Link of the Day: Designing with LEGO

Flavorwire: Adorable Birds Made Out of LEGO

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My boyfriend really loves LEGO and has even made his own hippy van out of them:

1,000 pieces and a few weeks for him to complete this! It’s now the center of decoration in our living room.

So I love this bird idea!  If you read the link, it states how you can donate and further this project of LEGO birds!

Happy Tuesday All!

Link of the Day: Books Turn Into Buildings

Flavorwire: 10 Gorgeous Buildings Made Out of Books

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I’m totally going to build my house out of old books.  It’s a great way to recycle them and give them a new life!

Happy Tuesday All!

Link of the Day: “Print’s Not Dead”

The Huffington Post:  Booksi:  Old Books Reborn as iPhone Chargers

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I’m going to be honest, I’m a little jealous that I never thought of this, because what a brilliant idea!  Definitely gives a new life to old books!

Happy Sunday All!

NaNo Word Cloud

So because it’s Friday, and I procrastinate on Fridays, instead of writing I have been creating my own word cloud.

These are the words in the Prologue of my NaNo novel.  Based on these words:

Can you guess what my story is about?

What one word grabs your attention the most?

Would you want to read the story just by seeing these words alone?

Tell me what you think!

To create your own word cloud visit Wordle.

My Listy List: 5 Ways to Give a Book a Second Life

Ah, books.  Nothing is better than to curl up on the couch, hot tea cooling on the coffee table, and a book in hand.  Many love to escape reality by diving into a new and undiscovered world through the different literature we read.  I am one of those people; always have been, always will be.

However, everything eventually comes to an end and whether the journey was good or not, what should be done once the book is read and finished?

I picture my dream house containing an entire wall that is a book shelf with every single book I’ve read – my favorites mixed in with the so-and-so’s – packed together, bindings facing out for all whom visit to see my vast collection of reads.  But what life is that for a book?  A book is to be read, explored, and loved, not collecting dust.  As many times as we may say, “oh, that was a great book!  I’m going to save it so I can re-read it again”, how many times do we actually re-read a book?  I have done it a couple times but not as many times as I’ve said I would.

Because my collection of books is growing rapidly, and soon I may just have to get a whole other house to store all of them, I have come up with a list of 5 creative things to do with already read books.  Yes, some of them may be hard to actually do – especially with your favorite reads – but books have many lives and deserve to live them all.  And if you can’t do these to your favorite books, then do them to books that weren’t the best!

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•  Use the Pages for a Decoupage Project.  Have a favorite book that is just sitting on a shelf, abandoned by you, its reader?  Instead of letting it collect dust, turn it into a unique art project that will let you enjoy the book’s words forever.  Transform a cheap garage sale picture frame into a border of words by cutting out some of the book’s best quotes and lines, and decoupaging them onto the frame.  Turn an empty glass jar into a wordy flower vase by ripping out some of the book’s pages and decoupaging them onto the jar.  Whatever you decide to decoupage, and there are some great ideas out there, it will give your book a new and creative life!  On how to decoupage, visit here.

•   Wrap Some Presents.  This one may be hard for readers whom cherish all books, but instead of using your favorite books, take the books you did not quite enjoy or were just downright terrible, and turn their pages into fun and recycled wrapping paper!  Why spend money, and waste paper, by buying new wrapping paper every year when you can just use the pages of not-so-good books and wrap presents of friends and family members in a unique way!

 

• Donate.  You’ve had your fun with exploring and reading the book so now it’s time to pass it on!  Promote literacy while you share a special book (or even one you didn’t like) by donating your already read books to charities or establishments.  Here is a site that lists where to donate your books and here is a charity that is always in need of books.

 

• Create a Clock.  In Holland, MI my mother and I found this cute store that had unique art and crafts.  One that caught both our eyes was a “Book Clock”.  The second we got home, we ordered the supplies and got to working on our own “Book Clock”.  We made about 5 of them out of hard covered books we picked up from garage sales and they all looked absolutely wonderful!  They can be given as great presents or used to decorate your house with your favorite book on display as a clock.  Plus, you don’t even need to ruin any of the pages so it is still readable!  Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the ones my mom and I did, however, it is similar to my record clock I made (I got a little crazy with making everything into clocks!).  Here is a site on how to make your very own “Book Clock”!

• Doodle.  Do you have the talent of being able to draw and/or paint well?  Give your drawings more meaning and substance by doodling on the pages of your favorite book.  Maybe draw something that relates to what the words read on the page.  Afterward, make sure you frame your art and hang it on the wall for all to admire!

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*Note: the pictures on this post were taken from Google Images.  The list however, is my own: © Kalie Lyn, 2011*

I Love…

… how reading a book has the power to transport you to a whole other world.

… how being around animals makes you a more compassionate person.

… how traveling the world gives you a new life, a new identity.

… how taking photographs helps you to remember those precious moments that would otherwise be forgotten.

… how cuddling with your spouse makes you feel loved and important.

… how by simply walking barefoot on the beach, you feel connected with Mother Nature.

… how no matter what religion or beliefs you have, you breathe just like them and they bleed just like you.

… how by just watching the sun set or rise, you remember your own mortality.

… how elated you feel after a genuine laugh.

… how a deep conversation can occur with a complete stranger.

… how “family” can be those related by blood or those related by shared experiences.

… how special times are remembered by listening to the song that was playing at that time.

… how really anything can be an adventure.

… how much each and every one of us impacts the world in our own ways.

Note:  The words above are my own: © Kalie Lyn, 2011; The photo above is my boyfriend’s: © Sergio Martinez, 2011

Pet Shop Boys Record Wall Clock

Lately I have been obsessed with clocks and making them.  I got the idea from a shop in Holland, MI where I saw a clock made out of a vintage book.  I LOVED it.  

After I saw that, every random object looked like it could be turned into a clock.  I started doing research, mainly on Etsy, and found so many good ideas of different items that could become a unique clock.  

I’m a thrift store and garage/yard/estate sale junkie – I got this from my mother when as a child we even went on “garbage picking” days.  Usually, I only buy clothes from thrift stores but once I realized I wanted to make clocks, I searched for everything from books to plates with pretty designs.

Last week I ordered $54.00 worth of clock parts and they finally arrived last night.  I couldn’t wait to get started and since I’m a naturally inpatient person, I immediately began making a clock.

My first clock I made out of a 1988 Pet Shop Boys Record.

  

I just created an Etsy site and this clock is officially up for sale.

I will be listing more items soon but in the meantime, visit my Etsy shop at: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PalmTreesnBareFeet?ref=pr_shop_more

I will also do custom orders, as I have many materials, so if you would like a unique and custom ordered clock, then email me at: palmtreesbarefeet@gmail.com 

You can also purchase through this blog.  I accept PayPal and Money Order payments.

Thanks for looking!

Create, Reuse, Reduce

Going “green” has been the new thing for quite some time now.  Whether it’s opening house windows on a breezy summer day instead of turning on the air conditioning or unplugging all electronics when not in use, many people are finding ways to both save money and benefit the environment.

Recycling is a huge part of “going green”.  On certain weekdays, the ends of driveways are adorned with trash cans containing smelly garbage and bins containing old newspapers, empty plastic milk jugs and glass jars.  While we are told to separate our garbage from our recyclables and that an empty water bottle will be recycled into a new water bottle, many people still wonder what happens to their recyclable materials.

Instead of worrying if you are doing your part to save the environment, here is a fun and beautiful way to reuse an old glass jar.

DECOUPAGE FLOWER VASE

Materials Needed:

• Empty Glass Jar   (I used an empty pizza sauce jar)

• Decoupage Glue Sealer Gloss Finish    (I used the brand, ArtMinds.  I found it at Michael’s Craft Store and while the other brands were priced from $15 – 7$, this brand was only $5.99!  And it works!)

• Material you wish to seal onto the jar   (Examples: newspaper clippings, comic strips, wrapping paper, fabric…etc.  I used white and red wrapping paper along with fake flowers.)

• Paint Brush

Steps:

• First off, make sure you have ALL of the materials listed above.  Once you have your mind set on creating, you want to create and not scramble around finding missing pieces.

• Using the paint brush, Apply a thin coat of the decoupage glue sealer onto the outside of your glass jar where you want your material to be placed.

• With the material you want, position and smooth it out around the glass jar.  Make sure you even the material out so there are no bubbles or overlaps.

• Once the material is set and in place, apply another thin coat of the decoupage glue sealer over the material and let dry for 15-20 minutes.

• You may add as many layers as you want.  I did a base layer of red and white wrapping paper and then went on to my second layer of a different material.

• I pulled off the fake flowers of a decoration plant I had laying around.  I then sealed them to the jar with a layer of the decoupage glue sealer on the bottom of the flowers and on top.

• After those had dried, I put a last coat of sealer around the entire jar and over all the materials so everything stays in place.

• Once everything was dry and in place, I finished off with the rim of the jar by sealing a strip of the red wrapping paper around the rim.

• Let everything sit for about a day and give it time to completely dry.

• Voila! You now have a beautiful, hand crafted, original flower vase!  Add some fresh water and colorful flowers and you’re ready to display it in your home!

 

Create, Reuse, Reduce!

*© Kalie Lyn 2011*