Thrift shopping and crafting!

I know I have mentioned it in my previous posts, but I have a thing for thrift shopping lately. I am not quite a junkie yet, but I sure enjoy the thrill I get from finding items that I can use, re-purpose or turn into a craft project.

Thrift shopping can be a lot of fun, especially if you are looking for specific things or have a creative mind and can see potential in the many things that the store has to offer. If like me you collect nativity scenes, well this year I was blessed to find a few cute ones in my new favorite place. I found great books for my boys, and for myself as well ( I am 2 books short of having the complete Little house on the prairie collection, and a lot of them looked like they have never been opened).

NOT everything in a thrift store is worth buying that's for sure but it is so nice to find "treasures" that cost you so little.

So here are a few things I did using my thrifty finds:

I found a big chunk of green felt for $1 and finally made a Christmas tree felt for the little ones.

I did add a brown piece of felt to make the tree's trunk.

I bought a natural, and bare grapevine wreath for .50 cents, a heart shape wreath with bright red pip berries for .50 cents also and a Christmas ornament for a buck and made a little wreath that I cannot wait to hang in our window when winter comes. I took all the pip berries off the heart shape wreath for future projects, and am currently working on that now bare heart shape wreath.

I am debating whether or not to add a mini banner with the word Noel on.

Yann has been quite animate about the fact that this year we have to leave some cookies for Santa in a plate, so for .50 cents I got a plate at my go to store and made Santa his own special plate using sharpies to write on.

Not perfect but cute, I think anyway.

I made this sign with a frame I got for .50 cents. The rest are just scrapbook papers I had and I made the felt flowers. Found the B at Michael's for $1.50 :)

It's simple but I like it that way!

For our anniversary, I used a couple of glass ornaments that I filled up to give to my hubby for our 13 years together. Both ornaments cost me $1.

The little bear represents my love and Canada,
and of course the sand and shells represent me and my Tahiti!

Our sons!

Last but not least, some costumes/dress up clothes. It cost me the most money. I didn't want to use clothes I bought brand new for the boys, and alter them so I just got some at the thrift store and added to them.

Grey T-shirts for $1 and a fur scarf ($1 also) that I cut to make
a vest like thing for their viking costumes for Halloween.
Y already had the hat, and ax and we were lucky enough to find a second one for .50 cents for little M.

Found these brand new T-shirts for a buck each,
and glued some felt on that I later hand sewed on for durability.

Modeling his Mike the night tunic
with the cardboard shield and sword I made. The boys get 2 costumes each.