JADS Challenge - Soothing Rain

Hey Y'all! I have been holding this post for JUST the right time and I'm ready to put it out there!!! I found something similar to this somewhere while blurfing my way around when I like to zone out. I looked up a tutorial and voila. I WANTED ONE!
For the past few weeks here in NE it's been rainy...which is my favorite weather. It's not that I don't like being outside, but I like to have an EXCUSE to remain cozy and snuggled inside. When I was a child we were all kicked outside the second the weather turned nice! Heck...even in the winter we were kicked outside!! So it's ingrained within me that when it's nice you belong outside!Anyway - I took FULL advantage of my snuggly rainy days and I created this Literary Wreath. Now...I know what you're all thinking...I ripped up a book. Yes...I did. But honestly...it was a snore (I promise, I tried to read it)...and I feel good that at least it's not like it got chucked into the trash or recycling bin. I'm actually REALLY re-using this!

I started by grabbing my Tim Holtz distressing ink pad and smothered the edges (this would look wicked if the edges were deckled!!) with the ink. I let it dry and then started methodically tearing out pages one by one to create uniformity.

I was supposed to use a foam wreath but I didn't have one so I fashioned a "wreath form" out of an empty wrapping paper tube. I fed one end of the cardboard tube into the other and stapled them together. Then armed with lots of hot glue, a couple of great kids movies (The Princess and The Frog and Curious George 2) my children were VERY curious as to what I was up to so they hovered close while creating their own things, all of us on the living room floor, lots of patience, and creative ways for folding paper, I was ready to go.
After I finished I sat back astonished. And I really don't mean to toot my own horn but...I'm in total love with this piece. It has a very prominent place on my kitchen wall exactly where you come in from the door. I have a variety of tissue paper flowers that I have made that I can slide into the center for a pop of color and whimsy as shown here or take out for a more crisp, clean look.I created this over a couple of rainy days and ended up with a piece that makes me smile and think about my favorite weather every time I come into my home.

I hope you enjoy!!