Thrifty Thursday

If you know me, you know I am all about being thrifty.  I shop thrift stores, use coupons, and go to the dollar store.  Part of the fun of going to dollar stores is seeing the possibilities in putting the cheap items to use into something phenomenal.  So, while I was in the Dollar Tree last week, I saw these little peat pots.....you know the kind you start seedlings in?  I bought a package of 12 for $1.  I also found some little mushroom birds in the floral department, 2/$1.  I had seen something similar to this on Pinterest, but mine are smaller, cheaper, and oh, so cute!

Wanna know how to make this?  Its easy, peasy, lemon squeezy to make.  First with your dollar store peat pots, punch two holes for the handle.  I just used an awl, but you can make yours however you like.  Just be careful not to tear it.  Paint.  I used some lavender acrylic craft paint and added a little water to it.  I like it thin, so the pot shows through.  Let it dry.  While its drying, cut up some foam blocks to fit into it.  I used the foam blocks from Dollar Tree.  They come in about four pieces in each block and then I used a plastic ruler to cut it to size.  You want it small enough to fit into the top of the pot.  When dry, put a little glue around the upper edge of the pot and dip it into some glitter.  Again let dry.  While this is drying, assemble the rest of your parts.  The bow is from a piece of organza ribbon.  I simply wrap it around my hand, tie in the middle and spread out the bows.  I had little bits of floral and some moss,  the bird from dollar tree, and a glittery chenille stem that matches the color of the silver glitter that I used.  The paper, simply a piece of scrapbook paper that I stamped and cut and curled.  Then assemble.  I put the handle on first, one stem makes two handles, next the moss.  I used a bit of hot glue to adhere.  The bird has a wire to stick through the foam and just added a bit of floral bits and pieces.  Hot glue on the label.  Voila!  Piece of cake, huh?

And just so you don't think I have forgotten about my resolve to rid myself of unfinished Christmas stash, I made 32 of the ping pong snowman ornies and three snowman blanks.

I decided since these were just those cheaper wooden blanks, that I would give them a bit mor character by adding dimension.  I had the noses in my stash so I just cut off the end and  glued them on.  I used ribbon and floral pieces on the hats, buttons on the tummies, and a fabric scrap scarf.  Pretty cute, huh?

So today, my pups are at the groomers so its just me and the cat to get to work on some dolls.  

Smoky is not a great motivator.....sometimes I wish I could just curl up in a box somewhere.....

But he is great company!

So on to the work at hand, my peeps.  Have a great weekend!