Last Call for Entries!

Here it is August 31 already ~ last day to sign up for my giveaway.  Tomorrow I will draw for the winner ~ be watching for the post!

Today I spent a lovely day with my dear friend Hayley.  We headed out to drop off all my donations to Goodwill and then to pick up supplies for her new business venture.  She is making the cutest hair bows and blocks ~ check them out here.  It was good to have some adult conversation without little voices interrupting!  We got in a little shopping as well ~ found some great deals at Wal-Mart, some summer clothes clearanced out at $1.00! 

Home now, putting away all my deals, and waiting for the kiddos to arrive home from school.  After the dreary day yesterday, the weather has turned HOT again ~ near 90.  I'm sure they will be tired just from the heat today.

Last night, DS did well again at supper ~ ate more green beans without a word, even had seconds of the main dish ~ bacon cheeseburger pasta.  It's so nice when supper doesn't involve an argument! 

Tonight it's my night out with the girls before the wedding on Monday ~ DH's night with the kids.  I have a feeling it will be frozen pizza for supper ~ everyone's favorite :)

Goodwill Goodie Makeover Monday ~ is BACK!!!

Yes ~ motivation has definitely returned!  Not one, not two, but 6 projects are in the works!!!  I figure that gives me 6 weeks of Goodwill Goodie Makeovers at least.  The pile has gone done slightly, a few have even been weeded out to return to Goodwill. 

So, what am I working on this week?  This ~

Now, I'm sure that everyone is thinking ~ "Why in the world would she change that beautiful thing?"  LOL!  I assure you that it will look even better by Friday.  The paint is dry and I'm going to try to get it sanded today.  Then I need to gather my other additions. 

Oh, does it feel good to get back at it.  With all the stress of buying another house, getting ours ready to sell, re-vamping the new one, showings of our current one, ballgames, practices, dance camps and classes, I needed a stress-reliever!

Thrifty Thursday

Spring is definitely in the air today ~ possibly hitting 70 here in Iowa!!!  The snow is just about all melted, much to my delight!  The kids have been spending as much time as possible outside after school which means a lot of wet, wet clothes to wash every day.  I had forgotten how wet this time of year is ~ the yard is mud from one end to the other.  Oh well ~ I spied some green grass today and some of my plants stayed green under all the snow!

I thought that I would make a return to Thrifty Thursday today.  With the warmer weather, I'm feeling more like blogging again.  I didn't think that winter would have affected my desire to post, but it sure did.  The cold temps made it impossible to paint and the pieces that I had ready to prim just sat in the basement in a box.  Maybe I can get to them now!

I hit Goodwill after Valentine's Day this week and found a few treasures.  Next year's decorating will be a bit more than it was this year!  Here's what I snagged ~

I actually had purchased the hugs & kisses wall words before Valentine's Day with the intention of applying it to a tile.  However, with all the kids' activities and a few snow days, I never accomplished it.  Everything else I picked up for a mere $3.50!  I think that they will be great additions to what I have.

DH shocked me with a new Willow Tree for Valentine's Day.  I wasn't expecting anything as he had surprised me with gorgeous diamond earrings for Christmas (as well as every special holiday/day in 2011).  I still have it displayed with my Valentine's Day Scentsy warmer ~

Here's a different view of the Scentsy warmer ~

It seems that a lot of us have been busy thrifting again ~ everyone must have spring fever!  It's been fun to see what everyone's been finding.  What's been your favorite treasure lately?

Thrifty Thursday

For today's Thrifty Thursday, I took a tour of our home in search of a perfect item to show.  I think I found it!  It's something that I came across while pulling out my stash of Halloween costumes a few weeks ago for the kids to go through.  I had forgotten all about this and am just thrilled to have discovered it!  It works in so well in the toy/game room.  Plus I received my January 2011 edition of Country Sampler today, and wouldn't you know ~ it's one of the top 10 collectibles for this coming year!  Now, mine is not that old, but my mom did make it and so it means so much more to me!  What could it be.....drum roll please......

A vintage dress with apron and bonnet!  My mom made this for me when I was about 3 or 4 years old ~ apparently I was obsessed with Holly Hobby. Can you believe how it matches the quilt?  We rescued the ladder from an old barn that we bulldozed on our acreage.  The rocking horse was given to my DS for his 1st birthday by my parents ~ I think it rounds out the display nicely!  I have a photo some where of my DD wearing this dress, but haven't been able to track it down.  When I do, I would like to frame it and hang it beside the display.

Who needs to go to a thrift store when you can just shop in your basement?!?!  I found a few more items down there that will be moving out of the tubs and into new homes very soon.  Decorating on a budget ~ love when I can re-purpose items I have!

Goodwill Goodie Finish Friday

Friday?  How can it be Friday already?  I think I missed the rest of the week ~ or maybe I was just that busy!  DD's pink eye has cleared up and DS escaped it.  DS and I both had eye appointments this week and my mom faced some medical issues that kept me busy for a few days.  So I didn't have a chance to post yesterday's Thrifty Thursday, hoping that next week slows down a little ~ good luck on that happening!

I put the finishing touches on this week's makeover this afternoon and LOVE the outcome!  Remember how I had posted that the first paint job and distressing attempt were a disaster?  Well, turns out it was really a blessing in disguise!  I have to share the photos ~

The first paint job was oxford blue over black.  When I sanded, big chunks of paint came off ~ the box must have had some kind of finish, I should have sanded before painting.  So I went back over the whole thing with black.  When I distressed this time, I sanded very light and the best thing happened ~ the blue started to show through under the black!  It looks perfect!  The photos just don't do it justice.

I have been looking for a primitive star stencil for a while, and found one last weekend ~ perfect addition to the box!  The blue paint I used for the star was leftover from our children's bathroom ~ what are the chances that it would match this well.  Everything I used for the top display is a thrifty find!  I just found the flag today for $.25, the pip berries and gingerbread men were Goodwill finds, and the grater was a consignment shop find.

It rounds off the spoon rack display and hides the school supplies that DS and DD use everyday for homework.  I love these bread box makeovers and will definitely purchase every one that I can find!  If anyone would be interested in purchasing a made-over bread box, please let me know ~ I'm sure we can work a deal out!

Rain and wind have set in here today.  We are under a winter weather advisory right now ~ I'm not ready for cold weather yet.  I have too many makeovers to get started!  It's a good thing that I have a few painted and ready to go!

Thrifty Thursday ~ Game Boards!

It's Thrifty Thursday!  Today I thought I would share about game boards!  I'm also linking with Tales from Bloggeritaville to share my thrifty finds.

I have many memories of playing board games, mainly checkers, with both sets of grandparents.  My great-grandmother had an old Chinese checker game that we loved to play with ~ even though none of us knew how to actually play Chinese checkers.  When she moved into town from the farm, the game disappeared and no one will 'fess up to having it :(  I'm always on the look-out for a similar game board, but have yet to find one. 

Country Sampler has become one of my favorite magazines and I love to see how game boards have been used in home decor.  Our children's "toy room" is in our basement and I have been wanting to find some game boards to decorate with.  DS and DD have outgrown the Little People and other "baby toys", as they call them, and so now is my chance!  Within the last few months, I have come across some boards at Goodwill and other stores at extremely reasonable prices.  None are original, all reproductions ~ but that fact doesn't bother me.  I'm not looking at resale value, I want them for sentimental value!

This first checker board was found at Goodwill for $1.99.

Another $1.99 Goodwill find!

This checker board was found at an antique store for $7.00 ~ still not a bad price.

This game board came from a local store that was going out of business ~ remember I paid $10 for the game board, 2 mini quilts, and the Americana basket (see next photo).

Here's the display ~ I added them to the wall grouping that includes the shelf I made-over.

This ring toss game is my latest purchase.  I found it at an antique store.  They were asking $8 and I negotiated it down to $6.50!  I just love the colors and those stars ~ I'm a sucker for stars!  The wood blocks were DS and the dominoes are wood and were found in one of our previous homes.

It's just a start, but I love the feeling that the boards are giving the toy/game room.  Now DS and DD ask to play checkers all the time ~ I love that those simple games can still provide lots of entertainment.  They can't wait until Thanksgiving when the entire family gets together.  Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma are first on the list as opponents!

Thrifty Thursday

For this week's Thrifty Thursday I thought I would share the treasures I found in a few of the antique shops we visited while in Eastern Iowa and Wisconsin. 

2 small sets of decorative wood firecrackers (laying down) ~ $.99 each

Aluminum jar funnel ~ $3.00

Screen lid ~ $3.00

Glass jar with lid ~ $3.00

Wood pocket box (will have a makeover) ~ $3.00

Butter paddle ~ $5.00

Star mold ~ $5.75

Small rolling pin ~ $6.00

Checker board ~ $7.00

Smoking table (?) ~ $8.00

Table ~ $12.00

I didn't think the prices were too bad for antique stores.  All of the items except the star mold and wood pocket box were found in the Turkey River Mall located in Elkader, IA.  It actually is a 1897 hotel that has been turned into one large store with 100 vendors "renting rooms".  There are 3 floors, 2 wings, and a basement ~ 14,000 square feet of treasures.  I think we spent about 1.5 hours here and could have spent a lot more time and money!  I'm excited to try out a pantry cake using the star mold.  The small rolling pin and butter paddle are great additions to my dough board display :)

Has anyone ever seen the smoking table with 2 shelves?  I have tried to search it on eBay and the net, but haven't had any luck locating another one.  Just curious to see if that is really what it is.

Thrifty Thursday

I can hardly contain my excitement as I type up this week's Thrifty Thursday!  Yesterday I decided to visit 2 of my favorite shops in a nearby town ~ one is a consignment store and the other is a home decor store that carries a few antiques now and then.  Wait until you see what I found!

First stop ~ the consignment store.  What do I see as I step in the door ~

It was marked $4.00!  This will find it's home in the kids' bathroom. 

I continue to browse the store and am not having any more luck, when I notice that the stop owner has opened up another room in the store.  I make my way back and there I find these ~

The spice box was $3.00 and the cabinet was $4.00!  I can't help but think to myself, "Why would anyone get rid of these treasures?!" ~ but am I glad they did.  On to the next store I go.

I rarely purchase anything at the next store as it is a bit pricey for my budget, but I LOVE TO LOOK!  The shop owner knows how to decorate!  The last time I visited, I noticed that she had a small corner of antiques and wanted to see what may have been added.  I made my way around the store and up to the loft to check out the corner  ~ it wasn't there anymore :(

So, I decide to take one more look around the loft and then head home with my bargain treasures ~ when I notice something hiding behind one of the chair displays.  As I head over to see what it is, I can tell it's old.  With each step closer, my excitement starts to build.  By the time I reach the chair, I'm hoping that what I think I'm seeing really is what is hiding there.  I move the chair and there it is ~ an antique dough board!!  All I could do is stand and stare.  Finally, I pick it up ~ there is a tag describing what it is and stating that it is around 120 years old!  So now I really want it.  I have seen all these great looking displays on everyone's blogs using dough boards and was going to see if my dad could make me one, because I know the real thing is hard to find and probably costs an arm and a leg.  But here I am holding a real one and it's huge!

Then I have a sinking feeling in my stomach ~ I can only imagine (knowing what the prices on the other items in the store are) what the price for this beauty is.  With a deep breath, I turn the tag over, read the price, and almost drop the dough board.  I can't believe what it says!  Are you ready ~ I mean are you sitting down, well of course you're sitting down ~ it was $30!  I seriously couldn't take it to the register fast enough!  The shop owner says that it hadn't been in the store very long and asked what was I going to do with it.  Well, I was almost hyperventilating by this time and could barely answer her ~ plus I was worried that she would take a look at the price and say it was a mistake, but she didn't.

Here is a photo of the beauty ~

Photos just don't do it justice.  It is one big piece of wood ~ not 2 pieces glued together.  The cut marks are fantastic and I love the shape.  It measures 1 inch thick, 20.5 inches wide, and 28.25 inches long.  It's hard to tell if the nails on the ends are square heads are not.  DH says that it is indeed an antique and not a reproduction ~ the aging of the wood, the aging of the nails, and the fact that it is 1 piece of wood are good indicators.  I can tell that the cut marks and wear are genuine and not added for looks.

Can you see why I'm excited!  Now I just have to decide how to decorate the top ~ I was thinking about trying my hand at making a pantry cake and adding a shoo fly cover.  Can anyone tell me how the pantry cakes are made or provide me with a recipe?

Come back tomorrow and see this week's makeover result!

Thrifty Thursday

Today's Thrifty Thursday is dedicated to dollar stores ~ Dollar General, Dollar Tree, etc.  These stores have treasures just waiting to be discovered.

Here are a few that I have uncovered ~

Glass hurricanes = $1.00 each on clearance
Wood pumpkins = $1.00 each
Gingerbread scented votives = $1.00
Battery-operated string of 10 white lights = $1.00
Battery-operated taper candle = $1.00
Salt box house plates = $2.50 each on clearance
Battery-operated small pillar candle = $1.50 on clearance
Battery-operated large pillar candle = $2.50 on clearance

The taper candles can easily be spray painted ~ check back tomorrow to see a few that I have primmed up.

It's amazing that even these stores will clearance out merchandise.  I couldn't believe my luck when I came across the hurricanes and battery-operated pillar candles at 50%  ~ I must admit that I bought all the cream colored ones they had left! 

I have purchased many, many items from dollar stores and have never had a problem.  Baby clothes, baby items, adult clothes, shoes, school supplies, food, cosmetics ~ the list goes on and on.  One of my favorite thrifty items is their greeting cards.  They only cost $.50 a piece!

If you have a dollar store near, I would advise you to check it out!  Open your mind to the possibilities that await in each aisle!

Thrifty Thursday

Today I thought I would share a kitchen-themed Thrifty Thursday!   These treasures were found at Goodwill, a flea market, and a garage sale.

The strainer, the small aluminum cup, and the child's cup were $.25 each;  the grater, the sifter, the set of 6 star molds, the set of 3 measuring cups, the Calumet cookie cutters, the gingerbread cutter, and the set of 4 gingerbread men were $.50 each; the Roseville pitcher was $.99; and all 9 of the measuring spoon sets came together in a bag for $1.

If you take a look at yesterday's post, you will see a photo of my baker's rack.  It is where most of these make their home. 

So many of these remind me of my paternal Grandma.  She was the best cook and baker!  Her freezer was always stocked with homemade shortcakes and her countertop always held some type of freshly baked treat.  When we would walk beans each summer, we could always count on an old-fashioned farmer's lunch.  Roast beef or fried chicken, cooked potatoes, gravy, homemade bread, green beans or sweet peas with puff, applesauce, and some kind of homemade dessert.  Everything Grandma made was homemade ~ never from a box ~ and the vegetables were always fresh from the garden. 

She also made sure that we had our morning and afternoon coffee breaks.  There was always a bottle of pop for me, my brother, and my mom, a glass jar of coffee for my dad, fresh baked cookies, and 3 types of sandwiches cut diagonally ~ cheese, summer sausage, and cheese with summer sausage.  Grandpa would be waiting on the headland for us at exactly 9am and 3pm.  Those breaks never seemed to last long enough!  Dad and Grandpa would spend the 20 minutes discussing the crops while we would devour Grandma's goodies.  I never did understand how my dad could drink steaming, hot coffee when we were out in 90+ degree temps.

Grandma has been gone for 10 years now and sadly most of her recipes went with her.  She seldom used a recipe or wrote one down.  By the time I was old enough to want copies, she wasn't able to cook or bake much and the memory of how she made certain foods was gone.  My aunt has tried to make the sweet peas with puff but hasn't had much luck re-creating it.  When we were cleaning Grandma's kitchen after she had passed away, we did find a few recipe cards written out in her handwriting for several of our favorite treats.  Those are treasured possessions! 

The majority of my memories of Grandma revolve around her in the kitchen.  That's where she always was when I would visit.  I was very fortunate that this set of grandparents lived straight across the gravel road from our home.  There weren't many days that I didn't see them.  I think that's why I love these old kitchen utensils and gadgets.  They bring back such great memories of my Grandma!

Goodwill Goodie Finish Friday

TGIF!  It's been a busy, rainy week here in the midwest.  Perfect weather for beef stew and homemade rolls.  DS and DD are ready to camp out in their fuzzies (that's what they call their blanket sleepers) all weekend.  I think I will spend Saturday browsing through my Country Sampler magazines and preparing the lesson for Sunday School.  My DH and I are in our 5th year of teaching the middle school class at our church.  Some of our former students will be graduating from high school this year ~ not sure where the time has went.  It has been great to see how they have grown in their faith and we look forward to what the Lord has in store for their futures.

With all the humidity this week it was a challenge to finish this makeover ~ the paint didn't want to dry.  Yesterday I was finally able to put the finishing touches on the shelf. 

Remember what my $1.99 shelf looked like before ~

Here it is now ~

Here's how I have it displayed ~

A full length shot ~

So much better than those bears!  It really pops against the paneling and the mini quilts were the perfect size.  The longaberger crock was a Goodwill find as well ~ $.50.  The game board, mini quilts, and basket were purchased at a "going out of business sale" of a local business a few years ago ~ $10 for all.  The pip berry picks were 50% off at ALCO ~ $3.00 each.  The Uncle Sams and Americana balls were purchased 50% at Hobby Lobby ~ $8 for all.  The child's rocking chair was given to us by a family at church that was moving.  The shelf was all I needed to tie it all together and it cost $1.99.

I have a few goodies in mind for next week ~ something for the kitchen, perhaps.  Check back on Monday to see what I have picked!

Thrifty Thursday

Makeover Mondays and Finish Fridays ~ how about I add Thrifty Thursdays!

I have had great luck this week and wanted to start sharing my finds with you.  Every week I will try and show some of the great treasures that I have found.  No ~ I do not go thrifting every week, but over the years I have found many, many treasures that I think you will enjoy.

Let's start with this week's discoveries.  My DH is currently "coaching" at the dealership an hour north of our home.  This gives me the opportunity to explore new thrifting territory when we have lunch together (which we try to accomplish once a week).  Yesterday, we had a lunch date!  It was a good hour spent together ~ we were able to catch up with each other and with what has been happening with the kids.  He's been putting in long hours and time usually runs out at night before we are able to discuss all the events of the day.

After an enjoyable lunch and returning him back to work, I headed to the Krysilis store that is next door to the dealership.  Look what I snagged ~

The small Americana basket was $.25, the strainer was $.50, the bunny, Uncle Sam, and packages of "S" hooks were $.75 each, the long wood tray was $.90, and the NEW candles were $1.50 each.  Double find with the candles ~ they smell sooo good and I love those containers!  The tray and the "S" hooks may be in store for makeovers.  I may try to turn the strainer into a shoo-fly cover.  The Krysilis store may become a weekly stop!

$316.72 of Dancewear for $15.00

Last night dance classes began again for my DD.  I hadn't gotten around to trying on her ballet slippers, jazz shoes, or tap shoes from last year but thought that all should still fit (considering we had purchased all a bit big).  It's a good thing she tried them on before we left the house!  The ballet slippers and jazz shoes fit wonderfully ~ the tap shoes were another story.  For those of you that haven't been graced by a dancer in your home, dance shoes run differently than regular shoes.  You absolutely can't guess what size to purchase ~ you need to have the dancer try them on.  For instance, DD's ballet slippers are a size 8,  jazz shoes are a size 5.5, and the tap shoes were a 2.5.  I could have been in a panic ~ we needed to leave the house in 10 minutes to make it to class and the closest dance supply store is over an hour away.  That's when my thrifty shopping came to to the rescue.

Last year while shopping at Goodwill, I came upon a tub overflowing with brand-new tap shoes.  The excitement was almost overwhelming!  However, after inspecting the top few shoes it became clear why these shoes had been donated.  There were no taps.  Tap shoes and taps can be purchased separately ~ I'm not sure why a person would because it is a costly option.  So I began to walk away, but something made me investigate that tub further.  I started to remove the un-tapped shoes and about half way through the tub found a shoe with taps.  My excitement began to grow once again.  After removing one more shoe,  there they were.  Pairs and pairs of shoes with taps!  Not only tap shoes, but jazz shoes as well.  It took time to sort and find the correct pairs ~ about half were missing the mate.  When I was finished, I had before me 6-almost new pairs of tap shoes and 2 pairs of jazz shoes.  The taps were size 4,  2-size 5,  size 6,  size 7.5, and size 8.  The jazz were size 6 and size 7.  I purchased every pair,  plus 2 leotards that I had found.  The total bill was $15.  If I had purchased everything new,  the bill would have been $316.72.

I came home, disinfected the shoes, washed the leos, and put them away in a tote.  I thought that these shoes would last for several years of dance ~ not so lucky.  Discovering that DD's tap shoes were too small,  I pulled out the tote and took out the size 4 tap shoes.  After all,  that would be the next logical shoe to fit.  They weren't even close.  So onto the size 5 shoes we went.  Once again, these weren't fitting.  We even tried the other pair of size 5 thinking that a different brand may run bigger ~ couldn't even get her whole foot in.  Out came the size 6.  Finally we had a winner.  In 4 minutes, DD had went through 3 pairs of tap shoes that I had planned would last her at least 2 years.  Was I ever thankful that I had purchased all 6 pairs that day!

Thanks to Goodwill, DD was able to tap away at class last night.  Added bonuses are we won't be making the hour long trip to the dance store this week, I still have 2 pairs of tap shoes and 2 pairs of jazz shoes in storage, I can re-sell the shoes that don't fit, the money I paid to Goodwill goes to a good cause, and I have $301.72 still in the bank.  All this for the few minutes it took me to sort through an overflowing tub of shoes.