Thrifty Thursday

Welcome to Thrifty Thursday hosted by Leigh! This is my Thrift Store "Fabric" Edition. Years ago I was just learning to love thrifting and I was also learning to work on costumes for the Victorian Porch Tour. My friend, who was the costume chairperson, taught me to shop for fabric at thrift stores. You can get great, expensive and vintage fabric by looking through the cloths and linens! Last week I bought these 3 things with ulterior motives-

An apron and a towel (new) that has mis/monograms on them and a linen skirt. I was going to use the apron for a pattern but the monogram was easy to pick out so I did. I remonogrammed my own initials and added some ribbon to make it my own. Total cost $3.99

Same with this wrap around towel. Cost $4.99 I'll use it as a swim suit cover-up this year. It already has the cute zebra ribbon and the elastic and Velcro top. I just had to redo the monogram. At first I was going to cut it off - it is very hard to take the monogram off terrycloth! But it came off .....eventually!

I got a remnant of burlap that I used to make this pillow. It has ribbons woven into the fabric where I pulled out threads! Look at this post by The Country Chic Cottage to see how it is done!

I've been so inspired to make pillows by Rhonda of Blue Creek Home lately. She has a giveaway going on right now! I noticed that she used a stencil that I had on one of her pillows. I just needed some linen. Have you priced it in fabric stores? $21.99 a yard!!!! Not Thrifty!!! So the third thing I bought at the thrift store was a $.50 linen skirt!!! It was a wrap skirt so I got at least a yard. Always look at the larger size skirts and dresses to get the most fabric for your $$$.

I paired the linen with some black and white check I had. Wish I had taken a picture of the back! I used the hem of the skirt, overlapped the back pieces and used the buttons that were on the skirt to close the pillow! Nothing goes to waste!

Still using that same skirt and a different stencil, I made this applique to put on this burlap pillow. I dug in my button jar for some vintage buttons to anchor it.

I really had fun playing with pillows this week! In fact, I went back to fabric shop again and bought a great white cotton skirt with hemstitch embroidery and a pleated ruffle....and a huge natural tent like linen dress! More fun!!!!!

Sewing and Snuggling

During the Snow Day I had a touch of spring in my sewing room!

I loved the contrast of the blooming flowers and the snow covered trees outside the window. The bluebird is fake, but he looks real enough for Lulu to stalk!

I have been working on some cute baby shower gifts for the long awaited grandson of my BFF! I guess you can tell where his parents went to school!

And of course I have spent most of the weekend bonding with the newest member of the Swamp- seen here overlooking the Facebook action!

He prefers to be held 24/7 - that's right - all day and all night! He cries when I leave the room. He jumps the baby gate like a cat. Screams so loud when I put him in a crate that I can hear him in the car as I drive away from the house! HATES to go outside. But, he sure is cute!

Meet Chug

Here is the second surprise of the day! The first is SNOW- more about that later. Could you resist this face? I couldn't. Chug was the featured pet yesterday on WTVM from the Lee County Humane Society. He is half pug, half chihuahua- so the name Chug. I briefly thought "I need to rescue him" briefly..... then I took the Pugs out for a walk and noticed the piles of pug fur all over the kitchen floor and I came to my senses.



Then this morning as the snow started coming down I asked my Hubby to just check to make sure Chug got adopted. He works with the father of the director of the Humane Society. You know, just to set my mind at ease and all.



Hubby came home for lunch with Chug. He needed a home now....he was at the end of his time and the shelter is full.....he found that home!



I always said my next pug would be a rescue... I guess this counts...he tilts his head when you talk to him and then there's the tail....


He is asleep in my arms as I type.

Seven (in the Snuggie) is not amused.

Lulu found the hand towels I was getting ready to wash in the sink. Eli and Bitsey has sniffed out the newcomer and are only concerned that we will be snowed in and run out of dog food.

It has been snowing for 4 hours! I should not have complained about the rain!

Rainy Days

I know I should not complain about the rain....at least it is not snow! But, my pampered Pugs do not like to go outside in the rain. They have been snuggled up asleep for the last month!

Last night the pillows on the bed looked disheveled....

Bitsey dug a little nest under the pillows so she could curl up in my pjs!

On a bright note, the Love of my Life came home with these to pick up my spirits!

Thrifty Thursday

I've missed Thrifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville for a long time....in fact, I've missed thrifting at all. The mess in my attic has put the brakes on my need to add more clutter to my house! But I've gotten so many ideas from blog reading that I had to get back in the stores. Last week I went to Angel's with my junkin' partner in crime. I saw this pile of little milk glass dishes with my name on it.

Don't tell anyone- but I think these were supposed to be ash trays- yuck! They did not appear to have been used and I put them through the dishwasher. I've seen some really cute cupcake stands made from butter pat dishes or toy china plates. I've collected 4 or 5 ....but here were 9.....and they were the perfect size and cheap($2.99 for all of them)! So the next day I was off to Harvest Thrift to find candle sticks to give them some height.

I gathered this collection of old brass candle sticks ($.50-$1.00 each) and waited for a nice day to get out the white spray paint.

I glued the dishes on with Loc-tite glue. If is does not hold I'll try Gorilla Glue. So far it has held-

I'm going to make Red Velvet cupcakes for Valentine's Day. In the meantime , my fake cupcakes will have to do!

Don't forget to go by Leigh's place to see more "Thrifty Thursday" ideas!

Valentine Shadow Box Ornaments

I bought a Christmas ornament this year that was made from a vintage postcard. So I have been working on some ornaments for my Valentine tree with the same idea. After a few mistreatments I came up with this!I started out making it post card size but it was too big for my little tree so I shrunk things up to fit a small jewelry box.



Start out by gathering your supplies:
I printed off some vintage Valentines to fit the little boxes. I found the Valentines here and here. The flocked scrapbook paper came from Hobby Lobby on the clearance aisle ($.71)!! Little boxes are from Dollar Tree. Lace, ribbon, glitter, buttons, flowers and craft glue were from my stash!

Spread glue on the box with an old paintbrush.

Wrap the box and use some clothespins to hold it to dry.

Glue Valentine inside the box. Use paintbrush to paint glue on highlights of the Valentine and sprinkle with glitter. I painted the little hearts on this one.

I used a glue gun to attach the ribbon for hanging and the flowers around it.

I probably have $.50 invested in each one and I have supplies to make more. I just ran out of boxes!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good - The first dining room cabinet is coming along! I can't wait to paint it and put my dishes away! The hinges are back ordered so DH will start working on #2!

The Bad - Just look at that floor... and it is not contained to the dining room! There is dust all over my house......
The Ugly- I made this nativity scene for my babies almost 30 years ago. They played with it every Christmas. It survived 5 children, cats, dogs....but it did not survive the attic. It was in a plastic tub full of decorations. Nothing else was disturbed!!! They "had" beans in them to weigh them down so they didn't tip over. They no longer have beans in them! Some creature has chewed through each one and eaten the 30 year old beans! Also missing are the camel ears, Baby Jesus' face and one of Mary"s hands. I think I still have the pattern....I will remake them when/if I have a Grandchild to play with them.... I was so sad to throw them away!