Thrifty Thursday #173

We're in prime yard sale-ing season, and I have to admit that I've gone to very few yard sales.
I work every Friday which leaves only Saturday mornings for me to hit some sales.
Like all of you, my Saturday mornings are easily eaten up by kids' activities, errands, chores, etc.

Because the Fourth falls on a Saturday this year, the clinic where I work is closed on Friday to observe the holiday which means I'm off on Friday.
Do you know what that means? 
Tomorrow I'm going to be up early scouting for some good sales.
I've been looking forward to this for two weeks!

My hubby and I went to an estate sale recently. 

We went on the last day which has its good points and bad points. 

What's good is that on the last day, everything is usually half off. 

What's not so good is sometimes there's not much left. 

Around here, estate sales get pretty picked through by the last day.

I found only one thing- this old colander.

I got it half off- only paid $2.

My hubby didn't find a thing.

Last week I showed you some fantastic beakers that I found on my thrift store run.

At the second store I stopped at, I also found a few things.

Like this saucer for a quarter.

I'm collecting a few of these for a project.

I can't justify getting any more for us to eat on because I have quite a few already.

I also got this tiny bowl for fifty cents.

This one is for my kitchen because I only have two like it.

I have found that these come in handy when I serve a meal requiring dipping sauce.

I am a nut for old books.

This one caught my eye because it's called A Mother's Year.

It says it is an exact reproduction of a book published in 1905.
It's filled with poems, sayings, and fantastic images like this.

I don't know what I'll do with it. I just couldn't pass it up for a quarter.
I really think I should open an Etsy store to sell things like this.
Things that are awesome and vintage that I don't want to pass up, but don't really need.
 Hmm. . . it's something to think about.

What about you? Have you found any good secondhand scores lately?

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made

Psalm 139:14

This post is linked to Life With Lorelai, The Crafted Sparrow, and My Girlish Whims.

Mini Album Monday #46- Easy Month by Month Album DIY

A project that's near and dear to my heart is keeping a month by month scrapbook.

Every January, I prepare an album that has a layout for each month of the year.

That way I can print the photos I take for the month and put them right into this 

already prepared book.

Here's my 2015 album.

The cover is an old book cover.

Each layout has a journaling card that says what month it is,

 a piece of double sided pattern paper with lots of room for photos,

and an envelope to hold little mementos that I pick up throughout the month.

 

Here is February's layout.

The beauty of binding it with office rings is that I can always add to it.

If I take lots of photos one month, then I can add another piece of pattern paper or cardstock to hold the pictures.

 If I get a large memento that won't fit into my envelope, I can just punch holes
and add it to the book.

Here is the March layout.

See how they're all similar?

That's what allows me to put it together quickly.

After photos are added, each layout will be very unique.

If you would like to make an album like this, here's how.

It's really not hard at all.

Get a large book that you won't feel bad about cutting up.

My book measures 8"x 11 1/4".

I found it at the thrift store.

I went with one that has a simple cover- you could use a cover with an image on it.

An old children's book would be great.

Use a ruler and a box cutter and cut off the front and back covers.

You should end up with something like this.

You need 12 pieces of double sided pattern paper.

I used this coordinating line from Maggie Holmes.

Trim each piece of pattern paper to fit in your book.

It's always good to go about 1/4" smaller than the size of the covers.

I trimmed my pages to 7 3/4"x 11.

You'll need 6 envelopes that measure 9"x 12".

You could use the large manilla envelopes; I happened to have these white ones on hand, 

so that's what I used.

Cut each envelope in half. This way you'll have one for each month.

Depending on what type of envelope you use, your opening may be at the top.

Either top opening or side opening will work. You just want to have a place to put extra stuff.

I used a circle punch to cut a notch out of my openings.

I also used my scraps and placed a strip of pattern paper near the bottom of each envelope.

Finally, you'll need two office rings (they should measure 1 1/2" or 2").

I bought a set of Snap cards that have two cards for each month.

If you'd rather, you can use index cards and stamp the month onto each one.

Now you have your cover, your pages, your envelopes, your month cards, and your office rings.

Punch holes in all the pages and bind with the office rings.

One thing I always do when I bind an album with rings is place hole reinforcers on the holes

 on the backs of each page.

Add all your pages, then you'll be ready to add photos at the end of every month!

I find that keeping an album like this is such a fun way to document our year.

It also lessens the need I feel to scrapbook all the photos I take.

You can go here and here to see past month by month albums that I've made.

Thanks so much for stopping by and God bless.

I will praise the Lord with my whole heart

Psalm 111:1

This post is linked to Between Naps on the Porch, Tip Junkie, I Heart Naptime,
 and Plucky's Second Thought.

Thrifty Thursday #135

Happy Thursday, my thrifty friends!

Did you stop by to see what treasures I dug up during my weekly thrift store run?

I got this matching dinner and salad plate set for $1.25. The bright red color beckoned me.

I like to keep nice plates on hand for when I take a dessert to a friend- that way they don't have to return the plates to me. Somebody is going to love these! :)

One of the thrift stores in town relocated to a brand new building at the end of the summer. I don't go there as often as I used to go to their previous location which is strange because the
new one is much nicer.

Anyway, I did stop in and take a look around. 

I picked up these three books for fifty cents apiece.

They're now in a stack to be turned into junk journals (their covers and some interior pages will be made into scrapbooks like these)

I think the dictionary and thesaurus will make especially cute covers.

 This is the third incomplete set of small foam balls that I've gotten for a dime.

I now have enough to make a cute garland.

 

While out and about last Saturday morning, I stopped into one yard sale.

I got this 6" beautiful beige lace.

I think it may get turned into lacy boot socks.

 

I couldn't pass up this bag of random crocheted pieces- I especially love the flowers in front.

It was priced $1 and labeled as "Nana's work."

That's it for this week. Swing by every Thursday to see what I've found.

Happy treasure hunting to you all.

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.

 Psalm 88:2

 

This post is linked to Junkin' Joe, Too Much Time On My Hands, Be Different, Act Normal,
 and My Salvaged Treasures.

Thrifty Thursday #123

This summer, I've signed my boys up for art lessons.

I'm trying to ignite a passion for art in their hearts, but they are pretty resistant.

Unfortunately, I think the quirky teacher may be turning them off.

Anyway, when I took them to class last Saturday, I was fired up because I had gotten an e-mail about an estate/liquidation sale on the street where their lessons are located.

Imagine my delight when I discovered the sale was in the same building as their lessons!

It was in a big area around the back.

 

 

I found this lovely scale for $3.

Yes, you've seen me buy scales before.

I don't know what it is about them that I just can't pass up.

I tried not getting this one. I saw it, walked past it, looked at everything else, then headed back over and picked it up to claim it as my own.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it though.

I already have worked one scale into my dining room decor and two into my living room!:)

 

 

I got these two old children's reading books for $1.50 for both.

 

 

I just love the graphics.

 

 

I paid $1 for this letter H.

It's for my soon-to-be alphabet wall display.

I'm just a few letters short before I can hang it up. Yay!

 

 

I got these two buckle/pendant things for fifty cents.

They're so pretty. The picture just doesn't do them justice.

 

 

This old floral frog was a dollar. It's tiny and old.

I now have two of these guys.

 

 

My final find was this large 10" tall jar.

The gal threw it in for free!

I just love free stuff:)

I'm hoping to try painting it with chalkboard paint.

 

Great finds, huh?

Thanks so much for stopping by and God bless.

 

A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

This post is linked to Be Different, Act Normal, Junkin' Joe, and Too Much Time On My Hands.



Thrifty Thursday #109

Because of all the yard sale-ing and estate sale shopping I've been doing lately,

I haven't gone to the thrift stores in several weeks. Seriously. Can you believe it?

Since my boys are on spring break this week, I made an earlier trip to get groceries and squeezed in some time to make a thrift store stop (actually three thrift store stops).

 

 

First, let me show you a purchase I made some time ago, but somehow forgot to show you guys.

I fell in love with this ring from the moment I saw it. It has a vintage-y look to it, doesn't it?

Guess how much I paid for it? $1.50- for real!

It goes with almost everything I wear!:)

Now, onto what I bought today. . .

I found this quirky steering wheel cover.

It's by Natural Life and actually was originally priced at $24. I got it for $1 and it's brand new.

There were three of them, so I picked up the other two for friends.

I'm thinking my hubby is going to be pretty pleased when I put this in the family vehicle. The guys at his work may give him a hard time about it.:)

 





 

I saw these bulky bookends and was immediately intrigued. I know that bookends aren't used too often anymore, but these are just the right size to be used as recipe card holders.

They're magnetic and I can't wait to repurpose them!

They were $2 each.

My favorite thrift store was having a book sale- 2 for $.25. Such a bargain.

 I got two for myself and one for my hubby.

Have you ever read Harlan Coben? His books are usually page turners!

I also enjoy reading Sandra Brown's books- they're a quick read.

 

I found these two books at the last thrift store I went to. I paid $.75 for both of them.

I plan to add them to the library at church.

 

My final purchase was this deal of yarn for fifty cents.

I haven't yet mastered the art of crochet- though I've taken several classes and really tried to learn.

This instead will be used for something else. . . just wait and see!

 

All this for less than $10. Plus, I enjoyed my leisure shopping time.

Does anybody else look forward to secondhand shopping?

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye.

Psalm 32:8

 

 This post is linked to Between Naps on the Porch, Cheerios and Lattes, Be Different Act Normal, and Embracing Change.



Christmas Centerpieces and Vintage Decor

Last week I got to help two of my good friends decorate for a Christmas banquet. 

We had seven tables and two counter tops that needed to be made pretty.

We wanted to keep it low cost, but highly cute.

We planned for a shabby, old-fashioned Christmas look by bringing stuff from our houses and blending it together for these centerpieces.

Take a look and see what you think. . .

 

This was on the main counter top amid the fixings for fajitas.

We used lots of mason jars filled with cranberries, greens, and floating candles.

 

Hanging along the bottom edge of the counter was this tea-stained vintage lace garland and a garland of cranberries.

 

This was arranged on the dessert bar.

Don't you just love those large lanterns?

See the book page garland strewn throughout the arrangement?

The red candles were painted with Mod Podge and rolled in Epsom salts to get that "snowy" look.

 

The kids had made the paper bag angels, so we made them the focus of several of the arrangements.

You'll notice more cranberries here.

In each arrangement, we used Scrabble tiles spelling out words in tile holders.

 

 

This was on the table as you first entered.

There's three candles and a vintage book photo holder displaying two old postcards.

We used lots of burlap and old doilies and lace throughout.

 

For smaller arrangements, we paired up vintage books with teacups that we used as candle holders.

One of my friends thought up the idea of using teacups like that and I just love that look!

 

I adore the look of the wood rounds and the green moss.

 

We used Scrabble tiles like confetti and sprinkled them around all the arrangements.

 Sweet and simple, huh?

 

More vintage books

 

We incorporated an old film canister as a tray beneath this arrangement.

 

This is my old yard sale birdhouse that we used for a centerpiece.

How cute is it paired with old books and candles?

 

Most the centerpieces contained similar items, just arranged differently.

 

We used maroon and white tablecloths and beautiful burlap table runners.

 

This buffet is beautiful on its own, but we upped it's loveliness with a vintage book table runner, candles, and this awesome typewriter (which isn't mine, but I wish it was!).

 

Finally, this is the corner that was set up for family photos.

I love the vintage feel between the burlap, cranberries, lace, and old books.

 

When we finished decorating, I told my friends that they need to come to my house and decorate my living room like this!

 

P.S. Want to know how much of this stuff came from thrift stores and yard sales?

Well, I'll tell you: the film canisters, all the old books, the Christmas blocks in the first photo, the tall silver candle sticks, the vegetable graters (in the above photo), all the tea cups, one of the wooden bowls, the Scrabble tiles, the jar of keys, and the large green bird house!

Who says you can't decorate with stuff from secondhand stores?!? :)

 

Thanks for stopping by and God bless.

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Habakkuk 3:18

This post is linked to Funky Junk, Between Naps on the Porch, The Dedicated House, My Girlish Whims, and Craft-O-Maniac.