Finally broke down

and bought the lamp shade that I've been drooling over admiring for the past year at World Market.

I just had a really hard time shelling out the cash, even though I was totally in love.

But, when I saw that they weren't selling it online anymore,
I panicked I figured it was now or never.

At least I pared it with a Goodwill lamp and mirror, right?

The keys to my heart

Recently, I bought some really cool old lookin' door locks at Ben Franklin. I just knew that something would just come to me and I'd know how to use them.

They were just that stinkin' cool.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was crusin' some crafty thrifty blogs and found this post.

So...I ran, not walked to PotteryBarn.com ok, I didn't really run. I was already sitting at my computer after all and ordered me some keys. At 20 bucks with free shipping? Me likey.

These keys are not small! Here is a picture of me holding the largest key. It is bigger then my hand.

I just know that this large key goes to a large door with leads to a large room with a large amount of money.

I am almost giddy thinking about all the shoes that I can buy. I just need to locate that door.


Wait...

What?

It's only a pretend key?

There is no door? No room? No money?

Sigh...

Thanks for killing my buzz.

At least I can still go to a happy place when I check out the finished product.

Here it is...pretend keys and all...


Check out the parties that I link to-lots of great ideas!

My Goodwill obsession

This is one of my latest find.

They were at Goodwill...waiting for me to come along.

I swear they spoke to me.

They said, "Take me home!"

So, even I know that they don't actually talk because their lips are painted shut, I listened to the voices in my head and scooped them up.

I think they look like a sea captain and his peasant wife. I like to imagine that they are happy in their new home in my entertainment center.

They didn't even need to be painted. I left them just the way they were.

Total cost $12.99

I love me some Goodwill!

14 hour road trip + 9 kids = my personal hell

A few days before Thanksgiving, Corey we decided that we would make a quick trip to Utah.

Giving me only a few days to come up with reasons not to go to get ready was crazy!

Luckily, me and crazy are best buds!

We literally finished Thanksgiving dinner and then left.

Driving all night is not fun.

Overdosing on caffine will make you act weird.

Trust me.

Doesn't Matthew look happy at the propsect of driving all night?

I feel your pain buddy.

Believe me.

Please ignore Lily digging for treasure.

We made sure that Lily didn't have a nap on Thanksgiving in hopes that she wouldn't fight going to sleep in her carseat and that she would sleep most of the way there.

This was Lily only 15 minutes into the drive.

Too bad she didn't stay that way...

My BFF

...and my nemesis...

I know I need to stop drinking this...

again...

Before and After aka My attempt at "Decor for Cheap"

I saw this totally fab idea on the Shanty2Chic website for a really cool picture frame.

So, I stole it.

The idea, that is.

First, I started with a bunch of frames that I picked up at Goodwill and the Dollar Store. The big one I totally scored at Goodwill when it was "The color of the Day" so it only cost me 4 bucks. My kind of deal.

I whipped out my can of American Accents Canyon Black and sprayed all the frames. I say "I" but what I really mean is "Corey". Because he doesn't think I can spray paint the correct way. sigh...

I took the back out and cut out a piece of drop cloth (from Lowe's) to fit. I then took my spray-on glue adhesive and glued it on.

I discovered that standing between what I am photographing and the light source will make a large small, skinny dark area on my item.

Just passin on what I learned, that's all...

I turned it over and hot glued the edges down.

Next, I put the canvas covered backing into the frame and put pieces of foam board (from Dollar Store) in behind it to make it sturdier.

Then, I pushed on the frame, cracking it. At that point, I had to ask Corey for help in putting it back together.

That step is totally optional. You might want to skip it actually.

I'm just sayin...

Next glue on the frames and whatever you want to use to hang the pictures with . I went with really strong magnets which were kinda pricey (from Staples) but you can use cheaper hooks or close pins if you desire.

I also added a fleur that I cut out on my Cricut. I love me some fleurs.

Just add prints and voila!

This is a really big picture. Just to give you an idea because I am too lazy to go upstairs and measure it the four big frames are 8 x 10 each. Nice.

Frames $10

Drop Cloth $5

Foam Board $4

Magnets $9

Total cost = $28

Apples...a recap

My dad is a genius. For real.

He can take a pile of what appears to be junk and make something worthwhile out of it.

Because he got me into this mess he is the one that ordered me the ginormous "box" of apples, he decided that he had better come up with a way to make this easier. Because he knows that I'm close to the edge, all the time, maybe.

But, whatever the reason, I'm grateful for the help.

In years past, we have just gone the old fashioned route and cut the apples up by hand, using a knife.

The amped up version? Made from junk stuff that he had laying around over at his man cave shop.

Dad took an old tire pump and attached an apple wedger. You simply put an apple on top of the wedger, pull the handle down, and presto...instant cut up apples.

Me likey. I actually hogged this machine. Because it was kinda fun.

I'm a real special kind of crazy. But, it's the good kind.

This machine took a lot of the work out of it.

Dad likes motors on things. He's a guy. Nuff said...

He took the formally hand-cranked strainer and attached a motor.

All that needed to be done was dump the cooked apples into the hopper and turn it on. Nice. My arm thanks him.

Dad is a genius but he must not think much of me because he told me to make sure that I didn't submerge the motor on this machine. The first time he said this, I thought to myself "duh". The second time he said it, I said, "Dad! How dumb do you think I am?"

To which Dad replied, "Well, sometimes, you make me wonder."

Thanks Dad.

To help cook the apples faster he brought over a commercial convection oven that he "had laying around".

Two words here people.

Pack.Rat.

But in this case, I'm grateful. We put a whole lotta apples in that oven.

My wonderful Mom spent all three days that we sauced apples in my kitchen. Mostly stirring because Dad hasn't invented anything to do that yet.

Isn't she fab?

Even my dad came over one day to check on our progress.

He usually has a grease rag stuffed in his back pocket.

Notice that he has one of my kitchen towels sticking out. I found this highly amusing.

Ahhh...beautiful...

Because we are letting the applesauce "age" we haven't eaten any of it yet.

275 quarts...gulp.

Dad wanted to know if I wanted more apples next year.

I told him to wait awhile before asking me that.

I'm still recovering from this year's crop...