An almost free gift – framed skates

I have a surprise for one of my sisters.

The plan is to give it to her today.

Remember this post about the free skates my sister picked up only so I could do something with them?

 

I finally finished them into this.

I started out with a blank frame, a pair of old skates, a sheet of foam core, some musical pages from a hymnal, Mod Podge, ribbon, Glimmer Mist, Walnut Ink

and a poinsettia.

I had everything in my stash except the foam core.
That I bought at the dollar store.

I started decopauging the sheet music on the foam core and once dry I sprayed it with Glimmer Mist and Walnut ink to give it a slightly aged look.

I did learn that foam core curls so if you try something like this keep it weighted down in the frame unless you want a curled board.

I found the poinsettia in the bottom of a box, it fell of a plant and it was a perfect accent.

I used two ribbons.
One to lace up the boot and the other to tie
the skates to the top of the frame.

I love all the glimmer and shine on these well worn skates.  I can only imagine how many times they were worn and the fun they provided.




I hope my sister thinks that these were worth
picking up out of the free box and the wait for me to do something with them.

I hope she enjoys them for at least this year.
After all, if they aren’t her style neither one of us is out
much money.

Thank you for the challenge Jennifer.


I usually link to these 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
The Boardwalk Bragfest at Bobbypin's Boardwalk
 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

Vintage jewelry finds

A couple weeks ago I happened across a jewelry sale with lots of vintage jewelry.

I kept going back to this necklace and earring set.

The best part?

All of the pieces were 3 for a dollar!

Yep, vintage jewelry for thirty-three cents a piece.

Well in the case of earrings, seventeen cents an earring.

You can’t beat that.

 

The worst part?

It was cash only and didn’t have much cash with me so I had to be selective on what I could purchase. 

 

I settled on the necklace set and nine other pairs of earrings.  I was able to scrounge up four dollars without digging into coins. It may seem like a lot but compared to how much I would have loved to come home with it is not much.

  

I somewhat regret that I didn’t come home to pick up some more money and go back and buy more.  But then again, it was probably for the best as I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do with what I brought home.

My plan was to wear the necklace and to makeover the clip earrings into either rings, stick pins or magnets.

I made a few of them into rings already.
I love the fun look of the red one.
It is prefect for the holiday season.

These I think will make great magnets or pins.

I love all the jewelry I found.

I hope I get lucky enough to find another sale like this one but I hope I have more cash with me!

What have you found lately?

I usually link to these 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
 The Boardwalk Bragfest at Bobbypin's Boardwalk
 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

Christmas card keeper

Usually I just end up piling my Christmas cards up on a pile somewhere in my apartment.

This year I was determined to have a ‘spot’ for them.

I noticed a empty can that I’ve had in my stash since last year about this time.

It originally held some cookies that one of our venders sent at my last job.

I knew the can had potential so I took it home.

I finally put it to use.

I didn’t think to take before pictures but it was a plain, paint can type can.

It did have a logo on one side but since I covered the whole can in paper it didn’t matter to me.

     

I covered the can in holiday papers and decoupaged over the top of them.

 

A perfect spot to keep all of my cards together.

Now, if the holiday labels I ordered arrive soon so I can mail out my cards.

I usually link to these 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 The Boardwalk Bragfest at Bobbypin's Boardwalk 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

$3 Thursday - Kitchen recipe holder

If you are anything like me you need a recipe to bake and this time of the year I like to try new recipes.

The last time I made a recipe I think I ‘lost’ it two or three times while making it.

For some reason I kept putting other things of top of my recipe. 

Then I remembered that I’ve seen a few recipe holders, most recently this great one from Caroline at Spaghetti Chic.

I won’t be loosing a recipe now that I’ve made my own recipe holder.

I started with a 5 x 7 frames that I painted and slightly distressed.  The distressing is perfect for a frame on the kitchen counter – a great way to hide splashes and any stains before they are cleaned up.

I inserted some metal flashing that just happens to come in a size perfect for most 5 x 7 frames.  For this frame I had to trim off about 1/8” on two sides.

I stacked a few buttons and attached a magnet to the back.

This frame can be horizontal or vertical if you want to hang up two recipes.

I thought I would share a close up of the Noel letter behind the recipe holder.
It was gift from one of my sisters about 5 years ago.
I get it out every year and put it somewhere.

Look at all the paint splattering that is on it. 
I love it.

Now if only my counter was this clean all of the time.

Thanks for stopping by.
I usually link to these fab 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 The Boardwalk Bragfest at Bobbypin's Boardwalk 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

A few great bags

Since my camera is mia right now I thought I’d look for a new purse and show you a few fab finds on Etsy.

A great sweater looking bag from NzLbags.

I’ve made a few bags from recycled jackets but nothing like this beauty from Flower Pie.

I’ve been wanting a messenger bag and love this one by Bring Me Along.

I love this candy looking bag by Crafttastic Parties.

Wouldn’t it be nice to go to a party with this fun red vintage bag by Musarra and Co?

This bag by Sweet Melissa is all bling but in a subtle way.

I love green and was drawn to this bag from Ring Pie.

This bag by Studio Waterstone  looks so soft and cuddly.  I can only imagine this was a well worn jacket in a previous life.

It is probably a good thing I can’t put all of these bags over my arm and imagine them as my newest bag.

I'm not sure which of these is my favorite.
I love them all.
Anyone else love a great bag?

Unique gift idea

Looking for a unique gift idea?   I may just have what you are looking for.

I’ve been collecting a few vintage leather and suede jackets lately because I had a few ideas of what I

could make with them.

I finally finished my first big project with them.

Leather coasters.

I had been thinking of them for a while, initially I was going to put them on cork base but I decided to use some chipboard coasters as the base instead.

I’m so glad I did, it used up some items I had in my stash and I think the glue will hold better on the chipboard base than it would have on a cork base.

After using my set for a while I decided to list a few sets on my etsy site here. 

It seems to be a unique item as I couldn’t find other leather coasters from recycled leather and I sold a few sets already, always a good sign.

I’m currently offering them in ivory, brown and black in sets of 4, 6, and 8.

I think they would make great gifts for those hard to buy people on your lists.
I do ship the same or next day after payment so there is still time to order some for holiday gifts for this year.

I have a few other shades of brown that will be posted soon.  I have some made but I’m trying to sell them at a fundraiser with some of my sisters crafts.

Protect your tables and look good while doing it with these coasters.


These reddish brown ones will be listed soon.

I love the rustic, distressed look of these black ones.  They are from a buttery soft bomber jacket that I had.
 
Because these are made from recycled leather all coasters will have unique wear patterns.
Any blemishes in the are a testament to the use this leather has already seen.

Please contact me or check out my shop here if you are interested in purchasing any of these coaster sets. 
Thanks,
June