Quick Last Minute Gift

This is a quick last minute gift but also a project I had been wanting to try for some time after seeing it at Kim at Twice Remembered's blog. You can do any color scheme for this project and I was able to use some small scrap pieces of scrapbook paper.

I spray painted six clothespins black last night and used the hanger tip that Kim gives. It worked out great, allowing me to get to each area with the paint. This morning I got my papers together and cut the strips one for each side of the clothes pin.

I used Mod Podge {on the clothes pin} and put the paper on one side at a time. Then did a top coat of Mod Podge.

I cut a magnet sheet into pieces that I could attach to the back. I decided to use these on my refrigerator for now, but you don't have to put magnets on them. If you check out Kim's post you will see how she is using them.

Here they are on said refrigerator. And look, there is the sonogram picture of the little peanut that is my grandchild!

These were so quick and easy, I decided to paint six more with white spray paint and covered them in baby themed scrapbook paper for my daughter.

I'm linking up with:

Funky Junk's Saturday Night Special

DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land

Frugalicious Friday & Last Minute Frugal Christmas Finds

If you've come over from Finding Fabulous and are looking for Frugalicious Friday, you've come to the right place. Welcome! The lovely and talented Jane has asked me to guest host this week's edition of Frugalicious Friday and I am absolutely delighted to do so.

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After my lovely trip to Home Depot, I had gone next door to Target to get the napkins for my coaster project. Of course, I had to stop off at the dollar section.


I found these things ~ all for $1.00 each ~ that I thought would be neat for projects and to use to decorate my wrapped gifts.

Chipboard Alphabet and a wreath pin
Rub-ons

Layered stickers

I also hit Joann's this week to get some fabric for pillows I'm making for my Dad for Christmas {I'll share those soon}. I found Curly, Moe & Larry here; marked down at 60% off already and it's still a week until Christmas! Aren't they cute?


The snowman was $14.99, on sale for $5.99.

The elf was also $14.99, marked down to $5.99.

And the caroler was $12.99, on sale for $5.19.


Can't wait to see all the markdowns after Christmas!

Okay, if I did this McLinky thingy correctly, you should be able to link up your frugal finds. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has found!

Christmas Coasters

I went to Home Depot by myself the other night. By. Myself. Without my hubby. I hate going to Home Depot. My hubby will stand in front of electrical stuff or nails/screws for a good hour trying to decide which thing to buy and then goes back to the first thing he picked up. Hate it! And now I have another reason to hate it, which I'll tell you about after I tell you why I went.

I wanted to try the coasters out of tiles project because I thought that would be quick, easy and make a nice gift in the event I was lacking in gifts. I bought 4 white tiles and 4 ivory tiles at about $.49 each; a package of felt rounds to put on the bottoms and polyurethane spray.

These are the supplies I used.

Then I headed next door to Target for some decorative seasonal napkins {$1.99 for the package} to use on the tops of the tiles. When I got home I got out my Mod Podge and cut the napkins into 1/4's, since the picture was on all four sides of the napkin. Peeled the top from the backing piece {very thin so be careful} and put the Mod Podge on the tile, then put the napkin on top of that. The poinsettia one felt a little thicker and I ripped one snowman trying to smooth out a wrinkle.

After this part dried, I put Mod Podge on the top, and when that dried I sprayed it with the polyurethane spray. Lastly, I added the felt pieces to the bottom.

I got this cute box at Tuesday Morning for $1.99 and the coasters fit perfectly in it!


Here's the box I got for the poinsettia design coasters. Also from Tuesday Morning for $2.99.



I originally saw this idea at Traci at Beneath My Heart, but then saw it on other blogs. Everyone's is a little bit different, so it's nice to see how they turned out.

For about $8.00 {including the gift box} I got a nice little gift to give!


Now, I'll tell you about my freaky experience of the week. I was in the tile aisle and this guy {in his early 30's} is coming from the other direction with his mother. He looked so familiar to me, but I couldn't remember where it might have been that I had seen him. He seemed to be looking at me the same way, so I said, "I know that I know you from somewhere, but I can't place it." So the three of us stood there naming places/areas.

Then he says to me, "Well, where do you go when you hang out with your friends?" What am I ~ 16??? Where do I go when I hang out with my friends!?! And what kind of cougar does he think I am {I would never try to pick someone up; in front of their mother anyway}! I said, "When you're married with kids, you don't go places to hang out with your friends." Well, we all said "have a good night" and I went back to looking for my tile. I mean really?! I seriously hope he didn't think I was trying to pick him up! And in front of his mother, yet! Sheesh!



Although if you think about it, Home Depot might not be a bad place to meet guys if you're single ~ at least you'd know they are handy!

What Is Wrong With Me?

We went into Manhattan {SoHo} for a holiday party this weekend. We didn't have time to head to the tree at Rockefeller Center or peek at the shop windows, but I did get a picture of this.

This chandelier was in the lobby of the building, where the loft we were heading upstairs to for the party was. There were 12 of us standing in the lobby waiting for the elevator and do you know I was the only one that noticed this chandelier! Well, I thought it was breath-taking. {Click on the picture to enlarge}.

This is what I took a picture of on my first trip into Manhattan in like five years! There is something wrong with me.

A Little Something ~ Cause They Deliver For Me

In past years, I have given a "gift" to the mail carrier {even though you're not supposed to}, and this year, as we are watching our budget, I still wanted to give the mail carrier and the UPS guy something to let them know I appreciate them delivering my mail and packages, and always doing it in a friendly fashion.

So, while I was at the dollar store, I picked up:

3 plastic holiday containers

4 bags of Peppermint Kisses

2 bags of York Peppermint Patties

1 box of small candy canes

1 package of silver bells

Everything was $1.00 each; I had the ribbon and the tags.

For the red one with the peppermint candies on it, I used two bags of the Kisses {but it really could have used three bags}. I filled in with some of the little candy canes.

The ribbon was a bugger to get around this thing {maybe because it's plastic?}, but I fed the ribbon through a bell and a tag, and managed to get it tied on to the lid.

The blue ones have snowflakes on them and I noticed that the Peppermint Patties had snowflakes on the packaging. I love that!

Here they are done!

Saturday I'll put the mail carrier's in my mailbox and for the UPS guy {and his holiday time helper} I'll put them in a box with a note for them. I hope they like it!

Linking up to DIY Day at A Soft Place To Land.