confessions of a thrift-a-holic

A Home for My Earrings

2011-02-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

So I have a problem. A problem staying organized. I have A LOT earrings and they were doing me no good laying around in a pile where I couldn't see what I have. So I decided to make an earring organizer and you can too!

Here is what you need:

A Frame from Goodwill or DI
Paint (optional)
Expanded metal (mine was left over from a job my husband was on, but you can get yours from Home Depot or Lowes. I heard from someone that you can even buy it by the foot at Ace Hardware. But I am not sure on that.)
Tin Snips
Hot Glue gun
Wire to hang your frame up

Here is what you need to do:

Step 1-Clean and paint your frame. My frame had a linen border, so I just masked it and painted the rest of the frame.
Step 2-Measure the opening of your frame and cut your metal with your tin snips.
Step 3-Use the hot glue gun to make a bead of glue around the opening on the back. Work quickly so your glue doesn't dry, but make sure you don't burn yourself!
Step 4-Press the metal into the glue.
Step 5- Squeeze out another bead of glue on top of your metal to seal it in.
Step 6- Hang up your frame and put your earrings on!

At first I didn't think I would keep up hanging up my earrings after I wore them. But surprisingly I do! My motivation is to keep it looking cute. Now all I need to do is make a few more so I can hang up ALL of my earrings!

Thanksgiving Cupcakes

2011-02-23T21:14:00.000-08:00

We needed a little excitement in the kitchen tonight so I whipped up these. It is a recipe that I totally made up so I just guessed on the measurements. They taste like Thanksgiving to me.

Here is what you need:
1 pound ground turkey
2 stalks celery diced
1/2 onion diced
3 TBSP Butter
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp thyme
2-3 handfuls bread crumbs
1 egg
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion and celery in the butter. Add thyme and sage. Cook until tender. Mix turkey, onions and celery, egg and breadcrumbs in a bowl.
Spray 8 muffin cups with cooking spray. Stuff mixture into each cup. Press down with the back of a spoon to make them smooth on top.
Bake for 20 minutes or until they are thoroughly cooked in the center. "Frost" them with creamy mashed potatoes and sprinkle them with a few bread crumbs. They would be even yummier with gravy drizzled on top. Enjoy!

A much needed makeover...

2009-06-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

So on one of my many trips to DI, I found this diamond in the rough. It's a reproduction of a French bergere chair by Drexel Heritage. There was just one tiny problem. The upholstery was hideous. It had to be changed. Quickly. So I rolled up my sleeves and went to work.

Slowly the chair morphed in to this. But something about the busy fabric and the trim bugged me. If only the pattern was bigger-I'm not sure. But I was sure of one thing, It had to be changed...again!

So this is what it finally evolved into. And I must say, I am pretty pleased with the result. Will thinks it looks like a beach towel, but I must say I really like it up against my blue wall. I love what 8 dollars at DI and a little elbow grease can turn into.

The fruits of my labor...

2009-06-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

They say that most florists don't have a green thumb. Well I am here to prove that saying a myth. Here is my proof.

I went outside to water my vertically challenged tomato plants, and I found these little beauties. They are tiny little things- just a half inch around. But I am still pleased as punch. Hopefully there are more to come.

What the heck is a Villano?

2009-04-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

So I went to the thrift store the other day and I saw this. I thought this might look good in my bedroom. It's a real painting, not a print. I was walking around the store with it, pondering the decision of if I should buy it or not. A guy came up to me and said, "Oh man, you're taking that. Darn it." I should have been nice and given it to him, but his desire intrigued me. So I bought it. As I was paying for it, the guy came up to me again and said, "I can't believe I let that go. That's such a great deal. That's a Villano!" (whoever the heck that is, this painting looks pretty ordinary to me) So I ran out the door with my painting and drove home quickly to google Mr. Villano. Who knows, he could be the next Monet. After an hour of scouring the internet, I found nothing! Oh well maybe someday he will be famous. But for now, it just will look good on the wall above my dresser.

Obsessed

2009-04-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

My darling sister-in-law, Sarah, turned me on to Xerox transfers. She taught me how to do it and even gave me the blender pen to start my Xerox transfer journey. Well, I am addicted.

I love silhouettes of everyday objects. I have many plans for some empty frames. Here is one of my latest transfers.

Conference Sunday

2009-04-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Conference Sunday is always such a relaxing day. We sat around and watched our Apostles speak. Then we had the most scrumptious brunch.

We had a giant German pancake with all of the fixings.

Then Will and I headed up to Mt. Charleston to see the last of the snow. (Yes it "snows" in the Vegas area)

Super Easy Centerpiece

2009-04-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

I found this vintage mold at the thrift store the other day. It makes a perfect little centerpiece, don't you think?

April Fools!

2009-04-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

This morning my husband woke up to this on the bathroom mirror.

And then he found that he couldn't get into his lunch. I sneakily taped all of his ziploc bags closed.

"Anthropologie" Chandelier

2009-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

So my mom and I were in Anthropologie a couple of months ago and saw a beautiful chandelier. I immediately fell in love with it until I saw the price tag. It was $2,000! Of course, would I expect anything less out of Anthropologie? But I still had to have it. So I made it.
I bought a cheap light fixture and discarded the ugly glass globe that it came with. I had my sweet husband weld me a form.
I attached the ring to the light fixture by setting the ring above the screws that would have held the glass globe. Then I took cheap glass balls that I got 75% off after Christmas and attached them to the ring at various heights with jewelry wire. And voila, a $2,000 light fixture for about $15!

lil' treasure

2009-03-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

I made my way across town to another thrift store I have never been in. It's a good thing I did because I found this little thumbprint glass punch bowl and matching cups. It was marked down from 10 buck to only 5 !! All twelve dainty little cups were there. Now I just have to have a party with some punch!