Christmas on my mind

If I told you I was busy making Christmas stuff, you'd probably think I was making gifts. Nope, I've been busy making stuff for our house. First, I made this scrappy wreath based on this tutorial. I used some vintage fat quarters that I got at a consignment shop downtown.

Then I made this little button wreath after seeing it on Martha Stewart's website.


Then I made these.

I saw them on a blog I read, and she'd seen something very similar on the Williams-Sonoma website for $70 each. Want to guess how much I spent on mine? $7.60 for all three including tax. The hurricanes were $1 each at the Dollar Tree, I had two of the candle sticks (from my parents' wedding) and got a third from the thrift store for 25 cents. Two of the candles were $1.50 each, and one was 90 cents. I have no idea how or why one was cheaper. I came home, glued the candle sticks to the bottom of the hurricanes, and then glued the candles inside of the hurricane. Woot!

Last up is this mistletoe I knitted and then felted. It's so cute! I think I'll make more next year and give them as gifts.


We started putting up the tree today. I realized John didn't have a handmade stocking, so now I'm making him one.

I also got the material for Mary's new curtains. I'm hoping to start on them tomorrow night. I still need to paint the darn picture frames. Maybe I can work on those tomorrow too.

to do list

So many ideas, so little time and energy. John just got home at 5am this morning from vacation. He went on a hunting trip with his Dad. I survived 4 days alone with the girls. Ellie's teething and Mary has an ear infection. Needless to say, I didn't get much crafting done. I made a hat for myself. Oh, and a Christmas wreath. And started on a felted mistletoe.

Now what? Now, I want to put the Christmas stuff out! I am so ready. I still have some (regular) decorating stuff I want to do, but I take down most of the regular junk, er, stuff and put out the Christmas stuff. So, I'll be working on that and saving that until after the New Year.

1. Finish painting white frames I started weeks ago.
2. Finish up green room closet.
3. Paint butterflies for Mary's room.
4. Paint two small frames from thrift store and figure out what to put in them.
5. Make new curtains for Mary's room.

I know there's more. But this will give me a starting place. I'd love to have all this stuff done by January 1st. Then we're going to do some more home improvement stuff (like finish the dang basement).

Baby blanket

For months now, I've been knitting this baby blanket. I'd work on it a while, then get bored and do something else. I finally got it done Wednesday night. It's blocking now, but the sun came in the window and I was able to get a good picture of the pattern. It measures 31 by 32 inches, and contains 42,480 stitches. (Can that be right? the end borders are 180 sts for 10 rows times both ends--3600 sts. The main part is 27 squares, 8 rows each, 180 sts per row--38,880.) It took forever, but it's so pretty. Worth every minute and every stitch. We're just waiting for some friends to have their baby in the next couple weeks, and I'll be shipping it out.

I cannot wait to work on some projects that only take a couple days. And I doubt I'll be doing another large project any time soon.

For Mom

I hope she likes them! They are her Christmas gift. I am giving them to her tomorrow so she can use them this year.

Custom fuse panel cover up

Woot! I knew there was a way to cover the fuse panel/box/thingy. John made a frame that was deep enough then cut down an old cork board and attached it to the front. I added the fabric (an old curtain panel that I was saving), the ribbons, and the push pins. This project was made completely of things we already had around the house. Good thing we save everything:).

I've been up since 5:45 am. Hopefully I'll have more to post about if I ever get to sleep in again.

A bird, thrifty finds, and basement progress!

John almost finished the structure of the shelves today! Woot! No pic though. Sorry. A week ago when he started he asked me "how long until I forget that light is there and break it?" Answer: today. It was just a bare bulb, no big deal, but when I went to go take pictures it was too dark down there. Hopefully tomorrow I can get some if the sun comes out.

(Part of) this week's crafting:


I saw the pattern for this while reading One Pretty Thing last week. The actual pattern can be found at Attic24. I really want to make a couple more.

Today's thrift store finds:


Can you tell what's getting spray painted ASAP??

I've always been a Goodwill girl. I donate there and I shop there. Well, last week I finally stopped in at Salvation Army. Holy cheap stuff!! Plus, stuff is all marked down?? Things are either "new" or on sale. Some stuff is 75 percent off. Strange but I'm not complaining.

Butterflies: To be painted. Pink? White? They are going in Mary's room, which currently has blue walls but really needs to be painted (pink? probably). Don't tell John I want to paint it though, okay? He painted the room blue for me before we moved in. Anyway, butterflies $1.50 for all three of them.

Ceramic leaf thing; LOVE IT!!! I think it's handmade? There's a name and a year carved into the bottom. "Clements '68" I have no idea what I am going to do with it yet. It was $1.99 marked down to $1.

Wreath: It's barely in the picture in the bottom right. It's just a styrofoam wreath with fake moss attached to it. I'm hoping to turn it into a fall wreath for next year. Possibly using this tutorial? Anyway it's new in the package, but had a Goodwill tag on it for $2.99. I paid 29 cents for it at Salvation Army.

I also went to a little independent thrift store. I'd never been there but will go back. Cool stuff and great deals.

Green votive candle holder (with candle!): 25 cents. It's going up on the black bookshelf.

Little wire basket: 50 cents. I love little baskets like this yet never actually find them.

Matching gold frames: 50 cents for the pair. To be painted!!! Black? White? not sure yet. I think I'll do some embroidery work and stick it in there.

I've got to get some knitting done. Christmas is coming. I have Mom's stuff knitted, but it needs felted. I'm trying to get 2 more things knitted so I can felt them all at once. Hopefully I'll work on that tonight. Or that basket I'm painting. Or both:)

before, during, after

Busy, busy, busy.

Closet before (couldn't even shut it as there was so much crap inside):

We'll call this during (still need to make a shelf and hide the fuse box):

I used to really like purple. Still do, but when the spray paint calls.....

I painted it black, distressed it a bit, then finished with a couple coats of wipe on poly (my new best friend). I did the other frame with wipe on poly too, so the finishes would match. I still need something for the table.

This clock, already at the spray paint factory:)

After!!!

Top of the hutch before:

After: (all of this was FREE!!--had the spray paint from an old project, had the 3 white things in storage for the last 2.5 years, had the cloth balls in the craft closet)

Remember the little tin holder thingy?

First I spray painted it an olive green, but it needed more work. I worked on it with some craft paint, then put some clear craft varnish over that so it was glossy.

It's holding my apron.....my apron that was lost in the move. I found it last week while going through boxes of stuff looking for something to spray paint.

Tonight I started painting another basket. It's going to take a few coats as I am using regular old wall paint on it and want to get into every crack inside and out. Then I have 4 frames I want to paint. Then....maybe I'll catch up on sleep.