Pick your Plum!

I'm not sure how I found it, but I love the deals that get e-mailed to me during the week from Pickyourplum.com.  It's usually crafty stuff at a reduced price.  Problem is, I could easily order from them daily.  I've ordered plaques, vinyl, chalk board vinyl, hair pins and thin blank wood that can be decorated.  

If you see a deal on there that you want, you need to get your butt up and order it.  They tend to sell out and when it's gone, it's gone!  I usually get the email between 6:00-6:30am.

Here's what I received today in the mail!  Big shamrocks, little ones, and the word luck.  I have ordered enough for 6 because I plan on doing a craft night with my neighbors.

A piece of thin wood, scrapbook paper, modge podge, and buttons (all from Michaels except the buttons) and you end up with this.  Maybe for the mantle?  Or hang on the door?  I don't know but just a reason to get together!

I love my $5 window pane!

About a month ago my friends and I went shopping in downtown Temecula.  We went into this store and I saw a window pane that had a price tag of $10.  I thought that had to be wrong because lately I've seen these for a lot more.  I kind of thought it was supposed to say $100 (since it was Temecula and all.) and we ended up leaving without it.

But I really wanted it, so I went back after a few days just to check it out again.  I took it to the cash register and the lady says "oh, and it's 50% off." Sweet!  $5 bucks... whoo hoo!  Here it is!

I think it's pretty cool.  My husband doesn't get all this and pretty much tells me every time I leave "Don't buy anything old!"

I ordered a canvas print from wink flash.com,  made letters on my cameo, and a baby banner out of fabric.  I really like how it came out!

My shutter find.

I found this shutter for $12 at an antique store going out of business.  I had no idea what I would do with it but I had to have it.

I have also been collecting frames here and there from garage sales, swap meets etc.  I thought I could put the two together and here's what I came up with!

I had to spray paint everything and then I added a wire and clips for my pictures.  I love these colors right now.  I first tested them on some hat boxes my friend gave me to see how they would look.  Yep, I loved them together.  Only wish I would have paid more attention to some spray paint being satin and some gloss.  Whoops!

Dad comes for a visit!

This past week my dad was here.  Basically to work on a few projects my sister and I had for him.  He's a carpenter kind of guy and although our husbands are great, they don't do that kind of stuff.  He didn't get to golf which he loves, but that's ok because he'll be back in a month or so and that's all he plans on doing.

So my first project for him was to help me organize my craft closet.  I just had everything in totes and stacked up.  It was such a hassle trying to get to something.  Here's what it looked like....

And here's the work in progress....

And here's a look after I put most of the stuff back in!!!  I'm so happy I love it!!  I will still keep moving stuff around until I get it just right but for now it works!!  Thanks Dad!!!  You're the bomb-diggity!

Room for the cameo, wrapping paper, and a shelf for my photo albums.

Totes for my scrap fabric and a roll out underneath with my scrapbook paper.  Yay!

I also had an old hope chest I had spray painted yucky brown and put fabric on the top.  That was about a year ago and I already hated it.  I'm starting to do some lighter colors in my house which is really hard to incorporate when you have all the dark browns and reds.

But I'm changing my decor one can of spray paint at a time.
I'll have to look for my before picture but here's the after.

Now, the inside is cool too.  Three separate spaces for Kale, Mom & Dad, and Addie.

Hopefully I can now avoid this.  Which used to work for me fine before but now the dog pulls everything out of the basket and I have to wrestle him down to get shoes out of his mouth.

Scary, yucky pretend kitchen.

Notice the cobwebs on bottoms. Yuck! I went to a garage sale in Canyon Lake a few weeks ago.  I figured for $5 it was worth a try to get this in shape for Addie. 

I found the company that made these stamped on the back so I googled it.
Elves & Angels from Maine

Here's the current version.  Selling for $219.  Whhhaaat?

A good cleaning, spray paint and pretty knobs.  Addie was super excited to play with this.
But I told her it had to stay outside for a while to make sure no critters were still coming out of it!

Here's a step stool at an antique store.  Price - $5.

I spray painted the frame using masking tape to cover the black steps and then added a new seat cover! Pretty!  It stays in the pantry right now.

Here's a picture I've had forever.  It's pretty, but I don't like the gold frames anymore.

So I took off the back to take the print out.

Spray painted the frame grey and added some fun fabric.  

Debating on adding a black and white photo to it. 

This is a broken chair I picked up at a thrift store for $5. Perfect to try out one of my first redo's.

I added some cushion and new fabric to the seat 

and spray painted the frame.

I love this chair.  The fabric makes me happy.

When I go thrifting sometimes I see old dishes that are cool or pretty.  These were all around $1 or $2.

Used a little E-6000 glue and turned them into 

pretty cake plates.  Or I guess in this case, 

a cheese and fruit platter.

A beautiful day outside.

Sunday = Funday!  Yesterday Kale wanted to go to the skate park.  I drove the kids all the way to Corona and once we got there he was intimidated by the older kids.  We ended up just playing at the park.  Oh well, I guess I would be scared too.  Today is beautiful weather and we are playing outside.  James is aerating the lawn, Kale on his scooter and Addie and I are doing sidewalk chalk and getting messy in small puddles of water.  I have to remind myself constantly to enjoy the moments with my kids, stop cleaning, and making messes is ok.  They are growing up so fast and I don't want to look back and regret not doing enough with them.  As a parent I think we are always feeling guilty no matter what.  Just gotta do "my" best and not compare myself to others.

My Invention, The Memory Box!

I think I have pretty funny kids.  I mean they really say some funny stuff sometimes like I'm sure most kids do.  But whenever I tell people they say "Are you writing this down?!"  Ummmm, welll.... sometimes.  I try to remember to write it down so I can tell them what they did or said when they get older.  But I really do have a horrible memory!  I could watch a movie and not even know what I saw the next day!  (Not really sure how I got through college but I'm guessing my short term memory must be pretty good.)

Anyway.....  I decided, if we just had a convenient way to log these memories down, it might work!  So after months and different types of glue.  I came up with a memory box.

Oh, and the idea is to keep it out on your counter top where it's convenient, log what your kids do or say and maybe even write down milestones, ie: first haircut - 1 year. When your kids get older you can give it to them or read it to them occasionally as they are growing up to make them smile.

So.... Here's the poem that goes inside the box....

I keep this box of memories of all you do and say.

The precious, cute and funny, I could write something every day.

I can’t remember everything, and there’s so much you’ll want to know.

Everyday’s a blessing, and everyday you’ll grow.

Everyone says “Are you writing this down? They’ll be gone before you know it!”

And now I can say, “Why, yes I am!” Whew,… I didn’t blow it!

The box is yours to keep, just as soon as you are grown.

But my job as a mommy, will never be quite done.