Makin' and Doin'

I was so excited to have another craft night with my friend, Amy, the other night!! They are always fun. It feels great to have a project crossed off my list. We decided to tackle these rouched burlap table runners. Inspired by these.
I love the way all the different textures and finishes look on this centerpiece. Lovin' the sweet smell of summer!!


I've had this blue floral Ralph Lauren sheet from Goodwill for sometime now. I just made a pillow cover using it and burlap. The big pillow in the background came from Goodwill for just over $3. It happened to be a Tommy Hilfiger and the pillow insert itself is from Dillards. I just love it when rich folk take their castoffs to the thrift shops!! ;)

I wanted to try my hand at button flowers and love the way these came out. I could not photograph them to save my life, though...

I made Amy one of the blue floral pillows and she made this one above for me. I believe she is going to start selling them.

Here is a little sneak peek at the my master bathroom. I've had this window treatment made for a year and finally got it hung!! The walls are Comfort Gray by Sherwin-Williams.

Want to know what the big news I had to share was?? Remember it from this post?? Well, my friend, Amy, and I were going to have a booth at a local antique shop, but it wasn't meant to be...I am bummed and relieved at the same time. I know that now is just not the right season. It does mean, though, that I have extra furniture, chandeliers, a child's kitchen, and other wonderful bits to sell. Maybe I'll list them on Craigslist or something. Still pondering the right venue...

Well, thanks for dropping by!!

Fisher's Picnic Party...Complete with Creepy Crawlies!!

Y'all may remember that I made this wreath for Fisher's second birthday...I wanted to go with a picnic theme complete with ants. I found the metal ants and Hobby Lobby, as well as the burlap and ticking. The sweet lady in the fabric department happened to have this tablecloth print fabric with ants on it at her house and gave it to me!! It was perfect!!

Here are the food tables. We had hot dogs, hamburgers, brocolli salad, potato salad, grapes, and chips and dip. For drinks, we had a yummy cranberry punch{recipe curtesy of Jenny}, sweet tea, and bottled water.

I love a good theme and any chance to go all out is so much fun for me!! I bought the picnic plaid napkins at Kroger last year, because I knew that I would have this very party one year!! I also found the cute nesting bowls-the red and white ones, they are polka dotted, striped, and ant/picnic plaid print-at Hobby Lobby. I got the table cloth at a thrift shop a few years ago.

Super yummy Hebrew National Hot Dogs!! They are the best!! Better grab one before the ant eats them all!!

Lilly and Ali enjoying their dinner...

My brother, Courtney, and his daughter, Gracyn.

Fisher gazing up at "Aunt Melanie". You can see how tiny our back yard is in this picture.

Fisher snuggling up to Tanya, my brother's girlfriend.

Our friend, Victor, and his mom. She is up from the Dominican Republic. She visits yearly...

Papaw trying to teach Fisher to say two. That's Aunt Becky{great aunt for me, great great for the kids} in the green shirt. She saved the day as our grill didn't work properly.

Fisher and all his peeps.

Awaiting the cake. I had taken some of that aunt/picnic plaid fabric and had Publix make the cake. I made the banner to go with the wreath.

Fisher's first run-in with fire.

"Hot"...Fisher finally learns the meaning of the word!! You're supposed to blow the fire, not touch it, Fishee!!

Thanks for coming!!

Ten and eight, I heart the Restore...

Too bad that didn't rhyme, huh?!?! Oh well...I thought I'd show y'all what's been up lately. I have BIG, exciting news to share, but that will have to wait for another time. Don't y'all hate when people do that?? Hahaha!!!
Anyway...I went to the Habitat for Humanity Restore Monday and got all that you see above for $10. I have a love/hate relationship with that place, much like with Goodwill. I was eyeing a coffee table but they wanted $30 for it. I'm sure that's not a bad price for some people, but for me, it was a little much. That day at least.
Many of these items are getting a makeover. The child's kitchen will be painted and I am going to make a skirt for the left side and plan to add a sink and burners made from round plaques. Of course, I will share the finished product. The stepstool will be getting a new paint job, as well as the flower bucket. The house letter is actually a 9, but I plan on turning it upside down and framing it{maybe}, since we will soon be a six person family. I thought the wooden bobbins were just cool and might be cute in a glass container of some sort.

Love this little piece of salvage and I plan on getting vintage hooks and hanging this in the kids' bathroom.

I went back to the Restore yesterday to get this window. I could not get it out of my mind and had to make the trip just to get it. It was only $2.50!! I am going to knock out the glass as one of the panes is cracked. I plan to hang this above my bed and put sconces on either side. I will probably hang a wreath from the window, also.

Ah, these cabinet doors. At first sight, I had planned to tape off an area and paint with chalkboard paint, but then came up with another idea. I have a black J and F that I got from Kohl's that I am going to mount on the doors instead and hang them above the boys' beds. Speaking of the boys' room....I have such big plans for that space and cannot wait to get started!! It involves pallets!!

Coffee bags. Gaining popularity and hard to find, I think. Not that I've really looked, but they are cool. I may make pillows out of these??

The flip side. Aren't they cool?? Oh, the eight...all this junk in these last four photos was only $8.

Tell me about your good deals...

Bits and Pieces...

I don't know if y'all do this or not, but I will have several posts written in my head, but can't actually share that post cause either I have laundry piled up or not everything is complete the way I want it. Please tell me I am not alone...
Anyway...I decided to just share bits and pieces of things here and there, rather than not post at all.
I changed my armoire from Winter to Spring. Just threw up stuff that was green or white for the most part. I'm happy with how it turned out!!

Here is what the sideboard in my dining room currently looks like. I love the butterflies in the typewriter!!

Lastly...my bed. I love to change out the linens to get a new look. Since I've been craving bright, happy color lately, I decided to put out my more colorful bedding. Such a simple thing, yet a good change.

Lovin' the layered, mismatched look...

What have y'all been up to, lately??

I heart FREE!!

I went to Goodwill with a friend the other day and there was a lady unloading stuff from her car. I remarked how cute this little bench was and she told me I could have it. Yay!! Not diggin' the primary colors, though. I'm thinking I am going to paint the wood parts green.

Picked up this table off the curb yesterday. I know its like a piece to those funky living room sets from the sixties or seventies that had yucky velour upholstery, but I love the lines of this table. I'm thinking red for the paint color. What do y'all think??

Love the scalloped detail!! So tell me, do y'all like the red idea?? Any other suggestions?? Thanks in advance!!

Lighting on a little...

I love chandeliers and I love getting a GREAT deal on chandies even better!! I just thought I'd share a few budget minded ideas here. This chandelier came from a yard sale and was only $3. It originally was intended to plug into an outlet, but we{my husband} just cut off that part and wired it into the ceiling. I am craving bright, fun, and happy lately and decided to make some new lampshades for this chandie. I already had everything on hand. The shades came on another thrifted chandelier. I spray painted them white and made the flowers for them. Jen, of Tatertots and Jello, has a great tutorial for how to make the flowers. I did do things a little differently, but here is the link to her tutorial. While you are there, take a look around. She has such fun crafty ideas!!

This flower is my favorite!! Love, love, love the fabric!! I used vintage buttons for the flower centers. I am thinking I want to gussy the lampshades up a bit more, but for now this will do. :)

Red gingham with a yellow flower button.

Yellow polka dot crib sheet with a super cute red daisy button. Pretend the picture is actually good. Hahaha!!!

Some of y'all have already seen this chandie redo. I did add some more sparkle in the way of glitter on the candle sleeves and a beaded garland. I believe I paid $15 for this chandelier and a little more for the crystals, etc. making this my most expensive piece.

This lighting idea came from Country Living originally, I think. I decided to actually get on it when I saw it on Ashley Ann's blog. The cord set came from Ikea for around $4, the basket was $2, and the light hanging kit was around $5 at Home Depot.

Here is a close up. This is in my computer loft area. You can see more pics of it here.

Lastly, we will go into Lilly's room. This fixture was originally brass with the milkglass. I loved the milkglass but not the brass. I just gave it a coat of sunny yellow paint and love it now!! Cost for this one...$12.

I think the total comes in under $100 for all four chandeliers. There is no limit when you think thrifty. You just have to have patience and a vision.

Tell me, what is the best deal on lighting you have gotten??

What's been going on...

Well, I guess I am averaging a post a month lately. We've been pretty busy around here...pricking fingers and giving shots. Yuck. Lilly is doing so good, though, and takes it so well. Plenty of family fun going on. Loving this beautiful weather we've had lately!!

What else...

Installing a backsplash. More on that later...

A bird has made a nest and laid eggs in a basket I left on the patio table.

The nest, complete with five eggs. Oh, and a rotten gourd, sidewalk chalk, and paper plate holders. White trash, much?!?!

I hosted a craft day and egg hunt. That was fun!!

Its near impossible to get a picture with everyone actually looking at the camera. We'll take what we get, though.

Chaperoning Jackson's field trip. That was fun!! What I always dreamed of when becoming a Mommy. I am still on the fence about homeschooling next year or not, but the time of Jackson being in school has been good. He loves it!!

Beautifying the patio and yard. More on that later...Lovin' my new screen door!!

Fisher turned two. Yesterday. Happy Birthday, Fisher!!

Planning a birthday cookout, complete with burlap, picnic plaid and...ANTS!!! More on that later...

Oh, and for those of y'all who hung in there all this time...we are having a GIRL!!!!!