Pottery Barn-inspired on the Cheap

Good Monday evening, folks! One work day down for the week and four more to go. Yesterday I shared a primitive Dollar Tree craft with you, so this evening, I thought I would share one that would fit in with other types of decor: a Pottery Barn knockoff. Pottery Barn has some beautiful glass apothecary jars, but be prepared to open your wallet a little wider if you want to add one to your collection. The "PB Classic Glass Apothecary Jar" is not only "modeled after those used for centuries to store dried herbs" but is also "hand blown by talented artisans in Poland". I do send my regards to the (exhausted, I'm sure) Polish glass blowers who worked really hard to perfect their craft; however, I don't feel the need to blow (no pun intended, actually) a few hours' pay to buy the "classic" glass apothecary jar when I can re-create a similar one for a couple of bucks.

On Pottery Barn's website, you can choose from various sizes ranging from 14.5 to 27 inches tall, cylindrical or round, $29 - $69 (?!?!). Here's a pic of the cylindrical ones:

$29.00 - $69.00

Now, my creations (hate to call it that since they literally took about 30 seconds to glue together, LOL). ranged from 11 to 14 inches in height, so I will consider them to be "small", or similar to the dimensions of the "small" PB version. Here is mine:

$2.12 + a few cents for adhesive

I know, I know......the now breathless Polish artisans took the time to create a lid. Mine do not have lids, but I am fine with that. If I really wanted to, I could come up with something for that purpose. Anyway, what did I use to "create" these knockoffs? Three things:

Dollar Tree glass vase (buck + tax). They carry all different shapes and sizes.

Dollar Tree glass candle holder (buck + tax)

Amazing Goop brand Craft Adhesive (about $3.50 + tax from Wallyworld)

   

It really is as simple as scraping the label from the bottom of the vase, applying plenty of adhesive and sticking the two pieces together. Be sure to let them dry for a couple of days or they will fall apart. So, by making these yourself, you save serious cash PLUS help to save a few Polish glass blowers some breath. Win-win all the way around!

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous day, from our house to yours!

Primitive Crafts....from Dollar Tree? Sure!

Anybody who knows me also knows that I do not like to spend money on my craft supplies. If I am inclined to spend money to make something, it has to be cheap. That is but one reason I love the Dollar Tree and Mighty Dollar. While perusing the web recently, I came upon a blog that had SUCH cute things that the lady had made using Dollar Tree materials. Her blog, called Eyeballs by Day, Crafts by Night (find it HERE), is great and the craft ideas are easy. So....the family and I spent this past wild Friday night getting free Dunkin' Donuts drinks and shopping at Dollar Tree. We are just loose cannons that way, you know.

I love anything old, old-looking, crafty, cozy, shabby, cast-off........whatever. I don't have any one particular style. I just pick what I like. That includes primitive stuff which is so popular right now. Dollar Tree has a really good selection of things that are already nice, but have potential to be better. I love candles, and it seems that we always have one burning, and the other blog had some nice ideas on how to make DT's cheap looking candles match country or primitive decor. In my excitement to get started, I forgot to take a before picture of the products, so I pulled these from the Dollar Tree website. Check out the before:

  

I was only able to find one package of the LED tealights, so they may be seasonal with the ones I found being stragglers left from Christmas. They had plenty of the 8" white jar candles, though. The idea was to "grubby" these things up....make them look old and primitive. The lady in the other blog used something called Texture Fierro to get the grubby, textured look. However, I am always one to substitute and use up things I already have; therefore, I thought I would try mixing up some white glue and used coffee grounds. After mixing into a paste, I spread it onto the jar candle as well as the body of the tealights (bulb was taped with masking tape so as not to mess it up). After that dried (took about 2 1/2 hours with the help of a blow dryer), I squirted on some acrylic craft paint in cinnamon brown, and spread it around gently with a mildly stiff paint brush. Throughout the drying process, the paint / coffee grounds / glue kept trying to run down the sides of the jar. I simply used to brush to dab it back into place. This is a messy craft and I had cardboard on the kitchen counter underneath it, BUT this is how they looked after the paint was about half dry (ignore the clothespins......still working on that project):

And, THIS is how they turned out when complete and after a second coat of paint and a bit of torn fabric for a ribbon (the woman in the other blog calls the ribbon "homespun"):

Cute, huh? That candle is not only cheap, but it is supposed to burn for 80 hours. Also, for those who are allergic to certain scents, it is unscented! Yep - - that's a little bit of Dollar Tree potpourri you see there surrounding the little LED tealight in the cast iron skillet. I am inspired now to make more of these for gifts. I I might even dry brush a little black paint on the next ones I make just to make them a little "grubbier". Acrylic craft paint is cheap, white glue is cheap and used coffee grounds are free. There are only 325 more days until Christmas, our Lord and Savior's birthday, so I hope you're inspired! Making gifts a dollar at a time is not only better for the budget, but you are prepared and stress-free by the time it rolls around.

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous Sunday, from our house to yours!

Saturday Mail Call

It's time again for....Saturday Mail Call! 

I was pleasantly surprised when I went outside to check the mailbox today. It feels like an early spring day out there. It is quite the departure from the single digit and negative digit days we have been having lately......knock on a big piece of wood! Let's pray the worst is over.

So, how did I make out this week, freebie-wise? Pretty well, I do believe.

Mailbox contents for this week:

1. Five magazines:  Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, Tennis, Men's Journal and Field & Stream. For your own FREE magazine subscriptions, try one of these: Freebizmag, Rewards Gold or ValueMags. Each of these magazines came from one of those sources. I like to use magazines not only to read, but also to share with others, tear out the pages as packing material for Christmas decorations, start fires in the fire pit, etc. I have even been eyeballing those baskets made from rolled magazine pages........maybe a future craft project, huh?
2. Depend Undergarments Sample Pack with coupon for women. Even if you are unable to use these, you might know someone who can. These undergarments can be really expensive for those who need them and have to purchase them on a regular basis. I will put these with the Tena pads I got at Wallyworld yesterday for free + $1.73 moneymaker and await a future use. They are still available HERE. 
3. Metamucil 2-pack Sugar Free Orange Smoothie Singles with coupon. This was a freebie from Walmart's website, and is still available by going HERE.
4. Dreambaby Sliding Lock and Safety Catch kits. These kits are available from Procter & Gamble by clicking HERE. Note that if you want enough to do a whole kitchen or whatever room you need them for, requests are accepted PER EMAIL ADDRESS (My husband and I have several email addresses). So, basically, you can have several kits shipped to the same postal address as long as you register with different email addresses for each kit. Again, even if you don't need them, think of what a nice baby shower gift this would make (don't get insulted if YOU end up with them LOL)
5. FREE 16.9 oz Aquafina FlavorSplash water coupon. Unfortunately, this was a Facebook freebie and is no longer available.
6. FREE medium beverage from Dunkin Donuts for the hubster's birthday, which was actually January 20th. We had three DD free beverage coupons last night (my b-day, his b-day and a newspaper coupon clipping), so we went to Dunkin Donuts after supper. My hubby and son got hot chocolate and I got a Hazelnut Iced Coffee. They were yummy. I mentioned yesterday how to sign up for this, but here it is again in case you missed it: DD Perks Rewards Program. 
7. Faux Pearl Earrings from Daily Sale. This is a website that has a different group of deals each day, usually cheaply priced cool gadgets. They occasionally list freebies (with free shipping) for new customers, but I am not sure when the next offer will occur. Feel free to check out their website HERE, but don't register unless you plan to buy something. Save the registration for the next freebie, since they are only given to new customers! Imagine how these little earrings will look after placed into a jewelry gift box (available in a 3 pack from Dollar Tree, of course). Another nice item for my gift closet (once again, if you get these from me, keep in mind that they are nice enough that I would wear them, but I already have a pair - - hehehe)!!

What are you waiting for? In case you haven't had a chance to check them out, the primary sources for my freebies are Hip2Save, Free Stuff Finder, Free Stuff Times and Free Product Samples. Get going to these websites and soon your mailbox will be brimming with goodies. Sure does soften the blow of the bills that also (sadly) come from the mailbox. I hope everyone has a blessed weekend. Be sure to attend church tomorrow.

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous day, from our house to yours.

Free and Frugal Friday Ramblings

Yay, it's Friday! I am just about as excited as that camel is on Wednesdays! I hope everyone has enjoyed the Lord's blessings of a wonderful week. I know I have. I especially love it when He blesses me with an abundance of freebies and "cheapies", and it has been a good day for these things indeed.

During my lunch break today, I went to Walmart. I had other business to do there and it is within a mile of my workplace, so it wasn't like I made a special trip. Do you remember me telling you about a $7.00 off any Tena product? Well, I redeemed that coupon today. I was able to score a $4.97 package of 20 Tena Serenity pads AND $1.73 in change!!! You see, Walmart's coupon policy states that the customer will receive the difference in money if the coupon value exceeds the product purchase price. I encourage you to read and print the policy, found HERE. Also, you can still request a Tena coupon HERE. Since I literally got PAID to grab these Tena pads from Walmart, I will find someone who can use them. I mean, why not??

All that freebie finding can be pretty rough on a gal, and by the time I left Walmart, I was parched. I needed some refreshment, and fast! I remembered the coupon that Dunkin Donuts had sent me in the mail for signing up to receive their emails. It was good for any medium beverage, which includes hot cocoa, tea, hot or iced coffee, or one of three flavors of Coolattas. So, into the DD drive-thru the Chrysler went, and out I came with a yummy Minute Maid Orange Coolatta, which you can sign up to receive HERE. Not only will you receive (by postal mail) a coupon for signing up, but you will also receive one for your birthday. Sign up your honey, too! Doesn't this look refreshing?!?

I am always busting through the door of my house just as weak and starving as if I had spent a fortnight trekking across the Sahara. This afternoon was no different, to be sure. For supper, I decided to try one of the FREE Kraft Recipe Maker kits I got from Dollar Tree the other day. I chose the Chicken Bruschetta since I had some pasta and a can of chicken on hand (also from DT). In my usual rebellious style, I DID NOT follow the directions on the box. They asked for bow-tie pasta and I used macaroni. They asked for 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast and I used a 5 ounce can of Butterfield Farms White Chicken chunks. Ha - - take that! All in all, I had about $1.60 total in the dish, between the macaroni and the chicken. Get your own $1.00 off Kraft Recipe Makers coupons HERE to get FREE boxes of this kit at Dollar Tree. Look how yummy and totally Italian (in a cast iron skillet, of course):

Yes, folks - - God is good to me and I am having such fun sharing the wealth with you. Please say an extra prayer tonight for the hungry and cold. Have a fun, frugal and fabulous evening, from our house to yours!

Warm, Homemade Sugar Cookies - - Yummy

You've been there - - we all have. You've just finished supper, it's freezing cold and pitch black outside, and you want something sweet.  Pronto. But who really wants to traipse out into the foreboding cover of night to make that dreaded trip to the grocery store or............dare I say it...........Walmart?!? Besides, if I set foot into Kroger hungry for something to satisfy my snack attack, I may not make it out alive. Well, okay........I will actually make it out alive, but with 576 pounds or 3 grocery bags of fatty junk in tow. Who wants that? Why not take the easy AND frugal way out, stay in your warm and cozy kitchen and whip up a simple, tasty treat tonight! You probably already have the ingredients on hand, and the family will love you. Sugar cookies are humble little nuggets of goodness that are not too flashy yet always satisfy that sweet tooth. You could even gussy 'em up with icing or sprinkles if you wanted to. I found a recipe not too long ago, tweaked it to make it my own and have since baked up several batches of soft, yet chewy sugar cookies. In fact, the scenario above describes my own dilemma tonight as I searched the cabinets for something sweet after our supper of chicken fried rice, mashed potatoes, macaroni & tomato and rolls. Here's how they turned out:

There are several reasons why I like these cookies:

1. Spoon them straight from the mixing bowl onto the cookie sheet (NO rolling and cutting) and enjoy super easy cleanup.
2. No special ingredients need to be purchased. This recipe is made with things you probably already have.
3. The cookie is light and soft, yet slightly chewy, which is a good thing!
4. Since it is, in fact, made with a few standard pantry items, it is inexpensive. I haven't calculated the actual cost, but I might do that out of my own curiosity later on.
5. They are quick to mix up (5 minutes) and bake (10 minutes).

Without further adieu, here is my recipe:

Tanya's Sugar Cookies

2 Cups sugar

1 1/4 Cup margarine

2 eggs

3 Cups self-rising flour

1/2 Teaspoon salt

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and margarine in a mixing bowl with mixer. Add salt and eggs and continue until mixed. Turn off mixer and add flour, mixing by hand until batter is smooth. Drop 12 evenly spaced walnut sized spoonfuls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Bake 9 - 10 minutes or until edges appear slightly brown. They may still appear a bit under-baked on top when they first come out of the oven, but this is okay. They will firm up in a matter of minutes. Enjoy with a cold glass of homemade sweet tea. The recipe for that can be found HERE!

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous evening, from our house to yours!

Oh, fiddlesticks..........er, tobacco sticks!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone's week is off to an awesome start. Need a new and crafty idea to get you going on this chilly winter day? Primitive and rustic country decor is in great abundance wherever you look these days. One popular and sought after accessory that goes quite nicely with such decor is anything made from tobacco sticks. Usually I post on things that I have made, but there are many more creative folks hanging from the branches of my family tree. Today I thought I would share the fruits of the efforts of these fine folks! At one point in time, my family grew tobacco on their farm; however we are now left with the remnants of this page in history in the form of oodles of "baccer" sticks once used to hang freshly cut tobacco in the barn rafters to dry. I have been fortunate enough to have received several pieces of furniture and decor made by my mother and father as well as my sister and brother-in-law. Let me share, shall I?

• Chair. Just look at this little chair made by my Mommy and Daddy. I think it looks so cute, and the bears (given to me by Mommy) think it is super comfy.
• Ladder. My sister and brother-in-law surprised all the ladies in the family at Christmas with homemade tobacco stick ladders, embellished with a cream colored bow and red berries. I thought it was the perfect spot to hang my hay hooks given to me by my Daddy.

• Star. This huge star, made by my Mommy and Daddy, is the perfect size for the gable end of my garage on the front of my house. 

• Tree. Mommy and Daddy made this also. This picture was taken at Christmas, and as you can see, i have it all dolled up with a bead garland, feathers, berries, twigs and greenery. It is great because it is so versatile and can be decorated for each season.

I am so proud of my creative family and the things they turn out. I can't wait to see what they make next (hint, hint Mommy, Daddy, Tammy and Damon.....).

So, you don't have access to tobacco sticks, you say? Well, almost anybody can come up with some sticks that could be whipped up into something fantastic. Take a look at this cute little willow twig table I spotted while surfing the internet:

You can read more about it HERE on the Woodworkers Workshop website. Maybe you will get some inspiration. It's not too early to get started on Christmas gifts, you know! These primitive pieces and pieces like them are all wonderfully frugal as well as fab gift ideas.

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous day from our house to yours!

Saturday Mail Call

Brrrr! Happy chilly Saturday to everybody. I would venture to say that poor Keith the mailman wished he had chains on the tires of the little mail jeep today! Ridgewood Circle was quite the treacherous place this morning as snow fell from the sky and coated the streets like parmesan cheese on lasagna. Nevertheless, Keith delivered a smorgasbord of goods all week long!

What did I get this week? Feast your eyes:

1. Petersen's 4-Wheel and Off Road Magazine
2. Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine
3. Ontario Outdoor Adventures Calendar
4. Bigelow Cozy Chamomile Herbal Tea sachet
5. Cantu Shea Butter hair cream for dry hair
6. Guitar picks in assorted colors/designs from Marlboro.com
7. Tena product $7.00 off coupon = FREE Tena product at Walmart
8. Dunkin Donuts coupon for FREE small hot or iced coffee

The magazines may have come from Rewards Gold, freebizmag.com or Mercury Magazines (access to free subscriptions on all three sites). The calendar, which has some nice photos, is STILL AVAILABLE HERE (select "add to cart"). The Bigelow Tea sample and the Cantu Shea Butter sample were Facebook freebies which are, sadly, over. The guitar picks are no longer available, there is a new Marlboro freebie that you should be able to score. If you or someone in your household is a smoker (my husband smokes), then you might want to go over to www.Marlboro.com and create a free account. They have nice freebies every two or three months, and they have cigarette coupons monthly that you can request. The Tena coupon is still available from their website. You can get it HERE, and can request a $7 or $14 coupon by mail. The $7 Tena Pad coupon is the one that you should request because Walmart (and possibly other retailers as well, but I am unsure) has the pads for less than $7.00, thereby making them free with the coupon. The Dunkin Donuts coupon is one reason why you should look through your sale papers before trashing them. I cut this little coupon out of a DD coupon booklet that was stuck in the midst of Kroger, IGA, etc. sale papers. Many people automatically toss these out, but they are worth at least leafing through. You never know what might lurk!

Even if some freebies don't appeal to you, someone else might be able to use them. Like the incontinence pads or the hair cream, for example. Nobody in my household needs these things, but why pass them up if they are free? Get them anyway and keep them until you can pass them along to someone else. You never know when you might be able to bless someone with essentials that they need and cannot get for whatever reason. When I look for freebies, 9 times out of 10 I am thinking of who else might need it.

Have a fun, frugal and fabulous weekend, from our house to yours!