May
2020

Colorful DIY Wind Chime

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

Hello everyone!

I pray you are safe while we are all staying apart.

With God’s help and love, we will all be together again soon.

“Together”, sounds so good.

I have been cleaning, and working on getting my back porch ready for the warm weather.

Sitting on our back porch is one of the joys of our retirement years.

Wanted to add extra color to the porch area with pillows, pots, and flowers.

I remembered seeing an idea for a wind chime that I loved, it was so colorful, and I loved it’s simplicity.

The wind chime was made from wood spindles.

I found some spindles at the flea market, so I had to try it!

There was a handwritten note on the bundled spindles, “used for replacement parts on an old screen door”.

I remember those vintage screen doors with a row of spindles across the middle, do you?

For the top of the wind chime, I used the top from an old wood pedestal I had in my thrift store stash.

My first step was to drill a hole horizontally across the top of 8 spindles, and 8 holes evenly spaced on the top piece.

I painted the spindles and top piece with my craft paint. You could also use spray paint, whatever you have on hand.

The next step was to run fishing line though the holes on the spindle tops, allowing line on each side of the holes, and then up through each hole on the top piece.

I left extra fishing line at the ends for securing and hanging.

Tied off the ends, and slipped all onto an “S” hook.


To finish up I added a lovely glass knob to the top.

It turned out so nice, I love it.

Love the soft sound when the wind blows. love the sun shining on the glass knob.

Just simple.

Just colorful.

Just whimsy and beautiful hanging on my back porch.

It has been a beautiful day today, so sunny, and 79 degrees.

I have enjoyed looking at my creation as I worked about my yard, and especially when I sat down on my porch for a bit of rest.

What a wonderful gift today has been.

Be safe.

Blessings to all!


Apr
2020

3 Step Projects #1

categories: Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

You all know I love thrift store makeovers.

So much of what I buy can be repurposed or upcycled with little work.

Useful items, that can be brought back to life.

I thought I would share these projects, the ones that only require cleaning, sanding, and painting or staining as, ” 3 Step Projects”.

Just three simple steps.

In today’s post I have taken a common coffee mug tree and transformed it into a jewelry holder.

Using the 3 steps, I cleaned the item thoroughly, I sanded the rough spots, and painted.

Most days I wear a watch and a bracelet.

I love bracelets!

This is now an item that gives me easy access to my everyday jewelry, and also a quick put away at the end of the day.

Along with the mug tree I picked up this box for .75 cents.

It was somewhat beat up and something missing from the front, but I saw potential.

Again, I cleaned it thoroughly, sanded down all the nicks, painted it white and added some sweet glass knobs to finish.

The box now holds some of my everyday larger jewelry pieces.

Love the look of these items together on my dresser.

A simple, clean look.

No need for fancy.

They help me organize, and again, they give me easy access to everyday pieces.

A fun, fast, simple, “3 Step Project”

I love them!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Be safe, be happy, tell folks you love them!

Loving, laughing, and family, that’s life, isn’t it?


Apr
2020

Our Easter Blessing

categories: DIY, Easter, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting


Hope you all had a blessed Easter.

Our family was surely blessed.

My niece Carrie, had a beautiful baby boy on Easter Sunday, weighing over 9 lbs.

Such a blessing during all the suffering and deaths in our country from the Covid-19 virus.

Heartbreaking.

Me and my sister planned a beautiful baby shower for Carrie.

We planned every detail for months, wanting it to be something really special for her.

After all was in place we unfortunately, only a week before the event, had to postpone the shower due to the social distancing and for the safety of everyone.

We were all disappointed, but when this is all over we will have the shower for Carrie and baby Josh, and it will be just as special.

I needed a tray to serve coffee with cake to our guests, so I decided to make a tray from a thrift store frame.

Took the frame apart and of course, I painted it white.

Printed out old childhood photos of me, my sister, and brother, and a few of my son.

Made a collage on the frame backing with all the photos.

Secured the photos with a bit of glue and added some gold handles to the tray.

Assembled the back of the tray to finish.

Perfect for serving coffee.

My tray is all about family.

I’m sentimental, and mushy, and loving, so when I can use old photos, you know I do!

Love this project so much.

Costing very little to make, but so valuable to me.

Would make a lovely Mother’s Day gift.

Love you all, take care.

Blessings.



Apr
2020

Easter Egg Candle Holders

categories: Easter

Staying in and away from family is surely difficult.

Miss my breakfast and lunch visits with my sister so much.

I have been watching, Little House on the Prairie, crying with every episode, and I know I have enjoyed too, too many sweets.

Being able to work on my projects has helped me stay busy during this isolation time.

Today I want to share a project using faux eggs to make some cute candle holders for my table.

Cute, don’t you think?

Painted 5 faux eggs, used 2 dowels, and 4 small wood plagues, painted white, to complete this project.

Drilled holes in the top and bottom of the eggs, the diameter of the dowels, then drilled holes in the wood pieces.

Glued the dowels in the drilled holes on each plaque, and when dried, slipped the eggs on the dowels, one on top of the other.

Glued another plague on top of the dowel to complete.

They would have been nicer with colored candles, more colorful, but white was all I had on hand.

No matter, I still love them.

They will be fun on my Easter table tomorrow.

Hope you all have a blessed Easter.

Take care, and remember we can, and we will, get through these times.

Love to all.




Apr
2020

Back With You Once Again

categories: Christmas, Easter

So, I am saying once again, “it has been awhile”.

It has been over five months since my last post.

Five months, so hard to believe!

I have done a bunch of soul searching during this time, also new health issues filled my days with overwhelming worry.

Should I give up my blog or continue?

It hasn’t been the success I had hoped for, it is difficult to build followers.

Giving up my blog was always there, but now more than ever, with the craziness of our world, I know I need to keep it going.

I need to be able to share the things that give me joy in my life.

During these past months I missed sharing Thanksgiving posts like this sweet burlap table runner.

I stenciled the words, “thankful, grateful, blessed”, down the center.

Such an easy project that I used on my kitchen table on Thanksgiving Day.

A simple look, simple to make.

I missed sharing Christmas projects like these ornaments made from $1 cookie cutters, painted gold.

How rewarding to take inexpensive cookie cutters and change them into special ornaments.

So beautiful on my tree.

I also made some cute ornaments from wood rings, painted white and gold.

Added photos, words, and finished up by adding some eye hooks.

Love to use photos to personalize holidays whenever possible.

How sweet on my trees.

Love them!

I loved my trees this year, white, gold, with lots of snow, and a whimsy one, red and white.

I have been working on a few Easter projects.

Easter will be different this year, no church services, no large family meals, no community egg hunts, but I hope you all have still filled your homes with bunnies and eggs.

Just a few of our favorite Easter treasures, the ones we all keep and display year after year, the ones with meaning and memories, are good for our spirits.

I added this stenciled pillow this year.

I found the stencil on Amazon, and the pillow cover and paints I had in my craft stash.

Stenciling is not difficult, I found the secret is to add very little paint to your brush, almost dry.

If you have time to stop by tomorrow I have another Easter project to share.

I hope you and your loved ones are safe.

We will all get through this terrible time.

It will end and we can all be together with those we love once again.

Love to all, until tomorrow.


Nov
2019

Pumpkins, Spiders, and Boos, Oh My!

categories: Uncategorized

Folks, sorry to say, but I have been running on slow.

Family worries tend to do that to us, don’t they?

When we love, we just can’t stop the worry!

Today I want to share a bit of the simple Halloween I added to my home this year.

I know, I know, Halloween is over, but maybe you will still find something fun to like and just maybe an idea for next year.

Halloween has never been a really big decorating time in my home, but this year I was dying to try that “cobweb stuff” everyone uses on their outdoor bushes.

I played with it on my family room mantel.

So fun!

Using pumpkins I already had, including one of my 2 x 4 junk pumpkins from last year’s project, I started gathering, and the finishing touch was that “cobweb stuff”, and a few spiders. Yikes!

Of course, I made a scary banner from printing out images on my home printer.

I really must say that making banners, for any occasion, is the most inexpensive way to decorate.

Made a couple for simple Halloween gifts, and some Halloween cards using the same scary images.

Using some not so scary images, I made a banner for my sweet niece, she used it to decorate her office space. I think she was pleased with it.

Using gold spray paint, I added some bling to a plastic pumpkin, perfect to store my treats.

I love it!

It doesn’t look like a one-dollar pumpkin anymore.

Found these two round frames for 50 cents each at the thrift store, and I turned them into cute signs.

Displayed one with my vintage copy of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”.

I hope you all liked my inexpensive Halloween decorations, even if I am a bit late in sharing.

I promise I will try not to be late with this year’s Christmas ideas.

Love to all, with hugs!

Hope your worries are few.


Oct
2019

DIY Dollar Store Fall Pumpkin Sign

categories: Autumn, DIY

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, today I want to share an easy, so easy, DIY fall pumpkin sign.

I recently had lunch with a dear friend and she took me to a fairly new Dollar Tree store in my area.

How happy I was when I spotted this pumpkin foam piece!

I had seen this project on Pinterest and thought it would be simple.

I searched my cluttered garage for some wood pieces I might use for the sign.

Found four rustic pieces I had purchased at Hobby Lobby some time ago for 50% off. This is something I do if I have a bit of extra money, knowing down the road I would use the wood for some project.

Laid out the four pieces, and then added two scrap wood pieces vertically to the back, to hold the pieces together. I used wood glue and also some wood screws to secure.

I sanded some of the rough spots, placed the pumpkin stencil on top, and spray painted the entire piece with white spray paint.

After two light coats had dried completely, I removed the stencil.

The results were so good!

I now have an old, rustic sign for my front door area.

How nice it looks surrounded by the pumpkins and mums I bought yesterday.

Once again let me say, “I love it”!

It was so simple, seriously, any of you could make it!

I guess I am a country girl like my Momma at heart. This old farmhouse look is what I love.

Hope you all have your porch or front door decorated for this special time of the year.

My husband is waiting for me on our back porch to enjoy some of this beautiful weather, so see you all next time.

Tomorrow we will be married 50 years, unbelievable!


Oct
2019

More Fall Pillows From Placemats

categories: Autumn, DIY

Finally, cooler weather has come to my little bit of this world.

Yesterday afternoon was wonderful, so sitting outside on my crooked back porch was the perfect time to get back to my blog.

Working on a 50th wedding anniversary party for my sister and brother-in-law kept me busy for weeks, coming up with decorations and planning every detail with my nieces.

Our hard work paid off the gathering was wonderful!

I also just returned from our annual family visit to Brown County, Indiana. We had a great time in a beautiful setting that we love.

Today I want to share a really simple fall project. Pillows made from fall placemats.

A couple of years ago I shared another fall pillow project from placemats, but this one is quite different.

I saw this first placemat at Big Lots for $4.00 with 25% off.

I loved it, it was the last one so I had to have it!

It has been probably 10 years since I stopped at Big Lots. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the fall items.

I also used a plain tan pillow cover from Hobby Lobby for 50% off, which in the end, was less than $4.00.

The next step was to stitch or glue the placemat to the front of the pillow.

I used my hot glue gun, placing a pad between the pillow cover layers so the glue would not bleed through to the back.

I added a pillow form from another pillow I had, and the project was complete and simply beautiful.

So many spots in my home I could use this pillow, but I think on my crooked back porch will be the best.

So pleased with the way it turned out, so pleased.

I also found another placemat I thought would work as well, again on sale for 25% off.

This one is a bit different.

I cut the pumpkin off from the rest of the placemat. The edges were finished so raveling was not an issue.

Using the same application on another pillow cover, here is how it turned out.

Sweet and simple.

I love it!

Today is another beautiful day, a perfect day to go shopping for a special placemat to make into a fall pillow for your home.

Hope you all enjoyed this project.

I think I will have one more cup of coffee and go out and buy some mums and pumpkins for my front door area.

Tomorrow I will share a simple fall pumpkin sign.

Hope you all will stop by!

Love to all on this beautiful fall day!


Aug
2019

Thank You, Jayne

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

I have a dear friend in my life.

She is kind, caring, loving, and thoughtful.

Knowing my love for creating, and giving life to old worn items, she bought this lazy susan at a yard sale with me in mind.

A Pottery Barn item with just some nicks here and there.

I thought of several ways I could repurpose it, but in the end, I just upcycled it!

Cleaned, sanded, and applied several coats of white paint.

To make it unique, I applied inspirational words to the rim of the lazy susan.

Words that will inspire me to create, to imagine, to dream of what could be, and believe I can do so much. Hopefully, I will smile and enjoy my creations and laugh at my disasters, but love them all!

I then combined several dollar store jars and painted the rims black to create a wonderful one of a kind piece for my craft area table.

Now I have a place to organize the items I use with most of my projects, including reading glasses, which I am always looking for!

I love it!

I love it so much.

I know it has been a while since I posted, but thanks to Jayne, always encouraging me and taking the time to read my blog, I feel motivated to do much more.

Thank you Jayne, I am truly blessed to have you in my life.

Love to all on this beautiful Tuesday.


Jun
2019

Let’s Talk About Time!

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

Do you know that there are 1440 minutes in a day?

I think about that when I can’t seem to find 30 minutes to exercise each day, or on the days when I can’t find time to pray.

Today’s post is about a boring little clock.

Only $1.00, in good condition, but oh so boring.

So I gave it a “farmhouse look” makeover.

The first step was cleaning, after that, I used a piece of black and white buffalo check scrapbook paper to change out the face.

Painted the hands white, and put it back together.

How simple. That was it!

Look at my boring little clock now!

It looks amazing in my kitchen.

As I always say, “I love it”.

As I grow older time means so much.

Oh my, how fast the days go by, the weeks, and even faster, the months and years of my life.

Hope you all enjoy every minute of this day!

Remember 1440 minutes!

Don’t forget to exercise, enjoy life, and more importantly, find the time to pray!

Sadly, it is “time” for me to end this post.

Blessing to all with love.