This is Bat Country

So anyone at all who knows me knows that I absolutely love Halloween.

I am like the creepy Halloween lady in my neighborhood...I could run a haunted house in my own home during this time of year.

Anyways, I found this picture on Pinterest awhile back and have been craving for October to come along so that I can recreate this at my own house.

My inspiration.

Corkboard Facelift

I decided to give an old corkboard I had laying around a little makeover.

I had all the items I needed laying around but if you have to go out and buy this project will probably cost you $30-$40 depending on the board and stencil you buy.

This started as a simple corkboard you can buy at Walmart or Target (or just about anywhere).

I think this one was a RoseArt. See....pretty plain jane.

Now, you will need to pick a design. Just go buy a stencil for whatever design you want.

Fun Take on a Picture Frame

I actually did these frames as a birthday present for a friend. You could get creative on what you use for the frame...a block of wood, old cabinet door, etc. I actually have a lot of old wood samples from a furniture company from my work that I used.

What you'll need:
Whatever you are going to use for the main part of the frame
(Cabinet door, block of wood, be creative)
Picture
Accessories to add on
(Metal pieces, appliques, etc.)
Glue

So on these wood samples, one had a lot of texture and the other a lot of wax which makes it kind of hard to glue anything on. I had to use a paint stripper to remove the finish from the raised panel in the center.

(If you are going to do this step have a clean surface that nothing can possibly be ruined if it drips our spills.)

Wear thick rubber gloves, if the stripper gets on your skin it will burn extremely bad. Pour the stripper into something you don't care about: an old bowl our cup. I  used an old coffee pot I bought at the thrift store for a dollar for this very purpose. Use a paint brush and brush on the stripper. Let sit for about 30 mins. Use a paint scraper to scrape off the paint or finish. It may take a few applications to remove everything. Feel free to leave some for a rustic, antique look. When done clean with a damp cloth and let dry completely. I would use an old rag just in case it ruins it.

(Sorry I didn't get a picture of this)

DIY T-Shirt Scarves

So...if you are anything like me, you are always looking for new and cute scarves.

Well, if you really are anything like me, you hate paying for them. I am on a bit of a stricter budget,

so any money I can save is great.

I have several bags of old clothes that I keep meaning

to donate but as of right now,

they are dust collectors in my closet.

So, I went rummaging through them to find ones that I liked the fabrics of.

You are going to need:

Old T-Shirt

(The wider it is the longer your strands will be...The longer it is the more strands you will have)

Scissors

First thing you will need to do is lay your shirt out flat.

DIY Shrug

This is a fun way to revamp an old shirt that was destined for the trash or Goodwill and recreate it into something new and fun. The purple shirt was a gift from a friend that never quite fit right. I loved the color and the beading and really didn't want to give it away so this was a perfect solution. My other shirt was an inexpensive shirt from Walmart that always looked a little frumpy on.

I originally found this on Wobiso's blog.

What you are going to need is:

An old shirt  (Make sure that it fits you before you start. If it is pretty small, it will be too small when you are done.)

Scissors

Ribbon  (Or whatever you want to use for the tie. You can even use the bottom of another shirt.)

Sewing Machine

Sewing Pins

Safety Pin  (This will be used to pull the ribbon through.)

Flippy Floppies

I have been making these flip flops for years, since I played soccer. They are great for teams, fundraisers, gifts, or just for yourself.

You will need a set of flip flops. You can do a plain or patterned like I did.

The thinner the band across the foot the easier this will be. These particualr ones were a little thick.

Then you will need some fabrics. You can mix solids, use one pattern, or several like I did for this post.

I got these, 5 pieces of 18" x 21" pieces from Hobby Lobby for $9.99. Pretty much anywhere that sells fabrics will sell scrap pieces which are great for this, but don't feel bad to go pick some fabrics from a bolt.

A pretty place for the birds

I found this little birdhouse at the thrift store right by my house for a $1.98. I have been wanting to get one and always love a fixer-upper chalenge.

I took out the fake bird that was glued in the hole.

I then painted the house using acryllic paints (I love the Folk Art brand the best). I did the body turquoise and the roof red. it took several coats to cover since the original was pretty slick and I couldn't find my sand paper to rough it up.

After I painted it, I sealed it with Krylon's spray clear coat. Since its going to go outside, I wanted the paint to be protected from the elements.

Then, I just added some little details from Hobby Lobby. I drilled a hole in front for a knob (added a little glue to help secure it). Then I glued on a rusty metal cross on back and butterfly on the top.

It turned out so cute. I love and and so do the birds.