees are not fashion experts and will occasionally put a skirt or pair of pants that reads size 25 on the tag in the size 5 section, just to make me feel bigger than I am. In what world is a pair of jeans with a size 25 tag going to fit over my hips, they belong in the 0-2 section, thanks.
2.  Always look in the men's section as well. I know this one sounds the most ridiculous, but there are certain things that you just might be able to find there. A few examples that I've found have been in sweaters/cardigans and in long sleeve button down shirts. Just please please please promise me that if you're going to play with this one, that you stick to things that fit you. It's possible you'll find something cool and fun, but if it doesn't fit you, it will be obvious where you found it. Plus, if your man is like mine and has really good taste, you may be able to find him something there that you'll be excited to bring home and show him.
3. You should go into the dressing room with a pile anywhere from twice to four times as big as you come out with. Especially when you don't go very often, every find can seem like a good find. You'll see tons and tons of articles that you feel are perfect in their own unique and quirky ways, throw them all in the cart. So many good finds are the odd ones you are almost scared to take off the rack. But once you get them on in the dressing room, if something seems to not be quite right, it probably isn't. Leave it behind, and forget about it. Hope that someone else will come along and appreciate it.
4. It's more than okay to be a little stingy. Remember that everything in the store has been used before. Some stores I've been to {especially Value Village} seem to have caught on to the trend of second hand shopping, and have priced things accordingly. In a thrift store, it's okay to think that $10 is too much for a shirt. I can only think of a small hand full of times that I would spend more than that, and they're things I have been looking for for a long time. First, it's not necessary because I promise you that if you keep looking, better deals will come up. And the other thing I love, is that it just feels good to not spend too much money. That's what it's kind of about. You want to find great treasures, but it's nice to find them at great prices as well. It makes the find that much more exciting to me.
5. Always look in the housewares and frames sections. I do this because the truth is, people hold on to old prints and frames and dishes and mugs a lot longer than they hold on to old clothes. These sections always have really neat finds {which I rarely ever buy} to inspire me and my new styles or creative ideas.
When I broke it down this week, this is what I came up with. These are the guidelines I always follow, but didn't realise until just now. {Pictures to come}
What are some things you do to get inspired, or to have successful thrift store shopping?