Accent Christmas Pillows - fast & temporary!

I love to change decor accents with the seasons but I don't have storage for too much stuff!  So with spray adhesive I can quickly update some throw pillows by cover whatever is on them, and PRESTO!! 

Temporary Trees

Here I took some leftover material and cut out Christmas tree shapes ( the only shape that would cover the star fish and whale on these pillows), and to make them look sewn on I ran a zig-zag stich (can be a hand running stich if don't have a machine) along the edges, then sprayed with adhesive spray and placed them on the pillows.  Once Christmas is over I'll  remove the trees and maybe do something for Valentine's

Removable

Day!  

Look around for ways to change things up on a budget and without having to store more things!

Zig-Zag stiching

Lollipop Halloween Ghosts

These were so fun to make and very easy on the wallet, too! $2.50 for a 68pc (Dum-Dums) bag at WalMart. I got the napkins at our $1 store, each package contained 160 napkins.  Then I used white & purple ribbon I already had.  You also use black or orange, or even just all white.

You basically just DRAPE the paper napkin (ti comes folded in quarters), so you just leave it folded in half and put the lollipop under the fold and TIE a coordinating ribbon around its neck.

Then you DOT eyes with a sharpie marker and DONE!!  Kids & adults love getting them.


Note: This photo appears like the ghost has a little head covering, but it was a fluke on how the napkin got draped.  Don't fret over making them look a certain way.  In the end they all look totally cute even if you're not careful about dotting the eyes!
Just have fun!

Repurposed Metal Tool Box

So, I just wanted to share the new life this tool box has as a table top accessory.  Not only does it look beautiful, but it's also functional as a plant holder and it can hold your glass of lemonade or cup of coffee!

The lovely greenery of this great country yard help the tool box look right at home! 

I'm always amazed at how beautiful old things can look if we just give them a new job to do. I'm always looking for an old thing I can use when I have a need for something functional or when I'm looking for any new items to decorate!

Hope you'll look around and see you can upcycle something, giving your surroundings a more interesting look!

Cute table make-over

As all you who know me may know, I love a bargain and see beauty where others may see only junk!

So, next time you need something, don't buy/over pay...RENEW!

As a Home-Staging Realtor, I am always looking for budget items to stage with, but I can't keep everything. This table is a good example of how to put life into things that seem to have no life left. I got it on CL for $20 and spent $8 on paint, plus used fabric I had to recover the seats. In all I estimate my total at $35.

I later resold it for $142 to a young couple who just loved it! Maybe I could've sold it for more but I wanted them to have it.

WHAT I DID: Cleaned the glass, painted the base and chairs, recovered the seats with some material I had. I as you can see I stencilled the word sit on each chair. I had another more fun design in mind, but making the stencil was easier with this simple word!

FOR THE STENCIL: I just printed out the word "sit" (again, I went for ease here!) and traced it on wax paper. If youd don't have a printer, you can tape the paper right on your screen and trace! Cut out the letters and sprayed the was paper with removable spray adhesive(get a bit tacky & sticky but not totally glues on), centered on the material and spray painted over it (using a brush didn't work for me!).  You have to hold the can about 6 inches away and spray evenly and light coats until the shape is evenly painted. Let dry and remove stencil!

I used RUST-OLEUM Painter's Touch in matte black for this and other projects.
Once I stapled the material to the seats I trimmed the excess off.
Ta dahhh!!!! All in a day's work!

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Pasta Puttanesca

This meatless dish could not be easier to make and more delicious and healthy!

I love making it with thin spaghetti or a flat noodle. The fresh parsley and basil give it an amazing flavor and aroma that is simply irresistible! I first had this when my good friend, Debbie K. made it for me years ago in Fremont, CA. 

I've added a few other ingredients I love, like the olives, parsley, and the capers, but the essence of the dish is the pasta, garlic, tomatoes, basil, and the wine.

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta - I use thin spaghetti, about 7oz/half a box.
1 Tbsp EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)
4 Tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces (very chunky)
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1/2 Tsp Red pepper flakes
1/2 cup White wine
1/2 cup Basil, chopped
1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
1 cup Kalamata olives
1 Tbsp Capers
S&P to taste


INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Heat EVOO and add pepper flakes and garlic and as soon as the garlic starts to brown and you can smell it, add the tomatoes.  Cook tomatoes for just a couple of minutes and add the wine and the rest of the ingredients.  Season with S&P to taste and turn off the heat and cover the pan, letting the tomatoes cook in the steam for 5-10 minutes.
Serve over hot pasta and enjoy.  I love having a glass of white wine with this dish.

DIY Gift Tags

Gift tags are like birthday candles and umbrellas, everyone has them but can't find when you need them! And in my case, I can never seem to have "right" ones!!

Well, being that it's so easy to make/cut your own tags, why not just do that when you need them? 

So, here are some examples I've done for this Christmas, but that I'm now (that I saw the light!) planning to use throughout the year!

Find shapes of tags you want to make, or use cookie cutters, jar lids, and just trace them on cardboard (I use recycled boxes from cereal, crackers, or alike!). 

Save and use/upcycle interesting papers you get from all kinds of sources, save scraps of craft paper to make different shapes and size tags for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Housewarming, or ANY other gift tag-requiring event!

One other thing I do is save/reuse EVERY ribbon, string, or anything that can be used to wrap/tie gifts! Like below the brown/white rope ribbon was save from something else.

I also save tags from things I buy as templates to duplicate the shapes.  Making your tags makes gifts that much more special I think!  

Merry Christmas and happy gift tag making!!

HomeMade Croutons

These deliciously crunchy & tasty little morsels are made out of old bread, from my own homemade bread, but you can use any bread you have! I'm actually not a big fan of croutons, unless they're homemade! Store-bought croutons are always either too hard or too light and void of substance, to me!

INGREDIENTS:
Half loaf of bread.  Here I used my own homemade bread.  Denser crustier bread works best.
3 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste

BAKE: 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with foil.
Slice bread lengthwise, like you're going to make a sandwich, then into slices at an angle,  and  finally into bite size cubes.

In a bowl just big enough for croutons or in a plastic bag and drizzle croutons with oil while tossing to get a bit of oil on each crouton.  Then sprinkle salt & pepper to taste. And finally sprinkle garlic and onion powder, while tossing.

Spread on single layer on foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Check them and see they're to your liking, and if not, bake for another two minutes.  ENJOY!!