Bargains and crafties

I went to TJ Maxx this weekend to look for, well, I don't know, a good deal on something. And a good deal is what I got! This particular store is moving, so all of their home, shoes and clearance items were an additional 40% off.

I found this ultra cute rod. I like the patina on it, but I may paint it later depending on where I put it. I don't have any plans for it, but it was so cute, and such a good price, I bought it anyway.



See the sweet little bird on the one end?



At a price that can't be beat (40% off $9.99).



I also found this cute easel...a girl can never have too many of those. So many ways to use them!



I may or may not paint this. I liked the shape and detail a lot. I also liked the price (40% off $5.99)



Here's a little wall pocket I made this weekend. I'd bought the actual pocket at a thrift store quite a while back, for something like $1.00. This weekend I got the brilliant idea to load it up with fall florals, tie a pretty ribbon on it, and hang it out front. The florals were 50% off, as was the ribbon. What do you think?





I need to plant the mums. I didn't buy enough for that planter. The purple one was supposed to go on the back patio. I want the front planter to have red and yellow.

I also bought some little pumpkins (gourds?) to put in my birdbath in the front flower bed since the birds don't use it.



As with the mums, I didn't buy enough pumpkins (gourds?) so I need to go back and get a few more.



The only other crafty thing I managed to do was to make these earrings. I saw some similar ones online somewhere, and thought "I have the supplies, I can do that!" I used black and pewter colored beads.



Now, I need to go find out about those Pat Green tix! Wishing hubs would have taken my hint and bought them. No such luck!

We are family

Sammi, my old girl, is a dachshund mix. She's 14+ years old, has gone almost completely white, is pretty much deaf and is loosing her sight. She had a scare several years ago with a ruptured disc (as is common with dachshunds), hence the stairs in the picture! This sweetie came from the pound. I rescued her when I was in college. I was researching for an advertising campaign project and went to the local pound for info. I rescued her and another dog (who was to be euthanized that evening). Before slowing down due to age, Sammi had been our active girl, loved going on walks, playing with anyone. She was the dog equivalent to a tom boy.



Kola, our chihuahua, is about 6 or 7 years old. She came from a local humane society. I saw her on Petfinder shortly after we lost our chihuahua/terrier mix to cancer. She had been abused by children. She thinks she's tough, but she's quite the little priss. She's not much for playing with the other dogs. She's rather burrow under a blanket somewhere or in a basket of laundry, or sit on the back of the couch and just keep watch.



Cissy is our newest addition. Last year, hubs saw a rat terrier at an adoption event at Petsmart. He decided to check out the local pounds, since those animals are on VERY limited time. He found Cissy and brought her home the day before Thanksgiving. She is a pure hot wicked mess. :) She is young, so she's constantly moving. Her favorite activity is shredding and destuffing toys, and doing the "Rat terrior 500," where she runs at full speed around the house, from room to room. We call her the "rat terrorist" or some other loving, endearing name, like "monster" or "beast" or "pest." She is very sweet. The other two dogs were not happy when Cissy came to live with us. The activity level in the house changed drastically.



Here are a couple of pics of the hubs and me.





This is our little family.

Surprise wake-up and weekend craftiness

Yesterday morning, I was woken up in the most unusual way.

I awoke to the sound of this over my house.



We live in a suburb north of Dallas. While we are in a neighborhood, if you go down the road a block, you hit farm land and fields. It's not unusual for hot air balloons to take off and land in those areas. We see it quite often on weekends during the spring and fall months. It's a common site. I love it. It sure did freak the dogs out, Cissy in particular. She went bazooka nuts and barked her pretty little rat terrorist head off.

It's been quite a while since there was one here. A neighboring suburb is having it's annual hot air balloon festival this weekend. I suppose these people were a part of it.









Hubs was out of town for gigs, so I took the opportunity to get a little crafty.

First, I took some random fall picks I had and just stuck them into a grapevine wreath. I didn't even glue anything in. How unprofessional-crafter-like am I?!



I decided to hang it up on my kitchen pantry door since my front door has a prettier, professional-crafter-made wreath.



I hope the dogs don't see this and think it's real. The little beasts have a love-hate relationship with birds.



Then, last night, I made some baby booties for my new nephew. Several months ago, I made a prototype pair.



Kind of funky, right? That's why I always do a prototype first.

Here's the pair I made last night.





I used nubby fabric for the bottoms.



They aren't perfect, but they are much better than my prototype. They held their shape better. It really is challenging sewing something so teeny tiny. It was difficult getting the fabric under the presserfoot at times.

But I did it, and off in the mail they go!

If you want to make some, you can find the tutorial here.

Tagged

I've been tagged by Brandi to list 7 quirky things about myself.

1. It really upsets me when my dogs kill the cute little lizards outside (this just happened about 10 minutes ago!).

2. I have a bit of OCD...though not with everything. For example, some things drive me nuts, like when the towels are folded, all of the tags must be folded in and not sticking out where they can be seen. And if they aren't folded the way I like them, I have to go back and fold them again.

3. If I see a june bug that is stuck on it's back, I have to flip it over so it can fly off, otherwise it will die there and get eaten up by ants. And that bothers me.

4. I always have to have my toenails painted, whether it's sandal season or not.

5. I love the smell of Scotch tape.

6. I don't really enjoy talking on the phone (if it's a lengthy conversation). I'd rather just talk in person.

7. I eat pizza with a fork.

I don't know who has been tagged or not, so if you want to play, please do!

Happy Saturday y'all!

Calling all thrifters and junkers

If you are a thrifter, junker or garage sale diva, here's a giveaway that is right up your alley!

Go visit Stacey to see what it's all about!

Tootles!

Gone to the dogs

Here's a nifty little recycled, repurposed project I completed this weekend.

I saw the idea on someone's blog (I'm sorry, I can't remember who! If you are that person, let me know and I'll link you!), and that person got the idea from Pottery Barn I believe.

*Edited to add: I pinched the idea from Marie Thanks for the heads up girls, I couldn't remember where I saw this!

I took an old tin that once housed Boy Scout popcorn. I then sanded it, painted it, and added "dog treats" in rub-ons.

Simple, cheap, and eco-friendly!



I put the tin inside of a cool basket my husband bought me. When he was out on tour one time, he happened upon an Amish boy selling handmade baskets. I love it!



Sammi, Kola and Cissy like these all-natural peanut butter flavored treats.



Sammi says "yum!"

Good to remember

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." - Proverbs 19:21

Thrifty Thursday (2 days late)

I love a bargain. What girl doesn't? I've acquired some really good treasures while out thrifting and saling recently.

Here's an ugly urn and cheese dome lid I picked up at the Salvation Army yesterday when I was on lunch. The urn was $1.99 and the dome lid was $.99.



I plan on painting the urn, but not sure if I should paint it black or white. In any case, it won't likely be happening today since we are expecting high winds and rain courtesy of Hurricane Ike.

Next, I found a really cute copper birdfeeder in the shape of a birdcage on summer clearance. I removed the plastic food tube from the middle, and I'll use it for display somewhere. Right now it's resting on top of the armoire in our bedroom, but I'm sure it will find a nicer home somewhere else.



Check out that savings! Score!



On another jaunt to the Salvation Army, I found this cute little metal thing for $.99. Judging by the nasty remnants inside, it is a candle holder. I don't know what I have in store for this yet, but right now it's resting comfortably on the mantle until I can find a permanent home for it. It even has a cute little "hatch" door on the front. (blurry, can't find my "good" pic of it)



And then one day I popped over to Tuesday Morning. Now, I like Tuesday Morning. I think they have some really cool things. However, I think they are way overpriced. I checked out there "last chance" section, which is usually items that are broken, beaten and abused, and I found these babies! The grand total for all of these darlings? Just a little over $5! The most expensive one was the cute white frame, which was $2. It reminds me of those old metal ceiling tiles in historic buildings. I've already given them new life, and will put the results on another post. I want you to be fully impressed.



Here is a freebie my neighbor gave me. It was a freebie that one of her coworkers gave her.



I love rusty old things, so I gave her a nice dose of clear coat to prevent rust from running down my brick. Being thrifty and frugal (and a known plant killer), I didn't want to run to Lowe's to buy some beautiful specimen of a plant only to have her go to death row. *light bulb* I walked out front, cut some pieces off my purple wandering jew and stuck them directly into the dirt. Risky? Perhaps, but I gave some cut pieces to my neighbor and she stuck them directly into the dirt in a pot, and those suckers went nuts. I'm hoping for a miracle.



Have you gotten any good thrifty deals lately?

One girl's P.O.O.P.I.E. is another girl's treasure

Who knew that p.o.o.p.i.e (People Opposing Objectionable Pretend plants In the Environment) could be so controversial? ;) Real? Fake? Both? Neither? Go join the p.o.o.p.i.e party at The Nesting Place

I'm actually proud to say that I have only TWO "faux" plants in my home. Are you impressed? Unfortunately, they are both ugly greenery.

First, a $5 garage sale find that is a temporary filler on top of the armoire in the guest room. Blah!



Next, a cheapy big-box store find as a temporary filler on top of the armoire in our bedroom. At least it's smallish and somewhat hidden. You can't see it's true shame in all it's glory.



And just for reference, here's my real ivy. In true undomesticated wife form.

Dead.

Heavy metal

Do you have a favorite color scheme for the metal accents in your house (cabinet hardware, curtain rods, faucets, lighting)? Does it vary by room, or do you keep the same color throughout?

Copper, brass, white, black, silver....

What's your fave?

A study in domestication

This weekend, my neighbor (and good friend) asked me to help her make slipcovers for a pair of chairs she has in her living room. Sure, why not, I can sew. This shouldn't be too difficult. Buy a pattern, pin, cut, sew.

Right?

Not so much.

She decides against using a pattern. Being an engineer, a mathematical type, she begins cutting fabric and pinning it right on the chair. Wow! I am not a mathematical type. I can't even balance the checkbook. I freeze in terror over the thought of having to count change back. Yikes! She's one side of the brain, I'm the other.

Sunday afternoon, she brings over a heap of pinned fabric. Scary stuff. I set up my sewing machine and get started.

After a couple of hours (!) we bring the covers back to her house and get ready for the important try-on. Wow! It's a miracle, the slipcovers fit! Like. A. Glove!

You may notice they still need to be hemmed. In time my friends, in time.

I guess getting our brains together means we can conquer the world! Or at least a pair of slipcovers.