I need HELLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!

My blog is a hot mess, and no matter what I do I can't seem to fix it :(

This new blogger template designer won't seem to let me install my own background...I have no clue what I'm doing wrong. All of my widgets and stuff are now at the bottom of my blog and I can't seem to get them up on the side no matter what I do. Are any of you blog saavy readers out there able to help?? I have no clue what to do and I am more than frustrated...

If you have ANY advice, please email me at Itiznikki@Yahoo.com

Thank you all sooooooooooooo much

I've been scooped!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, remember this spring when I made the cutest jelly bean wreath EVER?!?!?!?

My plan was....jelly bean wreath for spring, candy corn wreath for Fall. Imagine my utter disappointment when I spotted THIS on the cover of Woman's Day this week:

I was scooped! UGH. Not to dismay though folks, I am determined to make a wreath with some sort of candy on it!!!!!!!!!! And thanks to the grand re-opening of magic craft land (dollar tree), I am prepared to create a masterpiece!!!!!!!!

I started with this random assortment of junk...

1 foam wreath, 2 packs of "gripper pads", 2 packages of suckers. Scrap the ribbon...I didn't like how it looked, so I spray painted the wreath black instead :)

Ok, so after you spray paint your wreath, you'll take your gripper pad and fold it in half. run some craft wire through and twist

Continue to do that until you get the "ruffly" look you want...and make sure you have enough wire left over to twist your "flowers" onto the wreath:


Then apply your gripper pads to your wreath (I used all 8):


Lookin' good right?!??!! But needs some embellishment. That's where the suckers come in. Pull those cute confections off their sticks and apply with hot glue and MAGICCCCCCC:

So maybe its not AS cute as the candy corn version, but I am still in LURVE with it!!!!!!

Gettin' Crafty on Hump Day...special edition....

This week marks a momentous occasion folks....

Drum Roll please.......

MY DOLLAR TREE HAS RE-OPENED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Can't you hear the Hallelujah chorus blaring in the background?!?!?!??!) I have gone 2 months without a Dollar Tree, and the Dollar Tree is my mecca!!!!!! In honor of the re-opening of my magical utopia of craft wonder, I am kicking off a week of Dollar store projects, starting with this edition of gettin' crafty on hump day. As always, you're welcome to link up any projects you've done, but I'm especially excited to see your dollar store crafts!!!!!!!!!!

And, because my excitement is palpable, I am sharing my "first" craft from my new Dollar Store!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing says Fall like a brand new sweatshirt. I adore sweatshirts. I would live in one if it wasn't frowned upon by society as a general rule. But there is NOTHING like slipping on a brand new sweatshirt when the inside is still all soft and fluffy...I have warm fuzzies just thinking about it. So, for this project you'll need:

1 sweatshirt from the Dollar Tree (dig people, DIG, until you find the size/color you want. And when you find it, make sure there are no holes in it...on this trip, I went through 3 sweatshirts my size before I found one with no holes)

Scrapbooking supplies (I scored these AMAZING Amy Butler Fabric tags & brad buttons from my favorite dollar store! The tags were $1 for 6 tags, and the brads were $1 for 9)

You're going to laugh at how simple this is. I have zero sewing skills and even I could do it (tho I didn't...my mommy did it for me :) Because the fabric tag already has a grommet in it, put the brad through the grommet like so:

Then, you literally pin it where you want it on the sweatshirt and do a decorative zig zag stitch around it with a complimentary colored thread. Here's the detailing of it up close after its been sewn...

And here is a photo of the finished product. Please excuse the fact that I have cut my head out. Why did I cut my head out? Cuz I tend to resemble a mad scientist when I dive into a project, and I couldn't possibly take the time out to do my hair and makeup for ya'll. Better luck next time folks...

So just to re-cap...I got me this brand spankin' new comfy cozy and (now thanks to my crafting prowess) CUTE sweatshirt for a mere $1.28 + tax....are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?!??!?!?! Oh Dollar Tree, I've missed you so much, run into my arms and let me hold you...........

Ok, back to the party. Feel free to link up (linky opens at 9pm tonight and runs till midnight tomorrow). Comment if you link and PLEASE make sure my button is somewhere on your blog :)

A little re-design.....

Hey ya'll I'm playing around with some blog re-design, so don't be alarmed if my blog seems to change...daily for a little bit lol

Gettin' Crafty on Hump Day....

I'm flat out of inspiration this week....so I can't WAIT to see what you all link up! Sorry I haven't had many crafts on here, the last 2 weeks...well heck, since school started has been CRAZY around here!!!!!!!! ugh.

I promise we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming soon! :)

So last week our most popular post came from JHill over at Mad In Crafts...shes one of my FAV bloggers, and I love her Pottery Barn knockoffs! Last week her Book Page Leaves were a real hit!!!! Aren't they cute?!?!?

Ok peeps, lets party! Please don't post any solicitations, I will delete :)

And pleaaseeeee comment if you post, and make sure to put my button somewhere on your blog. Thank you so much :)

Gettin' Crafty on Hump Day....

Oh Em Gee!!!!!!!!! Last week we had (drum roll please) 47 links!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could NOT be more ecstatic about that :)

Our most popular link came from C.R.A.F.T., which was this SUPER COOL framed jewelry organizer:

But lets see if we can get over FIFTY links for this party?!?!?! So get to linking! Please comment if you link, and please make sure my button is on your blog somewhere. Also, PLEASE, don't post anything I will have to delete (like links to your store instead of a tutorial) :)

Ok, lets shake it! :)

The Key to my Art....

I LUVVVVVVVVVVVVVV key art! It has seemed to circle through all the decor magazines, and I knew when the time was right I would STRIKE and duplicate this amazingness for pennies on the dollar. Check out this key art at Res Hardware for $199:

Yep, $199...WHAT?!?!?!

So, I was on the lookout for some keys. Nearly wet myself when I spotted these brass beauties at a garage sale for a QUARTER a piece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ummmmmmm....yes please. They got a couple of coats of glossy black. Then I got to work! For this project you'll need:

2 FANTASTIC shadow box frames from the Dollar Store for $1.59 a piece!
A book of OLD sheet music
Some wire (to hold the key in place)

First I laid the key on the backing and got it centered where I wanted it like this:


Then, when you find your center, cut a hole where the wire will need to go:


After you cut your sheet music to fit, poke a hole in that too, and then wire the key to the background like so:

After I took this pic I used a black sharpie to color the wire so the silver didn't show.

Then marvel at your frugalness and kick back and enjoy your AMAZING artwork...

Total cost...roughly $5...FANTABULOUS :)

The lucky number of the day is.....

.99 cents!!!!!!!!!!! And that's because of these 2 AMAZING finds I scooped up for .99 cents a piece at my local Salvation Army:

I am in LOVE with vintage scales right now. And with my whole "grey" theme going in the living room, this is going to make an awesome addition to my decor. Secretly tho...I purchased it to use as a prop in some pictures I'm taking this week. More on that later... :)

Would you check out the amazing detail on this chunky shelf?!?!?! I just LOVE it! I would have loved it for $3, I loved it even more for $1.

What a great day at the thrift store! What are your latest & greatest bargains? :)