A Touch of Fall

Oh, how I long for a chill in the air!  Alas, here in Arizona we can't look forward to that for at least another couple of months.  While the weather is still screaming summer, the calendar is saying fall and I decided it was time to get in the mood.  It is September after all! 

For a while now, I have felt that this little vignette on the fireplace hearth needed a little face lift.  You may remember the split pea cones.  They were so wonderful, fresh and Springy when I made them last February.

However, they have become faded, almost yellow and the kids have knocked them down a few too many times which has made more than a few hundred peas flake off.  They just did not have the "life" in them anymore.  Of course, the thrifty in me couldn't just throw away two dollar store cones covered in an 88 cent bag of split peas.  Oh no.  Not this frugal girl.  All they need is a touch of paint.  My first thought was to use some craft paint, but then as I was walking the aisles of Lowes the other day guess what caught my eye -  Valspar La Frontera Copper spray paint - the perfect harvest orange, not too bright, just right!

 

I popped them on a skewer, took them outside and gave them a nice coat of paint.  Beautiful, but it was missing something, some depth.  So I grabbed a can of oil rubbed bronze spray paint and gave it a very light dusting.  It was great, however a couple of spots got a bit thick, so I dusted it again with the copper.  Perfect.  Don't you just love the texture of the split peas.

To change up the look a bit, I pulled out some fall leaf foil garland I picked up at the dollar store a couple weeks back and made another tree.  I gave my Styrofoam cone a light coat of orange spray paint and then started wrapping the garland.  It is a wire so I simply poked the end in the cone and started wrapping - first the gold, then the brown, then the red and repeat.  After I was done, I fluffed it up a bit, pulling the leaves out from under the wire.

I only had two of the wood candle sticks so I grabbed a small glass one from my stash.  I dusted it with orange and then the ORB.  I love the speckled effect in this application.

To balance out this new display, I pulled out my orange candles and placed them on the candlesticks on the side table along with a bit more of the garland.

Have you started decorating for Fall?

Linked up to...

The Frugal Girls

Chic on a Shoestring

House of Hepworths

Somewhat Simple
A Little Knick Knack
Sweet Peas and Bumble Bees
Naptime Crafters
Funky Junk Interiors
Tatertots and Jello
I Heart Naptime
Under the Table and Dreaming
Ask Anna
Savvy Home A to Z
Skip to My Lou
Little Rays of Sunshine
Thrifty Decor Chick
Tip Junkie
Polly Want A Crafter
Sugar Bee Crafts
Todays Creative Blog
My Romantic Home
The Idea Room
Blue Cricket Designs
Craftaholics Anonymous

Dreaming of the Beach!

This week The CSI Project challenge is Beachy Vignettes and Projects!  I have had the makings of this project sitting in my craft room for a while now so today I decided to whip it together.  It was pretty simple, and only $4 since the two wreaths and the two baskets of shells all came from the dollar store!

My original plan was to spray paint the wreath with metallic nickel a la Pottery Barn silver shells, but I actually liked it au-natural so it is staying as is for now.

I simply hot glued the shells onto the wreath.  I started with the larger shells and went around the wreath.  Then I filled in with the smaller and more decorative shells.  I love how it turned out.  Since I was using a small wreath form, I was able to use just one basket for each wreath.

First I placed them in our bedroom, which I liked but didn't {love}. I have other plans in there and decided these wreaths could replace the birthday wreath that still was on our door from my daughters birthday party over a month ago!  (No fear - there are other decorations still up too!  It is like a summer-long party over here! Hee hee!)

BEFORE

AFTER

Now I really want to head to the beach!  Ah, only a couple more weeks!  Can't wait!

If you haven't ever checked out The CSI Project - DO!  They do a weekly linky party with a new theme each week.  Here is the schedule for the next several weeks!

July 24: Sewing Projects

July 31: Kids Boredom Busters
August 7: Porches, Terraces & Patios
August 14: Organization Ideas
August 21: Lamp Makeovers
August 28: Back to School Ideas

I have a few ideas for some upcoming challenges!  Watch out!

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Nap Time Crafters

Chic on a Shoestring

{Christmas in July} #1 - Santa Belt Ornament

I love the holidays and can't wait to decorate our house this year.  Last Christmas, we had just moved in and after all the cleaning, fixing and painting of buying a foreclosure, I lost alot of steam.  Plus, we were still totally trying to get a feel for the space and how we would use this wonderful new home.  This year we will be much more settled and look forward to bringing the Holidays to life.

With the temps over 100 degrees in Arizona nearly every day from about June through September, a white Christmas sounds great about now!  Over the next couple of weeks I will share a few Holiday projects I am working on.

SANTA BELT ORNAMENT

Today is all about Santa and his jolly belly.  At the end of the season last year, I picked up a tube of glittery red balls for half price in the Target Dollar Spot!  I simply cut a 1/2" strip of felt, wrapped it around the center of the ball and added a small square frame made out of paper.  I added some silver glitter glue (found at the Target Dollar Spot yesterday) to the buckle for a little extra bling.

Linked up with...

Skip to My Lou

Polly Want A Crafter

I ♥ Naptime

The Frugal Girls

Tip Junkie

Todays Creative Blog

Sugar and Dots

MBC Scrapbooking

House of Hepworths

{Laundry} Upgrade

A week ago today, my washer died!  Well, not a complete death, but it stopped spinning which means soppy wet clothes that do not get clean.  It was an early model front loading machine that we purchased when we moved in to our last house about 8 or 9 years ago.  It was a great little washer - "little" being the operative word!  Capacity was not something that DINKs (double income, no kids) gave much thought too.  Especially since most of our professional wardrobe went to the dry cleaners anyways!

So, instead of fixing this small and aging machine, we decided to UPGRADE.  And I could not be happier!  Loving the energy and water saving qualities of the front loading machine that was our first thought.  Although, when i went to Facebook to ask my friends what kind of machine they have and what they love and hate about them, there was a resounding "dislike" for front loaders.  Mostly had to do with the smell if you don't care for them and the length of the wash cycle. 

Having similar thoughts, I began to do a little research and came across the high efficiency top loaders.  These machines do not have a center agitator which makes their capacity AMAZING - I can fit my king size comforter in which is great!  They also use less energy and water which was another important factor for me.  So far, we love it.

{Whirlpool Cabrio HE Top Loader}

We didn't upgrade the dryer at this time as it is working fine and we really didn't need the expense.  Both machines are white so you it really isn't obvious that they do not match - besides, who sees my laundry room beside me.  That being said, I still wanted to add a little creative and decorator flair.

I pulled out my scrapbook paper and found a few sheets of tone-on-tone green paper (I believe they were part of a couple different scrapbook paper packs from the Target Dollar Spot).  I made a few pennants, punched a couple of holes on the tops and strung them up on some fun green and white plastic clothesline that I had picked up at the Dollar Tree.  I then draped it across the back wall and over onto the wall opposite the washer and dryer.

Needing a little something to ground it, I pulled out a couple of picture framers that I wasn't using and printed the words WASH and DRY in a medium gray on some vellum I had picked up years ago.  I placed the velum words over the top of some light blue print scrapbook paper and placed them in the frame.

To bring the fun green over to the washer area, I wrapped the clothesline around a large old pickle jar (Costco size) and hot glued it down in the back.  This jar is filled with my Oxy Clean - every Mommy's best friend.  I keep my laundry detergent in a bright blue bucket I picked up at the dollar store.  I wrapped some of the clothesline around it too!  Finally, I had picked up a fun green basket at the dollar store at Easter that is perfect to hold my other stain removers and fabric softener.

After not being able to do laundry for almost a week, I actually looked forward to spending some time in there.  I love the quick and fresh touch I was able to add to this otherwise work-horse of a room!

Linked up to...

Skip to My Lou: Made by You Monday

Polly Want a Crafter

Ask Anna: Weekend Warriors
Confessions of a Stay at Home Mom Tuesday Confessional
I ♥ Naptime Sunday Scoop
Under the Table and Dreaming Sunday Showcase Party
Sugar Bee Crafts: Take-A-Look Tuesday
The Frugal Girls Chic and Crafty
Not JUST A Housewife
Funky Polkadot Giraffe
Tip Junkie
Today's Creative Blog
Sugar and Dots

Spring is Here!

Spring is shortlived in Arizona, but those handful of days when the weather is not too hot, not too cold are glorious.  The last couple of weeks have been Spring for sure and we are loving it.  The signs of spring are everywhere...

The kids and I have enjoyed watching a momma dove sitting on these 2 eggs nestled on a palm frond on our pool fence the past week or so.  I tried to get a photo of the momma but she flew away when I got too close.

When my Mom was here she did a couple of gardening projects with the kids which they have loved.  They planted lettuce, zinnias, marigolds and four o'clocks.  The lettuce and zinia's sprouted right away.  The others are coming although I am not certain if we have a marigold growing or a week.  Time will tell.  They also planted some marigold plants out front and it is fun to see a touch of color by the front door.  So far, we have done a great job of remembering to water them everyday.  We are actually thinking we should plant some more lettuce as it will be fun to have a salad with lettuce from our own back yard.



Today we decided to throw together a quick Target Dollar Spot Spring decoration using some of the great things they have right now.  I love these larger metal pails (lets just say, I have bought more than a dollar's worth).  Simple project, styrofoam in the pail, trimmed the sticks of a couple of the bird houses, pushed in a few of the planter picks and covered with moss.  Oh, and the blue Easter M&M was a touch offered up by my daugher.  It is a great centerpiece on our table.