Yucky Weather=Yucky Photos...

Hello,

I wanted to share some photos of my fall decor- but the weather is just blechy (which equals awful light in my house).  I have decided to share them anyway... 

Well, here is what you see when you first walk into my house.  

-tall candle holder in the back- $2.00 from Hobby Lobby

-tall vanilla candle-gift

-copper colored double 5x7 photo frame- $3.00 at walmart with $1.00 Target paper inside

-smaller copper frame-$2.00 Target clearance

-candle covered with a strip of burlap-$5.00 from Michaels

-sparkly pumpkin-$.75 at Goodwill

Then, here is my newest .99 basket filled with potpouri from Walmart $5.00

Here is my other display in the living room- I know it is busy!  I like it though-

-Halloween candle holders- .99 each

-statues from Hobby Lobby- $1-$3

-tall "spooky" tree- free from yard sale- sprinkled some moss around the bottom and modge-podged some of the paper from the Target $1.00 pack I bought.  I am looking for things to add to the top to make it more "spooky".  

Then, there is the kitchen....

When you first walk in you see: 

- photo of my kitties- free from Walgreens, .99 holder and free frame

-huge glass bowl- gift (with limes, ivy, and grapes inside for now- $2.00 off local craigslist site)

-bell jar-from the $5.00 grab bag sale I posted previously about

-silver tray w/ spray paint -.50 with .25 ghost and .99 holder (all from Goodwill)

-Candle w/ burlap wrapped around it

On the other side of the sink...

-free paper towel dispenser I painted brown

-plate from grab bag sale painted brown w/ more of the Target paper on .75 holder from a Texas thrift store.  

-the moss ball display on the left is possibly changing- I can't decide if I like the candle holder with it (trying to decide before I paint it).  

Here is my veggie storage area... I painted a bucket that had been given to me at work and painted scroll work on the front.  Did the same thing to the knife set from Ikea and then bought the black basket at Goodwill for .99

Here is my dryer... I am not very happy with it yet- still looking for things to add.  Trying to decide if I should paint the lamp, recover the shade, and I am not sure what to do with the candle holders... I am open to suggestions.    I think that the candle holders are perhaps too tall....

and do you remember the pitiful pink tissue dispenser I found recently?  Here it is again, but rehabbed and refabbed :)   Perfect for holding my dryer sheets.  

I hope you enjoyed this small Fall tour of my house :)  Have a wonderful weekend! 

Linking to :

Taking friends to the airport...

Hello,

So, last weekend one of my best friends called and asked if we could take her and her family to the airport.  Sounded like another trip to the big city :)

Honestly, I wasn't planning on spending a lot.  I have a few things in mind that I am still looking for, but not much.

Well, as we were driving around (after dropping our friends off), what did I spot from the highway...

Yardsale!  With temps in the high 50's- and it being gloomy &  overcast- these people were brave!!!  I ended up getting a few things (2 candle holders, a tall column candle holder, a rusty cross yard/wall display,  and some other misc things) for all the cash I had ($4.00).  

Have a few projects in mind for everything, but here is the first one.  I had been looking for something for the brown & creme striped table I posted about recently.  

Well, I forgot to take a real before picture, so picture this pic- but with the holder being black instead of brown.  Threw in some orange tealights that I had laying around.   I liked it, but thought it needed a little something.

Enter the ribbon I have been saving for a special occasion.  Love it!  

Then, here is the kitty who hates it because it is taking up the spot she normally likes during the day.  

Thanks for checking out my post :) 

I am entering this in: 

2nd Time Around Tuesday at A Picture is Worth 1000 Words 

and

Hot Time in the Big City (and Goodwill 50% off day!)

So, my hubby decided he wanted to go to the "big city" yesterday... at the crack of dawn (okay, it was 8, but it felt like dawn after the week I had last week).

Goodwill was having the 50% off sale for the month and he was there early.  When he got home (I wasn't planning on going to ours because I knew they didn't have a lot out), he told me that they had the cube organizers for cheap (the ones with the baskets).  Score!  Get there, someone was pushing them out the door. Fail!  Oh well, I did get the picture frame for .49.  

We get to the big city- and go to our next Goodwill- boo!  The line was out the door almost and it was so disorganized.  There was a small church across the street having a sale and I got the frame below to paint and a cute little owl (who is MIA- think he is still in the car).   I felt bad for them because they had a bunch of people come in and tear up all of their nice work and piles.  .50 for the frame and the owl.  

We went to a used book store and I found a great old book in the free bin- going to try to turn it into a Jack-o-Lantern face.  Having a hard time getting it to stay perfectly round...

Later on, we were driving to lunch when I spot another church having a sale.  I was THISCLOSE to getting a cute clotche (sp?), but someone grabbed it first.  Ended up getting the tissue box below- have big plans for it soon! Only .25!  

Then, what do we spot around the corner.  A yard sale that was finishing up- everything was free (YES FREE!).  I ended up grabbing the tree, paper towel holder.  The paper towel holder will be painted, and I am starting on a craft idea for the tree... 

We ended up going to a few more Goodwill sales.  One was a bust, the other was just plain gross (dh did find a Nintendo power glove though... for .89) and then the best one- I found:

-big sparkly pumpkin .75

-small ghost .25

-spooky candle holders (.99 each)

-small pumpkin .50

-chalkboard cat frame for .99

Ran in to the Dollar Tree to see if they had a better selection than mine, and I found these cuties- already in my front window. $4.00 + tax (including the small tea lights). 

Also, found all of this on clearance or in the dollar section of Target- Planning on making some Christmas gifts and doing some other decorative things around the house...

And last, but not least, the cute basket below.  I already put some fall decorative potpouri in it- super cute!  Just have to hope the cats don't chomp on it.  .99!  They had the cutest mirrors there with no price- they wanted $17  a piece when I asked.  CRAZY!  I can buy a mirror at Walmart for less than that.  

Best thing about everything is that I sold some things on our local Craigslist-ish website and so it was like I didn't spend any money today!  Whoo Hooo! 

I am linking up to Dalomba Days Goodwill Goodies Party this week- hop over there for some great Goodwill finds!!! 

Have a great week!  

Oh, the deals!!!- Old Business First

Howdy :)

First, some old business...

1.  Here is a photo of the table I posted about previously in its new home.  I am still not sure about it.  It has kind of grown on me... but I think it is missing something.

2.  Here is a photo or two of allll the loot from the Franklin rummage sale I went to.  $5 PEOPLE! For ALLL that good stuff :) (well, good stuff to me, junk to others).   Ignore the fat kitty smelling all the new things in her house.  

If you look in the above photo- you see a round black photo frame.  I was not loving it (it had a 10.00 price tag on it from Ross- brand new condition!), but now after a coat of spray paint, some scrap book paper I had laying around, and a vinyl letter from Etsy- Much better! 

I also have put the bunny in the photo on a shelf in my bedroom.  Now he has some moss in his baskets though.  

The plate also got a coat of brown paint (glossy by accident).  Wait for an update later in the week on it :)

More to be posted soon...

Check out some other great items at:

The things not posted...

Well, 

I recently got a new camera- as I was cleaning out my memory card from my old camera, I came across a few projects not posted here.  Wanted to share them and get opinions...

I have had this table in my bedroom forever (yes, forever).  I think I got it for 9.99 from a catalog that used to be popular (they had items for 9.99 and 14.99).  It was wobbly and clashed with my room design.

I sprayed it white, and then taped off stripes on the top and drawer.  Painted the stripes brown.  Added 2 .99 pulls to the front and there you go- new table for less than two bucks.  Will post a pic of the final product next week.  

I would love some opinions... the table seems a bit drastic with the brown and creme.  Does anyone else agree?   I thought about maybe rubbing a glaze on top to antique it a bit, but don't want to ruin it.  I did sand the edges, but other than that- I am not sure.... 

Check out some other great items at Between Naps on the Porch

Long Time- No See :)

Wow- Almost two months since my last post...

Back to school time has been especially crazy this year.  I will be thankful next year, because I will be finished with my masters.  We have been in school for a month now, and I think I am at a point to where I will be able to post on at least a bi-weekly basis.  

So, what have I been up to... as far as crafting goes- not much regrettably.  I am planning on trying some things out tomorrow.  Have my fingers crossed.  

But, I did come across a GREAT thing today.  So, I was at one of my favorite kind of local blogs (Frugal In Franklin) and she had mentioned a huge rummage sale happening this weekend.  Hubby and I didn't get there until about an hour before closing.   The signs outside said "Everything 1/2 price".  Score!!  About 5 minutes after we got there, the ladies made an announcement that they were going let you fill a bag for $5!!! Score again!

I got:

-12-15 new books for my classroom library (at over 850 books, I think I am a bit obsessed)

-the cutest bunny planter  (he has 2 baskets- one on each side of his back

-2 frames (one still has a 7.99 ross sticker!)  One is round and perfect for a project I have in mind- the other is 8x10 and will hold my free Walgreen's photo. 

-stoneware coster for beside my bed (which I have REALLY needed)

-bag of gummy bracelets (at least 100) was going to give away at school, but not sure with the message on them. 

-Don't mess with Texas mug (has 5.99 sticker)

-Stuffed Tiger (school mascot) my cats are already stalking it

-Cute large decorative plate (thinking about painting it sometime soon)

-small energy teaching kit (for my treasure box)

-small shower head still NIP (Our old emergency one broke recently- thought we would keep for an emergency :)  after we had to take baths for 2 days, thought it would be handy to have one)  

-vintage ball mason jar with lid

- and a small cat pillow for catnip

For $5.00!!!!  I was planning on buying the frames and the Texas mug before the sale mention, as well as the vintage mason jar :).  The sale just pushed me into getting the other things.  I loved the plate, but didn't want to pay $2.00 for something I would just paint.    

Will post pics soon...  My camera cord somehow got left at work. 

So, check out all of the great finds over at Southern hospitality! 

Before & After- Part Two

Hello,
Well, I didn't have any guesses on what the mystery item was in my previous post... If anyone has any guesses- please share!

I have two more items I made over in the past week: Go over to Southern Hospitality or Between Naps on the Porch to check out some other great finds this week.

1. The first item has been hanging in my bedroom forever (I thought about it- and I remember buying it when my niece was a baby, and she is nine now). It matched the previous decor of shabby roses. It wasn't bad- just dated and out of place.


I then used some pliers and pulled out all of the green ribbon, and popped off the buttons.

Now, I wasn't sure if I should strip the board, or just cover over it. I decided to cover over it- it seemed easier. Used this brown fabric I found. Was going to try burlap, but I was afraid it would be too "manly" for this project. My heavy-duty stapler was NOWHERE to be found (think it is in my classroom somewhere), so I bought out my glue gun instead. Easy Peasy!

The last two steps were the hardest. I then used this chocolate colored silky ribbon on the front. I know it is a bit off in spots, but I tried to get it on evenly. It took forever! Finally gave up and just glued it in frustration. Then, I had pealed the fabric off of the buttons, and decided to glue them back on uncovered. The easiness of the project finally returned. Here are the results:

Total cost: $5.00!

Project two is my favorite one yet....
2. My dh & I had gone on an adventure to "the big city" recently to shop around and such. Well, any trip to the big city now has to involve a trip to the Goodwill Clearance Center. I have to say that for 2:00 on a Thursday, it was surprisingly crowded. Crowded with stingy wolves! People were shoving, snatching, and being all around scary folks. Lucky for me, they were not looking for the same things I was looking for.

S0, I found this owl first thing, along with this heavy wooden frame, a Victoria Secret Pink makeup bag (not pictured, but in my purse holding all of my misc things) and a big round wooden ball (see future post) for only $4.00. I was excited. I had planned to use the owl in a different project, and the frame for something else too, but as I waited in line, I had a vision...

I decided to paint the frame dark brown, and take out the glass. I used the same brown fabric from my picture board and glued it to the cardboard. Then, I sprayed the owl with a cream colored spray paint. Had to bend his ears and bottom a bit to make him fit, but here is the end result.


Not bad in my book! So, what do you think?

Before and After- Part One

Well,
Sadly for me, the summer is winding down. I go back to school soon, so I have been trying to finish up some projects around the house.

I am going to put a few things up today, and have a few more posts to follow. I also have 2 quandaries that I need help with...

The first- does anyone have an idea what this is? I found it for .50 on Goodwill's 1/2 off day and thought I could use it to display a chalkboard tray, but that doesn't work. What should I do with it? My next quandry will come with my part two post. Thanks for the ideas!


So, I had this vase- thought it was a bit boring...

Then I made a moss ball and put it on top...
(don't know why it is sideways)

Still thought it was a bit bland, so I sprayed the vase white and here is the result
(again, turn your head sideways lol).

So, here is my final result, along with my .99 iron cheese display (with bird nest & eggs) and my .50 silver chalkboard tray and .50 iron display. It was originally a cheap gold color- but a bit of white helped it out.



I really like how it turned out! Thinking about maybe changing the tray holder color, but I am not sure what I should change it to. I spray painted the iron cheese display is a dark brown (it was blue), but I think that would be too much for the tray holder. Oh well... I am pleased with how it turned out.

Be on the look out for part two soon!

Check out all of the other thrifty finds over at Southern Hospitality :) or the great makeovers at Between Naps on the Porch

Tasty Tuesday: Family Recipe: Pepper Rice

I know you are thinking- pepper rice.  That must be hot & spicy.  Nope- doesn't have to be.  I make this with sweet banana peppers, but you could use others if you are braver than me.  This is perfect to use those pepper that are springing up in gardens everywhere.  I am giving you the recipe the way my mom & grandma make it, but I personally think it needs a bit more milk in the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time (I just stir it around and add more milk to make it creamy) and I cook it usually for about 20-30 minutes longer than the recipe says (my rice never gets done in that short of a time, but my mom's rice does).  

Anyway, now to my recipe:

Pepper Rice

1 cup uncooked converted long grain rice or brown rice

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 6 slices American cheese, broken into large pieces
• 4-5 fresh anaheim chilies, hatch chilies or sweet banana peppers, seeded and very roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix everything in a 2 quart casserole using the milk to rinse out the soup can.
3. Stir halfway through, be sure to stir all the way to the bottom.
4. Add more liquid if it starts to dry out before rice is done.
5. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until rice is tender (I usually have to cook for closer to an hour- I just taste a piece of rice at the 30 minute mark, and that is when I usually stir it around and add more milk).  I would continue to stir every 10 minutes or so and taste, but that is just me.  

So, hop on over to Jen's blog at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam to see a ton of other tasty recipes! 

~Thrifty Finds~ Shopping in my own House

Today I decided to share two projects that came from my own house.  My hubby and I did manage to pick up a few things at the Goodwill 50% off sale, but no photos yet (guess that will come next week).  Also bought some CUTE things at the Goodwill clearance center in "the big city" including a tin owl and a shabby frame for some vintage keys from dh's grandfather.  Will post pics soon. 

I have been redoing my bedroom.  I used to have more of the "Shabby Chic" green & pink look.  In the past few months, I have moved towards browns/reds/cremes/some greens.  

I had these cubes that I had gotten from Target forever ago for super cheap.  They were holding some old photos and not very cute.  They were a shabby green

I sprayed them grey, then gave them a coat of brown.  Getting better!

Then, I went to Hobby Lobby & got the cutest white paper.  Cut it out to fit the back.  

Then sprayed it brown.  Love them now!!!  I need to flip the paper around on the smaller one- accidently sprayed the wrong side instead of the glossy one.  

I had bought the white paper to cover these frames:

I also got them at Target for cheap after an Easter clearance one year.  Liked them, but they didn't fit anymore.  I had also bought a brown/creme printed paper for the back of the boxes- but since I used the white on them, I decided to try and use the print paper on the frames.  After a few swipes of my glue stick, here is what I ended up with.  

Not bad for under $5.00!!!  

Join us over at Southern Hospitality and check out all of the thrifty finds this week! 

Crazy Cat Lady Issues....

Well, I can admit it- I am a crazy cat lady.  Petsmart sends my kitties birthday cards, and they have tons of toys. Up until this point- they have been in an old rubbermaid shoebox on my dryer and all over the house.  It has been driving me crazy (see crazy cat lady title above :) ).  I have had my eye out for a solution... I knew I wanted something that could go in the living room. 

Well, when I was in Texas, I found a GREAT store!  It is called Berry Good Buys.   All of the money goes to domestic violence victims in the Tarrant County area.  They also provide a place for people who have escaped a bad situation to shop and replace items they may have had to leave behind.  Who wouldn't want to support that??? 

So, I went in with high hopes- and found some great deals.  All of their pants were on sale for $1.00- I bought two pairs of maternity pants to put away for someday (hopefully someday soon).  Also grabbed a cute ivy planter/display for $4.00 (will post picture when I post pics of my kitchen redo), and the best part- my new kitty toy holder!!!!  I had to stand outside for a few minutes before they opened, and it was love at first sight.  It was a bit more than I usually spend ($5.00), but I knew I was supporting a great cause.  

So, here is the container I found:

close up pic

I then spent about 20 minutes gathering up most of the toys in the house...

and found a new spot for them in the living room

To me, not bad for $5.00.  I have debated brushing some brown glaze on the outside to where it will be less white and more creme, but I don't want to ruin it.  In the days since, I have found more toys around and it is almost full.  Yes, we need a 12 step program! Especially since they play with water bottle caps most of the time...

WFMW: Freezing Fruit

Hi :)  I am joining Works for Me Wednesday on We Are THAT Family

I was ecstatic when I found strawberries for .99 at Aldi recently- We had sugared strawberries, strawberry shortcake, and chocolate dipped strawberries.  Soon, we were tired of them.  I looked at them and had a brainstorm- I should freeze some for later in the year when strawberries are expensive.

As I started to get to work, I thought about how I really dislike the bagged strawberries I usually buy because they take forever to crush in my blender when I make smoothies.  So, I took about 10 minutes and cut my strawberries into pieces.  Not tiny pieces, but in fourths.  Then I took my cookie sheet, covered it in foil and put the pieces in the freezer.  Then when they were frozen, I transferred them into a gallon ziplock bag.  Now I have a ton of strawberries for about 4.00! 

I think I am going to do the same thing with the pineapple that is .99 this week.  I want to  find a sale on peaches to freeze.  Hopefully I can have a freezer full of food for the fall/winter.  Hopefully this tip helps you :)

You Will Love Them: Roasted Toasted Green Beans

Now, I know what you are thinking- roasted what????  

Yes, green beans.  They are delicious- in fact, I could probably eat them every day and not tire of them.  Even people who think they don't like green beans end up trying these and loving them.  Give them a shot.  

Roasted Green Beans 

• 2 lbs green beans
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil (or just enough to lightly coat beans)- I usually use canola oil. 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste, may substitute with Mrs. Dash if desired)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or to taste, omit if using Mrs. Dash)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Wash, dry well, and trim green beans.
3. Put green beans on a jelly roll pan.
4. Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (I have even used garlic salt with good results, or Mrs. Dash). 
6. Use your hands to be sure all the beans are evenly coated and spread them out into 1 layer.
7. Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until beans are fairly brown in spots and somewhat shriveled.  They will look burned, but they are not.  That is just the deliciousness coming out :) 
8. Serve hot or at room temperature.

So, check out Jen's blog "Balancing Beauty and Bedlam" and find some tasty recipes!