rustic soap jar

I saw a cute jar at my friends house for hand soap and thought, I can make that. So I did. My skills were rudimentary at best and if I did it again I would know what to do differently. I used a large drill bit and a large nail and hammer to make my whole on top and pliers. Today I found out I wasn't alone in thinking I can make that. I found this tutorial online that makes it simpler. I am totally satisfied with it. Maybe I'd be even more satisfied if I painted the lid.

http://heatherbullard.typepad.com/heather_bullard_collectio/2010/02/diy-mason-jar-soap-dispenser.html

a small before and after

I took one or a few of my kids books (I know most of you have these), and re-purposed it.  There isn't a full set of any of these because my kids tore most of them apart throughout the years.  Chipboard can be expensive. I just covered it with scrap paper and now it is the beginnings of a little i love you because book or brag book. you can all do this! it takes :
little books
sand paper
glue ( i really used white paper glue)
scrap paper
other embellishments. (buttons, glitter, leaves, whatever you have or want)
oh there is one trick, you have to sand off the pages to remove the shine or the glue won't stick


get inspired and make something!

oh my heavens

or is it I'm in heaven?
ok funds are low on the decorating front but i still want to make my home lovely and mine. so i dream. i see furniture and think what i could do with it, i see wall art and think i could make that for cheaper but don't always have the know how. i get online and search decorating sites and i think i just found the one that i truly love the most so far. It has some serious competition. So many people do amazing things and i have some seriously talented friends but this site is strictly dedicated to decorating your home on the CHEAP. If you haven't already heard of it, let me enlighten you.   http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/  . Seriously I'm in heaven. And they also have links to more heavenly inspirations on their site. It's just too good.

OK secondly I will be doing a hair bow giveaway soon. I see these priced all over the place and when you see them I want you to tell me what you would pay for them. (but I will be giving these first ones away) I just have to figure out how to dry out/ bake the hand made buttons because there are no directions on the box of clay. The last ones liquefied.

Well get inspired and make something!

cards cards cards

and more cards. I love to make them. what can I say.

did I mention that I am a HORRIBLE photographer?

celebrating literacy

The boy celebrated literacy in school and had to dress up as his favorite story book character and take the book to school. He decdided on Nate The Great. I had a clearance sheet I bought that didn't match any of the other ones, so close but two different of shades tan.  Well it was super cheap so I kept it around and I'm so glad I did. I took the sheet and shirt pattern and came up with the trench. I took a sun hat pattern and modified the brim to have the detective hat. I love the hat, it is my favorite part.  He said all his teachers loved it. That's what I love to hear.