Get Your Shopping List Started!

 We here at Life in Rehab have been watching you.

Oh yes, we have. 

And according to our traffic reports, you guys are starting to shuffle through old projects to make ready for the season.

Since we did a lot of crafts that we felt would be great, cheap gifts, we thought that starting this week, we'd pepper some new stuff with some older offerings so you could have everything glued, wrapped and ready in record time.

We'll include an approximate price tag to make budgeting a cinch.

And to help you discern the old from the new, we present our mascot for this venture:

The Ghost of Non-Denominational, Non-Specific Holiday Gift Giving Past!

We're going to start with the most popular project EVER at 40,000 hits.

I kid you not.

There's a lot of cheap school glue and water mixed in pickled okra jars out there.

I'm including our Homemade Decoupage Medium in this mess not only because you'll need it to do a few of the upcoming goodies, but because...well...wouldn't this make a great little present for a creative friend with the recipe card attached?

Cost: depending on your shopping skills, $0.10 and up.

 It doesn't matter how you use them, silver shells are chic and elegant.

At a boutique, they're also an arm and a leg.

We made up some quick ornaments with this batch, but you can use them as scatters, embellishments, or anything else your imagination cooks up for pennies each.

This concoction with the bowl and a few drops of cinnamon in the sphagnum moss still rang up under $3.

 At about $7, this pair of hurricanes was an easy project that had great, nearly fool proof results.

Not a fan of the nautical hues?

Grab some of these pebbles in gold or red and green and glitz up the finish.

Your buffet or your favorite teacher will thank you.

 Cheap gold plastic chargers got a new lease on life with a couple of coats of chalkboard paint, and since you can custom scribble a message of a name, these get used all year. Let the kids create a border with seasonal motifs and chalkboard pens for a charmer that will take your in-laws' attention away from the burnt sweet potatoes. At about $1.25 each, they could save your life.

Okay, time to scurry off and get busy! We have a lot to do starting this week; so much, that maybe you'll stay home with us on Friday!

No?

Didn't think so.

What's Blooming?

 All that white stuff covering the ground at your house?

We traded it for bright pink.

Happy Sunday.

Going Shopping

With the holidays stampeding our way, I'm shopping the house and finding projects I have supplies for that never got off the ground.

 We need a little rocket fuel.

 And the best way to get inspired is to take stock of what you have

and get busy.

You should see my dining room table right now. It looks like a sea glass factory threw up.

So...headed for the closet, BRB.

If not back, avenge death.

Chrome Sweet Chrome

Who wants to make something dramatic out of  $8 worth of clay pots?

Grab yourself:

My favorite silicone adhesive

Four 4" clay pots

Four 6" clay saucers

Any color of spray paint. I Used Rustoleum Chrome and loved the results.

 Give all of your pieces 3 light coats of paint, letting them dry between coats. Leave the interiors unpainted to save on product. You will need to flip two of the saucers over and get the insides since this will show.

 Once this is dry, start gluing and stacking as shown.

 Ta-daaaaaa!

A Dollar Tree vase makes a nice addition as a hurricane.

 If you have a specific topper in mind, as I did, take it with you to the garden center to determine the size of the saucer.

Let's Get Some Gifts Done!

 It's that time of year.

Time to get moving on handmade, homemade gifts and goodies.

We're all watching our money, but we want to remind the people in our lives how much they mean to us, right?

So let's open the stash, hit the Dollar Tree, and concentrate on compiling an array of heartfelt offerings.

We'll be trotting out some of last year's ideas too to 

pepper in with some new projects, so warm up the glue gun, break out the beads, and identify the chocoholics in your life.

It's time to get ready for the holidays.

What's with the owl?

Oh, he's on the list.

Now, I need to put another coat of paint on tomorrow's project.

What the &;^%$#@ Are You Wearing Wednesday!?!?

 Ahhhhhhhh, yes...Wednesday. Are you ready?

 Well I wasn't just going to stick a couple of Target Dollar Spot flamingos in the yard and call it a day. 

This is Miami, people. It would be passe'.

 So we shackled their pinkness as a Halloween prank.

Fluorescent krill eating birds that go "clank."

 Once the trick-or-treaters had scampered away

We admitted this was too good for a one day display.

 They now grace our patio, a true festive treat,

A fitting embellishment for the holiday heat.

 You may consider our taste less than sublime...

But I dare you to touch fruit on our passion vine.

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Stop Whining and Finish It

Did this project really require three posts to walk you through it?

 Let's be honest:

No.

But that's what ended up happening, so let's just treat this like it's a legitimate. complicated mess and finish it up, shall we?

 Step One: have a need for shallow, sturdy couch side storage.

 Live with it for a few days. Rearrange.

Plot further. Cue the evil scheme theme music.

Paint and paper the insides. 

 Are you happy with the configuration?

Clamp the crates in place and grab your drill, bolts, washers, and nuts.

Using a bit slightly larger than the bolts, drill  2 holes between the crates to make a column and fasten them together.

Now drill a hole in the crate to fasten the columns you just made.

 And people, we have committed a neatness!

I have a great spot to lounge, with remotes, throws, and inspiration at my fingertips.

How's that for a recuperation nest?

The crates are sturdy, make a statement, and they were FREE. We always like that receipt.

Could someone wipe the drink rings OFF the wood during staging?

I suppose I should be grateful there's no laundry, huh?

And of course, they whole affair takes up very little floor
space coming away from the couch, allowing Mom plenty of room to maneuver her wheelchair through to join us for movies and snacks.

She thinks there'd be more room if we got rid of some of the magazines.

I attribute that kind of crazy thinking to her meds.