Giveaway Winner

WoO HoO -  the giveaway is over.  I always feel so dumb when I have a giveaway. 
 I used Random.org, but I do not have the time to figure out how to put the cute little screen shot on here, but it picked number 4,

which is -Tiffany.  

(She is married to my nephew and is the mother of my first and only great niece, oh yay I am a great aunt.  Is 35 old? Cause I feel OLD, wait not old I'm GREAT)

If the boot fits

Don't forget to check out the giveaway, closes Wednesday Night. HERE


Halloween is only a week away, I still have a few projects to post. I made these blocks while watching a tv show on my computer, and I only used things that were within my reach. HAHA, I love those kinds of projects. and I do think it turned out cute. Honestly it went really fast because the blocks were all cut, sanded and painted from LAST YEAR. Hope you like it too.

The bats were added later, my son drew them and I cut them out of construction paper.  The lettering is from scrapbook stickers.  The glitter glue I stole from the kids craft drawer. I would have prefered something a little blingier, but seriously, its only going to be out for a week, and I don't get much company out here in the sticks.


Have you made anything spooky from your stash??

The Modest pirate costume.

Click Here for my current Giveaway, Closes Wednesday Night.

I thought I might run out of time, or spend too much money, so I did look through all the costume shops for her costume.  WOWZA,  she is only 11, but she can't wear a kids costume and the women's pirate costumes are a much too risque'.  I don't know how to spell that word. 

SO....... off to the fabric store.

Start with a boys dress shirt

cut the collar off rounded like

sew a casing and thread it with elastic. and that is where I stopped, because I thought it looked so cute, maybe we can reuse this later.

I decided to make the cuffs seperate, so miss picky can take them off if they bother her.

rounded works better

sew a casing in  the small end and thread it with elastic the length of her wrist.

Add lace of cours

Brown fabric, I cut a strip of fabric for the sash.

red and brown stripes,  I hunted and hunted and finally found some in the quilt shop.  It was expensive and I didn't think I got quite enough so that is why I made the brown skirt to go under it.

I didn't hem it, but I am excited because I can re-use this too.  I am going to give it a cute finish or ruffles?  She needs a brown skirt.

 think its pretty cute!  all it really cost me in the end was the striped stuff that I spent too much on.

($7 bucks)

Fubulous Friday is a giveaway.

So was finally able to round up some stuff to give away. Thanks to you, those that read my blog. I really do hope you find it either fun, or helpful at times, on to my giveaway.  There will be one winner who will receive ALL of the following gifts in one lovely package.

Rules are;

#1  Follow this blog, leave a comment telling me how long you have been a follower, and your favorite post.

#2  Tweet, FB, blog, call a friend, etc... mention it somewhere to spread the word about my blog and you will get another entry for this. Just leave another comment telling me how you spread the word for me.

Closes on Wed, night  Oct. 26th.

One tie, for the little guy.  The tie is adjustable and can be 10 to 14 inches in length.  Or I can custom make one in any style or size for you at $10 plus shipping.  Perfect for Christmas!!

One pin for your sweater, jacket, purse, headband etc. and one hair clip.  I also have many more of these in stock.  or I can custom make them.

Pre-decorated album, 8x8 inches, spring theme.

Red cluster earrings, Just in time for "THE Christmas SEASON"

a petal filled tutu, Peach in color.  I heard Peach is the new Pink? 

Apron kit for my two dishtowel apron tutorial, which I now see never got posted, but, HERE is a picture. hahaha.  I will get right on that.  The kit included to dishtowels and 3 yard of ribbon. 

**update** I keep finding more things to giveaway, so you can expect some extra goodies in this package.  I will keep them secret though.

button love

Wear it - Wednesday - My Little Knight

First, are my eyes playing tricks on me???  According to Blogger yesterday was my 200th post?? How could that be right?  Oh well, I guess I should give something away. 

**update** click here for my giveaway, closes Wed, October 26th

Check back tomorrow to see what I come up with, it will be so fabulous, hmm. It should be worth $200 to make the whole thing more memorable.  I am so excited!!   Jewelery? Craft supplies?? hand sewn items?? little girls tutu's?  boy's ties?  yes,  I think so.
Follow my blog so you are sure not to miss out!!

Okay on with today's post,  a couple of weeks ago, Cheri at I am Momma made her little boy a t-shirt to wear with his beloved Viking helmet.  It seems he was going through a Viking Helmet obsession.  As I read this, I laugh and look at my own three year old who was, at that very moment, sporting his favorite Knight helmet, and waving his sword at me. 

To make the pattern : I laid the shield on the copy machine to get the dragon outline, i copied it directly onto freezer paper to save the step of tracing.  After cutting it out with an x-acto knife I ironed it to the shirt, and with a stipple brush painted on the GOLD tulip metallic fabric paint.  IT IS SO SHINY AND COOL.

After cutting it out with an x-acto knife I ironed it to the shirt, and with a stipple brush painted on the GOLD tulip metallic fabric paint. IT IS SO SHINY AND COOL.

 Then I removed the freezer paper and let it dry a while.  Next I drew my own shield and cut it out of freezer paper and ironed it down.  I carefully painted around the dragon with SILVER tulip metallic fabric paint.

Usually the helmet is pulled down over his nose.

 I think he is adorable no matter what he is wearing, but that's always how it goes with the youngest right?  I feel like I have to use my every last little bit of crafty/sewing mommy ability while he is still little and will let me.  My older kids don't always appreciate it.  So I guess you could say he is SPOILED ROTTEN and he and I are both loving it!!

I showed this shirt off on Top-toberfest at Leafy Tree top spot.

Tuesday Tips - Easy Distressing for small projects.

First of all click here for my current giveaway,

closing Wed. Oct. 26th 

Candle sticks are so popular, I think they aways will be.  I have spent quite a few bucks on them, butt to tell you the truth my favorite ones are these thrift store candlesticks. 


There are so many ways to distress something, or antique it.  Here is a simple way that you can't really mess up, for something that might be small.

This one WAS wood, so I sanded it, really sloppily with a VERY course grit sand paper.  then covered it with white paint.  I didn't water it down,  It just depends on how much you want to wipe off. 
I wanted a lot of paint this time.  I waited longer tooI waited 5 minutes then gently wiped off with a wet  paper towel.  every where I had sanded it was White.  Love it.

I followed the same process with this one only I used a very fine grit sand paper and only sanded where I wanted white to stick.

I forgot to take before pictures.  This red one was too bright.  It is not made of wood, so I didn't want to sand it.  I watered down some black paint.  maybe a quarter size dollop of paint and 6 or 7 drops of water.  Use a sponge brush to cover it.  
* The darker you want it to look, the longer you wait.    I waited about 2 minutes. then used a wet paper to wipe the paint off.  DON'T SCRUB, just wipe until it looks good.

This one followed the same process as the red candlestick, only at first I put the black where I wanted more,  then I rubbed the whole thing with my wet paint rag.

If its too thick in one spot you can get a clean wet rag and keep wiping.

Finished.  It is so Tall and pretty,  and I found it at the thrift store for 5 bucks, SCORE.

Here are the 3 smaller ones I put on my redecorated entry.  I will be featuring the entry next week. 

I LOVE IT.

Thanks for stopping by, and Please leave a comment, they make my day

Have a lovely week ~ Becky

Monday at My House - so so so so happy

Saturday is the only day I get to have my hubby here, most of the time he travels or works INSANE hours. He is my SUPER HERO. He doesn't love to do my annoying decorating projects. But this Saturday he spent the WHOLE day doing "honey do's" for me. Did you hear me......THE WHOLE DAY!!!  He even made a couple of dreams come true for me. (I am cheesy) Maybe it makes a difference that I have been asking for a tile back splash for about 4 years. AND when I say asking...I do mean nagging and begging. We have had some of these supplies for a very long time.

Cutie Pie! wanted to help, well for a minute. As soon as I snatched a picture he was off to play. "That's boring mom."

So there it  is before. We, well.. I,  had planned this in our last house, lucky we never got it done, so we had some of the stuff all ready when we moved here.

Check out this Tile setting Mat.  It saved us a DAY.  Normally you apply the mastic, then the tile, and wait 24 hours before grouting, and it is MESSY, Messy, MESSY!
This stuff was so cool, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.  We really needed to do this in one day. It is 18"x 9" and comes with  12 sheets. for about 15$.  SO WORTH EVERY PENNY.

It went pretty smooth, and we didn't have to do much cutting,

See the beautiful kitchen??  Even my kids said, mom it looks like a different house!!  It took us about 4 hours start to finish. for a 12 foot wall of back splash.

Fabulous Fall Friday - Wreath

If you are following the Follow Me Friday Blog Hop.... from Trendy treehouse  Cleck here to learn more about Me!

So I was going to make this my Thrifty Thursday, but I had to go to "town"and ended up gone from 9-5, ever have one of those days, whew, I was sooo tired. the only thing I had to actually BUY for this was the leaves, and they were $1 at JoAnns. Everything else I had on hand.

even the corn husks.  I froze a lot of corn this year, so there was a mountain of this stuff in my garden.  The wreath was .50 at the thrift store, I think I bought it last Christmas time. I tore the husks into smaller strips, and I used hot glue, for almost everything.

Paint stamps and tiny square of burlap were just in my stash, and the little $1  frame I bought for another project, I guess I will still have to get one for that when I am ready I guess.

Use a sponge brush to lightly brush on the paint, and practice on paper.  A stencil would work great too.

Break the back off the frame, and wrap wire around it to attach it to the wreath.  I think it would be cute to write Fall if my frame was a little bigger.

Finished.  I really love it, but.....  my front door is still white so it doesn't look very good.  I guess I better paint the door.

Wear it Wednesday - Sew Many Skirts

Last weekend I was talking to my hubby and saying.  I stayed home all summer and I can't remember what I did besides yell at the kids to do their chores, he told me to go check my closet.   OH,  yes, now I remember.  I wore a different skirt once a week for sure. 

Here are the skirts I made myself this summer.

a brief description so you can AGAIN see how cheap I am.

#1 was a 9.99 skirt I got at Ross at least 3 years ago. It was too small in the waist and went to the ankle, so I chopped the top 6 inches off added the proper amount of elastic and.... voila, an updated skirt, knee length, but best of all it finally fit me so NEW SKIRT #1. YAY ME

#2 Purple skirt, funny story - On our way to my nieces wedding, which I had been wishing for a purple skirt, but sadly no time to make one before leaving on the long road trip which we were counting as our summer vacation.  Then while we were stopped at our friends house for a couple of nights in OR, I realized I had not brought a skirt.  We (me and my friend Kristen) were so disappointed that we were going to have to go shopping.  Super, Super sad huh?? well I couldn't find anything I liked, so we ran to the fabric store, grabbed some stuff, went back to her house, and got out the sewing machine.  It only took like an hour. and cost about 6.99 or less, I am sure I had a coupon.  Plus I whipped one up for Kristen too.

#3 Bored to tears of my only knee length black knit skirt I made this one out of the $5 dollar 5 yard bolts at Walmart, I love those sales.   so $5 plus $1 for elastic.  love it.

#4 is a corduroy fabric with brown and some turquoise in it.  I remember buying it 5 years ago, it was one of those memorable days at the fabric store.  I love it but have never had time to make it, I used the waist band of some comfy stretchy pants that were in the throw away pile.  Now that was a fast skirt and I don't really remember how much the fabric cost but does it really matter?  Its been 5 years. hahaha

#5 the last one was a splurge I really wanted a yellow and grey skirt so I went to the "expensive" fabric store.  I think I bought 2 yards @ 9.99 each.   and had a lot left over.  which made a super cute tie for my cousins little boy. and I think I can make one more.

The gray layer was another 5 yards for 5 bucks bolt from Walmart, and I have plans to make a gray skirt for winter with it. 

Tuesday Tips - Tomatillo Salsa

I am so Excited to be done with canning I would do a back flip if I could,  this year I used every single jar I and my mother in law own,  I don't want to count them that will only make you think I am so pathetic.  I made raspberry jam, blackberry jam, apricot jam, strawberry jam, zucchini relish, corn, beans, red salsa, tomatillo salsa, peaches, pears, and apple pie filling.  The best part was I bought NO produce, it was all offered to me by neighbors and friends.   I am so grateful to live out in the country.  Farm life really fascinated me.  I've been watching them harves beets behind my house all day, wondering what they would think if I started taking pictures. haha

I just think the peaches and salsa are so pretty, don't you.  Well my friend Paige introduced me to Tomatillo Salsa this year, she brought me a little jar to taste it and a bag full of them,  WOW, it is good stuff. here is her recipe.

Tomatillo Salsa

5 1/2 c tomatillo's (blended)
1 c onion
1 c peppers
1/2 c white vinegar
4 Tbs lime juice
4 cloves garlic
2 tbs cilantro
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

Bring ot boil simmer 10 minutes, put in hot jars, leaving 1/2 inche headspave
process 25 minutes.