A few fall decorations

for starters my camera isn't the best...especially at night, but I thought I'd show you a few items I've recently picked up.

The cute little ceramic pumpkins are at Dollar Tree right now (they have white ones too which I have on my mantle). I bought them for Halloween and am now using them with my fall/Thanksgiving decor. The topiary, spindly thing with the vine around it and candle stick are all items I bought for $3 total at a yard sale last weekend. I might paint them white and antique them in the spring. Candle sticks are a favorite for me. They not only make a home feel warm and cozy, but can be used to display other things...like pumpkins for example. Leaf picture-clearance at Hobby Lobby last year, but I can't remember how much I payed. The stick pumpkin I've had for a few years, but added the other stuff to it for more color.

Wicker gourd-$3 Goodwill. Tall orange pumpkin- Hobby Lobby last year for $2.50. The bird cage I also bought at goodwill this year for $1.00 and the gourds I filled it with came free from a garage sale (earlier post)

4 other pictures didn't turn out. I'll try again in the daylight. I'm the queen of not having money right now, but I'm telling you there are deals to be had. I also read that second-hand shopping is a fabulous way to recycle. Go green!!

MAKEOVER!!

What was I thinking starting this blog?!? I was way too ambitious in thinking that I would have time to do it, but I'll quickly tell you about a very exciting project I have coming up. Long story short......our bishop was looking for a community service project for our ward and I told him about how the inner-city WIC office had stark white walls, a gross stained rug on the floor and not a single toy or book for the kids that come in. Very sad! Since the office is government funded, the money in the budget always runs out by the end of the year and no upgrades can be made. Well, he put me in charge of organizing and doing an office makeover!! Horray! Our ward is amazing, so I'm sure it will turn out fabulous. I'll post before and after pictures since it's the only thing I'll be working on between now and Thanksgiving weekend when we do it.

I have been seriously neglecting my posting on this blog. I've done several projects lately, but haven't taken pictures yet. Soon....I promise.

I bought this witches broom at Goodwill for $2 and thought it was a good foundation for an even creepier version.

I just added some black spray paint, purple glitter, polka dot fabric, spider webs, and this spider that Tate picked out at Joann for $1. (I had everything except the spider already. I always try to use most of what I have at home.)

I added green glitter to the spiders eyes.

I just used felt and embroidery thread to make the pillow on the chair. I was going to apply the candy corn to this pillow I already had, but then I realized I had some extra black fabric. I definitely like the black better.

Here's the before picture of the Halloween sign that's hanging on the chair. I used Martha Stewart glitter bought from Wal-Mart. I'm not going to run upstairs to check the "real" color names of the glitter I used, but it was orange, green, and light green. I was happy with how it turned out. Oh and I bought this sign after Halloween last year at Hobby Lobby for 11 cents!! I'm not kidding! I always shop for holiday stuff after the holidays for the next year and Hobby Lobby eventually marks their stuff 90% off.

I'm minding my own business on the way home from the duck pond yesterday when a hot pink "garage sale" sign catches my eye and it's only one street from my house.

So I bought this genuinely old pie cooling hutch (apparently our floors are slanted).....

and a wooden step stool for the boys.

"Guess how much? "

I used to love playing this game with Brad until he started guessing that everything I bought only cost a penny...NOT fun anymore.
She was asking $25 for the hutch, I offered $10...SOLD...asking $10 for the stool, I offered $5...SOLD! I still don't know if or how I'll paint either of them.

This beauty she threw in for FREE. I absolutely love chairs and the color on this is a color I've been wanting to paint something for awhile. The seat was completely split from front to back, but nothing a little wood glue won't fix.

It still needs to be cleaned, but I love the worn-ness (is that a word?) and the cute curvy part on the back. I added the word "giggle"

which here is covered by my flashy Halloween sign for the season, threw on a pumpkin chair cover and this pillow that I still need to finish. Since the reliability of the chair is a little unsure I'm just going to use it in my entry to display my "stuff."

She also gave me a big box of white Christmas lights and this basket of dried fruit and corn that I'm not sure what to do with yet, but it's great for Thanksgiving decor.

15 bucks for it all!! I pay more than that for a bag of diapers

SCORE!!

There is almost nothing that brings more joy to my little heart than a good.....make that a GREAT deal! Much to my husband's dismay I can pretty much justify buying anything I deem worthy of a good deal. So, I've decided to start sharing my finds and little projects that I'm working on with you. Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions about anything you see.