Trashcan Treasures

So, I'm playing along with CSI Project again this week.  Here's the info for the current challenge.

And I'm linking up here, too:

Most of the projects that are linked up seem to be using items that really were rescued from the roadside.  Mine is a bit different, but still a rescue.  I started working at an eye doctors office about 7 weeks ago.  I'm always on the look out for something crafty - something I can make out of nothing, something that gets overlooked.  So, I found these:

These are all the plastic lens we take out of the frames and replace with the patient's real lenses.  These were just being trashed, which seems logical - I mean, what else would you do with them???  Well, here's what I did with them:

I used my trusty Dremel and drilled away at the sides until I got a good shape.  Then I drilled a hole in the top for a jump ring.  I used GLOO to glue the paper on to the back of the lens and then once that was really dry, I used another glue (Paper Glaze maybe) to cover the back of the paper.  This just seals the back in a way, so the paper doesn't peal off.  For the one above, I did our favorite college football team's colors (red and white), the houndstooth is a popular pattern for the team, too.  I added a little charm I made last year with red, black and silver beads and a metal stamped L charm.  Perfect for football season!!  (35 days away, I believe).

And here are a few more:

This one is just black and white - pretty basic.  I used one lens here, along with a Tim Holtz fragment and a broken earring.  Here's the lens:

Here's another:

Another team pendent - the same broken earring works here, too.  Here's just the lens - with my initial:

And one last one:

The one above was the toughest for me - it was really hard to make it round - took me forever and I made a big mess with the Dremel.  The lens in the back is just etched, so it's sort of foggy.  Just thought it was a nice touch.

I have a ton of lenses left, waiting for ideas.  I'm going to keep playing and see what else I can come up with.

Thanks for looking!
lisa

Please don't!

Been doing a lot of deep thinking lately.  It's weird - not that I'm deep thinking, but the things I was thinking about.  Are there things in life that just drive you nuts?  Yes, of course there are.  Here's a few of mine - just because I feel like sharing:
* Don't text me a long message and then add 'call me' because by the time you typed all that out, YOU could have called ME.

* Don't text me back in answer to my text to CALL ME and then not answer, or say "hey, can I call you back?"

* Don't just call me when you only want me to do things for you - actually pretend like you like me, or are concerned with how I am doing before you ask me to do something for you yet again!!  You can even call when you don't NEED anything.

* Don't ride my butt on the interstate because you think me driving 80 MPH isn't fast enough.  Maybe you should have left for work a bit earlier and then 80 would be fast enough for you!

* Don't talk on your phone in your car if you can't maintain a decent speed at the same time.  Learn to multitask, or hang up the stinkin' phone!

* Don't pull out in front of me because you assume I'm about to turn.  I mean, I don't have my blinker on, so what makes you think I'm turning?

* Don't let your cell phone continue to ring over and over, when you shouldn't be answering it anyway, just because you don't know how to turn your ringer off.

* You're at church - turn your ringer off - figure it out!!

* Don't say you don't have time for a hobby.  If you want one bad enough, you make the time.

* Don't act like someone else has it easier than you - you don't know, you haven't been in their shoes.

* Don't talk while the pastor in your church is talking.  Don't talk very loudly during the worship music.  For some people - that time is just as special as saying a prayer.  You wouldn't be gossiping about all you did all weekend in the middle of someone praying now would you?  So, hush - you're at church - wait until it's over or get there a little earlier to visit.  Just stop talking while I'm enjoying my worship time!!

So after you stop doing all those things - do these:

Appreciate what you have.  You never know when it'll be gone.

Don't take advantage of people.  It's just not nice.

If someone does for you, do for them, or someone else.  Just pay it forward.

Be thankful for the blessing you receive from others - but remember it's just that - a blessing. 

Remember that you have to take the good with the bad.  You can't use people for what they can do for you and then get mad when you don't like all the other stuff that comes with them.


Everyone deserves the best you offer.  I know we should all have people we can be "real" with, but don't always be so "real" that you are a "real" pain in the behind.  You know the happy self you show others?  Isn't everyone in your life deserving of that happy attitude?

Okay, that's all from me.  I just had to get a few things off my chest!  I'll be back in a little while with my Trashcan Treasure for the CSI Project this week!!

lisa

I love a challenge

I spent a little time yesterday scrapbooking, when I should have been doing laundry!!  I wanted to play along with this challenge from Noel Mignon - so here it is!

It's not nearly this dull in real life - I thought I was in pretty good light outside!

Thanks for looking - off to get Cole ready for the last day of Summer Learning Academy!
lisa

A little furniture makeover

I did this project a while back and sadly have lost all my photos.  We've had a rough few weeks when it comes to electronics.  First, my laptop died - blue screen of death, kind of died!  Second, my camera quit - just quit - no power, no nothing!!  Third, the tv went out.  The good news is the laptop is back, the camera should arrive today and we'll probably have a check by the end of the week for the tv (which means Jason will pick out a bigger one with the money!!).

So, anyway - I lost my before pictures, and my process photos - but I Googled and found a suitable substitute photo for a before!!

This is very close to what I started out with.  My plan was to paint the chair to go in my kitchen.  Just a spot to pile things really.  Most of the time our lunchboxes sit there, along with random things I haven't managed to return to their home!!

I decided to paint it a shiny red and then I thought it would be cute to paint the ladder back with chalkboard paint so we can write on it.  There are three planks across the back, which is nice for so many messages (Roll Tide Toll, God Bless America, Home Sweet Home, or our three names!!).  I taped off the chair first - leaving just the ladder back bare. Covered the seat and bottom of the chair with plastic and sprayed the chalkboard paint.  Once that was dry and ready to go, I pulled all the tape off and reversed it, the sprayed the chair red.  I love how it turned out!

So here's an after shot:

And a closeup of the ladder back with the current message:

I love it - I love that I have a place to stack things that won't have to get unloaded for me to use it.  This chair is just to stack my crap! lol  Previously, this spot had an old step stool that belonged to my Granny.  We used it all the time, so I would always have to dump off the pile of stuff to use it.  Problem solved!!

Thanks for looking!!  Go check out the CSI Project blog - even if you don't want to participate - go look at the posts where everyone links up their projects.  There is so much inspiration - tons of great projects.  Each week, I bookmark a ton of things I want to try!!

Next weeks challenge is "Roadside Rescue", which I'm going to call "Trashcan Treasure" since I didn't really rescue my stuff from the roadside - but from the trashcan at work!!  Come back to check it out!!

Linked up to:

Lisa

Sharing a giveaway

I have lots of creative friends - most I'm really jealous of because they make things that are so cute (but the good thing is they don't mind when I copy them!!)

So, I met Michelle a couple of years ago through a Scrap Etc Event (I called her Georgia Girl the whole event and she still liked me).  She's been sewing like crazy lately - apparently - go check it out:


Me and My Scraps - her blog
24 Olive Street - her facebook page
24 Olive Street - Etsy shop

Okay - go check it out - hopefully I'll be back in the swing of posting soon - I'm a slacker in the summer!

lisa