Pet Halloween Costumes…

Are you planning to dress up your dog or cat? If so, check out my Thrifty Shopping article It’s not to late to pick out the perfect costume for your Pet on examiner.com. I tried to dress Lollie up for our Woofstock event last month and she didn’t appreciate wearing a hat…but she is used to wearing coats due to our climate…so I think this is the year to get her a Halloween costume.

If you missed yesterday’s post, take time to scroll down and see my leaves photo.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Inspiration by nature…

I couldn’t resist taking a few more pictures of leaves. As I was walking the dog tonight I spotted the vibrant array of leaves in my friend Ginny’s yard and couldn’t resist snapping a shot. The photo above may be one of my favorite pictures of all time. I think of how challenged I am when it comes to picking out colors to make a quilt…and how easy it really is if you turn to nature for inspiration. I took the photo below as I was walking under the tree.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

 

New decorating book…

It has been a while since I have bought a decorating book…but while doing some holiday book shopping on Amazon…I decided to treat myself. Can’t wait until it arrives.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Ski hat quilt…

Years ago I bought a ‘quilt’ made from ski hats from ski resorts around the USA. It was the perfect heavyweight winter blanket.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

The last of fall…

We didn’t have much of a colorful fall this year due to extremely chilly weather. A recent article in the local newspaper titled “Green to Gone” summed up our disappointing fall. I took this picture on my iPhone tonight. I am betting these leaves will be gone by the end of the week.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

TJ Maxx coat…

I love my new $30 TJ Maxx coat. It is perfect for fall. Reminds me of the 70s. I don’t have a full length mirror in the house, so I was forced to take this shot in the bathroom…hence the towels and shower curtain in the background.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Swirls of blue…

A gift from my friend Kate. She knows how I love my blues. It is so beautiful I want to display it.

Any suggestions?

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

New scarf fashion and some humor…

I am purposely not putting the picture first in today’s post…as I know not everyone will appreciate this post…you need to have an open mind and enjoy some off the wall humor to want to see the picture below. My friend Lisa sent this along and it made me laugh…I hope it makes you laugh as well. Quite timely given that October is breast cancer awareness month.

Scroll down…

Further…

A little more…

Need a new scarf? Try the latest scarf fashion and you will be the center of attention. We don't stop laughing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop laughing.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Handmade, colorful napkin rings…

 

I love the multitude of color in these napkin rings. I brought them back from Africa where they were handmade. I don’t possess the manual dexterity to make something like these. They are not only useful, but a wonderful memory piece from a fabulous African photo safari. One of the highlights of the trip,,, in addition to seeing the animals, was sitting at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro at sunset drinking champagne.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Crazy 8…

My love of red attracted me to this tile I found at a garage sale for 50 cents.

Makes for a colorful trivet for hot dishes.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Outdoor Wednesday…

Blogged for A Southern Daydreamer’s Outdoor Wednesday.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Honey for sale…

This sign was in one of the booths at Junk Bonanza…sorry I can’t remember which booth. It made me smile as I didn’t think of honey the sweet liquid…I thought of a  significant other…cool play on words.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Quilt Auction – Women hanging by a thread…

Whether you live in Minnesota or not, you can participate in this extraordinary Quilt Auction. Check out my Quilt Auction – School Sisters of Notre Dame article on examiner.com. I am finally back to working on my examiner articles after having taken way too many weeks ‘off’.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Eat good food & share…

My friends Bill and Linda bought me this trivet aka art. After being on the road for business and dealing with incredibly dreary weather here…I finally made time to cook, bake and share.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

Uggs…

I bought a pair of leather topped Uggs three years ago and I love them…let me count the ways.

• They are perfect for Minnesota winters. They keep my feet warm even when it is well below zero.
• I can easily slip them on to walk the dog, snow blow the driveway and shovel the sidewalk. I spend a lot of time on the ice with the dog and my feet stay warm.
• The leather top is incredibly durable.
• I wear them out running errands..they actually look good with jeans.
• They are comfortable.
• They are meant to be worn barefoot…so I don’t have to dig up a pair of socks each time I want to go out.

I am now on the hunt for a new pair for walking from the parking ramp to my office and for running errands. The three year old pair will continue to be used for dog walking and snow blowing.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

The best place in the world to live…

One of my favorite places, Gibsons, British Columbia was just named the best place in the world to live. I have written about this area of the world several times in my blog…click here and here and here and more about British Columbia here.

The town of Gibsons, population about 4,000, was named the best place in the world to live, among communities with fewer than 20,000 residents, by the International Awards for Liveable Communities. Gibsons is the southernmost town on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast, a 40-minute ferry ride northwest of Vancouver, and was already well-known for more than its sea views and hillside homes.

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee

 

 

Crewel embroidery…

The crewel embroidery on this fabric is phenomenal. My friend Jayne found this fabric at the Alameda Flea Market. She originally planned to use it to recover a chair but is now thinking of making it into a quilt/throw. I wish the photos had turned out better, the don’t do justice to the color or the detail of the work.

 

Check out my Thrifty Shopping articles on examiner.com.

• Inspirational decorating with thrifty finds
• Repurposing floral frogs
• Affordable watercolor art and frames
• Classic black and white purses
• 10 Chalkboard paint ideas
• Five Free Cell Phone Features
• Organizing with jars – Part I
• Organizing with jars – Part II
• Organizing with jars – Part III
• Dishes add color and whimsy to the garden
• Wallpaper Art
• Transforming a Goodwill table
• Repurposing flashcards
• Top 10 ideas for recycling greeting cards
• Hoops and fabric equal art
• Decorating with drop cloth curtains
• 10 uses for orphan sheets
• Organizing with Gladware
• Round robin clothing exchange and more

Thanks for stopping by Cottage Lifestyle and examiner.com.
Renee