Thrift Store Treasures

I love going to the thrift store and finding hidden treasures with potential. On a recent trip I found this beauty >>>

I paid $4.97 for something that was $29.95 at Target and the price tag is still on it! So much potential here! I envision this with butterflies all over it! Still deciding if I should spray paint it. I am addicted to spray paint!

I also like to pick up glass vases to have on hand for impromptu presents. These are the same vases that you pay $10+ when you have flowers delivered. I pay $.25 each, go to the grocery store to buy flowers and add a ribbon on the vase - DONE. So much better than handing someone store bought flowers. They won't know the difference and I have found that people don't like to arrange flowers - MOM. ;) So help them out by doing it for them!

Here is another project I picked up at the Thrift store. I paid $1.97 and in Michael's I saw these for $5+ depending on size. My vision was to paint something on it to add to my display shelves. I was perusing Michael's and found the stencil "Home". Though I don't like jumping on the Chinese symbol bandwagon, it was a perfect fit and interesting. Add to cart. $3.29 and I will use this again. The spray paint I had on hand of course! {Claret Wine}

I had to be careful when spray painting because the force of the air moved the stencil. I also found that even though I used a dark spray it just wasn't crisp or bold enough for me. So I took a black Sharpie and traced the stencil to give it definition. Here is my finished product.

I just love the natural elements of nature. Viola! What treasures are you finding?

Also in the picture > The frames were on clearance at Bed, Bath and Beyond for less than $5 each. The ladder is old school Potterybarn (also clearance and I worked there so 40% off SCORE!). The glass vase and flowers - The Dollar Tree. 

Tag Tuesday

So here is Tag Tuesday on Wednesday! Is anyone else a day off? Having a holiday in the work week throws my whole schedule off. The good part is that I was able to sneak away and chip away at my Christmas list. Yes, I am working on my Christmas gifts already! I am on a mission to have them all bought/made and wrapped by Thanksgiving. Ok, well how about all bought/made not wrapped :}. I am trying to make all my gifts this year. I feel that it means so much more because of all the time and thought that goes into it. So since I have been planning for gift giving, these tags really caught my eye. I am a sucker for anything that says handmade....rub-ons, stamps, stickers, tags. 

Personalize these @ Creative Mamma

http://tipjunkie.com/ is a great place to go to get free printables and gift ideas. She links to other blogs so you can easily find other blogs that will peak your interest. I get lost in blog world........

Handmade Tags

So print these out, grab your scissors, punch holes and wrap some twine around them and you have them all ready to attach to a special gift. One thing I have learned is to always have a stockpile of gifts on hand for a last minute gift.
Go get lost and Enjoy! 

Scrabble Family Frames

Well, the one benefit of the hurricane was that my cabin fever was kept at bay with my long wish list of craft projects. One quick project that anyone {and I do mean ANYONE} can do! These make great gifts - or you just might want to keep it for yourself.

Here is what you need:

• 8" x 10" frame
• a piece of scrapbook cut to 8" x 10"
• Scrabble tiles {I purchased mine on eBay}
• Glue - I used Zip Dry Glue or Scotch Glue - you could use a hot clue gun but I am allergic to those things!
• Any embellishments you have on hand

Take the glass out of the frame and assemble your frame with the scrapbook paper where your picture would be.

Select your tiles for your family's names - Don't forget the last name!

So the hardest part was linking all the names together so that they fit in the 8x10 frame. It amazed me how many ways I could rearrange them!

One of my frames I actually spray painted white to match my neighbor's theme. I liked the fact that the frame had letters also. That really tied into the Scrabble theme.

Once you have them arranged and centered where you want them to appear, it is time to glue. Glue each tile down. All of the recommended glues dry clear so you don't need to worry about leakage.

Once they are dry you can either add your embellishments for a 3D effect or simply reassemble with your glass in the front. If you do this, you will need to take out one of the cardboard fillers since the scrabble tiles are bulkier than a picture.

Viola!

Linked up here > > 

Tag Tuesday - Library Tags

Hello there! What a week! Earthquake, hurricane and all the drama that comes with both of those.....I have to admit that normalcy is underrated. My hubby and I were more exhausted on vacation! Since I was confined to the indoors, I did catch up on some craft and scrapbooking projects...can't wait to share.

www.tortagialla.com

Library tag, pocket and card template

Print these for your kids to play library with their books or print them on patterned paper to use on scrapbook layouts. Kyle's first trip to the library needs to be scrapped and I will be printing one of these for the page!
Enjoy!

Tag Tuesday - Summer

Cannot believe that it is the end of summer! Where did it go? And I am not even tan! Sorry for the lack of posts: not only am I soaking up the last rays of summer but the beach house didn't have internet until today - how have I survived???? Probably a good thing to be unplugged for a couple of days.
In celebration (or mourning) of summer coming to a close, I thought I would post some summer tags. I already have some ideas brewing on how I can use these on scrapbook layouts for our beach vacation :)

freeprettythingsforyou

chickabug

shabbychiccrafts

living locurto

Please keep your fingers crossed that Irene doesn't ruin the end of my family's and friend's summer plans!

Easy Outside Art

I love browsing through the dollar store and finding items to alter into something fabulous. I found these ugly [in my opinion] wall plaques. I had thought they would be perfect to adhere a photo to and Mod-Podge over it for a floating photo effect. So I bought a couple to experiment and they sat in my scrapbook room.......Until, my girlfriend Cathy told me about these photos that she and her husband had taken that she wanted to use on her covered deck. Her daughter-in-law suggested to use the bird pics, I came up with the project and Cathy was the brawn. Since it is outside but is covered from most of the elements (mainly water) I thought the Mod-Podge seal would be perfect.

So one Friday, Cathy printed 4 - 8x10 photos of her birds and we got started!

All you need is:

• foam brush
• Mod Podge in matte finish
• 8x10 picture - trimmed to match the size of your board
• picture board - I got mine at the Dollar Tree in the frame section

1. Paint Mod Podge on the
board

2. Position the photo on the
board

3. Smooth out the photo so
there aren't any bubble

4. Paint Mod Podge over the
photo, edges and back to seal.

5. Let the pictures dry. 

6. Cathy's Margaritas was how
we passed the time! YUM!

 Voila! Cathy hung them with the 3M picture hangers. How Awesome does that look? Go here for the link to the coupon to save! 

So cute! All for under $4 each! I am going to take beach pics and do this for my sunroom! I can't wait! Thank you Cathy for being my guinea pig! :) SMOOCHES

YUM! - Pina Colada Pound Cake

Okay I love to bake but I don't eat it. I know weird. I will have one bite just to make sure it turned out the way it should but for the most part I don't eat sweets - I just feed them to my hubby. Until....I heard this recipe from my hairdresser, Kristen. I just had to try it. And the best part is that it is super simple and you can add alcohol!

Ingredients:
1 pound cake mix
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup drained crushed pineapple
2 mashed bananas
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix everything together and bake. I love how all the chips fall to the bottom for a chocolately base. Those that don't like shredded coconut will not even notice the texture. I really want to try making a glaze with confectioners sugar and Malibu or Parrot Bay Rum. We had some couples over for poker and we were not waiting for that! So I took 1 shot glass filled with Parrot Bay Rum and poured the shot directly on each slice. Not the whole shot on one slice - but I guess if you wanted to you could!
Viola!
Thank you Kristen - this has been a hit. I will be making lots of these in the future.....Enjoy!

btw - I received my memory box that I ordered on Monday AND I LOVE IT!!! I would show you the picture but it is a Christmas present so I don't want to ruin the surprise, so trust me......you got to get one!
Head on over to paper coterie >>>