DIY Shooting Christmas Star

This is one of my all me favorite DIY's.  My Shooting Christmas Star.  I used a wire star from Party City $9.99, comes covered with silver tinsel, looks great even when not lit.  I used a box of the round LED clear lights on the star.  Then 4--100 strand lights attached for the tails.  Simple fast and easy.  Start to finish, less than $30.00.  This would also look stunning on a garage door, or a pitched roof.

For everyone that asks about Luminarias.  It is technically a #4 bag, which is bigger than a sandwich bag.  We use sand, and Reed Candle Company Cathedral Candles.  Unlike a votive, they just burn straight down into the sand.  They last 12 hours or more.  We are on a luminaria tour where all the homes do them, it is stunning.  If you can't find a #4 bag a sandwich bag will work.  Yes, do a double fold it makes the bag much more stable.  Get a bag of sand from Toys R Us, and you could use the small tealights in them, but they will only burn about 4 to 6 hours. 

Give them a try too.

Christmas Pine Cone Basket

Silver chest almost done.  In the meantime.  Remember my post on Holiday minus the tree?  Well this basket is from the 80's and needed new wires and a spruce up. 

Before.

After,  wrapped some left over Christmas Ribbon around and in the pine cones.

Changed the white lights to red for $5.00, and wove them around. 

It makes me smile.  Simple and easy.  Pine cones are everywhere, in all the Grocery Stores, pick up a $5.00 bag, add to a basket (this one has wrapping paper underneath so the whole basket doesn't have to be filled), add some lights, ornaments or whatever you have and you are ready to go. 

Be creative, have fun.

Project a Day --- or Week?

Happy Monday. The beginning of another week. Oh ya, and it's Halloween, my excuse to eat a candy bar or two. I have been doing a project a day -- or week, depending on the project. Most I don't blog about as they are just regular house maintenance, or deep cleaning (more of that always needed in an old house).

This weekend, we washed the house. Yes, you heard that right, the stucco/sto was dirty and yukky, so we used our house with pressure attachment, and then in a few places, had to scrub with some Simple Green. When done, we washed the windows with Sprayway, found at my local grocery store. If you have never used Sprayway, it does a magical job on windows, and way less streaking than anything I have ever used.

So enough about weekend chores. This weeks project is to get my family pics back up. After painting the bookshelves, (way previous post). I decided to do a family pic wall. Similar to the one below. I have my Michaels coupon 40% off, so, is it a large canvas? Or, do I scour Goodwill get an old frame, paint it, and put canvas in it? Or, do I get the cheap large poster frame, do the mirror treatment with spray paint, then put pics on. Decisions, decisions. Either way, it will be cost effective, and I will post the results, hopefully, by the end of the week. Wish me luck.

Inspiration below. I may go all black and white. Haven't decided.

Come on do some projects, they don't have to cost much. Paint your baseboards, a door, or deep clean a room, you will feel better.

Making Glitter Shoes - Pumps

Make your own Glitter Shoes!! Don't theese look amazing?

Well they are a funny, ok not that funny story. Last Friday while running errands, I had to run into Pier One and get some fall type room spray, well, after parking, I went to step up on the step and fell. I was so embarassed, luckily, no one saw me, I had parked in the corner, and I could go in and get my room spray. Still I was embarassed. That same night, my neighbor was telling me about falling/tripping at a party, and wearing a short skirt. Then.....yes, that same night, my daughter went to a pub and what? Yes, fell.

What was it with last Friday? Well TGIF, and we get to do it all again.

So, I told my daughter about some glitter shoes I had seen, and guess what? She did it. They are amazing. I may need some.

Tutorial and before and afters at Bang by Lo .

Pic, Bang by Lo.

Wow, I can't believe these are the same shoes. Make some this weekend.

Bang by Lo.

Tutu Desk -- Made - Tulle Desk

This is the table that started it all. Love it. What more can I say? So when I gave my daughter her desk back, I needed space to fill the room, and immediately thought of this desk. Again, love it.

But, alas, my room is too small, and I wanted to use what I had, so below, you will find my version, in white and much smaller.

But, I love it. Now, if my daughter would just let me make her one in black.

Desk below is Black and Spiro.

This old wicker 2 door chest sits 30" high. We have had it forever, came from Pier One, and was originally brown. I had a thick piece of glass cut for it years ago, and I mean years 15+ and it has held everything from TV's - as you can see by the cut in what is the back for cords, to, well everything. I spray painted it white about 5 or more years ago, and my daughter has always hated it. So, now it has a new life, and I love it.

Wow, it really is ugly.

But now, it is beautiful. Everytime I walk by the door, I smile.

I love it, yes, over used, but love. The red bag on the floor, doesn't hold computers, it holds cords, it is my version of a clutter keeper.

I left the top with the wicker and glass. The tulle, is on a white piece of broad cloth, hot glued in about 6" panels and then the whole thing is just stapled to top of desk in a crease, and staples don't show.

I left the back open, as I need to access the shelves and doors. I believe the Black and Spiro desk is open in the back.

An old chair, I stapled foam and fabric to so it would be comfy.

The other side of the room is for exercise.

More shots of other side of room.

So, no pic tutorials on this one. Just get your broadcloth, cheap solid color fabric and cut, hem to size of desk. I used double the amount of tulle as I did the broadcloth. So 36" of broadcloth, got 72" of tulle. I left the tulle folded and cut it in to 3's or 6" strips, then just hot glued it onto the broadcloth, kind of bunching as I went. I glued it about every 3 or 4 inches with an inch of glue.

Now, if you can sew, it would be even better. But I can't. This took me a whole afternoon. But the results were worth it.

Betsy McCall's Paper Dolls

Looking for something fun to do with the kids, or grandkids? Look no further, just go to the link below and you can print out the Betsy McCall Paper Dolls. What a fun activity to do with your daughter or granddaughter. Use a cardstock paper, or print and glue to file folders. Either way fun will be had. Enjoy.

http://tpettit.best.vwh.net/dolls/pd_scans/betsy_mccall/index.html