Head on Over...

Introducing.....

Head on over to the new official blog! (here) I apologize in advance for switching things up, but before I was trying to run two blogs, one with all things Thrifty (this one!) and one with other projects (Babies N More Galore) So I decided to make one final 'official' blog, and I will be getting rid of these two. I promise not to switch blogs again! (Until one day, hopefully soon! I have my own URL!)   Please follow and share, and check back for LOTS of tutorials and tips! (There's already a few up there!) And have a wonderful day!

Where have I been??

Hello! I bet some of you are wondering if I will ever post again! HAHA! Yes yes, sorry its been awhile! It has been hectic in this house! Right now we are trying to close on the house we are buying! I have been very busy with projects (decor related) for the new place and have been taking pictures, but My camera cord is packed somewhere! (That connects it to the computer, it has an unusual port) So as Soon as I can find it...  I can post some tutorials and ideas! :) Little look into what I have been up to:
Necklace holder
4th of July wreath
Wall decor

Stay tuned! :)

Repurposing A Sweater... into a pillow!

I recently bought a new bedspread (from Target). I just LOVE it. I have been wanting some cute 'throw' pillows to spruce it  up a bit though. While I was at Epic (a local thrift store) a few weeks ago, I began looking through the sweater section to find a color/ pattern I liked. I also picked up a pillow I liked (for shape/ size since it would just be recovered). I did this because it was only $1, made my life easier, and I had a coupon!

When I got home I started by seam-ripping the old pillow apart... and pulled out all the stuffing....
Then I layed my sweater out nice and flat... and placed the old pillow covering on top of it (you might want to iron it...)

  I cut around the pillowcase... Don't forget to add a seam allowance! I used about 1/2 an inch but I just eye-balled it

Then, with right sides TOGETHER I stitched around the outside of my new pillow cover...(I used a zig-zag stitch as it provided less pull on the fabric...) 

And left a small opening to restuff the pillow.... Then turned my new pillowcase right side out.

Now, originally I had just planned on re-stuffing the pillow with the stuffing that was in it originally.... However, this did not turn out like I had planned... The sweater material isnt stiff enough to hold its shape so it was lumpy...

So I unstuffed my pillow, stuffed the batting back into the original pillowcase and sewed the original pillowcase back together... then I slid my new pillowcase over the old one... (If you end up doing this you will still need to take apart the original so you can see how big to cut your sweater material)

I folded the open edge inside itself and stitched the opening closed! (sorry I forgot to take a picture!)

My new Pillow! all for about... $3... and I still have leftover sweater material! (Baby leggings are in the plans....) More pillows are also in the plans... as this little accent pillow is lovely.. but not enough to satisfy me!

(sorry, my bed is slightly messy... made... but messy...) :)


*your sweater material may stretch out a little during sewing.. but should shrink again once washed for a more snug fit

*update* Easier Paint Cleanup...

*UPDATE:*
I have since found that ALUMINUM FOIL works much better. Yes, the bag works, but you have to tape it to fit well and the aluminum foil you can just bend in all the right places and it will stay put!


I found this makes it a lot easier to clean
 up my paint mess when I am done....

I slide my tray into a garbage bag and tape it down so it is secure. That way I can just throw the bag away and not have to wash out the tray! (Or in my case here, end up with a painted tray! I obviously started doing this project a little too late... sorry paint tray...)

Clean Labels off of Glass Jars easily

I posted this on my Babies N More Galore Blog, (here) but decided to post here as well, since this is such a great way to reuse and repurpose something, and that's what this blog is all about!

Have an empty Jar laying around your kitchen that you would like to turn into a project! (I love to do this, so cheap! And a great way to 'recycle'!) Are those glass jars covered in sticky labels that just leave goo and paper behind when you try to peel them off?! Heres how I get mine off, super easy! (I suggest using this on GLASS jars only!)

First, wash your jars and put the lids back on (if you chose).
Peel off most of the label with your hands.

Boil a large pot of soapy water.

Once the water is boiling, put your jars in the water and let boil for several minutes. (I used tongs to get my jar out and to turn it in the water).
Take your jar out and let it cool down.
Then I washed my jars once more to clean off the soap and the last of the goo (it came right off after boiling it, otherwise I would have had to scrub diligently at it!)

Now what to do with these jars.... lol


(I have also heard that putting them in a solution of bleach water does the same thing, but I have never tried this for myself!)

New Blog!

Hello! Thanks for stopping by! I have created another blog! I am planning on keeping this one too, but it will strictly be for my thrifty finds and creations. All other projects and creations can be found on my blog here Babies N More Galore (expect things such as the car seat recovering, skirts, tutorials, diy home projects, clothes, recipes, tips, etc! Everything I do that wasn't found in a thrift store or garage sale!) :)

Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies

I have to thank Melissa Fletcher for this wonderful idea :) (who got the idea from a little old lady in the checkout lane, so thanks to her too)

 These are so delicious... and so simple too! I used Betty Crockers peanut butter cookie dough mix, because I did not feel like making it from scratch, but you could just as easily make your own homeade peanut butter dough. Might taste better! And healthier! But more dishes and time.. so I took the easy way out :)

 I prepared the dough following the directions on the package (added egg, oil, and water) (I was making them for a party so used two packages)

At first I used a wooden spoon to stir the dough.. but It seemed really wet and not mixed well... even though I stirred it like a madwoman... so I got out the blender, and it GREATLY improved in texture...

Then I put some dough in my hand, flattened it a little bit, placed a rolo in the middle.. and rolled the dough around it so I could no longer see any of the rolo.

After rolling out all my cookies, I baked them according to the package directions. In my case this happened to be at 350 degrees, for 8-11 minutes. I put two sheets in the oven for 5 minutes, then switched them (I like to switch them because if I leave one on the bottom the whole time, it always seems to brown faster than the other sheet) Then I put them in for another 4 minutes (so a total of 9 minutes) I found this time to be just right.

Keep in mind they may still be a little dough-y, this is good as they will continue to bake a little bit more outside of the oven (not TOO dough-y though!)
  Put them on a cooling rack, and once they're cool enough to touch them, enjoy their yummy gooyness!

Clean Mirrors/ Glass from paint, sticker goo in seconds!

I bought a mirror at Goodwill recently, and whoever had repainted the frame.. missed several spots and painted the mirror instead. and of course, Goodwill decided to put the price sticker smack dab on the mirror! I have also used this tecnique on my car window to get rid of that window paint (It wouldn't come off when I washed it) I got this idea from my husband and was skeptical at first... thought it might scratch the mirror or glass.. but it doesn't! Use a razor blade (not a shaving razor... but something like a box cutter blade) at an angle (45 degrees about) to scrape off the paint, sticker goo, whatever! its amazing how easy it is :) And for those of you who already know this tecnique, great! Just thought I'd share for those who may not know. :) Would hate for you to throw away a perfectly good mirror just cuz its dirty and painted! :) And really, it doesn't scratch your glass. Well maybe it would if you were digging it straight into the mirror.. but your not supposed to do that... I think of it as the same concept as shaving my legs! :)

Jewelry Box Make-Over

While at goodwill a few weeks ago... I found this jewelry box.

I had been wanting to get one for my little girl because her bracelet and earring stash is slowly growing... and I am getting tired of storing it in her dresser drawer... and I mean, c'mon what girl doesn't need a jewelry box?! I was not too fond of the color choice.. and it was quite dirty... but I though the structure and durability of it was quite great! so I decided to paint it! Painting is seriously the easiest way to turn something drab into something fab!!! :) So here is a quick run down on the basic steps I used, which can be applied towards almost any painting project! So first things first, I wiped down the whole thing with a damp cloth to remove dirt and dust. Then I removed all the hardware I could...

(I put the hardware in a bag so it would not get lost) Then I taped up that parts I did not want ANY paint on (like the mirror) and didnt care about the parts I was going to spray paint again, cuz you'd never be able to tell! Then I painted all the hardware I wanted to paint...

I used rust- oleums paint w/ enamel in it. while I love the glassy look it gave my piece... I would never reccomend it... it takes forever to dry and is sticky to the touch (like wood stain) getting it all over the place and almost impossible to get off!! After letting it dry, I taped up all the hardware I had just painted (This hardware did not come off the jewelry box unfortunately, otherwise I'd advise taking it off completely.

Sanded... (I used a medium grit sanding sponge)

Wiped with a damp cloth...

And spray painted the color of my choice.. (brown) I started on the bottom cuz to do the bottom I had to lay the top on the ground, and preferred to do this BEFORE painting the top :)

After everything was completely dry, I put all the hardware back on, took off all the tape, and cleaned it! I was going to glaze it.. but decided against glaze for this project :) I am thinking about removing the white border in the glass (not the flowers, but the part that frames the wood) But Ill save that for another day...

DIY Greenery Centerpiece

I bought this pot at a garage sale... almost a year ago! (it originally comes from target) I was driving by and saw it sitting on the table, and just had to have it! I thought it was gorgeous! So I put it on my patio (empty) and there it sat... for almost a year!!!! A few months ago I was considering making My daughter a flower costume for halloween, so I bought some greenery leaves at walmart.... but it got too hectic so she was a bumble bee instead.... (sorry this is the only image I can find...)

Then I randomly had some moss and a big styrofoam ball laying around... when I got an idea! I wanted to put a plant in it originally, but could not because it had no holes for water to drain out the bottom so the plants did not do well (I tried) So I decided a fake plant would do! I am sure you could by one the right size... but that sounded more expensive because A) I already had some greenery and B) its probably cheaper to do it the way I did. So if you are interested in doing it the way I did, heres how: So First I spray painted my ball green so the white wouldn't show through as much...

(I used the big one, I have other plans for the other balls). Then I put my ball in the pot and situated the moss around it, and some covering the ball to disguise it a little better. Next, I began poking the leaves into my styrofoam ball, situating and facing them the way I wanted. sometimes I poked a whole strand in, other times just a single leaf.

After I reached a look I was satisfyed with, I put it out on my new patio furniture!! (sorry I have yet to take the tags off, lol)