FOR THE WINNER OF THE PICK YOUR PLUM CONTEST…..PLEASE SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST!
I feel like I’ve run a marathon.
For any of you that don’t check in with LCMF on Facebook. You may have missed what I was doing yesterday (instead of doing the post I had scheduled…..)
After last week, when my husband had influenza, and I got a rockin’ migraine…..I thought yesterday would be the day to catch-up, re-group and get goin’. I started a load of washing before I headed out to take my daughter to preschool. And returned home to a basement filled with water. A washing machine full….to be exact.
(only the washing machine is UPSTAIRS….)
And it was dumped on my craft/sewing closet too! So, so very sad.
Crappy morning. Cleaning up 3 inches of water, the day after recovering from a really bad migraine. (which usually leaves me pretty sick to my stomach) In addition, yesterday I didn’t appreciate;
- Our bedroom TV quitting
- My daughter crying all day long (and deciding that sitting with her nose on the wall was preferable to saying “I’m sorry”)
- Our car leaking large amounts of an undetermined (necessary) fluid all over our garage
- Breaking my favorite vase all over the aforementioned flooded basement floor
- Taking the 30 soaked towels outside (which can’t be washed–on account of the leaking washing machine) and having them rained on.
About 5pm I threw in the proverbial towel. Only my towel was soaked with dirty water. (and tears)
So…….we’ve got a plumber coming, the car is on the way to the shop, I’m out of luck on the vase, my towels will have to wait, the TV remains in the electronics graveyard…..and……
I know. There are certainly bigger problems in the world. Today I have a better perspective on that. Yesterday, I just felt picked on.
Know what I DO have? Halloween Decor that I love! And that didn’t cost me an arm OR a leg. Bonus!! Wanna know some SUPER EASY tricks to turning your old decor into something fantastically glam?
Do you have anything that looks like this hanging around? If not….I bet you can get some for next to NOTHING!! Yep. That’s one of those super cheap light-up pumpkins. Only this one lost it’s light about 3 years ago. The flowers are so ugly that I DIDN’T have those. But bought them for 70% off at Michael’s. I think about $3.
I admit….this one was a find. A SUPER find. I got it at the thrift store (the DI to be exact….) for $1. Yep! Don’t forget to check the Ugly-Left-Over-Decor isle. (okay…that’s not the official name. That’s just what I call it.)
Look what happened to that gold-delight when it met a can of glossy black spray paint, a silver candle, and a wisp of cobweb…..
AHHHH…….
So very “Haunted Mansion”…yes? I LOVE it! One of my favorite new pieces this year. (total cost for this new decor item: about $3)
Then….that spray paint bottle (and it’s cousin, the FLAT black spray paint) Met my pumpkin and tacky silk flowers. They also met a thrifted milk-glass vase….and together they make a delightfully glam/spooky little family!
The Ellie G “inside details”:
- The flowers will take quite a bit of paint to get in all those nooks and crannies. And were I to do it again……I’d try to get all deep red flowers. The yellow is really hard to cover.
- The more texture in your flowers, the better. They bring out the flat black paint.
- Glossy paint makes the pumpkin SUPER chic. A glittered one would be pretty fab too. But I had the glossy paint left from the sconce.
- Glossy spray paint can be sorta temperamental. And it doesn’t dry as fast. Especially in lower temps….or very high ones. I find bringing my item inside, after it’s dried a bit…..speeds up the process.
So get looking for some old or inexpensive decor that you can add to your glam Halloween. It can look like a million bucks…..while only costing a few!
THE WINNER OF THE PICK YOUR PLUM GIVEAWAY IS:
Bryn! Who said: I liked Pick Your Plum on FB and now subscribe to their emails!
Congrats Bryn!!! I will be getting your info and sending it on to the Pick Your Plum gals. Don’t forget to check everyday to see what they’re offering. And “Get it before your neighbor does!”
Winner picked via the WP plug-in “And the Winner is”. A random contest winner generator.
The winner will be e-mailed by Ellie G.
What a nightmare! By 5, I would’ve been sitting in the middle of it all in tears from sheer frustration. Poor thing…hope you have a better day. : )
~Tina
Today’s much better, Tina. Thanks!
So sorry about your last few days. I hope the Diet Coke was flowing freely! Love your spray painted decor, I need to remember to do this more!
Of course it was. Thank goodness actually. I was going to get a DC downstairs when I found the flood. Had I not been an addict, it would have made an even bigger mess!
Forget the diet coke, you need a 44oz. Coke Slurpee to handle all of this!
I’m so sorry Lara! When it rains it pours!!
I KNOW, right???? Maybe I’ll send Patrick on his way home from work tonight.
Love to you in the midst of all this turmoil! May today be full of pleasant surprises, not the bad ones!
Thanks so much Michelle. What a lovely thing to say. Today is looking much better so far.
I am so sorry to hear about your craft supplies and bad day! I would be in tears too!! The saying it so true – when it rains it pours- we have felt that way around these parts lately.
Love your glammed up pumpkin!
Kelsey
http://www.poofycheeks.blogspot.com
http://www.snowconeslollipops.com
I like that pumpkin a lot too. It turned out even better than I hoped. And nearly free. Score!!
I love that glossy pumpkin! I know exactly what you mean about that ugly leftover decor isle at the DI…there are great finds like yours every so often!
I know. You never know. It’s not often. But worth looking, just in case….right?
Oh wow! You poor thing! That is terrible! I’m almost crying for you. Can I just say though, that I totally commend you as a parent… With all of that horrible leaking, breaking, flooding mess, you still stuck to your guns and were consistent with your parenting/consequence stuff. I have had one of those battles before (a 7 hour hold out) and it totally drained me (and I didn’t have any of the drama going on that you did!) Kudos!
On a lighter note, I love your flowers and pumpkin, and the candle holder! Awesome!
That’s so funny. Sounds exactly like my daughter. I BEG her not to continue to sit there and be punished. She’s such a stubborn pants. I think she’s my payback. My mom always finds it quite humorous!
Ughh! I hate days like that! I am so sorry! Hopefully you had some diet coke and some chocolate on hand to help ease the pain! Great update of the ugly decor. I have way too much of that at my house…shoved in the back of my closet…somewhere!
Hi Ellie,
I’ve awarded the Versatile Blogger Award to you! You’ve probably received some already but I enjoy your blog and sense of humor so much that you had to be on my list.
Drop by when you get a minute.
Thanks,
~Tina
So creative, cute and easy! That is my kind of craft. Hang in there with the house. I am so so sorry!
I was sitting here, feeling sorry for myself, when I happened upon your post. I thought I was the only one who’s evil washing machine flooded the house this weekend. Nay, your’s did too. I can’t say I’m happy, but when I looked at your first picture, which looks a tad bit better than my basement, I felt included. Yes, included. I’m sorry about your house. I’m sorry about my house. Hopefully your washer is fixed, and your dryer isn’t going out like mine. :S Keep on keepin’ on.
Sorry about all the crap you have had to deal with. That totally stinks when everthing happens at once.
I love how the pumpkin and the candle sconce (is that what it’s called) turned out! And who knew you could spray paint flowers? I’m beginning to realize you can spray paint just about anything!
I’m sorry about your basement…but I won, I won, I won!! I can’t believe I won! Thanks for making me really happy!