Don't be afraid of the junk yard.

While driving through town my husband and roomie and myself came across a recycling center!

Alright it was more of a junk yard than anything but what's in a name??

I was originally searching for a door and some old pane glass windows, if you pin you understand why!

After about 3 seconds I realized I LOVED this place we came upon.

this is what we brought home for $55 (YES FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS!!)

Check out the neat stuff I found!!

This basket had a ton of valves in it, perfect for hooks! There was 2 cast iron casserole dishes, 

3 spoons, 1 corn bread cast iron pan, 1 large end wrench

 ((which after sand blasting you can clearly see some markings that reads 'williams favorite' My name is Williamina so its quite darling that I found it covered in mud and rusted!)

there is one strainer spoon, one flipper and 6 40mm grenade shells!

we also unearthed two mail sorters from the actual post office!

( the post office got flooded out)

how perfect for my matte stacks, photos and scrap paper???

This is the long skinny one!

Here is one big rusty saw my hubby found! he also found the cowbell.....

 because we all need more cowbell!

here is the handle of the saw, 

originally it would have two sides on this handle so one person could operate it!

And here is my favorite find!!!

a Chicago fire extinguisher!!!!

HOW AMAZING IS THIS>!?!?!?!??!?!>!<!KJE)#*%

the next day I even came across these lovely windows on the curb!!

of course they were just waiting for me!!

So I did get my windows after all!

 The only other thing I need to tell you is always be ready!

I made myself a little kit for the back of my car because flip flops is not a good idea for the junk yard!

Also I live in the Arctic so I need to be ready for winter!!

my kit includes, my work boots, two pairs of work gloves, 1 pair of manly insulated gloves, 1 vomit bag, once ice scraper, jumper cables, cd's, extra sunglasses, a mag light ( both weapon and light), and last but not least, TP.

Thanks for stopping by!

M

2x4 Candle holder.

Awhile back I picked up a whole car load of b grade lumber from menards.

 It just so happened that I also bought a whole candle making kit from a rummage sale.

Add those two together and I need candle holders!

so I started out by measuring the boards...

This is where math comes in. 

I really wished I would have payed attention in school but thank goodness for calculators!

so you divide the length by the number of holes you want to make.....

or just guess if you're like me.

Mine will hold nine tea lights, if I don't get pissed and cut off the end of the board!

 In attempts to make it even I made a grid.

You can see the markings I made here, I was about to give up on it.

then I just eyeballed it.

I started out with a hole bit to get the right size, this will not make the big hole you need, you will need to purchase (or borrow a spade bit, 1.5"or larger)

 After you make the initial hole guide, thing. you can go in with your spade but and drill it out.

After you drill and sand it you will have this wonderful specimen of cheapness!

I used my dremel to bore out the holes and smooth them out,

they holes are not even close to being perfect..... I'm okay with that.

I also noticed that the metal rings that hold the tea lights don't fit quite right. I would need to make the holes slightly larger but the candles fit just fine!

and yes I didn't have enough white tea lights so one yellow will have to do!

I did spray the candle holder with some spray paint to make it more shabby chic, or something....

Thanks for stopping by!

jersey knit bracelets.

I'm obsessed,

really obsessed with jersey knit.

now more than ever with all the t-shirt yarn I have been making I'm surprised I haven't made more with it!

But these are the bracelets I have made:

 Aren't they fun??

I found the tutorial here, 

http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2011/03/v-and-co-how-to-jersey-knit-bracelet.html

I have to keep myself busy today because my lil baby kitty is getting de-clawed today!

 He's such a charmer it's hard to not have him around in my face, sitting on my shoulder or 'helping' me on the computer! The vet tech even loved him, he is so sweet I can't wait to have him back.

I know that not everyone believes in declawing cats but we only do it in the front and because his 'thumb' claws would end up hurting him more if we left him.

He also is slashing us like a b rated horror movie, it looks like I got in a fight with barbed wire.

not cool.

ok stop staring at his bi colored eyes and go make something!!

Purse organization set DIY

My husband has tons of old uniforms that he has trashed,ripped and just worn out and of course I can't just throw them away!! That is just wasteful!

I knew I wanted to make something for my ABU purse I was having made ( in trade for a pedicure).

So I started by cutting the important pieces off, such as badges, pockets and buttons....

I even saved the lil belt loops! 

Who knows maybe I will even use them!

I started out by making the coupon holder in my previous post and moved on to more purse organizers!

 The left is an all pocket purse organizer! The right is the coupon organizer 

And the bottom is my new wallet!

This is the inside of the coupon organizer!

And here is the pocket organizer.

You can never have too many pockets in a purse!

The two large ones formed the sides and bottom.

they are each from one pair of pants.

The inside of the large pocket

The smaller pockets that formed the ends were smaller and also from the same pair of pants.

 This one features an outside pen pocket!

I know my mother would kill me if she saw all of those "tails"!

When I was cutting the pockets out I didn't think to leave any fabric around them to attach them to something.....

Something to remember for next time!

Last but not least is my new wallet!

I still have some hand stitching to do but I was too excited to wait!

the smaller pockets are the same as the end ones on the organizer!

It opens up to 10 card slots on the inside

(hard to see but camo doesn't make it easier)

And the back features the pocket with the pen holder!

Perfect pocket size say... for the checkbook I NEVER use??

 when the wallet is open one flap is up and one is down so either way is right way up!

I also had an adventurous day at the supply house buying these new beauties!

I LOVE POLISH~!!!!

Well thanks for stopping by!

And a special thanks to my 3 followers! you made my day!

Coupon file diy

Everyone is all about saving money nowadays and I might as well get on the bandwagon.

My family has never really had a lot of money so if you wanted something you would have to:

A. Wait for it to go on sale. B. Make it yourself. C. Do without.

The first two were the most common.

In example I always wanted one of those Magic Bullet "the Personal, Versatile Countertop Magician."

Until I came across this pin:

From real simple.

I now enjoy at least one quart of smoothy every day!

I have also completely cut out soda!!

So when I saw these cute coupon organizers I HAD to have one.

But there wasn't really a fabric pattern I liked.

What kind of fabric do you use? Should I match my purse? Which currently is a leather fossil bag.....

I don't sew leather.

But luckily I ran into a gal on base that makes ABU purses. for $25!!!!! 

I luckily was giving her a pedicure when I learned this so we just traded services and I shall have my very own ABU bag. 

If you have read my blog you know that I tried to make my very own ABU purse.

OK so I did make it and I love it! but my ipad doesn't fit in it!

You can never have too many purses right?????

right?

So I visited my neighbor hood thrift store and picked up a pair of pants.

They are the smallest pair of pants I have ever seen!!!

10" waist. are you joking???

But they were free so who cares?

So I cut it up and used a box type pattern and stitched one right up.

I can't even say how because it was one of those 

"I have no idea what I'm doing but I will make it up as I go along"

so here is the photos!

Nothing fancy. but now what to use for tabs?

This is another AHA! moments.

Do you have a bad habit of collecting buisness cards?

 do you have a tab punch?

 Then you have tabs!!

 Fold in half and you are ready to go!

With a little help from my alphabet stamps..

I'm very good at misspelling as well..

Thank goodness gir was there to help me!

 It is also helpful to bend the tab in half to know where to stamp.

So here is the whole tab section. I used old file folders and cut them to 3.5"x 5"

Here is the old organizer I was using. 

Its a monster!

its an accordion file from the dollar store!

 I used sprayed adhesive and some scrap fabric.

I used the avery tabs but the file was falling apart.

And here is the after!

Thanks for stopping by!

Now go save!

or just go shopping!