I ALWAYS follow up...

This is my mantra for the new year. FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW UP.

I know that a lot of bloggers laid out their goals for the new year at the beginning of January. This is great.
I also know that the ambigous "they" say that writing your goals down helps you increase the probability that you will actually REACH your goals. This is also great.

However, I am a huge proponent of making new years resolutions throughout the year. Then, when i think of that goal, I call it a resolution and I add it to the list. This way, I don't feel all of the pressure to NOT be one of those failed attempts at resoluting (1. because there are SO many resolutions & 2. because I didn't make them at the beginning of the year... they aren't really REAL resolutions, right?). Maybe this is an example of how I am really bad at following up?
Well, regardless of how I do this year... I am making one grand attempt right here... right now...

You MAY remeber that I promised to show you finished pictures of the wedding projects I was working on at the beginning of January.

Well folks... Hold onto your britches, because HERE.... THEY.... ARE!!!!!



Follow Up. Follow Up.

And that's all I got. That was my big finale.

Mrs. Thriftary

Organi-JAR-tion... Get it?

Do you? Do you get it? It's like "Organization"... but with Jar... instead of the... OH FORGET IT!

Let's cut to the chase...

I have been on a nut kick for a few months now. By nuts I mean almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds (i know they are a seed, but in my head I count them as a nut)... etc...

The problem, is that our kitchen is small. And our cabinet space is even smaller. So, adding a million small bags of open nuts, rice, beans, you name it... It is just an awful mess.

So, I decided to bring my FAVORITE item in all the land on the scene. The infamous MASON JAR.

DUN dun DUUUUUUUNNNNN

I have to say, that it only took 15 minutes to do, but the end result was OH so satisfying... Check it out!

 I started off with this mess...

 Then I lined them all up (a little because I needed to... and a lottle because I wanted the pic)

 Then you will never guess what happened next... I put all of my misc. items into mason jars!

Isn't it just one of the most satisfying sights you have ever seen? Doesn't it make you wish that everything in your house was small enough to fit into itty bitty mason jars?

(I think I may write a song about this...)

That is all I got for today... but I will say this one more thing (so that WASN'T all I got for today).

If you think that my mason jars are awesome... just wait until where you see where the inspiration came from (I.E. who I copied)

Yup. That is a real life picture right there. Someone in this world lives that dream... and someday...

She will be mine. Oh Yes. She will be mine.

Mrs. Thriftary

Mr. Thriftary - Well Done

Well tonight's topic is not about me... It's all about Burley... My Mr. Thriftray.

You know those times when you can sigh in relief that the one you love... really does know you. And by know you I mean KNOW you... even to the point of something so serious as what EXACT coffee table you would magically create in your wildest DREAMS to put in your living room?

Well... My Mr. Thriftary did just that: Here is proof!

He had a "workshop" going in the crawl space under our house. As I made dinner I could hear him hammering and drilling... Music to my ears.

The barrells are from a coffee warehouse (where he works)... He stained them... but not TOO dark so you can still see the print on the sides.
The top of the table he found on Craigslist... It is the floor boards of an old 1920s Atlanta bungalow (my fav architectural style... and the style of our current home).

Let's dwell on the beauty of this gift for a minute:

• Creative: Really? You think I am the thrifty one? He thought of this all by himself!
• Resourceful: All of the materials were recyled
• Thoughtful: He even did a 2 layer top, so that I can stick my Real Simple magazines under it (instead of leaving them all over the living room.... was he trying to tell me something?)
• A Snapshot: of our season of life... Coffee... Old Atlanta home... I could just eat it up it's so good.
• A Grand Gesture: As my Mom put it... "He REALLY likes you."

Yes. He does.

I applaud my Mr. Thriftary for this incredible act of Thrift.

The End.

Snowhere to Go

Well... Well... Well... Atlanta, GA. Aren't you just the snowiest little city?

So as you know we had a wedding on Saturday. 2 of Burly and I's best friends came over after the festivities and decided to continue the party... henceforth they ended up spending the night in our guest room. We awoke in the morning to find the world was all ice and snow. Long story short, we had a sleepover party for 3 nights straight! No crafts have been completed and I haven't even had a chance to take my new sewing machine out of the box... But I think that will be tonight's big task.

I thought in the meantime you may want to check out some highlights from sleepover party 2k11.
(I left my camera at the wedding... DANGIT... so these are from my handy dandy phone. I apologize in advance for the poor quality).

Night 2: Fluffy Front Yard.

 Day 2: We walked 3 miles to Kroger to buy dinner and adult beverages.

Night 3. One of our hostages burying our beer. It taste better when cooled naturally.

Day 3: Burly and Mace watching the boob tube.

I would have showed you pictures from night 1... but that night we went to Taco Mac where we got so many wings, nachos, and salads, that we were embarassed to be seen in public. No one wants to see a picture of that...

Oh yea... I almost forgot. The wedding... was a success. So beautiful and perfect. They were as happy as could be and the celebration was so stinkin' fun. And the Chuppa wasn't too shabby either!

Here are a few peaks at the final results.

And this one is just so you know how great of a time we had! On the left is one of the hostages for sleepover 2K11.

I will have more pictures of the final wedding flower projects to follow!

Stay safe Atlanta.

Mrs. Thriftary

Here Comes the Bride... AND IM NOT FINISHED!

You may ask me "if the title of your blog indicates that you have work to do, that is not yet completed, why are you blogging?"

Great question... No answer.

2 dear friends of me and burly are getting hitched this weekend. YAY! Burly's in the wedding (Gotta love a man in a tux) and I am singing. We are so honored to be a part of their super special day.

I am ALSO creating ZILLIONS of flowers that look this:

I am making big ones that will go on the ends of each pew... hanging by twine. I am also making various sizes to adorn their GORGEOUS handmade Chuppa (the jewish covering of the marital altar), some to decorate the bride's entry way, and also for a Welcome sign/fram for the ceremony and reception. These flowers are fun, and so easy to make! However, procrastination in this situation has been deadly.

The frame is finished... and was inspired by this DIY project in the ever-inspiring Style Me Pretty blog.

Here is the inspiration:

The flowers for the pew are completed as well... picutres and "How To" are to come...

But the last part (the million more flowers for everythign else) are coming slowly but surely. I have been sewing as burly and I commute (both ways). I have been sewing instead of sleeping. I have been sewing while doing other chores with my feet.. or at least that's what I feel like.

The rehearsal dinner is tonight and I fully intend to be sewing as I practice with the other musician (is that bad)?

I will keep you posted on wether I ruin the wedding day, or if I can hide my procrastination, just in time for their wedded bliss.

until then... here is a sneak peak on how the projects began....

Mrs. Thriftary

Go Green Glassware!

Hey There Thriftarians!

Now that the holidays have come and gone, I am allowed to reveal some of the gifts I have been working on. I was dying to post them, but unfortunately/fortunately, some of the receivers of these Thriftary jewels read this blog... so they had to remain very VERY top secret.

I always enjoy thinkin through what gifts I am going to create each season. They are usually all a little bit different... but with an ongoing theme (that way i can spend less on supplies... HELPFULL HINT).

SO here is the big reveal for what my theme was this year....

Chalkboard Paint.

What a thrill this stuff is. It can take anything in the world... and make it a better anything. Simply because anything is better... if you can draw on it with chalk.

So... I will reveal below one of the FIRST projects I did with the chalk paint.

Go Green Glassware.

I thought it would be fun and inexpensive to chalkpaint some classic Christmas gifts (dipping oil or fancy shmancy olive oils). That way, you can encourage your recipients to actually USE the olive oil, and then re-label once they have refilled the bottle with something else.

Here is the process:

 1. Wash EVERYTHING

 2. Tape off a section and chalkpaint it up!

 3. Line them all up and take a picture once you rip the tape off. It is SO satisfying.

 4. Gather your ingredients: These ingredients were for the "Country Kickin' Olive Oil" (Crushed Red Pepper and Paprika)

 These ingredients were for the "Italian Herb" (Italian Spices and Rosemary Sprig)

These ingredients are obvious... for the "Date Night Olive Oil"... Funny, hu?

My father in law was thoughtful enough to send me a picture of the final product because dummy over here (myself) forgot to take the after photos! (whoops... too much kickin' eggnog).

Here they are!
(They also had little tags but they were already removed for easy pouring)

I hope you enjoy... super cheap... super easy... and super fun to make.

Please stay tuned for the next edition of Go Green Glassware.

Mrs. Thriftay

SEW Excited... (That It's Making Me Cheesey)

OK OK... I know that I really stooped down a level with my title here... but sometimes i get so pumped about things.. and the only way to express my excitement is to use phrases that I wouldn't normally use... THAT is how excited I am.

Today.
I Purchased.
A SEWING MACHINE.

This has been a long time coming folks.

I have sanded to my heart's content.
I have painted with great zest and zeal.
I have hand stitched gobs and oodles.
I have even cut/glued/skipped/jumped/you name it!

I have tried to avoid the intimidation of a new machine that only someone as wise and impressive as my mother could master.

But I gave in... and I couldn't be happier.

I went with this puppy...

and she came with some fun stuff... seen below

My mind is reeling with ideas. I have a million projects that I can't wait to complete.
Now to just learn how to do them....

Oh well. I guess this is how all great marriages start.

1. Attraction
2. Mystery

I will keep you posted... May someday we will reach intimacy.

Mrs. Thriftary