Valentine Tree

I love the way the Christmas lights brighten the house during the dark days of  winter. The first thing I do when I come in from work is plug in all the holiday lights and enjoy the sparkle! 

So when the week after New Years comes around, packing everything away has always been a let down for me. The house always seems so empty and dark in January.

This year, I decided to leave the green garlands with clear lights on the stair railings up a little longer, and I turned my Christmas tree......

into a Valentine tree!!

Someone in my family, that I refer to as the "QVC queen", bought these beautiful glass and metallic hearts for her tree. She decided that they were too large for her small tree and offered them to me. I gladly accepted!

This way, I can enjoy the sparkle a little longer!

Here's where I'll be sharing:
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday  * Tasty Tuesday * Delicious Dishes * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town  * Waste not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars * Before and After Wednesday * the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * What's Cookin' Wednesday  * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations *  Friday Finds * Foodie Friday *  Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and Everything Else * Friday Features * Party Palooza *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters *  Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *  Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * What's for Dinner * Sunday Crafters-noon  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday *

Quick and Easy Window Lights

Are you tired of the time and work it takes to hang Christmas lights in your windows? Not to mention the mess with tape or hooks?
 I guess I sound like a tv commercial lol!!
But I found a fast and easy way to get the job done.

First, I bought two white adjustable spring tension rods for each window... for less than $2.00 each.

Then for each window, I looped the lights around the rods and placed one at the top and on at the bottom. I used a 100 light string for the window above and placed them in a zigzag pattern. Adjust the tension of the rods for a snug fit.

When the blinds are let down, the rods are hidden, inside and out!

Outside view

Here's where I'll be sharing:
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday  * Tasty Tuesday * Delicious Dishes * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town  * Waste not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars * Before and After Wednesday * the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * What's Cookin' Wednesday  * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations *  Friday Finds * Foodie Friday *  Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and Everything Else * Friday Features * Party Palooza *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters *  Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *  Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * What's for Dinner * Sunday Crafters-noon  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday *

Sheets to Shower Curtains

I love to re-create with sheets!

Think about it.The cost of fabric has skyrocketed in the last few years. All the fabric chain stores have closed in our area except one... creating a monopoly. Cotton blends that used to sell for $2.99 a yard there are now seven and eight dollars!

That's why I use bed sheets. Large pieces of fabric, plenty of patterns to choose from, and you can find them marked down or on sale really inexpensive.

I made this one for spring!

I posted the directions when I made a burgundy and gold one for fall.
Click the link below:
http://justsimplesomethings.blogspot.com/2012/11/800-shower-curtain-and-valance.html

I've made shower curtains, valances, table runners, dust ruffles, window curtains, tablecloths...and the list goes on.

I added a new piece of diy framed art!

Here's where I'll be sharing:

 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday * You're gonna love it Tuesday * Tasty Tuesday * Delicious Dishes * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town  * Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars * Before and After Wednesday *the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * What's Cookin' Wednesday * Wordless Wednesday * Create it Thursday * Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Friday Finds * Photo Friday * Friday Features * Party Palooza* Floral Friday Fotos  * What To Do Weekends * Peace, love Link up Fridays *  Saturday Sparks * Best of the Weekend *  Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * Nifty Thrifty Sunday *

Cheap diy Artwork

If you're like me, you get bored with the same bathroom decor...just a change of shower curtain and towels can freshen everything up a bit. I decided to switch to blue before Christmas so that I could use some new snowman towels I had purchased. Once the holidays were over and the decorations were put away, I needed something blue for the wall.

I often pick up frames for a couple dollars at the thrift store:

 1 wood frame from the Salvation Army  - $1.00 (discard the glass)

 blue paint that I already had.

 1 sheet of  pattern scrapbook paper - $.50

I had a beige mat from another frame and I painted it white using water base craft paint. - $.50

3 die cut flowers using my bigshot for card making, but you could purchase flowers at your local craft store...

and  some easy - peasy assembling = cheap diy artwork!

Here's where I'll be sharing:

Nifty Thrifty Sunday  Amaze Me Monday  Mix it up Monday  Make it Pretty Monday  Busy Monday  Keep it simple Monday Tasty Tuesday  Inspire me Tuesday
Talk of the Town   Thrifty and Vintage Finds   Before and After Wednesday
You Link it, We Make it   Wordless Wednesday   Create it Thursday  
Full plate Thursday    Throwback Thursday   The Pin Junkie
Anything blue Friday   Photo Friday   Foodie Friday   What To Do Weekends

10 minute pumpkin....

I found this pumpkin craft somewhere on the internet and I thought it was a clever idea for only ten minutes of my time.

I bought 20 inches of pumpkin material (45 inches wide) and cut it on the fold giving me two pieces. (One for you and one for a friend).

Grab a roll of toilet paper and sit it in the center of one piece of fabric. Tuck the fabric into the center hole of the roll (no need to glue anything)

Cut a piece of brown paper bag about 12 " long and fold accordion style.
Add some raffia, if you've got any, fold in half and push it into the center.
I added a piece of green plaid fabric for leaves.

And there you are!...a instant fall decoration!

This is a re-post from 11/09/09. I thought it was worth repeating.

Mosaic Monday

 This mosaic is a collection of wall photos {the bottles} and dried flower arrangments in the master bathroom. Sage green and shades of purple.

I wanted a valance for the window and found the exact color of fabric that I needed tossed in a clearance bin at a local discount store for $1.oo ! Only problem it was 63"long. Before I shortened it, I just tried swagging it, bunching the corner with a rubber band... and it worked!

little wire - mesh shoes. 

Thanks for takin' the tour...
I'll be joining in over at "Little Red House" for Mosaic Monday. Come on over.

Summery fresh....

A while back, I made new valances for the kitchen... 

 I found this cute limey - green patterned material for $2.oo a yard with hearts, flowers, butterflies and birds outlined in black. Not something I would usually pick.

 With enough to make a runner for the window sill and the table.

I had these placemats and I think they go together well...don't you?

 While we were on vacation, I found these two small containers at the pottery outlet ...one to use for sugar and the other for teabags.

 I was lucky enough to find the matching salt and pepper and this tray somewhere else the next day...all discontinued and really cheap!

Even the flowers match!!

Garden Lady...

I added something to my flowerbed, hoping to keep the deer away. We have a County park, five minutes from our house, with acres and acres of grass, wildflowers, and bushes ~

So why do they have to dine in my little flower garden??

Jack made me a cross with a 2x4 to go in the ground and a thin, lightweight board to form a " T " at the top...

I made her head out of a styrofoam disc covered with Spanish moss.

I secured the moss with floral wire and left the ends long enough to go around the wood stake.

I bought a straw hat for $1.25

and wired on some flowers from my craft stash.

I found the dress in my closet and added a lace doily to the dress.

She does add a lot of color to that corner!

10 minute pumpkin....

I found this pumpkin craft somewhere on the internet and I thought it was a clever idea for only ten minutes of my time.

I bought 20 inches of pumpkin material (45 inches wide) and cut it on the fold

giving me two pieces. (One for you and one for a friend).

Grab a roll of toilet paper and sit it in the center of one piece of fabric.

Tuck the fabric into the center hole of the roll (no need to glue anything)

cut a piece of brown paper bag about 12 " long and fold accordion style.

Add some raffia, if you've got any, fold in half and push it into the center.

I added a piece of green plaid fabric for leaves.

And there you are!...a instant fall decoration!

Dollar store finds....

a pumpkin and an old - style honeycomb decoration...

" HARVEST" pumpkins and crows and cornstalks....

two heavy - duty tea towels in fall colors....

~ FALL ~

"I love fall! Fall is exciting.

It's apples and cider.

It's an airborne spider.

It's pumpkins in bins.

It's burrs on dog's chins.

It's wind blowing leaves.

It's chilly red knees.

It's nuts on the ground.

It's a crisp dry sound.

It's green leaves turning

And the smell of them burning.

It's clouds in the sky.

It's fall. That's why...

I love fall."

- Author Unknown

I've enjoyed every minute of my time off!

I've cleaned everything top to bottom, even closets and drawers, cleaned out the file cabinet in our computer room, made new curtains for the spare bedroom using the fabric below:

sewed scrubs for the new job, helped my Mom make her Strawberry-rhubarb jelly (yummm), took four day trips for photography, put all my photos on CD's, downloaded lots of music, watched numerous movies, started exercising every other day...slept in and stayed up late!

For the first time in my life, I didn’t have to be anywhere !

Gone for another year...

Today brings an end to the 12 days of Christmas,and it's time to pack it all away for one more year!
Yesterday morning, you couldn't find the dining room table in all this mess...

But by early afternoon, everything was back to normal...and it always looks so bare.

As I was packing away the ornaments, I was looking at the detail in this little "snow lady"that I got at a craft show a few years ago. Her arms and legs are thinner then my little finger. It had to take some time and to turn this fabric and stuff. Her dress is sheer organza with gathered puff sleeves and front buttons.

Her head is made of clay and and a white petal flower forms her bonnet. If you sew, you realize that a lot of time and patience went into this tiny doll!

January 1st was my 200 post!!!
I remember thinking when I started this blog...what in the world will I ever find to talk about.

Wishing a happy and healthy 2008 to you...And may we find peace.