double take...

It's fun to take something that you'd normally throw out and turn it into something you love. This project wasn't actually from the trash bin but it was close. It began with a binder in the sale bin at Michael's... for $2!!!

A Paula Deen cookbook, to be exact. I grabbed a few, thinking they'd be fun to play with.

First thing I did was rough-up the surface, thinking it would help everything stick. I used sandpaper AND a sanding block to get through the plastic-like coating on the binder. Believe me- I sanded. And sanded. And then sanded some more. 

Really never got the paint to fully cover (or stick) but... sometimes the Crafting God is feeling benevolent and it actually turned out looking perfect. Kind of distressed, almost like I'd planned it that way...

Vintage sheet music found it's way onto the interior. Luckily my liquid adhesive worked just beautifully. Thank you Beacon 3-in-1. We've got a lifetime love affair that WILL NEVER END.

See inside where the paint wouldn't really stick? Doesn't it look super cool???

For the cover, I used things that were in my collage bucket. Love that bird image so much. I have a few in my arsenal that get used over and over. In fact, I'll share another project later this week that used the very same bird but with a whole different look.

The Daughter and I always save our fortunes and throw away the cookie. You just never know when that little strip of paper will be your source of inspiration!

This binder holds all my information for current classes I'm teaching. I reach for it nearly every day and each time I do it makes me happy.

Next time you're out & about, take a second look at something and think about what you might be able to do with it. You just might be pleasantly surprised!

xo,