My Thrifty Treasures

$50 Gift Card Giveaway

2011-05-23T21:28:00.000-06:00

Don't you just love giveaways? I never win them, but there's always the slight anticipation that you might, especially when it is something as awesome as this!

I have a ~~old~~ former college room mate who is one of the great minds behind the blog Women Who Do It All. It reminds me of How Does She, which I love. Anywho, Women Who Do It All is hosting a giveaway on their blog. Naturally, I entered as many ways as I could. Go on over to their blog and enter yo'self! You won't be sorry.

Enter to win something cute like this.

Or a one piece that looks like a tankini

Or if you are a bit more confident in your body (ahem, it is NOT post baby like my own), go for something like this.

Whatever your size or shape, they have something for you! So go check out Swim Spot!

Pier 1 Giveaway

2011-04-29T12:40:00.000-06:00

I've been in LOOOOVE with Pier 1 since the very first time I set foot in their store. I wanted to say to the girl working the counter "I'll take five of everything please, Thanks!" They have THE cutest stuff for summer. It makes me wanna buy a bunch of stuff for summer evening dinners on the back porch deck. Oh wait. We don't have a house. Or a yard. Or a porch. Or even a balcony. Guess I'll have to keep dreaming!

Tatertots and Jello is having a $100 Pier 1 gift card giveaway! Go HERE to get the details and enter.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

2010-10-14T14:41:00.000-06:00

This recipe isn't from scratch, sorry! I found a Krusteaz Lemon Bar mix on sale and bought one since it sounded good. I mean, I was pregnant and grocery shopping. Need I say more? I found this recipe on the back of the box and it is super yummy! It's pretty rich, so you'll wanna cut it into smaller squares.

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

1, 19.35 oz package Krusteaz Lemon Bar Mix (1 pouch each lemon filling mix and complete crust)

8 oz (1 cup) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 8x8x2-inch pan. Press full pouch of complete crust firmly into bottom of pan. Bake 8 minutes (crust will be pale). Place cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth. Add 1 egg and vanilla. Continue to mix on low speed until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture evenly over hot crust. In another bowl, stir full pouch lemon filling mix, water and 3 eggs together using a whisk until eggs are well incorporated. Pour lemon filling over cream cheese layer. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center does not jiggle when shaken. Cool completely and cut into squares. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 16 bars.

Target Steals and Project Teasers

2010-10-07T18:58:00.000-06:00

I've got several projects in the offing but since my sewing machine has gone AWOL and I haven't the money to get it repaired right now, I am waiting on my sister's MUCH anticipated visit in another couple weeks to get them done. She has a sewing machine that she got a few years ago for Christmas that is still in the box because she doesn't really use a sewing machine and isn't much of a sewer. BUT she has some sewing she wants me to do and since she never uses it she is going to bring the machine with her for me to get her sewing done and then leave it for me to get my much needed baby sewing done. WAHOO! I just love my sisters. And not just cuz they do me favors. But because they are a-wesome. They keep me going for SURE.

So this post is a little teaser of some things I have all ready to get sewn as well as some steals I found at Target. I love that place. Every time I leave I love it even more. The only time I ever leave there disappointed is when I can't walk in and say "One of everything please. Thank you!"

Clearence sheet that I am going to make a crib skirt. Only $3.96! I couldn't have bought the yards of fabric I needed for that cheap per YARD, let alone all of them.

Vinyl wall art for a little boys room. It's sports sayings and clip art from football, basketball and baseball. Normally $15, I got it for $3.74. We're in an apartment so we can't paint. This will come off easily when we have to move. Excited to get it up on the wall!

Burp rags with cloth diaper backing all set to be sewn with some coordinating ribbon on the edges.

Fabric cut to size for master bedroom curtains. Sky blue with a chocolate brown panel across the bottom.

Excited to get all this stuff done!

Window Pane for Baby Mumf

2010-09-27T14:26:00.001-06:00

I have a VERY generous friend who has a knack for getting her hands on all kinds of awesome vintage crafty stuff. We have very similar taste. She is someone who inspired me at a young age to enjoy crafting and inpspired my style. She's me home-girl:) When I was home for my baby shower, she gave me a big window and a small one, I could hardly wait to do something cute with it! The only problem was narrowing it down. There are a million options! I'd wanted to do something like this for months, since I saw a Ballard Inspired Design and I knew making one for the baby would be a good start because if I made some goofs, he doesn't care! And not everyone who walks in my front door will see it, unlike if I were to do one for the living room.

This is the lovely on my drop sheet. I gave it a little hand sanding to get rid of the flaking paint, a straight edge to get rid of the paint on the glass, and some windex to clean the glass.

I liked the white, but I thought "Why not add some blue? So I gave the edges of the frame a couple coats of some baby blue paint. Not sure I like it...I'm undecided.

Here are the papers I picked out. Blue and orange is the color scheme for the room. I decided to go with colors, rather than a theme like jungle animals, or sports.

I trimmed my paper down to size (no picture of this step) and then added Mod Podge to the glass and stuck my paper on. *In this project I found out less-is-more with the Mod Podge. Too much made it bubble.*

Ta-Da! Again, not sure how I feel about the blue. Should I take it off? I just don't know...

Silhouette Giveaway

2010-09-24T20:05:00.000-06:00

I get extra chances to win if I post about these Silhouette Giveaway's. So here they are!

Wish me LUCK! The list of things I could do with this little puppy are endless. I would sell my soul to get my hands on one!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2010-09-23T21:17:00.000-06:00

I found this recipe on a blog I follow. I have N-E-V-E-R been able to get my dough of any kind to rise. I have tried countless times over the last several years to make bread, rolls, pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, etc and I can't get it to rise. I've tried hot water, cold water, new yeast, new flour, different climates....UGH! I found this recipe though and since I am nesting AND since it is fall AND since I love anything with pumpkin in it, I had to try this. It was my first SUCCESS! Booya! SO happy. They are delish! Now if only I can make them last a week, ~~rather than scarfing them down in 3 days~~....uhh I mean give them away :)

Here are the top 5 tips for baking with yeast that I found with the recipe and I have no doubt they are what helped me this time around.

MY TOP 5 TIPS FOR BAKING WITH YEAST

From Katie at Good Life Eats

1.Don’t stick to the rising times listed in the recipe. Those are just guidelines. What you’re really concerned with is: Has the dough doubled in bulk? (This was the most important one for me. My dough took almost twice as long as the recipe suggested, but it was worth being patient. And setting my oven to the "warm" setting and letting it rise in there helped.)

2.So I know I want the dough to double in bulk, but how do I know that’s happened? The easiest way I’ve learned is to dust your finger in flour and stick it into the dough (when you get near the recipe rising time listed). The whole will close up if it’s not ready or if it is ready – try again in 5-10 minutes. When it’s ready, the dough will retain the indentation from your finger.

3.Always start with fresh, newly bought yeast. Using old yeast that’s been in your fridge or pantry for months (or years?) on end is always iffy. I like to buy a few new packets at the start of fall when I know I’ll be baking and replenish as needed.

4.You can bake bread without a bread machine, a stand mixer or a food processor. Really, it’s not that hard. I started out with a hand-me-down bread machine just to get comfortable with things and would run it on the dough cycle, but I quickly found it unnecessary (and a large appliance to store). If you have a stand mixer, by all means: USE IT. But don’t let the lack fancy equipment keep you from making bread. It just takes a little elbow grease, which is actually quite satisfying.

5.Try, try again. Everyone has flops. I’ve had rolls that didn’t quite rise enough and turned out like rocks. I’ve had dry bread. But I’ve also had some really good ones. Don’t let failure keep you from giving it another go.

Now for the good stuff!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

Makes approximately 15-16 rolls

Roll Dough:

1/4 cup warm water (not hot, about 110 degrees)

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1/3 cup warm milk

1 large egg, beaten

3/4 cup pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 cups (approximately) All-Purpose Flour

1 1 /4 cup Whole Wheat Flour (I used more white flour since that's what I had)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Filling:

1 stick butter

2/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon each of allspice and ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese

1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon lemon juice

2-3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

*In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften. Let rest for 5 minutes before stirring. Add milk, eggs, pumpkin, butter, 2 cups flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.

*Gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

*Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

*Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl, set aside. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.

*Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll. Using a very sharp knife, slice the log into 15 slices. In order to cut down on drag, it helps to rinse the blade in hot water, and wipe it off, between slices. (My Mom always used a piece of thread so that's the method I use. You slide the thread under the roll and over about 1/4" then crisscross and cut the dough.) Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans). Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

*Bake in a preheated 375°F oven. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.

*While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice to a small food processor. Blend until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending in between, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached. (I used 2 cups powdered sugar)

*Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately.

For night before prep: Prepare the rolls up to the point where you roll and place in the pan. Then, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the pan from the fridge and proceed with the instructions where you left off. Rising time may be slightly longer than noted in the recipe due to the dough being cold vs room temp.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

2010-09-21T17:48:00.000-06:00

My cousin's wife passed this recipe on at my request and I tried it today. It is yummy!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1 heaping cup peeled chopped apples
3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 large egg

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

*Heat oven to 400 (350 if you have a dark muffin pan).

*Grease bottom of cups or line with paper cups.

*In large bowl beat apples, milk, oil, and egg with fork or whisk

*In a seperate bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

*Stir into wet mixture just until flour is blended. Batter will be lumpy.

*Divide into muffin cups.

*Bake for 25-30min or until golden brown

*If baked in a greased pan let stand about 5 min.

*If baked in baking cups remove immediately

Crumble topping-
Mix together:
1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

-Cut in 2 Tbs butter and mix until crumbly. Divide among muffins before baking.

Eat and enjoy! (Makes about 15, you might have to double for your family.)

Hiatus Explained

2010-09-21T17:26:00.000-06:00

So my sudden and abrupt hiatus is KINDA coming to an end, I think. We have had a whirlwind of the last 6 months and I haven't had much time for crafting and such. The list of happenings include:

1.) I found out I was pregnant and was sick as a DOG the first 14 weeks. I seriously thought this thing was trying to KILL me. I was soso sick! So I would come home from work and crumple onto the couch until the sweet release of bedtime before it was time to wake up and puke my guts out all over again.

2.) Hubby graduated from the Marriott School of Business with his Masters in Public Administration at BYU. SOOOOOO proud of him, and SOOOO glad we are done with school!

3.) Two days after graduation we packed up a truck and 2 cars to the gills and moved across the country in 2 parts. We dropped off everything we wouldn't need for 6 weeks and all our furniture off at a storage unit in Wichita, KS, as well as my younger sister in Springfield, MO for the summer. Then we headed for Columbia, SC.

4.) Once we got to SC for 6 weeks of summer sales they didn't have the apartment ready for us like we'd thought. So we got to live in a hotel for 4 days. Then we finally got moved in for 6 weeks.

5.) The middle of June we packed up our bare bones home in SC and headed BACK across the country to Wichita, KS.

6.) We moved into our apartment in Wichita and got settled.

7.) Hubby started his new job, a Fellowship with the City of Wichita in the City Manager's office. I've been unpacking, getting settled, getting things slowly ready and acquired for baby and took a few trips to see my family, since they are so close now.

Whew! Busy, busy summer. Now that we are more settled and my nesting instinct is kicking in, I have some crafts to show for baby-prep as well as making our apartment our own. I have also been doing lots of cooking and baking since I have more time now than I ever have since we got married. Looking forward to being back and posting recipes and crafts! BTW, baby is due beginning of November so there will probably be another hiatus at that time. But for now, I'm gonna make the most of it.

Over Used Recipe

2010-03-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is something my Mom made all the time when we were kids. She always had the ingredients on hand and could throw it together in a flash. Since she has left us all of her recipes have become like gold to us, even if they were things we hated as kids. Isn't that funny how that works? Anyway, we love it and it is now one of my husband's favorites as well.

Vernene's Chicken Tettrazzini

6 chicken breasts thawed and cubed

2 Tbsp. olive oil

garlic powder

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

(or cream of chicken if you don't like mushrooms)

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg. spaghetti noodles

(my hubby prefers egg noodles so it's whichever you like)

1. Brown chicken in skillet with olive oil and garlic and other desired seasonings.

2. Add creamed soups, Parmesan cheese, milk, and sour cream to chicken. Warm to simmer on low heat.

3. Cook noodles and drain.

4. Combine them all together in a bowl or the pot and serve! Add more salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese to taste.

So easy and fast! In fact, this is making me want some. I think this will be dinner at our house tonight.

Another variation:

Use beef (ground or cubed steak) instead of chicken and egg noddles instead of spaghetti to make it a beef stroganoff.

Little Lady Aprons

2010-02-24T17:09:00.002-07:00

March is a busy birthday month for my family. Luckily the Mumford side didn't add that many to the mix. I did not get an early enough start this year. RABBIT! (as Moff would say) I wanted to make my nephew that's turning one and LOVES books a quiet book. Alas this idea came to me a week before it would need to be done and I am but one woman with limited time. Maybe I will send it when I get it finished. He is too young to know that it's belated right?

Anyway, so I have been working on birthday presents for two of my favorite cuties. My nieces Aubrey who will be turning 8 and getting baptized! And her sister Gracie who will be 6 (going on 26). She's got more spunk than women three times her age! I got the sewing bug one Saturday and wanted to make them something. I had some odds and ends of fabric and it was just enough to make some cute little aprons! YESSSSSS!

I started with some polka dotted remnant fabric from Wally World.

The turquoise fabric is some cloth napkins. I bought a set of 4 on clearance at Target for $2. Extra buttons I had in my button bin.

Ribbon I had on hand.

This is the fabric for the other apron. Also Wal-Mart remnant fabric. I love the red and white striped flannel. It makes me think of Christmas morning flannel PJ's.

Spare white cotton fabric

White ribbon

Buttons from button bin

I didn't get a picture of this step since I didn't have my models to measure and I was too ~~impatient~~ excited to wait for my sister to get them to me. Measure their waist and cut about 8-10 extra inches, depending on how much you want it gathered.

Here's the pocket for one of them. I folded it in half to make sure it was symmetrical since I have issues there.

Pinned and ironed edges. Sewed them to give a nice edge seam.

There are several ways I could have gathered/pleated this apron. I chose to fold the top seam over and sew. I just eyeballed it because it doesn't need to be perfect since the sash will be sewed over the top of this.

Here's the fold in my fabric. Fold and pin to your hearts content.

Sew straight seam along the top, keeping the folds in place

Here is what it should look like when you're done with that step.

Sewed ribbon along the bottom to clean up the edge. Also added it to the top to use as the sash to tie in back. Again, make this about twice the length of their waist measurement. They'll want room to make a bow in back

Some detail of the pocket on the polka dot apron. I hand sewed it since I wanted it to kind of have a visible, irregular, handcrafted stitch on the edge.

Some button detail on the bottom of the red one. Red button with white thread, white buttons with red thread.

Flowers on the front instead of a pocket. Made from ribbon and buttons using this tutorial.

I know a lot of people use No Fray but I don't keep it on hand and clear nail polish does the same thing. Painted it on the edges to keep the ribbons from fraying.

Finished product! (It needs to be ironed obviously:)

Hand stitching on the pocket. It makes me giggle.

Red-striped one. Don't you love the pleats at the top?!

My little flower friends

Now some pictures of my muses:

Isn't she so happy and smiley?! Aubrey Vernene

Me and my Aubrey Girl

Chillin on a Summer afternoon

Nothing livens up a road trip like a self-photo shoot of funny faces!

Isn't she just irresistible?! I love my Gracie Ann!

This was the day we were twins:)

Nothing like a snuggly princess in her jammies.

Gracie is in love with Bryce my hubs. The weekend we traveled for him to meet my family before we were engaged she followed him around EVERYWHERE!

Gracie and Aubrey and I

Gracie, Me and Aubrey Pioneer Day Parade

Thoughts of Spring

2010-02-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

So Valentine's is all but officially over and who is ready for Spring? ME ME ME! I am ready for:

Sunshine
Flowers
Springtime colors
temperatures above 50 degrees
NO MORE SNOW!

Since I live in Utah that is probably wishful thinking. It IS after all only the middle of February and we usually get snow until April. But a girl can dream. And dream I will. I don't know if I have E-V-E-R been so ready for Spring in my entire life. I literally feel like I will throw up if it snows again. I'm allergic to winter. Here are some of my favorite Spring-y things that are getting me thru:

Grey and Yellow blossom rug from Target

Multi-colored flower rug from Target.

I wish I could have something like this in my home but alas, it has pink! I love the swirls with the flowers though. It reminds me of something David Bromstad would to on ColorSplash.

Colorful throw pillow from Pier 1. This is bright and fun, kinda Asian inspired. I love it!

I love this bedding from Pottery Barn. And the bed. How gorgeous are those legs?!

Lovin this door handle from Anthro. I love it so much I would spend $42 on it. I could do an entire post just on things I want to do with antique door handles. They are so full of character!

Fun pillow from Pier 1. This is literally blooming!

This pretty rug is from Anthropologie. Mustard is my new favorite color these days.

Curtains from Anthropologie. Which I love and all but over $100 for curtains? Not a chance. Wouldn't this be great with the rug above? Mmmm loverly.

Vintage Stoves

2010-02-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

We were watching some episodes of one of our all time faves "Everybody Loves Raymond" tonight and 80% of the episode took place in Deborah's kitchen. I couldn't help but notice (in between fits of laughter where I was within seconds of wetting my pants at Robert's pantlessness) the gorgeous stove gracing Deb's kitchen. HELLO! How have I never noticed that before?! I decided not to point it out to my hubs since he was busy laughing and I didn't wish to interrupt about a house/decorating detail...AGAIN! But I searched the web and found some beauties that I want in a kitchen of my own someday.

I see a shining ray of light. This is soso pretty! Courtesy of Old House Web

I can just imagine something like this in my Grandma's kitchen. Courtesy of Antique Gas Stoves

How cute is this?! The orange is fun, I wish I could be brave enough to have an orange stove. But I love the warming rack in the middle. Courtesy of Home Appliances

Ellie Bean

2010-02-04T19:42:00.002-07:00

How cute is this little girl?! I cant even stand it! This is one of my 6 nieces (and 4 nephews) that live far, far, far away. So far away I sometimes wonder if I imagined it existed. I miss them ~~terribly~~ wretchedly. So much so it makes me cry when I hear their favorite songs on the radio, or see their picture on my fridge, or hear their cute voicemails on my phone. Positively gut-wrenching! But these pictures make me feel closer to them. And make me feel like MAYBE not as much time has passed as really has whenever I get to see them again. I love you Ellie Bean! You have a little piece of my heart that I will never get back. And that is okay with me.

Here is my sister's post about this diva's "outfit":

This morning Ellie came up the stairs wearing this! She was also demanding breakfast and her Uncle Jarom. This girl loves her some strawberry oatmeal and Uncle Jarom!! It is now 9:30...and she's still wearing most of this. The sunglasses proved too annoying to eat in so they had to go. Spencer snatched one of her necklaces and there was a small scuffle regarding Spencer's crocs...but in the end, Ellie Almighty won and now she's sitting on the couch in her morning garb, watching "Max & Ruby", her tummy full of strawberry oatmeal...but still no Uncle Jarom.

He's at school. You know, that wretched place that snags all her older playmates for hours and days and years on end. Not sure how this little thing will make it through when Jarom goes on a mission in a year and a half...and then to college...and then gets married and lives far, far away. I'm not gonna tell her about all that stuff yet.

Buttons for little fingers

2010-01-28T17:54:00.001-07:00

For my job I am an OT Aide for the school district here. I LOVE what I do. I worked in Early Intervention for 2 years before I found this job and LOOOVED that one too. Little kids are just fun for me.

We do a lot of work with our kids that need help with handwriting, correct 3-finger grasp, fine motor skills, finger strength, isolated finger grasp blah blah blah (you guys don't care:) BASICALLY we need them to be able to lots of tiny little things with their fingers as a pre-cursor to writing. Our kids get tired of the same-old clothespins, pennies, thera-putty, pegboards. So we are always looking for new things to interest them and get them to use those 3 fingers. FOUND ONE!!! And using things I had laying around the house. Oh how I love that!

Materials:
Sticky backed velcro
scissors
buttons (shapes, sizes and colors up to you)
paint sticks (yep, the FREE paint stirrers from Home Depot and Lowes. I spray painted mine black before I got started.)
(Ignore the Gorilla Glue. I forgot the velcro was self-adhesive. That's how smart I am...)
I'm doing 4 button sticks. I thought "Why not mix in learning colors too?"
I wanted a couple more colors on my stick and since I'm making them I can do that:) Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white. So I can say "Put the red one on" or "Pull off the yellow one."
I cut up strips of the sticky velcro and put them on the stick. I put the soft side on the back of the buttons and trimmed them to size. (upper right-hand corner)
VOILA! That easy. I did it in ONE (1) UNO Episode of ColorSplash ( I heart that show)
I can't wait for my kids to try this on Monday.

Spray Paint and Mod Podge really do love each other

2010-01-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to do a fun magnet board. But the plain ones are like $15, even at the craft store. Sorry amigo, no can do. I found this little friend at DI...$1.50 for those of you who can't see the price tag. That's more like it:)

I pried the front pieces off the back using my flat head. Sophisticated right?:)
I then un-screwed the rings holding the hanging wire.
It pretty much looks like someone made it for High School shop class. The metal is all unevenly cut and rusty around the edges. I washed it off and cleaned it all up. Then I painted the frame pieces black. Black spray paint is the fastest, easiest, cheapest transformation ever. I am convinced.
(I blame my camera for the blurri-ness) I got this scrapbook paper a while ago and have been saving it for a living room project since this is my color scheme (turquoise and chocolate brown)
I then trimmed the paper down to size and Mod Podged it on. (I didn't get a picture of this process because the oven timer went off and you have to get it on while it's wet...too many hats, I know. Heaven forbid I try to do one thing at a time.
It looked a little blah, so I free handed an "M" on white paper and cut it out and stuck it on with Mod Podge.
While it dried I made this cute little flower magnet. I already had the magnet and made one of these ribbon flowers. They are so easy, I have made like a brazillion of them for cards, scrapbook pages, and other crafts.
Stuck the magnet on with Gorilla Glue.
Ta da! I think I love you...

Artwork Magnet Board

2010-01-22T22:23:00.001-07:00

Now that Christmas is over I can post my projects! YAY! This one was one of my faves. My Brother-in-Law Marc and his wife Michelle have 4 darling little kids and live in Salt Lake. They have a GORGEOUS house and my favorite thing about the house is this little art/work room they have. Each of the kids have a built in desk and cabinets to do their homework and artwork and have their space. In the middle of the room there is this HUUUUUUUGE (seriously probably 6x8 feet) glass top island that Michelle puts the kids artwork under to display. I thought it would be fun to give them something to display their artwork on the wall too.

I started with 2 pkgs. of magnetic clamps from Wally World. The black and white matched my color scheme perfectly.
And Gorilla Glue- I am officially converted!
I picked up one of these metal plaques from Robert's. I got it for $10 since I used my 40% off coupon. Score!
Sorry it's blurry. I am uber aware of my need for a new camera. But isn't the crackle lovely? Mmmmm
I glued the magnets on. Just to make sure they stayed. With little kids I didn't want to take any chances.

Put the vinyl letters on from my darling friend Andy. (Someday I will tell you about how she was so sweet it made me cry when I opened the vinyl letters)

On my wall
All fresh and ready to hold their artwork!

Ruffles

2010-01-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

I PROMISE my next post will be of a craft that I did. I have been really busy lately and really only have time for scrapbooking and people don't want to see my scrapbook pages sooo. Anyway I have a love affair with ruffles, among other things. I have always loved them but gotten more into things with ruffles lately. They just suck me in! I have purchased more than a couple shirts and shoes lately with ruffles. Delicious!

Are you kidding me?! My 2 favorite things: ruffles and damask.
I think I could make one of these pillows fairly easy
Pretty!
I love the stripes. Kinda sailor-ish. I even like it displayed on the easel. Very beach house-y.

Ruffly pillows in all shapes and sizes...
And colors...
I LOVE THIS! It looks like actual flower petals all over the pillow.

I think I like this. It would probably be pretty easy to do...
I bought some back satin flats identical to these. I LOOOOVE the ruffles on the top.
I am wiping the drool off my chin from looking at these. The color is fantastic. They're $500 Jimmy Choo's. (not) Awesome.
My 2 favorite things: ruffles and polka dots!
This dress is so cute! Wouldn't it be great with a cute little white cardigan and steel silver flats?!
This ruffled pencil skirt from Victoria's Secret is on sale!
This is just lovely! I want to try and make one...we'll see how I do
Wouldn't this be fun to wear dancing?
Normally I would say this is over the top. But it's a wedding dress. And don't you want everyone looking at you on your wedding day? I know a couple girls who could pull this off beautifully.
My wedding dress was VERY similar to this. I wish I woulda shown this to my seamstress. Those ruffles along the sides are BEYOND gorgeous!
Oh I love this dress!

Furniture Love

2010-01-11T17:34:00.001-07:00

I am already decorating a house I don't own, or am even shopping for. I, for one, consider it a hobby.

For knick-knacks in a corner of a living room

Wouldn't this be grrrrrreat for an entryway/front hallway to gather shoes and such?

This would go in my turquoise and chocolate brown themed living room now.

I want these for dining room seat cushions! Too bad they have pink flowers, the hubs has veto-ed them...:'(

I wanna put our flat screen on this someday. It's sleek and classic but not TOO big and bulky.I want this pretty lady at the foot of our king bed that will have a frame (someday:)

Dreaming

2010-01-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

So I do lots of dreaming about homes and decorating. And by dreaming I usually mean day dreaming. But counter space and storage space (for the kitchen and my entire household) are something my NIGHT dreams are made of. For real. Last week I dreamed I had a ginormous kitchen with not one but TWO dishwashers (an upgrade from our big fat zero unless you count my own hands, which I do NOT!), yards and yards of counter space, a non-divided farm sink, and more cabinets than I could clean in an entire day. I remember because in my dream I tried to clean them in one day. We have a whole 3 square feet of counter space, and 2 cabinets. It makes me crazy. All kinds of crazy! I was also watching a self imposed "Color Splash" marathon on my DVR and he had the most LOVERLY clear glass mosaic tile back splash. I had to go online right away and find some of my own. (sigh) DE-VINE!

Hello Lover!

This takes me back to my days in my Grandpa's farmhouse.

I don't just like the sink, I love the faucet.

Pretty farm sink

Love the circles. Very understated

So fresh and pretty! I'm afraid trying to keep it spotless with a houseful of kids would drive me to drink however. I'm pretty sure all the counter space would help be cope:)

Love the tiled back splash. And the stainless steel..
Love the blues and how it fades from dark to light the higher it goes.I like the mix of the green and browns and how they mix with the chocolate counter tops.
Wouldn't these be uber fun in a bathroom?!

They just look so nice!

For some cute girls on my Christmas List...

2009-12-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Now that Christmas is over I can post all the projects I have been working hard on...WHEEE! Hubs and I both come from large-ish families (he is the 5th of eight kids, I am the 5th of seven) so we don't do presents for everyone in our families. Especially since those siblings are married and have anywhere from 1-5 kids...the list gets big quickly. When we were little we would draw names and we got them a big present. Now that we are older (and wiser?) we are on a rotation each year. This year we had Hub's oldest brother and his wife who have 4 kids (2 girls, 2 boys) and live in SLC. In my family we had my oldest brother and his wife and THEIR 4 kids (3 girls and 1 boy) who live in my hometown in Missouri. Money was tight tight tight! I didn't have a job until the end of November and the Hub is in Grad School and not working. So we decided to go as home made as possible this year. This is what we came up with.

Little notebooks made into purses (for the girls) to take to church, or wherever they want. I did a really cute one for Justice (who has to have whatever his big sisters have) without straps. It has trucks and tire tracks and "zoom" all over the front. It's way cute. I got so ambitious in getting them ready for Christmas that I wrapped his before I snapped a picture:( Whoops! The ribbon and buttons are sewed on thru the notebook. Also did some for my nieces Danielle, Lilly and Kate, but I had to wrap them and send them early so I don't have pictures of them either. I think Lilly's is my fave, it is SO darling! I'll see if my SIL can send me a picture. Even I was impressed with how well they turned out. My brother tried to tell me I should sell them....he flatters me:)

This is Grace's

This is Hazey's

Got the idea from Linds @ That's so Cuegly

Damask

2009-12-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite print. Don't worry polka dots, I still love you. And I always will. However, I have found a new print that seems to be popping up everywhere these days. Damask. I know, where have I been living before now, under a rock? I have seen it and always liked it but I saw it today on ColorSplash (best designing show E-V-E-R!) done on a wall and fell in love. It is the first thing I want to do when I move into a house of my own. They painted the wall a nice light dusty blue and did a damask stencil with a blue paint about 2 shades darker. HELLO! I am in love. It has the all over pattern and excitement of a wall paper and yet no taking it down wallpaper style. Just paint over it.

I have since found other things in Damask I love. It's too bad it's such a bold print. I'd love to do an entire room in nothing but that. Seriously, its become quite an addiction lately:) I love that you can do it in all kinds of contrasts by simply doing a matte paint with a glossy paint stencil, or black and white. Yum yum yum! I hope this is a print that is always in style. I think that's part of the reason I like it. I gravitate towards things I think are going to be more timeless and classic rather than too trendy and dated.

This paint job will be one of the first things I do when I get a place of my own.

Don't you just LOVE these wallpapers?!
This chair makes me want to curl up and read a book.
This little beauty belongs on my bed.

These just look so luxurious!

Love how the print stands out against plain white.

What Kind of World...

2009-12-12T11:51:00.001-07:00

This video is very touching and thought provoking. I'm sure you all know Autism has become my new soapbox, and I am sorry if I over-do it. But it's something I see and deal with almost daily. I can't help but wonder all the potential these children have that is not being realized.

How must a parent feel to see their child that they waited and hoped for, prayed would come, arrive looking absolutely perfect. They develop normally until about 18-24 months when they have vaccines mandated by the government. Their children then suddenly start to slide backwards in development, stop talking, making eye contact, relating to others, responding to their name, even walking normally. Their hearts must break a thousand times over every day, thinking of the pain their child is in, being trapped in their own body, wanting to express what they want or need but unable to do so. They will never go to a normal school, get married, go to college, realize all the dreams you have for them when they are growing inside your body and your heart. In a way, you lose your child.

A survey done in 2004 asked parents if they thought vaccinations caused their child's autism. 70% said yes, with the other 30% offering explanations that it's possible. To see the survey and details go here. The statistics for autistic children are startling, a new study released in October 2009 shows the new numbers: 1 in 91 children have autism. (Read the press release here) This is becoming an epidemic that needs to be fixed. More information about the link between autism and vaccines can be found by going to this website: www.autismcoach.com

Productive Weekend

2009-12-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

I had a crazy weekend, trying to complete everything for Christmas presents not to mention domestic chores...ew. I had:

loads and loads of laundry.
Running to Wal-Mart (I HATE going anywhere this time of year. I wanted to poke someone's eyes out.)
Vauuming, dishes (since we don't have a dishwasher....bigger ew!)
Sewing
Cleaning my bathroom
Christmas presents to make

It was just one of those days where it all came to a head. My messy, cluttered, dirty, disastrous dwelling and endless list of To-Do's had become E-NOUGH! Baa-Haa (my hubby's nickname) called me "the Monster of December 5th". I was not amused. Due to money being tight (Baa Haa is in grad school), we decided we would make the presents that we could this year. I needed to get crackin.
In spite of my momentary meltdown, I actually got quite a bit done and was really proud of myself. I crawled into my bed last night (with freshly clean sheets mmmmm:) feeling quite satisfied. Here are some of the things I worked on. I will post more process pictures of each project when I get them all finished.

Something fun with these is in the works.... I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Isn't this cute?! My sewing skills are not the best. I hope it doesn't look ghetto.

Disney gave me the idea.

This is for my MIL. They aren't quite done, I'm adding wire to the top for picture holders like they did here.

These cute little purse notebooks are for my husband's nieces.

Linds at That's So Cuegly gave me the step by step.

Tin Decorating

2009-12-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

So I have this really crafty friend that I used to baby-sit for. I love now that I'm a grown up (whatever that means right?!) we are the best of friends and she's not just someone I used to work for. She is seriously one of, if not THE, most crafty person I know. I saw her tables of crafts and cute stuff when I was about 10 and fell in love. I credit her for getting me interested in the first place. She showed me some super cute ideas the last time I was back in Missouri visiting. One of them was taking old aluminum tins and decorating them all kinds of cute ways. Such as taking an old Altoids tin and using them for a little sewing kit in your purse, a bigger tin to give someone cookies or another gift in, to store pens or just whatever. I found some tins of my very own today (DI is a great place to check!) and have since been looking for pictures of ideas. Here are some of my faves.

LOVE the paper on these beauties.

I love how functional this is! I have a brazillion boullion cubs jars and just my use them for something similar.

This chicky used a cookie sheet and little tins to make an advent calendar. Christmas Presents next year for sure!!!

I LUUUUURVE the buttons on these. Buttons are one of my favorite embellishments. So cute

Know what's in these? Cookies that a Mom auctioned off for a school fundraiser. They're little clear paint tins with paper. Hello cuteness! You can find them here

Medicine Cabinet Door

2009-11-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

Remember this little door from my medicine cabinet project? I had a few ideas and suggestions. I'd like to get some vinyl letters for the glass but since I don't know what I want it to say I don't want it to just sit and not realize any of it's boundless potential. So I got an idea from this cute chickadee and decided I was gonna try that with this frame.

I removed the glass pane and placed it on top of a cork square. I like that it's thicker than the roll of the cork.

I cut it to size and shape with my box cutter.

I found this bleached burlap fabric in the odds and ends. $1.67 for 2 yards...think I can handle that. I almost squealed out loud in the aisle. I have been looking for some burlap.
I left about an inch all around the edges. In hindsight I shoulda left more room since I was using upholstery tacks and not hot glue. But it turned out okay anyway.

Used my handy-dandy tacks to hold down my edges. I don't own a glue gun. I know, I should be shot. Shameful for someone who counts themselves a crafter. I don't know how I don't have one, I just don't.

Used my staple gun to attach the ribbon to the back edges. (sorry it's so bright, my camera needs to be replaced)

The plain burlap was a bit boring, I needed to add an embellishment. I tied a bow and sewed a button to it, then sewed it to the cork. It's attached pretty well.

Showcasing some of the cutest kids I know:)

Love it on my living room wall! I love the combination of the burlap with the antiqued frame.

Lesson's I've Learned from my Family

2009-11-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

So this might not technically be considered a "creative cat" post, it's not a physical project so to speak. But one I'm even more proud of, and a little better to look at. I confess, this was all a ploy to show off my family. If you stop reading right now I'll only judge you a little bit:)

In this season of being grateful, one of the biggest things I am grateful for is my family. That is where everyone's story begins and ends, where the people who know us the best, love us the most, and made us who we are, are found. It never seems to matter how much time has passed since we have seen each other, we can always pick up right were we left off. What a blessing my family is to me! Another reason I love them so much is because they have TAUGHT me so much, especially my nieces and nephews. I love them like my own. I decided to dedicate a post to them, explaining things I have learned from them. Some are more serious, some are the lighter things in life. But ALL are important. The multitude of pictures hopefully make this an enjoyable read.

Another note: everyone in these pictures is related to me. I have 6 siblings and the 10 most adorable nieces and nephews.

1. Laugh often, and laugh much. You're going to get wrinkles anyway. They might as well be from laughing.

2. There is no friend like that of family. They are there for you no matter what.

3. Binki's are a kids best friend!

4. Making silly faces is something you never grow out of.

5. Girls aren't the only ones who wanna have fun!

6. We're all here because 2 people fell in love!

7. Real life can be a Fairytale.

8. Enjoy the season of life that you are in.

9. Late nights together bring out the silliest in us.

10. Take time to stop and smell the flowers.

11. It is very important to "share." Which is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

12. Dinosaurs are a boys best friend.

13. At least once, look at something through the eyes of a child who is seeing it for the first time.

14. FOOD IS GOOD!

15. Games, games, games. Card games, board games, mind games. Just games.

16. You're never too old to play dress up!

17. DIVA has no age limit.

18. There are more important things in life than having a clean house.

19. Daddies can be as versatile as Mommies.

20. Get your sleep. Anywhere, anytime, any place that you can.

21. You are never to old to learn something new. Always love learning. When you stop learning you stop enjoying the world around you.

22. Never give up on your dreams, no matter how long it takes, how impossible they may seem or what you have to do to achieve them. The Lord ALWAYS keeps His promises. Always.

23. Love does not diminish the more people you share it with. It grows and grows and grows. There is more than enough love to go around.

24. There is nothing in the world as sweet as a baby.

25. No matter how wonderful something is, it is always made sweeter by sharing.

26. Just because someone isn't related by blood or marriage doesn't mean they aren't every bit as much family as those who are.

27. Sometimes when life is hard and there is nothing else to do you just need a good cry.

28. There is no bond like that of a sister.

29. Don't wake up the baby that is napping. Otherwise you get to take their nap for them. (This was a common threat breathed by my Mother. No doubt because SHE needed the peace and quiet:)

30. Sometimes you just need a little love. Never be afraid to go to your family for that.

31. No matter how tough a Petersen man looks or even is, they go to total MUSH when a baby comes around.

32. The little kids aren't the only ones who can fit in small spaces.

For Sheen

2009-11-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

Here it is. I would have just posted it in the comment section but for some reason it won't let me.
So something like this on the top section with Mod Podge and then make a fabric covered cork board on the bottom. Do pretty little knobs on the bottom and hang antique keys from them with ribbon....okok I'll stop. :) But you seriously got the most perfect frame for all these ideas. Can't wait to see how it turns out!!

These was her inspiration from Ballard Designs.

This is how hers turned out. I have been searching the world over for a window frame like this that someone is throwing out. Is it lame to ask for some for Christmas? haha

Cute new Boutique

2009-11-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who is a fellow thrifty treasure hunter and always has her house (and little girl) decorated so cute. She has started her own boutique called Sassarella (sassy+Cinderella). It's the cutest stuff for dirt cheap. She's still getting it set up and ready to go but check her out! I promise you won't be sorry, although your husbands might if they feel like mine does about shopping:)

Giveaway

2009-11-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

I saw a giveaway on a fellow crafters blog and knew that I needed to get on board. The talented lady at Baby Blvd has the darling designs and tons more. Go on over and take a look! She is sponsoring a giveaway for a $15.00 gift certificate to her shop. I'm crossing my fingers, toes and whatever else I can since I would LOVE to get one of those aprons for a little girl on my list this year. She also does custom orders so check her out!

This, my friends, is a scripture/hymnal cover. I know right?!

These are one-of-a-kind handmade clips.

I can just know some little girlies in my family who would LOOOVE one of these.
Aren't these so pretty? I love the buttons in the middleThese clips are made to look like butterflies. She also has other bug clips.
How sweet is this set? Okay so I want the baby too, I confess.

Holiday Card Giveaway

2009-10-28T22:28:00.000-06:00

My cute, crafty friend is having a Giveaway for Holiday cards. She creates the card for you with the desired text and photo and you take it anywhere you want to print them off. Easy-Peasy-Lemon-Squeezy! Glimpse is her website, go enter and good luck!!!

Cutest Baby Stuff

2009-10-27T21:28:00.000-06:00

My cute friend does custom orders for baby clothing and accessories and they are SOSO cute! She's so talented and fashionable. Just wanted to give her a little free advertisement and recommendation. She also does customer orders so if you want Halloween booties with a matching bib or Christmas booties...your wish is her command:) Her Etsy shop is The Paisley Peach Here are some of my favorites:

Love this print!
It also comes with a matching headband and reversible bib.
Love the bib too.

This is reversible and has a cute print on the other side. It's washable too.

So dang cute!

Medicine Cabinet

2009-10-21T15:41:00.000-06:00

I bought this medicine cabinet thing at Rod Works a few years ago for $10. I loved it at the time and had the intention of doing a shadow-box thing with it but it never came into fruition.

The shelves are really too short to put anything in so it's just hung on my bathroom wall.
I love the distressed and antiqued look.

I also loved the color so I didn't want to paint it. I decided to take the door off. Because it was "authentically antiqued" (a.k.a rusted:) I had to kind of man-handle the screws to get them out because some of the heads and the hinges were stripped and rusted.

I moved the D-rings from the top to the side and tied a ribbon through them. I liked the raw wood spots where the hinges used to be. It makes it more authentic to me so I just left 'em. I added some paper and mod podge to the back. I want to add some knobs for jewelry or some knick-knacks.
Now, any ideas what to do with the unused door?

Name blocks

2009-10-12T19:46:00.000-06:00

I got these blocks for our wedding. I like the "Believe" but it's kinda "blah" and it just so happens that our last name as the same number of letters as the current blocks. WAHOO!

In keeping with the wooden letter last name theme I bought these unfinished at Roberts Crafts. I searched thru every bin of every letter to find an "R" but they were all gone. I have gone back 3 times in the last 2 weeks and they are still out. Grrrrr......

I spray painted the blocks so they were a solid black.

I mod podged the letters onto a printed paper and cut them out. I sanded the edges down to soften and distress them a bit.

I then added some embellishments (buttons, ribbons, borders).

Still missing an "R". Every time my husband sees it he says "Mumfod...we should change our name." He is so hilarious I don't even know how I stand it. (sarcasm!)

Handy Tricks with Household things

2009-10-12T19:45:00.000-06:00

Saw this on MSN and it give some of the BEST ideas! Thought I would pass them along. Here is the link and below are listed some of my favorites:

Repurpose an old frame for a vanity tray that's pretty as a picture. Place a piece of colored paper or fabric inside as a finishing touch.

A Twister game mat makes a spot-on tablecloth for a child's birthday party: Sticky spills and icing wash right off.

At a party, stash ice in a colander set on top of a bucket or a bowl. Water will drain out, and guests will get only the solid stuff.

Make no-mess pancakes with the help of a ketchup bottle: Pour in batter, then squeeze out precise portions.

Stop searching high and low for hair clips and elastics: Store them tidily on an empty TP tube.

Pick up interesting cardboard coasters at restaurants and bars you visit along your travels. Punch a hole near the edge, thread some ribbon through, and voilà: homemade gift tag.

Vegetable oil will put a shine on leather shoes. Use a damp cloth to remove any dirt, then run a soft cloth with a drop of oil over the surface to (literally) add polish.

One of readers' all-time-favorite ideas: the LifeSaver as birthday-candle holder. (Candies in the original rolls provide the best fit―LifeSavers sold in big bags are larger and don't work as well.)

Forget unruly plastic bags that seemingly regenerate under your sink. An empty tissue box keeps them neatly corralled and ready for use.

A giveaway shower cap becomes the perfect wrapper for shoes when traveling, preventing them from dirtying clothes packed in your suitcase.

A clever way to keep straight whose drink is whose: Mark each glass with removable window decals.

A binder clip serves as a key chain/money holder you can clamp to your waistband for a purse-free morning walk.

Pretty ribbon revives an old lamp shade. Apply a thin layer of glue and press on each piece of ribbon, matching the ends neatly.

No more oops! moments when painting, if you cover doorknobs and hardware with aluminum foil.

Who says a towel rack has to be the dedicated realm of, well, towels? Mounted over the kitchen sink, it can also hold a collection of cleansers.

Why pack with Styrofoam peanuts when you can pack with popcorn (plain and air-popped). No air popper? Be sure to cover the item with a plastic bag.

Slide bobby pins onto a hem to hold pleats in place as you iron them.

Bridge the gap between too-short stems and too-deep vase by sliding on trimmed clear plastic straws.

Attach a magnet to the inside of a metal medicine cabinet, and you can promptly pluck tweezers (or nail clippers) when needed.

Brown is my favorite color...

2009-10-12T19:42:00.001-06:00

Put these together for my sisters house. I got the idea from a chica who did black block letters on craft paper and then framed them. It was really cute. I kind of wanted these to pop a little bit more. The colors for her living room are an olive green, eggplant purple accented with black and brown pillows.

I got these frames at the Dollar Tree...tacky gold plastic. Pretty hideous.

Not real cute, I promise. But for $1...

So I added my new favorite thing: BLACK SPRAY PAINT!

I covered the block letters in mod podge and stuck on the craft paper. I let it dry and then cut around the letter's edges with an ex-acto knife. I sanded them down a bit and left them distressed. Then I glued them to some craft paper that would make them pop out of the frame. I have some rub on letters that I added to the corners of the letter to add some detailing.

Finished B.

Here is the O.

I had to do the frames length-wise because the W was too wide to fit in it the other way.

Not too shabby. I am excited to show them to her and see how they look on the wall!

Plaque Re-do

2009-10-12T19:38:00.000-06:00

Got this plaque as a wedding gift. It just wasn't doin' anything for me, not to mention the brownish-red-ish color I was not a fan of and didn't match A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!

So I used my favorite new thing....black spray paint.

I found some circles to trace, since cutting a circle free-hand might as well be juggling with my feet.

Hmmm, me likey!

Picture Frame

2009-10-12T19:35:00.000-06:00

I found this lovely frame at DI for $1. I loved the scallops and the details but the white paint was flecked and underneath it was gold paint...ICK! I wasn't sure how I was going to fix it, but I knew that if it was only $1 it was worth a try.

Some black spray paint...

I never cease to be amazed at how much better it makes things look!

This is probably my FAVORITE wedding picture of ours. We didn't have a frame for it before. All the other frames on the wall were black and the white just blended into the wall.

Hope Chest

2009-10-12T18:47:00.000-06:00

I have this cute little white hope chest thingy that I bought at Target several years ago for $10 and put together myself. I have taken it with me when I have moved 7 times in the last 4 years . It has a few scuffs but for the most part it is still in pretty good condition. I had held everything from shoes to blankets, towels to purses. I LOVE IT! Anyway, this new re-doing furniture thing made me want to do something fun with it because I am kinda tired of just the plain white. I added the cushion to the top and it was so awful I couldn't sleep that night and had to get up and finish it.

I cleaned the surfaces and measured them. Then I used my paper cutter to trim the desired paper down to size and mod podge it on. Our bedroom color scheme is chocolate brown, white and pale blue, hence the color choice.

Front panels done. Now to remove the cover and do the top...

I had never removed staple-gun staples so I was in for a bit of a surprise. I had to man handle them a bit with a flat head screwdriver and some pliers but I got the job done.

Ahhh, MUCH better! The paper might be a bit much I guess, but it's better than it was! Now we just need a bedroom big enough to hold more than our king sized bed:)

WELCOME!

2009-10-12T16:36:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning to put this blog together for a while now. I have one for my personal life and family but since it is set to private it makes the sharing of my re-do projects difficult. SO....I brainstormed with my darling husband about who I am and what I'm about and what drives me to re-do things...and this blog was born! My Grandma Cluff is seriously the most amazingly incredible, faithful, never wavering, FUNNY, accepting, loving woman I have ever met. Anyone who has ever met her loves her. She is Grandma Cluff to everyone, including my cousins on the other side of my family. AND she's thrifty:) Being raised during the Depression her motto was "Use it up, wear it out. Make it do or do without" My mother was raised with that same thrifty spirit and that saying was used in our home more times than I could ever count. I think that is partly what drives me to want to re-use and re-do things to get more use out of them.