Getting Creative on a Budget

Jace got invited to a little girl at schools birthday party this weekend.

So, I got busy sewing.

 I made her a tic-tac-toe fabric board and felt X & O pieces

 a lined bag to put the game & pieces in

 and a fleece boa style scarf and two hair pom-poms for her ponytail.

 I bought 1 yard of fleece and was able to get 2 scarves

(one for a child and one for a toddler)

8 larger hair pompoms

&

8 medium hair pompoms.

Not to bad for a piece of fabric that cost me $4.54!

I also made some things for a Peppermint Pixie swap I was in.



 I had the doll pieces already and I just added pipe cleaners for the body,

a felt dress, a crocheted shawl with a matching hat and

I crocheted the legs and added little pompoms for shoes.

I also added little candycanes for the pixies wings.

Not to bad for things I had on hand.

Then I made a mitten ornament out of felt and added a plastic candy cane.

I also made a candy cane matchbox ornament

and some goodies for the inside that I had on hand.

I painted some clothespins & homemade peppermint bark.

I've been trying to become more frugal and creative at the same time.

I think I did pretty good!

A New Craft Room?? I Think So!

I've never been in the attic of the house we live in now. 

I know it has some leaks and a broken window and

I've never really had much of a desire to look up there.

BUT,

I finally went up to take a peak

and I discovered my new craft room!

It's definitely going to take a lot of work!



I think my sewing machine would fit great right under these two windows



The ceiling is only about 5 feet in the middle

which is perfect for me!

I have both sides of the attic to put my tubs and bins

full of crafty stuff. 

I can't wait to get started.

Since we rent and we're broke it's not going to be the nicest makeover

but, I think I can make it quite doable

with lots of elbow grease and lots of love!

I'm so excited to get started....

and to get my craft stuff all in one spot and not

in the living room, dining room, hallways, closets and any other place I can find in the house to stash it!

I Have Internet Service Again, Whoo-Hoo!

We have our internet service back again!!  I'm so excited to get back to see what everyone's doing and share my stuff with all of you.  I have so many things to post, buy I'm going to start with my flower garden "stump" and our front porch.

 This is two of my grandsons, T.J. and Jordan in front of our house at Easter.  Although the boys are cute, the porch and the yard left a lot to be desired.

 This is the "stump" that I planned on planting flowers all around to kind of hide it.

 Here is the stump after digging through the roots for a couple of days.  I know several of my neighbors were really wondering what the heck I was doing.  All I had to say is "just wait and imagine".

Here is the stump in May after adding a few plants and some gravel.  My neighbors are still shaking their heads and saying "Okay???" 

 Here is my stump now. 

The photo really doesn't do it justice.  Earl and I added rock gravel and then we got some river rocks to border the bed.  I'm still going to decorate it up with fairies and a door.  It is still a work in progress.

We extended the flower bed out some more in the front and on the side of the house.

 This is the top of our front porch.  Earl and I both really enjoy sitting on the front porch to drink our coffee and I love to sit out there and read and crochet.  The porch was kinda "rough" looking though.

 Now the top of the porch is painted white and looks so much better.  It's still a little rough, but the white really brightens it up and makes it look finished.

I LOVE it!!

 Then the floor of the porch got a paint job too.  One side is the before porch and the other with the beginning of it's new green makeover.  Such an improvement! 

Here is our finished porch.

It is so nice to sit out there and not have the crappiest looking porch on the block.

another view with my Jace enjoying some cool water on a hot day.

Thank you Earl, Ezie, Mallory and Jace for helping me with such a big project and for getting it all done before my mom and sisiters came for a visit.

Oh yeah, my neighbors seem to be very happy about the paint job on the porch and now they even like my flower bed. 

Imagine that!