Make it Great Monday

You guys linked up so many fun and different projects last week!  Take a look at the range of your creativity:

1. Pollyanna Reinvents is one of my favourite blogs to visit.  Every week she performs amazing makeovers, just like this cute little lamp.
2. The Moody Fashionista got creative with her instagram pics and made the cutest magnets for her family.
3. Creative Chaos made a super pretty dress...from scratch!  Check out how easy it was to put together.
4. I guess it's that time of year again...time to make costumes!  Crafty Home Improvement is dressing up her nephew as bacon and eggs and she shows you how to make your own~

Thank you to everyone for linking up!

I love having sooooo many creative ideas all in one place.

If you were featured, please feel free

to grab a featured button from the sidebar.

Now, onto this week's Make it Great party!

Please only link:

1) To your CreativeFamily Friendly Project Post
 that you've made yourself,not your main blog page

2) Maximum of 3 projects that you haven't link up before
3) Please, no shops, giveaways, round ups, or commercial sites
4) Feel free to hit one of those Follow buttons on the sidebar ;)

And, not really a rule, but something you won't regret if you do....go visit some of the other links and leave a comment, we all love comments right? And you never know what kind of goodies you'll find!

If you link up, please post my button somewhere on your blog so more people can come join the fun.

<center> <a href="http://www.etcetorize.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/Etcetorize/2012PartyButton150.jpg"/></a></center> Let's see what you've been working on! (If you link up you are giving me permission to tell the world how great you are and possibly post a picture or a link to your awesome project either here, on Facebook, or on Pinterest. Make sure you're OK with this before you link up.)

Personalized Rubik's Cube

I started making today's project as a good-bye gift for one of my co-workers, and now I'm obsessed and want to make more and more!

 

Make sure to read right through, because I have another excellent gift giving version below!

Here's what you need:

Materials:
-Rubik's Cube (or cheapy version 'Magic Cube')
-Mod Podge (Dimensional Magic and Sparkle are optional)
-cutting tool, paint brush or sponge brush
-6 different papers

Steps:
This is your basic Mod Podge project, just like the Pretty Dominoes from a couple of weeks ago, but I'll go through the steps for any newbie Podgers out there.

1) Cut out 9 squares of each of your 6 papers.  Papers can be coordinating but make sure that they're different enough that they can't be mistaken for one another.  My squares are 16mm X 16mm.  Measure the squares on your cube before you start to make sure they aren't different from mine.

2) You can peel the stickers off of your cube if you want, or you can just go right over top.  Start with one side and one set of paper squares.  Just paint some Mod Podge onto the back of each of your squares and place onto the cube.

A small flat paintbrush actually works
much better because the squares are so small.

3) Continue with the other sides and the other papers.  Every once in awhile twist your cube to make sure you're not gluing it together.  Wipe any excess glue off and continue.

4) Once you're all done, go back and add a topcoat of Mod Podge to seal in all of the pieces of paper.  You can use regular Mod Podge but I decided to go crazy and used Mod Podge Sparkle!!

hee hee!  Look at all the sparkle!!

5) Once that's dry you can go back one more time with Dimensional Magic if you want a real 'resin' look, just like we did with the dominoes.

That's it!  So pretty right!  But here's how you can make it extra special...use photos instead of papers.  For my friend's retirement party I made him one with the people he was closest to at work.

This was a big hit at the party~

If you have more than six people you could just photograph people with six different coloured backgrounds, or wearing the same coloured T-shirt.  I think these will make excellent stocking stuffers at Christmas time!  I can't wait to make more! You can also get the prints from Shutterfly, maybe even throw in a fun Christmas card too!

Hope you enjoyed this and it inspires you to make your own.  Have a crafty week everyone!

This project was featured here:

Tell a Tale: The Josephine B Trilogy

Here's the perfect book to roll into fall with.

It's big, it's fascinating, and you won't want it to end!

Summary (from Goodreads):
An irresistible story of love and loss, of political intrigue and revolution, and of the transformation of an impressionable young girl into one of the most sophisticated and powerful women in history, The Josephine Bonaparte Trilogy comprises three spellbinding books inspired by the life of Josephine Bonaparte. From her simple childhood on the French island of Martinique and her first heady experience in revolutionary Paris to her turbulent marriage to Napoleon, Josephine's destiny lay with the man determined to rule all of France, determined to make her Empress.

Review:
I read these books as a whole set published in one great big book. It took a long time to read but I enjoyed it thoroughly and was actually quite disappointed when it ended...I wanted it to go on and on. Josephine Bonaparte was an incredibly fascinating woman who led an incredibly fascinating life.

This book made me want to learn even more about her and Napoleon. They seemed to live one of those wonderfully great love stories that is amazing and tragic all at once. I guess that's how it is with such dynamic people though.

I highly, highly recommend this book to almost anyone. It has adventure, war, treachery, crazy in-laws, a mothers passion, and a love for all time. Loved it!


Josephine and Napoleon

You can get these books separately but I guarantee once you start, you'll be hooked.  I have another of Sandra Gulland's books coming up soon to tell you about too!  She's an absolutely wonderful storyteller.


The Coronation, Jacques-Louis David
One of my all time favourite paintings~

Do you have a favourite historical couple?  Leave a comment below~

New Journal

I got another ugly freebie journal from work awhile ago.  I really wanted to use the book but given everything that was going on there over the past few months I really didn't want to be reminded of the stress with a big fat logo on the front cover....so I Mod Podged it.

I had no clue what to do with the bright blue edging, closure and pen and in the end just decided to ignore it and hope that it would somehow blend in with whatever I put on top of it all.

Guess what!?!?  I think it worked~

Ever since I made my travel journal last winter I always add pretty tabs to my new books.

I love it!  Who knew what an improvement a cheap paper doily, some scrap paper and printed vellum could make.  I use it to record inspirational quotes, card sketches, project ideas and inspirations, and websites I need to go visit.  I'm know I'll fill this baby up super quick~

Happy Birthday Giveaway Winner!

A great big huge THANK YOU

to everyone who helped celebrate the two year birthday of Etcetorize!

The winner of the awesome prize from Plaid is:

Congratulations Emily!

Your going to have so much fun with all of your Plaid goodies!

Make it Great Monday

Thanks for all the great link ups last week.  I seem to be in the mood to paint some furniture, take a look at these great projects that were shared last week:

1. Crystelle Boutique remade her awesome grandfather clock into a one of a kind piece.
2. I love maps and I love mod podge, so what's not to love about this great desk make-over from A Bunch of Bishops!
3. The Crafty Cowgirl gave her dresser a new personality by painting only part of it and refinishing the rest.
4. Little House in the Big D found the perfect tourquoise blue to make-over this great piece in her dining area.

Thank you to everyone for linking up!

I love having sooooo many creative ideas all in one place.

If you were featured, please feel free

to grab a featured button from the sidebar.

Now, onto this week's Make it Great party!

Please only link:

1) To your CreativeFamily Friendly Project Post that you've made yourself,

not your main blog page
2) Maximum of 3 projects that you haven't link up before
3) Please, no shops, giveaways, round ups, or commercial sites
4) Feel free to hit one of those Follow buttons on the sidebar ;)

And, not really a rule, but something you won't regret if you do....go visit some of the other links and leave a comment, we all love comments right? And you never know what kind of goodies you'll find!

If you link up, please post my button somewhere on your blog so more people can come join the fun.

<center> <a href="http://www.etcetorize.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k554/Etcetorize/2012PartyButton150.jpg"/></a></center>
Let's see what you've been working on! (If you link up you are giving me permission to tell the world how great you are and possibly post a picture or a link to your awesome project either here, on Facebook, or on Pinterest. Make sure you're OK with this before you link up.)