Black Friday Deals

Do you have a Real Deals where you live?  I am absolutely in love with this store!  Today's Black Friday Sale was so cool.  First off, I had purchased a  Groupon which got me a $30 gift certificate for $15.  (Groupon is great, every day you get one incredible offer for a business in your area.  Check it out!)

Being sensible business owners, the Real Deals Door Buster sale began at the civilized hour of 10:00 am.  Maddy and I got there at 9:30 and were number 22 & 23 in line.  YAY!  First 25 in line received goodie bags with $5 store cash and lots of other treats.  The also had some amazing specials.

So for $30 I ended up getting over $70 in awesome stuff!  Here's a pic of part of my haul:

The birdcage, cloche, fluer de lis and basket are for myself.  The tray is a Christmas present for my daughter.  The little votives, ribbon and popcorn/cranberry ornaments were in our goodie bags.  I also got a scrumptious candle. 

The other day my daughter bought me this charming wire cloche there for my birthday.  Love it!!!!  They always have some new, gorgeous item I must have!

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.  I just finished putting up one Christmas tree and am trying to summon the energy to do the other.  We'll see.   



Charming Little Christmas Gifts

Today's post isn't about something shabby or chic, but I do think it's charming! I hope you will too! (If you are one of my daughters or daughter in laws, please don't read below!)

This Christmas I am trying to be very careful financially (aren't we all!)   I was widowed 3 years ago and am raising my 12 year old daughter alone. I have 3 wonderful adult children as well as five adorable grandjoys. So my gift giving needs to include some lovingly created gifts as well as what I am able to purchase.

I found this idea over at Burlap & Blue. She had made a project that I thought was so sweet, so I was inspired to make my own version of the personalized memory game.

I started with a pack of poker chips I found new in the box while thrifting. I then took digital pics I had on my computer of the grands and cropped just some head shots onto 4x6 prints, 12 faces to a print. I uploaded them to Walgreens and ended up with this:

I used my round 1" circle punch and some really cute scrapbook paper.  (It's hard to tell but there are tiny white polka dots on the pink paper):

I used the punch to cut out both the faces and the circles for the back of the pieces.  To adhere them to the chips I used a  permanent glue dot runner, so no moisture would effect the pics.  These are the finished result for a grandgirl:

Each game has 16 pieces, 2 of each face and features each cousin and 2 of their Aunt Maddy (my 12 year old).  The boys have blue paper on blue chips and they all have little drawstring bags I sewed for storage.  Total cost of ALL supplies for the gifts: $6.00.  Not too bad!!!

Thanks for stopping by.  I cherish your comments and would so love to have you as a follower!  Linking up to the parties below and have a blessed Thanksgiving! 

Burlap Joyeux Noel

A few posts back I shared my love of printing on fabric using my computer.  I received a lot of positive comments and had some requests for custom work in my Etsy shoppe   This one is my favorite so far.

I found this darling little frame (in gold, of course!) while thrifting and I knew it would be gorgeous in Heirloom White.  I printed my Christmas sentiment then glued it down to the frame back and here she is.

She's a one of kind and she is for sale in my Etsy shoppe, waiting to be yours!  Linking up to the fun parties below!  And come back soon, I have a really fun project up next!

Burlap Bird Ornaments

I am so excited for Christmas! I can't wait until the day after Thanksgiving to get the trees up and I must confess I have already been listening to Christmas music.

I always have 2 trees~ the 'family' tree in the family room with all my keepsake ornaments and the really dear to my heart ones made by my kids when they were little. The 'girl' tree, as my late husband called it, is in the formal living room. It is pink, ivory and gold in a Victorian theme.   This year I also plan to have a small French Country tree on top of my armoire in the dining room. It will feature these tiny burlap birds.

I started with the burlap type fabric, (really a coarse onsaburg) and ironed some Heat N Bond to one side. Then I traced and cut out my birds.

I also cut two birds from fabric without the the Heat N Bond.  I then ironed the pieces together and stamped my french script pattern with StayZon ink.

The final step was sewing on a jute loop for hanging. 

My pretty little tree!

Thanks for stopping by!  I would so love your comments and hope you'll consider becoming a follower.  Linking up to the parties below and to a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY here at  Suburban Retreat.  Don't  miss it! 

Toile Christmas Stocking

I am so excited that Christmas is just around the corner!! What, you say we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet? Well, the day after Thanksgiving is when Christmas starts and that is only 2 weeks away!!

And so, my love affair with Toile continues into a Christmas project. A few posts back I shared my passion for this glorious stuff and a frenchy tea towel. Today I made a sweet stocking to grace the armoire in my dining room.

Everything on my stocking was procured from my stash of goodies. Love it when I can dig through my stuff and find just what I need to complete a project! Especially since Maddy is sound asleep and it's 11:00 pm. When my husband was alive, he was used to me frequently popping out the door to Walmart at this time of night or even later. I am a night owl by nature and they're open 24 hours. Where else can you buy ribbon, fabric or lace at 2:00 in the morning??? But those midnight runs are a thing of the past and a girl's gotta make do.

The sweet little frame is meant for a scrapbook page but I think it is charming with my initial in it, hanging from a tiny black bow. I love it!!

Thanks for stopping by!  I am linking up to the fabulous parties below.  Hope you'll join me!

French Script Candles, Frames and more

I have mentioned before that I used to sell home decor, but I don't think I've mentioned that I once sold rubber stamps. I have actually sold MANY things, I think I've got an entrepenurial virus!

I truly love rubber stamps and the acrylic stamps as well. They are so versatile~ you can stamp on paper, wood, fabric, candles, glass, almost anything.

On non-porous surfaces like glass, StazOn permanent solvent ink is your perfect choice. Today I stamped some candles, a picture frame, a little dish and a soap dispenser using an old french script stamp.

I started with these plain white pillars.

After inking up my stamp, I simply rolled the candles across the stamp.

The result is these pretties. I love them in this sconce I have for sale in my Etsy shoppe.

I also stamped this picture frame and the fun little dish for napkins.

and lastly, this soap dispenser.

Thanks for visiting and I'm linking up to all fun parties below!