Coasting to Inspiration

When we were recently married, I bought some coasters 4 for a dollar. I bought 2 because I loved these colors. Since then they have been boxed up because, frankly, I'm not really sure why I bought some coasters when we still have yet to own a coffee table... (shrug). But I recently found them when I went to get some other things out of storage, and I still love these colors, I still don't own a coffee table, so... AH HA!

I have been trying to decorate my new, ok, so I've been in this house for over a year, so it's about time to get some pictures up on the wall. I love the look of Vinyl on the wall, but it's so expensive. I have a Cricut and I can cut it, I just don't have the fundage to buy it. Then it came to me when I found these costers, I also found several rolls of shelf paper from our first house. It was really old and needed shelf paper and it had shelves everywhere so we bought a bunch. We didn't get to put it all up before we ended up moving, so I have something like 5 rolls of black marble shelf contact paper. So I tried it out with this project and EUREKA! So I had 8 total and when I figured out where I wanted them, on either side of my kitchen sink, I had to think of a phrase. (yeah, this is the final, but before I was done this is where I knew I wanted to hang them.)

I just say someone that had, "Count your many blessings, name them one by one. So since, I'm actually over orange, I came up with "Count your Blessings, One By One." So I put one word on each coaster and then once I got them placed where I wanted I found a picture on my cricut that I loved that came from nature. So here's the final product!

I love it. I just put it on with masking tape, but I might change it up and hang them on a wide single ribbon, or 2 thinner ribbons. If I do something different then I have shown, I'll post the new look.

Flip Over Flip Flops

I am back, sorry, I've been gone for a while.
So I have been looking for a good pair of fun shoes that don't cost much and look great, not to mention comfortable. So I finally decided it's time to make some. No, I can't make shoes, as much as I wish I could. So I went to Walmart and bought a pair of black slightly wedged flip flops. If I remember right, they were $3 or $4. SCORE!

Then I also bought a string of beads for I think, $2-$3, and I already had this yarn, thread stuff with the stings coming off of it. I bought that a long time ago for another project and I've used it for everything, from little girl's bows to hat bands and now, shoes. It didn't cost much and I still have a ton of it and I've used it a bunch. I also bought a pair of small black painted metal flower embellishments for $2. I also used a needle and some black thread that I suggest everyone always have on hand (along with white thread). So project done, it cost somewhere around, but less then $10, and I got it all at Walmart.
So I started at the toe area. I started by tying the end of the black thread onto the tip. Then I took the stand of beads and measured how long I wanted the beads to go down the side of the flip flop. Then I used a needle and thread to re-string the beads onto that. I make sure it is taught to the top and then make a loop around the bottom of the side of the flip flop. Then I go the other way through the beads. When I get back to the top I tie it back at the toe, so it's secure. The with the thread, to back down the side strap and wrap it around and around securing the bead strand to the strap every other bead or so. When you feel like it's secure enough, tie off the thread, making sure not to put a thread knot on the bottom where your foot would feel it.
That done, do the same to the other side of the flip flop

Now, let's work on the little embellishment that you have for the toe. Take the fun thread with the little threads coming off of it, (you can use anything that is like a string that is fun, they have a lot of fun yarns or scrapbooking embellishment threads) I just cut off what I think I will need, noting that you will be wrapping it around, up and down twice at least and still need room to tie it off. I cut 2 lengths and tie the end of both onto the toe area. Then I thread the loop at the top of the embellishment through both strands. Then I work with one strand of fun thread and wrap it around and around in between every other bead or so, then when you get to the bottom, wrap it around 2 times and do the same on the way back up toward the toe. Then secure it at the top.
Note:Some embellishments might be stubborn and want to go one way or the other. I ended up wrapping some fun thread around the bottom to anchor it and level it a little better

With all the fuzz and frill, you can't even tell that there's something there, and it's very secure. Also, you can't see the black thread or any of the knots. Here's my before and after.

Note:I always mention being secure. If it's not secure, it might come off, or break when you're out on the town. These aren't something that sit around and decorate your house, these are shoes that will be moving all the time you're on your feet