Framed Frosting Secret Blogger Swap

I just recently participated in something I thought was the cutest idea ever. It was a secret blog swap over at Framed Frosting. 

Everyone who signed up was given a person's name of who they would be sending their package too. They were also provided with that blogger's URL and five of their favorite things to get to know them better. Each blogger was also assigned someone who would be sending a package to them, but this part was meant to be a secret. Today is the big reveal to see what everyone got!

I was assigned Jen Street over at Queen Bee's Hive and here is what I sent her

CLICK HERE FOR A TUTORIAL ON MY MONOGRAMED CANVAS ART

My secret blogger was

Melanie East over at Bear Rabbit Bear Craft

and here is what she sent me 

 A cute little makeup purse with some Bare Escentuals face and eyelid primer, a sweat band and a really cute fabric necklace.

I can't wait to try the primers and I have been needing a little makeup bag like this and almost bought one the other day! 

Here is a better look at the necklace.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MELANIE!!!!

Mod Podge Antique Vanity

Voting has closed! There were so many good projects and I seriously hope I made it into the top 10!

This week for my One Artsy Mama Craft Contest the topic was mod podge. I had plans for every other topic of the contest except this one. Since I sent in my mod podge dressers (Click Here to see them) to make the top 20 to be able to compete I was not sure what I would do for this project. I didn't know if I wanted to do another dresser or even what dresser I would use or if I wanted to do something else. I knew my sister-in-law had the cutest little antique vanity in her garage she was wanting to redo. However she is about 38 weeks pregnant and didn't know when she would get around to the dresser so I asked her if I could redo it for her. After talking with her about it I had my project decision! Here she is.

It has been a while since I had seen the vanity and I thought I wanted to replace the hardware but when I saw it again I LOVED the existing hardware and decided to keep them the way they were.

 To start the project I headed to the scrapbook paper store with a little something in mind. I wanted to use a paper that had some really pretty cursive writing on it. I found a really pretty blue script paper that was perfect! So I came home and gave the vanity a fresh coat of paint. I used an off white paint.

Here is the mirror.

After my paint was on it was time to mod podge. I took the existing hardware off of the drawer fronts. These handles were not a normal bolt and screw handle. After looking at them I was a little worried I would not be able to take them off but I went and got a rubber mallet and gave them a few hard taps and they came out fine.

Then I started to mod podge my paper on. When you are mod podging scrapbook paper on to anything you want to put a thin layer of mod podge on and then immediately  start rubbing the air bubbles that form under your paper. I have a vinyl applicator that I like to use but if you don't have this a credit card will work fine.

 For a more in depth tutorial on how to mod podge paper onto dresser drawer fronts (Click Here) 

After my paper was on I took a medium girt sanding block and started to rough up the edges of the vanity to give it some age.

I love the look of aged furniture. Here is a picture before aging 

 

Here is a picture after using my sanding block to age the wood. It adds so much character!

Here is my dresser after all my paper is on.

Now for the mirror there was an imprint of where an old wood embellishment had been. It didn't look good just painted so I ran to Lowes and bought one of their wood embellishments to put on. 

 The wood embellishment comes as unfinished wood so I gave it a coat of paint, added some wood glue to the back, secured it in place with a C clamp and let it sit for a few hours. 

After it was dry I added a little bit of glaze to the detailing. 

 Then I used my sanding block on the mirror and then screwed my mirror back on. Don't forget that after aging your wood you need to seal it with a polyurathane! After you give your project a coat of polyurathane it may feel sticky. If it does take a fine girt sanding block or sand paper and sand it down. This will take the sticky feeling out of your project.

 Here is my before again.

  After

 

I LOVE how it turned out! I am actually really sad that I have to give it back now! The decor of top of the dresser is from garage sales! The white statue was given to me by my mom who found it at a garage sale for a few bucks. The little vintage perfume bottle I found at a garage sale for $1 and the old teal rusted pot was also $1 at a garage sale.

May 26th 2012

This week I headed out garage saleing by myself! It's a very rare occasion that I go by myself I usually have my kids and C.J. or when C.J. has something scheduled I go by myself with the two kids...(always turns out to be a bit of a disaster) Most of the things I bought this week were for the wedding. 

Here is what I bought this week.

Since flowers are ridiculously expensive we have been looking for flowers that will match the brides colors at garage sales. Normally this would be a serious long shot but we are doing a bit of a garden themed reception. So the many different types of flowers will work! I bought two flower arrangments for $1 dollar that were taken apart the second I got home. The flower arrangments weren't my favorite but the flowers were nice and a good quality so I will make my own arrangment with them for the reception. Another place I have been looking for flowers is D.I.! Since the budget for this reception is small finding flowers at garage sales and D.I. will help us be able to spend money in other places. 

Here are some of the flowers I took out of arrangements

  

The others I used to make a bouquet for my brother's engagements. We borrowed an old bike that had a basket on the front of it so I wanted a bouquet of flowers in the basket. The hydrangeas are not from a garage sale but everything else is.

I also bought this for .50 cents. I know by now some of you are wondering how I am going to pull this wedding off but don't worry! My sister-in-law and I have it all planned out! It is going to look amazing!

I also bought this outdoor bush for $2 dollars that will be used at the wedding. My mom actually took the tree home before I got a picture so I had to get her to take one for me.

 

And there is the charger to my camera hanging on the tree. I love the way my mom lets me know that I left it in her car and will need her to mail it back to me. Ha!

One of my girls favorite things to do around here is head to the splash pads. The ground gets really hot here in St. George so they have to keep shoes on their feet while they play. I bought these flip flops for .50 cents a piece for Jaysa so she can wear they in the water and while she runs around.

I also bought these for $1 for Paisley so she could do the same. I paid more for these than I wanted to but we really needed them these since we go so often. She has already worn them and one of them has already gotten lost in the hustle and bustle. Better find it before our next trip to the splash pad!

I bought C.J. this armband that holds a phone for $1dollar! I bought him one a few years back at a garage sale and he has worn it out. So glad to find another so we don't have to pay store prices.

I also bought this cream ruffled shirt for $1 dollar. I already have a Fashion on a Dime picked out for it!

I also bought this paper/fabric cutter. The sticker says $5 but I got them to go down the $3. I am interested to see how well it works. It's a little older but it's never been opened.

I bought this dresser for $20! It's beautiful and I can't wait to paint it!

I bought these night stands for $6 dollars a piece! Now I have all the pieces I need to redo a queen bedroom set! 

I bought this little teal rusted pot for $1 dollar! I LOVE it! I think I will use it in the wedding first and then use it in my home decor.

I also ran across a garage sale that had a bunch of boxes of rubber gloves and unopened packages of tooth picks. I bought two boxes of rubber gloves. One in a small size for me and one in a large size for C.J. I never thought I would need rubber gloves in my house but just the other day as I was using wood stain I thought to myself. It would sure be nice if I had rubber gloves so I didn't have to get my hands all dirty. I am still scrapping stain out from my nail beds! Now my problem is solved! The tooth picks were .25 cents for a box of 1,000. Heck ya I am going to buy some!

I bought these cute little cowgirl boots for .50 cents!!!!!!

 My mom bought this mirror for me for $3 dollars!

She also bought this mirror for me! This mirror is about 5 ft long! They wanted $80 for it but my mom got them to go down to $50! I want it to go in my girls bathroom but it may be a little to long. If it is I will sell the mirror I have in my guest bedroom and replace it with this one. I LOVE it!!!!!!!

OTHER AWESOME DEALS

These little night stands were so cute! There were 3 pieces. They didn't have the third I am guessing it was another small night stand or maybe a bed...not sure. They were already sold and had been bought for $50 dollars.

Here is some home schooling material. They wanted $1 per book or $40 for all of it. If you homeschool  your children this would have been a great find!

I absolutely LOVE this barrel! I love all the pictures on Pinterest that use old barrels in weddings.

 I really wanted to buy this one but the lady wanted $50 dollars for it. I tried to talk her down to $25 but she wouldn't budge. So sad! I got her phone number. Maybe I will give her a call and see if it sold. If your not sure about an item or it's too expensive get the seller's number that way you don't have to try to remember where the seller lives if you decide later that you want the item!

This coffee table was $20 dollars!

The matching nightstand was $10 dollars!

There nothing like having organization in the play room to help it stay cleaner! They wanted $10 for this. A little high but the seller was bargining on everything.

The seller only wanted $5 dollars for this cute little girls bench! It's missing one handle but thats an easy fix! So cute!

This double stroller was only $50. It was imaculately clean too! It looked like kids had never even sat in it!

Here is a Little Mermaid tea set that was only $2 dollars.

This area rug was only $5! It need a scrub but worth a try! Rugs are so expensive! If it were not white I would have bought it. White does not stay white for long around my house! 

Here is a little football toy chest for a little guy. The seller only wanted $3 dollars for it!

You will never believe how much the seller wanted for this desk.... ONLY 10 DOLLARS!!!!

This rustic coffee table was $25 dollars.

This cute little doll house was only $3 dollars!!!!!!! There were no accessories that came with it but you could sure start collecting some at garage sales for cheap!