Fa-reeeeeeeeeeeee~

Look at all these boxes of fa-reeeeee stuff I got today. Box upon box of neat craft stuff that I'm needing to sort through.....I went to a yard sale that had just wrapped up and the gal said, "Take what you want, its freeeeeeee" -- so, of course I did! Just take a peek inside some of these boxes... holy-moly! I didn't dig deep into each box, I just peeked and placed them in my truck! Whatever I don't want I'm going to donate to one of our local thrift stores :-)I'm never going to get my Christmas stockings finished as I've got all of this fun stuff to sort through!Unused patterns, paint, flowers, straw hats, bells, new stuffed animals, crocheted trim, ribbons, fabric, velvet, wooden things, floss, glue sticks, stickers, markers, transfers thats just what I've come across so far! Free, freeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, faaaaaaaa-reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~

O.M....

Gooooooooooooodness....November already??? But-but-I'm not ready for it to be NOVEMBER! I've got a zillion things in various stages of compleation~ oh who am I kidding, I keep starting things and stopping them the very same day! Personally I think it is low blood sugar as I'm trying to watch my calorie/fat/lard intake so I can really load up at Thanksgiving. Don't even think there is going to be anything green or healthy on my plate that day. Anywho, I started making new Christmas stockings, (I do this every year) I only need 6 and I'm making 8-- thats just how I roll. I'm using a white embossed coverlet that I picked up for $2 at a yard sale. It smells like bleach, one of my favorite fragrances. I do tend to work best under pressure, but I'm trying to ween myself from that wild lifestyle. I mustGet things done.... but for now-- I'm going to bed~

Banner day~

Well I have finally finished the banner for over my grandkids baby crib in the nursery at my house for when they need a nap whenever I babysit them. It reads...I used some shaggy yarn that is so popular-- yet soooooooo hard to crochet with (at least for me) One of my girlfriends uses this yarn all the time but combines it with regular yarn, so I did the same with fabulous results! I crocheted a long chain and hung the banner from that, with some of the stringy/shaggy yarn hanging between each pennant. Love-love-love how it looks! Here is a close up of one of two fabric flowers I made. I had originally made 10 flowers for the banner but decided they were to big to use all 10.Here is a long view of the banner... I really like it, it looks like a celebration! Ehhhhhhh gawds... Look at the mess I've made! I pulled out some presents from ONE of my many-many gift closets that I'm needing to start wrapping up for Christmas. I'm slightly overwhelmed~ 'cause this is just the tip of the ice berg. It seems I've already bought 4 Barbie's for my 9 month old grandaughter :-P

Return labels...

Have you ever made your own return labels? Oh my goodness they are so easy to make with your very own computer and printer. I often find loads of blank return label sheets at yard sales and I always buy them. I've even seen them for sale at the dollar store. Anywho, if you go to Avery.com they have all kinds of templates that you can use for free. Now, of course, they want you to use the brand that they sell, but I've used different brands and they all work just fine! You can print in color or just black... even add some clipart or a monogram! They also have free templates for business cards, greeting cards, mailing labels and even some craft ideas as well. Well worth checking out the website and trying a few for yourself~ I must go print off some more labels!

Before & After~

I picked up this metal cherub at a second hand store this past Wednesday for $1.99. Isn't it adorable! The part that you hang this cherub from is missing, who knows what it looked like... but I figured I could fix it. I mixed up a few tablespoons of cement and poured that into the hole (I previously stuffed the hole with paper so that the cement would only go down about 2 inches) and set an eye hook into the cement and let it dry.Once the cement had hardened, I spray painted the entire thing with flat white paint. Once that was dry, I used nutmeg brown paint to bring out some of the detail and to give it an aged look. I then covered the molded metal drapery that the cherub was hanging from with pink fabric. I covered the wings with real white feathers and down feathers. I also added a wreath of small yellow flowers to the cherubs head and taaaaa daaaaaa instant caute! This photo doesn't do it justice, the feathers arch with the wings, and the painted aged patina isn't so obnoxious --in person it is so cute! Caute! Just look at that cherubs face, adorable!! I think a true angel posed for this cherub statue~I've got this little darling hanging in my bathroom from a ceiling hook that was doing nothing but bothering me! I added about 8 inches of chain to the eye hook and covered the whole length with more of the same pink fabric so it does indeed look like the cherub is holding on to the fabric and just dangling there...I used hot glue to attach the feathers, fabric and wreath. It came together really fast once the cement hardened up. Not to shabby for $1.99~
You can see more Before & Afters over at the blog "Thrifty Decor Chick" blog. Kimba is hosting a D.I.Y. linky party over at her blog "A Soft Place to Land" go check out everyones projects. There is also a Trash to Treasure linky party over at the blog "Reinvented" well worth a lookie-lou~
If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more you can click right here.

Happy Halloweenie~

LOL....

Show & Tell~

This week I'm showing my cameo collection. Now, none of these are super old or worth anymore than what I paid for them (about $2 bucks each-- tops) But they sure do look nice when all grouped together in a little bowlie on my bathroom counter. Here are some vintage inspired two sided pin-keeps that I just made. I really like how they turned out. When I had completed one I thought to myself, "These would be great at showcasing an old piece of jewelry"....Soooooooo taaaaaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaaa now I've got some vintage inspired jewelry holders! The jewelry piece in the center of this one pictured below is a pin-backed piece that is indeed old... I found it in amongst some buttons in a tin that I picked up for $2~ If ever When I open an etsy shop, I'd like to make & sell these.... What do you think I could charge for them.... $10 bucks each? Or do you think thats to much???? Input would be greatly appreciated :-)

You can also see more Show & Tells over at Cindy's blog "My Romantic Home" If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more, just click right here!