Merry Christmas

Wishing all my friends in Blogworld, a super fabulous Christmas.  We are snowed in, expecting 7 to 14 inches of snow, wow!!  Blessings to each and everyone of you!!!

Christmas Wish List

Ok here is my Christmas list in a nutshell.  You dont even have to rush out and get it right away, I can wait a few days, weeks or even months as long as I get one or all of them. 

I want a mudroom.  Living in Iowa you have coats for all seasons, early spring jacket, early fall jacket, first signs of winter jacket and the below zero jacket.  Now take all of these coats and multiply times 4 members of our family!!  I have coats up the wazoo, along with the shoes too. 
 
 This mudroom above would be perfect, unfortunately would have to add on to our house to make it work.
 
More than likely this would be the real size of my mudroom, but I promise not to complain if you get it for me. 

How about when you buy me tickets for Disneyworld, you get some for yourself.  We can all go together.  How fun would that be?  This truly is one of the happiest places on earth.  The castle and fireworks (Wishes) at night is truly breathtaking.  I have a cousin who has been there many, many times.  I asked why they went so often, doesnt it get old?  After my first visit I was hooked and cant wait to get back.  Really want to go at Christmas time cant imagine the beauty. 

Last but not least, sorry having a cougar moment.  How about some time with Robert Pattinson.  I know he is half my age, but this fine young man makes my heart go pitter-patter!!!!!!!! 

I know my list was a little spendy this year, I will try to go easier on you next year, K? 

Hobby Lobby

AWESOME NEWS!  Hobby Lobby starting January 1, 2010, will open its on-line store.   I live about an hour away from HobbyLobby so whenever I am out and about I make sure and stop in, but now it will be available online. 

Fun Family Game

 

 

 

I just wanted to share a fun and educational game to play with your family over the holidays.  I know I paid under 5 dollars at Wallieworld (Walmart) for it.  It was actually meant for a stocking stuffer, but we had 2 snow days this week and was desperate for entertainment.  My husband and I had just as much fun playing as our daughter and the neighbor boys!!

Super Cute Christmas Decor Idea

  Are these super adorable or what.  Ms. Kari at Ucreate had these featured from Ms. Mariel over @ so she says.  I gotta make these, even if I dont get them done until after Christmas, they will be ready for next year.

Make Blogging Easier with Live Writer

I am linking up to Trash To Treasure Tuesday at Reinvented.  Always great inspiration to be found there.  For the info on my wall pocket scroll down to the last paragraph.  Thanks for stopping by.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
  I am trying out the Live Writer Program for blogging.  I always fight with my pictures, trying to get them where I wanted and so forth.  I think I like it.  My font size wouldnt ever stay the size I selected, kept going back to small size.  I like that you can manipulate your pictures by dragging or typing in exact size you want. 

I added a picture to see how easy or difficult it was going to be and happy to say super easy.
It is also a free download and I have added a link to a video on how to use it.


My picture above started out as a dollar thrift store find, gaudy gold from Home Interior.  I gave it a bath in Silver spray paint and a little Caramel Latte, added some foam and walaa Christmas decor on the cheap!!

Anybody Else With Sometimers

I know I cant be the only one with this disease, sometimes you can remember and sometimes you cant!!  I heard a wonderful tip the other day from my mom's friend.  If you have a lot of Christmas decorations and you have found the perfect spot in your house and want to remember how you put it all together, take a picture and place it in your storage box.  Next year when you get your decorations out you will know exactly where you want it to go or how it was put together!!  Genius.

Looks like I have been missing out.  I found Wearethatfamily blog and am linking up this week.  Awesome stuff folks.  Give her a visit.

Pink Polka Dots

Look out Chef Boyardee here come the Sisco girls!! 

While my daughters and their cousin played this weekend, I decided they needed matching aprons and a chef hat.  I pulled out my trusty Google and searched.  I should have known that Ucreate was one of the first ones to pop up.  She has aprons galore on her site, just adorable.  I have followed her for a little while now, make sure you stop by if you are looking for homemade Christmas gift ideas.

Carsyn, my oldest, thinks the apron and chefs hat are for her cousin, but I managed to get 3 done.  Cant wait for the photo op at Christmas!  The apron was pretty simple to do, I didnt follow the pattern exactly as time didnt allow me to follow exactly.  Chef's hat took a little longer but still not too bad.  The pattern said to use fusible interfacing, I am not sure what I used, but I had it in my stash from when I was making bags and just sewed the stiffener onto the brim of the chefs hat before sewing the brim to the top.  The pattern I found at U create was easy to follow too.

One Little Piece At A Time

I am still plugging away getting Christmas decorations put together.  I dont know why but it has taken me almost 1-1/2 weeks to get my Christmas decorating done.  Perhaps my 2-year-old taking the ornaments off the tree as I put them on has something to do with it.  I was inspired by all of the ornament wreaths and decided to make one.  It turned out pretty good, but I decided to use it as a base instead.  My poinsettia in the vase is really glittery, but again my poor photo skills it is showing up.  I am hoping if I check around blogland, I can find a more experienced blogger with photo tips!

I am linking up to Its So Very Cheri, make sure and stop by!!

Frugalicious Day!!

I managed to sneak this in today.  I love playing along over at Finding Fabulous.  It is the day you get to share your frugal finds. 

Pic below are all thrift store finds and not intended for Christmas, but have worked out great for my decorations this year!!!  The bucket I bought for 1.75.  It was even more than I wanted to give, but after fretting over 75 cents decided to go with it!!  The gold candle was a buck, candle holder a buck, holiday picks at Dollar Tree 2 for a buck, cranberry star a buck from Dollar tree.  Happy with how this turned out.

I am infatuated with all of the mercury glass floating around blogland.  The glass below came with one my dollar candlesticks, a little dated and almost threw it away.  Not very frugal huh?  It was standing still, lets paint it, so I decided to go for a "faux" mercury glass look. 

I used silver and caramel latte Krylon spray paint.  I used short bursts alternating colors and while not perfect, I think not bad for frugal!!

Party Time - Cloche Style

Ok ladies.  It is time to party with Ms. Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.  She was kind enough to invite me a while back, but time is going so fast, I almost forgot!  After I stumbled onto my first linky party in blogland, I kept noticing cloches everywhere.  Thinking to myself, what the heck is a cloche anyway?  So I did what I do best, Googled it.  Basically it is a French word for bell.  See gals you are not only inspiring me but teaching me things too!!!

I have 3 cloches, actually 2-1/2 because it is broken, but I am still using it.  My favorite one is a cheese dome from a thrift store and then I added a piece from a broken glass ornament.  I love it!!

Above is the broken one, just dont look to close and you wont even notice!  Couldnt find anything cute to put in it, so I just added some ribbon. 

Picante Corn Casserole

First recipe, still looking for the other!  This recipe came from my husband's grandmother.  I wasnt a big Mexican food fan when we first got married so I skipped trying it for a few years.  What a mistake it is super yummy!! 

1 stick of margarine
8 ounces of cream cheese (how can you go wrong, right?)
15-ounce can Mexicorn (green and peppers mixed in with the corn)
3 T chopped onion (I omit, dont care for onions that much)
2 T Picante or salsa
salt to taste

1.  Melt margarine over low heat, add cream cheese, stir until melted.
2.  Combine remaining ingredients and add to cream cheese mixture.
3.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 35 minutes in 2 quart casserole.

TIPS:  Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  Triple recipe for 9 x 13 dish, which I do because it always goes fast.  Also can top with buttered crushed cornflakes.

Christmas Garland

Here is a great link from one of the blogging gurus, The Nesting Place.  She demonstrates building a full, luxurious Christmas garland.  I gave it a go and am happy to say I am pretty thrilled with how it turned out (I know before Thanksgiving, but I was so excited to try it!!)   Of course post for another day.  I just wanted to share this just in case some of you had missed it.   Hopefully later today I will post 2 great side dishes for Turkey Day.  I was asked to bring a corn dish, well I have 2 favs and will be bringing those.  As soon as I find both recipes I will post later today.

Fleur de Chair

I am a fleur de lis fan.  Out on one of my thrifty hunts, I came across this chair with the fleur de lis on it.  It didnt have a price on it, I just knew 25 bucks probably and would have to pass it up.  I got brave and asked what he wanted for it and to my surprise, 5 buckaroonies!!  Needless to say MINE. 

My pics are horrible, I have tried flash/no flash, but it has been dreary weather which doesnt help.

It wasnt in bad shape, just scuffed up.  I was ambitious when I took this project on and decided to strip it.  What was I thinking, forgot how much work that is. 

I didnt actually strip the whole chair, I took my hand sander and took off as much of the finish as I could.  Then I used liquid stripper for the details, what a pain in my hiney.  Was glad I didnt buy a whole set after 1 chair!!

After I stained it with gel stain and a cotton cloth, I took a new clean cotton cloth and bunched it up and started pouncing on a little more gel stain.  Wanted a fairly distressed look.  See below detail pic.

I told you mom is the floral designer in the family, notice my vase next to the chair.  I had it for about a year and tried different dried things in it and finally gave up and had her fix me up.  Didnt it turn out fab.  Makes me think about the happy dance again.  Wish I would have taken before pics of how lame it really was. 

I have a thing for furniture.  It is a good thing I dont have a humungous house, it would be fulllll.  Later gators!

Sweet Pickles and Chocolate Giveaway

Hey just wanted to share with all of you bloggie-friends, Ms Dena Pickle at Sweet Pickles and Chocolate is having a giveaway.  Bloggers are such generous people.  With the holidays coming up get your name entered and fill your possible prize with some festive decor.  Have a great day.

Met Monday

I am also linking up to Its So Very Cheri, check out her cloche, awesome.

Welcome Met Monday-ers!!  My weekend flew by, never enough creating time!!  I am linking up to Susan for start the week off with creative juices at Metamorphisis Monday.  It a great resource for all of your creative needs.

I am actually working on a chair refinishing project (to be revealed soon!) and finally got around to making a bulletin board for my daughter's room.  I had the gold frame in Carsyn's old room, but it needed an update.  I had been saving these big push pins I found at Christmas last year for such a project.  I wanted to give them a little more oomph and red and green didnt work with purple and pink!!  I spray painted the frame and pushpins Heirloom White.  It was my first time using this color, I am in love.  It is more of a creamy white, than stark white.  I should have known you fellow bloggers know your paint!!  Havent tried it?  You should!!  My lightbulb moment is when I remembered the whole bucket, maybe not bucket, but jar of buttons I had in the dungeon basement. 

Pic below of the detail on the frame

I think my favorite part is the buttons!  Have a great Monday.  Also check out my previous post about the monogram wreath, see what you think. 

Lost Has Been Found

I have been looking for the cord to download pics from my camera all week, finally found it (inside the empty cookie jar of all places).  Now I am absentminded a lot of the time, I think I had help with this one, but ya never know.

I have been busy this week visiting my local thrift stores and having so much fun looking at things in a different light. 

I have people tell me from time to time, you are so creative, but I actually feel like a fraud when they say that.  I am basically a good replicator!!!  Now I can think outside the box every now and then, but I usually just take a different spin on something I had seen somewhere else.  Blogland has re-opened my eyes to creating.  There are so many things out there, I'm like duh why didnt I think of that!!!  I grew up on a farm in Iowa.  It was a time when the economy was crappy for farmers in the 80s, necessitating my mother to improvise as many of us on a budget do.  I grew up with mom sewing and replicating like we all are doing now.  For many years I felt like the homemade clothes and repurposing things meant we had NO MONEY, but now with a family of my own, I totally get it.  Plus I had no idea it would be so much fun.  So I just need to get over it and have fun, right?  RIGHT.  Phew, got that off my chest.

I got my Ballard Designs catalog in the mail the other day.  It is always a good day when I get inspiration in the mail.  I noticed the monogram Christmas wreath and thought I will give it a try. 

My mom is the floral designer  in the family.   She can whip something up in no time.  I struggle with arranging flowers, dried, living, fake, all of them.  She has tried and tried to show me how to make a bow, I am bow challenged.  They are okay, but far from anything to brag about that is for sure.

So I took one of the many wire hangers we have floating around this house (my husband's work uniforms come on these hangers, so we have a plethora of wire hangers, you know the kind that get all tangled up like Christmas lights, arghh).  I bent it into an S shape with a pair of pliers.  I spent 4 dollars on greenery at Walmart that was bendable with wires already in it.  I just started twisting around the S shape and then used floral wire to attach it more securely.  At my last trip to Dollar Tree I snagged a bunch of Christmas picks and ornaments, gearing up for the holidays. 

I still think it needs something, just not quite sure.

In my little vignette here, all are thrift store finds. 
The cabinet was 30 smackaroos a couple of years ago, my first Ballard inspiration piece after their Piccola cabinet.  Liked my price way better than theirs.  My Shanty 2 Chic inspiration piece with the teal glass bowl and old lamp, and silver bowl for a buck and the jar for a buck, I am thinking it needs a tassel as there are so many fun tassels floating around blogland.  Back to my bow, I think it needs a bow, thought about using burlap, tried that didnt like it, bought some ribbon and afraid to post my bow, so for now am awaiting some further inspiration or hints from you all out there!!! 

Okay, I need to stay away from the thrift stores, I bought 3 lamps, 2 chairs, 4 shelves (varying sizes), 3 little mirrors.  Better get busy and do something huh? 

Glad you stopped by, come back again, maybe I will have some of these projects actually completed!!!!

I am linking up to Finding Fabulous for Frugalicious Friday, make sure and stop on over and check her out!!

Gorillas are my friend

Do you want to know why Gorillas are my friend?  Well not real Gorillas, just Gorilla Glue.  It enabled me to make something I really am thrilled with.

The fab girls over at Shanty2Chic are hosting  I Made It with Gorilla Glue Party and I wanted to party too!  They are one of the first blogs I came across and they have me running to the hardware store, Hobbylobby and all sorts of places to create some amazing projects. 

The first super cool project I stumbled along were these apothecary jars, and then they showed us these to hang plates, platters, you name it and look at that kitchen, drool worthy.  These gals can whip up something outstanding for little or nothing, the best part. 

Earlier this week I posted my version of the apothecary jars.  Out visiting some of my favorite thrifty stores this week, I came across an old lamp, as that is what I was actually looking for.  Unfortunately this lamp needed a new cord and didnt have most of its parts and I needed 2, but after looking it over good, I decided I loved the style, color, patina everything and for 2 bucks decided to get it.  You never know right?

At my next stop, still looking for lamps, I found this glass jar/bowl thingie that matched my dining/living room color.  I was doing the happy dance at this point, it was the perfect color.  Had I been looking for a jar of this color I wouldnt have found it.  Ever have that happen?

And the Ah-ha moment happened after I brought them in the house.  They were destined to be together.  Hear the soft romantic music playing?  I did.  I just added a little dab of my friend Gorilla to both pieces and here they are.

I am still walking by it tonight and just smiling.  I dont think my pictures do it justice.  It turned out so good.  I want to say thank you to the gals at Shanty2Chic for inspiring me, I am having a blast playing along. 

By the way, please dont notice that I needed to clean my mirror before taking the picture okay?  This is real-world blogging at its best.

Mom's Master Bath

I wanted to share my mom's latest redo.  She added a master bath and I am so happy for her.   She has been a busy little bee.  She made the curtains, shower curtain, recovered the chair seat, and re-painted some accessories.  Before she had sheer white curtains, while they were nice it just needed something.  By adding the brown it makes everything pop.

Below is her vanity area that I am so envious of!! 

The two white dressers were that faux wood, pressed board yuk to begin with.  She painted and added her touch.

She also needed something to house her satellite receiver and things.  She found an old radio cabinet, isnt the wood gorgeous. 

She found the fabric at a little place called In-Weave.  A fabric store in Iowa.  They have an online store.  The ladies are super helpful, so if you need some inexpensive fabric check it out.  They have rugs that are to die for that they make there.

Happy Tuesday everybody.

Met Monday -Thrifty Treasures

Anybody know where the weekend went?  Even though we gained an hour here in Iowa, I am still behind!!  We had a great Halloween, weather was perfect for my little ladybug and vampiress

The fabulous Susan at BNOTP is hosting her Met Monday where you can see some great decorating inspiration. 
. http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Below is a picture of my latest thrift store finds. Some in this post and others not quite finished!!
Loved the basket shape, not the color. Gotta love brass candle sticks. Now I am not knocking brass cuz back in ancient times of the 80s brass was hot!! I had it all over my bedroom at home. How I wanted a real brass headboard, funny how 20 years changes your wish list!!

I used the dome below for more Halloween decor and used the base for another project.

This headboard was a steal from Craigs list for 25 dollars. It is a king and I paid $25. The sagey color is really nice, but didnt work with what I needed it for.

Paint isnt quite dry in the pic, but isnt she lovely now? King headboard for $25, yeah.

Remember the pic from before, brass candlesticks, basket wrong color, various glass bowls? A little stain painted on the basket, good coat or coats of black spray paint and here we go my dining room table centerpiece in the works!! I think 2 of the bowls were candle containers and the largest size you see at every thrift store, but since they are all kind of unified they are all happy together!!

How about the dome pic from above and more brass candlesticks? I used the base from the dome and the brass candle stick now beautified for my Wallieworld punkin, as my daughter calls it.

Last but not least, another candlestick with a plate from Entertaining at Home housing my last Halloween decor from Windmill Lettering.

Make sure you check out their pricing for vinyl lettering, I ordered quite a few and it was really reasonable, great Xmas gifts everybody.

Some of these need further tweaking, which is part of the fun. Crazy week with the FLU unfortunately entering our house, but all in all a very productive week. Come back soon!!!

Knock off Mondays

Its So Very Cheri has a fun little get together called Knockoff Mondays. Its Tuesday, hope I can still play!

I love Ballard Designs. Notice the lovely little sideboard below, price you ask? 749.00 on sale. Gorgeous, do I have 749.00 on sale? NOPE.

Now this little baby needs to be refreshed. One of my next projects.

It came with a beautiful hutch on top of it, which I had been using in our dining room, which we are getting ready to dry wall. I had to take it apart. I needed something in the kitchen, so I moved it in there just to see if I liked it. I played around yesterday and I think it has a new home.

I am going to repaint her black and find new hardware. I forgot to mention, I scored this little lovely for 50 bucks instead of 749!! Can I get a wup, wup. It has been my favorite find EVA.