It's time for a contest!

I got  home and had a scathing brilliant idea - what about a CONTEST! OH YA BABY . . . so here are the rules (and a pic of the tray).

1.  Come up with a creative idea of what you would do with the tray (you must be serious - any misuse of abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported).  For all of you "A" type personalities, the tray measures 10" X 21.5" X 1.5" high and is made out of the same metal material used in metal desks.

2.  Contact me either on this blog or message me on Facebook (with your idea).

3.  Your entry must be received no later than 12:00 a.m. July 31, 2013.

4.  Only the person who comes up with what I think is the best idea will win the tray and be contacted.      
5.  Some (or all) entries will be shared on this blog.

5.  Contest is open to anyone in the Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary, Alberta areas.

6.  Because this is my first contest, you can be related to me but future contests (if any) will be limited to people outside of family.

7.  Have fun and I look forward to all of your awesome ideas.

RETAIL VALUE OF TRAY:  $75.00

Here are a couple of ideas I got/some are mine!

1. Put sand in it and make it into a zen raking garden.
2. Make the presentation of watermelon for your outdoor party look beautiful.

 

3.  Use it as an eye glass display

 

4.  Take two small saw horses (paint them silver), glue them down to the bottom of the tray and use it as a place to drop your keys off at the front door

5.  Place it on the countertop in your bathroom to display hand towels and face cloths

6.  Put it at the end of the bed with a bottle of champagne and two glasses with a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries for the start of a sexy night

7.  Hang it on the wall and attach your favourite pictures to it with magnets

8.  Fill it with water and use as a bird bath in the back yard

9.  Use it as a contemporary cookie display for your next tea party

10.  Use as a cheese plate display for your next cocktail party

AND THE WINNER IS . . . Paulette with No. 4 (the key tray idea)

Stay tuned for another exciting contest soon!

Lavender Linen Spray

OMG I LOVE Lavender Linen Spray . . . and I've been out for a while (mainly because I don't usually keep hard liquor in my house) and you may find that a weird statement given the fact I can consume copious amounts of wine . . . wine being my guilty pleasure . . . not vodka . . . enough said . . .

Here's a really simple recipe that doesn't require a lot of preparation.

3 Cups of Distilled Water (boil your own - it costs nothing if you have a tea kettle)
2 oz of vodka (80+ proof = means the same as 40% alcohol) I used a jigger and just guessed because I have nothing that really measures 2 ounces
1 teaspoon of Lavender Oil (or the equivalent of 100 drops - frankly I'm not patient enough to count to 100 so I measured out a teaspoon)

Put all ingredients in a jar - label it and transfer to a spray bottle - that's it! SHAKE WELL BEFORE EVERY USE !

3 Cups of Distilled Water

1 Tsp (or 100 drops) Lavender Oil

2 Oz Vodka

Only use beautiful measuring spoons LOL (a gift from my daughter)

Tuck away for the next ironing session (p.s. - I LOVE ironing)

TOTAL COST:  $8.49 for the Vodka (the second smallest they had because I couldn't remember how much to put in it and I have enough left over to make it four more times)
TOTAL TIME:  3 MINUTES

A throwback to the past . . .

MANY years ago, and I mean many . . .  my sister and I made the "Three Kings" . . . they were these awesome kneeling and gift offering kings that would have been seen when Christ was born . . . they were made out of various types of fabrics and the faces and hands were purchased at a craft store . . . in any event after they were made you spray painted them with gold spray paint and they were stunning!  I had them in my house for a long time until I moved from Calgary to Edmonton and someone purchased them at a yard sale I had before I boxed up my belongings and headed "home".

I love it when my brother-in-law is out of town and I get to spend quality time with my sister.  She picked me up  yesterday after her work day, we drove out to the airport to get his truck and drove back to her place and drank copious amounts of wine (like we usually do when we are together) and talked about our plan for Sunday . . . she had an idea to make these shadow box/three-D floral pictures out of silk flowers, spray paint them with white craft paint and Bob's yer Uncle!

So we headed out to the Dollar Store for the silk flowers ($11.25), Home Depot for the paint ($6.99) and Michaels Craft Store for the shadow boxes ($59.99) and here are the steps and results.  So while this wasn't an inexpensive project, it could have been if we had of used smaller shadow boxes but the ones chosen were the ones she wanted.

Shopping for supplies in the Dollar Store

Supplies we used: Shadow boxes, spray paint (flat/matt white), silk flowers and straight pins)

We removed all of the flowers, leaves, feathers off of the large stems)

We laid everything down first to make sure we liked what they looked like

Then pinned down all of the flowers etc. (underneath) so you couldn't see the pins

Stood them up to ensure nothing would fall off

Went outside and spray painted everything

Blew them dry with the hair dryer because we couldn't wait

And then put them in the frames - I made the one on the left, Pauly made
the one on the right but they will take the trip to their new home in Radium soon!

TOTAL COST:  $78.00
TOTAL TIME:  45 MINUTES (EXCLUDING SHOPPING TIME)

Outdoor chandelier!

I've had this chandelier on the pergola attached to my garage for a LONG time . . . the glass globes have all broken except three and it's looking a bit like it needs to be changed out but to what? I don't know . . . a trip to Wellington Gardens in Edmonton gave me a fantastic idea . . . teeny tiny clay pots filled with hens and chicks . . . here's stage one!

Remove the old globes . . . (six of nine were broken)

Replace them with teeny tiny pots (3 for a $1 at Dollorama) and then go to my sisters and grab a bunch of hens and chicks out of her garden . . .

and . . . the finished product!

TOTAL COST:  $3.00
TOTAL TIME:  30 MINUTES

Coffee Filter Flowers

I was really excited about making these . . . until I did . . . they were quite easy but I'm unsure whether or not I like them . . .

Supplies - coffee filters, craftr paint, craft wire, floral tape and a bowl with water

Dip coffee filters in the water

add paint to the ends only

Rub paint down into the wet filter

Separate all filters - it doesn't matter if they "look" sloppy but they need to be separated when WET because after they dry you won't get them apart - then fold them in half

and then fold them in quarters

Gather them up in bunches and "twist" together

Once you have "enough" petals wrap with a piece of craft wire to secure

Measure a piece of wire 11" long FOR THE STEM

Fold in half and place as close to the base of the flower as possible

Start wrapping the base of the flower and the "stem" with floral tape

Keep wrapping . . .

Go all the way to the bottom and then back up and cut (or tear) floral tape away

This is a pic of three in one vase and two in the other

This is all five inthe same vase

Perhaps next time I'll use a different colour AND I really need to learn to photograph better ! ! ! ! !

TOTAL COST:  ZERO
TOTAL TIME:  1 HOUR

A day with my sister . . .

I had coffee yesterday with my sister for the first time in forever . . . and she arrived to pick me up with a bouquet of flowers from her garden I just had to share!  I've moved them four times because I just HAVE to look at them all the time because they are so beautiful . . . just like her . . .THANKS SEESTER!

Coffee Table Tradsies!

Over a glass of wine with my neighbour one evening, we started talking furniture in her house (since she's newly single and was left with half of the furniture)  and how she wished I would come over and give her some advice - hey I'll do anything under the influence of a glass of wine so over we went (well I won't do anything . . . it's just a figure of speech)! ! !  She's the one who painted her door after he left! ! ! !

We walk in and immediately I know that the placement of the furniture is wrong and the size of the coffee table is too large for the space - and not that I was in the market for a new coffee table because mine was just fine but I suggested maybe we could trade - she could have my square smaller one (and that would bring in a different colour other than chocolate brown which all of her furniture was) and I would take hers under the understanding I would paint it . . . and the deal was done . . . after she made me sleep on the idea . . . and yesterday we did the switch.

Here's what I did with hers (now mine)!

Coffee table has drawers at either end and glass on top

removed the glass and taped off the top/sides

Three coats of paint later (and a couple of touch-ups because  I didn't let it dry completely before I put the glass back on) and VOILA!

TOTAL COST:  ZERO
TOTAL TIME:  3 hours (paint and dry time in between coats)