Thrift Store Monday

There is a local thrift store I started visiting when my daughter had dance class on Mondays. This specific location has a great sale on Mondays. One of their color tags is half off and another is 99 cents. That's right...99 cents!!

I go through the store, looking at the departments I am interested in with blinders to these two colors only. I pick up dress pants, jeans and purses. I go through the kids jeans and sweaters knowing that at 99 cents, it won't even hurt my feeling when they rip through the knees or stain them.

I have never been the kind of person to obsess over brands. I do not need to spend $100 on a pair of jeans to feel good about myself. I hope to impart the same thing to my kids. They always look clean, coordinated and taken care of. If you like what my kids are wearing just ask me where I got it. It might surprise you to know how little I paid for it.

Now I have a purse I picked up for 99 cents that is a blank canvas which has my fingers itching.

One of my all time FAVORITE movies is My Neighbor Totoro. I am thinking of drawing Totoro on this bag...it is white so I see a literal canvas when I look at it. I may find myself adding some more images from my favorite Ghibli films. Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro are movies that make my heart sing. Each of these I have watched multiple times and my kids love as well. So if you have never seen one, please do.

These is the purse I picked up. I have some fabric markers I need to brake in!! Can't wait to show you the final results.

My blank canvas

Has a few stains, but they won't be in the way.

My Personal 2016 Challenge

I am making myself accountable for a challenge this year. I am going to do a post a week this year. If I have time or tons of inspiration, well then, it may be more.

I am going to stick with what I know and then try to branch out to things that interest me.

I will be face painting more this year...sharing some inspiration, some personal ideas, and even some failures.

I am still obsessed with 18 inch doll stuff. (More than my 7 year old.) Keep an eye out for those random things I can find that work for dolls or those things I can make.

I started working in a preschool program this fall. I love making things with my 4-5 year olds. I am always on the look our for crafts ideas for them. I then have my 4 year old and 7 year old try them out. If my kids like something, I will have to share.

Let 2016 begin!! I can't wait to see what all it has in store!!!

Happy New Year

Snowflakes 2

Once I got started with the Peanut's snowflakes, I couldn't stop. I was trying very hard to come up with a Linus, but couldn't make it work. So for now I will share Sally and Lucy.

These where so much fun, I may have to see how I can finish the whole gang!!

Snowflakes

Right after graduating high school, I attended a junior college. I was fortunate enough to get a job in the testing center, proctoring exams for the online classes. The set up of the room was such that it had two doors. The space between the doors became my own personal canvas.

In the spring I would cut out flowers and butterflies to put up. The butterflies where such a hit that they would get taken by people walking by. I can't even explain how odd I found it that someone would steal a paper decoration off our wall.

In the winter time, I would make snowflakes. These where my favorite. While one butterfly would take me a long time, snowflakes could be cranked out quickly. I made so many that they ended up decorating more than just my little section of wall. I think this was where my love of decorating for parties comes from.

This year I began a job as a preschool teacher. I have really enjoyed having a classroom to decorate, but since we didn't have a chance to really put a personal touch on our room before class started...it has been a slow process.

The theme for the school this year is Snoopy (or Peanuts). I printed off a Snoopy and Woodstock to enlarge and make for our wall. Now I use them to "decorate." For Halloween I dressed them up. Now for Christmas, I have made them costumes to change things up.

What does this have to do with snowflakes you ask? Well, I was cutting some snowflakes for our classroom when I got an idea: Can I make Peanuts snowflakes? You tell me...

 Thanks for stopping by!! Sorry I haven't had posts lately, I have been really busy.

Feeling Rusty

This summer I have not really pulled out my face paints. I was sure that I would be face painting as a side job, but quickly found out how difficult it is to get people to appreciate what you do. Most people do not want to pay for a face painter. They will always think it is too expensive.

I am now just face painting recreationally (expensive hobby) and for friends/family.

Today is the last day of summer vacation so of course, the paints came out. My kids had some friends over and they where watching a movie about a three headed shark. Yeah, not any better than it sounds, but a ton of fun for the kids.

Naturally, they wanted me to paint sharks. I found a picture of a great white shark on Pintrest and went to work. I found myself a little rusty. I struggled more to find the consistency I wanted in my paints. Also, I had a harder time getting my brush strokes the way I like.

All this tells me that I need to keep up with my practice. This will mean more face painting all year long.

Anyways, here are my sharks if anyone is interested...also a little seahorse and my first ever dolphin!!

Leave a comment if  you like my post.

New Doll Finds

Just a quick post today. I hope to have my sewing machine up this week and get some of my "to do" done soon.

I went to a teacher store today. I start in the fall as a teacher at my son's mother's day out program. I have never been in a teacher store and recommend that you go without your kids. (I will be in there again.)

I did find a few things for my daughter's dolls there.

How cute is the little globe? It is actually a pencil sharpener. The little treats are erasers. At just 99 cents, I will be picking up more erasers. They are too cute! The dolls are ready for a tea party now!!

Doll Finds...at Target

I have been avoiding Target lately. I find when I go in, I come out at least $100 less in the bank account and not a lot to show for it.

Yesterday I had to go to Target for a birthday present. Of course, I stopped at the bins by the front door. WOW. Right now they are stocked with lots of items for school teachers and lots of fun minion stuff.

Here are a couple of things I found that are perfect for my daughter's dolls:

little notebook

These are tiny.

A little dog with carrier on clearance.

Look at that cute face!!

Here she is with her new pet.

Ready for school!!

 

 

Little Backpack...PERFECT size.

$3 for this little cutie.

I LOVE finding fun, inexpensive doll things!!!!