Thankful.

Here's a random list of some things for which I am thankful:

Thankful for my family.  Even when they drive me nuts. 
Thankful for our home.  Even when I have to clean it. Which is not as often as I should.
Thankful for when Jacob says "I love you, Mom!" out of the blue, for no reason. 
Thankful for pretty paper. 
Thankful for Amazon Prime free shipping.  Seriously.
Thankful for sunny days in November.  Like today.
Thankful for friends, old and new. 
Thankful my ten-year-old corduroys still fit.  Amazed, and thankful!
Thankful for my awesome new vintage chair and the wonderful friends who delivered it to me.

Isn't it awesome? 

And last, but certainly not least, I am thankful that Hy-Vee is cooking the turkey tomorrow so I don't have to! 

There's lots more, but suffice to say, I have much to be thankful for, every day of the year.  I do try to take time and remember that often.  Sometimes it's good to make a list.

Happy Thanksgiving.

100 years ago: Remembering Bud & Bessie

Yesterday would have been my Grandma Sayers' 100th birthday.  And 79 years ago on the same date, she and my Grandpa got married.  They'd only known each for three months when they got hitched.  Apparently everybody told them they were making a big mistake.  They sure proved them wrong.  From what I could see, they had a very happy marriage:

Bud & Bessie, 1933



1950

They spent fifty-two years together, until my grandfather's death in 1985.  Learning to be alone was an adjustment for my grandma, but she did it.  I remember her telling me that one of her friends at the senior center told her she should take off her wedding rings, a few years after my grandpa had been gone.  In no uncertain terms, my grandma explained that she would do no such thing, because in her heart she was still married.  My grandmother was nothing if not straightforward.  I think it runs in the family. 

Happy Birthday, Gram, and Happy Anniversary, too. 

sunday morning coming down

Yesterday.....it was 72 degrees and sunny.  I missed most of that because I was inside at the Beaverdale Holiday Craft Boutique.  Which was so awesome that I don't feel bad about missing summer in November. 
Today....it's hovering around freezing and gray and rainy.  My plan for today is to stay in my pajamas all day.  So far, so good.  (It's almost noon.) 
It's a good thing I'm self-employed so that working in my pajamas is totally fine, and even, I suspect, commonplace.  Why get all dressed up when I will just get paint on whatever I'm wearing anyway?  Also, less laundry to do.  And heaven knows I do plenty of laundry.  Good think I have a combination art studio/laundry room so I can multi-task.  And I'm pretty good at multi-tasking in my pj's, even on a dreary Sunday morning.  I've already managed to put the first coat of paint on four canvases and glue paper on ten covers.  I plan to get quite a bit accomplished today, and I will accomplish it in my pj's. 

Today is Veterans' Day.  My grandparents always called it Armistice Day, because of course, that's what it was originally called.  After the Armistice was signed, after the Great War, which eventually became World War I.  There's your mini-history lesson for today.  I would like to thank all of those brave souls who protect and defend our freedoms.  I don't think I could do what you do, and so I thank you.  We all thank you. We should thank you more than we do. 

Whatever your Sunday brings you, enjoy. 

The intermittent blogger returns!

Wow, it's been exactly one month since I posted.  It's been pretty busy around here in Papercake world, but that's no excuse.  I've been making lots of stuff, for lots of holiday craft shows.  The blog isn't the only thing that has suffered.  Take, for instance, my November calendar layout, which I threw together yesterday:

I confess that I sort of cheated on this one.  I cut the "give thanks" image right off the front of the latest Paper Source catalog (without their permission, of course!) and stuck it on a piece of scrapbook paper.  Then I added a piece of ribbon (by The Paper Studio) and my last bit of velveteen leaves that I am pretty sure I purchased from Speckled Egg a few years back.  I am waiting patiently for Jacob's school pictures to arrive so I can add a photo of him.  So yes, a rather pathetic calendar.  But, it's done! 

I did make something else this week that I can feel much more proud of: a sign. I decided a sign would be helpful at craft shows, so I rummaged around a bit in the basement/dungeon/studio and found a wooden tray thing that I think I picked up at Goodwill in 2007.  I used to have a calendar tacked to it, but then the helpful corkboard I had adhered fell off.  Back in '07, I was obsessed with painting stuff red.  Now I am obsessed with painting things aqua, so that's what I did.  I also played around with my collection of Scrabble tiles (don't you do that a lot too?) because I thought a few Scrabble tiles might be just the thing to add some dimension.  Here's the result:

As always, excuse my poor photography skills.  I like my sign.  And it's much lighter than the typewriter, plus it won't take up as much table space.  So, when you're out doing the craft show circuit in Des Moines over the next month or two, just look for the sign. 

In between making books and playing with Scrabble tiles, we went Trick or Treating last week:

That's our very own little Sheriff Woody, who recently turned four.  Last year he was Buzz Lightyear.  Naturally he loves Halloween.  He told me that he was sure when he put on his costume that people would think he was a real sheriff.  I'm glad he believes that his costumes are that convincing. 

If you're out and about in Des Moines this weekend, please stop by Beaverdale Holiday Boutique at Holy Trinity School and say hello.  This show has been going on for over thirty years and is a good one.  There's lots of wonderful handmade goodness there.  There will be over 100 crafty vendors there, including me.  Just look for the sign! 

October

Only a few days behind in getting my October calendar put together.  I waited on purpose to get some up-to-the-minute photos of Jacob during his preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch.  It was my first visit to a pumpkin patch as well. 

I put forth a bit more effort on this month's layout because October is the month of Jacob's birthday.  I dug through my extensive collection of chipboard alphabets & numbers that I haven't used in oh-so-long to add a bit of dimension.  The number four was a plain chipboard piece that I inked with some Distress Ink in Fired Brick and a bit of StazOn Ink in Timber Brown around the edges.  The red letters are ones I've had forever (maybe old Heidi Swapp?) that I distressed a bit and inked with the brown ink as well.  The striped paper is also old: My Mind's Eye from 2006. 

 

Hard to believe I had a baby just four years ago.  And now that baby is getting good at using the computer all by himself and using words like "eager" and "misunderstood."  He definitely has a mind of his own and isn't afraid to assert himself.  Anywhere, anytime.  I'm glad he's so independent.  I remember being four years old myself and how much fun it was.  Here's a flashback photo of me one October many years ago:

I think I'm actually five in this photo.  And I'm pretty sure my dad posed me like that.  He's also the one who carved the jack-o-lanterns you see here.  This was snapped in the backyard of our old house on Rock Island Street in Knoxville, where I passed some of the happiest years of my life. 

Happy October!

Right now.

Today was a great day at Market Day today.  And I can't believe that the next Market Day, the big Black Friday event, is the last one for 2012.   All of a sudden, the day after Thanksgiving doesn't seem so far away!

We went on our very first visit to a pumpkin patch this week. 

I am searching  for vintage dress patterns!  I found some awesome 1940s patterns this week, but I need more.  Got some?  Give me a holler, please!

Getting ready for a big birthday party: Jacob is turning four soon. 

Wondering if I should dare trying to make the birthday cake myself this year.  And attempt to decorate it.   This seems more than a bit risky to me.  What happens if I mess it up and there's no pretty cake for his party!  Would there be a Lightning McQueen cake available somewhere in Des Moines on such short notice?  These are the kind of tough decisions parents have to make.

Thinking ahead about craft shows in other locations that I really want to try for next year.  And how to make it work. 

Hoping  that the replacement part for my corner rounder gets here soon.  Very soon. 

Super-excited for the Planned Parenthood book sale, which starts Thursday.  I've managed to make some room for my book-sale booty ahead of time.  Good thing for the vintage built-in cupboards in our basement. 

That's what I'm thinking about right here, right now.  Now it's time to get back to work. 

The seasons are a-changing. But some things aren't.

Summer is definitely my favorite season, but I have always loved fall almost as much.  Love it when the air feels crisp.  Love jeans-and-sweatshirt weather: not too hot, not too cold.  Makes me a bit nostalgic for high-school football games and homecoming dances. My only complaint is that fall never seems to last long enough, but hey, maybe with the effects of global warming that will change.

I was flipping back through the family scrapbook and came upon the "Summer Manifesto" I wrote about a few months back.  And guess what?  We did pretty good at most of what I wanted to do this summer.  We did play outside a lot and went swimming quite a bit.  Picnics tapered off after June and all the super-hot temperatures, as did the bike rides.  Fall is a good time for bike rides too.  And we saw an awesome concert at the Iowa State Fair: Hank Williams, Jr.  Great show!  Another legend I can cross off my list. 

My summer reading obsession with sequels & variations of  Pride & Prejudice has apparently become not just an obsession, but a way of life.  I would hate to count how many of them I have read by now.  Some are very, very good and a few of them have been very, very bad.  Let's just say I'm doing my part to support the American economy by shopping on amazon. 

Fall is when my life gets very, very busy as the holiday shopping season (aka craft show season) begins in earnest.  It's busy and I love it.  Love, love, love it.  I get to travel around the beautiful state of Iowa a bit and I have the opportunity to talk to lots of nice people.  It's one of the best parts of my job. 

Also new this fall is that you can now find my products at Mohair Pear in beautiful Cedar Falls, Iowa.  They hosted the awesome Pear Fair last Saturday.  You can find pics from Pear Fair on their facebook page and you can check out the store at 2209 College Street in Cedar Falls (open 7 days a week) or online at www.mohairpear.com.  This was my first Pear Fair and I would definitely do it again.  Folks in Cedar Falls are pretty darn nice.  It was a great way to start my autumn. 

If I were going to make a fall manifesto, I think it would look much like my summer one.  I want to ride my bike and play outside, just like I did when I was eight years old.  Some things don't change.  And when I like something, I usually like it for a long time. 

Happy fall to you all. 

I heart Cash.

(Please note: I have NO IDEA why this photo looks funky...I took it with the new phone I got today and there is a long learning curve ahead for me, as is always the case with new technology!)

I love Johnny Cash. 

Ask anyone who's ever ridden in a car with me: nine times out of ten, I've got Cash playing.  Over and over.  And over.  I never get tired of hearing his voice and that distinctive sound.  I remember listening to him with my Grandpa sometimes, either via the car radio or the eight-track player he happened to have in one of his cars.  He got a big kick out of hearing "A Boy Named Sue." 

So this collage is a little tribute to him.  The image in the middle came out of a magnet I bought...somewhere...quite a few years ago.  The magnet broke.  And of course I couldn't throw it away.  Yesterday morning I looked at it and suddenly remembered several sheets of old sheet music I had in my stash.  So I tore up a bit of it and started to glue.  Then I remembered the guitar paper and dug through my big basket to see if I had any left.  Luckily I did, and I snipped out a lone guitar, and thought it looked pretty good.  I flipped open one of my giant dictionaries and found the definition of "legend" and stuck that on there too.  I decided to include the word "forever" rather than "legend".  I added a Hambly transparency I've had for quite a while and this little collage (6 x 6) came together.  I like how it turned out. 

How Time Does Fly.....

Last I checked, it was summer....and now here we are well in to September!  What happened?  Where did the summer go?  No longer am I just the mother of a three-and-a-half year old (not just a three-year-old, it is imperative that everyone know he is three and a HALF!),  but of a pre-schooler.  Yep, my boy started pre-school this week.  The photo above is our September calendar layout, and the photo on the right shows him all ready on the very first day.  His very first first day of school.  Ever.  I took a lot of pictures, yes I did, before we left the house, and before the teachers told us moms to say good-bye and skedaddle.  And yes, he loves it already.  And no, I didn't cry. 

September is historically a very busy month.  I don't recall too many Septembers in my life that haven't been busy and this one is certainly no exception.  As a teenager, I was busy with football games and dances and cheerleading practice and homecoming and all that vitally important stuff that took precedence over sleep.  Now, I'm busy with craft shows and a garage sale and a Day Out With Thomas, and oh yes, keeping up with Project Life!  I've done so well documenting our year that I am determined not to let that get lost in the shuffle despite the fact that I will be busy, busy, busy from now until Christmas.  I have managed to fill my schedule with at least one event every week, and sometimes two, or three, or....

So, my September calendar, when I finally got around to making it (I held off a few days so I could use a first day of preschool photo) was put together in under five minutes.  The striped paper is an old design from BoBunny and this was my last sheet.  Plain red cardstock, and that awesome "THIS" stamp is one I ordered from elisejoy.com earlier this year.  Elise Blaha Cripe is well-known in blogland and I read her blog regularly for inspiration.  She's a multi-talented gal; find her at www.eliseblaha.typepad.com.  Here's a closer look at that stamp (I'm not sure if these are still available, I know she has new stamps soon to be released!):

I've been using this stamp quite a bit in my Project Life layouts (which I may or may not share by the end of the year).  I love it because it is so versatile.  There are millions of rubber stamps available but since I am running out of storage (hence the garage sale this weekend!) I try to buy stamps that I know I can use for lots of different projects.  "THIS" stamp is definitely one of those. 

For now, back to work.  If you're out and about in Des Moines, Iowa this fall, you can find me around town at East Village Sunday Bazaar (Sundays from noon to 4 on East 5th Street) and of course at the next Market Day, coming up on October 6.  Next Saturday I am headed to Cedar Falls for The Pear Fair, a new event for me:  you can get more info on this event, which is put on by Mohair Pear (2209 College Street in C.F.) by liking this event on facebook, of course!  Just search for The Pear Fair D.I.Y. Craft & Design event.

Happy September to you.....

This is August.

What about the "lazy" days of summer?  Summer is anything but lazy around here lately.  It's chock-full of all kinds of good stuff, super-busy and lots of fun.  Lots of photo-taking going on to capture these moments.  I love summer.  And August in particular. 

First things first:  here's our calendar for this month.  It is totally simple, because I put it together in a hurry. 

The green patterned paper on top of the kraft cardstock is from the "Friendly Forest" collection paper pad by Colorbok; the "August" and "simply wonderful" tabs are from the summer tags collection by Elle's Studio (find it at twopeasinabucket.com).  And the photos?  That's the important part.  Those were taken during our visit to Knoxville for an overnight camping trip to help celebrate a friend's 40th birthday at the sprint car races.  Those slides you see Jacob on are both located at Auld Park in Knoxville, and they both just happen to be slides that I enjoyed playing on as a kid when I lived in Knoxville.  Auld Park was one of my favorite places, because it had what was known as the Rocket Slide--which was the most awesome slide ever.  It's gone, but in it's place is an amazing wooden play structure that takes the cake for playgrounds as far as we're concerned. (And we've checked out quite a few playgrounds around the state this summer so we should know!).  But both of these slides pictured have been at Auld Park for at least thirty years.  I was pretty happy to see there were still some old-school pieces of play equipment left.  Even two merry-go-rounds.  And I was even happier to watch my little man play on them. 

The big thing about August in our world is the Iowa State Fair.  We love the Fair.  Yesterday was opening day, and of course, we were there.  I took Jacob and my niece Josie and those two hit the midway big time.  We managed to look at a few things as well, but mostly they just wanted to ride the rides.  As many as possible.  Over and over.  And over, and over, and...well, you get the picture.  Here's a glimpse of our first day at the Fair:

The Giant Slide is always a must-do.  The great thing about having an 11-year-old along is that she can take Jacob on this stuff, which means I don't injure myself.

Jacob loves the motorcycles.  I love the sheer delight on his face.  This ride looks to be about 50 years old but it still entertains the little ones. 

                                           Flying a spaceship is always fun.

                                           Jacob and Josie rode these swings a few times. 

As luck would have it, Union Pacific had a train exhibit just the right size for a 3-year-old train enthusiast.  To celebrate UP's 150th anniversary, they've also got a real steam engine on display here in Des Moines, and we'll be visiting that over the weekend.  It's located about three blocks south of the State Fairgrounds at SE 32nd & Court Avenue if you'd like to check it out.  It will be there through Sunday and it's free. 

All in all, a great day at the Fair.  Seven hours of the Fair is not enough, though, so we'll be going back.  There's so much to see and do that there's no way one visit could possibly suffice.  Honestly, if I had unlimited money to spend, I'm pretty sure I could do all ten days of the State Fair and not get tired of it. 

And parents, the Megapass wristband for unlimited midway rides is worth every penny of the $25.00.  Kids (and grownups) can ride all day from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.  That's a lot of rides. 

Enjoy what's left of your summer, and maybe I'll see you at the fair. 

New stuff!

Yesterday was a very productive day, aided in no small part by singing along to some old Dixie Chicks tunes at top volume.  Hope my neighbors don't mind too much.  I tried something new and like how these turned out:

Ever since I started making collages using the images from vintage patterns, I've amassed quite a collection of old dress patterns.  More than I will ever use for collages, so I experimented with using some of them as covers for books.  Here's a glimpse inside:

Each of these books has two pockets, one in the front and one in the back.  The image stamped on the pocket is a Tim Holtz idea-ology stamp (I think I got mine at Hobby Lobby). 

Every time I cut book board, I always end up with pieces left over, so I decided to make a couple smaller books from the leftover pieces:

And luckily enough, I just happened to have some red envelopes that were just right for pockets for the red & yellow book:

I love, love, LOVE that red & yellow paper.  It's just so bright and happy looking. 

I'll be bringing these books to Market Day on Saturday if you want to see them live and in person. 

Market Day Preview: Girl Scout journal

I found this sweet little Girl Scout handbook from 1945 a couple of months ago; it's rare to find scouting books that aren't priced as collectibles, so of course I had to snatch it up!  Then last week, I came into a huge stash of awesome papers and cardstock, which worked out perfectly to make pockets for this journal.

This journal has two silver pockets, to match the sweet floral paper on the inside front and back covers.  It's the little things in life like metallic cardstock, that really make my day!  There are also some pages from the book included in the journal:

This is just one of the new items I'll be bringing to Market Day on Saturday.  Hope to see you there!  Remember, we'll be opening an hour earlier this month, at 8:00 a.m. 

Giveaway winner....

Giveaway goes to Jason Schultz.  Thanks to all for reading and look for more giveaways in the future. 
And just a little reminder to all local shoppers in Des Moines: Market Day is THIS SATURDAY, August 4, and the hours have changed just a bit: we'll open at 8:00 a.m. and run until 1:00 p.m.  I'll have some new stuff (look for a preview or two here this week) and it will be filled with awesome handmade goodness, as always.  Hope to see you there! 

DIY Giveaway.

If you haven't picked up a copy of the Fall issue of do it yourself magazine, here's your chance.  I will happily send one out, & all you have to do is leave a comment telling me about your favorite DIY project that you've ever done.  I will randomly pick a winner from all comments left between now and midnight on Sunday. 

Good luck! 

Blog love

I am so happy to be the "Vendor Spotlight" on the Market Day Iowa blog: www.marketdayiowa.com/blog.  As always, a big thanks to the Market Day crew for all their work.  Market Day has been a huge part of building my little crafty business the past two and a half years. 

Market Day shoppers, take note that there's a slight TIME CHANGE involved for Market Day beginning with the next event, on Saturday, August 4: we will open at 8:00 a.m. (instead of 9:00) and run until 1:00 p.m.  We get lots of early birds each month so this should be good for everyone.  Come and see us!  We'll be open for business at the Kirkwood Building as usual, on Saturday Aug. 4. 

Summer giveaway.

I'm giving away two simple summer mini-books today.  Because I love summer.  Both are 6 x 6, have kraft cardstock covers, and 20 pages, front & back inside.  The first 2 people to leave comments will be the lucky winners.  One book has coral & lime pages inside, the other blues & greens.  I seem to make a summer mini-album every year because I end up with lots of summer photos.  A mini-album is an easy & fun way to document all your summer fun. 

I will contact the 2 winners tomorrow to get shipping info.  Thanks for reading! 

Go!

It's been a while since I've had time to sit down and write a post.  Because we have been on the go almost non-stop for the last two weeks.  Starting with the Fourth of July, our social calendar has been filled....which is a bit unusual for us, but lots of fun.  There was a high school reunion and a visit from my brother and nephews from California that kept us on the go.  A little family road trip to beautiful Hardin County for a stroll down memory lane and a chance to show my nephews the places we used to go with our grandparents, back in the day.  Here are a few pics of what we've been up to:

We spent a wonderful day with old friends at their pond near Eldora, and Jacob caught two fish. 

We watched a little bit of the rodeo that was going on at the Hardin County fair in Eldora.  Jacob felt bad for the calf he saw getting roped and said: "He's dragging that poor little guy around."  After watching approximately ten minutes of calf-roping, my little man was ready to hit the fair rides (luckily there were only a few!):

Jacob was not at all scared to ride the big slide all by himself.  He is getting so grown up. 

Jacob was super-excited to show his big cousins around Iowa Falls.  He couldn't wait to go back to the swinging bridge and the playgrounds that we visited in May:

Our houseguests departed this morning and our house seems a little empty and quiet.  But it is kind of nice to get back to our normal routine.  Like making stuff, going to the wading pool and storytime at the library, and of course, getting caught up on laundry.

FYI, the collage at the top of the post was an experiement I tried last week and I like how it turned out.  I used alphabet paper tape that I ordered from Paper Source, and the awesome metal letters were a find at SILO.  If by chance you want it, shoot me an email or leave a comment here and we can make that happen.  Until then, I'm going to enjoy it here in our home for a while before I take it to a show. 

Do It Yourself Fall 2012

I've been waiting and waiting to share my super-exciting news and what better day to do that than today, which just happens to be my birthday?

The Fall issue of Do It Yourself magazine is available now.  And on page 26 is one of my journals! 
This is definitely one of the most exciting things that has happened to me in....quite a while!  I was so thrilled when I got an email from Jessica at DIY a while back.  I couldn't believe my good fortune.  I love this magazine and am so happy to be included in it.  And the timing is sweet, since it is my birthday.  This is one of the few times in my life where the timing is actually perfect. 

So go ahead and pick up a copy the next time you're shopping.  It is full of great ideas and eye candy. 

Thanks to the folks at the magazine: Jessica Anderson and especially to editor Karman Hotchkiss, who shared the journal that she purchased from me at a show last fall and therefore made this happen.   

Happy Independence Day

Just finished up this journal for Market Day this Saturday, and thought it was perfect to share on this day. 

Love that this historic quote from Patrick Henry is included on the back side of the title page. 

Happy Independence Day to all, especially to those who serve and sacrifice to protect and preserve freedom for all of us. 

Happy Birthday, Little Brother.

The Birthday Kids, circa 1982. 

This is what birthdays looked like for my brother and I for quite a few years.  Our birthdays are just two days apart (July 3 and July 5), which I suspect was planned by my father as a way to economize on cakes and parties.  But it was fun to share our birthdays, for the most part--there wasn't that jealousy about one sibling getting gifts and the other one not getting any.  We usually celebrated on the 4th, and often at our grandparents' home in Iowa Falls.  If we had parties with our friends, we learned to do that a couple weeks before our birthdays, because people were out of town for the 4th of July.   

Today Chris and his boys are on the road heading east for a visit home, with some side trips along the way.  We haven't seen them for two years and we are looking forward to their visit.  Jacob can't wait to play with his big cousins.  And we will have some birthday cake together, too, just like old times. 

July!

My July layouts always get the red, white, and blue treatment.  It just feels like the right thing to do, you know?  This one took about five minutes.  I stuck a piece of plain blue cardstock on the calendar and used the white calendar page as a border.  That velvet-dotted red paper is an old one from Doodlebut Design that I had in my scrap pile, and the polka-dot ribbon is very old; in fact, I think I ripped it off an unsuccessful project and saved it.  And it was the perfect size.  Then I stamped some little blue stars on the blue cardstock using Stayzon Ink.  I like the blue-on-blue effect. 

The photos?  Those are a few we snapped this weekend during our visit to beautiful Winterset, Iowa.  These were taken at the Clark Tower in City Park.  Jacob loved it: "Mom, there's a castle!"  And it is pretty cool.  I can't believe I had never heard about it.  More on Winterset soon, but I will say, I highly recommend a visit there if you are looking for a road trip.  So much to see and do. 

And speaking of so much to see and do, I should mention that this week is full of fun holidays and events, in addition to the important one, Independence Day.  For a certain four silly girls, this week has long been known as Cult Birthday Week.  And then there's a high school reunion happening.  Plus parades and fireworks.  Jacob tells me there will be cake for mommy: "Pink cake, with strawberry ice cream.  And we're going to decorate the whole house.  And there will be train rides for the kids!"  I think my child may have a future as a party planner. 

So, in honor of CBW, here's a photo of me and my girls, the last one of the four of us all together, which I'm sad to say was five years ago:

From left to right: Holle, Jackie, yours truly, and Melissa.  Aka: The Cult. 

And I just realized that posting a photo of myself now versus five years ago doesn't do a whole lot for my vanity, but in the words of Stevie Nicks: "Time makes you bolder, children get older, I'm gettin' older too."  And I'm thankful for it. 

The Kerouac Table

This is table number 4 and I actually remembered to snap some photos before, during, and after. 
Here's the table I found at a local thrift store a few months back:

Step One:  Paint it black.

Step Two: glue the background papers.

Step Three: stamp until your fingers feel numb.

Step Four: cut out stamped words and arrange them, and then you're ready for Step Five: glue the words.  Step Six: apply a coat or two of polyeurethane or a sealant, and you're done. Looks like this:

I like the simplicity of the white tones of the vintage dictionary pages against the black.  And I love this quote from On The Road.  Good thing I love it, because that's a lot of stamping!

This table is traveling with me this weekend to beautiful Winterset, Iowa for the Winterset Art Festival this weekend.  It runs all day Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  This will also be our first family camping trip.  Should be interesting.  FYI, I am not a camper.  I have camped exactly once in my life, many years ago.  No, we're not camping in a tent, but rather in the camper that has been adorning our property since it's (unauthorized) purchase several months ago.  There's a good possibility this may be my last camping trip as well.  We'll see how it goes.