$3 Thursday – Sewing themed decor balls

I love the look of decor balls.   I’ve been thinking of new decor ball ideas since I made Christmas and Valentine ones.  

I found these table tennis balls at a dollar store a few weeks ago and knew they would be perfect for my next decor ball project.

I thought of some patterns that I picked up for free a while ago and thought they would help make a great transformation from table tennis ball to decor ball.

I cut up some of the pattern pieces into random pieces about 1 1/2” x 2-3” or so.  Smaller pieces work too so don’t throw them away if you have any small pieces.

I watered down the Mod Podge a bit to make it easier to work with.  I started to glue the pieces a ball overlapping and pushing the edges down as smooth as I could.

I tried to be gentle with the pattern but did rip a few pieces while I was trying to glue it down.  Don’t worry if that happens as you just layer another piece over it.

After I had the balls covered with a few layers I set them aside to dry.

The more layers of pattern you have on them the darker they will be.  The first ones I covered had 2-3 layers of pattern but as I made more I probably had 5-6 layers of pattern.

At first I thought of adding a few more layers to the first balls I covered but in the end I thought the different colors would make them a bit more interesting. 

Although I like them in this jar I thought I needed something a bit more natural looking.

So I tried them in a berry basket.

Yep that is more what I was looking for.

I thought the balls would look great as part of my vintage game display.

I love the contrast with the bingo numbers

and with the pattern covered frame.

All in all I love it in this display.  

Hmm, what is that snowman doing out in the middle of summer?   I guess I didn’t want to put him away.  He might melt today as it is suppose to be in the 90’s here today.

In honor of the heat I decided to make myself a caramel frappe for breakfast. Mmmmmmm

I even went all out and put some whipped cream and caramel on top today. 

As well as drizzling some caramel on the inside of the glass.

       Ah, a perfect summer drink. 

Thanks to Mr. Coffee Cafe Frappe maker and

Coffee-Mate Caramel Macchiato and an little extra caramel syrup from Target of course.  While I write this I’m almost done with my frappe but with the heat I might just have to make myself another one or two later today. :) 

Now back to crafting…..

I’m liking my vintage looking decorator balls and think I may need to go back to the dollar store and see if I can pick up another dozen or so.  Maybe I can find some larger balls to update as well as I think they would look great in a larger size.

Supplies:

Table tennis balls             $1 for 12

Old patterns              free

Mod Podge                 craft supply

Total cost:  $2 for 24

 

This was a very easy craft but if you attempt it be warned that it can get a bit sticky and messy on your hands.   I think it too longer to get all the glue off my hands than it did to cover the balls!  Well not quite but it did take a while to get all the glue off.  It stuck to my fingernails like, well, glue.  So if you are worried about your manicure wear gloves or other protective gear to try to control the mess.

Thanks for stopping by,

June

I usually link to these fabulous parties:

Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage

 Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge 

Frugalicous Fridays at Finding Fabulous 

Hodgepodge Friday at It's a Hodgepodge Life

Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life 

Flaunt It Friday at Chic on a Shoestring 

Fabulous Finds at Frou Frou Decor 

Weekend Wrap Up at Tater Tots and Jello

 Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

 Saturday Soiree at A Little Lovely

 Tools are for Women Too

 Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lanes

 Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia 

I Made It Without My Hubby at Shanty 2 Chic

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

 Make it Yours Day at My Backyard Eden

Creative Share Wednesday at The Trendy Treehouse

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Hookin up at HOH

Happy Birthday 2U

I finally have something creative to show.  I made a few cards with some of the supplies I got in a $5 surprise bag of supplies.  The bag came with card bases, scrap papers, ribbons and some chipboard pieces.

I searched my stash for a piece of patterned paper to match the chipboard pieces and the card bases.  Then I pulled out a few birthday stamps, some ivory and white scraps and a few flowers and rhinestone brads to use as accents to create these 8 cards.

The ribbon was from the kit.

This one was clean an simple, with no patterned paper.

I inked a pieces of white cardstock light blue to match the patterned paper.

  Not bad, I made 8 cards from a $5 kit and I still have these supplies for other creations. 

Now if only my creative juices will keep flowing……

 

June

I usually link to these fabulous parties:

Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage

 Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge 

Frugalicous Fridays at Finding Fabulous 

Hodgepodge Friday at It's a Hodgepodge Life

Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life 

Flaunt It Friday at Chic on a Shoestring 

Fabulous Finds at Frou Frou Decor 

Weekend Wrap Up at Tater Tots and Jello

 Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

 Saturday Soiree at A Little Lovely

 Tools are for Women Too

 Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lanes

 Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia 

I Made It Without My Hubby at Shanty 2 Chic

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

 Make it Yours Day at My Backyard Eden

Creative Share Wednesday at The Trendy Treehouse

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Hookin up at HOH

$3 Thursday – Free replacement plants

Last year I shared a few pictures of some hens and chicks that I bought online. 

I bought green ones and a few red ones.  The green ones came in the summer and the fall ones came in the fall.  I was sort of disappointed that the red ones didn’t come with the green ones and when they did come they were not what I would call red at all.  Nothing near the picture I saw online. 

I planted most of the green ones in this strainer and added a few red ones in the fall.  I think I added two red plants.  Can you find them?

Here’s a close up…. the bright green one, yep that was one that came as a ‘red’ plant.

Regardless of my dissapointement in the color at least I’ve gotten a lot of babies or ‘chicks’

I’m happy to say the I got lots of chicks last year and am getting more again this year.

Now although these chicks are essentially free plants I did call the company last fall when I got my ‘red’ plants that were green, in fact a lot greener than my ‘green’ plants.

They offered to send replacements in the spring and I said I would call if my red plants that were green changed to red like I expected so the order could be cancelled.

They never did change to the red I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised this spring to get the replacement red hen and chicks that actually had a red color to them and they are doing wonderful.

The two larger hens in this pot are the replacements that I got this spring.  They are doing wonderful and are red!  Definitely more what I was expecting when I ordered them.

I’m very pleased with my replacement plants – all from a 10-15 minute phone call to customer service to ask about the lack of color last fall.  The other two plants are chicks that ‘fell’ off of a container I gave my Mom for Mother’s day…. oops. ;) 

Although I didn’t buy any plants online this year I would definitely buy plants again since I got a great response to my questioning the color of my original plants.

No chicks yet from my replacement plants.  My hens I got last spring had chicks in July so I’ll be watching for chicks in my replacement hens next month. 

 

Red hens and chicks that are actually red -   Free!

 

It was nice to get good customer service from companies.  I’ve contacted a few companies lately when products weren’t what I expected and have received a response from all and coupons for replacement products or actual replacements.

I guess the moral of the story is to call or write companies if you are not completely pleased with their products.

Heck, let them know if you like them too, I’m sure positive feedback is appreciated as well.

 

June

Have you seen my mojo?

Missing -  my crafting mojo.

I just can’t seem to get in a creative mood lately.  I don’t remember the last item I made or what my last post was.

 

Hmm, maybe time to get seriously looking for my crafting mojo.

Maybe it is here on my craft desk.

Yep, there should be a desk under there, or at least a small flat portion that I could create on.

One thing I have done is put a few stamp sets in CD cases and label them.

Maybe if I found a home for them rather than in a big jumbled pile I might actually want to use them.

I’ve started cleaning off my desk.  I can actually see some of the glass top so there is hope.

Here’s hoping I find my crafting mojo under the pile on my desk.

  It’s not like I don’t have ideas, I have ideas, just no desire to actually do the work to start or finish a project.

 

What do you do when you can’t seem to find a creative outlet?

June

Chalkboard projects

I finished and listed chalkboard globe number 3 this week.  Number 2 was shipped to a good home.

I have my eye on a globe on a stand at Goodwill, I think I might just have to get it to have a more unique chalkboard globe.  Maybe a trip to see if it is still there will be on my agenda for tonight or this weekend.

My newest globe can be seen here with other great vintage finds. 

It is also liked to a rather new blog called DIY or Don’t here.  Sarah has a fun site where she shows you or links to tutorials for crafty items and also show you where you can buy them if you don’t want to make the items yourself.  What a fun concept and I’m honored she choose my chalkboard globe for her site.

I snuck away to a few garage sales this morning but no luck finding anything fun to revamp and list in the shop.  Hopefully I’ll have better luck later today or tomorrow if I get to a few garage sales.  One persons trash can really be a treasure….

 

June

I usually link to these fabulous parties:

Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage

 Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge 

Frugalicous Fridays at Finding Fabulous 

Hodgepodge Friday at It's a Hodgepodge Life

Catch as Catch Can at My Repurposed Life 

Flaunt It Friday at Chic on a Shoestring 

Fabulous Finds at Frou Frou Decor 

Weekend Wrap Up at Tater Tots and Jello

 Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

 Saturday Soiree at A Little Lovely

 Tools are for Women Too

 Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lanes

 Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia 

I Made It Without My Hubby at Shanty 2 Chic

Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design

 Make it Yours Day at My Backyard Eden

Creative Share Wednesday at The Trendy Treehouse

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Hookin up at HOH

$3 Thursdays – Flower power

I know it has been a while since I posted something crafty.  I wasn’t sure what I could whip up on short notice today until I saw this bouquet of flowers at the grocery store.

There was a whole cart of similar arrangements, all in red, white and blues. Hmm, I wonder why they are on sale???

I didn’t look at the regular price but I think they are usually $6.99 or more.  Quite often I see some flower arrangements at a discount.  I think they are a steal at $1.99 and perfect flowers to bring a bit of color to my patio table.

The last ones I bought seemed to last a long time outside.  I’m not sure if the cooler weather helped them survive or it was the fact that they were outside and any color, even it was slightly wilted and weathered looked good, from the inside at least.

I started with this carrier that was looking a bit bare. 

Not so bare now.

I separated the white.

Kept the red and blue together.

A little more white…

With a bit of trimming and trimming again there is a bit of color to the table.

No special arranging skills needed.  I just popped them in some cut off water and juice bottles.

I’m hoping they might attract a hummingbird or two.  I hung a hummingbird feeder but I don’t think they have found it yet and I did see one the last time I had flowers on the table.

I will warn you, beware of the color…. I now have a few blue thumb and fingers.

I guess the coloring was a bit too much for the leaves and they were a bit wilted and soaked up too much color.

Supplies:

Discount Flower arrangement              $1.99

Water bottles with tops cut off             free

Craft scissors                          on hand

Water                        free

Soap  - to wash off the blue…… :)

Total cost of color for a week:    $1.99 (plus a bonus of blue fingers)

 

June 

Old Navy, here I come…..

Need summer clothing?  Head to Old Navy after you buy a discounted certificate at Groupon here.

I know I don’t often share discounts but I love Groupon and today I found one for $20 worth of summer clothing or accessories at Old Navy for only $10.  I don’t know about you but my daughter or myself can always use a few new shirts for summer.  I found it under the city of Green Bay, you should be able to find it here.

This Groupon is only good for the full $20 until July 30th but the $10 you pay for the certificate never expires.

I think I’ll be off to buy some fun summer tops this weekend.

June