Hello? Tap, Tap...is this thing on?

Well! Hello There! Long time, no check in! It is so good to be back on here! Shall we just pretend it hasn't been over three years since I last posted? I am a bit more active on Instagram and Facebook these days, but it seems wrong to not also be updating where Dime Store Thrift began. So I will take care of that beginning right now. 

We have snow in our forecast later today and tonight, so I headed out early today to get a few groceries (it is what we do here in the Midwest...Bread! Milk!) and stopped at one of my favorite stores which never disappoints.

The turkey is staying with me. I have a proper turkey display ready for Thanksgiving. The ornaments, lights and Santa boxes will be used for crafting. The gnomes, which are PRISTINE are going to be listed in my Dime Store Thrift Etsy Shop, along with the 80s Christmas Trivet and the Christmas and New Year porcelain trinket dishes. Ok, I may need to keep those dishes. 

I'm so glad to be back in this space!

The 2017 Easter Wreaths:

Christmas Wreath 2016 {Memories of 1975}

Fourth Of July Wreath

Very pleased with time spent in the studio this morning and the Fourth of July wreath that came out of it...even playing around with red, white and blue sequins this time of year was fun!

Busy City Street Scene One and Two {Abstract Oil Painting Fun}

 

 

 

 

 

When I can't find what I want, I have a tendency to just try to make it myself and see what happens.

I do believe strongly in that beautiful statement of Everyone Can Create Something.

And I really, really love oil paints.

In The Studio {Stamping Metal}

There is nothing I enjoy more than the quiet early mornings in the studio on the weekend.
A typical morning involves seeing what I left when I was last in there, finishing that project or setting it aside for another time and always there is tidying up that needs to be done.
Recently, though, I walked in there with a very specific project in mind that would involve some loud banging and a fair amount of space so I could spread out the tools to make this:



I had wanted to make a group of metal stamped charms for Lu that represented the plays she has been involved with the past couple years. Simplistic yet meaningful to her, that she could wear clustered on a necklace:



Really loving the way this turned out!

Valentine's Day Wreath--FINISHED!

Welcome to Dime Store Thrift! If you are finding me from Pinterest and Google, I am so glad to have you here...This was originally posted 4 years ago but has been my most requested page. Enjoy! And let me know if you do get a wreath of your own made.




I am rawther pleased with how this turned out. So pleased that I decided to make another one:





And now I have TWO wreathes hanging by the front door! I think I will keep the first one (Hubby's favorite) and the other will be heading off to Memory Lane today.




To make these, I used a heart shaped grapevine wreath from Michael's and then wrapped it in some tinsel garland bought at Target during their 75% off after Christmas sales:







And of course dipped into my stash of vintage red and silver balls to go with the pink yummies:



And then I fired up that high heat hot glue gun, went into a trance-like state and stayed there until every last ball was glued on...it is never good when you come out of that that trance like state and start thinking about home improvement projects that you might be able to do using a high heat hot glue gun. Just Saying.

I have one more wreath and one more strand of garland and many, many boxes of red vintage balls left...so there will be an all red heart shaped wreath in my future!

What I Have Been Up To {Les Mis Bracelet Assembling}

You know how it goes when you start to make something...you make the hell out of it over and over again. This is my latest project in Les Miserables bracelet making:

I am seriously addicted to making these. Sort of like making the Christmas wreaths...when you have all the supplies out at once, it is so easy to just keep going and going and going. Four of these are going to be heading off to the Lamb Theatre "Baanefit" and hoping to add a few more to the Etsy shop.

Vintage Fisher Price Toys (My Favorite)

 

 



 

Hidden inside this unassuming window seat in our back room is a colorful secret. Want to take a peek? 

 

 

 

This is where I have to admit that the kids haven't played with these for years. They are kept mostly for my own benefit because I LOOOOOOVE vintage Fisher Price toys. They make me happy.

The colors, their little happy faces, the cute little vehicles and buildings and towns and farm animals and chairs and hospital xray machines and a western town and look at that tiny canoe! I sorted through it all and did actually get rid of some because really, I did not need 18 school teachers. (you can currently find those extras at Memory Lane)

I am sure we could find other things to put in the window seat. Photo albums...maybe extra blankets for the winter months...DVDs...

But wouldn't that be sort of boring?

Working On The Green Thumb {Summer 2013}

We have suffered tomato blight the past couple summers. Extensive research (aka googling) shows that the problem lies in our soil in the raised bed we use to plant our veggies. So after much thought (10, maybe 15 minutes) Bud and I decided we would plant cutting flowers in the vegetable garden for a few summers and that Hubby would help us fix up some potted tomatoes on the back patio.

 

 We picked several packages of cutting flowers to plant by seed. Not sure if those are the flowers coming up or I need to do some weeding? Will give it another week and see what we have for consistency in seedlings popping up.

 Looking back toward the house, it will add a nice area of color!

And this is on the side of the yard looking up at the raised bed. Bring on those flowers! And bring on Summer!
What are you planting this year?

Doesn't Everyone Stack Books On Their Sideboard?

I was able to get a lot of pictures taken yesterday (HONESTLY, THAT TAKES FOREVERRRR) but no listings done. Until then, this is what our sideboard looks like. The funny part of it is: Not one member of the family mentioned this. I guess they are used to things stacked high for a few days.

Opening Night Of Les Miserables:

I am honestly so excited to see this on stage. Thank you for being patient with me as I squeal and hop up and down doing an excited little dance.

This is the final pics of the opening night gift for Lu. As I attached all of the charms, I made the decision to go with it being more of a memory token as it did turn out rather heavy! If she wants to use it on her key chain lanyard, that is great, but if not, I completely understand;)

I am extremely pleased with the project. And now I am off to purchase bouquets and bouquets of flowers. Enjoy your weekend!

 

Lu as Eponine

 

 

 

Eponine and Marius

 

 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.lambtheatre.com (I am already down for 3 performances and think there might be more I need to attend!)

Shhhh {Opening Night Gift for Les Miserables}

It took a bit of time to think about what to get Lu as a gift for her role in Les Miserables.

Opening night is Friday night and I am beyond excited and simply beside myself with anticipation!

We always get her flowers and either buy something or make her something that is symbolic of the role she is playing. For The Wizard of Oz we did a Dorothy ornament; The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe gift was a set of the series of books; The Sound Of Music was a bunch of tiny trinkets wrapped up in brown paper packages and tied with string along with a photo album of candids from backstage; Annie was another ornament; The Orphan Train yielded a book regarding the story of The Orphan Train. It is always fun to find a theme and run with it.

This time I decided to make a charm bracelet/key chain holding bits and pieces from the show:


It started with a lyric

I printed it out on cardstock and put it in a little circle

And continued to add lyrics to other charms:
 

As well as a print out of the Les Mis portrait of Cosette

I seriously love these quick put together charms!

There will be more beads added--Black and Red--representing the song

Here we have the ship from the beginning of the story, a musical note, A castle 'on a cloud', the Eiffel Tower and a stagecoach that reminded me of the movie scene

The Paris map charm and the Stage lights

 

 

Francs! How cool are those?!

 

 

I added a clip so she can add it to her key chain if she wants, but this thing is going to be heavy when filled...it will mostly just be used as a memory

 

 

There was much placing and replacing of these charms. And I still have a ton more to put on it!

 

 

Sayings I still want to add and charms I need to find in the next day or two...

 

 

 

 

 

 

So this is where we are at at this point. Still need to print, still need to find a few more charms and then get everything attached securely! Final pics will be coming ASAP...