After Easter Finds

I've always been a big believer in shopping 'out of season.'  As in, shopping for winter clothes in summer, summer clothes in winter, and buying holiday decorations after the holiday.  You can find some awesome deals that others pass up simply because they aren't in the mindset to buy because the holiday has passed.  Case in point: these 2 super cute Easter pictures!  I found these at TJ Maxx this weekend, sitting all lonely on the bottom shelf, just begging to be purchased.  They had originally been $19.99 (TJ Maxx price- I'm sure much more anywhere else), but I snagged them for $7.50 each!  I love them and I just know they will be super cute to decorate with....next year.  I don't have any problem buying them now, storing them, and then enjoying them later.  Plus, it will be a little surprise when I unpack them next spring!

 So cute!!!!

So, moral of the story: Don't be afraid to buy things out of season!  You will seriously not regret it the following year, plus you'll get to brag about how cheap your finds were! :)

Sunday Funday Craft

I'm sure everyone has seen all the cute canvas crafts there are on Pinterest.  There seem to be thousands of ways to use canvas.  It's been probably well over a year (....or two) ago I tried to make a craft with a canvas where you place stickers on the canvas, paint over it, then peel the stickers off and the words are left on the canvas.  Please tell me you know what I'm talking about...if not, look it up.  It usually turns out really cute, well I had a Pinterest Fail with mine. 

Exhibit A:

 

 You can hardly see the letters but the stickers wouldn't peel off.  I think it was my own fault for using cheap stickers.  

But anyways, it didn't work and I thew the canvas in the closet and forgot about it. More on that in a minute.

Fast forward to this past July.  My friend Becca's birthday was coming up and I wanted to make a cute craft for her since she appreciates that kind of thing.  I once again saw some really cute canvas ideas on Pinterest.  These showed covering a canvas with fabric and attaching a letter.  So, off to Hobby Lobby I went.  I purchased a larger canvas than I had used before, some cute gray fabric that matches her couch, and here's what Becca didn't know, I re-used the letter 'C' (her last name initial).  My mom was going to do a project with it and had painted it red, but she ended up not using it, so I took it, and had my husband spray paint a few coats of yellow over it to cover up the red.  I didn't take pictures of the whole project, but I did for my next one.  But here is how her present turned out.  Super cute if you ask me, and her. :) 

 My husband's handy work was the back.  He used a razor blade to cut off the excess fabric.  I love it when the back side looks just as good as the front.  These little details matter, especially since it was a present.

And now, fast forward with me to this afternoon.  And then rewind with me to a year (...or two) ago when I had the epic fail with the other canvas.  I decided to try to cover up my past mistake and make myself a 'canvas-covered-with-fabric craft.'  I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and found some cute material to cover the canvas with. Side note: have you seen how many cute fabrics are out there now?  I could have spent hours just in the fabric section. 

I already had the other items I needed: wooden letters, hot glue gun, staple gun, razor blade (box-cutter kind of something), scissors, and spray paint.

First, I spread the material over the canvas and got it into a position I liked.  The material I picked out had little birds and I wanted to make sure a bird was in a good spot and wasn't covered up, because they were just so darn cute! You can also play around with the position of your letters.  I'll explain the phrase I used later.  :)

 Then carefully, I cut out the rectangle I needed.  Don't worry too much about getting straight lines.  Next, iron your piece of fabric, because we aren't heathens and we want it to be wrinkle free on the canvas. 

Oh, actually, before all that, spray paint your letters because that part takes the longest.  I picked just plain white, but it really pops against all the colors of the fabric.  Side note: Rustoleum spray paint is the best...ever...really. 

So, once you have your material cut out and ironed (mama didn't raise no fool), it's time to staple it to the canvas.  Try to use as much care as you can, and pull the material so it is as tight as you can get it.  The end product will look a lot better.  Also, make sure you fold the material so the corners look good.  Use a razor blade or scissors to cut off the excess material.

 After stapling the back and trimming the rest of the material.  Sorry that it's sideways, I make no claims to be a photographer. 

Spray paint another coat on your letters.  These little letters had a tendency to get blown around by the spray paint so be careful that you don't loose them.  Then, wait as patiently as you can for the spray paint to dry.  I have very little patience so I picked mine up while they were still a little sticky, oh well.  Attach the letters with hot glue and you are done! 

 My finished project all ready to be hung up in my bedroom. 

The phrase 'You make me, me' is actually a song title and lyric.  'Our song' actually.  It's by a band called MxPx (my husband introduced me to them while we were dating, hadn't heard of them before that or since, but they have some good songs).  Anyways, the song was played at our wedding, and my husband actually had the phrase engraved in his wedding ring.  It's a cute song about how you make me who I am.  Aw, gushy stuff I know. :)  Anyways, it made for a cute project.  

Oh, and while I was at Hobby Lobby yesterday I checked out their clearance section, and found some cute photo albums for only $3.59!  A great find if you ask me. :)

 Well, that was my Sunday Funday Craft. It was super easy, fast, and cheap- use what you already have and coupons!  Now, to relax before another week gets started. :)

Thrift Store Back to School Sale

A local thrift store, The Samaritan Shop (one of my favs) has been advertising their 'Back to School Sale' with proceeds going towards school supplies and other needs for local students. Since I'm an educator and understand what it is like for a student to come to school on the first day with nothing, I decided I better go check it out. Also, of course, I was in it for the great deals. The store advertised lower prices on clothing and then mentioned 'new' merchandise.
Now, the area of Arkansas I live in is often known as 'Wal-Mart Country.' The Wal-Mart home offices are located here. So, we have a ton of venders in our area and these venders often sell their items at 'sample sales' they have at their own facilities. But lots of times they donate their items. Well, the 'new' items the thrift store advertised were beauty/bath items that were donated by local venders (I am assuming).
So, to state it simply, aside from some great clothing finds, I got a boat load of NEW bath items for nearly nothing.

Here is my loot. Let me explain my great finds and deals.

So, to start off on the left-
Remington brand flat iron for $10- retail $37.99. I saved $27.99.
Remington hot rollers- I paid $12- retail $20.99. I saved $8.99.
There were a lot of shampoos/conditioners/conditioning treatments/hair gels/etc. I got two different sets of shampoo/conditioners from the brand L'Oreal (which I never buy because it is a little too much to pay). At the thrift store they were only $2.00 x 4= $8.00. Retail- $23.88 (at least). I saved $15.88.
I also bought 3 bottles of deep conditioning treatments (one overnight, one for colored hair, and one for deep conditioning). I paid $7.00. Retail- $23.22. I saved $16.22.
L'Oreal mousse (one of those things I always want to buy but never seem to) I paid $1.00- retail $3.47- I saved $2.47.
Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Flat Iron Spray- I paid $3.00- Retail $8 (at least). I saved $5.
L'Oreal Collagen Micro-Pulse Total Eye Correction System (anti-wrinkle/dark circle/anti-bag/puffiness cream)- $2.50- Retail $18. I saved $15.50.
I also got Zest soap (20 pack) for $5.00. Toothbrush (2 packs) for 50 cents. Toothpaste (2 pack) $2.00. Loofahs $1.00 each. 625 count Q-Tips for $1.00.

I know it's a lot to take it...it might seem like a waste but it is all non-perishable items that can be stored. I know I don't need 2 bottles of shampoo and 2 bottles of conditioner right now, but I will need them and it will save me from needing to buy them in the next few months.
If you ever stumble upon items like this for such a great deal, grab them up! Especially bathroom items. These seem to be the things that you all-of-a-sudden run out of and can't really go without. Food deals are often perishable or about to expire and need to be used quickly, so tread lightly and smartly with items like that.
I'm excited to try out my new items (like the deep conditioners and under-eye cream). If you live in the Northwest Arkansas area, I highly recommend you stopping by this sale.
As always, happy hunting :)