Inspiration doesn't have to live in your home town...

We are on a family vacation... and I am loving it!  I enjoy exploring new places, and finding new inspirations... Here are some of the things that have caught my eye...

These wonderful pods are found in the trees outside my parents house...

I can see many possibilities...

I also spied this Fox Tail asparagus fern... the ends look like mini decorated Christmas trees... how cute would they be displayed at Christmas!





Here are some of the stores that caught my eye... found some ski pants for my daughter for $4 and spied a mantel like mine in the antique store...

By far my favorite find... I've been looking for some black boots and found these leather ones at the local Buffalo Exchange... $26

But the most magical place of all... Is the Long Beach Outdoor Antique Market...

I spied this coat and fell in love...


It fit perfect... but sadly I walked away because they wanted $75... I'm just to thrifty to pay that price!

  

Vintage clothing paradise... most things priced between $3-$15...

   

Vintage Christmas...

Lace... and buttons... and trim... oh my!

  

 Here is what I went home with... Thank goodness we took our car this trip...

My highest $$$ item was this 1930's Erector set... including instructions!  I walked away with it for $40... I don't usually spent that much on an item, but this will be my sons Christmas present... so I can justify...

I almost fell over when I found out the price on this 50's built in ironing board cabinet!  When she said $20 I could barely contain myself...I have to admit I did a little happy dance...

Like I said I'm glad we are traveling by car...

Got these fun trays for 25cents a piece... I had to stop myself from buying more...

$9 spent on vintage fabric... I'm thinking of using the car fabric on pj's for my son...

Buttons!  Buttons!  and more Buttons!  I always can use more... can never have to many... these pretty vintage beauties cost me $3 for all...


How cool are these... sliver wire looped into flower shapes...

I just adore them...

And from a couple of vender's I collected these vintage flocked Christmas trees...  total $5... can't wait to put them out at Christmas...

Wow!  What fun finds... I can't wait to get them home!  Are you a treasure seeker/thrifter like me?  Don't let the opportunities pass you by... my favorite thing to do when I'm in a new place is to Google thrift stores from my phone... you never know what you might find!  Also take in your surroundings, I'll be definitely taking some of those pods home with me... I can already envision adding them to my front door wreath.  Also fun, is to press leaves or flowers in what ever book/magazine your vacationing with... It's a fun keepsake... and it's free!  Happy Hunting!
***Jennifer

Ode to the Muppets

So my kids have decided on characters from the Muppet Show... which I loved as a child and thanks to the Internet my kids do too...  since you can not find Muppet costumes in the stores...I of course had to pull it out of my bag of tricks... here's my inspiration, and what I came up with...  Doctor Teeth and Janice from The Electric Mayhem...



First I went to the local thrift shops and found this wonderfully ugly chenille sweater...











Then I cut off the sleeves (leaving the serged seam)... Pinning two strips of ribbon down the center front...







Stitched them in place...

Cutting open the center front... the ribbon acts as a facing (it will not fray past the ribbon edge)...



The vest is complete...

Now to make the hat...

Using this fun feather trim... I pinned it in an S shape to a piece of ribbon to make it look fuller (ribbon is the length of the hat circumference)...

Stitched onto the ribbon...



Pinned and then...

stitched to the inside brim...

 

Add a piece of trim for the beard...



 

With some feather's and more ribbon... the hat is done!

I found most of what I needed my for my daughter at the thrift store...

but Janice needs a hat too...



I pinned loops of yarn (the length I wanted)
to a piece of elastic...



Then stitched in place...



Overlapped the ends... and the hair is done...



Added a flower to the hat and she's complete!

I can't wait to put these on the kids!  We love Halloween... Seeing the different costumes, the candy (of course), and always ending our evening watching It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown... I encourage you to think out of the box for your costumes this year... It doesn't have to be spendy (I spent about $8.25 on my two)... just have fun!

I'll post their complete outfits as soon as I can get them to sit still!

*** Jennifer

***UPDATE***
Here they are in their costumes...

Pause...

In my hectic life, I try to take small moments to reflect and enjoy the things around me...  Fall is my favorite time of year... I want to enjoy every minute of it... to pause and take in the beauty of it with my family...
So this week we made our annual trip to a local farm... we grow a few things it our backyard, but the kids always take delight in seeing the rows and rows of fruits and vegetables.  Every year we pick out pumpkins and gourds to decorate our font steps...adding our carved ones at Halloween...

Taking a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch...

Perfect day to pick pumpkins...

I could not pass up this perfect little pumpkin...



Our treasures perfectly nestled for the hay ride back...



Our front steps adorned for Fall with the pumpkins and corn stalks from our yard... looks good with the wreath I made previously http://creatingbitsofenvy.blogspot.com/2011/10/getting-in-mood-for-fall.html



Here is a tabletop idea... Using various sizes of cake plates ...I nestled the pumpkins in leaves, hawthorn, dried corn, and pods that I collected...

I really enjoyed my trip to the farm this week, and encourage you to see if there is a local  one near you... you might be surprised!  I hope you can take the time to  pause this week... breath in that fresh cool air... and take joy in the gift of Fall...

Sew What! Day 7...

Well today is the last day of kid clothes week, and I determined to push through... finishing my third outfit for the week!  Wow!  I feel so productive this week... Not only did my daughter get some new Fall clothes, but I only used things I already had (some for years!)... so it did not cost me anymore out of pocket.  It pays sometimes to be a hoarder (he he he).  So here is the last outfit, and a review of what I did this week...

The shirt...

Vintage buttons add a nice touch... and I love the rolled cuff with a tab...

These are simple leggings... but I gathered the side...

Here are all three outfits on Violet...

Outfit #1  Dress trimmed with Ric rack and ribbon...



Outfit #2  Ruffled top... skirt with pockets...





Outfit #3  Tunic top... and gathered legging...

Thanks for following me this week, and your support... Kids clothes week was fun!  I will definitely do it again...  Even though this challenge has come to a close... check back in with me soon, because I'm always up to something...

Jennifer