My new Upcycled Watch and A Birthday Card with a Gnome on a Cupcake in a Jar

Those things seem to go perfectly well together if you ask me! HA! Anyway, that is what I have for you today!

My New Upcycled Watch

Let me start you out with a little back story here. Not much, don't worry. I have had a fairly simple, decent pair of black boots for a couple of years now....more than a couple, I think. I purchased them at top dollar from a trendy little boutique ($25 at Payless) expecting them to last me a lifetime (a season). SO....the reality of it is...they actually lasted for a few years - I don't remember exactly how many, but considering the price - WAY longer than they were required to last, THAT is for sure. However, you may have noted by now that this entire diatribe has been in passed tense. Yes. They "lasted" for a long time. When did they finally go, you ask? Well, that would be last week. When I REALLY needed them for the outfit that I wanted to wear and I no longer owned ANY backup plan of ANY kind in the black boot category. This was also, incidently, one day after I made the stunning realization that I had given away my brown boots after last season, as they were a little too worn and I just wasn't loving them anymore. Oh....that was dumb. Because you see....now....I didn't have any "normal" boots (I do have a couple cute "trendy" pairs, but they aren't the "wear with anything" type of boot, kwim?) to speak of. THIS was not a good thing! No. Not a good thing at all. I am a SHOE girl! I MUST HAVE BOOTS! Problem: Not exactly room in the budget for the WAY cute boots I saw in the latest Eddie Bauer Catalog. Solution: An unexpected stop at yet another high end trendy boutique (Charlotte Russe) where I managed to procure TWO (count 'em) TWO pairs of boots (one black and one brown) for $50. That I could manage since it was an emergency and all. BUT....alas, that left me with my old Payless boots sitting forlorn and cracked with no hope for donation as they were beyond wearable. What is one to do with such forlorn boots? One must make them feel as though they have done all that was required of them and more, thus. My next story.

I'll keep this one short and to the point. My old watch is driving me nuts. My skin has been reacting with the metal band causing chemical burns on my wrist with tiny blisters and it even made the metal on the underside of the watch band bubble up. NOT a good thing. Must replace watch.

I had an old watch with a decent face, but the band didn't really work as an everyday band because ....well because it just didn't.

Enter: the Boots.

I had planned to do this myself despite the fact that I can't sew and have not even really used the sewing maching that sits in my scrapbook room, but, alas, my wonderful husband did it for me yesterday!!!!

He cut the material from the boots to create this great new band for the watch face that I already had! All he had to add were snaps to attach the face and, obviously, to secure the band around my wrist! I love it! Isn't it great? And it totally repurposed my boots, which I think is WAY cool! Plus, if I want to make other bands with other fabrics, I can switch them out! I love upcycling!!!!!

Here is my new watch!







Now...For the Birthday Card With a Gnome and a Cupcake in a Jar

Isn't that what is on all of YOUR birthday cards? LOL!

This card was inspired by the wonderful Travelocity commercials. My dear and wonderful husband is turning 30 on Saturday and we really aren't "talking" about that. LOL! Hence the gnomes fear of certain death.






This card has SO many supplies! I didn't really realize it until I had to list them all! LOL!

Acrylic Overlay: Hambly Studios
Decorative Tape: Martha Stewart
Stamps: Close To My Heart (frame behind title), Stampn' Up! (jar and lid), NikoArt (gnome - everyone needs this stamp!!!)
Colored Pencils: Prismacolor
Cupcake Punch: Martha Stewart
Cupcake Rub-on: Pink Paislee
Glitter: Pink Paislee
Transparency: Avery (over jar)
Ink: Close To My Heart (black and chocolate) Ranger (pumpkin)
Marker: Marvy Uchida (used to add the color to the dots in the frame)
Chipboard Letters: Heidi Swapp
Silver Pen: Target
Cardstock: Close to My Heart

Feel free to ask any questions. I'd love to know what projects you are working on!!! I always enjoy reading your comments! Thanks for stopping by!

Oh...and one more quick thing....

crowdSPRING, hire Kelly Purkey for your new Community Marketing Manager! Seriously, though folks!