Pinwheels For Spring!

Recently we had a bit of a warm spell, so I felt the need to transition our home from Winter to Spring. Unfortunately I don't have many Spring decorations, but I figured I could come up with something. I decided to make pinwheels in fun spring colors to decorate the mantle in our living room and the wreath on our door. I had made pinwheels before as part of the grand send-off at our wedding, so after a quick refresher I was on my way.

To make pinwheels you will need colored paper, scissors, a ruler, pins and tape. First I cut out different size squares, for some of them I used scissors that cut with designs to add to a little fun.

Then you need to cut a diagonal line from each of the 4 corners toward the middle, but don't cut all the way through!

Then fold the left corner into the middle and continue until you have 4 corners in the middle. I then placed a pin through the center of the pinwheel and, with a pair of needle-nosed pliers, bent the pin in the back 90 degrees to hold it in place. For some of my pinwheels I layered two different size pinwheels on top of each other to create some texture—if you choose to do this be sure to put the pin through both pinwheels and then bend it.

I taped the bent pin down in the back to secure it and then used a piece of florist wire to attach my pinwheel to my burlap wreath.

For the garland I taped the pin down in the back and then punched a hole through the tips of two of the petals on the pinwheel to feed the yarn through.

I made too many and so I ended up attaching some of them to craft sticks to display in a vase on top of the mantel and the rest I propped up against picture frames. 

The whole project took me a little over an hour from start to finish and it added a nice splash of Spring to the house! Here's to hoping Spring isn't too far off!

Keep pinchin' :-)

Valentine's Day Heart Garland

Last week I watched my friend's little 4 1/2 year old daughter. She is adorable, and she loves projects and keeping busy. So I figured it would be the perfect day to make a "heart garland" for the living room mantle. I'll do my best to explain the process below, but for some really good, clear directions check out this post at strumpetscrumpets.blogspot.com.

First we gathered some red and white paper. My mistake here was that I did not have white cardstock, only red, and flimsy copy paper does not hold a shape when hanging, so definitely use card stock. Then we cut out all the strips of paper. Having a paper trimmer would have saved a ton of time—mine was missing the blade—but using scissors was great cutting practice for the little one. She cut two sheets of paper into a bunch of 1-inch strips.

Then I started stapling the strips together to create hearts. I decided to vary the size of the hearts on my garland, which just meant cutting some of the strips in half.

Our finished project. She was so excited about our garlands, and couldn't wait to take hers home to hang up!

Do you have any fun, cheap Valentine's Day crafts that you've done recently or want to do? Add a link in the comments below!

Keep Pinchin' :-)

My Thankful Jar

All over Pinerest this past year I've been seeing "Thankful Jars." The idea is that you place notes in the jar throughout the year about things you are thankful for, and then on New Year's Eve you read them to be reminded of all the blessings you received. I really love this idea because so many times I forget the things that I have been thankful for, or the miraculous ways God is at work in our lives.

I vowed to make one for 2014. I was about a week late to actually getting around to creating it, but that's ok. Below you will find directions to the easy Thankful Jar that I made.

First gather all your materials. For my jar I used a large glass vase, twine, colored paper, cookie cutters, scissors, clothes pins, and a pen.

I decided to go with a theme for each month. I'm starting with hearts for Valentine's Day, and plan to use clovers, eggs, flags, apples, pumpkins etc. throughout the months to add some visual interest to the various entries. Using the cookie cutters I traced the heart shapes and cut them out.

I also made a large heart with "Our Thankful Jar 2014" written on it, and then pasted it to white paper. I tied the twine around the jar twice and attached the hearts and sign with one of the clothes pins. This will make it easier when I want to change the theme next month.

Did you do a "Thankful Jar" this year? It's not too late to start!

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." —1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Keep Pinchin' :-)

A Crafty Christmas Creation With Thrifty Décor Chick

For that creative penny pincher, here's an awesome craft idea that comes from Sarah, the voice behind the popular DIY and decorating blog Thrifty Décor Chick. Sara was a guest blogger on Dave Ramsey's blog this month to share this unique craft idea just in time for Christmas.

"Silhouettes have been big in design again for years now," Sarah writes. "I think it goes back to the nostalgia of them. They became popular in the mid-18th century as a less expensive version of the portrait. I love them because they are graphically interesting and can capture your family in a different way than photos."

Her step-by-step instructions will teach you how to take an everyday photograph and turn it into a work of art that would class-up nearly any room, and for very little cost!

"Silhouettes are inexpensive and relatively easy to make," Sarah writes. "Dogs and cats look especially sophisticated in a silhouette."

To read her post on Dave Ramsey's website, click here.

Or if you're looking for other thrifty gift or decorating ideas, Sarah's your girl! Visit www.thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com.

Making vs. Saving Money: Both Are Important!

When it comes to getting out of debt you have to adopt a "whatever it takes" mindset, because if you're half-hearted about it or if you don't follow through you'll either keep repeating the same money mistakes or you won't ever be able to correct the ones you've made.

So get creative with your thinking. How can you earn more money to pay off that debt? Remember, whatever it takes! ... Well, apart from selling yourself on a street corner, that is. Begin by evaluating any talents you may have that you can use to either make money or save money. This will play a big part in paying off your debt early and then staying out of debt for good.

Now you may read this and think that you have nothing that could save or make you money, but everyone has something. You just have to do some self-searching, and maybe wander a little outside your comfort zone, but if you're resourceful and creative with implementing this it can help take you further into debt-free living!

Lucky for me I married this amazingly creative, artistic genius—go ahead, be jealous—and this has helped tremendously. Jake has a photography business and specializes in wedding photography and also does lots of family and individual portrait sessions. Thankfully, his day job allows for some flexible hours so he can often work his two jobs around each other. Jake also acts as a freelance writer for several newspapers in the area and also does some photography for them also. His graphic arts talents get him hired for various odd jobs like illustrating books and designing covers. Check out his website at www.isleofturmak.com.

I’ve also been able to find a few ways that I can contribute in this area, and though mine might not be as profitable every penny helps. I have been able to sell crocheted hats around Christmas time—anything from Hello Kitty to Monsters, Inc., and I enjoy using this as a creative outlet. I hope to crochet enough over the next year to build a small army's worth of hats and mittens that I can take to a craft fair, or sell to the Marine Corps. Whatever comes first. I'm guessing craft fair. I've also done some babysitting, which is great because I love kids and I've found it to be a good way for me to meet new people in my area.

With the holidays upon us, Jake and I have been thinking about what gifts we could make for family and friends. Not every single gift we give is homemade, but each one we do saves money, and is more special to the recipient. My husband made this beautiful watercolor painting for my grandparents of their beloved dog Buttons, which they both loved.

Giving gifts is certainly an area of struggle for many people living on a tight budget. I know many people decide to simply not give gifts when they're in a season of slaying debt, but Jake and I like giving gifts too much for us to cut it out completely.

So maybe you aren’t artistic. Maybe you can hardly draw a stick figure. But if you look hard enough you can find something you can do that can either save you or make you money.

Let me know if you come up with any!

Keep pinchin' :-)