The Craft House

$50 Vintage Pearl Giveaway

2010-11-16T22:27:00.001-05:00

Over at Brown Paper Packages, an awesome giveaway is going on! A giveaway of a $50 Vintage Pearl gift certificate! Here are some of the beautiful jewelry pieces they offer:

Head over to Brown Paper Packages now! Giveaway ends November 20th!

Santa's Gift Shoppe is Celebrating 1,000 Followers with a Giveaway!

2010-10-11T17:44:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Santa's Gift Shoppe for reaching 1,000 followers! That's amazing!!

To celebrate, Santa's Gift Shoppe is holding a Halloween-themed giveaway, and the winner get's to pick from TWO different packages! Woo!

Here's a sneak peak at the packages:

Package #1:

Package #2

To see the rest of what is included in the packages and learn how to enter, go visit Santa's Gift Shoppe!

Giveaway ends October 15th, 2010!

Posts of The Week -- Oct. 3, 2010 through Oct. 9, 2010

2010-10-10T04:20:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gentlecrafters, I now return you to your regular programing...

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October 4th

DIY Restaurant Highchair

October 7th

Quilted Chore Chart

Posts of The Week -- Sept. 29, 2010 through Oct. 2, 2010

2010-10-04T01:05:00.002-04:00

Welcome back to the very first Posts of the Week here at The Craft House since nearly a year ago! Quite a hiatus, huh? I know. I am going attempt to keep up, though, I promise!

This POTW will be a bit short, but the next one will start on Saturday the 3rd.

Without further ado...

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September 29th

Creepy Lady Frame Makeover

September 30th

French Provincial Nightstand

Color Matching Parking Lot

$100 CSN Gift Certificate Giveaway by Be Different... Act Normal

2010-10-01T00:08:00.002-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Over at Lorie's Be Different... Act Normal Review blog, she is holding an amazing giveaway with a $100 CSN Gift Certificate that can be spent at ANY of CSN's 200 online stores!

From furniture to housewares, shoes to pet products, and so much more! There are thousands of products to choose from!

To enter, go check out Reviews by Be Different... Act Normal!

Giveaway ends October 8th, 2010!

Huge Change

2010-09-28T01:42:00.001-04:00

Hello my three followers (literally!!),

I realize that I am not posting here at all anymore, but I promise that will change, eventually. (: I am officially releasing this blog to my personal blog account (see Blogger profile here).

I am currently in the process of applying to colleges and working on my senior year of high school. I am very, very busy with little time for something so time-consuming as this particular blog.

In the future, I hope to bring to The Craft House a new layout, better organization, and a more defined description of what exactly I want TCH to be.

If you can just hold in there a bit, I think I could probably get it down in a few months. After college acceptance/rejection letters have been received, decisions have been made, and plans are in action, that is. Once things calm down a bit for me. (:

In the mean time, feel free to go visit two of my other blogs:
The Pages of My Book (my personal blog)
A Girl That Reads (a new, less traumatizing adventure into book reviews for teenage girls)

See you guys soon!
Jennifer

How To: College Preparation Binder

2010-05-22T06:30:00.008-04:00

It has been much too long since I have posted, but I have a feeling that this is how my blog will work for the time being. I am extremely busy at the moment, and the following "How To" is something I had to do in order to organize my life, even if just a tiny bit.

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How To: College Preparation Binder

I've had the outstanding privilege of spending almost every waking moment of the last few weeks (and it will only get worse) gearing up for my college education. In doing so, I have accumulated stack upon stack of important date notices, testing information, post-it notes with reminders, and college packets received in the mail.

I literally reached my breaking point when I had to toss everything onto my floor just to find the last of the written school notes that I have yet to put in their appropriate binders as of yet. I decided that I needed to do something about the mess, or I would become even more insane.

With that, I devised the following plan, it has saved my sanity, I swear it.

What You Need:

2" (at least) 3-Ring Binder

Hole Punch

Five 3-Ring Binder Tab Dividers (pockets optional)

Notebook Paper

All Papers Regarding Schooling (senior high, on) (explained below)

Tape (optional)

Marker/s (optional)

White or Printer Paper (optional)

Instructions:

1.) Gather your 3-ring binder and tab dividers. For a binder, I highly recommend Staples' Better Binders. They are incredibly durable which means that they last for a very long time and can really take a beating. They are a bit on the pricey end, but very worth it. I bought a few three years ago for school and they lasted through two years of locker-torture and are still in great shape now!

Place the tab dividers in the binder.

2.) Place several pages of unused notebook paper at the very front of the binder. This will be helpful if you need to quickly jot something down (Ex.: FASFA form due by Feb. 15th).

You can then choose to place that piece of paper into it's proper section or leave it there to file later on.

3.) Organize all of the papers related to schooling that you gathered earlier into the following categories:

High School

Important Testing, Scores, and Transcripts

College Research (Financial Aid and Scholarship info, Preferred Schools, Tuition Prices, etc.)

College Information (Information you receive from schools)

Necessary/Confirmed Information (Shopping Lists, Acceptance/Rejection Letters, Confirmed Financial Aid, etc.)

4.) Hole punch all papers that are not already.

5.) Place each category of papers behind a tab divider. A tab divider with included pocket may be helpful for the College Information section as some packets or pamphlets that you/your child receive may be awkwardly sized for hole punching.

6.) This step is optional. Whether or not your binder is viewable (has a pocket on the front for a piece of paper), you may want to label the outside of the binder.

On a piece of white or printer paper, write "College Preparation Binder", or anything to that effect. You can be as creative as you like or not at all in decorating the paper. Either slide the piece of paper into the viewer or tape it onto the front of the binder.

Tip: You could keep a pencil pouch in the front of your binder to hold pencils, pens, sticky flags, post-it notes, and paperclips.

Tip: Quickly jot your notes down on a post-it note, then place it in it's correct category by sticking it to the back of the tab divider that lays in front of the category.
Tip: Place a 3-hole punch especially made for keeping in binders at the front. Anytime you have a new paper to add, all you have to do is grab the binder and everything you need is in it.

What You'll Find in My Binder:

Notebook paper

My school folder and information (I'm home schooled through an online program)

A copy of updated transcripts from my sophomore and junior years

My ACT Admission Ticket and Proof of Payment

Original Fee Waiver for ACT tests

Proof that I received the ACT Prep Guide

Paperwork for state I.D.

List of college deadlines (application dates, FASFA deadline, etc.)

Loan information

List of websites that provide scholarship information

List of preferred colleges

All information received by mail from colleges

Shopping List (what to stockpile, what to buy once living on campus, etc.)

As you can see, I am preparing well in advance for simple things such as what I need to buy. I am also keeping a hold of some things I may never need, like the proof that I received my ACT Test Prep book (620+ pages, woo hoo). I would just rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

I originally put this together using a 1" binder (pictured at very top), then realized that it was definitely not big enough. I am only about a month into starting the college frenzy, so I may end up needing a 3 or 4" inch binder, or maybe even multiple binders.

With this system, you can easily organize your or your teenager's high school and college information and then easily know where everything is if you were ever to need it.

Let me know what you think of this system, if you already use one like it, or if you would make any changes to it! Maybe you though of something that I did not!

Thanks for reading!

Linking To:

Trapped/Princessipal $25 Giveaway!

2010-04-02T01:01:00.001-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Trapped Between a Scream and a Hug is holding a wonderful giveaway. Until April 4th only, you can enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Princessipal!

You have GOT to see the jewelry over there. My jaw literally hit the floor! Just look at some of these pieces!

My personal favorite is the ring that I pictured, love it!

So head on over to Trapped Between a Scream to enter! Giveaway ends April 4th!

Glass Tile Pendant Giveaway

2010-04-02T00:29:00.002-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Becca over at Nap Time Journal is holding a giveaway to celebrate reaching one year in bloggy world!

One lucky winner will win one of these pendants, the choice is up to the winner!

The winner will also receive a free glass tile and a bail so that they can create their own pendant!

You better hurry over to Nap Time Journal, this giveaway ends at 10 pm tonight!

Somewhat Simple is Giving Away a $50 Gift Certificate to Madison Reece Designs!

2010-03-25T00:36:00.001-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Yet another wonderful place discovered! Look at some of these beautiful pieces of jewelry from Madison Reece Designs!

Aren't they gorgeous? Yup, I think so, too!

The best part is, Somewhat Simple is giving away a $50 gift certificate courtesy of Madison Reece Designs to their Etsy store!

Go check it out!

Today's Giveaway is Giving Away a $25 Gift Certificate to AbelMabel!

2010-03-24T21:48:00.001-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Eek! I found something that you will LOVE! Meet AbelMabel! From Aprons to baby goodies, light switch covers to signs and do-dads, there is something for every girlie out there!

And it's your lucky day! Today's Giveaway is giving away a $25 gift certificate to AbelMabel!

Go! Now!

I Bid '09 Ado

2009-12-31T23:45:00.000-05:00

As I sit hear watching Jennifer Lopez perform my new favorite song on the Dick Clark special, I realized that I needed to come blog! I have been slacking off in the update department. Well, I won't bore you with that on this wonderful night!

As I bid the year and the decade ado, I wanted to share with you my New Year's resolution.

For 2010, I want to focus on fitness, not weight loss. But, hey, I won't complain if I lose a couple of pounds in the process. =P

Happy new year everyone! Don't over do it on the partying! :D

Sew I Do - Birthday Giveaway

2009-12-02T14:06:00.002-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Novita over at Sew I Do recently celebrated her birthday and is holding a giveaway to do so with all of her fans and followers! She is giving away all of these beautiful goodies, as well as a watercolor by her husband, to one lucky person!

Head on over to Sew I Do to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends December 6th!

Fiona and Twif 100th Post Giveaway!

2009-12-02T13:49:00.001-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

To celebrate (almost) reaching 100 posts, Fiona and Twig is giving away a $25 gift card to everyone's favorite store, Anthropologie! I personally am in love with Anthropologie's online store!

Head on over to Fiona and Twig to find out how to enter!

Giveaway ends December 6th.

Um... I'm Not Gone!

2009-11-23T13:29:00.002-05:00

I am not gone forever, I promise! I have been very, very busy and things won't be slowing down until after Thanksgiving.

I have a big-giant post in draft ready to post, I just need to find the time to upload the pictures that go with it.

I love you guys!

-Jennifer

Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design Giveaway

2009-11-12T13:00:00.002-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Jan over at Bobbypins Boardwalk is giving away an autographed copy of the ever-popular Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design to celebrate recently reaching 100 followers!

So head on over to Bobbypins Boardwalk to learn how to enter and to congratulate Jan on reaching this wonderful milestone!

Giveaway ends November 15th.

One Teenage Bedroom: Not Priceless

2009-11-12T12:03:00.000-05:00

Re-posting for the third Show Off Your Stuff Party!

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I went shopping today. The stuff went home to my new apartment, I did not, so I do not have actual pictures of it, online store photos will have to work! Keep in mind that this was the scheme I was going for (I threw the rug out after a horrendous night of sick-puppy messes):

Here is what I got as far as big things for the bedroom described in this post:

Floor Lamp: I was going to get the one on the left, but decided to get the one on the right (much pinker in person) for $10, which was $10 cheaper the the one on the left. Both are from Target.

Nightstand Lamp: $17 from Target, the shade is kind of boring, but I figured there must be some way to decorate it! Any ideas that are safe from lighting a fire?

I bought something like this, only it is skinner, the white outside part is dark purple, it has a further indented top so that things can sit on it, and this one only cost me $10 from Walmart. It is going to be used for storing bath products, hair products, makeup, hair dryer, straightener, curling iron, combs, brushes, etc. That will clear up two drawers of the dresser that is already owned, and I will not be buying the one I blogged about earlier.

I got the panels on the left for the window ($20 for two panels). I got ones like the ones on the right, but different. The ones I got are not listed. They are for my closet, two panels for around $20.

So all in all, I spent about $120 after getting a tension rod, curtain rod, blinds, and other minimal things. Not too bad. What I was not able to get was alarm/CD player/radio combo, a new rug, something that hangs in the closet for shoes, and wall art.

How did I do?

Blush Topless Undershirt Giveaway

2009-11-11T12:21:00.003-05:00

There will not be a Posts of the Week post this Monday. I am in the process of helping a family member move. There may not be one next week either as I will be transferring apartments then. I apologize, but I just don't have the time!
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THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Dandy Giveaway is hosting a Blush Topless Undershirt giveaway! These topless undershirts are made for women both pregnant and not in three sizes: Small, Medium, and Large. They even have a sizing chart so that you know just what size to get!

The point of them is to be able to have a little more coverage with out the bulk (and heat that can cause excess sweating) of an actual second shirt. They look basically like a tube top and go under your shirt. Pull the topless undershirt down over the edge of your pants for coverage when sitting down and for when your regular shirts ride up.

(Look at the piece under the shirt, not the main shirt.)

If you are like me, shirts just are not made long enough for both women with longer torsos and for women that are plus size with most of the plus being in the stomach area. Yeah. That happens. It sucks. Even shirts found at Fashion Bug and the like specifically made to be longer are not enough. This is the perfect solution and I am half tempted to buy a few regardless of if I win this giveaway or not!

So head on over to Dandy Giveaway to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends today, November 11, 2009.

Castle and Cottage Signs $40 Gift Certificate Giveaway

2009-11-08T17:15:00.001-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Paula from Castle and Cottage is giving a $40 gift certificate to one lucky person to be used at her Etsy store! I had never heard of Paula before, but have fallen in love with her (her work, that is) since! Here are just a few signs currently available in her shop!

Head on over to Castle and Cottage to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends November 14th!

Hot Chocolate and Set Giveaway

2009-11-08T17:02:00.002-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Cathy from Mille Fleur is giving away all of these things to one lucky winner! The set includes four mugs, a battery-operated hot chocolate pot/mixer, and a container of peppermint hot chocolate mix! Yum!

Head on over to Mille Fleur to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends November 12th!

Posts of The Week -- Nov. 1, 2009 through Nov. 7, 2009

2009-11-08T00:00:00.073-05:00

November 1st

I am not really sure what you could use these fleece lollipops for, but I thought they were really cute and that is all that matters, really! Check out the tutorial for making them over at Ikat Bag!

November 2nd

Initials and monograms seem to be very "in" at the moment, I have seen them on everything from phone covers to bedding and everything in-between (and everything outside as well). If you are a fan of initial art, you are going to love this project (using crafters' second favorite gluing substance, hot glue)! Head on over to Brown Paper Packages to learn how to make it yourself!

Eek! How lovely is this ragamuffin garland? Oh, the possibilities, they are killing me! You just have to take a look at this tutorial brought to you by Darby via Lifeingrace!

November 3rd

This is definitely one of the most unique ideas I have seen lately and one that I really, really reccomend for cross stitchers, mothers, campers, etc! All it takes is a few baggies and some simple sewing (which could be done by hand if you do not have a machine).You could use any size potholder for this as long as you can find or can alter baggies to fit it. It would be great for sewing projects, first-aid, pen-organiztion, I would even suggest purse organization as a use for this! Ha ha! Check out the tutoiral over at Obsessively Stitching!

November 4th

You should know that I am away from home for a couple of weeks currently. Before leaving, I sat at home today with my giant (and I mean GIANT) makeup bag trying to decide what was most important to take with me. Then I realized I didn't have a travel-sized makeup bag. I ended up substituting a zippered pen/pencil case. This pot holder makeup bag would also be good for an on-the-go earring bag for people like me with 135402521 ear piecings (more like three sets and an extra) who always need earrings on hand. Check out the tutorial over at Obsessively Stitching!

These fabric bracelets could not be any easier! All you need is material, thread, and a sewing machine (or a needle would probably work to)! Check them out over at Craftaholics Anonymous!

Snowman Tassel Giveaway

2009-11-05T19:18:00.001-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Megan from Megity's Handmade is giving away one of her handmade snowman tassels through Blue Cricket Design! Isn't he a cutie!

Head on over to Blue Cricket Design to learn how to enter to win him!

Giveaway ends November 10th!

Holiday Magic by Studio E. 6 Yard Fabric Giveaway from Hawthorne Threads

2009-11-04T12:57:00.001-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Sew-Fantastic is hosting an awesome giveaway sponsered by Hawthorne Threads! One lucky person will win a half yard cut of each of these fabrics from the Holiday Magic line from Studio E.

Head on over to Sew-Fantastic to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends November 14th. (?)

AMAZING $265 Worth of Custom Blog Layout Packages Giveaway

2009-11-04T02:07:00.002-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

You all are going to L.O.V.E. this! There are two different packages up for grabs, each worth of $100, so I suggest you go check it out now!

Fall into fun @ Jen~a~Roo Blogs fall give away for a custom blog package! Don’t miss out on your chance to have your every own unique custom blog for free!
www.jenarooblogs.blogspot.com

Giveaway ends November 11th.

Stella & Dot Boutique $75 Gift Certificate Giveaway

2009-11-04T00:06:00.002-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

PK over at ROOM REMIX is hosting a giveaway for a $75 gift certificate to Stella & Dot Boutique! Here are just a few of their beautiful, and affordable, pieces:

I love all of them! Don't you? Go on over to ROOM REMIX to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends November 8th!

Italian Stone with Vinyl Lettering Giveaway

2009-11-03T23:44:00.002-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Barb from Santa's Gift Shoppe is giving away this beautiful italian stone with vinyl lettering. The stone measures 12"x12" and says "Having someone to love is family. Having someplace to go is home. Having both is a blessing."

Head on over to Santa's Gift Shoppe to learn how to enter (up to 15 entries!).

Giveaway ends November 7th.

GIANT Thanksgiving Giveaway!

2009-11-03T23:17:00.001-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Melissa over at Melissa's Heart and Home is giving away this giant Thanksgiving-related lot of items! The giveaway includes rooster dishes, leaf butter knives, a candle, table runner, book, and more!

Head on over to Melissa's Heart and Home to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends November 5th.

Posts of The Week -- Oct. 25, 2009 through Oct. 31, 2009

2009-11-01T00:00:00.007-04:00

October 25th

*Look of shock on face* Oh my goodness! It is something not Halloween related! If you would like to learn how to quickly make a stocking, then this sweater stocking tutorial is for you! Head on over to Lifeingrace to find out how to make them!

October 26th

Yum, yum, yum, yum. English Toffee, 'nuf said. Check it out over at The Idea Room!

I am in love with this piece of art! What could be easier then painting fabric? Check it out over at Mariposa Avenue!

Check out these adorable Trick-or-Treat Mini Bags! Are that not adorable? You can find the tutorial for them over at Sew-Fantastic!

October 27th

Everyone say it with me... Awwwww! How cuuuutteee! Learn how to make this adorable Vampire Bat Softie over at Silverbug Studio Creations!

These garlands are perfect for Halloween! You can find the pattern for all three (bat, candy corn, and ghost) over at Designing Moms!

This isn't a tutorial, just more for inspiration. They are intended to be ribbon boards/bow holders, but the design and ideas can be used for memo or inspiration boards as well. Find these and more at Spirit of Giving! Also check out this page for more boards from Spirit of Giving!

October 29th

I love this cute blankie and beanie set! The ribbon ads an extra-cute touch! To learn how to make this (step-by-step, I assure you non-crocheters like me), head on over to A Featered Nest!

October 30th

This cute Trick-or-Treat tote bag is really cute (and also teaches you how to make them whether for candy-collecting or not)! You can find this tutorial over at Nap Time Crafts!

Let Them Eat Candy

2009-10-31T19:22:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Handmade Pumpkin Tassel Giveaway

2009-10-30T23:19:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Linda over at Craftaholics Anonymous (I love that!) is giving away this beautiful handmade pumpkin tassel!

You can enter up to three times, so head on over for your chance to win!

Giveaway ends November 4th!

Win Set of 12 Wreath Napkin Holders

2009-10-30T16:40:00.001-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Style Sisters is giving away a set of 12 wreath napkin holders in your choice of red or white that can be used in more ways then one!

Head on over to Style Sisters to find out how to enter!

Giveaway ends November 3rd!

Shoes. 50% Off. Need I Say More?

2009-10-29T19:13:00.003-04:00

If you don't watch Oprah, you should be very, very sorry that you did not watch today's episode. Not only were some of my favorite people in the whole world on today (Christian Siriano, Heidi Klum, Adam Lambert, Duff Goldman, etc.), but Oprah, via Christian Siriano, has made it possible that you can walk into any Payless* store with a coupon printable from here and get 50% off EVERYTHING.

Ev.er.y.thing. Shoes, earrings, purses, shoes, socks, sunglasses, shoes, shoes, shoes.

Everything.

Go. Now. The offer ends tomorrow at store closing.

Then pray to the God that is Christian Siriano thanking him. He deserves it.

But only after shopping.
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*Offer good in the U.S., Canada, and some other participating areas. Check linked site for details.

Desk Makeover

2009-10-29T14:07:00.003-04:00

Editing, and bringing back to the top, for Fireflies and Jellybeans' Show Us Your Stuff Party!

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Welcome to the first post here at The Craft House that actually consists of me (Jennifer) doing something! I don't have pictures of the actual process of making over the desk, but I have before and afters! The next project will definitely have between pictures!

I needed a desk, desperately, and so I hit garage sales and Craigslist in the hope of finding one on the cheap side! I lucked out and found one for free that was hand-made by the old owner completely of wood, not the fake crap that stores sell claiming it as furniture. The desk had it's issues, but nothing that couldn't be fixed.

The second picture is what the "legs" of the desk look like at the bottom. I think it is a pretty, feminine design. Needless to say, the chipped paint would need to be fixed.

I got all of the supplies that I needed at Lowes for about $60. That included the paint, primer, sand paper, brushes, and paint stripper.

I later bought new hardware for the desk, I found seven knobs at Lowes for $20.

After hours of stripping the paint, sanding the wood, priming and painting the desk, and finally replacing the drawer knobs, here is how it turned out:

I love it! I did have an issue where the paint took forever to dry completely to where things sitting on top of the desk didn't pick up paint when taken off of it. So, now, the top of the desk could use a touch up.

The is one other thing: the previous owner had a child who apparently loved stickers to the point that they decorated the inside of the drawers... all seven of them.

Is there a way to cover them up? As you can see, the stickers are on the on the inside bottom of the drawer as well as the inside "walls" of the drawers.

Overall, I loved this makeover!

My next project will probably be the dresser found in this post as per the suggestion of Megan from Megity's Handmade.

$50 Visa Debit Gift Card Giveaway

2009-10-28T01:27:00.001-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Six in One Hand is giving away an awesome prize: a $50 Visa Debit Gift Card! How wonderful is she?? Just think of all the goodies you could buy at any of your favorite stores!

Head on over to Six in One Hand to enter!

Giveaway ends November 6th!

$25 Anthropologie Gift Card AND Autographed Stan Williams Book Giveaway!

2009-10-27T03:53:00.001-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Gheesh, do you think the title could have been any longer? Ha!

Anyways, this cute little blog that I recently found, Fiona and Twig, is doing a big, giant, gorgeous, perfect, amazing... giveaway!! In this giveaway, you can enter to win both a $25 gift card to Anthropologie and a signed copy of The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details by Stan Williams!

Ah! How exciting is this???? I love it!

If I happened to win this giveaway, I already picked out what I would by with the gift certificate (note: this store is NOT a book store, they sell hundreds of items including clothing, shoes, bedding, and hair accessories!):

Poetry to Share Your Love by Michael Schmidt, I would love to take a peek into that book besides the example photos on the site!

So head on over to Fiona and Twif to find out how to enter!

Giveaway ends October 30th!

Win a Glass Pendant Necklace!

2009-10-26T17:07:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Leslie from JAM's Own Reality is giving away a beautiful glass pendant necklace as part of the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival!

Head on over to JAM's Own Reality to find out how to enter!

Giveaway ends October 29th!

$10 Hobby Lobby Gift Card Giveaway

2009-10-26T12:53:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

As a part of the 1st Ever Bloggy Giveaway Carnival, The Girl Creative is giving away a $10 Hobby Lobby gift card!

Now, let me just tell you that the first time I ever went into Hobby Lobby, I went in just to see what all the hype about the place was about... I came out with $80 of scrapbooking and crafting supplies, my wallet did not like me very much that day and refused to buy me dinner on the way home.

So head on over to The Girl Creative and enter for your chance to win a $10 Hobby Lobby gift card!

Giveaway ends October 30th.

SYHO Customs Prize Received!

2009-10-26T01:41:00.002-04:00

As you may know, I won my first giveaway last week (see here and here). Well, I checked Saturday's mail tonight and found that the package arrived from Missy (SYHO Customs)! I ordered the above gorgeous ornaments as well as a hard copy of a rounded-toe stocking pattern and instructions.

I love, love, love what I got. Missy even through in a couple of extra gifts!

I love this! The shades of purple and green are beautiful (and purple happens to be my favorite color!).

This isn't the best picture, but this is very cute and I am using it as a bookmark for a book that is taking 3+ years to read!!

So, that is what I got, I think that is pretty awesome. I definitely recommend Missy's Etsy shop, SYHO Customs. I had my order exactly one week after ordering it!

Have you won a giveaway recently and received the prize/s? Share your loot in the comments below! :)

Posts of The Week -- Oct. 18, 2009 through Oct. 24, 2009

2009-10-25T00:00:00.016-04:00

October 18th

This cutie of a pumpkin was made with just a few things that almost any crafty gal has lying around, along with spray paint and a pumpkin which are super cheap! Check out how to make this chic pumpkin over at The Stories of A to Z!

Need a quick project to keep the kids entertained? Need a few simple and fast decorations for around the house or outside on the porch? I think that all the world's problems can be fixed with this super easy spider web! Check it out over at Pink and Green Mama!

This homemade advent calender is a fun alternative to boring and sometimes expensive store-bought ones. This tutorial could even be altered to make a Halloween countdown! You would just have to figure out how to make a pumpkin or some other Halloween-themed shape. Find the tutorial at Inspiring Creations!

This handmade journal cover is so adorable, it makes me want to go buy a bunch of 1/4 yard (can you even buy smaller?) cuts of fabric and make my own! The random stitching on the cover makes it look quilted in my opinion. Learn how to make your own over at Happy Together!

October 19th

For all you candy corn lovers out there, this may just be the perfect recipe utilizing the multicolored candy! Personally, I am not a fan, in fact, I hate candy corn, but I am sure that I would love these cookies if I could bare eating the candy corn! You can find the recipe over at The Idea Room!

This adorable checkboard table and chairs would be perfect in a child's playroom! The story that comes along with the making of this project is so sweet and could only have been more perfect if the husband had asked for a cherry pie instead of an apple one! Find the process over at The Stories of A to Z!

I don't know about you, but I had a doll house growing up that my grandfather made from scratch but still to this day has not finished. I still had fun with all of the furniture, dolls, and homemade fake food that they bought and made for my sister and I to use for the doll house. I could spend hours removing every last piece of furniture and rearrange it and change what rooms were supposed to be. I suppose that was the inner interior decorator in me already forcing itself out! I would have loved a couple of banners like these for my doll's playroom or even bedroom! It is so adorable and simple to make! Find out how at Pretty Partridge! (Bonus! Check out the amazing paint colors, wall textures, and flooring Ashlee has chosen for the inside and outside of this adorable doll house here!)

He he, is this not the cutest little goody bag? It is perfect the perfect size to do a Halloween gift for your child's classroom! If I was able to get to a store that sells fabric, I would make this for my mother who is addicted to candy corn. I would fill the entire bag (lining it with a plastic sandwich baggy) with candy corn! You can find this adorable mini-bag over at Stitcher Scribbler!

October 20th

This spook-ally cute drawstring bag can be used for a special get-rid-of-the-candy game as instructed, or could be used for the actual partacking of Trick-or-Treating! I personally am in love with this bag and will use the tutorial to make my own bags for things like handmade Christmas and birthday gifts! Find the super fun tutorial over at Blue Cricket Design!

October 21st

Aren't these adorable? I see these glass boxes, like what you sometimes see in a bathroom to cloud the window, in stores all of the time decorated in different themes. I even have one of my own decked out in OSU Buckeye garb that I got at a Buckeye store. This tutorial, you'll find, can be altered for any holiday or special occasion. Find it at Not So Idle Hands.

October 22nd

This is a really cute idea! Super easy, customizable, and cheap! The only thing that I would do differently is cut pieces for the edges of the chipboard. Learn how to make these over at The Girl Creative!

October 23rd

Look how warm this scarf looks? Guess what? You can make it even with minimal sewing skills! It is literally just two lines sewn from top to bottom and then a few minutes of cutting the fabric with scissors! How easy is that? Check it out over at Make It and Love It!

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

2009-10-24T01:03:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

If you are a fan of entering giveaways or if you have been looking for a chance to host your own giveaway, then Joyfully Living for His Glory's 1st Ever Bloggy Giveaway Carnival is something that you are going to want to look into!

This is going to be a big collection of people doing giveaways at the same time starting Monday, October 26th!

Head on over to 1st Ever Bloggy Giveaway Carnival to learn more!

Sumo's Sweet Stuff 100 Follower Giveaway

2009-10-21T22:24:00.003-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Summer from Sumo's Sweet Stuff recently reached 100 followers and she has decided to hold a giveaway to celebrate! She has, in the past, made the adorable wood boards pictured below. A winner will be selected and that winner will get to choose which of these boards they want, Summer will then replicate the chosen board for the winner.

There is also a fourth one which is winter-themed with glittered snowflakes!

Personally, my favorite is the February/Valentines-themed one, and if I so happened to win (fingers are crossed, literally), that is the one that I would choose.

So head on over to Sumo's Sweet Stuff to enter for a (or seven) chance to win one of these awesome boards!

Giveaway ends October 28th!

Willow Rosa Studios Giveaway

2009-10-21T20:40:00.003-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Room Remix is holding a Willow Rosa Studios giveaway! One person will win a 16x16" Giclee Canvas Art Print! The prints are beautiful, and I will be greatly jealous of whoever wins! Here are just a couple of the all of the wonderful prints that Willow Rosa Studios offers!

Memories of Paris, Laughing Buddha

Head on over to Room Remix to learn how to enter!

Giveaway ends October 27th.

Teen Girl Bedroom Decor and Ideas

2009-10-21T19:31:00.002-04:00

I have been really lazy in posting this past week because of not have 24 hour access to a laptop, so I thought I would slip a post in by posting some of my favorite teen bedroom decor, ideas, and layouts.

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Teen Bedroom Ideas, Bedding, and Decorations by Seventeen, Hollywood Theme Bedroom Ideas

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Chandelier Instant Wall Art, Elegant Beaded Candle Holder

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From Unfinished Decorative Wall Circles to Polka Dotted fun!

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Crystal Dangle Lamp with Dot Hat Shade, Ceramic Drawer Knob

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Salon Girl Jewelry Stand, Leopard Shoe Jewelry Stand and Ring Holder

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World Travel Posters, Stripe Shoulda Storage Bin

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Butterfly Clock, Bling Table Lamp

I hope you enjoyed this little (liar) segment!

I Won??

2009-10-18T01:52:00.005-04:00

Well, it seems that I had luck on my side win the winner of the SYHO Customs $25 gift certificate giveaway winner was announced!

I WON!

You ladies (and a guy or two I am sure) don't even know how excited I was considering I have not been blogging here for very long and have entered only a hand full of giveaways and contests.

Okay, I swear that I am not bragging, I just want to share what I chose as my prizes! I cannot wait to recieve them within a week or two!

Here is what I chose:

Bright Christmas Stripes (Set of 6 Ornaments), Christmas Stocking Pattern Traditional Hard Copy

I have some basic material in white and in purple that I will use to try my hand at the stocking-making business, so we'll see how that turns out!

So, what do you say, should I put the adorable ornaments in a vase for decoration, of get one of those miniature table-top Christmas trees to decorate?

If you have not already, I greatly encourage you to visit SYHO Customs over at Etsy. She has the most adorable ornaments, scrapbook covers, baby blankets, and more at really reasonable prices!

-Jennifer

Posts of The Week -- Oct. 11, 2009 through Oct. 17, 2009

2009-10-18T00:00:00.003-04:00

Are you looking for the Mood Board Monday post? Click here!
Are you looking for this week's My Inspiration post? Click here!

________________________________________________________________

Okay, we're going to change it up a little bit this week. I realize that my usual way of presenting the posts of the week doesn't give as much credit to the artists as it should, so I will be organizing the posts in a way that better shows them off! Let me know what you think!

October 11th

Learn how to re-purpose a normal decorative star in order to create this fun, colorful Halloween decoration at Megity's Handmade!

October 12th

These fun oven mitt are adorable and seem easy enough to make! Learn how over at The Idea Room!

This sweet-as-pumpkin trick or treat bag was made from a bandanna! I could easily see myself altering the instructions to make a sturdy tote bag from some of my rock concert bandannas! Check out how to make this at Fireflies and Jellybeans!

October 14th

Have you ever had one of those weeks where the weather is getting to you and you stuff a bunch of tissues in your purse for the constantly runny nose and watery eyes, but then they are ruined by the lipstick that exploded in the bottom of your purse? No? Maybe it's just me then. Well, if you are one of those people, or you think Kleenex travel tissue packages are ugly, then you are going to want to check out this How to Make a Travel Size Tissue Holder for your Purse tutorial over at Fireflies and Jellybeans!

Oops!

2009-10-15T21:47:00.001-04:00

Um, well, my dog broke my laptop. :(

I am going to continue blogging, of course, but I don't know if it will be at the same rate because I can only get online when a family member's laptop is not in use.

Thanks for the understanding!

I am going to go eat some cake batter and chocolate icing now.

-Jennifer

Closets Without Doors

2009-10-15T08:50:00.005-04:00

Did you get it? No? That is alright, I didn't either when I thought of it at first!

In my attempts to learn more about hanging fabric or curtains as closet doors, I found these examples:

Image by EcoKind Design at Green Living Community.

This one uses a tension rod (super quick and easy) to hang regular pre-made curtains. I would like to do that, but there is an ugly piece of trim at the top of the closet that hides the top tracks of the old closet doors, both of which must stay in place. This means that I should probably hang the fabric/curtains on a regular curtain rod outside of the closet so as to hide those two things.

Image by Georgia Peachez.

Those are actually shower curtains! Who knew? Anyways, I wanted to use this picture as an example of the length of the curtains or fabric. Should I make sure that the material reaches the floor but doesn't drag, or should they be up off of the floor by a couple of inches?

Image found at Notes from your Calm and Collected Organizer.

This pictures raises another question, should I make tie-backs for whatever material I choose? Just find a pretty hook for each side of the closet and leave it at that? Hm...

Image found at Notes from your Calm and Collected Organizer.

I love, love, love the idea of three panels now that I have seen this picture! The closet I am planning for is wide enough to pull it off I think, what do you think of this idea? The ties mean that I can easily close it up to hide any unsightly messes!

If you have have a fabric or curtain covered closet door opening, I encourage you to share pictures and blog posts (if one exists, of course)! Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Share those too! :)

I Am So Proud of Myself

2009-10-15T01:20:00.004-04:00

I am so proud of myself for this find! If you have read a couple of my previous posts, you know that I am transferring apartments, I have big plans for decorating what will be my bedroom because I am such a dreamer.

My plans change faster then I can actually come up with new ones, but they remain basically similar. Although I don't have pictures yet, I will take some tomorrow to post and will just explain in detail right now.

This is nowhere near to scale, it is just a rough outline of what the room is like. It is on the smaller end, but it is big enough for my honking pieces of furniture, so it works.

Anyways, I first wanted to remove the closet doors and hang fabric doors, then I decided to remove the shelving in the closet so that my giant dresser (see picture below) could go in it in order to conserve space out in the open. I tweaked the idea again to removing the mirror, which is detachable, hiding it behind the dresser, putting the dresser in the closet, leaving the shelving unit, and hanging fabric doors. I still haven't made a final decision, so my mind is bound to change several more times before paint even goes on the walls.

Please ignore the mess, I am in the middle of packing, so things go where there is room for them while piles of boxes lay around only moved when I need to take pictures of the floor. Needless to say, the top of my dresser is far worse now that it has been a week since I took this picture.

I forgot where I was going with this post... oh, I remember now! After I decided that I will most likely, probably, maybe put my giant dresser in the closet, I thought that I would still like to have a dresser out in the open, if not to put things in, I would surely need it to put stuff on top of it! It would definitely have to be an upright chest though. The only problem with this is that my current dresser is a very, very old heirloom that belonged to my great-grandmother, so it would be literally impossible to match it.

I decided that I would just have to find something that I like and re-purpose it to match my stuff (desk, decor) instead of matching it to this one dresser.

I did literally 20 minutes of research at stores online like Target, Pottery Barn, K-Mart, and even Wal-Mart before I decided that furniture is way too expensive especially when (for the exception of most PB products) most of it is made from cheap-o fake wood.

So, what would anyone else do in this situation? Of course! Hit Craigslist.

I searched for no more than five minutes when I found this chest that was posted on September 27th.

(Picture by current owner)

It was priced at $40, which is a lot better then the crap-furniture I was finding online for $300-$1000. The ad was "old", so I immediately rushed to e-mail the owner and see if it was still available. Luck must have been on my side:

"Jennifer,
yes, I do still have it. We live [...] beyond the [...] border. I was getting ready to relist it.
Barb"

Can you say faint? It is a four drawer white dresser measuring 33" W x 17" D x 42" H. I am not a fan of the giant... thing in the middle of the top drawer, but what can I do about it? If the finish is still if great condition, I will leave it as is and just change minor details like the painted detailing and the hardware (if possible). If the finish is not decent, is it okay to just sand down the dresser and prime it/spray paint it? I have never dealt with a shiny (gloss-coated?) piece of furniture.

I won't be picking up this dresser for up to two or three weeks, so I am asking for your guys' guidance now! Do you have any suggestions on how to re-purpose it/what to do with it?

I asked the seller if she happened to have any up close pictures of the front and top of the dresser, so I can't wait to see those! I am so proud of myself for finding this at a bargain price!

See ya!

My Inspiration

2009-10-14T19:35:00.000-04:00

Room Remix's mood boards gave me the idea to create my own. I do a lot of wishful shopping online and have dozens of bookmarked furniture and accessory pages, so I thought that it might be time to put them to good use. Some of these are complete rooms, some are just ideas of pieces to mix and match. I don't know, just go with the flow, ha ha. Everything is random, but it is what I like.

Curved Back White Side Chair, Pink Love Cashmere Pillow

Yup, my cropping and resizing skills are amazing! Anyways, the shades of pink don't match, but I loved the chair and thought it needed a decorative pillow. I imagine that they would be perfect for vanity seating. I could easily have these pieces if I had $1700 laying around.

Lilac Tall Dresser, Cherry Blossom and Dove at Rest Print, Pretty in Pink Lamp in Chocolate

Finding that print today, I just had to use it in one of these. The chest/dresser could easily be in a teenager's bedroom, but the lamp is better suited for a nursery I would say. I still like it thought, and it is more affordable at a total cost of just over $1000, still out of my range though.

I suppose those are the only ones that I have for tonight. Half way through this post, I decided to spend a couple of hours cleaning the new apartment I will be transferring to. Then I got sidetracked by shopping for an external CD drive. Oh boy. I will have more to share in the coming weeks!

Wilson Graphics $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway

2009-10-14T12:10:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Yet another new found love! Wilson Graphics offers the most gorgeous wall decals that can be stuck to walls, glass, and other smooth, clean surfaces. There are even chalkboard decals in the shape of animals and other things! Here are my two favorite wall decals:

Cherry Blossom and Dove at Rest, Classic Chandelier

I would frame either of these is a black frame with white matting, then sit it on top of something to lean it against the wall.

There are dozens and dozens of choices great for anyone from a young child to a grown adult, male or female!

Now, here is the exciting part! Design Dazzle is hosting a Wilson Graphics Giveaway where you can enter to win a $50 gift certificate good towards your purchase of any Wilson Graphics product!

Go to Design Dazzle to find out how to enter to win!

Giveaway ends October 24th!

Mood Board Monday

2009-10-12T23:31:00.008-04:00

Thanks to Strictly Simple Style, I have found my new obsession: Room Remix. I have fallen in love with RR's Mood Board Mondays! The object of this Mood Board Monday was to create a budget friendly room centered around one of, or both of, the following:

These would be the oh-so-fabulous Michael Miller Florals Garden Trellis in Lime fabric from Fabric.com and the Spring Delilah Window Panel from Pier 1. I decided to do a ~~girl's~~ young lady's dorm room based around the window panel. Here is what I came up with:

This is based off of the fact that dorm rooms provide beds and wardrobes, so I wanted everything materialistic in the room to be a color pulled from the panels, so I found this Painted Dot Duvet Cover spiced up with the Warm Yellow Toss-It Pillow. The desk is the Arctic White Parsons Desk along with the Citrus Yellow Faux Leather Task Chair. I draw the gray-ish color from the panels by adding a Silver Castle Hill Rug to the floor. Top it off with the Pink and Coral Spot Light, Yellow Digital Clock, and Bright Pink Swirly Floral Wall Hook, and you have one very bright dorm room!

Overall, I like it, but I struggled with complete freedom. It was really hard to match the yellow/gold color from the panels, so I stuck to a yellow theme. I just can't help that I keep getting a retro vibe from the board!

Price Tags:

Clock - $35

Curtains - $28 per panel

Desk - $49

Desk Chair - $49

Duvet Cover - $79

Light - $99

Pillow - $13

Rug - $20

Wall Hook - $35

Total: $407+

I hope that you like it! Don't forget to visit Room Remix's Mood Board Monday and link up to your board!

Posts of The Week -- Oct. 4, 2009 through Oct. 10, 2009

2009-10-11T00:00:00.012-04:00

Are you looking for the Desk Makeover post? Click here! ________________________________________________________________

I am starting a new segment called Posts of the Week. Every Sunday morning, I will be posting my favorite card, craft, and sewing posts that were originally posted between the previous Sunday through Saturday. If one or more of your own posts was listed in my Posts of the Week segment, feel free to pick up the "I was featured" button on the right.

Cards

Please click the pictures to be taken to their designers!

Cooking

Please click the pictures to be taken to their designers!

Crafts

Please click the pictures to be taken to their designers!

I look forward to seeing many more cards and crafts from all of you talented people!

$25 SYHO Customs Gift Certificate Giveaway

2009-10-07T19:10:00.003-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Please help in my quest to decorate a teenager's bedroom! View this post!

Are you looking for the Desk Makeover post? Click here! ________________________________________________________________

I would like to introduce you to Sew Your Heart Out Customs, otherwise known as SYHO Customs. This Etsy shop was recently stocked with oodles of Christmas stockings and ornaments, as well as patterns for them! Here are just a couple of the wonderful goodies:

My absolutely favorite item in the store is the Bright Christmas Stripe heart shaped ornaments. They come in as a set of six. I could just see them decorating one of these table-top Christmas trees, or sitting in a wooden bowl of glass vase. I can't express how much I love them!

Anyways, here's your chance to win a $25 gift certificate towards your next, or first, purchase over at SYHO Customs!

Head on over to Be Different, Act Normal to find out how to enter to win!

Giveaway ends October 12, 2009!

Halloween Banner Giveaway

2009-10-07T00:18:00.002-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Please help in my quest to decorate a teenager's bedroom! View this post!

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If you haven't heard of Megity's Handmade, you are dearly missing out! She makes the cutest little tassels like these (click the pictures or here to go to her Etsy shop):

Those are some of the most unique and amazing things I have ever seen, but that is not what you are here for. You are here for some equally fabulous:

Everything Etsy is giving away one of these spook-tastic fabric banners made by Megity's Handmade!

Head on over to Everything Etsy to learn how to enter to win the banner!

Giveaway ends October 12th, so hurry over.

Rondo 3-D Foam Wall Decor - $50 Gift Certificate!

2009-10-06T14:27:00.004-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Please help in my quest to decorate a teenager's bedroom! View this post!
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Look what my new obsession is! I think I know what I will be buying with my next check! Check out their website, Rondo Room Decor.

In order, these products are only $10, $1, and $10!

Their products are awesome and prices are even better! Wouldn't these be perfect in a teen girl's bedroom?

Well, here is your chance to not only win a $50 gift certificate to buy

whatever you want from the site, but to also get FREE shipping! That's right, every last dollar of the gift certificate can go towards the products and you don't have to worry about shipping!

Head on over to A Soft Place to Land to learn how to enter!

Have fun and good luck!

Posts of the Week -- Sept. 27, 2009 through Oct. 3, 2009

2009-10-04T00:00:00.011-04:00

Please help in my quest to decorate a teenager's bedroom! View this post!
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I am starting a new segment called Posts of the Week. Every Sunday morning, I will be posting my favorite card, craft, and sewing posts that were originally posted between the previous Sunday through Saturday. If one or more of your own posts was listed in my Posts of the Week segment, feel free to pick up the "I was featured" button on the right.

Cards
Please click the pictures to be taken to their designers!

Crafts
Please click the pictures to be taken to their designers!

I absolutely loved all of these crafts and cards, but I have to say that the Treat Jars are my absolute favorite of this week! Also, the General Conference Goody Crate gave me ideas for Christmas gifts! Perhaps you guys will be seeing a post about that from me in a couple of months!

I look forward to seeing many more cards and crafts from all of you talented people!

Teenagers Bedrooms? HELP!

2009-10-03T17:55:00.002-04:00

I need your guys' help! I need any and all ideas you guys know or have heard of for decorating a teenager's bedroom. The walls cannot be painted because of where we live, but I would still like to decorate. We are transferring apartments to allow each kid a bedroom. These pictures are of the current bedroom shared by two kids. The apartment we are transferring too has a bit of a smaller bedroom for each kid. Please ignore the giant mess... teenagers.

Moving in, we knew that it was only until the bigger apartment opened up, we just did not know when that would be. As you can see, the art of temporary living has been mastered.

For this project, we will be focusing on one bedroom particularly. Here is the furniture that I have to work with currently:

Desk and Chair (P4)

Bookcase, Tubs, Crate, and Small Rug (P5)

Crate and Tub (P6)

Twin Bed (P7)

Dresser (P8)

Everything is mismatched, but it is what I have.

The closet in the new bedroom is two doors wide that slide. I am removing them and their tracks in order to hang a fabric door, please leave any tips or suggestions you have on how to do that!

Here are the fabrics that are/will be in the room so that you know what the color scheme is:

I will gladly take any decoration tips, tricks, suggestions, or tutorials. Re-purposing ones too!

Thank you!

Fabric Giveaway!

2009-10-02T18:36:00.006-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Are you in need of fabric? Is your stash getting a little too low? Maybe you are wanting to see if you have a knack for sewing or crafts, but you don't want to spend money on something you may not continue doing. Well, this is the giveaway for you then!

Melinda from Abounding in Hope is the host of a giveaway for Marie Madeline Studio. One lucky winner will win a $35 gift certificate towards the purchase of fabric from the Marie Madeline Studio website. Here is just a tiny sample of the beautiful fabrics you will find there:

With fabrics that look like that, and with names like Pretty Please, Garden Party, Flights of Fancy, and more, who wouldn't want to pick up yards and yards of it?

Now is your chance! Just head on over to Abounding in Hope for full entry instructions. If you enter, please leave a comment here telling me that you entered! :)

Make sure to go over there quickly, this giveaway ends on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009!

Tiny Seamstress Designs Giveaway

2009-10-01T15:16:00.003-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Here is another wonderful giveaway! You can find all of the details at Make It and Love It.

Tiny Seamstress Designs is ran by a very talented purse designer, Tiffany Jenkins. Just look at this beautiful purse that she designed for... get ready... Paula Deen!!!

Gorgeous, isn't it? Tiffany Jenkins sells pre-made purses she has made, she makes custom purses, and she sells her patterns in case you want to give it a shot!

She is giving away a $30 gift certificate good towards your purchase of any of her products!

Just head on over to Make It and Love It to learn more on how to be entered to win this wonderful prize!

Giveaway ends October 6, 2009.

October 2009 Awards Announced

2009-10-01T00:52:00.006-04:00

If you are looking for the September 2009 BFB Award winners, click here or scroll down.
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I am going to go ahead and announce what awards will be... awarded for October because I have added a whole new category: cooking! So, with out further ado, here are October 2009's awards!

Budget Friendly Dinner
Budget Friendly Dessert
Mother Friendly Craft
Other Craft
Sew Necessary: Clothing
Sew Necessary: Baby/Child
Sew Necessary: Other
Budget Friendly Blog of the Month

Blogs posted between 12:00 AM, October 1, 2009 and 11:59 PM, October 30th, 2009 are eligible for the awards.

Please help me find the best blogs for crafting, sewing, and/or cooking! Comment this post with links to your own blog/blogs or blogs that you know of.

Thank you very much,
BFB Awards

Budget Friendly Blog Awards September 2009

2009-09-30T11:23:00.008-04:00

I want to congratulate each and every winner! All of you are people to look up to for your talent and ability!

The winner of September 2009's Sew Necessary: Clothing award is:
Kymy from Everything You Mama Made and More for her post Jalie 2568 ~ Brazilian Hipster Panties!

The winner of September 2009's Sew Necessary: Baby/Child award is:
Ashley from Make It and Love It for Re-Purposing: Short Sleeve to Long AND Re-Purposing: Short Sleeve to Long, Part II!

The winner of September 2009's Other Craft award is:
Ashley from Make It and Love It for Treat Jars!

The winner of September 2009's Best Mother Friendly Craft award is:
Sarah from My Spare Time for Super Fast (Easy Burp Rags)!

The winner of September 2009's Budget Friendly Blog of the Month award is:
Ashley from Make It and Love It for Catch-All Laminated Bib!

Wow! So it seems that Ashley from Make It and Love It has swept the board with three of the five awards! Congratulations to you Ashley, and also to Sarah and Kymy! I will be contacting each of you to the best of my ability to notify you of your wins!

I encourage everyone who sees this post to comment with any and all craft and/or sewing blogs that are actively updated and posted to.

Also, let me know if there is some kind of sale (coupon, offer code, discount, or just plan cheap way of getting something) for crafters and/or sewers!

Thank you,
BFBA

$100 Off??

2009-09-28T11:30:00.003-04:00

Is the Workbox too big for what you need or have room for? Or maybe you just need even more amazing-ness for your craft space? Visit The Original Scrapbox, decide what you want to buy, such as this beautiful Minibox:

(Image from The Original Scrapbox.)

Once you decide what to buy, add it to your cart. There will be a little box to enter a promotional code in to.

Enter this code when you place your order to get $100 off your shipping:
100Writes

That is amazing savings!

Have fun!

Win a Workbox!

2009-09-28T11:00:00.007-04:00

This Giveaway has Ended!

Who hasn't heard of the amazing Original Scrapbox? Okay, so maybe you haven't, but now you have. And now you have a chance to win one for FREE!

(Image from The Original Scrapbox)

Visit Make It and Love It and learn how you can get up to 16 entries to win either one of the following:

(Image from The Original Scrapbox.)

OR

(Image from The Original Scrapbox.)

If you happen to win this drawing, you will pick which of the two above items you want (their FREE!). The winner will be put into a drawing with nine other people for a chance to win the Workbox!

You can also visit the following blog/blogs for even more entries! That is a lot of chances to win these amazing items!

Capadia Designs

Grand Opening

2009-09-09T00:15:00.004-04:00

Budget Friendly Blog is here to show sewers and craft makers new ideas and to help them save some money along the way.

From the first day of each month to the day before the last day of the month, I will follow dozens of craft and sewing blogs to find the best of the best. I use a Mozzila Firefox add-on called Brief. Brief allows me to read a blog post the second that it is posted.

Categories for the Budget Friendly Blog Award include, but are not limited to:
Child Friendly Craft (Something made for a child, not a craft for a child to do.)
Mother Friendly Craft
Sew Necessary: Clothing
Sew Necessary: Baby/Child
Sew Necessary: Other
BFB of the Month

To clear things up, I am not looking for blogs as a whole that represent a budget friendly focus, I look at individual posts. I know that many sewing and crafting blogs that I follow are a sewing and personal and/or update blog mixed in one, so this is why.

If you run, or know of, a sewing and/or craft blog, please post the link to it in the comments below. I greatly prefer if it is a Blogger blog, but I also look at Wordpress, personal website, etc. blogs.

Thank you,
BFBA

About The Craft House

2009-09-01T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! I am Jennifer, and I run The Craft House. I am a very crafty-hearted person, but I do not have the talent of being able to design my own hand-made goods, so I take direction from other people and their ideas and tutorials (tutorials are loved, so if your blog offers them on fun crafts and projects, comment on of my main blog posts about your blog!

The Craft House started out as Budget Friendly Blob Awards. The idea was that this site would showcase the hand-made goods of blogging artists. You can even see the oh-so-horrible awards that I created and couldn't give away to save my life. So, that lasted about a month and I grew very tired of it. I decided that change was in order, and so change happened.

Technically, The Craft House is still under construction. The layout has been changed, new advertising and featured buttons have been created, organization has been installed, but there is just so much more to do! I am still operating on the URL for BFBA, so I need to come up with a new one. I also am redesigning my actual posts. Currently, I post just three kinds of posts: Giveaways, Deals, and Posts of the Week. I need more content, do you have any ideas?

So, basically, The Craft House transformed from a bad awards idea to a lets-just-show-everyone-off blog.

It could be worse!

Contact The Craft House

2009-09-01T00:00:00.002-04:00

For now, you can contact The Craft House at the following e-mail address:

Jennifer_Krumm@yahoo.com