{ This FIRST Frame is at it's new home! }

The first Shabby Pearl frame has been given to it's new owners :o)

After I finished cutting it out, I was pretty much in love with it and all the possibilities.

I didn't want to give it up.

BUT

I knew the new owner would love it just as much, if not more, than I did.

So, the very first frame went to it's new home.

Here is it's first photo.

She's is unfinished and just waiting for the soon to come loveliness that will adorn her.

Can't you just see all the things you could do with her?

You want one?

Check out the Shabby Pearl frames page at the top for all the details on how to get one!

I will be sure to post her finished pictures as soon as I can!

{ notebook makeover }

So, the other night my sister sent me a text and asked me for an idea. She needed some sort of activity to do with her girls from church that somehow involved Mother's Day.

This is the idea that popped into my head:

A Mother Daughter Journal.

I explained my thoughts and she was immediately on board. It went something like this.

You take a cheap notebook, let them decorate it up a bit and then have them write a letter to their mom. On the inside cover, place some instructions so that mom will understand what it is for. Then have the girls wrap it up and give it to mom for Mother's Day. It then becomes (Hopefully) something that mom and daughter can write letters or journal entries in to each other.

Yep, I fell in love with the idea too.

So I mentioned it to the lady I work with for our church girls.

Yep, she fell in love with it too.

So, we are ALSO going to be using for our activity this week.

:o)

So, I thought I would share my "How-To" on making them

First, ya have to get one of those handy composition notebooks.

(They are like $0.94 at Wal-Mart)

Then, grab some sheets of scrapbook paper.

Line up your paper with the edge of the book binding.

Then, while holding the paper in place, run your finger over the edge of the notebook creating a crease on the paper (This is where you are going to cut the paper)

Continuing running your fingers up and around the long edge so that you create a crease the fits the shape of the cover (yeah, I'm not sure why my fingers are looking all kinds of craziness in this picture... it reminds be of "The Claw" that Jim Carey does in Liar Liar :o)

Here is what is should look like when you turn it over.

Cut it out, then glue it down to the front cover - I used this two-sided tape runner, it worked beautifully!

Here is what you should now have.

Now, using the same idea, cover the inside cover with some paper. Make sure to crease the paper on this one so that it covers the WHOLE cover.

Continue the same process on the back cover for the inside and out. Then embellish them all a bit....

Now, if you feel the need to add some tabs, here is how I did mine:

Start with some of these, and make sure to write whatever you want them to say BEFORE you attach them.

Grab some clear packing tape.

Take the tab and stick just one side onto the tape, making sure to leave just a little bit of tape at the bottom so that it will stick to the page.

Stick it on the page and press the tape down

Carefully fold the tape over and crease it and press it down starting the the top and working your way down onto the paper.

Then take some scissors and cut the extra tape off

Here is what mine looked like when finished.

Enjoy!

{ The First Post! }

Hello friends!

So, in honor of the FIRST post on The Shabby Pearl

I am going to post a tutorial on how to make this AWESOME bean wreath!

Materials needed:
* 1  12" Styrofoam wreath (purchased at any craft store, this one was  about $5 at Hobby Lobby)
* 1 wooden letter, unfinished to fit in the center of your wreath (again from Hobby Lobby for $0.99)
* Ribbon of your choice - a smaller piece (to glue on your letter) and a wide ribbon to hang your wreath with
*Scrapbook paper
* 1 16oz package small Lima beans
* hot glue gun and glue sticks (trust me, you will need A LOT of glue sticks)
*Spray paint in your color choice ( I used Krylon satin finish Ivory)
*Craft paint in your color choice for your letter
* Modpodge



Step one:

Take your Lima beans and glue them onto your wreath.

This is going to be VERY time consuming....

so my suggestion is to plop down with your glue gun, glue sticks, beans and wreath and catch up on all those TV shows or movies you've been missing! :o)

Step 2:

When you have ALL those beans glued on,

take your wreath and spray paint it with your color choice.

Step 3:

Take your letter and turn it upside down and trace it onto the back of your scrapbook paper. And then cut out your letter.

Step 4:

Paint your letter the desired color and let it dry.

Step 5:

ModPodge your cut out scrapbook paper letter onto your wooden letter { a tip: only apply a very thin layer of modpodge to your wood. Just enough to get your letter to adhere to the wood. If you apply too much, when you add your top layer of modpogde it will bubble} After your letter is modpodged to the wood, then add a top layer of modpodge to create a seal.

Step 6:

Hot glue a small piece of ribbon onto the back of your letter, right at the top, creating a small loop (this is what you will use to hang your letter from on the larger ribbon that goes around the wreath)

Step 7:

Take a length of wider ribbon and create your bow on the wreath and make sure to string your letter on there! Enjoy your interchangeable Lima bean wreath!

D