Attempting to be Domestic

2010-10-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a giveaway for the best Diaper Changer station for you car! It is at Natural Mama's blog. The changing station is by Dipe n Go. Check it out!

2010-10-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a great contest to win $25 gift card to Wholesale Costume Club. Check it out at Dotty Dot Dot.

2010-10-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here is another great giveaway I found on Frugal Creativity. It is for 5 Custom license plates from BuildASign.com Check it out here.

2010-10-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Here is another awesome blog giveaway from the best blog around...besides mine...lol. It's from the Work-at-Home-Mom Resource Site to win a scentsy warmer and scents.

2010-10-13T20:31:00.000-07:00

Another great giveaway is on a site called Our Family Treat for Orglamix Oganic Mineral Makeup. Check them out, too!

http://freestuff.tipjunkie.com/go/?id=405891

2010-10-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Cool Giveaway over at a new blog I found called Yaak Adventures. They are giving away a $45 CSN gift card. Check it out!

I actually got PAID to Shop this morning!

2010-06-14T13:16:00.001-07:00

I went to Rite Aid this morning and got $107.64 worth of stuff for FREE!!! Seriously! I'm not kidding. PLUS, they are going to send me $8 in the mail. So, I made $8 for shopping for Free today. Score!

How? What the...?

I'll tell you it's a little time consuming to get yourself organized before you go, but totally worth it. I used coupons, gift cards, rebates and +up rewards. I'll explain:

First, I went to the Rite Aid website and signed up for several free programs that save you a ton! Go here to sign up for the Wellness + program. You'll have to go into the store to get the actual card, but they can activate it right there for you. But do it before you head in because you can print off several coupons that you'll need. When you sign up, you also get a coupon for $5 off of $25 or more purchase. Print several of these.

Then, you need to go here to sign up for the Single Rebates Check program. This is where they send you reward dollars to spend later. It adds up and they have tons of new items and deals to earn them every week.

If you have been to Rite Aid lately or seen their weekly circular, you may have noticed certain products with something called +UP rewards. These are the coupons that print out at the end of you transaction every time you buy one of these products. No need to sign up for this. All you need is to swipe your Wellness+ card to get all the sale prices, etc. that are from that weeks circular.

Also, go here to sign up for some great coupons just by watching some videos (all under 2-3 min.) (I muted them and did other stuff, but if you really want to listen feel free.) Just earn 20 Video Value credits and you get a $5 off of $20 or more purchase. Print this more than once, they come in handy. I think you can also find $5 off of $25 coupons here, too. I can't remember, but I printed several to keep on hand for later.

Then, the last thing you need to do before you can start planning your shopping trip is to go here and download the Pharmacy coupons for $50 in free Gift Cards just for transferring two prescriptions to the Rite Aid Pharmacy. I do this all the time between Walgreen's and Walmart. Usually when you transfer a prescription away from Walgreen's they sen you a coupon for $25 off your prescription if you transfer one back to them. Sneeky, huh? Totally worth it. All you need to do for the Rite Aid $50 (actually two $25 cards, but you get the idea.) is walk in to the pharmacy and hand them the prescription bottles you want transferred and show them your coupon and they'll get it ready for you. When you go to pick them up, you must pay for them right then, and hand them the coupon. Then they will give you the gift cards just like that! The gift cards can be used on anything in the store, except for certain items like tobacco products and alcohol, etc. This deal is only valid if you haven't already redeemed a similar reward with them in the last 6 months.

Here is just one more step to make the most of your shopping trip. Go to free coupon websites like coupons.com or coolsavings.com and print out coupons for the items you plan to buy. I usually will match up the weekly circular deals with the coupons to get them for even cheaper.

Now you have everything you need to start planning your shopping trip. Trust me, you need to plan ahead. Instead of listing all of the amazing deals I got today, I'm going to link you to the queen of couponing and her amazing blog to give you a scenario for using these programs all together to actually make money in some cases. Go here to Utah Deal Diva's website for this specific post.

In order to get the most for your money (or more for their money) you should go to the single check rebates website and check their deals and compare them to the current weeks circular. It's all online and that makes it easy to know exactly what you are looking for when you get there.

One more thing, (I know it's slightly complicated, but totally worth the headache.) when you get home from your shopping trip, you still need to go to the https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/ website and enter a couple things from your receipts in order to get the money back in the mail from your rebates. They don't just send them to you automatically either, you have to request them. Don't worry this part is totally super easy. You just have to remember to do it.

Now go out there and get your FREE stuff!

An $18 Big Girl Bed & Sweet $5 Benches

2010-06-07T11:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, many of my neighbors had yard sales and I scored big time! Since I am expecting in July, our two year old needs to have a big girl bed and give up the crib to the new baby. I scored this headboard and foot board set for $5 for both of them. Score! Then another neighbor had a twin mattress and box spring out for $5 for both, too! They were still in the original packaging, too. I went to DI and bought the medal frames for $8. So, the total for the twin bed was $18!!!

The same weekend, I also picked up these very sturdy, wooden benches for $5 each from a neighbor. I have the best neighbors, don't I? I think so.

My Birthday Present - Raised Bedding Box

2010-05-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

For months,I've been asking my hubby to make me some raised bedding boxes for the backyard. My girls have been begging to plant a garden, and I wanted to spruce up "the jungle" a little bit. I searched the internet for different plans and styles and chose one that was easy, cheap, and would fit the ideas I had in mind for them.

Here is the current condition of our backyard - don't judge, it's not bad, but it is our first summer in our new house and there is a lot of work to do. On the left side over by the bedding box, is what we used to call "the jungle." It was the only spot that grass wasn't planted and was way too overgrown for my lawnmower. So, this weekend we finally got it weed-eated. It looks soooo much better, but now we have to do something with the backyard. The grass is a whole other project, but well worth it to have a place for my kiddos to play.

Before

Before

After (weeks of countless hours spent outside. It's huge, you know!)

Before

After

So, we just made the first one and we'll be trying it out soon. The plan is to eventually, probably over the next few years as money allows, to line the back of the fence with these boxes and make one a sand box for the kids and more space for the garden and flowers, etc. It is my birthday this week so I think he finally got around to building it, instead of doing more of his own projects, just for that. I'm so excited, either way.

I researched how they were made and made my own dimensions and "instructed" my husband how to do it. I haven't felt like using the power tools lately, with my stomach getting in the way and all. (30wks now!).

Our bedding box ended up being 8' x 4'. "They" recommended the widest you make a box as 4' so you can reach the middle from any side of the box.

Also, we used 8' x 2' x 12' for the edges @ approx. $10 each, and 4' x 4' x 8' (with half left over) for the posts @ approx. $10. Plus, about five dollars extra for screws and bolts to make it extremely sturdy. So, total, the one box cost us about $35 to build. Not too bad when you look at some of the prices they charge for the pre-made kits. I don't even think we had to do any of the cuts ourselves. We just had them cut to the right sizes at the Home Depot where we bought them, which makes it a whole lot easier to fit in the back of our short bed truck. Really, the only things you need besides the wood are screws, bolts (optional, my hubby is just very OCD), a drill and screwdriver to put it together. Not too bad.

Here are some of my favorite plans/pictures from different sites that might be helpful in your search if you want to build some, too.

Knock-Off Wood - I love this blog! She is soooo talented and even if you've never picked up so much as a hammer and nails, she inspires you to build all sorts of stuff, and makes it look so easy, and its all FREE! Here's the link to her version of raised garden beds.

Sunset.com has this really great picture and instructions on how to make one, but the price was way more than I built mine for.

My high school friend Whitney made some great-looking raised beds for someone and they turned out great. This is also another way to build them.

Better Homes & Gardens has a little article on how to build raised bed gardens.

This Old House has a nice design and plans for one here too.

Popular Mechanics has a really detailed article on how to build them, too.

Hopefully this has served as some inspiration and you'll go out there and build your own raised garden bed. DIY and cheap!

Baby Shower Gifts/Fun Projects

2010-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

I've been super busy on e-bay lately. I've had some custom orders for my baby stuff on top of what I already do to try and make a little extra money for my hubby to pursue his hobby (rocks, fossils = boring + very expensive). But he works all day and I am lucky enough to get to stay home with our girls. So it is a fair trade I think.

Here are some of the diaper clutches that I have made recently.

Anyway, I have been making diaper clutches/pouches, burp cloths and diaper wipes cases lately. I love, love, love the minky on this custom order I did for a lady.

I love how they turned out so much that I made a few for myself. I'm having baby number 3 in July. It is a boy and I have 2 girls = everything pink and girly at my house. Just another excuse to craft/create! Like I needed one anyway.

I made a pink set to list for sale on e-bay. If you are interested leave me a comment with your e-mail address and I'll link you directly to the listing.

Here is a diaper wipes case I made awhile back that I still love!

I also make nursing covers/poncho's that I sell on e-bay. They aren't like the ones you strap onto your neck and only cover the front. I made it like a poncho so that your back is covered, too. I don't particularly want my back hanging out along with my front! I make them in tons of color, too. I just haven't gotten around to taking the pictures of them because my big old belly makes it difficult to take photos, as you can see.

Here's why I love them sooooo much. When my second daughter was one week old(!!!) my 4 year old was admitted to the ER and then later the hospital while visiting her Grandma's house. I ended up spending four days by her side, going with her to x-rays and scans all around the hospital - all while trying to hold and nurse a newborn baby. I was constantly feeding her while walking up and down the halls for different tests. The poncho was a lifesaver, really! My front and back was covered all while nursing my baby and passing numerous strangers in the hallway. Did I mention my husband was out of town during all of this??? My mother-in-law was a godsend during this. She even spent the night so that I could get an actual nights sleep! So grateful that we all got through it, and I'm sooooo glad I had that nursing cover/poncho.

Anyway, now that you've heard entirely too much about my life, I just wanted to share with you all the fun stuff that I've been up to lately. Besides anticipating and getting ready for our new baby.

My Latest Projects

2010-04-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

I've been quite absent from the blog world lately, but I do have something to show for it, beside a 6-month pregnant belly. I've recovered my old, worn out infant car seat with the help of the best $5.00 tutorial ever. Soooo worth buying if you've never even attempted this kind of project before. Saved me many mistakes and countless redo's. I bought it off of etsy from pukingpastilles. Great lady, and very talented!

I had leftover fabric, since I bought too much thinking I would screw up more than once. So, I have made some seat belt cover pads, a baby crib/stroller blanket and a traveling changing pad cover, too.

I've also been busy trying out all sorts of the free tutorials that I posted about. I made a diaper bag that turned out pretty good. Not sure my skill level was really up to this, but 4-5 broken needles later, I figured it out and kind of like, too. I got the tutorial from A Mingled Yarn for the Hip Mamma Diaper Bag.

I also made a new cover for my Boppy Nursing Pillow using the tutorial on the Make Your Own Baby Stuff blog using the Breastfeeding Pillow Case Pattern. Out of the same material, which I just love!, I made a matching nursing poncho/cover, my first pair of baby legs, and a baby sling carrier.

See the baby boy bedding set next to the pillow? I picked that up a few years back for $5.00 at Wal-Mart. I've been convinced my next baby would be a boy for a few years now. Good thing I was right!?

I have redone this little dresser that was a hand-me-down from Grandma and Grandpa twice now. It used to have pink drawers for my girls, but I re-painted them a light green color to be more boyish.

I have also been making a little extra money selling these baby diaper wipes carrying cases on e-bay lately, so I've made a million of these, too.

I still need to recover the old and ugly white bassinet for Baby Logan, finish recovering the canopy for the carseat, and about a million other things before he's born. I'll update later, when I get more done.

Faux Custom Bookshelf's

2010-04-18T22:26:00.001-07:00

Okay, here is my “custom” bookshelf’s for our new house. Since we weren’t able to sell our house in Nevada before we moved back to Utah and bought our new house, we are very, VERY tight with our budget. Sooooo……here was our solution to the tight budget, a near empty room and years and years and years of books being packed into boxes while we moved a gazillion times. (Seriously…this was our 7th move in 3 years-Whew!) I LOVE to read and I’ve even sold a ton of them on Amazon, so this is not very many compared to what we had as college students.

We went to Walmart and bought their plain black bookshelf’s for $29, although they are frequently on sale for $25. After we had put them together, we bought some molding and trim at good old Home Depot and painted it black. (I used matte black spray paint, because I am impatient and wanted them to be finished NOW.)

Total cost of this bookshelf unit was around $120 when all was finished. (Actually, now that I think back, our in-laws bought the bookshelf’s for us as a house-warming gift, so technically they were free.) No complaints.

After cutting and measuring all the pieces, we attached them first with wood glue and then teensy tiny nails. As you can see in the photos that I’m not quite done filling in the holes and fixing all the little spots, but hey, I have to kids and I’m 6 months pregnant. I’ve got more important things to do. Like, sewing and anything else I don’t really feel like doing right this minute. Know what I mean?

Anyway, we also wanted them to be moveable in case we ever do move again. (I’ve already told my hubby that I will NEVER move again and that he can commute as long as he needs to, but I’m staying put! lol!) (Crossing my fingers…and toes…and legs…)

So, we made cuts between each of the bookshelf’s so that they could be pulled apart if needed or could be slid close together so they look like a built-in, one-piece unit. As you can see I haven’t gotten my hubby to get them as close together as they could and should be, but hey, I’m basically lazy and I’m pretty happy with them anyway.

On another note, I have to say that everything in this room, aside from very few items, was either hand-me-down’s we got as newlyweds, given to us since then, or bought and fixed up from a thrift store.

The little stand with the lamp on it, was a hand-me-down and is still in need of a good painting. The couch was $20 from DI and I just bought a couch cover to make it a little more attractive (okay, a lot more). The coffee table was from DI for $10 and I sanded it down, fixed the drawer and painted it black. The brown, gorgeous, wing-back chair in front of the bookcase was given to us by my in-laws. (I’m kicking myself right now, because I found a nicer one at DI for $20 which I was too chicken to buy because of all the moving and inconvenience it would be to grab it that minute, that they replaced it with and gave us the brown chair.) It is soooo comfy anyway and in pretty good shape. Not even any wear and tear on the velvet fabric. It’s my reading chair. Most days you can find me there with a good book or reading my scriptures whenever I can pull away from the kids for more than 3o seconds.

The one item that was pretty spendy was the large picture hanging above the couch. I love, love, love this picture. I got it for Christmas a few years back when Deseret Book does all their artwork on sale for 50% off. So instead of $300, my hubby picked it up for $150. (With a lot of hinting and nagging.) It is called “Oh, Jerusalem” by Greg Olsen.

The gold and black chair, which I am extremely proud of, was my very first attempt at upholstering anything. It used to be a funny shade of green. We got two of them from my in-laws, so I spent HOURS taking one apart, painted it black and purchased some fabric for under $20 from Hobby Lobby and improvised until I was happy with it. Let me tell you that nail head trim may be pretty, but it is no easy thing to get them on straight and anywhere near perfect. Just don’t look too closely at mine. I found the pillow on the chair from DI last week for $1.

Here’s a picture of the other chair that hasn’t been redone yet. I use it as my reading chair in my master bedroom. See the lamp on the table, which was also hand-me-down free, I picked up the pair of them for $5 at the DI. So gorgeous!

Do you see that tiny little shelf up in the top right hand corner? I bought about a gazillion of these because I love them and they are easy to put up by myself. They are only $5 each at the Home Depot.

Okay, so I made the curtains and pillows on the couch, but when I trimmed the curtains, I wasn’t very patient and trimmed them too short. So, the plan is to buy some fringe or beads or something and attach them to the bottom. But…not until the budget allows that.

Hey, I never claimed to be perfect. Still trying on that one…

On that note, I’m not very good at arranging things so they look good together. HELP! Any suggestions would be most welcomed! I’m slowly, but surely, putting my home together. It really is the second home I’ve ever owned, but our first house that we own in Nevada, I didn’t feel like I had enough time to really decorate it. We built it, lived in it for 9 months and got recruited back to Utah. Hardest decision we’ve ever had to make, but well worth it. It’s soooo good to be back.

Linking up to

My Favorite Maternity & Baby Tutorials

2010-04-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow! I have been finding the best tutorials for all things baby and maternity lately. I wanted to share some of my favorite projects that have inspired me to sew, craft and create lately. If you hadn't guessed by my enthusiasm for this topic, I'm pregnant! I'm due at the end of July and I have been crafting like crazy to get ready for our first boy. My house is full of girl stuff and pink everything, so I'm starting from scratch.

Maternity:

Converting your pants into Maternity pants: http://megannielsen.com/2009/09/diy-maternity-pants.html

Cute wrap Maternity top: (I made this and it was sooooo easy and turned out really well, which doesn't always happen when I attempt new projects. It is sooooo comfortable, too. A little complicated to get into, but worth it for the end result.) http://megannielsen.com/2010/02/wrap-maternity-top.html

Maternity Yoga Pants: http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/maternity-yoga-pants.html

Maternity T-Shirt: http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2010/03/big-tee-to-maternity-tee-refashion.html

Maternity Dress Shirt: http://megannielsen.com/2009/10/mommy-style-diy-maternity-shirt.html

Maternity skirt: http://seemommysew.wordpress.com/maternity-skirt-tutorial-the-gwenna/

Maternity Wrap Cardigan: http://megannielsen.com/2009/12/how-to-make-a-wrap-cardigan.html

Belly Band: http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2010/02/stretch-knit-pregnancy-band-tutorial.html

No-Sew Nursing Top: (Thought this was kind of funny, but I guess it would work just fine.) http://megannielsen.com/2010/03/the-no-sew-nursing-top-solution.html

Converting a Bra to a Nursing Bra: http://www.mamasworldwide.com/2009/02/07/how-to-make-a-regular-bra-into-a-nursing-bra/

Another Belly Band: http://tisforturtle.blogspot.com/2008/12/egg-warmer-how-to-photos.html

Here is the link to some more maternity tutorials by luvinthemommyhood.com Genius!

http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2010/03/maternity-sewing-tutorial-roundup.html

Baby:

Heather Bailey's Bitty Booties: (Check out the Flickr pool for hundreds of good ideas on how to make these.) http://www.heatherbaileydesign.com/Booties.html

Directory of tons of free baby pattern tutorials: http://www.freeneedle.com/directory.php?directory=Baby

So Easy Baby Recieving Blankets: http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=JC&Screen=BLANKET

Baby Diaper Changing Pad: http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com/sewtakeahike/2008/07/diaper-changing.html

Simple Cotton Baby Hat: (This may not be the cutest color, but it is by far the simplest pattern to make these kinds of hats.) http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/infant-cap.html

Here is another site with some great free tutorials on baby stuff: http://www.makeforbaby.com/

Cute Diaper Bag: (This is my next project.) http://amingledyarn.wordpress.com/gallery/tutorial-hip-mama-diaper-bag/

Cute baby hat with ears: http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/10/easy-knit-baby-hats.html

Another great site with tons of free baby tutorials: http://everythingyourmamamade.com/2009/12/06/77-infant-amp-toddler-tutorials-including-lots-of-softies/

Boppy or Breastfeeding Pillow Slipcover: (I made one of these, too. So easy and cute.) http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/breastfeeding-pillow.html

Make Baby Legs from Socks: http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/showthread.php?s=a276861c46ed71983ecd836a8aa1bdbb&t=313496

Baby Sling Wrap Style Carrier: http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/make-a-baby-sling.html

Baby Sling Pouch Style Carrier: http://www.mykarmababy.com/pages/BabySlingPattern.php
(Go here for baby wearing instructions for this style of sling: http://www.mykarmababy.com/pages/instructions.php)

Infant Car Seat Replacement Cover & Canopy: (Just let me tell you how hard it is to find a good free tutorial with pictures. Here is a pretty good one without pictures. If you have more skills than me, which is likely, you should be able to do this on your own, but I ended up buying a tutorial on etsy from pukingpastilles which was amazing! It was only $4.99 and it was soooo worth buying. I never buy patterns, ever. So glad I did for this project. Mine turned out so great, even I was amazed I pulled it off. If you want to purchase an amazing pattern go here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44513451

Otherwise here is the free one: http://www.ehow.com/how_5538225_make-car-seat-cover-pattern.html

Wanna make your own baby bedding and room decor? Here's a link to get you started: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2562353/free_baby_crib_bedding_sewing_patterns.html

This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the amazing free tutorials out there for baby stuff. I'm ready to make some. Enjoy!

My Favorite Giveaway Sites

2009-11-12T12:28:00.001-08:00

So, I would say I've been on a roll lately with winning stuff. I have won half of my Christmas presents already. So, that is the ultimate thrifty way to do Christmas! People keep asking me how I do it. To be honest, I have no idea. I just have found some great giveaway sites that list/host giveaways. That's it. That's the secret. Finding the giveaways and entering them. Silly, huh? I don't really do any of the work. I just find the sites that do. That's me, completely lazy! So, here are some of my favorite giveaway sites so you can start entering those contests, too! Add these blogs to you blogger dashboard and anytime you see a new contest appear, enter it. Makes it a lot easier to keep track of them all.

And if you have some of your favorite sites, let me know and I'll add them to the list.

1. A Giveaway Everyday http://agiveawayeveryday.blogspot.com/

2. Giveaway Today http://giveawaytoday.blogspot.com/

3. Ice Fairy's Treasure Chest http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/

4. Just for Me...and You http://justformeandyou2.blogspot.com/

5. Skip to My Lou http://www.skiptomylou.org/

6. Tip Junkie http://www.tipjunkie.com/

7. Today's Giveaway http://www.todaysgiveaway.net/

8. The Bragging Mommy http://www.thebraggingmommy.com/

9. Shop with Me Momma http://www.shopwithmemama.com/home

10. The Work at Home Mom Resource Site http://wahmresourcesite.com/

11. Blog Sweeps http://blogsweeps.com/

12. This Momma Rocks http://www.thismamablogrocks.blogspot.com/

Okay, there they are. Now go out and win some of those Christmas gifts you so desperately don't want to pay for!

Giveaway Winner!

2009-11-10T06:53:00.001-08:00

The winner of my first giveaway contest is post #8 Lisa
Congrats! Winner has been notified. Enjoy!

Vinyl in my New House

2009-11-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

My friend Rachel has a really great vinyl cutting business and she made the most amazing custom pieces for my home. I'm sooooo happy with them. They turned out amazing and I am definitely going back for more.

This is in my kitchen above my pantry door. It is Italian for kitchen. I have red as the major accent color and she matched it perfectly.

So, this is my front door on the inside. I am completely obsessed with the fleur d'lis lately. I love it. I think these turned out great, too. She made them custom.

Isn't this the most amazing font? I fell in love with it and had her make all of it in it. Stay tuned because I'm sure I'll come up with more projects to use vinyl on.

Its DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land

2009-11-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Head on over to A Soft Place to Land and join the DIY Party! Winner for the week of the best DIY Project wins a $50 gift certificate to the cutest ETSY shop ever.

Amazingly Easy Paper Snowflake Craft

2009-11-02T07:17:00.001-08:00

Here is an easy paper craft to do with your kids and for winter decoration around the house. I can't claim credit for this ingenious idea but it was a lady that lives near me who taught it to us at a recent Super Saturday Craft Day. Here is what you need:

Paper - any paper will work. Computer paper is used for the tutorial.
Scissors or Paper Cutter
Ruler
Tape, Glue, Stapler or any other means to secure paper together. I've actually used hot glue before.

Here is what the final product will look like. I plan to hang them around the windows in my house.

Start with a piece of paper, any size will do, it will just change the size of the finished snowflake. I think that adding a few bigger or smaller to the decor would look great. If your paper is 8.5"x11" cut off the end so that the paper is square.

Next, fold the paper into a triangle.

Then, fold it in half one more time, so that total, you have folded it into a triangle twice.

Here is the tricky part, where you have to get this right or the piece won't work. Take your scissors and cut three long cuts starting from the double folded side running to the single folded side. (The longest edge of the triangle should not have folds at all, just the regular edge of the paper.) Stop your cut about half an inch before you reach the single folded side.

Next, start to unfold the paper triangle once it is cut. Here is what it should look like unfolded just once.

Here is what the paper should look like unfolded completely.

Next, take the smallest two cut triangles on the inside of the paper and secure them together with tape, hot glue, glue, or staples.

Next, turn the whole paper over and take the next largest two triangle cuts and do the same to secure them. Continue turning the paper over until all of them have been secured.

This is what a finished section looks like on its side.

Next we are going to secure several of these sections together. This is what it looks like when they are hooked together. In total, you will need to make six of these sections to complete a snowflake.

Take two sections and lay them next to each other like the photo.

Then secure them together in two spots. This photo shows the lower spot.

And this photo shows the upper spot to secure the sections.

Continue securing all six sections together and this is what you get! Instant snowflakes for your homes winter decor! Enjoy!

Penny Pinching Party!

2009-10-31T18:51:00.001-07:00

I love any way that will save me money, so check out the Penny Pinching party at The Thrifty Home.

Fastest, Simplest, Most Delicious Rice Crispy Treats You'll Ever Eat. Guaranteed!

2009-10-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

This is how my grandmother used to make rice crispy treats. At least, how I remember them.

Ingredients:

Rice Crispy Cereal

Carmel (for melting)

Marshmallows

Water

Wax Paper (tinfoil works, too)

Popsicle sticks (optional)

First, take the carmel and melt it on the stove according to package directions. Mine said to heat them on medium-low heat in a saucepan until melted. I recommend turning the heat off once your carmel is melted so that it doesn't get too hot and burn.

Next, take the marshmallows and stick a popsicle stick through the center.

Then, dip the marshmallow directly into the saucepan and twist until the entire marshmallow is covered in carmel. Twirl the stick to avoid any dripping.

Next, dip the carmel covered marshmallow into a bowl of rice crispy cereal and roll it around until covered.

Place the finished rice crispy treat onto a try covered in wax paper or tinfoil.

Let cool and enjoy! The refridgerator works really well to get the carmel to harden up enough that they aren't gooey or runny. See. That was easy, right?

My First Giveaway Contest!!!!

2009-10-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm new to this whole blogging thingy and I wanted to host a giveaway contest in order to build followers. Your in luck, even if your the only person entering. I'm giving away two Cosmo Cricket Home Decor Lacing Card Kits.

Here's how to win:

One entry: become a follower of my blog and then post a comment with your name, e-mail address, and that you became a follower. The contest will go through November 9th and the winner will be chosen by random integer counter. Example: Tiffany Skabelund, biff_erin@yahoodotcom, follwer

Two entrys: tell a friend to follow my blog and then post your name, e-mail address, and that you told a friend. Example: Tiffany Skabelund, biff_erin@yahoodotcom, told a friend.

Enjoy!

Talk to Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie

2009-10-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Topic: Why do you blog?

I just started blogging and love it. I have one that is for family/friends and its great to keep them informed on what we are up to when they live so far away. My decor/craft blog is a great way for me to share the things I learn and create and just feel like I’m talking/sharing with somebody older than five years old from the comfort of my home. So why do you blog?

Very Easy DIY Plate Hangers

2009-10-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a very easy, very inexpensive way to make plate hangers. This project cost me a total of $4.41 at the Home Depot. Here is a link to the Martha Stewart Living where I originally got the idea and instructions. Mine is a lot more detailed, trust me. But check it out anyway: http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/wire-plate-hangers

Here's what you need:

- 16-18 gauge wire (I actually used fence wire minus one accidental shattering)
- plates to be hung
- needle nose pliers
- wire cutters
- pencil
- measuring tape
- patience (it took me two hours to make them all and hang 11 plates)

Here is what they look like in my home after I finished. Don't mind the not-so-great picture. The awkwardly placed light is another project.

Once you've gathered all of your supplies, Martha tells you to cut two pieces of wire 3" longer than the diameter of the plate to be hung. I found that it was easier to cut an ample length and then trim them down when I had them placed.

Just had to show off my e-bay find. These Bavaria, Germany blue floral china plates. I think the set of 16 cost me around $20.00, if I remember right. Gorgeous!

I chose to hang my plates around the wall that surrounds my dining table. Inspiration struck after weeks of pondering what to do with these walls in my brand new house. Plates, genius!

Next step is to take one piece of wire and twist it so that you have one loop in the middle; this piece is used to attach the plate to the wall.

Next, bend the other piece of wire into a V-shape. Then, slide one end through the loop of the first wire piece. Cross the V wire over so that it is secure (see picture). The V should hang upside down and rest on the bottom of the loop.

Next, make sure that the loop or first wire is resting just under the lip of the plates base. This is vital if you want the rack to stay secure and not come loose. Now, turn the plate over and wrap the ends of the wire around to the front of the plate and trim them to a uniform length. Leave enough wire to twist into a decorative loop. This is where you use your creativity or lack thereof. It can't be done wrong. It is so genius that it still looks good. Trust me, it's Martha.

Okay, so here is the part where you have to be careful. Once you have finished making and attaching the plate to the hanger, make sure that it isn't loose. I got a little zealous around the 10th plate or so and shook a little hard and whoops! Broken china, sob! Now make those wire plate hangers and enjoy!

The DIY Showoff Party!

2009-10-29T06:45:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite blogs is having a DIY day, check it out! You'll love it!

Love me some contests!

2009-10-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this great giveaway at my friends Tracy's blog @ http://www.justformeandyou2.blogspot.com/ They are featuring clothing from Down East Basics which I absolutely love, love, love! They are modern, AND modest clothing. Gotta love it. http://www.downeastbasics.com/newarrivals.aspx

Cheap & Easy Home Decor

2009-10-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

It's DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land - Check it out!!!!

This is as cheap and easy as it gets. I bought two frames from DI and spray painted them with paint I already had. I used some leftover scrapbook paper and cut them into three strips of equal size to cover the 8"x10" frames and taped them together. I hot glued two flowers I had already in my craft stuff and added a button in the middle. I added two large rub-ons that I had picked up at the latest Scrapbook Expo. and hung them on the doors. Voila! Instant home decor and cheap/easy craft that my oldest helped me put together. It took all of 15 minutes once the spray paint was dry.

Picture frame - $1.00
Letter rub-ons - $1.00
Total - $2.00 craft multiplied by 2 since I made one for each of my children = $4.00

By the way, don't you just love my doors. They have that beadboard look to them and I looooooovvvve them!

Slowly decorating the new digs

2009-10-18T18:52:00.001-07:00

This is my little girls' bathroom on the top floor of the new house. Yes, we are finally moved in. I picked up this vinyl letter quote from the Scrapbook Expo this year from DCWV (Die Cuts with a View) for $2.50. Love it. I have more that I plan to put around the house, but I have to decorate a little more first so I know where exactly to put them.

I have these amazing shelf's above my staircase and entryway on the main floor, but I've never been very good at decorating without it looking cluttered. Here are just a few of the things that I've actually unpacked and decided to put up there. I'm sure it will change along the way.

I probably showed this to you before, but I can't remember. It was only $8 for the set at DI. I love it.

I found this one on Saturday at the DI for $10. It matches exactly the other round piece I found awhile back. Same brand, etc. It is silver plated, but, hey, I'll take what I can get. I love this.

I've started to decorate the guest bathroom on the main floor. I have to specify, since we have four bathrooms. (I know, poor me.) The purple flower pot I found at Tai Pan Trading for 5.94 and also the olive oil jar for 1.94. I put a vinyl letter "S" on the front and plan to put hand soap in it when I get around to that stuff.

I painted the basket (1.00) for the toilet paper. The white shelf was from hobby lobby at 50% off (4.50) and the pictures I just picked up at wally-world for 3.94 each. The ribbon I just had left over from some wreath that I ripped apart for some project awhile back. I just found the little glass jar that will eventually hold cotton balls for .75.

I finally moved the right couch upstairs to the main floor where it belongs. It is actually the couch I bought for 20.00 from DI and covered it with a couch cover. I like it and it was a lot less than buying a new one for the time being.

I keep debating what to do with this space. It is the entryway behind my front door. I think I'll take the picture down and add a vinyl quote above it instead. "Live, Laugh, Love." What do you think?

Halloween Inspiration

2009-09-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Oh, I can't wait to have my sewing machine unpacked! I am loving all the stuff for Halloween and Thanksgiving that are coming out right now. I want to make, make, make! Especially this Pottery Barn Kids costume of a ladybug. Madison wants me to make this for her Halloween party at school. Can't wait. Too bad all my stuff is packed up in boxes waiting to move in to the new house. Soon, I think.

I'm especially loving all the Martha Stewart decorating ideas. I can't wait to decorate outside the front door. We just bought some tiny pumpkins for the girls to paint. The following are some of my favorite ideas from MSL that I would love to try with my girls.

These mice would be super cute to put on the stairs leading up to my house.

This ones just for me. I love to spray paint!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN DECORATING!!

Scrapbook Expo 2009 Thrifty Finds

2009-09-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

I went with my sister to the Scrapbook Expo today and I found some great stuff for decorating my new house. First off, DCWV, Die Cuts With a View always has the best stuff for super cheap. I got some of these last year, too, but this years are way better. These are vinyl lettering, as shown on the boxes. I'm so excited. These were only $2.50!!!!!! They have a retail price of $29.99 and the cheapest I've ever seen them in a store is $24.99. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Then, DCWV also had these amazing wooden 12" X 12" shadow boxes. How much? Only $2.00 each!! Score! These will look great hanging on the wall in the basement staircase. Jealous yet?

And these cute wooden clothes pin clips. I'm going to cover them in a cute paper and/or paint them and attach them to one of my baskets in the bathroom. Or something like that.

All in all, I had a great time. I got a lot more stuff, but mostly scrapbook stuff, so I only showed my home decor finds. Can't wait to work on them. The best part of the whole day? I got bags and bags of great stuff and only spent $20.00. Eat your heart out!

Oldies, but Goodies from Around the House

2009-09-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about all the stuff that I have acquired over the last few years, (while putting off actually packing something) and I wanted to show you some of my favorites. The armoire is in my front room and holds my tv, satellite, all our dvds, and madison's v-tech stuff, etc. Keeps everything hidden when people come over. I love it. I bought it at K-Mart a few Christmases back when I worked there for the holidays. It was the only one left and it was on extreme clearance. Lucky for me, they lose things in the back and then try to clean out everything and sell it for cheap. This was $125 on clearance and I had won a $50 gift card for something I had done at work and so it ended up only being about $75 dollars. Yay! It is uber-heavy and it took my husband hours and hours to put together. THEN - My friend who also worked there had bought one for $50.00 a few years prior to that and had never put it together. She was moving and didn't want to move it so I bought it off of her for $50.00. Double Yay!

K-Mart was good to me. I miss the great stuff I got with my discount and clearance watching skills. I got this set of wrought-iron stuff for $50.00 total. It came with the half-table, huge picture frame, gorgeous lamp, and matching picture frame.

I took one of my huge mirrors (K-Mart $50.00) and had a lady sand-blast our name into it. It says Skabelund est. 2002. I like how it turned out.

When I lived in Nevada, I found this little shop that I absolutely loved. They had this cute wrought-iron recipe holder and I got it for $15.00. I use it all the time in my kitchen. Love it.

My parents came to visit last month and I've been begging them to bring my middle school instruments with them. Well, they at least brought one. My old clarinet. It was also my oldest sisters too. It's like 50 years old and I love it to pieces. Can't wait to get it all oiled up and try it out again.

This is the last piece I bought at K-Mart. It's a super cute vanity set that I ended up going clearance and discontinued. It was $200.00 and I used my discount on top of convincing the manager to let me have it for even less because it was the last one. So, long story short, I used a coupon on top of all that and got it for $45.00. It was Madison's Christmas gift. She still uses it everyday to do her hair. I have some plans to add a pink toile skirt to the bottom or something like that, but my sewing machine is packed away and I have never gotten around to it.

I found this cute little wrought-iron wreath holder thingy at the same shop in Nevada for like $8.00.

Thrift Store Finds

2009-09-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

This is the project that I'm working on for my husband. He found both of these pieces at the DI for a total of $15.00. He wants them to use as map drawers for all of his fossils. So, I get to fix these up for him. He wants the top and the drawer fronts to be stained an oak color and then the sides of the dresser are formica, so they have to stay black. It has taken forever to sand down just this much, but I'm slowly working on it. I have already filled in the holes in the top of the dresser with wood filler and sanded it down, and then fixed the front edging that was falling off. It might be a while before this is done, but I'm working on it.

This beauty is also from the same DI that I got the desk from. I love it! It needs nothing done to it but a new drawer pull. I hate gold stuff and that was the first thing I took off. It does have very tiny/few scratches, but this sofa table is perfect for only $20.00. It's something that you just can't pass up when you find it.

This is the desk that I found at the DI by my sister's house. It was $45.00, way more than I usually spend on anything, but I have been looking for something exactly like this to go in my laundry room. I love it and it is the perfect size and shape for the narrow room. It is really old and sturdy, too. It has great molding around the bottom too. I have sanded down all of the dent and scratches from the top, but I haven't decided what color to make it. I'm not sure if I should do it off-white or if I should just restain it. I hate staining, I'm horrible at it and it is very messy. I really am trying my hardest not to just paint it black since that would match everything else in my new laundry room. Ackk!!! I can't decide.

Thrift Store Finds & Makeovers

2009-09-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

This cute little silver-rimmed condiment tray was only $5.00 at DI. One more thing to add to my collection of real silver. It came with three silver plated italian spoons. The whole thing just needs to be shined up and it will look great.

This is the pencil cup that I found at tj maxx. It just needed something to make it pop, so I painted the "S" white.

I've been collecting these little stacking baskets. Every time I see them I grab them up. I have four so far and they all fit perfectly together. I want to put them in the new pantry, I think. Each one was $1.50 or less. I've priced them at wal-mart and they are close to $9.00 each.

This small pitcher was only $1.00 and the two glass caraffes were the same price. These will actually stay in the kitchen because they are glass and the hubby wouldn't dare take them to the garage. At least, I hope so. It has worked so far. Then, there is the four cute glass jars that I'm going to put into my kitchen on the counter. All were under $1.00 each.

The lazy suzan was only $2.00 at the DI. It needed the bottom bolt tightened, because it was lopsided, but it works great now. I painted it black and decopaged the paper cutout onto the top. I want to add some sparkle or silvery paint over the top, but haven't gotten around to that yet.

I found all these fleur-de-lie and other stuff at Hobby Lobby's 80% section. They ranged in price from $1.90-$2.90. I wanted them to go on my mantle above the new fireplace. One was a mirror and I still want to add a silhouette to it, and the other two were gold. I hate gold stuff! So, black spray paint is what they got.

Thrift Store Finds & Makeovers

2009-09-03T08:13:00.003-07:00

I found some great stuff that I just needed to spray paint. Boy, I love to spray paint. The whatchamacallit thingy's that support a bar, finials?, are going into my laundry room so I painted them black to match the desk I'm working on. These only cost me .75 each so eat your heart out!

Then, there are the pillar candles that I found for $1.00 each to add to my collection. They were painted black and so were the salt and pepper shakers. Only the outsides, so yes, I can still use them for food. They were only .50 each.

The little side table we acquired somehow, can't remember, when we were first married and it has been floating around the house for years. I painted it black to match the new reupholstered chair and the cofee table in the front room. Does it look like I paint everything black? I don't really, but that is all I've shown you so far because it is the fastest way to finish a project. I always have a .97 can of spray paint on hand.

There are the completely gaudy gold plant shelfs that I scored for .75 each and I also spray painted them black. I wanted something to put some greenery into at the new house.

The crazy lime-green cabinet door that I found for $2.00 is destined to become a message board. I spray painted it black, no suprise there, and haven't gotten around to actually adding the coarkboard to the center. I think I'll put it above my desk in the kitchen - at the freakin' new house when I move in - if it ever gets done!!!!!?????

I also found this cute little cupcake holder for $2.00. Not sure if I ever will make that many cupcakes cut enough to display, but it will come in handy someday, right?

Ethan Allen Bench

2009-09-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

This was my $40.00 Ethan Allen thrift store find. All I did to this one was sand down the imperfections, not many, this sucker was in mint condition. Then, I spray painted this baby black. My trigger finger was itching. Love, love, love how it turned out.

Yay for Red Wagons!

2009-09-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

I've been looking forever for this little guy. I didn't want to spend a million dollars on a brand new one. I found this one at the DI for $8.00. Yay! I sanded the rust down and then pulled out my handy-dandy spray paint. This time it was rust converter and then painted the inside black over the top. Looks brand new doesn't it? Makes you jealous, doesn't it?

Thrift Store Finds, Cookie Jars & Chalkboard

2009-09-02T20:07:00.000-07:00

I saw this picture frame and knew right away that I had to have it. The picture inside is a little odd. I mean, who would hang this in their house? It was only $10.00 so I lugged it home and started painting. I painted the frame the same color as my vintage sewing table. Then, I went to Home Depot and had a piece of MDF cut to the right size to fit the frame ($8.00 aprox.) and a can of chalkboard paint ($5.00 aprox.) and put it all together. My girls love it and they color on it all the time.

I found these glass pitcher's at the DI for $2.50 each. I can't keep any pitcher in my kitchen for long. The plastic ones end up in the garage with my husband and his tile saw and they are ruined and broken before they ever make it back to the kitchen. I was super excited to find these ones. They are NEVER leaving my kitchen and the best part is, they were cheaper then plastic ones from Wal-Mart!

These cute little cookie jars were only a few bucks each at the SAVERS near my sister's house. I can't believe I found these. I painted the wooden tops red and next I think I'll add some black ribbon around the necks, but I'll wait till we are in the new house so I know if they match everything else.

Chest of Drawers

2009-09-02T19:56:00.000-07:00

This vintage chest of drawers I found at the local DI for only $10.00. I am going to put it at the foot of one of the girls' beds. It has two drawers and is in incredibly good shape. I just added a few nails to the back to make the backing a little more stable and then removed the ridiculous floral contact paper someone had added to the inside of the drawers. Super easy to remove in one sheet. Then, I sanded the top down and added new wooden plugs to fill the holes from a decorative railing that used to be there. Then, I spray painted it vintage white and added some new drawer pulls. I think it turned out great. Now it's just hanging out in the garage for a few more weeks until we move. I hate waiting!

Vintage Sewing Table

2009-09-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

I found this cute little vintage sewing table (minus the old sewing machine - I wish) for $6.00. I saw it every time I went to the DI for a month and loved it every time I saw it. I finally just went ahead and bought it. I figured I could find something cute to do with it. Plenty of space in the new house. I painted it light sky blue and purchased a new knob for the front and voila! It's super cute, don't you think? My husband thought it turned out pretty good, too, but griped about the color. He didn't think that anyone did things in this color. I guess he hasn't checked out one of my favorite blogs recently. It's called Just Beachy. You can find it at http://chriskauffman.blogspot.com/ LOVE IT!

This picture looks a little darker blue than it actually is, but I still love it!

I added it to my basement bathroom, since there is plenty of room until we add the bathtub and shower. It works perfectly with my bath set from hob lob. Check that post out at http://pretendingtobedomestic.blogspot.com/2009/09/basement-guest-bathroom.html

Emma's New Booster Chair

2009-09-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

Remember this $2.00 beauty from the DI? I painted it pink and love how it turned out. My little girl gets a "big girl chair" and I got to get rid of the huge, massive, ginormous high chair that was taking up my entire kitchen. Yay!!

Basement Guest Bathroom

2009-09-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

I have been collecting baskets from the DI thrift store for a while now and I found the perfect ones for my the basement bathroom in my new house. I got spray paint and painted them to match the towels I picked up at Wal-Mart. I splurged on one of the towels. The one with the leaf cost like $6.00 but all the other towels were under $1.50 each.

The largest basket I'm going to put large towels rolled up in and then hang the brown basket on the wall with some hand towels rolled up in. The light blue basket is for the back of the toilet and is just the perfect size to put three rolls of toilet paper in.

I'm seriously going nutty waiting to move into my new house. Why can't it just be done already!?

The cute little soap dish and jar with lid, I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby. They were in the 80% off section. My fav. section to look in. I always head straight there everytime I go to Hobby Lobby. I think they ended up being like $1.90 each or something insanely cheap like that. I knew they would come in handy someday. I bought them before we had even decided to buy another house.

They soap dispenser is from Wal-Mart as well. It was only $1.99. Can't wait to see how all this looks in the new house! Did I mention I'm going crazy waiting for the house to be finished?

New Coffee Table

2009-09-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

I found this great little coffee table at the local DI for only $10.00. THe only thing wrong with it was the track underneath the drawer needed to be nailed down better. One nail, that's it!

I sanded down the top and used wood filler to fill in the gap around the edge. My girls would have that filled up with crayons, crumbs, etc. in no time and I didn't want to have to clean it constantly, either.

Then, I spray-painted it black. I love spray-painting! Super fast, easy and it turned out so great!

Thrift Store Treasures

2009-08-07T10:00:00.001-07:00

My sister, Kathy, bought me this great black-colored jar for only a few dollars at the thrift store by her house. Love it! Then, the cute FHE sign with flat nails for pegs I found for only $1.00, too. I love the color already, so no need to change it, but I will have to make some hangers with our names on it.

Okay, complete splurge!!! I found this at the DI by my sister Kathy's house. I spent way more than I normally spend on anything thrifty. It was $40.00, but it is gorgeous and an original Ethan Allen piece. It has two sides that open up for extra storage, stuff, etc. I'm not sure if I will put it at the foot of my bed or at the foot of the stairs at the entryway in my new house. Love it! Stay tuned for the color transformation!

I've been looking for some cute words like this to go in my new house. I found these at TJ MaXX for $3 and $4 dollars. More than I would have liked but they will work perfectly on a shelf above my staircase and the S box will work for my desk in the kitchen.

Holy Crow!! (Twilight fans tribute) I have been wanting to buy a radio flyer wagon for my girls forever and almost did the last few Christmas's, but I can't seem to stomach the $50-80 price tags. I found this beautious creature for $8.00 at the DI by my house. Perfect for rust remover in a can!

Thrift Store Treasures

2009-08-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

My parents have been visiting from Oregon for the last few weeks, so I have been in the SLC-area quite a bit and I couldn't resist going into the local Deseret Industries in some of the more affluent neighborhoods there. Love it! I found so many goodies that I had my trunk full everytime I came home.

I found several really nice, super heavy pots that I'm planning to put on the front steps of my new home. Sigh. Someday soon I'll be in it. Also, this super cute bird cage that opens at the top. I keep seeing lots of these in blogland and thought I could try that too.

I found some cute little cans that I want to use as pots in my new kitchen window. It has a place for plants and I want to grown some herbs. We'll just have to see how that goes!? Also, this super amazing SILVER!! gravy boat/thing-y that was only a few dollars. I'm starting a collection of silver pieces.

This booster seat I scored for $2.00. I am soooo sick of my youngest daughter's high chair. It takes up half the kitchen and doesn't fold up in any way! Stupid design. So, I'm going to paint it pink and get that dang high chair out of the way.

We have a spare bedroom in our new house that is blue and I wanted some storage for toys, etc. to go in the built-ins in the closet. These bad boys are heavy duty metal and only $2.00!!

I have some great old picture frames that I found at the thrift shop. I've got tons of empty walls in the new house to fill. Stay tuned to see what I do with them.

Thrift Store Treasures/Great Deals

2009-08-07T09:50:00.001-07:00

I found these super cute purple flowers from IKEA for $1.00 that I thought would work perfectly for topiaries. Now I actually have to get down to making them.

I found these cute jars at Tai Pan Trading. I love that place! The glass jar was only $4.94 and the yellow trash can thing-y was $2.94. I thought it would look cute on a tray in my guest bathroom filled with q-tips or something like that.

Okay, so these next jars are for my new kitchen and I couldn't pass them up. They were a little more than I would normally spend on a "thrifty find" but I loved them. The larger one was $5.94 and the smaller one was $4.94. I got both at Tai Pan Trading. As soon as I get into my new house, you'll get to start seeing what I do with these.

Thrift Store Treasures

2009-08-07T09:47:00.001-07:00

I have been on a thrifting rampage lately! I've found the best stuff at our local Deseret Industries (Utah's equivilant to Goodwill.) I found this amazing old oil can and my dad told me it was just like the one he used to use back in the 50's. He's been a mechanic for 60+ years. I couldn't pass it up for only $5.00.

Also, these cute tins for only .50 each. I'm collecting all sorts of stuff to fill up my new house. We should finally move in in about three weeks. Finally!

Also, I found these two white, gorgeous lamp shades for only $2.00 each and then this glass apple for $1.00. I have a pear that I thought would look good next to this.

2 year Headache/Fingernail polish accident

2009-08-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so when Madison was about 3 years old, we got a brand new coffee table to go with our new couches. Yah, that lasted about three months until she decided to get into some fingernail polish and spill on the table. If I were smarter, I would have known not to wipe it up as soon as humanly possible. You're supposed to let it dry completely and then just scrape it off. Duh! So for two years now, we have had this huge spot that the fingernail polish stripped off all of the lacquer and stain. Nick finally got mad enough at me to make me sand the entire thing down. I have tried to stain it three times now, but I am terrible at it. I've stripped it down and am trying to get up the motivation to try again. It's not that easy. There are little strips at both ends and in the middle that go a different way from the rest of the table. Stupid thing! It's a work in progress still!

From Drab to Fab Chair Reupholster #1

2009-08-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

I got a set of three chairs from my in-laws, but they were a strange color of green. This is my first attempt at reuphostering anything, so it was a learning experience, to say the least. Not too bad, though. It took me about a month to finish, because I left her sitting in the garage until I finished all the nailhead trim and attached the back. Our dog died in the middle of this project, so I didn't work on it for a while. So, when inspiration struck one day, I started taking this one apart.

6 hours later, my hand was numb and my arm was throbbing, but she had great cushions so I didn't mess with them.

I spray-painted the legs and arms black and she is beautious, if I do say so myself. She could have used a little bit more tightening, but I love her and she is very comfortable to sit in.

The nailhead trim was the hardest part and was hard to keep in a semi-straight line, but I'm glad I stuck it out. I love it. The fabric I got from Hobby Lobby for like $7.99/yd. and the nailhead trim I got from good-old Wal-Mart for about $1.50/package. All in all, she cost me about $25 to do.

Here she is, (not sure why I keep referring to her as HER) next to my two other projects. (More on those later.) When our new house is finally finished, she will go in my front room.

If you pretend long enough, it just might happen.

2009-07-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

I love to craft, shop at thrift stores, find great deals, decorate and pretty much everything that comes along with those things. I'm trying to be a good wife, mother, and housekeeper, all the while trying to stay sane. My goal is to have fun with my hobbies, enjoy life, be a good mother and wife and, most importantly, always remember that I don't have to be perfect because nobody else is. They just pretend. So, I want to celebrate and share the things in my life that keep my sane and happy, so that I can be a better wife and mother. Hope you enjoy!