Nifty Thrifty Girl

pretty, pretty, pretty

Posted on April 17, 2011 by niftythriftygirl

Because I desperately wanted this but could not see myself spending that kind of money on a light fixture, I decided to do a bit of searching and was lucky enough to find these clever crafters who where generous enough to share their ideas here and here. And…several days later…I now have 2 lovely faux capiz shell chandeliers.

I installed one in my bedroom and will use the other on the patio (that is, if the weather ever cooperates). Even though they are a bit time consuming to make, I love the look of them so much I may even make another for my hallway!

Posted in Accessories, Decorating, Do It Yourself, How To, Project | Tagged budget, capiz shell, chandelier, crafts, handmade, home decorating, ideas, lighting | 4 Comments

retro dresser re-do

Posted on March 26, 2011 by niftythriftygirl

I was lucky enough to stumble across this 5′ dresser at my local thrift store. For a mere $49 this gem (that needed a little TLC) came home with me!

I’ve been wanting to replace my giant, cottage-looking armoire that held my tv for some time now and I knew this piece would make the perfect contemporary tv console. So…with a little paint and some new drawer pulls…let me introduce you to my new tv console…

I’m thrilled with the results. It’s a much needed change from the old armoire, plus, it makes the living room look so much bigger.

Posted in Accessories, Decorating, Do It Yourself, Living Room, Paint, Project, Style, Trash to Treasure | Tagged before & after, budget, furniture, home decorating, ideas, re-do | 1 Comment

gearing up for farmers market

Posted on March 9, 2011 by niftythriftygirl

I’m slowly gearing up for this year’s Farmers Market. It doesn’t start until the end of May but since I’m going it alone in my booth this year I need to have extra stock. I whipped up a few zippered pouches today…each has a coordinating lining…and some have a little extra crocheted flair.

I also made a few small fleece pet beds. Each has a removable insert so you can throw the cover right into the wash!

I’d love to make these for my pups but I’m afraid it would take an awful lot of fabric and stuffing to fill a bed for a 50 lb. and 100 lb. dog!

Posted in Accessories | Tagged cats, dogs, farmers market, handmade, pet beds, pets | Leave a comment

sweaters, sweaters…everywhere…

Posted on February 10, 2011 by niftythriftygirl

…and not just because it is frigid outside, but because I am obsessed with recycling old sweaters! I just made another trip to my local thrift store and loaded up with another batch of wool sweaters (and a few cotton ones, too). I have great plans for all these lovely sweaters…

Oh, so many things to be made…purses, pillows, coffee cozies and needle caddies. First, a few pillows:

I’d better get off the computer and back to work. Needle caddies coming up next! Stay tuned for updates. Many of these pieces can be purchased from my etsy shop…but some will not be listed as I have to work on my stock for this year’s Farmer’s Market booth.

Stay warm!

Posted in Accessories, Do It Yourself, Project, Trash to Treasure | Tagged budget, crafts, etsy, felting, handmade, recycle, sewing, sweaters, wool | Leave a comment

decorate for less!

Posted on February 2, 2011 by niftythriftygirl

I’d like to give a warm welcome to my newest sponsor:

One of my favorite places to find great bargains is my local Family Dollar store. For a fraction of what you would pay for high-end home decorating pieces Family Dollar has tons of low-priced items to choose from. And, if you aren’t fond of a particular gold mirror – just paint it a different color to match your decor! I can’t even count on both hands the number of items I’ve purchased from Family Dollar and re-worked to fit in my decor. From wicker baskets, mirrors, frames, lamps and curtains, I’ve transformed some inexpensive pieces into eye-catching decor items.

One of my favorite transformations are the hand-stamped curtains in my dining room. I wanted some graphic curtains but couldn’t afford the designer price tag so I decided to make my own. I purchased 4 Family Dollar sheer panels:

…and proceeded to stamp them with a stamp I created. The finished product:

Need inexpensive lighting? Family Dollar offers a great variety of lamps and although the shades may not be what you want, you can easily change out or dress up any shade! Here is a $10 Family Dollar lamp I purchased for my kitchen. I added some fabric and pompom fringe and voila!, a super cute, custom lamp:

So, what are you waiting for? Get to your local Family Dollar and find some great home decor bargains! PLUS – this week get $5 off your $25 Home purchase! Click HERE to get your coupon.