Wow... what an awesome turnout last week and what a creative group of bloggy friends! You guys never cease to amaze and inspire me!! As always, thanks for joining me... let's see what's happenin' this week?!
PS: My hubby read my post today about flowers and brought me home some "real" flowers... isn't he the sweetest!? Thanks babe! xoxo :)
I know, I'm so cheezy... sorry ;)
Orchid Love
My sweet hubby bought me flowers a few weeks ago. Instead of more conventional cut flowers, he got me a beautiful orchid that will last for years to come (unless I unfortunately kill it, I'm one of those "black thumb" people, you know, the antithesis of a green thumb but I'm working on it!).
Knowing me so well and what a total
I don't know about you, but when those cut flowers die I always feel a little guilty like... well, those were beautiful for a week and I enjoyed them very much but now I'm throwing them (and the $30 or $40 bucks paid for them) right in the trash! Not that I don't like a bouquet of roses every now and then (hear that honey?!? ;)... it's just so disappointing when they die and you have to throw them away.
Since my orchid was SO purdy I wanted to display it somewhere where I would see it all the time. I pretty much live in the kitchen so I decided that's where it needed to be. :)
It came in a really cute little white pot... like teeny tiny, surprised the weight of the flowers wasn't making it fall over size pot. I wanted to put it on my kitchen island but the cute little pot wasn't substantial enough.
Then I remembered my new fabulous green bowl from HomeGoods!!!! (I get really excited about HomeGoods because I don't live very close to one, when I go it's like me going to Disneyworld... the happiest place on Earth! ;)
The bowl was big and green (my kitchen accent color) and the best part, super cheap! I put my orchid in the center and then threw in some natural decorative balls (also cheap) from IKEA to fill all the extra space.
Check out the cute detail of the green bowl...
It ended up making a wonderful island centerpiece!
New Awesome Blog Design!
Hello peeps! If you're reading this you've probably already noticed my new super cool layout. I'm in LOOOOOOVE!!!
My friend Lara over at Less Cake {More Frosting} (I knew she was my kinda girl just by her blog title;) made this for me and I think she did an absolutely fabulous job!
We sent a few emails back and forth, I gave her a very general idea of what I kinda wanted and she came up with exactly what I was looking for! She did exactly what I wanted without really knowing what I wanted.... pretty amazing, huh?!
I couldn't believe how perfect it was... it's like we're psychic friends (remember the Dionne Warwick commercials??), she read my mind! I couldn't have designed it better myself. Perfection!
Lara is just breaking into blog design, but she is an awesome card designer and is getting her store Announced up and running. She also runs a fun blog, Less Cake {More Frosting}... and she is currently hosting a fun jewelry giveaway! Check her out, you will not be disappointed. :)
Thanks again, Lara!! xoxox
My friend Lara over at Less Cake {More Frosting} (I knew she was my kinda girl just by her blog title;) made this for me and I think she did an absolutely fabulous job!
We sent a few emails back and forth, I gave her a very general idea of what I kinda wanted and she came up with exactly what I was looking for! She did exactly what I wanted without really knowing what I wanted.... pretty amazing, huh?!
I couldn't believe how perfect it was... it's like we're psychic friends (remember the Dionne Warwick commercials??), she read my mind! I couldn't have designed it better myself. Perfection!
Lara is just breaking into blog design, but she is an awesome card designer and is getting her store Announced up and running. She also runs a fun blog, Less Cake {More Frosting}... and she is currently hosting a fun jewelry giveaway! Check her out, you will not be disappointed. :)
Thanks again, Lara!! xoxox
Flaunt it Friday #17
Ok bloggy buddies... what did you do this week?? Although I didn't post a lot, I did a lot... including buy a Fall wreath... not one, but 2!!!
Oh yes, I did!
I'm so not ready for summer to end but fall is my fave and these wreaths were on crazy clearance. Stay tuned....
Alright, time to party!
Oh yes, I did!
I'm so not ready for summer to end but fall is my fave and these wreaths were on crazy clearance. Stay tuned....
Alright, time to party!
Cheapo Summer Wreath
I just took down my forsythia wreath last week....shhhh, don't tell! Forsythia is a spring flower and spring is long gone! What a decorative faux paus!
Oh well, no one else probably noticed except my mom and any other decorating addicts like us.
I only left the forsythia up so long because I can't stand having a naked front door, it really, really bugs me.
The forsythia had to stay there until I could find something to replace it. My "regular" summer wreath would not do because it did not match our new house. I decided the new summer wreath should be mostly pink because we planted pink flowers in our pots so I needed to match, of course.
I had no luck finding anything pre-made... nothing matched or they just looked cheap or chinzy. The few that I found that were nice were crazy expensive so I had to improvise.
I found this super cheapo wreath at Wal-Mart. The flowers aren't even attached to a "real" wreath, it's just a thin plastic ring around the back. I thought it was a good base for $7 bucks and that I could spruce it up a bit with some pink...
I got this flimsy looking swag at Wal-Mart also for $3 bucks to use for parts (fyi... I already pulled the big pink roses that you'll see on my finished product off it)
I picked up this little stem at Michael's for .99 cents as I needed more hot pink.
I then pillaged the swag and hot pink flower stem stealing all their flowers. I took off some of the cream flowers that came on the wreath and replaced them with the pink...
An easy switcheroo...
The cheapo Wal-Mart wreath is a good base... just find a swag in the colors or flowers you want and do the switcheroo. You'll then have a custom wreath for about $11.
I was pleased with the finished product especially considering all the cheapo products that I used... It looks pretty good. I've even had several compliments on it! :)
I'm linked up to...
95% OFF!! Yes, I said 95% off!
If you've ever read my informative and lovely (wink, wink ;) blog you'll probably recall that I love a sweet deal. They make my heart go pitter-patter.
One of my favorite sports (yes, I consider shopping a competitive sport) is waiting out a sale. You know, finding something on the clearance rack and then waiting until it is marked down a little more, then a little more, until it hits that magic price you want to pay.
Maybe it's 20 bucks, maybe it's 75% off, whatever the magic number that is in your head... and if you score it for that magic number price... you, my friend- are a winner.
I love to play "the game" at Hobby Lobby. Every 2 months or so they mark a huge group of accessories down to 66% off. This is the time to get the item that you do not want to miss and are willing to pay a little more for, because it will sell if you don't. A few weeks later they mark down again to 80% off, this is when I do most of my shopping.
Finally, they end up marking down to 90% off. I have never hit this sale at the right time, whenever I come across it the 90% off area is a small rack of cowboy boot shaped book-ends (most of them chipped or broken) or something equally hideous.
This time I happened across Hobby Lobby the day they started the 90% off sale... SUHWEET!! They had a huge selection of non-cowboy-boot-shaped good stuff!
But I had my eye on something already... my game piece was a picture frame. Umm... yes, a picture frame.
I know what you're thinking... a picture frame? You can get a pretty decent picture frame at the dollar store.
But trust me, it's a really awesome picture frame. It is a large (16 x 20), beautiful, thick, expensive looking wood frame that came from their framing department, a cancelled order most likely. And I already have the perfect picture for it...
Anywho, the original price was $225! (For an empty frame?!) Don't get me wrong, it's a really nice frame but not worth $225 in my chic on a shoestring opinion.
It was marked 80% off, down to $45 when I found it. I'm toocheap frugal for that much... so the game begins.
I waited and waited and waited. The stuff is 80% off for several weeks, each time I went back it was still there but still hadn't hit my "magic number" price of 90% off.
Finally, I walked in to the 90% off sale and literally squeeled with joy. I headed to the frames to score my deal and it was gone! GONE!
Oh man... I let the game get me this time. Dang it! I'm a sore loser... I started questioning my game strategy, maybe I should have bought it at 80% off, I really wanted it more than I thought I did!
Nah. $45 was too much for an empty frame.
I put my game face back on and happily went through and picked up a few things 90% off.
Like this lovely for $2.50...
I got some more really great stuff but I'll share them at a later date...
In the check out lane I was lamenting to the cashier that I didn't get my frame... woe is me. She then started wrapping all my breakables so as I was waiting I started checking out the furniture shelves around me.
Suddenly the clouds parted and a ray of sun from the heavens shined down directly on my frame!! There it was across the room... it was leaning on a piece of furniture on a shelf near the door. The cashier said that is where they stick stuff that people bring to the register but end up not buying it. Whew... that was close!
I got my frame and won the game!! And to make me the super grand champion...the frame rang up for even cheaper than I expected... $13.00! 95% off!!! Woot Woot!!!!
Here it is...
The photo doesn't really do it justice of how really nice it is...
I'm linked up to...
One of my favorite sports (yes, I consider shopping a competitive sport) is waiting out a sale. You know, finding something on the clearance rack and then waiting until it is marked down a little more, then a little more, until it hits that magic price you want to pay.
Maybe it's 20 bucks, maybe it's 75% off, whatever the magic number that is in your head... and if you score it for that magic number price... you, my friend- are a winner.
I love to play "the game" at Hobby Lobby. Every 2 months or so they mark a huge group of accessories down to 66% off. This is the time to get the item that you do not want to miss and are willing to pay a little more for, because it will sell if you don't. A few weeks later they mark down again to 80% off, this is when I do most of my shopping.
Finally, they end up marking down to 90% off. I have never hit this sale at the right time, whenever I come across it the 90% off area is a small rack of cowboy boot shaped book-ends (most of them chipped or broken) or something equally hideous.
This time I happened across Hobby Lobby the day they started the 90% off sale... SUHWEET!! They had a huge selection of non-cowboy-boot-shaped good stuff!
But I had my eye on something already... my game piece was a picture frame. Umm... yes, a picture frame.
I know what you're thinking... a picture frame? You can get a pretty decent picture frame at the dollar store.
But trust me, it's a really awesome picture frame. It is a large (16 x 20), beautiful, thick, expensive looking wood frame that came from their framing department, a cancelled order most likely. And I already have the perfect picture for it...
Anywho, the original price was $225! (For an empty frame?!) Don't get me wrong, it's a really nice frame but not worth $225 in my chic on a shoestring opinion.
It was marked 80% off, down to $45 when I found it. I'm too
I waited and waited and waited. The stuff is 80% off for several weeks, each time I went back it was still there but still hadn't hit my "magic number" price of 90% off.
Finally, I walked in to the 90% off sale and literally squeeled with joy. I headed to the frames to score my deal and it was gone! GONE!
Oh man... I let the game get me this time. Dang it! I'm a sore loser... I started questioning my game strategy, maybe I should have bought it at 80% off, I really wanted it more than I thought I did!
Nah. $45 was too much for an empty frame.
I put my game face back on and happily went through and picked up a few things 90% off.
Like this lovely for $2.50...
The top of the lid is broken off but it is for the middle shelf of a buffet so it won't be seen. :)
I got some more really great stuff but I'll share them at a later date...
In the check out lane I was lamenting to the cashier that I didn't get my frame... woe is me. She then started wrapping all my breakables so as I was waiting I started checking out the furniture shelves around me.
Suddenly the clouds parted and a ray of sun from the heavens shined down directly on my frame!! There it was across the room... it was leaning on a piece of furniture on a shelf near the door. The cashier said that is where they stick stuff that people bring to the register but end up not buying it. Whew... that was close!
I got my frame and won the game!! And to make me the super grand champion...the frame rang up for even cheaper than I expected... $13.00! 95% off!!! Woot Woot!!!!
Here it is...
The photo doesn't really do it justice of how really nice it is...
It's about 4.5 inches wide!
Nice detailing
It's 3.5 inches thick and heavy! I just love it!
Do any of you bloggy friends ever play "the game"?
Sometimes you lose when your item sells before it hits your magic price... but isn't it wonderful when you win?!
Especially 95% off!
I'm linked up to...
Frugalicious Friday at Finding FabulousBlack, Off-White, and Mocha Wreath Vignette
My husband did more decorating than me for the first time ever. He at least made sure our flag was proudly hanging on the outside of our house. The inside on the other hand still had up my spring birds and such... oops.
I blame it all on my garage sale... I was spending all my free time last month preparing for my garage sale. Thankfully, the sale was a success even if my decor had to go on the backburner.
I redecorate a wine rack/buffet table in my kitchen often, usually for holidays (sorry Independance Day!) and seasons. While working on my garage sale I was thinking about how I so badly needed to change out my spring decorations and what to do next since I was skipping the 4th. I wanted to include this super cute mocha wreath that I won from my bloggy friend Abbe over at All Dolled Up. Isn't this the cutest?
I just love it! Please go check out her great new store with all kinds of handmade goodies like the mocha wreath, burpies and play mats for babies, book slings, and all kinds of unique hand-made stuff... FREE SHIPPING for the month of July and they are giving 50% of their proceeds to a wounded soldier they know. Check it out!! :)
My kitchen has sort of a black and off-white color theme with bits of damask and toile. I add hints of green here and there and had a whole bunch of it out for spring... especially in my spring vignette.
I decided to go back to my black and off-white roots when I found these plates at TJ Maxx and fell in love. I LOVE damask, but that'll be a whole other post.
Isn't it great!?
Anywho, I also found this cute little cloche with a tray for 80% off at Hob Lob... I was SO super excited to find this! I had been looking around for a totally 80's cheese dome at thrift shops to makeover as I've seen so many of you talented bloggy friends do but I could never find one... this one was cheaper than a makeover from goodwill and it's new! I can scratch that off my to-do list... whew, that was an easy one! :)
I also found this interesting picture of antique spoons. It's an odd shaped canvas wrapped in burlap with this worn looking print on the front. I thought it was so unique and it only cost me $3 bucks 80% off!
I added some scrapbook covered candles on my black candle holders... 
I topped it off with my pretty mocha wreath from All Dolled Up and my vignette is complete!
Sorry for all the glares on the glass from the window, yikes!
Please go visit my friend's great store!
I'm linked up to...
and A Stroll Through Life's "Cloche Party"
Flaunt it Friday #15
Hi friends! Great party last week! Almost 100 links... woo hoo! :) You guys are so talented, I love to check out all of your creative ideas!
Maybe we can make it to 100 this week??? :)
Maybe we can make it to 100 this week??? :)
Flaunt it Friday #14
Wow! 91 awesome entries last week!! I love to check them all out! What do you have this week??
My faves...
