tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44269044143112451862024-03-19T04:27:51.081-04:00Thrifty DecoratingWelcome to Thrifty Decorating! Here is a blog that will link you to other wonderful ideas and show you how I've taken their creativity and used it in my own home. Maybe....just maybe, I will learn how to be individually creative with their help!Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.comBlogger559125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-92085108233933155622017-11-11T17:55:00.001-05:002017-11-11T17:55:32.971-05:00DIY Fall Mantel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY5xsXNHQxXC6bbBg5WJAcylyO05THYqQb52JaaKAzaOtpnRuY6t-3zFLRQanS88OQbgNz4oP-x1GepovpqSe6H9g1zu0ToW5J62vO5rhZ5auwUaP5eH1akC2zcCv2_iOUPyPVmuGpS0e/s1600/blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="960" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSY5xsXNHQxXC6bbBg5WJAcylyO05THYqQb52JaaKAzaOtpnRuY6t-3zFLRQanS88OQbgNz4oP-x1GepovpqSe6H9g1zu0ToW5J62vO5rhZ5auwUaP5eH1akC2zcCv2_iOUPyPVmuGpS0e/s640/blog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes--it has been forever and ever and ever since I have blogged. I have returned to the classroom where I teach 9th grade science and have no extra time, but I still enjoy relaxing with a craft.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I used cotton balls, brown paper and sticks from a dead tree in our yard to create this wreath. Oh...and a LOT of hot glue!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy Fall Decorating!</span></div>
Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com193tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-78635316280001655022012-12-31T16:28:00.000-05:002012-12-31T16:28:07.899-05:00my word for 2013....<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't often jump on the bandwagon of New Year's resolutions.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it's just too easy to set unrealistic goals and expectations and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">never meet them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How many people make New Year's resolutions only to forget where they put the list the following week? Guilty! I know that I have done it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We commit to exercising regularly....dieting....getting out of debt....quitting </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">smoking....organizing our house!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's a reason plastic containers and exercise equipment go on sale the first week of January! Somehow, in the date...January 1, 2013, we see new beginnings....hope....a fresh start.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, how often, come March, the exercise equipment is collecting dust in a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">corner....the plastic bins are empty and missing lids and our credit card </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">statement sits unopened on the desk for fear of seeing the actual bill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last year, I watched a lot of bloggers choose a "word of the year". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't pick one because I just couldn't think of a word that I could fulfill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't want to look back in a year and think.....<i>oh yeah, that's right, I picked </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>a word of the year...oops, forgot about that!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently, I've been reading the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unglued-Making-Choices-Midst-Emotions/dp/0310332796/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356908105&sr=8-1&keywords=unglued" target="_blank">Unglued</a></i> by Lysa TerKeurst and it </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">has really been challenging me....in a good way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I have been reading, I think that I found my word for 2013......</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WgFyKFQJRAbZ-rQltXayqNSn2zpQ9wvbPCWLW35HYro6ZJshsStEHbbnU0jTvBjuiu-_C_ipw6Wkf5q0cRUGFApf6nRRZVX1bfGRY_QaTllMqB2UBJ3gagRerukE07mggg6nkFCHk9oT/s1600/progress2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WgFyKFQJRAbZ-rQltXayqNSn2zpQ9wvbPCWLW35HYro6ZJshsStEHbbnU0jTvBjuiu-_C_ipw6Wkf5q0cRUGFApf6nRRZVX1bfGRY_QaTllMqB2UBJ3gagRerukE07mggg6nkFCHk9oT/s640/progress2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Too many times we expect that by giving our unmet expectations and goals a new name.....<i>resolutions</i>......we somehow think that they'll miraculously be accomplished.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instead, this year, I just want to see progress.....a slower measure of movement forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I may not organize my entire house....that overwhelms me to a point where I just don't know where to begin. Instead, I can organize my pantry....<i>progress</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I may still lose my temper, get annoyed, and yell at my kids, but I am going to do it less......and those </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">times when I make the right choice, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am going to mark that as....</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">progress</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have the tendency to over-commit and then find myself overwhelmed....I'm </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">going to start with one thing to drop from my busy schedule....<i>progress</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you want to join me this year.....a new year that will be marked with progress.</span><br />
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-52591425458821340272012-12-04T20:27:00.000-05:002012-12-04T20:27:36.987-05:00"Gourmet" Muffins from a $0.50 Mix<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBypP2BxP5I7_Es9uWCByJFc54oNtW6z7x9G2ZJ15zVRJ7QP8tYMKYDdJoV3I0dmoshXXuYATHpppL4yPVnjTIOCxcodGb1cr4AjK8VIWykGqPJhU0nl0BRc9KmjZCctWgoFjh832aAHI3/s1600/cranberry+muffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBypP2BxP5I7_Es9uWCByJFc54oNtW6z7x9G2ZJ15zVRJ7QP8tYMKYDdJoV3I0dmoshXXuYATHpppL4yPVnjTIOCxcodGb1cr4AjK8VIWykGqPJhU0nl0BRc9KmjZCctWgoFjh832aAHI3/s640/cranberry+muffins.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a bit embarrassed to confess this, but there are moments when I </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">feel like I just don't have time to even cream butter and sugar together....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pace of this season in my life feels a little frantic, so making an array</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of home-baked good feels like an unreachable goal, but my kids <i>love</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sweets and treats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The other night, I looked in my fridge and saw half of a bag of cranberries</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">left over and I remembered that I had one of those $0.50 blueberry muffin mixes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, on their own, the muffin mixes can be gross, but with a few "extra" ingredients, I realized that I can make "gourmet" muffins!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_XkUp_MJZNtSHAo3Qrjdn7WUJNKD89A3-5iOBFdG0vQDfIr-V8hZClBIq4-M4HfsQSCr3Ox5n8TBd-EMyt76ljDMNvTf6j4Af-flM-LSNv-cDizHcDl0Sdpbj7gsW04PtNDup9gkwGEE/s1600/DSC_6611-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_XkUp_MJZNtSHAo3Qrjdn7WUJNKD89A3-5iOBFdG0vQDfIr-V8hZClBIq4-M4HfsQSCr3Ox5n8TBd-EMyt76ljDMNvTf6j4Af-flM-LSNv-cDizHcDl0Sdpbj7gsW04PtNDup9gkwGEE/s400/DSC_6611-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take 1 package of your dry muffin mix....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Add-ins:</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/3 cup sugar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup milk (this was an original ingredient from the package)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 egg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/3-1/2 cup flour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 bag of cranberries</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sugar for sprinking</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just mixed in all the extras but the cranberries. Add enough flour to</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">make a thick, almost paste-like consistency.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMcC5v_jhaggY_3kwJwvDNx3_Zr5mdBqcFyuBHmZDUSKQnajJY4O4oEwiGhPk5Rx7KartrnFDz0gBseXFLbu61CQubQemV9rbhLJkn94dZMvRfGKvcOVyHjKoRjE7jeXJOHbY_PL0PDpB/s1600/cranberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMcC5v_jhaggY_3kwJwvDNx3_Zr5mdBqcFyuBHmZDUSKQnajJY4O4oEwiGhPk5Rx7KartrnFDz0gBseXFLbu61CQubQemV9rbhLJkn94dZMvRfGKvcOVyHjKoRjE7jeXJOHbY_PL0PDpB/s400/cranberries.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add in the cranberries and spoon into muffin papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I then like to sprinkle about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar over the top of the muffins.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoggLC4GF2W2kKAXcYK7HEUeMq3MMWLAdfT6vDRbDTwpioy5omuU7Fi1WI5fzn4ZhNRrfKcEBnacxdNlbm7_nnQ5xYW2RgCJy5rLFJ8RY7AH1cfNB50cfdUSqad_-p7dC36rJI0OJ9XRN/s1600/muffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoggLC4GF2W2kKAXcYK7HEUeMq3MMWLAdfT6vDRbDTwpioy5omuU7Fi1WI5fzn4ZhNRrfKcEBnacxdNlbm7_nnQ5xYW2RgCJy5rLFJ8RY7AH1cfNB50cfdUSqad_-p7dC36rJI0OJ9XRN/s400/muffins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake at 425 degrees about 15-18 minutes, just until the tops are brown.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKZIS8q1oygFLJ1C3ErAGLL2pEJQYo2d34DXnp9I7Ge9SIo8DVgNLHA65FEulFmx6iX3WJFgzLe1X34-BvWGTwWPYDCLLxqQizP0PJA3DJwIBVt5vdFIgNTVl-BiV3vMU2wwrheV9f9z4/s1600/muffinwithsugar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKZIS8q1oygFLJ1C3ErAGLL2pEJQYo2d34DXnp9I7Ge9SIo8DVgNLHA65FEulFmx6iX3WJFgzLe1X34-BvWGTwWPYDCLLxqQizP0PJA3DJwIBVt5vdFIgNTVl-BiV3vMU2wwrheV9f9z4/s640/muffinwithsugar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You'll end up with "<i>homemade</i>" muffins in no time.......<i>and no creaming involved</i>!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimERyc9xnWcSKmVKNLyTSjYBk8Vr4BI4Da88U2euLiq6EIDADIiQAnK1hExsGlD0sk04rvQSh2Wviq6B4Mh3P67LvAyZKCvp2_RxzmIyZl62_O3t8VHnOrJmCVzUQG1ja-bMBERijX08b8/s1600/muffins2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimERyc9xnWcSKmVKNLyTSjYBk8Vr4BI4Da88U2euLiq6EIDADIiQAnK1hExsGlD0sk04rvQSh2Wviq6B4Mh3P67LvAyZKCvp2_RxzmIyZl62_O3t8VHnOrJmCVzUQG1ja-bMBERijX08b8/s640/muffins2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have any creative "shortcuts"??</span><br />
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-26708932094385895862012-11-30T07:59:00.000-05:002012-12-04T10:48:04.726-05:00Muslin-Wrapped Garland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAxYR7pQLPPXVfj4qoGElDSRB62xErDmHIic7ekGroYwEAuMNj4danpYOwMiA4wHfjc7JI4BIcN8TnPwyFuBeDxGI5CDhoTbphF2jgMBhuh81rWph7gLVQbMnlXdsBbKqwh9wsgG6phaR/s1600/muslin+garland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKAxYR7pQLPPXVfj4qoGElDSRB62xErDmHIic7ekGroYwEAuMNj4danpYOwMiA4wHfjc7JI4BIcN8TnPwyFuBeDxGI5CDhoTbphF2jgMBhuh81rWph7gLVQbMnlXdsBbKqwh9wsgG6phaR/s640/muslin+garland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently saw this muslin garland idea at <a href="http://downtoearthstyle.blogspot.com/2012/11/shabby-twinkle-garland.html" target="_blank">Down to Earth Style</a> and was</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">impressed by the ease and price to make it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1aVTOCT_3Abx17OZjc-oAmVWZ-2na5nJi7KHmCD7Go-_c0XBDlSqF2UkDkuKIfHCBl-hO2rNieC5JDprpiMQMMFHTvH4WloTg2SGZwHimamwFpmix335BTtRCRKA6pfIG7fZ0iiYayRx/s1600/muslincollage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1aVTOCT_3Abx17OZjc-oAmVWZ-2na5nJi7KHmCD7Go-_c0XBDlSqF2UkDkuKIfHCBl-hO2rNieC5JDprpiMQMMFHTvH4WloTg2SGZwHimamwFpmix335BTtRCRKA6pfIG7fZ0iiYayRx/s640/muslincollage1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I tore my muslin into strips that were about 12 inches long, folded them,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and tied them into knots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Total cost: $8.00</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 yards of muslin from Walmart..................</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">$4.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twinkle lights from The Dollar General.........</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">$4.00</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY2U3bNZfgLsYyZ0XSrH2VmOiYsLNX3V822Wou8SIWHxRPSf2Q_YYtsOqxOwxxR0jjAEzfNLsd-d1ytRS-W_1HRKIJREQpwq9Zqv-2Rso8k__FRldsjvTXGaxv__gS-S7vaSJ9s7Pgya1/s1600/mantle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXY2U3bNZfgLsYyZ0XSrH2VmOiYsLNX3V822Wou8SIWHxRPSf2Q_YYtsOqxOwxxR0jjAEzfNLsd-d1ytRS-W_1HRKIJREQpwq9Zqv-2Rso8k__FRldsjvTXGaxv__gS-S7vaSJ9s7Pgya1/s640/mantle3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the complete look, I used Dollar Tree wreaths that I took apart and wired</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">together as a garland. I also had a different type of pine garland that I bought </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">at our local Goodwill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I stuffed in some pine cones that I bought at Michael's and red berries from</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Dollar Tree....the whole mantle was put together for about $15.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtN-nvNy0pSLi4Vb5sb2zqeyye-9yksVlPVAphfMdvlz8BkH0yADZFwXCyqU5uR0G1X1nkybVwYU6FKOglDG5iqk0MX59eCP8bLw8OWn-IrQn1yA_zUuM8qDJNdi6KC2jml5YWtyqOY6h/s1600/muslingarland1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtN-nvNy0pSLi4Vb5sb2zqeyye-9yksVlPVAphfMdvlz8BkH0yADZFwXCyqU5uR0G1X1nkybVwYU6FKOglDG5iqk0MX59eCP8bLw8OWn-IrQn1yA_zUuM8qDJNdi6KC2jml5YWtyqOY6h/s640/muslingarland1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2011/12/dollar-tree-mantle.html" target="_blank">last year's mantle</a>....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxnNjRESpXrP2AFrNdgM26GZxd_rmzN_CDEseVv6muyADkXUvgCNQcClLaZOqXnzpT6OeNzuR12n_ZxVC-7bo0Abbjm5OIj0hTrSMw3ZDgf41dMfEVKj-0xlgeQpOiiV6EZOcQ95hQL_X/s580/DSC_7746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxnNjRESpXrP2AFrNdgM26GZxd_rmzN_CDEseVv6muyADkXUvgCNQcClLaZOqXnzpT6OeNzuR12n_ZxVC-7bo0Abbjm5OIj0hTrSMw3ZDgf41dMfEVKj-0xlgeQpOiiV6EZOcQ95hQL_X/s400/DSC_7746.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yikes!......I'm not quite feeling the love. That's even the same starter pine garland! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a difference layering makes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year I feel way more natural....using greens, pinecones, muslin, and burlap through my house.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj7FdFlKv4XMSrI0fRttOOlAg55CHJ3lj0XXzXT-XTuU5ur4P4l7vsTalOBjNMcW5GJErzY3zy-w2ySqJIKr5hPaZnbSRO2g0uakrsgZwYr4qRxV405c2xMJy0mrc8lEQpLyDNKxCn4M7/s1600/muslinmantle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj7FdFlKv4XMSrI0fRttOOlAg55CHJ3lj0XXzXT-XTuU5ur4P4l7vsTalOBjNMcW5GJErzY3zy-w2ySqJIKr5hPaZnbSRO2g0uakrsgZwYr4qRxV405c2xMJy0mrc8lEQpLyDNKxCn4M7/s640/muslinmantle2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which one do you like??</span></div>
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<a href="http://theletteredcottage.net/christmas-mantel-decorating-ideas-link-party" title="The Lettered Cottage"><img alt="The Lettered Cottage" src="http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj29/LaylaPalmer/Linky%20Buttons/The_Lettered_Cottage.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-80843145571297659522012-11-28T11:48:00.004-05:002012-11-28T11:50:46.094-05:00Amazing Art Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/winter-tree-art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/winter-tree-art.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2010/12/23/winter-trees-art-project/" target="_blank">{Winter Tree Art}</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently stumbled across an amazing art blog that is just too good not to share with you all....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since I am more of a science/math person, art tends to be my homeschooling weakness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't take many (<i>any</i>) art classes beyond elementary school and my drawing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">skills are quite pathetic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So.....art tends to get a slim showing in our homeschool portfolios.....but not this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year, I am being assisted by the blog <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/" target="_blank">Deep Space Sparkle</a></span>. Patty is an art teacher who shares these gorgeous art lessons....for FREE!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She also includes step-by-step instructions with photos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some of her projects...</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gallery-snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gallery-snowman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2011/12/13/snowmen-at-night-art-project/" target="_blank">{Snowmen based on the book <i>Snowmen at Night}</i></a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/61.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2011/01/10/birch-trees-watercolor-lesson/" target="_blank">{Watercolor Birch Trees}</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/Planet-art-lesson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/Planet-art-lesson.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2009/03/26/planets-and-galaxy-project-for-fifth/" target="_blank">{Planet and Galaxy Art}</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We recently did the watercolor birch trees and they turned out gorgeous!! Even my non-artsy son has a project for his portfolio that looks artistic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My daughter and I are off to make the <a href="http://www.deepspacesparkle.com/2010/12/23/winter-trees-art-project/" target="_blank">winter trees today</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are looking for more homeschooling ideas, check out my <a href="http://pinterest.com/thriftydecorate/homeschooling/" target="_blank">Pinterest Board</a>!</span></div>
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-68614093814119097612012-11-22T19:03:00.000-05:002012-11-25T16:46:32.479-05:00Dropcloth Ruffle Pillow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxXeVUmc1aTyIf8m-2cpZP0Kco_lcG-4HNQAnasrkx2I1YStMj6WWXRzUcNZij4q-lLo8suywKIMnWn3L1hAVHPBzNmlF33sBodzOnJynPgvSYJW5LCcPGp7b_JlZOfegNMAr2c49cT0v/s1600/ruffle+pillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxXeVUmc1aTyIf8m-2cpZP0Kco_lcG-4HNQAnasrkx2I1YStMj6WWXRzUcNZij4q-lLo8suywKIMnWn3L1hAVHPBzNmlF33sBodzOnJynPgvSYJW5LCcPGp7b_JlZOfegNMAr2c49cT0v/s640/ruffle+pillow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using <a href="http://www.twiggstudios.com/2012/02/ruffled-drop-cloth-pillow-tutorial.html" target="_blank">THIS</a> as my inspiration, I used dropcloth to make more neutral {inexpensive!} pillows for my living room chairs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember the before.....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oxludkow47Qm180UAOBkrUzRZMBfe6XBQrmQ3no2Y4aMsnQ51CN_sD_8wLX7WN3YSGmy8mybMJMd1yfpp0tyc6wV0uD2BOL-g9zYTBL2wCGXPHRfxlUrMqzlQ4E8YoH9Mc-F7bFfaAAi/s1600/DSC_2898-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oxludkow47Qm180UAOBkrUzRZMBfe6XBQrmQ3no2Y4aMsnQ51CN_sD_8wLX7WN3YSGmy8mybMJMd1yfpp0tyc6wV0uD2BOL-g9zYTBL2wCGXPHRfxlUrMqzlQ4E8YoH9Mc-F7bFfaAAi/s400/DSC_2898-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the after.....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0p0CrMUtlGncXooP1Er4_RLiyDUXqcnbmfJ9X5kSuJo4uLQG4k8GRyQSpu3LQmvoMq8betZzTKds-yjy6Tl5_M0ZA7Ncq39ab_oUMeAhzsiH9DvF7NUAeYM57ZsqONsGLgfMbWPcgkgr/s1600/finished+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0p0CrMUtlGncXooP1Er4_RLiyDUXqcnbmfJ9X5kSuJo4uLQG4k8GRyQSpu3LQmvoMq8betZzTKds-yjy6Tl5_M0ZA7Ncq39ab_oUMeAhzsiH9DvF7NUAeYM57ZsqONsGLgfMbWPcgkgr/s640/finished+chair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instead of buying new furniture, I spent about $35 on a 12 x 9 dropcloth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">from Home Depot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It took 3 packages of drop cloth to recover 2 living room chairs and 6 <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/05/faux-grainsack-dining-room-chairs.html" target="_blank">dining room chairs</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cute basket on the left was from Goodwill....$4!!! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't you just love a great deal!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HERE's the tutorial for the <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/11/faux-grain-sack-pillows.html" target="_blank">Faux Grain Sack pillows</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now to tackle the couch......</span></div>
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<a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div>
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<br />Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-67374001186060343622012-11-21T10:54:00.000-05:002012-11-21T17:54:21.366-05:00Faux Grainsack Pillows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm27M3Tr2Xj41E4tAzK90oW0ejDLGJ_SHjT_qu63fTLLM489WfiIv4aORSceY-j33T-AVTIAWqVuoxPK3euGIyspLHnnbcuhyphenhyphens4sSWno0EqedERqf8ClxOPPZM2ndWnFl_cdW2BKTGy2Bp/s1600/DSC_6417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm27M3Tr2Xj41E4tAzK90oW0ejDLGJ_SHjT_qu63fTLLM489WfiIv4aORSceY-j33T-AVTIAWqVuoxPK3euGIyspLHnnbcuhyphenhyphens4sSWno0EqedERqf8ClxOPPZM2ndWnFl_cdW2BKTGy2Bp/s640/DSC_6417.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love dropcloth! It is just so inexpensive to decorate with!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently, I have been continuing to work on my family room furniture. It's about</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10 years old and the fabric is falling apart!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oxludkow47Qm180UAOBkrUzRZMBfe6XBQrmQ3no2Y4aMsnQ51CN_sD_8wLX7WN3YSGmy8mybMJMd1yfpp0tyc6wV0uD2BOL-g9zYTBL2wCGXPHRfxlUrMqzlQ4E8YoH9Mc-F7bFfaAAi/s1600/DSC_2898-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oxludkow47Qm180UAOBkrUzRZMBfe6XBQrmQ3no2Y4aMsnQ51CN_sD_8wLX7WN3YSGmy8mybMJMd1yfpp0tyc6wV0uD2BOL-g9zYTBL2wCGXPHRfxlUrMqzlQ4E8YoH9Mc-F7bFfaAAi/s400/DSC_2898-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Armed with drop cloth, heavy-duty needles and a <a href="http://missmustardseed.com/2011/02/video-slipcover-series-part-1-custom/" target="_blank">tutorial from Miss Mustard Seed,</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I began recovering my chairs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marian's tutorials are amazing and I successfully neutralized my room, but I was still left with the "coordinating" floral pillows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So using the same technique that I used here with my <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/05/faux-grainsack-dining-room-chairs.html" target="_blank">dining room chairs</a>....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSX61rSCUYkZn_eKBYQ50dOIr23TLmzJw4BlMOnqr-OTDsm5yyG4GQv3hOIiwZL5cmyUK3EVPoBHxvNvk9GeZP6UxD02IwixSCxEgA9Lt-6U3NKzYl5rO24HohNPD0UHg8azY-0BKZ7GAL/s640/DIYgrainsacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSX61rSCUYkZn_eKBYQ50dOIr23TLmzJw4BlMOnqr-OTDsm5yyG4GQv3hOIiwZL5cmyUK3EVPoBHxvNvk9GeZP6UxD02IwixSCxEgA9Lt-6U3NKzYl5rO24HohNPD0UHg8azY-0BKZ7GAL/s400/DIYgrainsacks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">......I made myself some pillows.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKndeH-CwMtMjR_vUNjBYbwlyJehwZU9nV3Lociqm9cIg2vBd6Nv66MNaSAyat2cSHkYsz45f1v6pQ4_Y1S3g-cTM1bc3BNPaZ3Z5KVFs8Xw43PTBt4y32RyCZWHaDqnH7j25aROCn8lR/s1600/grain+sackpillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKndeH-CwMtMjR_vUNjBYbwlyJehwZU9nV3Lociqm9cIg2vBd6Nv66MNaSAyat2cSHkYsz45f1v6pQ4_Y1S3g-cTM1bc3BNPaZ3Z5KVFs8Xw43PTBt4y32RyCZWHaDqnH7j25aROCn8lR/s640/grain+sackpillow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm thinking about making some red-striped pillows to get ready for Christmas!</span></div>
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-60725811428865225262012-10-23T06:45:00.000-04:002012-10-23T06:45:00.136-04:00Inexpensive Fall Wreath Idea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsUrzMfgPx3K60aH8F0tn50zod97O5-v8-Vi8c5dvxSr7geMXJemqTg3NqkTTMthASJZvsFytHGdqubZPaoz3JPUyz7-PX4xeU-ceJbLNnw2_NQvAfkO-98YdtRPC6tLSjm_VpHQtWAr2/s1600/Wreath1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsUrzMfgPx3K60aH8F0tn50zod97O5-v8-Vi8c5dvxSr7geMXJemqTg3NqkTTMthASJZvsFytHGdqubZPaoz3JPUyz7-PX4xeU-ceJbLNnw2_NQvAfkO-98YdtRPC6tLSjm_VpHQtWAr2/s640/Wreath1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you decorated for fall? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 2 years ago, I made a wreath using </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">materials from The Dollar Tree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and I am still using it on my front door!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVMN2vbFNCcY1OQJfWvEEitAZoU0tCIxlXABzt2UdCho0yG0woFR1Lt4UHSOSn6YRzDDnmbOv9VLOrDrwpKkRFoiL74jXpsmFa7nIhRs0E8lDANdQT7FaFqoM2QsXOraLcJ4KEWlicVBI/s1600/DSC_5589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVMN2vbFNCcY1OQJfWvEEitAZoU0tCIxlXABzt2UdCho0yG0woFR1Lt4UHSOSn6YRzDDnmbOv9VLOrDrwpKkRFoiL74jXpsmFa7nIhRs0E8lDANdQT7FaFqoM2QsXOraLcJ4KEWlicVBI/s640/DSC_5589.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole project cost about $3.00!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 piece of foam board: $1.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 packs of leaves: 2@$1.00</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_56T2Y_GtB2JNPXvsA9qliorLFrtiZ_AfLyZi3YLVsGqEwNWG-FL0gsUuchMK1VHo8hUj0DAqbd5diBQtHQq8huTGts8vXLh9pZ4sjXg1XRlyiSRYgfb2YWBj0BQ7j6hH7YrX0lKBG96/s1600/DSC_5585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_56T2Y_GtB2JNPXvsA9qliorLFrtiZ_AfLyZi3YLVsGqEwNWG-FL0gsUuchMK1VHo8hUj0DAqbd5diBQtHQq8huTGts8vXLh9pZ4sjXg1XRlyiSRYgfb2YWBj0BQ7j6hH7YrX0lKBG96/s640/DSC_5585.JPG" width="412" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love the look of a square wreath....it's just unique!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDbMscIBpJrkkx7WNi-BYenbQlud6WezFwpiODhgr_J0TpHrds32I0NeC7pH8MY9i8GS2m_fl55f0Fjj7Y8D3BPs8sMFF0KsH9nOXS_uJ7iHEw9P6YL1Lr4wLb9LuGhkYJev7Fzi6Tioh/s1600/DSC_5588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDbMscIBpJrkkx7WNi-BYenbQlud6WezFwpiODhgr_J0TpHrds32I0NeC7pH8MY9i8GS2m_fl55f0Fjj7Y8D3BPs8sMFF0KsH9nOXS_uJ7iHEw9P6YL1Lr4wLb9LuGhkYJev7Fzi6Tioh/s640/DSC_5588.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What fall decorations did you recycle this year??</span><br />
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-39485037259507249332012-10-18T06:47:00.000-04:002012-10-18T06:47:00.573-04:00Fall Mantle Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglF9hSfGplmFL3joGHzTk7gl5msX2gGdkWBJW6G6AhaxfGlWajiNabMpl2fE1J3JVWxWaZq2zkvkj0cfpEsTGpt5bYOhWBIKzc3i0llnjtv1aM-B84xDOHpA_h1ixvD00LokF7TyVWPUhx/s1600/fall+mantle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglF9hSfGplmFL3joGHzTk7gl5msX2gGdkWBJW6G6AhaxfGlWajiNabMpl2fE1J3JVWxWaZq2zkvkj0cfpEsTGpt5bYOhWBIKzc3i0llnjtv1aM-B84xDOHpA_h1ixvD00LokF7TyVWPUhx/s640/fall+mantle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm staying out of any political discourse, but the reality is......with </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gas prices pushing $4.00 per gallon, life is <i>expensive!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So when it comes to decorating, my options are to {<i>mostly</i>} use what I have.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing that I've had for maybe 2 years now is my <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2011/10/fall-slacker.html" target="_blank">corn husk wreath</a>...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23y7vxmpZtVOfvvz_YYa_widLsm6b46sfDs22Vzj5yULw5A5qYitE-VMewxWBIXAFVLJ3TXr0U7A7SPaqWvKicxmA5FIgEa_V1WUmdkv_NSK5HhEZLeKEB0nHGoyLamjiHHTmpe_bRvVg/s1600/DSC_5569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23y7vxmpZtVOfvvz_YYa_widLsm6b46sfDs22Vzj5yULw5A5qYitE-VMewxWBIXAFVLJ3TXr0U7A7SPaqWvKicxmA5FIgEa_V1WUmdkv_NSK5HhEZLeKEB0nHGoyLamjiHHTmpe_bRvVg/s640/DSC_5569.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used corn husks that I bought at a Mexican food store and cut them into triangular strips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">{Warning....it takes a lot of hot glue and many burned fingers to complete this!}</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next thing that I had was dropcloth, burlap, felt and sticks.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKR3IN2WDbRZDNpxD2MYJLGkgupSa5pC1A_OFS__Wmf4v7JD3TtnfOr72n6QvAX0KJfyGH8-hgTnZkfnsU2gffaQrZpPHYNZso0Nk_2sKrAqGAAMHiQz3HqtkWZ-oIG3QNLj6pXtMfsw2o/s1600/DSC_5573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKR3IN2WDbRZDNpxD2MYJLGkgupSa5pC1A_OFS__Wmf4v7JD3TtnfOr72n6QvAX0KJfyGH8-hgTnZkfnsU2gffaQrZpPHYNZso0Nk_2sKrAqGAAMHiQz3HqtkWZ-oIG3QNLj6pXtMfsw2o/s640/DSC_5573.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are many tutorials on Pinterest that show how to make the stuffed pumpkins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I resorted to my method of using old pillows to stuff them....free, again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My one splurge was the "wheat"...and it's not actually wheat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used a foam form from The Dollar Tree and hot glued a wheat-like grass </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to the form. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I had been patient, I could have gotten it for free in my back</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">yard.....I'm not patient!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">{The printable was free from <a href="http://dearlillieblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Dear Lillie</a>.}</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So for spending practically nothing.....I was able to create a simple fall mantle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">out of what was lying around my home and yard!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gZ_MLrX9Hz4con-t2Uv9aXCI4FE92yScP6-K8CZV4azsGp9YoXiNKcQhQULkST9QtDQFTWjci2lSwl-PDky69ucjRvrDNVQINzdsQkCO14D2KenFkeSgr0_r75RVtqqD9DYrK6G2yy_K/s1600/DSC_5572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7gZ_MLrX9Hz4con-t2Uv9aXCI4FE92yScP6-K8CZV4azsGp9YoXiNKcQhQULkST9QtDQFTWjci2lSwl-PDky69ucjRvrDNVQINzdsQkCO14D2KenFkeSgr0_r75RVtqqD9DYrK6G2yy_K/s640/DSC_5572.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you decorate for fall or Halloween?</span></div>
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-87724210314526781792012-10-17T16:32:00.000-04:002012-10-17T16:32:13.020-04:00Fall Mantle Peek<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know that I have been missing for months.....it has been a much</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">needed break from blogging. I realized that I had some evaluating to do</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">about </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>why</i> I </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">was actually blogging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During this break, I've been doing minimal crafting and maximum homeschooling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We hit Junior High this year and WOW....it takes a whole lot more time and energy on my part!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So my posting here will not be regular....expect it to be sporadic, but</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will be visiting a little more often than every 3 months!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For now.....here's a sneak peek at my fall mantle...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcNDa8E_UqncanSJ-wUNaha1Soo-jecckQCiCniD9SztZsNvNzY0L2boPolSF8gS1_MX4IXSIllREdiDkI9oR8jMWf3L0ScJmHdPvUuDdDpuXbgOXzp3yNJJ1D0CEB4shDzpkHOVkABmR/s1600/DSC_5560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcNDa8E_UqncanSJ-wUNaha1Soo-jecckQCiCniD9SztZsNvNzY0L2boPolSF8gS1_MX4IXSIllREdiDkI9oR8jMWf3L0ScJmHdPvUuDdDpuXbgOXzp3yNJJ1D0CEB4shDzpkHOVkABmR/s640/DSC_5560.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-27845075577361684052012-07-31T16:15:00.000-04:002012-07-31T16:15:02.672-04:00On the Grill Potato Packs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZx5ZjZ2_2a2XblJQhH5OiOz-6pbADUz0mpijJtBIF1vQiWoVgFmyjMfP2t7WIR12TMZHVcfC2lFK2h3lgL-tWxhqCpVBjLDLeRT-Ngl6lfvUZKPI22ZnPm5YsrVFluTnqjDiRPtAUkxgN/s1600/header1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZx5ZjZ2_2a2XblJQhH5OiOz-6pbADUz0mpijJtBIF1vQiWoVgFmyjMfP2t7WIR12TMZHVcfC2lFK2h3lgL-tWxhqCpVBjLDLeRT-Ngl6lfvUZKPI22ZnPm5YsrVFluTnqjDiRPtAUkxgN/s640/header1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been a little AWOL....but I have been loving my break from blogging!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I have mentioned before, my boys have been swimming....and </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">swimming...and swimming!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8jPJU1rrRT1lPrIg3fZhE2sckiFgbBmpB8lhAX4CzFiHCysTo2VS6gKK8sNTj5ETvcN3bY-fTvjcKIh0fciHplDY7Yf7L8J97k7kQsHpKjaMuXPPQGgg25jlm_CqmaAhxH7qLUHz0SSV/s1600/swim+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8jPJU1rrRT1lPrIg3fZhE2sckiFgbBmpB8lhAX4CzFiHCysTo2VS6gKK8sNTj5ETvcN3bY-fTvjcKIh0fciHplDY7Yf7L8J97k7kQsHpKjaMuXPPQGgg25jlm_CqmaAhxH7qLUHz0SSV/s640/swim+collage.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It has, by far, been the most exciting summer of swimming!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They each made it as far as they could in their individual events, placing 9th and 11th!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While I have not felt like blogging, I have been doing a lot of summer cooking</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">on the grill. It has just been TOO hot to turn on the oven!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a quick and easy side dish that you can make on the grill....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCW07M9qfStZOFh9weZWeCgKSJlJsLgyUuC89cHB4H84pdJBCmx46KkNUst4I3Ty_4-bM9W8-_J9bvQQRcHR4oJWrA5U5knYSqUreY5ASLNQTYcI8rYWt-HTQ_8kXcSdQHMY_dynnout6/s1600/onthegrillpotatoes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCW07M9qfStZOFh9weZWeCgKSJlJsLgyUuC89cHB4H84pdJBCmx46KkNUst4I3Ty_4-bM9W8-_J9bvQQRcHR4oJWrA5U5knYSqUreY5ASLNQTYcI8rYWt-HTQ_8kXcSdQHMY_dynnout6/s640/onthegrillpotatoes1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is one of the easiest side dishes to throw together and can be</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">made a variety of ways!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first thing that I do is slice the potatoes and cook them for about 5 minutes </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the microwave. This decreases the cooking time on the grill and insures</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sure that the potatoes are cooked through.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is what I put in my first packet:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGzzErjP188fPLfE_e7VjNQqoh37bTg4xVbXKH5_YJJOAWR7OBjL_8xGW04iQui8xuces15YEEDb5s1qLXmLTdXZLdVE_DAluSpMnh5LtTLD3d6auFSsQeNc08ZT8wo0J2ESs78fkHr_B/s1600/ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGzzErjP188fPLfE_e7VjNQqoh37bTg4xVbXKH5_YJJOAWR7OBjL_8xGW04iQui8xuces15YEEDb5s1qLXmLTdXZLdVE_DAluSpMnh5LtTLD3d6auFSsQeNc08ZT8wo0J2ESs78fkHr_B/s640/ingredients.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've also been know to throw in some mushrooms!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After assembling the packet, you can add pats of butter of the top</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or I drizzled some olive oil over this version.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My kids don't like all the veggies, so I made a simpler version for them, leaving</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">out the "extra" veggies!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPePM5VnikIHkMxElylgPhZ1N2CVc4A5fsZGe5SaMEmCzztvWdS_IN75VZixWzwq4gZbT5bLiYFkeBfyRCm4uOyHWu5h-3nzXhWJ9JXivboC5EhDD6x0zYcd0JSpsF2fDolPvN0VpHK0O/s1600/onthegrillpotatoes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPePM5VnikIHkMxElylgPhZ1N2CVc4A5fsZGe5SaMEmCzztvWdS_IN75VZixWzwq4gZbT5bLiYFkeBfyRCm4uOyHWu5h-3nzXhWJ9JXivboC5EhDD6x0zYcd0JSpsF2fDolPvN0VpHK0O/s640/onthegrillpotatoes2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After you add and season your ingredients, just seal your packet and put it on the grill. Cook it for about 10 minutes until it's steaming and smelling delicious!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYss2rQe8lE2We2s3Wi-eT8GkxgtaEVXrYO-P8nV1I0r49IBBKUOJk5flszHO5_1yh7hbMaDVxWhOAZe14L0HMTkXPxps-YdQCgiWUTiITdDmP4fTk8j3ZwTBn4tstVOb99Rvw9elxObN/s1600/grilledpotatoes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYss2rQe8lE2We2s3Wi-eT8GkxgtaEVXrYO-P8nV1I0r49IBBKUOJk5flszHO5_1yh7hbMaDVxWhOAZe14L0HMTkXPxps-YdQCgiWUTiITdDmP4fTk8j3ZwTBn4tstVOb99Rvw9elxObN/s640/grilledpotatoes1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You could make these on the grill or over a camp fire....it's one of my favorite </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">summer sides!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div><br />
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</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-48169942086781708602012-07-30T13:49:00.001-04:002012-07-30T13:50:00.036-04:00Contest Winners!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cheapcraftymama.com/it-pays-to-be-cheap-contest/"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="300" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/It-pays-to-be-cheap.jpg" title="It pays to be cheap" width="300" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A BIG thank you to everyone who participated in <a href="http://cheapcraftymama.com/it-pays-to-be-cheap-contest/">"It Pays to be Cheap Contest"</a>! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had SO many awesome entries, it was really hard to choose winners. Be sure to check out all of the amazing <a href="http://cheapcraftymama.com/it-pays-to-be-cheap-contest/">projects</a> under $10... you will be inspired!</span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>HERE ARE THE WINNERS:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">$20 Target Gift Card from <a href="http://www.cheapcraftymama.com/">Cheap Crafty Mama</a> goes to:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com/2012/07/5-dresser-makeover.html" target="_blank">Dresser Makeover by Embracing Change</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com/2012/07/5-dresser-makeover.html" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-4715" height="640" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/winner1-224x300.jpg" title="winner1" width="477" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">125x125 sidebar ad for 30 days ($15 value) from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com">Chic on a Shoestring Decorating</a> goes to:</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.creativelylivingblog.com/2012/03/bloom-spring-pillow.html" target="_blank">"Bloom" Spring Pillow from Creatively Living</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.creativelylivingblog.com/2012/03/bloom-spring-pillow.html"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-4719" height="428" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/winner4-300x201.jpg" title="winner4" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Craft stash goodie bag ($25 value) from <a href="http://howtonestforless.com/">How to Nest for Less</a> goes to:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/05/customize-your-shoes-with-mod-podge/" target="_blank">Mod Podge Shoes from Practically Functional</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/05/customize-your-shoes-with-mod-podge/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-4720" height="640" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/winner5-187x300.png" title="winner5" width="398" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">290x140 ad space for 1 month ($20 value) from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/niftythriftythings.com">Nifty Thrifty Things</a> goes to:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://gardentherapy.ca/branch-coat-rack-tutorial/" target="_blank">Branch Coat Rack by Garden Therapy</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://gardentherapy.ca/branch-coat-rack-tutorial/"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-4716" height="640" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/winner2-200x300.jpg" title="winner2" width="426" /></a>]</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vinyl kitchen chalkboard labels and a Chalkboard menu board from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com">Thrifty Decorating</a> goes to:</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cityfarmhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/trash-pickin-transformation.html" target="_blank">Remade Chairs from City Farmhouse</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cityfarmhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/trash-pickin-transformation.html"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-4718" height="640" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/winner3-225x300.jpg" title="winner3" width="480" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brought to you by some of your favorite "<span style="font-size: large;"><i>creative on a budget</i></span>" blogs:</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<center><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cheapcraftymama.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="125" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/button1-150x150.png" title="button1" width="125" /></a><a href="http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="125" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Chicbutton-150x150.jpg" title="Chicbutton" width="125" /></a><a href="http://howtonestforless.com/"><img alt="How to Nest for Less" height="125" src="http://howtonestforless.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/btn-Nest-for-Less-125p.jpg" width="125" /></a><a href="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/" target="_blank" title="{nifty trifty things}"><img alt="{nifty button}" height="130" src="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/button.png" width="130" /></a><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="130" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/thrifty-decorating-017-button1.jpg" title="thrifty-decorating-017-button1" width="130" /></a></span></center><center><br />
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</center>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-77581450863948821902012-07-23T06:35:00.003-04:002012-07-23T13:43:42.336-04:00It PAYS to be Cheap!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you a thrifty crafter? Well this contest is for you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/It-pays-to-be-cheap.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4369" height="300" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/It-pays-to-be-cheap.jpg" title="It pays to be cheap" width="300" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brought to you by some of your favorite "<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">creative on a budget</span>" blogs:</span></div><br />
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<br />
<center><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://cheapcraftymama.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-4370" height="125" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/button1-150x150.png" title="button1" width="125" /></a><a href="http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-4371" height="125" src="http://cheapcraftymama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Chicbutton-150x150.jpg" title="Chicbutton" width="125" /></a><img alt="How to Nest for Less" height="125" src="http://howtonestforless.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/btn-Nest-for-Less-125p.jpg" style="border-style: none;" width="125" /></span></center><center><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/" target="_blank" title="{nifty trifty things}"><img alt="{nifty button}" height="130" src="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/button.png" width="130" /></a></span><a href="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-017-button1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-017-button1.jpg" /></a></center><center><br />
</center><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We want to see your all-time best projects for <span style="font-size: large;"><b>under $10</b></span>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the fabulous prizes:</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(each hostess will choose a winner for the prize they donate)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">$20 Target Gift Card from <a href="http://www.cheapcraftymama.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Cheap Crafty Mama</span></a></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">125x125 sidebar ad for 30 days ($15 value) from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com">Chic on a Shoestring Decorating</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">craft stash goodie bag ($25 value) from <a href="http://howtonestforless.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">How to Nest for Less</span></a></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">290x140 ad space for 1 month ($20 value) from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/niftythriftythings.com"><span style="font-size: large;">Nifty Thrifty Things</span></a></span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vinyl kitchen chalkboard labels and a Chalkboard menu board from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com">Thrifty Decorating</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>RULES</u>:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*For <em>each</em> entry you need to follow 1 of the co-hosts (via FB, RSS, or email)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-<em>that means you can link up to 5 projects!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><br />
</em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*All projects need to cost less than $10 to make.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*Each co-host will choose a winner for their prize</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-we are looking for the coolest and cheapest projects!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*Be sure to check out some of the other entries so </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you can give them some comment love and be inspired!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*The contest closes <b>Friday, July 27th at midnight</b> and winners will be announced <b>Monday, July 30th</b>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*We would love for you to display our button on your post or blog to invite more people to join the contest!</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.cheapcraftymama.com" target="_blank" title="It Pays To Be Cheap"><img alt="It Pays To Be Cheap" class="aligncenter" height="150" src="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/It-pays-to-be-cheap.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></div><div align="center"><textarea cols="25" id="code-source" name="code-source" rows="4"><a href="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/2012/07/it-pays-to-be-cheap-contest.html" title="It Pays To Be Cheap" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.niftythriftythings.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/It-pays-to-be-cheap.jpg" alt="It Pays To Be Cheap" width="200" /></a></textarea><br />
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document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=175343&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');
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</script>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-47730755510444823312012-07-18T19:00:00.000-04:002012-07-18T19:00:01.980-04:00Thrifty Thursday....<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/"><img border="”0”" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-019-button-3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been avoiding this post for a couple of weeks now....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have loved hosting a <span style="font-size: large;">Thrifty Thursday</span> link party for over a year, but I</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">am just not able to keep up with it.....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have loved looking through your links and seeing your creativity....and so do</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">other people. The link party draws some of my highest weekly traffic!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will miss "meeting" you all here on a Wednesday night, but I am </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">excited to free up more time to be with my kids.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THANK YOU</b></span> to everyone who has partied here on Thursdays!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-55738230821833789762012-07-16T22:28:00.000-04:002012-07-16T22:28:16.302-04:00DIY Sidewalk Chalk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4ii9nVrjus4zdGf2CQKeuCU5PQJQJLSYBpgbCJc2957x5d_4DHw9gNixPRhp0Vgl3SCXgZXCGAIzRiHXinM2cubYOr8jYtv7mRdRuIFo3kp8rZjRo2Mc7qkXuvPie7GY7nq-BlIsqlqi/s1600/homemadesidewalkchalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4ii9nVrjus4zdGf2CQKeuCU5PQJQJLSYBpgbCJc2957x5d_4DHw9gNixPRhp0Vgl3SCXgZXCGAIzRiHXinM2cubYOr8jYtv7mRdRuIFo3kp8rZjRo2Mc7qkXuvPie7GY7nq-BlIsqlqi/s640/homemadesidewalkchalk.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a quick and easy idea for "bored" kids....<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">DIY sidewalk chalk</span>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All that you need is cornstarch and water.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT7J2WjlbjKS1B5MghO4HtYXqhoqKaFHnH7uagWoNSVTVEinjt_fuADd37bZHqIvhATJFRmfi0QVO-4GpUWpVD7a7mbeM1JwKTXeak245XOLdFIfcToXyl-50Klpk5iZtFq57Co0mBIqY/s1600/homemade+chalkpaint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT7J2WjlbjKS1B5MghO4HtYXqhoqKaFHnH7uagWoNSVTVEinjt_fuADd37bZHqIvhATJFRmfi0QVO-4GpUWpVD7a7mbeM1JwKTXeak245XOLdFIfcToXyl-50Klpk5iZtFq57Co0mBIqY/s640/homemade+chalkpaint.jpg" width="542" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mixed 2 cups of cornstarch with 2 cups of water until I got a thin enough consistency to paint with.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you don't add enough water, then you'll end up with <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/03/oobleck.html" target="_blank">Oobleck</a></span>.....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tqDCA15Aj35uegSLfK7spqxAmpcYOP-oyyZtZIOQxqMz-NRAqMXBWyPdrtTVX5o8G78B3rkeyHldfRf9oldj84rwiuORRN5BIOMwB4ge1W2Pwc7Yhgv-z3xH6r62XuArWg2xWrqDkoGM/s640/DSC_2390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> After I mixed a big bowl of the cornstarch and water, I divided it evenly</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and added the food coloring.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My colors are not really bright because I was almost out of food coloring.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4ii9nVrjus4zdGf2CQKeuCU5PQJQJLSYBpgbCJc2957x5d_4DHw9gNixPRhp0Vgl3SCXgZXCGAIzRiHXinM2cubYOr8jYtv7mRdRuIFo3kp8rZjRo2Mc7qkXuvPie7GY7nq-BlIsqlqi/s1600/homemadesidewalkchalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4ii9nVrjus4zdGf2CQKeuCU5PQJQJLSYBpgbCJc2957x5d_4DHw9gNixPRhp0Vgl3SCXgZXCGAIzRiHXinM2cubYOr8jYtv7mRdRuIFo3kp8rZjRo2Mc7qkXuvPie7GY7nq-BlIsqlqi/s640/homemadesidewalkchalk.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Then, we just grabbed a bunch of brushes and started to decorate the driveway.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It washes off a lot easier than regular sidewalk chalk!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYiFucFmK0UAc8t3qTaVSS8GsX9VnMNQ7_iYyIetlkGdxSHGQ0yKlNy69LKTrOPZGGYANe7vU3FhaJQfmnOaA9nGhsk-73EeVHwdPdpZWf37lgP2qH25BoQ0KbNfVIqS9OcdfYWxIVwn5/s1600/sidewalkchalk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMYiFucFmK0UAc8t3qTaVSS8GsX9VnMNQ7_iYyIetlkGdxSHGQ0yKlNy69LKTrOPZGGYANe7vU3FhaJQfmnOaA9nGhsk-73EeVHwdPdpZWf37lgP2qH25BoQ0KbNfVIqS9OcdfYWxIVwn5/s640/sidewalkchalk1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What fun activities have you been doing this summer?</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-91666013227602968912012-07-11T23:20:00.000-04:002012-07-11T23:20:24.082-04:00Thrifty Thursday #68<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm late....I'm late!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had a big swimming invitational last night and then our huge meet that</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">we hosted today....translation....a tired and over-committed mama!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All-in-all it was highly successful.....one son brought home 3 medals and</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">one son brought home 3 ribbons.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So...I am SO sorry, but I didn't have time to choose features this week.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">....I'll try to </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">be more organized next week!</span><br />
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<div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Here are some very simple suggestions for the party:</b></u></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Please <span style="font-size: large;">become a follower</span> of Thrifty Decorating.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Be sure to link to your POST and not your blog.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Please copy and paste <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html">my link button</a></span> or a text link </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">somewhere </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your post</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> so that others can link back.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/"><img border="”0”" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-019-button-3.jpg" /></a></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br />
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</script>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-60497542867706290022012-07-06T14:58:00.000-04:002012-07-06T14:58:29.623-04:00Beef Wonton Cups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkaBGQalr0KEm1cSLgys1WIUjJ_AIXTJ8EjFZYihs6QsR0o5aYhAv5dD_mvxfQyA-MjKJlVmH0yfjHaXLGdEM_9m6jx_3It1UbAdjiv3s2OF59RjfK-m8MgM1gANPcrXMtxr0JGFzeIBu/s1600/thriftydecoratingwontoncups5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkaBGQalr0KEm1cSLgys1WIUjJ_AIXTJ8EjFZYihs6QsR0o5aYhAv5dD_mvxfQyA-MjKJlVmH0yfjHaXLGdEM_9m6jx_3It1UbAdjiv3s2OF59RjfK-m8MgM1gANPcrXMtxr0JGFzeIBu/s640/thriftydecoratingwontoncups5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am trying to get myself organized and make some freezer meals for my days</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the fall that I <i>know</i> are going to be busy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For inspiration, I have been using the <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/" target="_blank">A Turtle's Life for Me</a></span> blog post on <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2011/06/freezer-meals-on-cheap.html" target="_blank">freezer cooking</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2011/09/guest-post-football-freezer-cooking.html" target="_blank">football freezer cooking</a></span>......SO helpful!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I saw this recipe on the <a href="http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2011/09/guest-post-football-freezer-cooking.html" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">football freezer cooking</a> post and </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">tweeked it a little for my family.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2DJyqYpwMA0EJotebkiMpKDd1ZrQCzq1KPomION59djgRDOEVDf5J-CpaZieETxJRQ9YhRYrBudV9x80zVWtfGNzZtYXS3YZnrl5nC-xP9Agj2L7w0wRsCqWu7Tye9fjqOoVKoKgEnIA/s1600/thriftydecoratingwontons1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2DJyqYpwMA0EJotebkiMpKDd1ZrQCzq1KPomION59djgRDOEVDf5J-CpaZieETxJRQ9YhRYrBudV9x80zVWtfGNzZtYXS3YZnrl5nC-xP9Agj2L7w0wRsCqWu7Tye9fjqOoVKoKgEnIA/s640/thriftydecoratingwontons1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My hubby, especially, likes to eat healthy, so I filled these with tons of fresh veggies!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used about 1 pound of beef and about 1 cup of each veggie.....you </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">know me, I just don't measure!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Missing from the picture are the won-ton wrappers.....I searched high and low in my grocery</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">store for these and the 16 year old teenie-bopper cashier was no help in </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">locating them!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I finally found my won-ton wrappers in the produce aisle above what were </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">called the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"stir-fry" veggies.....go figure!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrMzQ5m93HqVEFD658lGYxRkjDtn8Yqn5fUQO-Opm-9aNvis50iBOBt4GAxLzHjQ9fbFRGVTAvp31KOA0Q1yR0sbHB6RJBZRbdF9c7z7FTG7LfLqtPP7pekYZ_61S49YXJ6b1kB_c6qKO/s1600/thriftydecoratingwonton2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrMzQ5m93HqVEFD658lGYxRkjDtn8Yqn5fUQO-Opm-9aNvis50iBOBt4GAxLzHjQ9fbFRGVTAvp31KOA0Q1yR0sbHB6RJBZRbdF9c7z7FTG7LfLqtPP7pekYZ_61S49YXJ6b1kB_c6qKO/s640/thriftydecoratingwonton2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You will want to precook the wrapper....note, when Natalie says to keep the wrappers "open" she means that when you put them in the cupcake pan, any indentation will harden making it impossible to actually <i>fill</i> it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yep....I learned that the hard way!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used a mini-cupcake pan sprayed with cooking oil and cooked the </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">empty shells for <span style="font-size: large;">6-8 minutes</span> at <span style="font-size: large;">350 degrees</span>.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVNGUDDWXVcpoT718zVB3pgrUuBR_qjeH6o70_K3rv5oWq797lGOFq8QLrIMwnWroGRS0vN9OTKkA0Xx0_idfZWLS09vVbIzl5rSNGW6vD581IJQxFtvkjUQVQmyDPiOa75OQR42hgoGr/s1600/thriftydecoratingwonton3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVNGUDDWXVcpoT718zVB3pgrUuBR_qjeH6o70_K3rv5oWq797lGOFq8QLrIMwnWroGRS0vN9OTKkA0Xx0_idfZWLS09vVbIzl5rSNGW6vD581IJQxFtvkjUQVQmyDPiOa75OQR42hgoGr/s640/thriftydecoratingwonton3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the wrappers cooked, I fried my lean beef, drained the grease and then </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">added red onions, red peppers, mushrooms, and fresh basil.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9EJV8GU4uzJ-m2dyMvb2gSM-BGeft4fz88wPynKrOgoi0kcKLCNxVb15rDOLouhi-zXBW7K94T1A4zKFNj836lRHAYArHzDv0KFHWWoO31MLE4Sw3oFdlrOsAc-fM0F_b7jYQFf-_CBb/s1600/thriftydecoratingwonton4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9EJV8GU4uzJ-m2dyMvb2gSM-BGeft4fz88wPynKrOgoi0kcKLCNxVb15rDOLouhi-zXBW7K94T1A4zKFNj836lRHAYArHzDv0KFHWWoO31MLE4Sw3oFdlrOsAc-fM0F_b7jYQFf-_CBb/s640/thriftydecoratingwonton4.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once everything was cooked, I added about 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used a tablespoon to fill my wrappers with the beef/veggie mixture. Then, I put them back in the oven for about 7-10 minutes until they browned.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>{My oven temp is off and I've been too lazy to adjust it. If you have a hot oven, keep an eye on them to make sure that they don't get too brown!}</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchAyetDl4vpliyg8KUhIULEQdLrY2ojgrBlOroVeXxf_43Yyr68ol_zuW3JtDnLBU4LKLqEoEKxiVkD4Qy2OPo0gczlhJOeq469VWZWgD1p31iY_eFofmysbQpyurTCQ44iCT4VDXt3Gc/s1600/thriftydecoratingwonton7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchAyetDl4vpliyg8KUhIULEQdLrY2ojgrBlOroVeXxf_43Yyr68ol_zuW3JtDnLBU4LKLqEoEKxiVkD4Qy2OPo0gczlhJOeq469VWZWgD1p31iY_eFofmysbQpyurTCQ44iCT4VDXt3Gc/s640/thriftydecoratingwonton7.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I froze a bunch of them and we've already tried reheating them and they are delicious!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the less adventurous eater's in my household, I made some taco cups, too.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just took plain beef, seasoned it with taco seasoning and mixed in the cheddar cheese.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It makes eating "tacos" fun!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hope that you all are staying cool in these hot temps!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-51618703040438237592012-07-04T19:00:00.000-04:002012-07-04T19:00:00.631-04:00Thrifty Thursday #67<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Happy <span style="color: #073763;">Fourth</span> of <span style="color: #660000;">July</span>!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been absent around the blog because I have been enjoying a lot of this...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2apt0rtUPK7sIIHZsU-9mDJOPN5IrkyJ_7I6X54Io4Z1h2EOvOThBOYqQIFoLjwElZOX_eZLO2iJNGVrHPvl7J8RWU0Ol6QqdDaNfG5W_yfFbgkOEuxabxTqhJXbbtoLeznlivmiAoW9E/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2apt0rtUPK7sIIHZsU-9mDJOPN5IrkyJ_7I6X54Io4Z1h2EOvOThBOYqQIFoLjwElZOX_eZLO2iJNGVrHPvl7J8RWU0Ol6QqdDaNfG5W_yfFbgkOEuxabxTqhJXbbtoLeznlivmiAoW9E/s640/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My boys spend the summer swimming and I spend the summer cheering!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've just been having a lot of family time and it has felt GREAT not to have the</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pressure of "needing to complete projects!" over my head!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I am glad that you all are doing projects and sharing them every week</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">here at <span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">Thrifty Thursday</span>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you believe this shelf used to be a door?? <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://vintagemellie.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-use-for-old-door.html?m=0" target="_blank">Shabby Love</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">transformed an old door into a usable kitchen shelf!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpu7XNfm_vrxG7_2cmNt6lZdqY6T0TElYcHevhC9lC2eDyhKRPTXf_1wx-FS8Uey0A3S5uumuUIF2GQt4l9FD_TZxsMix981Q0UbiMAxI4DAa6Ac52NYZjh0FFI7hyqb16N6x66aS7TkM/s640/DSC_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpu7XNfm_vrxG7_2cmNt6lZdqY6T0TElYcHevhC9lC2eDyhKRPTXf_1wx-FS8Uey0A3S5uumuUIF2GQt4l9FD_TZxsMix981Q0UbiMAxI4DAa6Ac52NYZjh0FFI7hyqb16N6x66aS7TkM/s640/DSC_0082.JPG" width="392" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/2012/06/beach-vibe-wall-shelves.html" target="_blank">Pondered Primed Perfect</a></span> also made some creative shelving using twine and a glue gun!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWfFpOTwB-tkKF8KCq26_iNQlGVIvixaKkZ9EJBbD5gwmVw8Knf3EQ7go3nzOrOFr1nPTt29_CeZTcw2CbScr2ZQHt9gbqaw0w6qfqp0FY0iKpgDGAs5YVB7Yu1Qp4zIzKe1BHODhc_I/s640/DSC00563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWfFpOTwB-tkKF8KCq26_iNQlGVIvixaKkZ9EJBbD5gwmVw8Knf3EQ7go3nzOrOFr1nPTt29_CeZTcw2CbScr2ZQHt9gbqaw0w6qfqp0FY0iKpgDGAs5YVB7Yu1Qp4zIzKe1BHODhc_I/s640/DSC00563.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://designdininganddiapers.com/2012/06/diy-eye-chart-tutorial/" target="_blank">Design, Dining & Diapers </a></span>created this DIY eye chart and has an awesome tutorial!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://cherishedbliss.com/2012/06/a-pink-lemonade-party.html" target="_blank">Cherished Bliss</a></span> shared this beautiful Pink Lemonade birthday</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> party....so fun!</span></div>
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<a href="http://cherishedbliss.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Pink-Lemonade_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://cherishedbliss.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Pink-Lemonade_thumb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://cookinfood.com/2012/06/25/cookin-up-summertime-partyred-white-and-blue-lava-flows/" target="_blank">Cookin' Up Good Times</a></span> made these red, white and blue lava flows using</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">drink mixes but made them non-alcoholic for kids!</span></div>
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<a href="http://bradygirlsfood.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/red-white-and-blue-lava-flows.jpg?w=640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://bradygirlsfood.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/red-white-and-blue-lava-flows.jpg?w=640" width="474" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've seen a lot of mason jar soap dispensers, but this from</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://uglyducklingtransformations.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/and-the-winner-is-mason-jar-soap-dispensers/" target="_blank">Ugly Duckling Transformations</a></span> is especially cute!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally....for a fun summertime idea, how about this watermelon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pedicure from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.fancyfrugallife.blogspot.com/2012/06/diy-watermelon-nails-manipedi.html" target="_blank">Fancy Frugal Life</a></span>?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhQ9K7VfQCOyOYubPD45fx9NfQPdR_3waEKh1bviSwi_SNJGE8Qp_kLVLXPBqbzKZT_9N8MwUMMiREAzifNiY4ExgylHLcV86cLOYF4OSX5lTYrWDWDxpWH5RrUk_ml95c5BVscK2x18/s400/076part2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhQ9K7VfQCOyOYubPD45fx9NfQPdR_3waEKh1bviSwi_SNJGE8Qp_kLVLXPBqbzKZT_9N8MwUMMiREAzifNiY4ExgylHLcV86cLOYF4OSX5lTYrWDWDxpWH5RrUk_ml95c5BVscK2x18/s640/076part2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />If you were featured this week, feel free to grab one of my <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html" target="_blank">buttons</a>!</span></div>
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<a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/"><img border="”0”" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-018-button2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Here are some very simple suggestions for the party:</b></u></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Please <span style="font-size: large;">become a follower</span> of Thrifty Decorating.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Please copy and paste <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html">my link button</a></span> or a text link </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">somewhere </span><br />
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</script>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-11520618350307187962012-06-27T19:00:00.001-04:002012-06-28T12:34:55.100-04:00Thrifty Thursday #66<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Less than 24 hours till hubby is home.....<i>I think I can, I think I can........</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Truly, my kids have been amazing, but there's just something about not having</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">another adult in the house that wears....me....down!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think it's because I have to answer every.....single...question....and they</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ask A LOT of questions! For which, I am usually grateful, but am just a</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">little out of answers!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm excited to get to the features that week because, once again, you all shared</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FABULOUS projects! There continues to be such an amazing pool of talent</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">among you all!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for visiting and linking every week!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reason #2,317 to own a Silhouette....these beautiful latitude/longitude signs from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://theconcretecottage.blogspot.com/2012/06/latitude-longitude-signs-tutorial-and-i.html" target="_blank">The Concrete Cottage</a></span>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxG2LfTPPVrSnSCPMk5-KR58LkPYBFdU83QpQBmTFP-pE7x0ACuGxpW1aOjKPGXrqqzYe8pX2qdItotXO9kfKtpz_os6Asdroov4m25RbHa1vrAt2fCG6HL9faWAPDJEUhZ71JJ6NOKjg/s640/Latitude+Longitude+Sign_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxG2LfTPPVrSnSCPMk5-KR58LkPYBFdU83QpQBmTFP-pE7x0ACuGxpW1aOjKPGXrqqzYe8pX2qdItotXO9kfKtpz_os6Asdroov4m25RbHa1vrAt2fCG6HL9faWAPDJEUhZ71JJ6NOKjg/s640/Latitude+Longitude+Sign_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://arttisbeauty.blogspot.com/2012/06/dogwood-dresser-makeover-with-krink.html" target="_blank">Art is Beauty</a></span> transformed an ugly dresser into this gorgeous piece of art!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfE2ErV9S87fGkoLz1K5P5yrFhgJL6Sji-5CDjIDrJe3taizpAIlEt7D58sm7q__3cc1dvkC-gt-HKa_2s0VoPnzEQRlepvySxRXWZyhXd2O_cHhe9D121mR1WUZk48QTfkA72qrsWLc/s400/IMG_3313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfE2ErV9S87fGkoLz1K5P5yrFhgJL6Sji-5CDjIDrJe3taizpAIlEt7D58sm7q__3cc1dvkC-gt-HKa_2s0VoPnzEQRlepvySxRXWZyhXd2O_cHhe9D121mR1WUZk48QTfkA72qrsWLc/s640/IMG_3313.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love this chalkboard gallery wall designed by <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.toolboxteenah.blogspot.com/2012/05/making-this-house-home-chalkboard.html" target="_blank">Toolbox Teenah</a></span>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazX97X9tK6eWipk2iyU223rsm5KSWLg21dETi-Jbh0ZqxkOOrhWlEhT6YiNeM7zYnEpdsV-vr3_lpqwkYB7zMycOh2ra5hZgWV8D-0661D4rXA4q3CKbzD5DXH7EhBOwAcfCeWX7y4aj2/s640/cover+cgw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazX97X9tK6eWipk2iyU223rsm5KSWLg21dETi-Jbh0ZqxkOOrhWlEhT6YiNeM7zYnEpdsV-vr3_lpqwkYB7zMycOh2ra5hZgWV8D-0661D4rXA4q3CKbzD5DXH7EhBOwAcfCeWX7y4aj2/s640/cover+cgw.jpg" width="382" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.theivycottageblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/simple-blueberry-cheesecake-ice-cream.html" target="_blank">The Ivy Cottage</a></span> shared the recipe for this homemade blueberry </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cheesecake ice cream...yum!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw0CdePbOZ5D4RuxBLfEuQstbPqtvfuI8-2f0Xib0tT8vs9L6qSCP22c6M4zWnkK1nTotPZN3srOn0OGYQFOL70kZh5345W_U-k5rnzIGIMSdWr0Luh7r5Qdb0CeleOABNMT6R3ml6lc/s640/DSCF2501-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw0CdePbOZ5D4RuxBLfEuQstbPqtvfuI8-2f0Xib0tT8vs9L6qSCP22c6M4zWnkK1nTotPZN3srOn0OGYQFOL70kZh5345W_U-k5rnzIGIMSdWr0Luh7r5Qdb0CeleOABNMT6R3ml6lc/s640/DSCF2501-001.JPG" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another fun summer recipe was linked by <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.saving4six.com/2012/06/pink-lemonade-pound-cake.html" target="_blank">Saving 4 Six</a></span>....Pink Lemonade Pound Cake!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyY_x5Q5bnmDhQWbMRR_xgPQ6IgZPvA-w6u7T7mx9suypIlECxi6Znn4_bRlnwAgfBQvXcWXV18-Aq_PjOQgjP9F0yfrSN5Ev_hb4bmzlGFOjJVWUGOzo7Gr6xqONULMr5MST7BAd4Sbo/s320/100_5878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfyY_x5Q5bnmDhQWbMRR_xgPQ6IgZPvA-w6u7T7mx9suypIlECxi6Znn4_bRlnwAgfBQvXcWXV18-Aq_PjOQgjP9F0yfrSN5Ev_hb4bmzlGFOjJVWUGOzo7Gr6xqONULMr5MST7BAd4Sbo/s640/100_5878.JPG" width="634" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I doubt they are healthy, but these taco fries from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thecraftyblogstalker.blogspot.com/2012/06/amazing-taco-fries-recipe.html" target="_blank">The Crafty </a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thecraftyblogstalker.blogspot.com/2012/06/amazing-taco-fries-recipe.html" target="_blank">Blog Stalker</a></span> sure do look good!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVZp2TISoJfxs0A25iMD53wE5dpZtsbBZaBLcekFxlPZdTzN8cebWekBO3YrPQk2PlFjBILIvccak3QPg1vmHvOojwqlyhJ0DEWStNNr4iLJaNXbshIMOhRYnhLjuxSEZuHDjUQu2HVlK/s400/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVZp2TISoJfxs0A25iMD53wE5dpZtsbBZaBLcekFxlPZdTzN8cebWekBO3YrPQk2PlFjBILIvccak3QPg1vmHvOojwqlyhJ0DEWStNNr4iLJaNXbshIMOhRYnhLjuxSEZuHDjUQu2HVlK/s640/IMG_1255.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you were featured this week, feel free to grab one of my <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html" target="_blank">buttons</a>!</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/"><img border="”0”" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-018-button2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Here are some very simple suggestions for the party:</b></u></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Please <span style="font-size: large;">become a follower</span> of Thrifty Decorating.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Be sure to link to your POST and not your blog.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Please copy and paste <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html">my link button</a></span> or a text link </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">somewhere </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your post</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> so that others can link back.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things have been quiet around the blog this week because they have been </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BUSY </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">at home!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My hubby is in Northern Ireland on a mission trip and has been gone for over a week.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's usually about this point that I start feeling a....little....bit....C-RAZY!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before he leaves I always have these big plans to read.....get projects done....relax...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">WHO AM I KIDDING???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He leaves and I accumulate all of his chores and mine!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do I manage to forget that every year???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before I share my "enlightened" idea about kitchen cleaner, I need to brag a bit on my boys because they are what inspired my need to go cheap on cleaner.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My boys are swimmers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You see, my hubby is 6'5" tall....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For a person to get that tall, you must grow a LOT and that is what hubby did, except</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that he would grow in spurts. He'd start the baseball season with</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20'" arms and end the season with 22" arms....that makes for a lot of strikeouts!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So when our kids were young we talked about what types of sports we could put them in......where we saw them being successful. Baseball was out!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We landed on swimming. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a sport made for long...lanky....grow-4-inches-in-a-year people with big feet.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, just to keep it real, this mama has ABSOLUTELY no ability for swimming.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I could tread water if necessary.....maybe even do a lap if being chased by</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">sharks, but putting my head underwater.....doesn't happen!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every year my kids jokingly ask at the start of pool season..."Hey, Mom, gonna get your head wet this year?"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"No, children, you see, my chemically treated hair may just explode if it touches chlorine!" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">{<i>That and I HATE water up my nose!}</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioE3oExOFeNKq707StUSH0GV5GcTvF13cPqOI_vm8h_bdPNKA9HuaW3gus2lIoVwQOuvjyUTEO2JMjZpVsJRN6PJFndsbb1ocrmdyQk_JBzDgO497Gzs_u4JZr1ItyXXbndynlOEMYbJLR/s1600/DSC_3697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioE3oExOFeNKq707StUSH0GV5GcTvF13cPqOI_vm8h_bdPNKA9HuaW3gus2lIoVwQOuvjyUTEO2JMjZpVsJRN6PJFndsbb1ocrmdyQk_JBzDgO497Gzs_u4JZr1ItyXXbndynlOEMYbJLR/s640/DSC_3697.JPG" width="432" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So when my boys look like this....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW7MEV3_aKL_jaxxGhGU39KboSDOA1-VAvnD6_aqsTYEyA5Pp5QdI9OihRWXAhyphenhyphenD-ZPWrbAQ4Vo0bkxE1QAa_kJ4H7gpNhCdh9O89yuxcg0s7EiWks3ssO4D3OWhlmet_PBUmhYW2P3k4/s1600/DSC_3686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW7MEV3_aKL_jaxxGhGU39KboSDOA1-VAvnD6_aqsTYEyA5Pp5QdI9OihRWXAhyphenhyphenD-ZPWrbAQ4Vo0bkxE1QAa_kJ4H7gpNhCdh9O89yuxcg0s7EiWks3ssO4D3OWhlmet_PBUmhYW2P3k4/s640/DSC_3686.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and this...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxdf4iGn3erSs1Cxrmr_vNdpDxFaUSnAjeHki0DKQ7740LJfggwUl8gLS5cANkIQ6NcEhTSSKido1B_y6C8-mx7nEZJDtY4bQgjteZAMdb9yI54BIizx_g5PpOXWUMIiFB-6nLKfVGktZ/s1600/DSC_3710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxdf4iGn3erSs1Cxrmr_vNdpDxFaUSnAjeHki0DKQ7740LJfggwUl8gLS5cANkIQ6NcEhTSSKido1B_y6C8-mx7nEZJDtY4bQgjteZAMdb9yI54BIizx_g5PpOXWUMIiFB-6nLKfVGktZ/s640/DSC_3710.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and bring home some first place ribbons, I gotta get a little excited because I</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">had absolutely nothing to do with it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But....isn't this supposed to be a post about <span style="font-size: large;">KITCHEN CLEANER</span>??</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh yeah.....so the reason I need to cut costs with kitchen cleaner is because my</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">boys are swimming and eating EVERY OUNCE OF FOOD IN SIGHT!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seriously, I am going broke on bananas alone. So the other day I thought,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">why don't I just buy a concentrated bottle of cleaner that I usually use to mop</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">floors and dilute it to make my spray cleaner??</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before I diluted it, I checked the back of the bottle, and wouldn't you know, but</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">they actually <i>had instructions</i> for how to do this!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take your concentrated cleaner...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhfWQS8T82JFK-2PRf-WX22ysc9Q5Djq3qhFftNLezXvnFYvQe4MQVrmMgFyb8WNoIfi05vrgZ-CqaEFAIJ7LXYj4J4spb7pVj8dJML6AhK_8jGi71sMJyYT2fiqRTEctr8JZBldWk-Cq/s1600/lysolbottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhfWQS8T82JFK-2PRf-WX22ysc9Q5Djq3qhFftNLezXvnFYvQe4MQVrmMgFyb8WNoIfi05vrgZ-CqaEFAIJ7LXYj4J4spb7pVj8dJML6AhK_8jGi71sMJyYT2fiqRTEctr8JZBldWk-Cq/s640/lysolbottle.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Measure out 4 ounces....the bottle calls for 1 ounce/15 ounces water, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but I wanted </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to make mine stronger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNya3snJVu3HvQwIIh5OEW9btGwJTzm1zZk_dH7uMPf5PIWtxCZF8OuU76yfipKCypx1jPX2zoSRPEziSKxUrl0THl0ZEANgnhdKSfoURMx7Z-MYGRDbk9wRW57tKQuqqtbm7tfBHHQROA/s1600/DIY+household+cleaner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNya3snJVu3HvQwIIh5OEW9btGwJTzm1zZk_dH7uMPf5PIWtxCZF8OuU76yfipKCypx1jPX2zoSRPEziSKxUrl0THl0ZEANgnhdKSfoURMx7Z-MYGRDbk9wRW57tKQuqqtbm7tfBHHQROA/s640/DIY+household+cleaner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I then used my empty bottle of cleaner and filled it with 28 ounces of warmer water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">{Because 4 oz cleaner + 28 ounces water = a 32 ounce bottle!}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqFwEGBw4sIEBqKMRSdUdpGQ1R-4F-8Hzm2cWW_BG3nSWvwmv7lQ2ahpFJOZZHKIEGYsoZMWRL48KQj3vLXwHqnzaF9HO8KsZ6EpDWRAj5nGdM6NeiB1ElSWvVk663fOo62kE-mziyeYf/s1600/fillwithwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqFwEGBw4sIEBqKMRSdUdpGQ1R-4F-8Hzm2cWW_BG3nSWvwmv7lQ2ahpFJOZZHKIEGYsoZMWRL48KQj3vLXwHqnzaF9HO8KsZ6EpDWRAj5nGdM6NeiB1ElSWvVk663fOo62kE-mziyeYf/s640/fillwithwater.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what do you save by doing this??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Let's do the math</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lysol concentrated cleaner: $2.79/40 ounces</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">{If you use 4 ounces per bottle, it can make <span style="font-size: large;"><b>10</b></span> 32-ounce bottles of cleaner}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Total cost: $0.28/bottle!!!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>AND you're reusing a plastic bottle!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You're Welcome!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-53115449387670803692012-06-22T11:06:00.000-04:002012-06-22T11:06:35.740-04:00Nikon D3100 Giveaway from GroopDealz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 18 months ago I switched from a point and click camera to our </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nikon D3100....I can't even imagine what life was like before!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I LOVE my camera. It is easy to use and takes great pictures...the error is</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">usually on my part! :)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you would like to win one, </span><a href="http://www.groopdealz.com/index/giveaways" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">GroopDealz</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is giving one away!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can enter below through Rafflecopter!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.groopdealz.com/images/nikongiveaway.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.groopdealz.com/images/nikongiveaway.png" width="602" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rc-ffd8353">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></div><script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js">
</script>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-68500365884742071862012-06-20T19:00:00.002-04:002012-06-27T16:29:44.240-04:00Thrifty Thursday #65<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are back from the beach and had such a good time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd love to post some pictures, but it's going to take me forever to go through them all and get them edited!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever find yourself not taking pictures because of the hassle of editing them??? I'm getting really bad about that and am backlogged on about a billion photos!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm excited to share this week's features....you all had some fabulous projects linked up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://homespunhappenings-tammy.blogspot.com/2012/06/boxes-made-from-pallet-wood.html" target="_blank">Homespun Happenings</a></span> made these "old" crates using pallet wood, an</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">old leather belt and a metal labels from a yard sale....and she only spent $1.50!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i403/monahan6/Spring2012/Spring2012138.jpg?t=1338322557" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i403/monahan6/Spring2012/Spring2012138.jpg?t=1338322557" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To truly appreciate the makeover of this chair from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://551eastdesign.blogspot.com/2012/05/chair-week-day-2-retro-burlap.html" target="_blank">551 East Furniture </a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://551eastdesign.blogspot.com/2012/05/chair-week-day-2-retro-burlap.html" target="_blank">Designs</a></span>, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you need to compare the before...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeVB2T2y6l5ppw1Y5j9pXb6ud7TrnA1__MmGos-bGnpYP1tveExjDJGctm58i5GBPn-nxJS9oiA0ZIe2XgjEujyI7qZ8tkTKyjXDZgK1-dIcjsc8tGDWts2OJU48c4wpYqxYUvxPbUZs/s640/chair2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeVB2T2y6l5ppw1Y5j9pXb6ud7TrnA1__MmGos-bGnpYP1tveExjDJGctm58i5GBPn-nxJS9oiA0ZIe2XgjEujyI7qZ8tkTKyjXDZgK1-dIcjsc8tGDWts2OJU48c4wpYqxYUvxPbUZs/s400/chair2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to the after....isn't it gorgeous!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvhp9_BClLxcdA6fRtboj4QQ1pAYk28GLaQmAZc2no8D1UwV_a7QzjwvsKbaLnoSONTOniPjoknYNxyBdos1SZPXDfIC8RQ6asMW1maMGoumsNO6pEUEd4YVX5tIY6J6jBVa7rC1AB20/s640/burlap+chair1Garage+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvhp9_BClLxcdA6fRtboj4QQ1pAYk28GLaQmAZc2no8D1UwV_a7QzjwvsKbaLnoSONTOniPjoknYNxyBdos1SZPXDfIC8RQ6asMW1maMGoumsNO6pEUEd4YVX5tIY6J6jBVa7rC1AB20/s640/burlap+chair1Garage+copy.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://chase-thestar.blogspot.com/2012/06/dinette-set-turned-kids-play-table.html" target="_blank">Chase the Star</a></span> turned an old dinette set into this fun table for the kid's playroom!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZJ2rfNFYrNsq-9zlLiRS08mySJh04X6FyFd_CsiyLQOZhH0mi3c3JOUDyVqCDwJZzi4-IHNLtCpF-zD3SRs42xZgNHuEoIMejZ9xrw2Rm2PFiRvaQt8wr00TAGad40j69glYcEDSholM/s640/dinette+after3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZJ2rfNFYrNsq-9zlLiRS08mySJh04X6FyFd_CsiyLQOZhH0mi3c3JOUDyVqCDwJZzi4-IHNLtCpF-zD3SRs42xZgNHuEoIMejZ9xrw2Rm2PFiRvaQt8wr00TAGad40j69glYcEDSholM/s640/dinette+after3.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.countrymommacooks.com/2012/06/tomato-cage-planter.html#more" target="_blank">Country Mama Cooks</a></span> created this absolutely beautiful planter using </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">tomato </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cage and a hanging basket!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNZNtGWBctBIAV2cAISZ9Id3WFa2rsFRFPKt8yQqz__3CwW2XGH_N4jxNvtVYc_54C9EtiY8SYpSzFd7JprBap_uqx-XAq_mF8nfX_y3SjQBUgNLV3jheFqCQZ7ZP1kRMyL8dDcwWqq0/s640/planter-box-post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNZNtGWBctBIAV2cAISZ9Id3WFa2rsFRFPKt8yQqz__3CwW2XGH_N4jxNvtVYc_54C9EtiY8SYpSzFd7JprBap_uqx-XAq_mF8nfX_y3SjQBUgNLV3jheFqCQZ7ZP1kRMyL8dDcwWqq0/s640/planter-box-post.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These soft pretzels from <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.feedingmytemple.com/2012/06/homemade-soft-pretzels.html" target="_blank">Feeding My Temple</a></span> not only look delicious,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">they also don't look too complicated to make!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuPn6-velJQwe_xqjUCtiVCG5MirFWDuskAftiru5duQCyXe_YaIi4cCcP2vwr_uJPBJh_JRs1Q2C0C0Ws0U6lhn42AfYpimLFKuByvrtl82pCEmm6RlLY5XIJYM3tJzuy-XS75-fZnAk/s640/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuPn6-velJQwe_xqjUCtiVCG5MirFWDuskAftiru5duQCyXe_YaIi4cCcP2vwr_uJPBJh_JRs1Q2C0C0Ws0U6lhn42AfYpimLFKuByvrtl82pCEmm6RlLY5XIJYM3tJzuy-XS75-fZnAk/s640/015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.love-grows-wild.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-store-leftover-paint.html" target="_blank">Love Grows Wild</a></span> shared a excellent way to keep your leftover paint</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">organized....mason jars!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t406/LoveGrowsWild/How%20To%20Store%20Paint/HowToStorePaintEdit23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t406/LoveGrowsWild/How%20To%20Store%20Paint/HowToStorePaintEdit23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you interested in designing new blog buttons? <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://projectsaroundthehouse.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-make-blog-button-using-picmonkey.html" target="_blank">Projects Around</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://projectsaroundthehouse.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-make-blog-button-using-picmonkey.html" target="_blank">the House</a></span> has a very clear tutorial for how to do-it-yourself!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6NV52SvfHM/T8wHdBs7YmI/AAAAAAAABnw/91N80yT9nqQ/How%252520to%252520Make%252520a%252520Blog%252520Button_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6NV52SvfHM/T8wHdBs7YmI/AAAAAAAABnw/91N80yT9nqQ/How%252520to%252520Make%252520a%252520Blog%252520Button_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/mixed-metal-wrap-bracelet-tutorial/" target="_blank">Jewelry Making Journal</a></span> shared a great tutorial for how to make</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">this mixed metal wrap bracelet...it would look great with any outfit!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/mixed-metal-wrap-bracelet-1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/mixed-metal-wrap-bracelet-1c.jpg" width="610" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you were featured this week, feel free to grab one of my <a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html" target="_blank">buttons</a>!</span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/"><img border="”0”" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-018-button2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><b>Here are some very simple suggestions for the party:</b></u></span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></b></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Please <span style="font-size: large;">become a follower</span> of Thrifty Decorating.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Be sure to link to your POST and not your blog.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Please copy and paste <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/p/buttons.html">my link button</a></span> somewhere in </span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">your post </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or blog so that others can link back.</span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/"><img border="”0”" src="http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss229/krystalwinn/thrifty%20decorating/thrifty-decorating-019-button-3.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can also party with Johnnie </span></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">at<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://savedbylovecreations.com/">Saved by Love Creations</a></span>!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://savedbylovecreations.com/"><img alt="ThriftyThursdayModernButton1 Thrifty Thursday Week 65" height="125" src="http://savedbylovecreations.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ThriftyThursdayModernButton1.png" title="Thrifty Thursday Week 65" width="125" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-3070467908884138272012-06-19T12:35:00.001-04:002012-06-22T21:04:25.342-04:00Over at The 36th Avenue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGiBzhKHrzP-FJTGt1-V9eP_0vID6F4zDUG834DGonTB1axTXqK5shZXwMK0ryDQeAmjjDpDasZ12_7GgEco4X3bVY6lJyBZ0hX9rA3C-mfDqfHxVh8YpiUSSKSPbTID5uWjE12xkQpfj/s640/ThriftyDecoratingpotrack1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGiBzhKHrzP-FJTGt1-V9eP_0vID6F4zDUG834DGonTB1axTXqK5shZXwMK0ryDQeAmjjDpDasZ12_7GgEco4X3bVY6lJyBZ0hX9rA3C-mfDqfHxVh8YpiUSSKSPbTID5uWjE12xkQpfj/s640/ThriftyDecoratingpotrack1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am so excited to be sharing my <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/06/turn-old-window-into-pot-rack.html" target="_blank">Old Window Pot Rack</a></span> at</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsS0Kgud6vdHWsrLNJ9kasGZPEDvfl0yMqLoPODJLVdVZ-lTx2pFpQvpIr3YNDkgw1zqsDuKXM9TfBb9gkJ0qeLABwPNHsXVPAuhYTmy5Zr2_4xquX5s1fj8-PaoQO5bqOnh6n4dc6jg/s320/15361354947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsS0Kgud6vdHWsrLNJ9kasGZPEDvfl0yMqLoPODJLVdVZ-lTx2pFpQvpIr3YNDkgw1zqsDuKXM9TfBb9gkJ0qeLABwPNHsXVPAuhYTmy5Zr2_4xquX5s1fj8-PaoQO5bqOnh6n4dc6jg/s320/15361354947.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.the36thavenue.com/2012/06/diy-old-window-pot-rack.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+The36thAvenue+%28The+36th+Avenue.%29" target="_blank">The 36th Avenue</a></span> today!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.the36thavenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Untitled-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://www.the36thavenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Untitled-24.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.the36thavenue.com/" target="_blank">The 36th Avenue</a></span> is one of my absolute favorite blogs!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find amazing recipes, fun crafts, beautiful room makeovers</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and just gorgeous, inspiring pictures!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks so much, Desiree, for allowing me to visit today!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-68968845785113756812012-06-18T04:00:00.002-04:002012-06-18T04:00:07.607-04:00Distressed Chalkpaint Corner Hutch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEnlziG7Y5awBcU6y2fhmyCSnn8gjjx63HoksXyza7ATbFeSmMzXMjqOfCS1OfgbIi9hhJG6jpr5XTahMGPTN8LxddL1vm-wIlFZrtpGLgJXs7qC3AF7tLf3V_LdlOWZG9TQxwyXyv-YW/s1600/thriftydecoratinghutch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEnlziG7Y5awBcU6y2fhmyCSnn8gjjx63HoksXyza7ATbFeSmMzXMjqOfCS1OfgbIi9hhJG6jpr5XTahMGPTN8LxddL1vm-wIlFZrtpGLgJXs7qC3AF7tLf3V_LdlOWZG9TQxwyXyv-YW/s640/thriftydecoratinghutch.jpg" width="560" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I shared earlier with you about my first experience <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/2012/05/dining-room-peek.html" target="_blank">bidding in a silent auction</a></span> and </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">how I had to outbid a sweet little grandpa for this hutch....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fMUwg0GzLR1Nq3gNaJuCba_hMMlwWMwxw1GA-ZrQJ9KJJcQVrdgyOwRvUxRDNS7UpSed4XdGh4qXI8nSWDvsJAuwigmVOMklB2tISKdhbIY68c4RT7Z5Gp-V-akArd-c-uS4oOVCLQ8Q/s1600/DSC_2946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fMUwg0GzLR1Nq3gNaJuCba_hMMlwWMwxw1GA-ZrQJ9KJJcQVrdgyOwRvUxRDNS7UpSed4XdGh4qXI8nSWDvsJAuwigmVOMklB2tISKdhbIY68c4RT7Z5Gp-V-akArd-c-uS4oOVCLQ8Q/s640/DSC_2946.JPG" width="456" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She was a beauty wasn't she! I had some friends scratching their heads as to</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">why I was nervously bidding on this piece, but I had a vision!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here's what I saw in my head....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegSjd1Avmj36TaHU9wDr5xpvVCXadVtFFgFxetb1sBZzuRxF2eU9Z3RwghlC6GTHCsCifGEb8wbr10LhrqsZKdqDpFw4xrYcbcCgH3tJYk2SIq56dhrn7xvTgG1QR_99SvVGxQtoVM1HK/s1600/thriftydecoratingdistressedhutch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegSjd1Avmj36TaHU9wDr5xpvVCXadVtFFgFxetb1sBZzuRxF2eU9Z3RwghlC6GTHCsCifGEb8wbr10LhrqsZKdqDpFw4xrYcbcCgH3tJYk2SIq56dhrn7xvTgG1QR_99SvVGxQtoVM1HK/s640/thriftydecoratingdistressedhutch.jpg" width="412" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My photos don't really capture her in all of her glory, but she<i> <span style="font-size: large;">IS</span></i> a beauty!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made my own chalkpaint and painted and distressed her. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I even added a topcoat of Annie Sloan's wax. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2TVUU0IvUkXHkqkFhyYOFjvsMwrisET3jbTqySglsc4HqzKM3XJqxRMRJY-zBntONYleQiBFfNB1fc43GwmlbqmQDLBb1PbGGiVKOaX9_y_m6gVDFQEYaSYlrUg_mjXJ5ZHOfBdt4eyc/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2TVUU0IvUkXHkqkFhyYOFjvsMwrisET3jbTqySglsc4HqzKM3XJqxRMRJY-zBntONYleQiBFfNB1fc43GwmlbqmQDLBb1PbGGiVKOaX9_y_m6gVDFQEYaSYlrUg_mjXJ5ZHOfBdt4eyc/s640/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The round knobs are just spraypainted with black spraypaint and I bought inexpensive</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">black handles for the drawers at my True Value hardware store.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I took the glass out of the doors and went to my shed for some chicken wire which I just stapled right to the back of the doors....cobwebs and all! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoBYq8ERRTU_yVrlrz17nWcWgZMIR7BU_02OA5xhdDfFldew4xg3goiUSyA11nv0X8g7Rd6gfS06dp1Kk0H8vVHBoEcrK7aGdLwpki9lSEVBZRF0e9YUqmSzNtjWmDmXU5OE-MgNoZlaM/s1600/thriftydecoratingdistressedhutch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoBYq8ERRTU_yVrlrz17nWcWgZMIR7BU_02OA5xhdDfFldew4xg3goiUSyA11nv0X8g7Rd6gfS06dp1Kk0H8vVHBoEcrK7aGdLwpki9lSEVBZRF0e9YUqmSzNtjWmDmXU5OE-MgNoZlaM/s640/thriftydecoratingdistressedhutch2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I mixed up some more homemade chalkpaint and using a sample can of paint, I painted the inside a pretty blue color. I've been using sample cans more often for smaller projects. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realize that there are not hardeners in sample cans, but if the painted area is not going to get heavy wear, the DIY chalkpaint recipe helps it to hold up!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbl8YW_aN2PNn70Bt-4XKXVBnHTHDzb413U1186GOTO8tsh6L7b5snqDw8Pj7gSQQxDWNQDPSmzLWuEeUiujopuJO9DSIeSxAKOqwpQtdAL7SIHJbvsZLiUcHk4xSLg8SSB1jLFRTeWuj/s1600/thriftydecoratinggoodwilldecorating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbl8YW_aN2PNn70Bt-4XKXVBnHTHDzb413U1186GOTO8tsh6L7b5snqDw8Pj7gSQQxDWNQDPSmzLWuEeUiujopuJO9DSIeSxAKOqwpQtdAL7SIHJbvsZLiUcHk4xSLg8SSB1jLFRTeWuj/s640/thriftydecoratinggoodwilldecorating.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've had some major scores recently at Goodwill and have been outfitting the hutch with white dishes. I got the soup tureen for $5.00!!! Woohoo!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think that I skipped out of the Goodwill that day!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426904414311245186.post-70678309696663027682012-06-15T04:24:00.000-04:002012-06-15T04:24:00.063-04:00Homeschooling: Cleaning up an oil spill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzhluCp0iP4AVLY6505GwCwAlI09b7XryKnVuSQXk49NPyaHFxIhNcMB-A1aT3DdGqLUyE91oRXXgxMMF4FMJ2EtbFYB8OqfMUFkEyaHGS3uu-i053h9Ra1qJes7iTtOjuU8pmhnMl6hn/s1600/oilspilllab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzhluCp0iP4AVLY6505GwCwAlI09b7XryKnVuSQXk49NPyaHFxIhNcMB-A1aT3DdGqLUyE91oRXXgxMMF4FMJ2EtbFYB8OqfMUFkEyaHGS3uu-i053h9Ra1qJes7iTtOjuU8pmhnMl6hn/s640/oilspilllab.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you started hearing, <i>"I'm bored!"</i> yet???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought that I would share a fun project that we did this year that</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">can get "bored" kids excited about science!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I taught an elementary chemistry class this past year for our co-op and one of</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">our lessons was on organic compounds. After I had the kids learn how to name simple alkanes, we talked about how oil is a hydrocarbon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then, we <span style="font-size: large;">recreated an oil spill</span>!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyS3phLnSp8N9F-W8zJ6pZLJkHdPWacei4v3Vp-AA1_Py0WEkifF7CK767TfWWJjeY7gcRFhszIRxrJqIV27LwhnQ1bwgvkYOFWfKT_O2fYHpN6SjAq-52wapAANgvlLkJ4-HZaEgNNAG/s1600/recreatinganoilspill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyS3phLnSp8N9F-W8zJ6pZLJkHdPWacei4v3Vp-AA1_Py0WEkifF7CK767TfWWJjeY7gcRFhszIRxrJqIV27LwhnQ1bwgvkYOFWfKT_O2fYHpN6SjAq-52wapAANgvlLkJ4-HZaEgNNAG/s640/recreatinganoilspill.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The students were given an "environment" complete with animals and plants! Our animals consisted of fake fur and feathers. The kids just went outside and found some leaves for plants. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To really recreate the ocean, you can add blue food coloring and salt. We also had the students build an island of rocks in the center of their pan.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My oil was just canola oil, but we decided that it would have been a lot more fun had we used some motor oil!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We required the students to "purchase" all of their clean-up materials setting a</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">maximum spending budget of $20,000,000.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCeijbYGop6YwooNuDkrjWf0rgfEWfnThh3l3305j438elfe2FcxQAf1ZixjuLDQjXcpKbLCQhZ7fXMIdsjtYzAg9usVQVTnVkVLEIDOQzw3-vcKcj9Ya6zmU-sWYolcS_18sbhthtGbq/s1600/oilspilllab1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCeijbYGop6YwooNuDkrjWf0rgfEWfnThh3l3305j438elfe2FcxQAf1ZixjuLDQjXcpKbLCQhZ7fXMIdsjtYzAg9usVQVTnVkVLEIDOQzw3-vcKcj9Ya6zmU-sWYolcS_18sbhthtGbq/s640/oilspilllab1.jpg" width="562" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Off to the side we had a "Wildlife Rescue Center" that contained a bowl with soap and some paper towels. Students had to pay extra to use that station to clean their animals.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have tried to find out where I got this lab originally and cannot find the source. Here is the table that listed the "cost" of their supplies. Be easy on me if the link doesn't work right away. It's my first attempt using Google documents.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1ZCm88AeTm5FZdjrpG4Gcr_Bn6vCpaTiVKQTZeyboELE" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Oil Spill Data Table</span></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If anyone knows a source or direct link, please let me know. I'd much rather use that!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The class was a huge success and I know that many students in the class went home and "instructed" their younger siblings and recreated another spill at home!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The students also learned how tedious it is to remove all of the oil and how limited they are by a budget! Great life lessons!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love when kids get excited about science!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/88/08DF9F07BC0C2161ECB44E5F34DC9895.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>Nicole@Thrifty Decoratinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01923288308030635357noreply@blogger.com3