New addition to my collection

I'm not much of a collector, but one thing I have always loved is vintage glass Christmas ornaments. I have one Christmas tree entirely dedicated to them.



This last week, I found a box of vintage Shiny Brite ornaments like I've never seen before. They are children's ornaments and have sweet little characters on them, such as lions, giraffes, bears, etc.



Though they aren't in the best of shape (a lot of the mica is flaking off), I love them nonetheless. And they were a good price at $8/box of 12. That's less than $1 each. Can't beat that.







Do you have a favorite ornament collection?

hodgepodge

Hello internets! Things have been crazy around here lately. Still no luck with the job search. It's been exactly one year since I was laid off. I'm trying to have patience and know that God has a plan, but I'm really starting to wonder what the heck it is and why it's taking so long. :( I'm beginning to get a bit worried here.

Last week my hubs and I went to Indiana (him: business, me: visit family). We stopped in St. Louis along the way and visited with my inlaws. Hubs was able to catch up with some friends from high school. It was a nice visit! But I'm glad to be home. Driving through 5 states in one day, from 8am to midnight is just not my thing.



Isn't my grandma so cute? I stayed with her while hubs was down in Indy for his convention. She lives in a small town of about 2,000-3,000 people, and I swear I'm related to every single one of them somehow. Every time I am there, I meet people I'm related to that I've never met before.

My grandma now lives one block off the courthouse square in town. I had forgotten my hair dryer (yipes!), so it was nice to be able to walk two blocks and get to a CVS. My hubs took off for Indy with my make-up bag in the truck, so I was stuck there with no make-up for the duration (yipes). Not a good look for me. ;)

If you know me, you know I love thrifting. So while there, I walked the one block up from my grandma's house to the square to a little thrift store run by a local church. I didn't think I'd find anything good since it's such a small town out in the middle of the corn fields, but believe it or not, I did find a few scores!

I found two 4-serving snack sets (each has four plates and four cups). One was a pattern I already have. This one came in the original box! And the best part was that it was priced at $3!!!





I also found this snack set. I don't have this pattern yet. It was only $2!





{LOVE!!}

My grandma has always made quilts, and I used to love wrapping up in them when I was a kid. I have a couple of them (one she made for me when I was in school, the other she made for us for a wedding present). While visiting, I told her I'd like another one, so she let me pick one out. They aren't fancy by any means, but they are made with love, and she does all of the stitching by hand. She had a few with interesting patterns, but I chose a simple patchwork quilt. It reminds me of her, because when I was a kid, those are the ones we'd use. She uses any scraps of fabric she has, and I think that's really cool.





While we went to Indy, we took the two old dogs and my inlaws kept the two younger ones. I guess they were spoiled rotten, because when we drove back through St. Louis to pick them up, they didn't seem as excited to see us as we were to see them.





It was a nice trip, but I'm glad to be home, in my own bed. I'm not glad that I have about 8 loads of laundry to do, but I guess that comes with the territory. ;)

Mirror, mirror on the wall (before and after)

A few weeks ago I shared this mirror I found at a garage sale for $5.



What I like about it is that it's an antique...meaning it's heavy duty with a real wood backing. This sucker probably weights at least 20 lbs.

However, I don't really need another plain old mirror. I wanted to jazz it up a bit.

I started with this F that I printed out from my computer. F being the first letter of my last name, though I guess it can stand for anything really, like friend, fabulous, freak... Then I cut it out with an X-acto knife.



I used a combination of redline and painter's tape to make frames around the monogram. I would have liked to have done something a little fancier, but I wanted this to be as quick and painless as possible, so straight lines it was.



After a few coats of Valspar Frosting spray, this is what I got.



Who knew it would be so difficult taking a picture of a mirror? The middle square is slightly tilted. Which really irritates me because I measured and measured again before spraying. Eh...I'm still fairly pleased with how it came out.

But since it's so heavy, hubs had to hang it with some sort of special toggle bolt. And he said he's not moving this thing EVER. So I guess it's here to stay. ha!

A quick little "crappy to happy" project

I went to Ross the other day. I usually stay away from that place because the one here in town is sort of...well, gross. But sometimes I can find little treasures hidden on the back of a shelf somewhere, needing a new home.

On the clearance shelf, I found this little sign.



Because it had been roughed up somewhere along the way and had a little chunk missing from the top, I got it for $2.99.



And while I'm sure some of you would just take a brown marker to fill in the broken area, I'm far too ambitious for that. (ha!) Besides, while this bronze color is nice, it didn't really do anything for me. So I gave it a quick coat of white paint.



And added some raw umber glaze I had from previous art projects.



I like how it turned out, but...I don't know. It still doesn't feel right. It almost seems too "girly" for my tastes. Any suggestions?

Cissy and Sammi say hi!

This has been a good week for thrifty treasures

(my good camera had dead batteries, so I had to use the little cheapy camera to take these pics. so you'll understand why they stink. not that I take great pictures with the good camera...)

Between hitting up a schmancy neighborhood community garage sale and a few thrift stores, I got a few cool things for almost no money.

Friday morning I hit up a few sales but didn't find much that I needed/wanted. I did see this pair of nesting tables and pounced on them, even though I knew hubs would roll his eyes and say that we don't have room for any more furniture (which is exactly what he said when he saw me unloading them from my truck).



But I loved them so, and they are solid wood and oh so cute. I couldn't pass them up for $10. I admit I stood there for the longest time debating on whether to bring them home, because I didn't know where I'd put them (it's true, we don't have any more room for furniture). Then I remembered there's a perfect spot in our master bathroom between the cabinets and the tub. I can put a basket with rolled up towels on the little table and it will be perfect.

Unfortunately, our master bathroom is halfway gutted right now, so until we finish that project, I put the nesting tables in the corner of my dining room with a couple of plants on them. It works for now.



I saw this mirror at a g-sale and it was half price, so I paid $5. It's hard to tell from my picture, but it's quite large and is one of those old mirrors...you know those heavy, wood-backed mirrors that would kill you if it fell on you.



I was lucky and found another piece of vintage Pyrex. This pattern is called Town & Country. It's a large sized bowl and was only $1. Yay! I've never seen this pattern in the thrift stores.



I found two cloches and another floral frog that I'll use to make my beaded wind chimes.




Even though I was out late on Friday night, I drug my sore, tired old bones out of bed at 7am to make the schmancy neighborhood garage sale on Saturday morning. They hold it twice a year (spring and fall).

My FAVORITE find is this pair of lamps. I thought they were so cool and funky. They are glass with a neat etched pattern. It's pretty difficult to photograph these, especially with a stinking cheapo camera. I have absolutely no idea where to put these, but I had to have them. They were only $3 each. I consider my style to be eclectic, but even so, I don't know how these will fit in with my decor. Eh, what do I care, I love them! And isn't that what really matters? :)





I was able to find another piece of Fiesta. I know some folks just collect them, but I use these as my every day dishes.



I love these ceramic candlesticks. There are actually three of them, but the small one had been broken and glued back together. It's still usable, but I don't need it right now.



Not pictured: a tripod for my camera, a linen table runner that is the perfect shade of green for fall ($2.50), a super cool pearly-type beaded scarf-style wrap necklace (love my description, don't you?), a Nordic Track that hubs has been wanting forever (got that for $10...he's used it twice, so I guess we've already gotten our money's worth..ha), a smaller camera bag for $1, and some really cute clothes...too many to take pics of...

Did you have any luck this week thrifting?

Frugal beauty: face/foundation primer

Girls, here's the secret bargain of the century!

I'm always on the lookout for a good deal. If a high end product I like has a dupe, I'll always check it out. Sometimes the dupes are just as good or better. Sometimes they stink. But I'm always willing to try.

I don't always use foundation primer. That's probably because the brand I had (Bare Escentuals) just didn't work well for me, and I just didn't want to waste the money on something else that may or may not work.

Lately I've been hearing people sing the praises of Smashbox Photo Finish primer. It's all over the internet as a "must have" and is listed as one of Sephora's top picks. However at $36 for a teensy bottle, I have to say no thanks.



Being in this crazy wicked southern heat, my already oily skin doesn't hold foundation well. So I did a little research on face primers and found a product that is said to be comparable to the Smashbox Photo Finish primer, but for mere pennies.

Behold the Monistat Chafing Relief Gel. I know what you're thinking. This is not a yeast infection cream for your va-jay-jay, even though it's from Monistat. It's actually a powder gel that you can use for your bra line, thighs, or anywhere you have problems with your clothes chafing your skin.



That being said, according to several articles, the ingredients for the chafing gel are very similar to that of the Smashbox primer. The secret ingredient is the silicone (dimethicone). This lets the product smooth over your skin, filling in smaller lines and pores.

I found the Monistat Chafing Gel at Target for about $5 or $6. The other morning, I put it on before applying my foundation. The texture of the gel is very smooth and glided easily over my skin. I did read that it's better not to rub it into your skin like you would a moisturizer, simply pat or smooth over the surface or your face. My skin instantly felt smoother and soft. I didn't find the product to be greasy at all. After a few minutes, I applied my make-up as usual.

I have to tell you, this product was amazing! My make-up stayed in place all day. The oiliness I usually experience was MUCH less. In fact, I didn't notice any oiliness until the very end of the day. I have a small smile line starting on the one side of my mouth, and my make-up usually creases in there. When using the chafing gel, it did not.

So all in all, I think this is a great primer. Before investing in an expensive brand, maybe give this one a try for yourself. It's a small investment at $5-$6 and if it works for you, you'll be thrilled!

A shopaholic I am not

But you probably wouldn't know it by the last few blog posts I've had. ha! Seriously, I'm not much of a shopper. But I am a thrifter, and I think there's a big difference! :) I'm frugal and like a good bargain. Who doesn't?! Besides that, it's not necessarily the "things" that make me happy. I enjoy the process. I love scouring obscure places or piles of junk for some sweet treasure. If I don't find one, that's ok. I enjoyed it nonetheless.

This last week, hub's band was in the studio in Ft. Worth recording a new album. On Wednesday I went with him, and after spending a little while in the studio, we hit the town. We spent some time doing some fun things (more about that another day), but we took the opportunity to hit up the Ft. Worth thrift stores!

Hubs found some really cool pearl snap shirts and vintage coats that he can wear to his gigs. We also found this vintage Samsonite suit case. It was only $5! He thought it would be a good case for a snare drum. Which it is, because those suitcases are nearly indestructible. When we got it home, I thought it might be too small for a snare drum, but it was a perfect fit. I think it's very retro and cool!



This time of year seems to be good for finding holiday items on the cheap. I guess people are cleaning out their closets and getting rid of stuff, not realizing they'll probably kick themselves come holiday time, wishing they'd kept everything!

I found a cute metal halloween cat, and a cute metal sleigh that I can think of a gazillion ways to use.





The little silver tray came from the Goodwill ($2) and I bought it with a specific project in mind (no, not a chalkboard project that is all the rage right now...you'll see!). The little cone shaped basket came from an antique mall in Ft. Worth. It was something like $.50.



At that same antique mall I found a metal wall basket, which I've been on the lookout for quite a while. But I never wanted to pay the high prices. This one was under $10. It's black with an ugly gold tone, but I've already taken care of that with a little black paint.



While in the antique mall, I saw a lady trying to move a big piece of furniture. She wasn't having much luck. There were several people, including some strong men, that walked right past her without offering to help. So I did. Turns out, she's a dealer at the store and was moving it from one of her booths to another. She was so thankful that she offered to give me some candles from one of her booths. I told her it wasn't necessary, but she insisted. She ended up giving me about 7 or 8 yummy cinnamon candles (my favorite!). While talking with her, I learned that she just went through chemo for breast cancer, had back surgery last year, and is about to have hip surgery. I told her whenever I burned the candles I'd think of her and say a prayer that she has good health. Very sweet lady!



Yesterday I went to a local antique mall to just walk around and look for ideas. I found a few things on sale: a cute little heart ornament for my valentine tree, some halloween mask floral picks for my halloween tree, a cute little felt halloween pillow and a metal "believe" sign for Christmas. In total I think I spent less than $7.





Here's my fave purchase. I saw this huge glass jar that just spoke to me. It's so funky and squatty and I needed it. And, I think it was only $10. I mean really, could you have passed that up? I'm not sure if I'll put it on top of one of the armoires or maybe on top of the cabinets in the kitchen. I think this sucker weighs about 50lbs. Not really, probably only 40. ha



It's almost bigger than Cissy!



I found these two gorgeous red silk pillows at a garage sale for $2/each. That same night, I saw some similar, if not identical, at Target for $18/each. *pats self on the back for finding such a good bargain* ;) (again with the puke yellow walls? I don't know why that keeps happening in my pictures!)



In an effort to get out of the house today (I finished my housework yesterday and wanted something to do), I went to our downtown courthouse square to look for inspiration. The little shops always have such great displays and are spilling over with ideas. And I found a couple of little things I couldn't leave behind because they were such a good price. One antique store is going out of business (the building was bought by a church and is being turned into a coffee house...never mind there are already THREE coffee houses on the square! I hate that all of the antique stores are being run out!) and everything was on sale. I got this plain window for $6 (I have a project in mind for it) and a "big bag of Christmas garland" for $5!! That alone made my day. If you know me, you know I *love* decorating for Christmas, and this bag of garland would have probably cost a TON brand new. I think the dealer used it for display purposes during the holidays. You can't really tell from the picture, but that bag is filled to the max with garland...tons of it.





The little nest on an old rusty spring is new (funky, I love it!), as is the metal saucer. The cloche is not.





I can't believe it's almost the middle of August. This year has flown by. I think school starts up in a couple of weeks, because hubs said parents are calling him to get their kids back into drum lessons again. It's hotter than the surface of the sun outside, too. Seriously, it's suffocating. The A/C in my Xterra seems to have gone caplooey. Well, it's still blowing air, but it's warm air. So hopefully hubs will have that fixed sometime this week. I need to get out in the yard to clean up some flower beds, but honestly, the heat is wearing me out. I can't exactly weed beds at 3am when it's finally cooled down to a frosty 90 degrees outside! Anything interesting going on with you this week? Before we know it, it will be time to pull out all of our fall decorations and start planting mums!

I'll be linking up with Rhoda at Southern Hospitality when she gets her "thrifty finds" post up later in the weekend. If you have anything to share, be sure to stop by her blog!



Here's the link...Join the fun on the Southern Hospitality blog! We're sharing our garage sale and thrifty finds!