*NOT* your normal paper!!!

this week's challenge at shopping our stash is special in two ways: one is that it will run for TWO weeks--so you'll have twice as long to link up with us! the other is that it involves using less-traditional types of paper, which as you know is one of my very very favorite things. this time i've chosen vintage book pages, but you don't have to; you could use use a specialty paper you had to have-- glitter paper, honeycomb paper, corrugated paper (or crimp your own), canvas, cork, etc; or even newspaper, wrapping paper... well, you get the idea, and the list is pretty endless, so howsabout i just show you what i've made, because i'm ♥VERY♥ excited!

(vintage book paper and illustrations from too many different sources to name, but almost all of them have some sort of "home" connection; the reverse of each page is a lined or striped or checked scrapbooking paper, in order to make it easy to write on, since i really do want this to be a WORKING journal; vintage photo sleeve is from last year's las vegas thrifting rampage with miss kirsty, it contains an instagrammed pic of our new home, with ink and stitching around the edges; other products used: wood grain paper + number stickers + hearts: american crafts; stone paper (in next pic): anna griffin; journaling cards: k and co; ribbon: may arts + tim holtz; felt cloud stickers: recollections; "to do list" is a post-it note!; ink: colorbox; adhesives: xyron permanent, staples brand gluetape runner, 3m foam tape, sewing machine; binding wires and machine: zutter bind-it-all)

yep! it's a house-shaped journal i made using my bind-it-all, to record and save all of our paint chips, receipts, business cards and all the fabulous firsts of home-ownership! and for the record, it's one my favorite "makes" ever!!! ♥

i'm sure i'll be showing more of this as the months go on, i actually have quite a few more pages filled in now, but have not had lots of "extra" time for photos while we've been gearing up to actually MOVE IN to the new house! i am also planning to make some of these for my (sadly neglected) etsy shop, in the fullness of time!

i made a bunch of pocket pages, since i knew i'd want to include loads of "real life" things, but be able to access them again; the first pocket has the receipt from the (biiiiiiiiiig honkin'!!!) bank check we took to settlement, as well as the business cards of our realtor, mortgage guy, and lawyer.

i'm also planning to incorporate some pre-made pockets, like the one below, which came from oriental trading co many, mannnnnnny moons ago. in this case, it's holding the folded 8.5x11" sheet on which we wrote the list of things we needed to buy and do on the very first day we owned the house. these included changing the locks, calling the utility companies, and giving home depot 97% of our remaining monies, lol! :) :) :)

the reverse side of the spread is a photo... (because i'm making it a priority to PRINT AND PASTE *real* pictures as i go along, for once; and not just carry around a phone full of digital images!!!) ...of our first meal in the new house: tuna salad, saltines and pickles, eaten at a card table set with folding beach chairs, in what will eventually be our formal dining room. for the record, whereas i've had fancier lunches than this, i don't think i've ever ENJOYED one more!!!

something i think ♥YOU♥ will enjoy is popping over to SOS and seeing the gorgeous things my lovely colleagues have made! so off you go, darlings, but come back soon! ♥