Create a CHEAP Project Life Organizer!

Quite some time ago, I scored a wooden cassette tape holder at my local Goodwill (for only $1.49) just knowing it would come in handy for some future organizing project. So today when I stumbled upon it in my organizing junk yard (where all good organizing pieces go until I can find a use for them), I was so excited!
I knew it was going to make a great Project Life organizer for all the little elements I want to keep handy as I start my first PL-esque album. I just removed the slots as needed to "customize" the cubby sizes and viola!
Now everything is right at my fingertips and ready to go!

 

Quite Unique!

I just love hearing about new businesses created by people who think a little more out-of-the-box and this morning I discovered just one of those type of companies! YEA!

Many of us are addicted to sites like Groupon that allow us to pre-buy goods and services at a great discount. With deals like the one I scored last week (two movie tickets and a large popcorn for only $10.) What's not to love?!! Well, now there is a daily deal site for handmade goods called Quite Unique! How cool is that?! Getting great deals and supporting our fellow crafters at the same time!

Here is just one example of a previous deal....
A charming necklace to benefit Japan Disaster Relief. A unique handmade item with 100% of profits going to Japan...even cooler!!!


enjoy shopping and helping others at the same time.
-dw.

(Re)Decorating on a Dime!

I have always been a fan of saving money. I learned early on if I was able to acquire that one coveted item at a deep discount, there would be money left over for other items on my wish list as well! After all, more is better, right?!

I diligently shop with coupons to stretch my food budget, I peruse TX Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross incessantly to stretch my clothing budget, and I constantly frequent thrift stores and dollar stores to stretch my decorating budget. And the truth is...nobody can ever tell the difference!

My mantra has always been: Why pay more if I don't HAVE to?!

Today I thought I would share a few quick decorating ideas using items that have been re-purposed, re-designed, or purchased at a re-ally incredible price!!

* Give a quick facelift to unused wall decor.

This piece (purchased years ago at Marshall's for $5) never really fit just right at this house, so it was in a box in the storage room. When I needed a little something to liven up the hearth for Valentine's Day, I grabbed an extra photo of my girls, cropped it to size, and using removable adhesive, covered the original Eiffel Tower picture, and placed it on an easel.


* Think beyond an items intended use.

I have always loved plate holders, although ironically, I have never had a desire to display plates. I found this one at a thrift store for under $2. It was already black and matched my decor perfectly. So I had to buy it! This past Christmas I decided it would make the perfect holder for my holiday cards. After the holiday was over, I removed the cards and replaced them with pictures (from an old Paris calendar) mounted on black cardstock. Now my "postcard" holder makes a beautiful addition to my Parisian-themed room.





* Decoration pieces can be used for more than one holiday.

I purchased these jumbo, black heart ornaments a couple of years ago at IKEA after Christmas for next to nothing (I think it was $1 for a set of 3) and this year decided they needed more pizazz. I broke out my silver metallic Sharpie marker and went to work. I used them on my Christmas tree and was happy with the way they turned out.

After Christmas, however, I couldn't see putting them away. I decided instead to place them in the top tier of the fruit stand with some red hearts (Dollar Tree) and now I have the perfect Valentine's Day decoration. Since my home decor all centers around black furniture and appliances, it was just right.

enjoy the ways you can give new life to old items around your home.
-d.

Back in Blogland!

I have been busy, busy, busy.

I started a new job as an Office Manager at a small publishing company on Valentine's Day and have been training, learning, absorbing...and adjusting to being gone all day, every day again. I have been self-employed and doing contract work for so many years, that it is a big change to be sitting at a desk five days a week! But I am really enjoying it! And steady paychecks are an awesome perk!!!

My training is now complete and I can settle into my new position comfortably. And with a more routine schedule, I can get back to blogging again! I have missed connecting with you all through your blogs as well as my own.

In celebration of my return to the internet world, I headed for my favorite on-line store.....Pottery Barn...to check out their clearance sale. I had this little voice that kept nagging at me to open the e-mail they sent earlier this week. I am SO glad I did! I discovered an item I have been coveting for about a year and unable to get my hands on. I had checked PB sale after sale, e-bay, craigslist, etc. with no luck. But today, somehow it resurfaced on the PB Clearance site!!! WooHoo!!!! Here is what will be arriving soon and heading straight for my studio....

a 3' drawing compass!!!

While it may not excite everyone the way it excites me, I simply LOVE it! It reminds me of my first introduction to art and drawing. I loved playing with my Mom's old compass when I was little. Of course, I grew tired of merely drawing circles and went on to bigger and better things eventually, but I never see a compass without recalling that very first one, a bit rusted and aged. That compass is like a piece of my own art history.

Normally retailing at $99, it was a bit more than I could allow for my decor budget, no matter how sentimental, so I waited. Apparently too long. I never saw it appear on the clearance site it was just gone. Until today! When I scooped it up for a mere $19.99!!!!! What a great way to start the day!

enjoy the deals that you score today!

-dw

T-Shirt Inspiration

While out treasure hunting this week, I scored some incredible deals and found some great sources of creative inspiration!

As I walked down an aisle of my favorite thrift store, a Paris t-shirt popped out at me. It wasn't my size, but I knew I had to have it! Before the shirt even hit the bottom of the cart I knew just what to do with it!

I have a ton of canvases at home waiting to be painted, covered, altered (used) and hung up! I knew this shirt would make a fabulous covering for the canvases and a great addition to my newly transformed, Parisian bedroom! What a score!!!!

So I thought I would share with you the first steps in the process.

I plan to adhere the shirt to the canvases with iron-on fusing and then add black satin ribbon around the edges. Add some embelleshments and a little glimmer mist for color, and viola, new wall hangings for my room!

I even salvaged the sleeves to use on some smaller canvases!

I'm soooooo excited!!! I'll post completed pics soon!

enjoy discovering inspiration everywhere around you!

-dw

Organizing Heaven...

...is where I have been lately!

I made a trip to The Container Store yesterday and found exactly what I was looking for! (Don't ya LOVE it when that happens?!) I needed a larger tiered shelf to place my adorable Heart and Home jars on, and they had one in the perfect size! And I mean perfect size! I questioned whether it would fit into my EXPEDIT shelf; it would be close, but I took the gamble. I got home and discovered with a little nudge it fits into the cube section as though it was made for it!!!! Yea, mission accomplished!

I also found a two-tier basket shelf that I have wanted for a soooooo long (since the PB version I coveted is no longer available) at a local yard sale....for only $3!!!! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. It completely made my weekend!

And finally, I'll share a little project that I managed to complete despite the obstacles I faced. It isn't perfect, but what the heck, it's art...it doesn't have to be! I am always altering rub-ons to ceate my own words and expressions. (I like to color outside the lines!) But this time I had a little problem. I over-adapted!! I accidentally cut through the wrong portion of the word, right through the letter I needed! No worries...I'll just run down to the sb store (luckily only three blocks from my house) and buy another one. Okay, a $5 mistake, but I just wanted to finish it. Wait! "What do you mean you don't carry that Basic Grey rub-on anymore?!" Aauugghhhh! So, I came back home and improvised. I pieced together different letters to create the letters I needed to spell "create." It is now finished and it is definately a one-of-a-kind piece!

enjoy overcoming the obstacles!

-dw