WOO-HOO Jackpot at Hobby Lobby

80% off sales at Hobby Lobby get me crazy excited. I usually find one or two things, but not today. No today I found 8 items. This was better than a garage sale. Roughly $38 for everything? You have got to be kidding me.

Rectangular black/cream box $1.80 [orig. $10] ~ leaving as is - perfect

Square black/pink box $1.60 [orig. $8] ~ painting and decoupaging for Sophie's room

Square fleur de lis plaque $3.20 [orig. $16] - painting cream or black

Tall bird $2.40 [orig. $12] - painting cream

Fleur de lis on left and other tall thing leaving as is - both for $10 [orig. $25 and $30]

Medieval looking plaque $6 [orig. $30] - as is going above husband's office door frame

Look at this mirror below. Isn't that cool [and heavy]. Not sure what I'm doing with it but I think I'll rub cream paint on it and give it an aged look. See the price tag?

No , well here's a closer look ~


And here's what I paid ~

Upcycle ~ Second Hand Stores

I have a favorite second hand store. I stop by to look about once every couple weeks. I have scored so many Abercrombie shirts for my sons. Can't beat the prices, 7 shirts for $35. Gotta love that, plus I'm helping the environment by upcycling. Gotta love that too!

Mr. Clean's Magic Erase is well .... magic

We all know the Magic Erase is good for cleaning spots off doors and walls, but did you know what else it can do?

It can clean the white rubber part off shoes. One toe done and the other not.

Look at that terrible scuff on my SUV rear view mirror. Thank you red truck that rubbed against me.

A little Magic Erase and it's gone. I have used this all over my car. People seem to like to hurt our big huge SUV's. I get scuffs all the time on my corner bumpers and rear view mirrors. And I do not park in spots too small for my Sequoia, I think it's just the way it is. This also works on boats and waverunners.

after Christmas sales

My favorite shopping day of the year is after Christmas. I love getting all those wonderful goodies at 50% or more off. I have a favorite floral store that I go to every year and add to my Christmas items. The ceramic platter, three birds, three snowmen, trio of whimsical Christmas trees and the "Joy" ceramic items all purchased there at 50%. The red cupcake holder I was eyeballing before Christmas at Target but I wasn't going to pay $15 for it, so I got it at half off. Melamine bowl ($2) and new coat for Zoey ($6)from Old Navy.

simple, easy Goodwill find hostess gift

You've all seen them at garage sales. Many times when I got hunting at our goodwill store, I find them. These cute glass dome cheese plates. Sometimes with a wooden plate, sometimes with the pretty marble slab, like the one below. $6. Decorated up with some ribbon, burlap and a bell. Add a block of cream cheese, some hot pepper jelly and voila, a wonderful hostess gift.

If the wooden plate looks bad, keep the glass dome, toss the wooden plate, get a pretty plate from Home Goods and you have instant charm and whimsy.

Goodwill Find - Lamp ReVamp

I am becoming a weekly goodwill hunting addict. I found two lamps there recently for $1.99 each. One had a pathetic ill-fitted lampshade while the other had none.

This lamp was in pretty good shape, just need a fresh coat of Heirloom White spray paint.

I love the shape of this lamp, short and fat. I needed that for a tall cream colored table, so this lamp needed to be painted.

Lamp No. 1 with a fresh coat of spray paint and a new lampshade from Target.



Lamp No. 2 with a fresh coat of spray pant and a new lampshade also from Target.

Thrifty Finds

Linking up to rhonda's blog at southern hospitality. Goodwill find on the denim valance $1.99, hockey stick [free from a neighbor] and the hanging rings from Wal-mart. The hardest part was trying to figure out how to mount this. BB is playing house hockey this year and is a huge Columbus Blue Jackets fan. So that's what his bedroom is done in. The walls are a blue/gray color, not light blue as the first photo looks - had to use my flash because it's raining and that's a dark corner in his room. Wall color in second photo is much better.

do you CRAIGSLIST?

We love Craigslist. Have you ever used it? When we were finishing our basement last fall and had to move everything from our basement up into our garage for storage, we realized we just didn't want to haul everything back down. We posted several things on craigslist and made some nice pocket money. We sold everything from a toilet to a desk to a sandbox. I sold my kids' kettler tricycle, a jogger stroller, a trampoline and a box of rescue heroes. The best part of craigslist is it is local and free. yes, free. You have to be smart about it though. I never had anyone come by our house when my husband wasn't home.

You can find a job on craiglist. You can list your upcoming garage sale too.

Got some things to sell, well then check it out. There is usually at least one person out there who will want it.

My thrifty finds .... MelMac Cups & Glass Milk Bottles

Went to two of my favorite thrift stores this past week just to kill a little time. Imagine my excitment when I found 6 robin's egg blue translucent MelMac or Melamine cups in great condition. And they were merely $.49 each. When I went to the register, the lady said to me, wow you got a deal, if I would have seen these come, I would have priced them a bit higher. That's when you get your confirmation that yes, indeed, I got a great deal. These were popular in the 50's. I also scored on two glass bottles/vases. I think the smaller one is for orange juice and probably came with a set of matching juice glasses, but I picture a small bouquet of fresh flowers in there, and the second one is a cream or milk container. Not sure what I'm doing with that one yet, but I have acquired a bit of fondness for glass milk containers.