Finds! Finally :)

My husband surprised me yesterday by offering to drive me to the thrift store. Since I broke my right leg I'm still not able to shuttle myself around by car so this was a real treat! Of course he had me make him a sandwich which he ate in the car while I was in the thrift. Hmm . . .

Anyway, on to the finds! I am limited in my thrifty spending and promised myself to keep it under $20. I decided to just hit my favorite sections instead of a full on thrift. So linens first . . . eh . . . nothing. Boo. Onto bags of kitchen stuff. Score!



A whole bag of vintage biscuit cutters. The bag ended up being like 75 cents and had both fluted and round cutters. Some are a little rusty but may clean up. This was an especially good find since Not So Humble Pie just posted on how to make the most adorable ice cream sandwiches using cutters just like these! Stop by and visit, the photos and recipes are to die for!

Now onto the bags of miscellaneous crap. Some of my favorite finds of all times have been scored in these random bags. This trip again proved that this was a place to spend some time digging:



These are little metallic beads on wire. I love the colors and who knows what I'll do with them but they were 50 cents for the whole lot! I'm picturing some sort of crown . . .



A small bag of trims that contained some really cute things! Don't you just love that silver braided one? There is maybe a yard of it but I'm sure to put it to good use. Totally worth the whole dollar I spent on this bag.



Yarn! There were tons of this in many bags, each costing $3. I picked up two and this photo only shows half of what I came home with. I believe it's wool and it will need to be wound into balls before I can use it but I think it's a good deal for $6 and gives me something new to work with. I'm loving the orange and grey combo, too!



A bag of random craft items proved to be better than I thought. The fusible webbing is what drew me in and since the bag was only $2.50 I figured it was worth it. Inside I found several new packages of aida fabric, included a pre-finished bell-pull, and some lovely DMC Pearle cotton. I love it when it's even better than you thought it would be.

My next stop was the CD rack. I only recently started perusing the CDs and wonder what took me so long? I picked up three CDS for only $1.50 each as they were half price that day. That's the cost of ONE SONG on iTunes these days. What did I pick up?

Rain Dogs by Tom Waits

Music by Madonna

I Get A Kick Out Of You: Cole Porter Songbook Vol. 2 which includes Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and others. I LOVE this CD already.

And my last stop? The jewelry counter, of course.



Isn't it dear? And it, too, was half price and only cost me a mere $2.50. So my total? $18 and change. Not bad, eh? Now I'm off to play with my new crafty supplies!

Take a moment and visit my latest Examiner article on the The Little Shop of Crafts located right here in Manhattan!

ciao bellas ~ Rebecca

PS - last chance to read my Examiner articles and/or subscribe for a chance to win some goodness from me! Once you check out the articles hit this POST and leave a comment. I'll be picking a winner on Sunday!

Rattle Those Pots & Pans

As you know I was like the mad crocheter while my leg was healing. I spent most of my time creating softies but I also whipped up a few super cute pot holders as well.



This is basically the pattern shown here from Lion Brand but I made mine a little bigger, added that frilly edging and made up my own flower. While I was making it I thought, "Hey! This looks like a cupcake!" (I was hungry) So I made this:



This is my own pattern and when I make another I'll write it up and post it for free on Ravelry. And since cupcakes make me think of cake, I made this:



Mmmm . . . . cake.



The mushroom is all mine and is already hanging in my kitchen but the cupcake and cake are up for sale in the Goodness Shop here and here. I have a bunch of cute aprons in there as well and will be adding things through out the week including new trims and some really cute vintage cake decorations.

I also posted a new article on the Examiner today. Do you know Jane? If you don't, you should! Read my article HERE about one of my favorite Trash to Treasure projects ever. Then visit Jane. You'll be hooked, I promise.

There is still time to read my articles and then leave a comment on this post for a chance to win some Goodness! Don't forget, you can subscribe to my column and click on my new crafty budget articles right from your in box. I'll be highlighting more Trash to Treasure ideas so if you have something to contribute, drop me a line!

xoxo ~ rr

Yeehaw! New swap over at Sweet Goodness!

We are hosting a very small swap over at Sweet Goodness. The theme is Vintage Cowgirl's in honor of swap mistress Leigh Ann moving to Texas!





This swap is limited to only 20 people so get over there and sign up fast! Click on the picture above for details!

Yeehaw!
Rebecca

The Graphics Fairy

I wanted to take a moment to thank Karen at The Graphics Fairy for letting me highlight her free clipart blog at the Examiner. Please click HERE to read the article and don't forget to leave a comment on this post after you check out my article to be entered to win some Goodness!

 

Thank you to everyone who visited my first article and for your comments! To be entered into the drawing you'll need to leave a comment on yesterday's post as well because I won't know who you are just through the Examiner page as it only asks for a name. If you are reading this through Facebook you can leave a comment there as well. :)

xoxoxo ~ Rebecca

Visit me at the Examiner.com for budget craft tips!
Email me!

Shameless Self Promotion (& a Mini Give Away!)

I've started a new "job" for lack of a better term. I'm writing over at Examiner.com. My topic is crafting on a budget in New York but you'll find that it's not really location specific so much. So now the shameless part. If you come visit me HERE and read my first article I will get paid. Only a a tiny little bit but it's something. You don't REALLY have to to even read it, just click on it. (shameless) I'm also hoping you'll click on the subscribe button to receive an email each time I publish and then click on my article link. Cha-ching! See how it works? And it only costs you a few seconds. AND who knows, you may enjoy my budget conscious ramblings, no? So click HERE okay? Shameless, I told you!

You can also follow me on Twitter where I will also be posting my articles. Click HERE to follow me. LOL okay okay. I'll stop now. But here's the incentive, you sign up to subscribe to my articles come back here and leave me a comment on this post and I'll enter you into a drawing to win something. It will be something handmade or vintage, I'll let the winner choose. Perhaps I have something you've been looking for? Like vintage valentines or a vintage rain bonnet still in the packaging. Uh huh. You KNOW you want it. ;) So click, subscribe, tweet and comment, okay?

And what's a post without a photo??



Remember this fabulous thread I found at the thrift? Finally I am finding a use for it. I'm adding some edging to these pretty napkins and voila! Fiesta Towels. I am actually sewing the edging on instead of creating it right on the towel as the thread is heavy. I'll share when they are finished and I also plan to highlight them on the Examiner as a cheap thrill. ;)

Thank you THANK YOU for listening to my shameless self promotion. Don't forget to subscribe to my articles and leave a comment for a chance to win some Goodness. :)

hugs ~ Rebecca

PS - My sister is blogging again! Inspired by Julie & Julia she is back at it. Go for a visit!

Picture Perfect

Here I am, last July before the myriad of health issues:



A self portrait that I just love. I made the paper crown to celebrate Independence day and if you find me else where on the web (i.e. Facebook, All Recipes, etc.) you will see this face shining out at you. It's been nothing but craziness since that photo was taken and now I'm on the path to get back to being "picture perfect." Picture Perfect isn't about looking magazine fabulous (though that never hurts!) it's about seeing yourself and thinking "Oh yeah, that's me and I look GREAT." It's about others seeing you and wanting to be around you and absorb all your good energy. Too tree huggy?? You know what I mean.

I have been working on some things.



Another self portrait of Luis and I in Las Vegas last August. I haven't scrapbooked in so long and as soon as I got started I remembered why I love it so much. I heart paper. Oh and scissors, too.



I found the little book at Marshalls and it's been sitting in the craft room forever. Why can't I just USE things? They sit there forever being saved for a better day. I'm done with that. I'm using everything I've saved. This little book will become a book of things I love. Starting with that photo taken about 6 years ago. (What is with me and paper crowns??) I'll share my journal pages as they unfold.

Also in the works is this birthday banner for my dear friend Dana's little boy, Charlie, who will be celebrating his 1st birthday in a few days!





This is coming out really cute and I'll do a post soon on how to make your own from supplies you probably have sitting around your house.

So my head is now above water and I'm healing. It seemed it would never happen. Now go out and be picture perfect!

Fondly ~ Rebecca

Sprung

I'm home. Back in New York City. Back to Queens. I feel over whelmed, tired, antsy. I feel like there is so much to do yet not enough time (or energy) to get it done.



My craft room should be condemned. The people from Hoarders will be coming for me soon. I want to create something but I can't do that when there is not one single clear work space in there. It's frustrating.



My pants don't fit. Sitting on your butt for 3 months will do that. I can't navigate the stairs to the basement to do laundry or dig out some spring clothes as the steps are about half as deep as my walking cast is long. Three more weeks of big plastic footwear for me. Have I mentioned that I broke my leg on January 23rd? What month is it?

I'm sprung. Literally. Neither coming, nor going. Just sitting here like a deer in the headlights with no clue what to do first. This is my 400th post. I wanted it to be happy, positive and rife with giveaways. I will have to out that on hold until I can dig myself out.

In one happier note, my sweet Louie turned 30 last Friday.



Happy birthday, love. Decorated picture made with Picnik.

Bear with me, I will be better. Soon. ~RR

Hoppin' Down the Bunny Trail . . .

 . . . late as usual! I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter! It was a nice day with beautiful weather so we were able to sit on the porch and enjoy our meal. I'm still at my parent's house and we were joined by my sister and brother-in-law and my aunt and uncle.

Mom tried something new this year:



Asparagus tart! It was not only fabulous looking but easy and delicious. It's a Martha recipe and can be found here. It's worth splurging on the gruyere, trust me. :)

We had minimal decorations but they were lovely and evoked thoughts of Spring.







I love the little bunnies hidden amongst the flowers and garlands.

And we did dye eggs, the lazy way!



While boiling the eggs just toss in some food coloring! Red and blue makes lovely sometimes striped or spotted eggs and tea bags were used to make the brown eggs. Now we could have just bought brown eggs but this was fun!

So Hoppy (be-lated) Easter!

xx~rr

PS - leg update: I'm walking with a cane now. Yeah! But only for a little at a time to regain muscle in my leg. I'll be going back to New York as soon as I can handle stairs. :)