Taylor Swift!

Well not much got done this week, actually it was a terribly busy week but none of my blog projects were completed so I thought I would share a little of what I worked on this week.

My daughter is obsessed (in a good way) with Taylor Swift. She is constantly reading about her, listening to her, playing her music on the guitar or telling me something about her.  Well this week Taylor was in Houston and we had meet and greet passes so off we went.  Now what you may not realize is that there is lots of preparation for a Taylor Swift concert Rachel style. There are shirts to be made...

and signs...

and gifts and cards to say you are their greatest fan! (no pics of that) And then of course there is the 5 hour drive to Houston.  Now most people show up an hour before the concert, go in and get situated.  Not us, we show up 7 hours before the concert and flash our signs at anyone who likes like they might be part of the tour in hopes that they will give us pit passes (basically standing at Taylor's feet). This determined young lady waited ALL day long in the heat and met up with some of the band, but no passes.

Time had run out it was time to get inside and go and meet Taylor.

I think the day of heat, disappointment of NOT getting the pit passes and the anticipation of meeting  her is starting to settle in. And then the moment she has been waiting for all her life!!!! no wait for the last 8 months is finally just about to happen and she is sinking, feeling a little queezy, and emotional but she pulls all together at just the right moment and meets her idol!

Taylor seems to be a very sweet and sincere young lady.  Rachel is on cloud nine to say the least.  She visits and Taylor hugs her and tells her she fits perfectly in her embrace. Rachel melts!  We then leave the room Taylor's dad is there and we stop and talk and he hands the girls pit passes!!! Suddenly girls are jumping up and down and profusely thanking him.  The watch the show (did I mention this is their third concert) and have every move and song memorized.  It was the perfect night as they say, and I have to say even tho I am 3 times their age I have to agree!
Here are a couple of other photos of the concert.

This is so cool, looks like everything is on fire but it's just screens. Taylor is really a wonderful entertainer!

I could not stop starring at these shoes!  This is Kelly Pickler, I love those shoes!!! I think she fell off of them a few weeks ago and sprained her ankle, I can understand why!

Link up party, come check it out!

Jewlery Art!

So I have this addiction, ok I have more than one, but the one I am willing to share is an addiction to buying necklaces.  I love them!  I have bunches and always want more!  Here is a little proof of my problem.

 A little scary, isn't it.  This is what happens, I get home from work and take my necklace off and leave it on the bathroom counter, or I try several on in the morn and leave them all laying out.

This was my solution to storage.  I thought it was a perfect solution, hidden inside my medicine cabinet, out of the way, but at my finger tips as I get ready in the morning.  The only problem is that this worked when I had a few but then the collection grew, (not sure how : D) so when I go to take a necklace off everything falls down and then it's all tangled up!  I had to come up with a solution.

I bought this at a garage sale for 1.00.  It has foam in the frame, the lady who had it before me used it for jewelry she sold.  Originally I was going to use it as it was, but I got to wondering if that would really work. So, I came up with another solution.  The first thing I did was paint the frame with ORB (oil rubbed bronze spray paint). Then I hung it on the wall.

This is an awful picture, it was getting dark but I couldn't wait!  It looks like a face of a bear doesn't it???? Anyway I added some hooks inside the frame, pretty obvious, huh!

Here is my solution!  This is in the corner of my bedroom, no one can really see it. It's the perfect solution.  I may even hang one more for the few bracelets I have.  Isn't this chair wonderful, I bought it from a friend for 25.00! It was in a model home, not a scratch on it. This is my little reading corner, and sometimes my corner that holds my clean laundry! :) Too bad my camera broke before I could take a picture of that! lol

Toodles, Laura

More thrify finds!

Last weekend it rained, and I mean rained, flashflood style, so I wasn't able to get out and do any garage sales.  Actually this is probably a really good thing considering I have a garage full of jobs to keep me busy.  I have already started on some of these but I'll share a few of the finds I have purchased in the last couple of weeks.

I know what you are thinking.  That has to be the ugliest table I have ever seen!!!! And at this point you would be so right but! .... it is a really good table.  It is really heavy and I think it's made out of oak and it's a really basic shape which is exactly what I wanted.  It is a great investment for only $17.00. I had planned on putting it in the den and covering it with slate tile, but it's too big so now onto plan B.  I have actually already began working on it.  I'll show you more when it's done!

This is a really nice frame, I have a plan that involves some jewelry. It should be the perfect frame and only cost $1.00!

It looks like I am a bit clock crazy, not so.  The red clock caught my eye because it's a round, chunky frame, heavy and wood.  I will take the clock face out and use the frame only. The big clock, I want to completely change.  I have had an idea for this for a long time.  The candle, love it, it's covered in birch.  I love all things birch.  Each one of these was a mere buck!

Ok I know it's a little early to be thinking about Christmas, but I had to have this guy.  Isn't he adorable?  Look at his hat, it's a raccoon!!! He only cost me $6.00 and he lights up.  I can't wait to put him on my porch! He needs a name and I am open for suggestoins, any ideas?

These are just various frames I picked up, most all of them weren't more than $1.00.  I have a plan for a frame wall. I can't wait to get started on it.  I am going to need more wall space at this rate!

I bought these 2 scarves for .25 cents each.  I am planning on using them to make some of those pretty little flowers that everyone is making right now.  That finial is brass, had to have for 2.00 and the little box was also 2.00 at our local thrift shop.  I bought this lampshade for 1.00 at a garage sale and have already made a lamp for it. (Check out my first blog post)

So I showed this chair a couple of weeks ago.  It was all covered in dusty rose, bluuuhhhh, fabric from the eighties. Remember that shiny fabric??? I loved the shape of it and had a plan for it.  I have already began working on it and plan to post it soon.  I wish I could find another one.  The lines on this chair make me so happy, chair love!!! Another thrift store find, $15.00. That is it for now.  Now you can see why I don't need to shop.  I have plenty of stuff to work on for now!  Happy thriftin'

There is a time for everything... especially a quiet book!

So my niece had a baby girl a couple of years ago and we haven't had a baby in our family for awhile so we all sing, dance and talk like 2 years olds, and that's ok, we're good with that!  For years my sister and I have gotten together and made crafts... well now that we have Macy we have many new projects we can make. I remember when my kids were young we had these cute little fabric books and they loved them.  I actually kept a couple of my patterns so that I could make them for my grandkids some day.  Well I googled kids books and found this whole world of  "quiet books" out there and knew we had to make one.  We actually ordered a pattern online but then I had to give it "my style" just a bit.  Super easy and fun to make!!!

Most of the examples I have seen were made of felt, and tho I like the ways felt looks I didn't think it would last very long.  I simply took scraps and sewed them onto this thick muslin fabric I had, almost feels like canvas. I was not concerned about straight lines.  No if you are thinking those strings look tacky, you have to know Macy, she plays with eyelashes, so this is right up her alley! I simply stamped the letters on the book.

We added a denim pocket for storage, she can add crayons or a snack, whatever she wants We stuck little lady bugs and butterflies in there for her to use as finger puppets and play with them on another page. . I love batik fabric and love the way this really looks like water. The whale comes off.

This orange page is so fun.  I used the plastic from a curtain package, the jewels can't come out but she has a little pocket she can put the fish in and out of . The bubbles are sewn on.  Also notice the little color tabs, kinds like scrapbooking books.  Each page has a tab in it's color. The sheep page is a texture page, just lots of buttons sewn on. I love this page!!!

The purple page has removable grapes.  The yellow page has a sun and stars, the middle of the sun comes off and has a musical disc inside that plays twinkle twinkle little star. She loves this page!

The flower page is fun, all the flowers unbutton.  There is a zipper on the planter for her to store the flowers in.  This is the page that she can play with ladybugs and butterflies. The car's wheels come off.

This is another texture page, the nest is like eyelashes, something for her to play with. I didn't get a picture but there is another pocket on the inside back page and more of the color strips on the very back. This was such a fun project!  I'd like to make some more one of these days.

I think she likes it, she really, really likes it! And if she is happy we are happy!

Isn't She Lovely!

So the other day I showed you a statue I bought at Goodwill for 10.00, (which is alot when it comes to Goodwill finds. However she was unusual and about 15 inches tall.  I felt like she was worth every penny.

Well all I did was spray paint her.  I forgot the color and I left the can at my sister's house but it was one of those hammered metal spray paints. We will use this in my niece's house when we start decorating. I wish they had had 2 I would love to have one! She looks like a real bronze sculpture.

Garden glass art

I love glass!!! Particularly colored glass so when I saw this project on My Repurposed Life's blog I knew I had to attempt it. 

I love the way this pops in the garden, it just sparkles and I love the contrast with all of the textures. This one is my sister's we made 3, one for her, me and my mom.

This is very simple.  I used Silicone 2 from Lowe's.  It's one of those tubes you load in the caulking gun.  Just play with glass and figure out how you want it to look and then glue it all together.  I was suprised how secure it was when I was down.

Most of this glass I picked up at garage sales and Goodwill.  One important step is the get different sizes and try not to get really thin glass.  I was concerned it wouldn't hold up.  You can't see it well in the pic but there are glass stones in there as well. I just love it!!!

Goodwill hunting, good times!

So this weekend I went to East Texas to see my sister.  Her daughter is building a beautiful new house.  We were driving in the city and noticed the Goodwill parking lot jammed full of cars, there wasn't a parking spot to be had. Now I have been to her Goodwill before and it is nothing like mine, very little treasure's but this day was totally different!  My sister dropped me off at the door and drove around the parking lot waiting for someone to leave so that she could park.  It turns out the were having an anniversary sale offering coupons but the big deal was they were bringing new products out by the hour.  I haven't seen this since the Elmo craze at Christmas!!!  People were waiting at the backdoor like vulchers to see what was coming out next.  Moving through the store was next to impossible, there were people with 3 carts going!  It was just craziness, but boy did we find some fun treasures.  I mentioned my niece is building a house, it is probably 3 times the one she has now and she is going to need some stuff, so we rolled up out sleeves and got busy.  It is just crazy to see what people get rid of.  I'll post some of the pics now and show you what we do with them in the coming months.  These candle sticks are AMAZING, pure brass, I think they are from a church, they are about 3 feet tall, we found 4 of them for 5.99 each!!!! We may spray paint them, I know, I know... brass but we gotta do what works for the house! We'll use that stand as a towel rack in the bathroom.

Can you believe I got this for 12.99?  I have wanted one of these forever, I'm going to do nothing to change it, just put it on my porch for Christmas.

This pic shows a little of everything.  Those 2 finial things up front, 1.29, the pumpkin I think 3.00 and the urn will look fabulous with some ORB paint. 

More good stuff, most of this stuff wasn't more than 3.00. Look at the gold brass candle sticks behind the blue thingy in the front, very neat design.

A better picture of this lamp.  I think she is going to paint it and put a clear shade on top and make it a candle holder.

Look at the brown glass, it is so pretty a big piece.  The ugly blue bowl with lemons will totally be transformed. There are some cute shelves under the brown glass, cute little scalloped edge, a little spray paint and as good as new!

These 2 tarnished pieces are very cool, we may give them a coat of spray paint.  I love this picture, can you see that with a black frame? Another one of those little drawer thingys, my niece loves those! You can't see them all but we have collected a bunch of frames to do a frame wall.

I think spray paint will be our best friend, these medallions will look so cool with a little more color.  And look at the stone looking things in the back, 3 of them, really cool! A simple little shelf in front for the playroom.

This cute little plate was from Marshall's orginally, it still had the tag on it, 3.99! The vase we got at a garage sale for .25 cents.  It is dirty now but won't be for long!

This basket will be cute in the bathroom holding soaps and towels.  The little iron thing in the background with the candle stuck to it, I think it's going in the bathroom with soap decorative balls on it and that little ornate box is is perfect condition. Cute little copper pitchers and nice bookmarks.  Check out the pillow form, furry soft animal fur.

I think this is one of my favorite pieces.  She is just beautiful, probably about a foot tall and she was 10.99 I think.  We already spray painted her a bronze color, I just forgot to take her picture afterwards. Anyway we got lots of other stuff I'll post at another time and I'll show it to you as we redo or purpose it!  Go check out your local thrift store, you might be shocked at what you will find, if you already have, share with me your treasures!

I am still working on the plant chair.  I hope to get her done this week. 

Toodles~ MSP Laura

My baby girls room (she is 15)

This is my daughter's room.  We redecorated it a couple of months ago.  We have redone her room a few times over the years but this time was really cool because it was her plan.

This is an art piece created by me, I am no artist just played and had fun.  She likes it! Those of you who have a teenager know how unusual that is!!!

We got so lucky when we found this rug.  It is the perfect match. I still want to paint the futon chair and recover it.

These are suppose to be tables but we hung them on the wall.  We decided to paint the room gray, not a color I would usually pick but since she is growing up she wanted something a little more sophisticated.  I really like it, easy color to live with.

This is my favorite piece in her room.  It is so sweet.  I found it at Home Goods for a few bucks, very origianal.

This is her favorite part of the room.  She is obsessed with Taylor Swift.  This was totally her own idea, very creative, it has pictures, and the words to her songs on it as well.

So share with me your kids rooms.  I am going to be designing a 2 yr old room and need some great ideas.