thrifty

Ten Dollar Bouquet of the Week! Awesome Alstroemeria!

Date: April 20, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: Alstroemeria, flower arrangement, flowers, thrifty
Alstromoeria are Awesome!

AND……

  • Amazing…. they last almost forever!
  • Affordable….they are usually under $8 for a bunch!
  • Adaptable…. they come in so many colors!
  • Available… you can find them throughout the seasons!

I used Alstroemeria and some greens to create this flower arrangement for way less than $10.




NEVER EVER go to Trader Joe’s without looking over the flower selection!

Alstroemeria bunches were a great deal last week. A big bunch for $3.99.

I added some variegated Pittosporum that cost $2.99.
Almost any greens would work and soon there will be greens from the garden.

The cost was actually closer to $7.00 for the arrangement.

There were even enough stems to put one in each of these matching pottery vases at the computer station.

Alstroemeria really do last a long time as cut flowers.

Here is that same arrangement after a week.  The only visible difference is that the water is a little cloudy.

So….you probably should remember that it is good to change the water in your vase every couple of days…..do as I say…. not as I forget to do!

Then……a couple of days ago…..I used the stems to fill in this arrangement!

Even after 10 days these flowers still looked strong.

The new cut will probably prolong their life for another 5 days!

Alstroemeria is also known as Peruvian Lily or Lily of the Incas.  They really do look like clusters of little lillies.  I think they also look a bit like orchids.

They come in so many colors.

These tips will help you make your Alstroemeria last as long as possible:

  1. Remove any leaves that will be below the water line.
  2. It is best to hold the stems under water when you cut them to the length you want. USe a sharp knife.
  3. Use a floral preservative in the water.  (Most floral bunches come with a packet)
  4. If you have time, condition the flowers in a warm preservative solution for a couple of hours before you arrange them.
  5. If you can, keep your arrangement cool and out of direct sunlight.
  6. Alstroemeria are thirsty flowers. Check to see that the vase is full and water as needed.  If you are using floral foam, add water to be sure it is saturated.

That’s all there is to it.
I hope you grab a bunch of Alstroemeria the next time you need a “flower fix”!

Watercolor by Shari Blaukopf
Have A Great Day!



Throw Pillows from a Throw Blanket!

Date: January 9, 2019
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, DIY, fabric, inspiration, sewing, thrifty

One of the easiest and thriftiest ways to update the look of a room is with decorative pillows.
Every one has them. In fact, I dare you to take a count of the throw pillows in your house!!!
I don’t just have pillows on the furniture….I have pillows in the closets waiting to take their turn in whatever decor scheme suits my fancy.

 A trip down the pillow aisle of almost any home decor store is pure temptation for me.

A pillow is affordable…..
A pillow is not a forever commitment like a piece of furniture…..

However…..
There is always the dilemma of how many pillows I should have out at one time.

If this is your dilemma too….I did a little internet searching and found these articles to be really helpful.

How Many Throw Pillows Is Too Many?

Guide to Choosing Throw Pillows 

Now…on to the latest pillow project at Sweetwater.

The rustic, Nordic theme in the living room needed to change once the holidays were over.

Somehow….I never got a picture of the living room decorated for the holidays….go figure.

This is the best shot I could find….but note the red plaid pillow and the Swedish hanging over the couch.

Anyway….the lumbar pillows on the two accent chairs needed to lose the red and beige linen stripe.

When I went to put the old turquoise covers back on the pillows….I realized that they looked pretty shabby!

Goody…a chance to go to the pillow aisle at HomeGoods!

source

There were literally hundreds of pillows to choose from….
There were literally hundreds of pillows that I DID NOT LIKE!

AND THEN……

 I spied this lovely nubby blue and white checked throw.

The price was right at 16.99

The fringe along both sides looked like those fancy fringed pillows that I like so much.

HMMMMMM!!!   This throw could easily become the new pillow covers!

The process was pretty darn simple.

I put the insert on top of the throw to determine the width of the pillow.

It turned out that the throw was exactly twice the width….so by cutting it in half lengthwise I could make both pillows.

I wrapped the throw around with an overlap and cut that to length.
I was able to have the fringe be the bottom of the wrap.
Then I turned it wrong side out and stitched the sides.

Normally with an envelope pillow the lap is on the back.
Because I wanted the fringe to be an accent, the overlap is on the front.

Here is a tutorial for making an envelope pillow.  Home Stories A to Z Pillow Tutorial
This is a technique that is worth learning!!!!

And now for the reveal!!!

Wow….2 pillow covers for $16.99 and I still have enough of the throw left to make something else.
Any suggestions???

Have A Great Day!

Decor Items to Transition from Christmas to Winter!

Date: December 29, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: decorating, holiday, idea exchange, thrifty
source

 I thought this survey was pretty interesting because I always struggle with when to take down “Christmas”!

I love all the glitz and sheen and red and green.
But as soon as the big day is over…..it starts to feel cluttered.

When we entertain between Christmas and New Year’s Day it is easy to make the case for leaving things looking festive.
Since we have no parties planned this week.  I am starting to get twitchy about taking things down and getting it packed away.

One strategy to use when “undecorating” is to ease out of full on holiday into a comfy cozy winter look.

You can actually leave a lot of the holiday decor items out and achieve that look just by tweaking things a bit.

Here is a list of the “stuff” NOT to put away.

 Pine Cones

The natural look of pine cones make them perfect for your woodsy, cozy theme. Tuck them into a big basket.  Tuck in some realistic looking artificial pine branches and a few white or silver orbs to complete the look.

 
 

Branches
The birch in the porch pots look nice all winter. Why not replicate that indoors?  Chunky birch sections can be placed on a bookshelf or mantle.  Skinny birch looks great in a vase with some greenery and flowers.

All those branches and twigs that looked so wonderful in you holiday arrangements can be turned into minimalist natural decor.  Curly willow, red dogwood, skinny birch all work this time of year.  Think of them as “no care” plants.

 Airy Greenery

Put away all that greenery that screams “Christmas Tree”.  The greens that look feathery and airy give a fresh look to winter decor.  I especially like these Lemon Cypress trees.  I am giving myself big pats on the back for keeping them from drying out….they need lots of hydration.  White Pine is another type that looks more wintery than Christmas!

Antlers

Search Yarn wrapped antler on Pinterest

If you have access to antlers, they make a great accent in baskets or on a shelf. Mixed with pine cones and greenery.  This is my next craft project!  Yarn wrapped antlers just make me smile!

Cozy Throws

Layering throws on sofas and chairs is an inexpensive way to add color. Those throws also invite you to curl up and enjoy some down time after the flurry of activity of the holidays.

Candles and Twinkle Lights

I will bet that most of your candles are white or off white.  Put away the obvious holiday themed items and find a way to use your neutral candles in a new way. 
Those battery powered twinkle lights can continue to add sparkle around your house.  This time of year it is dark when I get up and dark by 4:30 in the afternoon.  A little twinkling can be mood changer.

 Holiday Plants
Those Pointsettias can still work as lovely accents if they are off white or if red is a color that works in your decor.  Take them out of the holiday foil and get rid of the cute little ribbons.  Find a ceramic pot or even bunch them together with some other plants.  They will last as long as you remember to keep them watered.  (Note to self: keep them watered.)

 

Holiday Themed Family Photos
Take a minute to have some of those amazing holiday snapshots printed.  The deals for photo prints make this a particularly good bargain this time of year.  Frame them in simple frames or display on a chalkboard.  Seeing those reminders of the holidays is a great way to extend the season without leaving the tree up until February.

Winter Birds

There is something so cheery about a cardinal.  If you have any redbirds that are part of your christmas stash, they can make a nice wintery vignette.  Look for these when you are shopping the after Christmas sales.  This lovely glass friend was a find at a “before” Christmas mark-down sale. The cardinals inside are almost as fun as the ones on the bird feeder outside the front door.  

 And a few other holdovers!

Hey, if the Amaryllis bulbs are still blooming for real, then this Amaryllis tea towel can still “hang” around for a few weeks.

This “permanent botanical” seeded Eucalyptus I scored at the thrift store looks nice and wintery with some glass winterberries which were another thrift store find.

This year I am gradually “undecorating” instead of big marathon undertaking.  That means a big mess in the storage area while I gather and put away.  My goal is to do a lot(or little) weeding out as I go.  It always seems so hard to part with holiday decor even if I don’t use it all each year. 

In the meantime…..remember when you take your tree down:

source

Have A Great Day!

Holiday Decor Series: Bows Bows and More Bows!

Date: November 29, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: 10 min. project, decorating, holiday, thrifty

I have been on a pretty long blogging break.
Yikes….I haven’t posted since Halloween and now we are deep into the Holiday Season!
I don’t have any real good excuse for this….I am sort of rethinking and want to revamp the blog.
I guess that will be my project for the new year.
In the meantime…..

wikipedia.com

I will share some of my old favorite Holiday Decor on a Budget posts from years past.
So with a nod to Charles Dickens I present for you…
NOT the of GHOSTS of Christmas Past…..These are POSTS of Christmas Past!

Let’s start with those BOWS…because it really is all about those BOWS!

I pretty much put a bow on EVERYTHING….and knowing the tricks to making these lovelies will save you money and add a bit of “class” to your decor.

Tooo funny….I was looking for pictures of pretty bows to add to this post and I found this site:
christmastreewreaths
You can buy a pre-made bow like this for a mere $6.75….or go wild and buy 12 for $72.00!

It always amazes me that people really buy stuff like that….go figure!

Here is mine using the Costco ribbon!

Now….you do the math!
$8.00 for 50 yards of ribbon…..2 yards per bow…..hmmmmmm!

I love Costco for lots of things….but I REALLY love their wire edged ribbon!

cochaser.com

 $7.99 for 50 yards of beautiful wired ribbon!
Beautiful ribbons….and with 50 yards there are no worries about running out.

It takes a long time to use up 50 yards of ribbon so my “stash” is growing.

We use these ribbons for our annual Boughs, Bows and Beverages events here at Sweetwater….so it is really a good investment (says the woman trying to rationalize her ribbon fetish)!

Read about Boughs, Bows and Beverages here.

There are lots of places to get ribbon…..and lots of sales this time of year.

It is also a great idea to save your bows from year to year.

It is now time to get your BOW on!
There are some links to bow making tutorials at the end of the post….written by actual posters who excel at writing tutorials.

Here is my poor attempt to show you how I make a pretty….professional looking bow.
Warning:  holding the ribbon, the wire, and taking pictures…..now THAT was a trick!

Start by cutting a piece of florist wire about 12 inches long….

If you don’t have any paddle wire like this…GET SOME!  NOW!  You will use it and use it and use it!

Leave the ribbon attached to the spool and pull out about a yard…..

If you cut now…you might not have enough for a pretty bow….and besides…if you mess up…
just let go and start again!

Make a loop that is half the size of the bow you want….

pinch it tight….

flip over and make a loop on the other side that is the same size

pinch that tight

Keep going back and forth….
loop, pinch, loop, pinch

This bow has 5 loops on one side and 6 loops on the other…..

I read somewhere that you should always have an odd number of loops….but who’s counting? Oh…ME!

Now take the piece of wire and wrap it around the center….whew!  You can let go of the loops now and hold on to the wire.

Twist the ribbon…NOT the wire….around about 3 times to get an nice tight center.

NOW….you can cut the bow away from the spool!

Then start pulling the loops up and twisting them into a pretty shaped bow.

The wire in the center lets you have at it without worrying that the bow will come apart.

The wire edge of the ribbon lets you shape the loops.


There you have it! 

 Here are the other links I found with much more professional tutorials….take a look!

Better Homes and Gardens Video Tutorial
Directions for lots of fancy bows
Michael’s Tutorial

Good Luck!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Goodwill Clothes Alteration Hacks

Date: May 15, 2018
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: clearance aisle, clothes, no sew, sewing, Stuff to buy at Good Will, thrifty

I haven’t posted about thrift store shopping in awhile.
Never fear….that does not mean I haven’t done any thrift store shopping!

This week I was perusing the selection of pants in my closet.  Yikes…it is filled almost entirely with black pants and jeans leggings with some fancier pairs for dressier events.
I pretty much live in Yoga pants until it is time to go out.  Then casual is the rule. Ahh…the life of a retiree!

I headed to the thrift store this week with the goal of finding some summer pants that were not jeans or black!  It is usually a mistake to go to the thrift store with a specific item in mind.  Mostly that will be disappointing.

But the Good Will gods must have been watching over me this time.
I found not one, but three pair of summer pants.
AND…..a super cute summer sundress.

But here is the deal!
They were the perfect PRICE….but not the perfect fit.

Instead of passing these bargains up….I knew with very little time and effort I could cure what ailed them.

 I am pretty short so almost any pair of pants is going to need hemming up!
The red pants were the right length but were not tapered enough…..
The white pair and khaki pair needed hemming…..
The sundress hit the floor and then some on little me….and I wanted tea length because I know I will get more wear out of it.

Knowing how to do some basic alterations and/or tailoring is one secret for success at the thrift store.

If you think you have no sewing skills…..remember….the items you are working with cost less than a glass of wine in a restaurant!  You can take a risk and see what happens.

Here are my favorite alteration hacks:

Hemming: 

  • Sometimes the easiest thing to do is just turn the existing hem under and do a few tacks with a needle;
  • Fusible hem tape is a great time saver if you don’t feel like sewing.
  • Tightly woven knits like athletic leggings with lots of spandex can just be cut off with no stitching.  You will be amazed at how well the raw edge stands up to washing.
  • Alas…sometimes you need to do an actual hem….but don’t stress with finishing with hemtape and all that.  Just cut them off….turn it up and stitch. 

 Straps:

  • So many cute tops and dresses have spaghetti straps.  When you try on an item….pull those straps up to see if the top looks better. It is an easy fix to tack the shortened strap to the inside of the back.  This trick fixes a couple of fit problems….saggy bodice, loose underarms, and in some cases, pulling the straps up makes the waistline fit better too.

 
Under the arm:

  • When you see a top that looks just a little too big, sometimes it is a matter of just taking in the side seam.  This works especially well with sleeveless tanks.  The added benefit here is that you can fit the underarm area and taper it to the bottom.  This gives a little more room for your bottom too!

Baggy Legs:

  • I like the look of fitted skinny legs on most casual pants.  These cute red pants are a great example.  By tapering the inside leg seam just 1/2 and inch, they went from way to “preppy” and hard to find shoes for….to perfect casual with sandals or flats.

Every one of these alterations can be done with a straight stitch with the sewing machine or a few simple hand stitches.
It is definitely worth remembering when you find something wonderful at the thrift store that has “possibilities”!

OR….you can call a friend who sews 🙂
OR…you can find a tailor shop.

AND….all of the above also works for any bargain shopping you do.  If you find a good deal….but the fit isn’t good….think of the possibilities for a quick alteration.

Wishing you a wonderful day!