Mama Thompson: knock off knock out

Friday, October 16, 2009

I told you I had a lot to do...

I'm reposting for Knock Off Knock Out!

If you want to buy a certain necklace at my fav beadstore...you can pay $95

If you want to buy the materials and make it yourself...you can pay $45

If you want to buy the pattern and use what you have at home...you can pay $10

I'll go with the $10 route.

Mix up a bunch of colorful seed beads of varying (tiny) sizes

string 'em on some flex wire with some crystals, a crystal square and crystal window...

and you get this...

Total cost out of my pocket today...$20...not bad for a $95 necklace. And I think I can make it for even cheaper...I'll let you know when I make the next one. Stringing seed beads on flex wire can be hard on your eyes and I may need a few days for them to focus better:)

since I was in the beading mood...I made up 2 more of these and used the rest of my blue stones. I think I shall gift one to my little sister who was released from the Germany, Hamburg mission today and after spending the next 10 days galavanting the country side with my mom and step-dad will be headed back to the states after 18 months away!

...and so my oldest sister doesn't feel left out...I finally finished her bead watch...

and my mom was complaining about not having a beaded bracelet so I made her something too!

and now I am tired and need to go to bed.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Fall Festival with a knock off knock out...

I have been so inspired by everyone's front porch decor that I thought I would give it a whirl...

These are the 2 (yep, only 2) pumpkins from my garden...

with a little bronzey gold spray paint (I was going for more bronze...but is is looking more gold, oh well!)

I got this at Tai Pan Trading for $10...

sprayed it black (I am hoping to add a little green tree for christmas)

and added some "stuff" to my pumpkins...

and more stuff to the vase. I have also loved the spray painted branches so I had to add one as well...then a couple sparkly bats leftover from this project...and got this.

I needed something for my door, but I didn't want to do a wreath. I was walking through Joanns last week (shocking, I know) and saw a witch's broom with hot pink sparkly sticks. I loved it and wanted one for my front door, but hot pink really didn't go with my above planter/pumpkin thing. So I thought what I most always think..."I can do that myself".

So off Lil D and I went on a walk through the park and on the parkway by the river on a hunt for twigs....here's what we (I) found...Lil D was more interested in pushing the stroller. What was in the stroller you ask?...nope, not a doll...a car...he takes his cars and trains for walks...he's cute like that:) Anyway, we got ourselves a lot of twigs, sprayed them orange...added some glitter...used hot glue to attach them to a big stick...put on a ribbon and sparkly bat...

and got this...