Ladies ... You CAN do this! Hang a new light fixture

Don't be scared to hang your own new lighting fixture!

DIY with Vintage ... Pantry Make-over

Okay this is embarrassing, but yes, this is my pantry.
In a house with not enough storage anywhere, my kitchen is the same.
Way too much gets shoved in here and every once in a while it needs a facelift.

lets take a look ....

DIY with Vintage ... Heart Art, Framed

Easy hand made art ... 

Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

1st.  You need a Large Gorgeous Frame ...

like this Barnwood Distressed one from CobblestonesVintage on Etsy

2nd.  Fabric 
large enough to cover the opening in the frame

like this ticking from AStringorTwo on Etsy

 or Old Sacks

from FragmentsAnotherTime on Etsy

 

or a Scarf 

from retrogroovie on Etsy

3.  If your frame has glass in it, just cover the glass with your fabric.

If not, fit the back with a piece of cardboard.

Cover the cardboard with your fabric of choice and place in your frame.

4. Pictures to arrange in a heart or maybe a Monogram letter, like these,

French Postcards from KickassStyle on Etsy

 

Victorian Black and White Photos from DavesPaperGoods on Etsy

Or maybe old Playing Cards from MissSarahBelle on Etsy

5. Using something simple like sticky 'funtack' or double sided tape, place on the backside of the pictures or cards and stick onto the from in the shape of a heart or letter.

Tell me about your amazing creation!

I will be adding my picture here this week :)

DIY with Vintage ... Doily Table Runner

Create your own table runner with smaller crocheted doilies.

DIY this gorgeous creation on the cheap 

courtesy of BHG

Use your local thrift shops or find some great deals on doilies online like these one:

 Assorted Pink Doily Lot

 Assorted Cream Doily Lot

Mixed Doily Lot

Find that perfect selection and join them together with a simple stitch here and there.
If you want to achieve the look of the first picture, they took 5 different shades of blue and hand painted the doilies to get an ombre effect between each one.
Voila!! 

Unique Vintage Beauty!

Tea Party please ...

Yellow Tea Rose on Black

Assorted mixed bone china and ironstone cups

Red Poppies by Bavaria Schumann

Mushroom Pattern by Aynsley

Pansies on Lime Green by Foley

Fish Motif by Toyotoki Japan

Some beautiful teacups I have had the pleasure of meeting ...

Dahlias on mint green by Paragon

Decorating with Books ...

No need to have a full out library in your living room with shelves filled from top to bottom.  Incorporate the books you love into the warmth of your home.  Small stacks here and there can add height, colour and depth to end tables, coffee tables and shelves.

My Collection of John Patience children's books on top of my curio cabinet

These books are very old and I use the top 3 green ones as props a lot for my Etsy shop

In an old wooden crate, scattered Bailey's Miniature Houses all around Books are proudly displayed

Every animal lover needs to read James Herriot at some point in their life

Most of these books in this pile I bought for $0.25 a piece at various thrift stores

The last Book Bundle in my living room, the 'need to read' pile I guess (check out my new Scentsy warmer)

Make your House Beautiful - by being thrifty

Vibrant Colours!

Thrift store tricks to finding the beautiful stuff

• Go thrifting often ... they add new things every day & you don't want to miss that perfect addition
•  Look for bright vibrant colours -----> like this blue canister set
•  That shelf that holds all the wooden trays and bowls might surprise you ... find matches or mismatches and they polish up beautifully with a soft rag and olive oil ... check out the shine on the bowl set and salt and pepper set below
• Jars with the vintage zinc rings are beautiful and usually really really inexpensive!
• If you can't find the vintage zinc rings - check out pinterest and I'm sure you'll find a pin on faux zinc ...
• The shelf full of old smelly suitcases usually has a few treasures - vintage hard traincases, suitcases or leather doctors bags ... perfect for filling full of rolled up towels in the washroom
•  

  

  Zinc Ringed Mason Jars ....

  Check the tool area for vintage trays and drawers, sometimes they just need a little elbow grease and are lovely new display pieces ...

Baribocraft Salad Set

Baribocraft ... check the label

Galvanized Anything

Traincases!!

What thrifty beautiful items have you found lately?

Yes, She is Mine ...

So totally thought this was absolutely fine ...

She is a Brat ... 
She is Big ...
She finds trouble ...
She's one year old ...
She loves us ...
We love her ...
She loves to run ...
She makes us laugh ...
She's one of a kind ...
We'll keep her ...
 

Thrifty Little Ones Painter's Palette

So, I saw a bunch of pins on how you can melt broken wax crayons in a silicon baking pan and melt them in the oven ... 

then a facebook friend posted that she tried it and ended up setting up her smoke detector because the thrift store container she bought was plastic, not silicon, therefore it melting and almost started a fire.... 

hmmmm ... I think the ones I bought were plastic also ... Red Hearts, Blue Fish and Green Stars ... I guess they will, forever be ice cube trays ...

Until one day, when my son wanted to paint and I was searching the tupperware cupboard for the token and usually plentiful margarine container lid to put the paint on .... but no, none to be found ... what can I use? hmmmm .... well looky here, and there rebirth happened ... Put each colour into each heart, with a couple left over for custom colours and presto ...

A Thrifty Little Ones Painter Palette

linked to craftyconfessions

Delicious Iced Coffee Recipe

Call me cheap, but I can't bare to throw out an old pot of coffee.  So started my quest for a delicious, as good as the coffee houses iced coffee ... I do believe I've done it.

1. Perk a pot of coffee, or go to your coffee maker and take the leftover coffee in the pot, pour it into a container and put in the fridge.  I use a mason jar and just keep adding to it. 

2. Make Simple Sugar Mixture - Boil 1 cup water then add 1 cup of white sugar , stir until dissolved.  Put in fridge to cool (for at least 30 minutes or so) This is so easy and this is what makes the iced coffee work. Just make it and keep it in the fridge for when you want to mix up a cool one.
3. Add to your Simple Sugar Mixture 1tsp of Vanilla & 1/2 tsp of Almond Extract and stir.  This is my secret ingredient that makes the coffee absolutely amazing! I am thinking you could easily add peppermint extract or whatever flavour you would like to make it exactly how you want it.
4. Grab your favourite drinking glass, the bigger the better. Fill with ice cubes, then fill 2/3 with black coffee, more or less depending on if you want it darker or creamier.

5. Take your Simple Sugar and add until you've increased the level of the liquid by about an inch. Then top with Cream ... for a lower fat version, use 2%, 1% or almond milk.

 Stir and Enjoy!! Mmmmmm ... isn't it yum?!!


Linked to Twigg studios

Pink Hunger Games Quilt ...

Newest must have Hunger Games Quilt ...
One of a kind for the ultimate HG fan!!

BUY IT NOW ... click here

Full description on Etsy Page, just click link to answer all your questions.

a few new things ...

Well I haven't played with my blog layout for a long time ... but I stumbled across Etsy Mini and thought it was a cool thing to add here.

I have had 2 great months with Etsy considering I have only 12-19 items in my shop at different times ... BUT ... I have made my first 6 sales ... some sewing & some vintage ... EXCITING!

Mays Item Views and Favourites were more that Aprils and that makes me smile :) ...

So off to find more treasures and take better pictures and get my butt sewing :)

Hey - let me know what you like & what are you looking for - while I'm treasure hunting maybe I might stumble across it :)

Inspired by Hunger Games Quilt ... light teal, super soft

My newest Quilt in my shop ... click Here to buy it.  These haven't been lasting more than a week in my shop - I've been selling them faster then I can make them.  One of a kind Handmade with love.

Hunger Games Quilts

Patchwork Appliqued Mockingjay Pin Quilt

So you've read the books, you've seen the movie ... me too!!!

I was inspired to create these quilts / blankets / throws ...

The mockingjay is my hand drawn facsimile.  Each quilt is different - no mass produced blah stuff here.

Newest addition & only quilt currently available

sorry pictured quilts are SOLD OUT 

Favourite my Shop HERE so you can pounce
on the newest listed quilt.

Refashion: Button-Up shirt to Little Boys 'GI Joe' Outfit

I heart little girl things.

Ruffles.

Frills.

Skirts and dresses.

Lace and Ribbon.


Alas, I was blessed with a little boy.  So I must adapt ...

Camo.

Sports Teams.

Practical & Sturdy.

Denim & Dark colours.

 ........ So lets at least try to keep it a little fun!!~~~~~

 1. Military colour shirt - $1.99 @ VV Boutique (aka Value village Thrift Store) - Men's small

2.Chopped off both arms

3.  Measured with one of my sons shirts that fits him (even a little too big) I don't want him outgrowing this next month!

4. Using that same shirt - measured to see how much to take out of the sides - pinned and serged edges - remember to leave the arm hole open - this is where we have to reattach the arms

5. Reattached arms ~ at this point I overthink things - don't put one of the arms one inside out and think you might be able to get away with it - you will HAVE to take it off and put it on the right way *wink*

6. At this point - if you have a girl this would be perfect for a Dress!

7.  Add Army-esque embelishments - Of course I just used some of my scraps.  The stripes are some ribbon my little man picked out himself.

Pretty Snazzy!!

Before he would wear it I had to make matching pants (he's very matchy-matchy for 3.5) So I quickly put together some pants with big Cargo-type pockets on both legs made from the left over shirt material - and an elastic waist ... Apparently -this is how he feels he should 'pose' for the camera .... and the cowboy hat? I have no idea - maybe he escaped the Cuban Army?

Linked to Funky Junk SNS
 & A Vision to Remember
& Kuzak's Closet