Busy as a Bee

Well I have been "Busy as a Bee" since last I wrote.  Just wanted post all my new finds and redos for yall to get inspired for Spring~  The weather is pretty...sun's out and you know what that means!  Yes!  Yard sales~  This is where you will find treasures!  Gonna start hunting tomorrow for some trash to treasure finds~ But until then...here is what I have been doing

 This picture below is my new booth in "The Antique & Arts Mall" in Shelbyville, Tn~  If you are ever in that area...go check it out~

Be My Valentine~

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and choosing a Valentine’s Day gift for your sweetheart doesn't have to be expensive just creative~ Valentine’s Day is the official day to express your love for your spouse, mother , daughter, friend or that special someone. One thing that you must keep in mind when choosing a Valentine’s Day gift for her/him  is that it need not be an expensive, but must show how much you love her/him. Take a look at these creative yet inexpensive Valentine’s Day gift ideas for her.

Chocolates: Is there anyone in this world who would say they hate chocolates, especially women! Please...no stuffed animals with the chocolate!  That is just too much!  I hate them, save that for the child on your list!  Chocolates are not only inexpensive but also one of the traditional Valentine’s Day gifts.Instead of getting the heart shaped box, get the bags and put them in a really cute container with a love note and a big bow!  Chocolate is a gift for everyone....man, woman, child or beast! lol

Flowers: Flowers are a traditional idea for Valentine, especially roses. Why not give a twist and add your flowers to a teacup you get at a thrift store.  Throw in some feathers to give it that extra special flare! Cute, Cute!

Valentine Assessory Gift: Majority of the women love adding a scarf to their attire as they would enhance their beauty. It is not necessary that women wear  a scarf only during winter they make a cute assesory to any outfit! Any assessory will be nice...scarf, gloves, earrings, necklace or purse! You can also give the man in your life a scarf, add gloves and a love note in the gloves along with a box of candy.  Put the cute note in the gloves reading: "Hands down...You're my Favorite Valentine!"

Massage at a spa: Who doesn’t like pampering? Gift her/him a gift certificate to one of the spas in the area.  It doesn't have to be expensive or a long one, a 30 min  foot  massage is Fabulous!.  You can add the certificate to a basket of spa things such as soaps and lotions!
Perfumes /Colognes: Tell me who doesn’t like perfumes or cologne; surprise her/him with a new fragrance on their wish list.  You could also go with some Bath and Body lotions!  That is always a winner!

Cupcakes/cake:  You could just run by the local bakery and grab a goody box filled with different goodies such as cupcake, cookies, candies! Add a love note that reads:  "You're the Sweetest Valentine!" You can make these Valentine cake balls on a stick!  Cute Cute! There are always some cute things at Julia's Bakery in Murfreesboro Tn if you live near the area run by...you won't be disappointed!
Card with gift card:  If you are not sure what to get the best thing to do is get a card with a gift card inside.  For the men....Lowes, Home depot, Target, Walmart, any resturant! Women....Target, Bath and Body, Dillards, the list is endless! lol You can make your own card that reads..."There is a rumor going around town that "You're my Valentine!"

Valentine Cones:  Here's an idea...get some scrapbooking paper and make hanging cones from them and stuff them with candy and a note!  Cute Cute!

Valentine Basket for Him:  Get a 4 pack of bottle soda, take the 2 out on the opposite ends...add some paper shedding in there and some candy bars, popcorn and a movie and pull it up in a celephane bag! You can just get one of those popcorn basket  and fill it up and add a  movie.  Cuddle up and watch the movie together on Valentine night!

Valentines for Friends Vintage style:  Get some hankies or clothe napkin with a vintage spoon.  Add hot chocolate with that pulled up with a beautiful teacup and a bow....Add a beautiful brooch to the bow.

Valentine Love notes:  This is what I am doing for my husband to take on his trips away from home! Get some beautiful stationary and write 7 love letters.  Lable the front for each day of the week.  Tie them up in a beatiful bow and add a box a chocolate to it!  This is a gift he can have all year.  He can read his letters every week! This is especially good for those that are going to be away traveling! Don't forget to seal the envelope with a kiss!

 Valentine Picnic:  Fix a picnic basket add the red and white table clothe.  Just spread it on the floor in the living room or in front of the fireplace and have a picnic. Pop in some classical love song CD.  Add some bubbly sparkling grape juice and chocolate kisses or chocolate cover strawberries!

Dressing up old windows~

There are many things you can do with old windows.  I have made tables from them.  Memo boards with the glass out and cork board adding material to spruce it up.  You can put knobs and hooks on them and hang them in the bathroom for towel racks.  You can add metal artwork to them, decorative, knobs, old keys, old door knobs and pull handles and add mirrors on the backside.  They make cute Jewerly holders.  You can add old pictures to them and add some wording from Uppercase Living.  You can suppend one in the kitchen and hang pots and pans from it. Some people put them together and make headboards from them.  There are endless things that can be done with old window.  Here is one I have done that I added knobs, hooks and an Uppercase design on it.  I also added some adhesive material to the lower window panes. I have put it in my booth to sell but my next project is to make me one of my very own!  Fun projects with windows!  Try it!

What do you do with old Screens and Fencing?

My newest project is finding things to do with old screens.  The old screens have the metal screenings in them so I decided to get magnets and use the old screens as memo boards or picture boards.  I decorated them with decorative knobs and metal work such as the bird.  I put them in my booth  and put a price tag on them and they were gone in 3 days~!  I was thrilled that someone thought they were as beautiful and clever as I did! lol  I also painted a section of fencing I found at one ot my junk stores and added knobs to that for a picture holder, hat or coat rack.  Just attach it to the wall.  It could serve many purposes.  It's a cute way to hang towels in your bathroom too!Now to my next project~ Old end tables....I will show the before picture and then the after!

Christmas Decorating on a Dime

Here are some decorating ideas on a dime.  Wrap some of the pictures you have hanging on the wall to look like packages. Dollar tree has wrapping for $1.   If you need garland try fresh greenery in your home for Christmas.  It doesn't matter what kind just any greenery with a bow added always makes it festive and gives it that warm holiday feel.  I love to recycle things I already have around the house....take scraps of fabric or felt and cut into Christmas shapes then attach them to twine, wire or ribbon and use for garland all over the house or on your tree. You can also use corn starch to make them stiff instead of using wire.  My favorite thing I am doing now is using old balls and adding some pages out of an old song book or book and using elmers glue with a little water and  doing paper mache with them.  You can use scrapbook paper or tissue paper.  It is fun and fabulous!!! One of my old favorites is stringing popcorn for garland, let it sit for a couple of days to get stale. Stale popcorn is easier to string. If you budget will allow add cranberries to it...it gives it that extra color punch~  My all time favorite thing that me and my kids use to do is the dough ornaments. And I have attached the recipe for you.  They are easy and fun!
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Combine the flour, salt and water; mix well and knead for 10 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface.
Cut into desired shapes and make holes for hanging. Bake for 30 minutes; allow to cool.
Decorate with poster paints or tube paints. Allow to dry and spray with clear polyurethane on both sides to preserve,  I add cinnamon to my dough if I am doing the gingerbread~ He is my favorite!

Recycled Christmas~

I love to do recycled crafts especially at Christmas~  This one I found off the internet and decided to try it myself~  It is done with old song book pages, or old books.  Just tear the pages in strips...mix a little of water with some elmers glue and use a paint brush to brush on then lay the strips on.  It's somewhat like paper mache'.  We have all done paper mache at some point rather it be a school project with kids, a pinata for a birthday party or crafting Christmast balls~ lol    This was so fun...and cost me nothing~    I used some old balls that were a little on the shabby side and covered them with the paper.  I decided to put it on a cone Christmas tree I made with white garland and added some black feathers for a wow effect~  This was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon~

Put some Shabby in your Thanksgiving

I poured some candles to go with my Thanksgiving meal~ I thought to warm it up a bit and make it feel cozy and inviting.  A little snicker doodle candle makes you feel all fuzzy inside and always brings back those memories from long ago as a child smelling Mama's baked cookies.  To make the candles look shabby chicish I glued some vintage style fabric to the lid and added a ribbon from the same fabric to the jar.  I glued a plate from the thrift store on a candle stick holder to make a cookie plate.  These candles will look great on the table and will add just the right touch for a Thanksgiving meal with family and friends~