Scrapbooking is Made For Trash Pickers

Scrapbooking is a hobby that is perfect for dumpster divers, pack rats, trash pickers hoarders. Call us what you want we don't care. Scrapbooking allows you to use all those old buttons, zippers, paper clips, shells and doo-dads you were saving to create something fabulous. You can even make your own paper by recycling newspaper! One thing you come across a lot while Dumpster Diving is old hardback books, since the internet became so big apparently people don't find the need to read books as much. Sad, but true. One way to combine scrapbooking, recycling and thrift shopping is to make an Altered Book.
"To make an altered book is to transform a hardback book into a work of art. Once altered, it is no longer the expression of the original author, it becomes the expression of the altered book artist. This altered book tells the story of my grandmother. It is a little different from other altered books, but the techniques can be used when making your own altered book - regardless of the theme." Author Bobbi Holmes teaches you How To Make an Altered Book.
Her pictures and instructions are absolutely fabulous I'm going to get started on my own today. I'd love to see what ideas y'all come up with for your own altered books. Now I know what to do with that old dusty set of encyclopedias!

Monthly Contest- Free Prize

Everyone loves a contest and it's even more fun with a great prize. this month's Trashy side contest is to come up with the best use for an empty plastic gallon milk jug. In my family there is an abundance of them since we drink a gallon every day. We really need our own cow. The neighbors have some but they are those mean ones with horns and they don't really appreciate you trying to milk them. Anyway I have a great prize (very green of course) made by a very special artisan in the lovely state of Connecticut. So put on your thinking caps and no, that doesn't count as a use for a milk jug and send me your best ideas, I'll post them throughout the month along with a free pattern for my recycled milk jug.Don't forget pics if you have them.

Dirty Little Secret

I have a dirty little secret to confess- I am a middle-class mom to 5 children, 4 who are under 7...You wouldn't know it to look at me, I LOOK pretty normal.But here it is- I am A dumpster Diving, thrift store shopping fanatic. I've even been known to shell out a few bucks to neighbor kid's to go down the road and schlepp back a piece of discarded ratty furniture so no one sees me do it. Oh and god help the car following me too closely when I spot one of those shining flourescent beacons beckoning me to a yard sale. Hop in the car with me and join me on the journey to make old things new again-Hideous clothes, you may wonder "What were they thinking?" I'm trying to judge whether that sleeve will fit over my daughters head when it becomes a new hat. Rickety chair left forgotten on the side of the road while life whizzes by-Screech! in the back of the truck you go... Hurry up and get in the flea market opens at Sunrise