Friday, July 28, 2017

Saturday Scriptures #25 Free Flowing Water


I have been drawn to water recently. When I look at artwork, see streams and hear fountains, the waters seem to speak to me. I don't quite understand why this is, but I am always curious when I feel drawn this way as I know God uses nature to speak to me at times. When I look at water, I ponder its flowing nature. Water is strong and can cut through objects in its path like a knife. It weathers and carves stones and cuts paths through valleys. Water is a life force. Humans and animals cannot survive without water. The human body is roughly 60-75% water. And yet, within each water droplet is a world within itself. I used to do a unit with my students in which they would "build" a water molecule. Within each water molecule there are two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Within a single drop of water there are billions of water molecules. Think of the number of water droplets there are within the oceans! Water can be found in various forms; solids, liquids, gases. These forms are all water and yet each is distinctive in its own right. I believe one reason that I have been fascinated by water recently is that it reminds me of the power of God. I am but a small part of this incredible world which was created by our Heavenly Father. As the greatest scientific mind of all, God fashioned everything in our world and our universe. And yet just as God fashioned the billions of molecules that exist within a single drop of water, God has fashioned and created all peoples. We are precious children of God cared for by our creator. As water can cut through stone, so can God's spirit cut through the hearts and minds of all people. We live in a world where there is much fear, evil, poverty, sadness and loss. As God knows about each molecule of water, every sparrow that falls, God also knows about each of His children. I believe His will is for us to have abundant life and to not suffer or have pain or do without the basic necessities of life. God knows when our hearts are touched with sorrow because a loved one has died. God's will is for us to love one another and to help others as we are able. We often hear the saying, "We are the hands and feet of Jesus here on Earth." My prayer is that just as water flows freely through streams, God's Holy Spirit will flow throughout our world's path bringing peace, healing and grace to all. And may my hands be one of the many human "molecules" who does His will. 

"You will make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; In your right hand there are pleasures forever."
Psalm 16:11

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Celebrating My 2nd Blog Anniversary! And A Major Thank You!

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There's two candles today and some delicious chocolate cake to celebrate my blog's second birthday! (Yes, the photo is a little bit Christmasy, but I'm using what I've got!) Woohoo....two years of blogging! Who would have thought? It seems like just yesterday that I sat down on the couch and nervously worked on setting up my Blogger blog. I thought my computer might explode if I did something wrong! My first post was a selfie I took at Mary's Lake in Colorado. And then, a few months later I moved on to becoming a dot com and debbiethisandthat.com became my own domain! It was such a proud day when I shared that post with you announcing my own domain. You've been with me as I have grown as a blogger, trying my hand at my first fashion posts, tablescape posts and sharing about books I love to read and I cannot tell you how much all of my readers mean to me. I absolutely couldn't do this blog without all of you! In my last post, I asked for feedback from my readers about whether you felt the blog should continue and what you liked best or didn't like about the blog. Your responses have been heart warming to me and have given me such encouragement to continue blogging. Thank You so very much! You readers told me that you like the variety of posts I offer with my blog and many of you mentioned that you like the addition of the Saturday Scriptures and would like to see that continue. Folks who access my blog from Google+ and Facebook chimed in, as well, offering encouragement. It meant so much to hear that you readers feel I am "genuine, relatable and authentic" and that you learn things or think about things after reading my posts. The act of blogging is a solitary endeavor but the community that comes from the interaction between the blogger and the readers is a HUGE gift. So, as I celebrate this, my second blog anniversary, I want to thank you...my dear readers, for sticking with me and providing me, once again, with the encouragement to continue. You are my blog's birthday gift! And, yes, debbiethisandthat will continue! 

Until Next Time,
Debbie

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Feeling the Blues Summer Dress

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I'm feeling the blues today in a dress that is both stylish and cool for our 90+ degree heat!

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When I found this dress on the sales rack at Stein Mart, what stood out immediately was the lovely blue color, the frills at the waist and the lovely shape of the neckline. 

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With all of these positives going for it, my only worry was if it looked to "young" for me. When I wore it last week, however, after letting it sit in my closet for months, I decided it works! The length is spot on and the dress has a built in slip and is soooo light and comfortable! I seem to be covered in all the right places, Ha!

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I kept accessories simple, pairing the dress with my black Skecher wedge sandals, a black clutch handbag and a couple favorite bracelets. 


I'm always drawn to blue, whether in home decor colors, jewelry or clothing. It is definitely a favorite color! So, sometimes, feeling the blues can be a good thing! 

What colors "call" to you in your closet? Is blue a favorite or do you love another color better? To me, this dress has unique qualities such as the frilled waist and pretty neckline, that make it a standout. What unique things do you look for when choosing an article of clothing? Hope you'll leave me a comment and let me know. I love to hear from you. And....at the end of this month, I will be celebrating my two year anniversary of Debbiethisandthat.com. Do me a favor, would you? Let me know if you would like to see this blog continue, and what about my blog appeals to you, or doesn't appeal to you, the most. In my two years of blogging, I have focused on "a little bit of this and that" carrying that theme into a variety of posts including fashion, faith, home decor, tablescapes, books I read and more. It is a true "lifestyle" blog! So, I'd like some feedback as I re-evaluate at this two year mark. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! I appreciate every one of my readers!

Until Next Time,
Debbie


Saturday, July 22, 2017

Saturday Scriptures #25-Counting Our Blessings

Counting Our Blessings

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Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits
Psalm 103:2  (NIV)

Last week I mentioned that I was going to start listing at least one thing each day for which I was grateful. I asked if anyone cared to join me. How have you done with this practice this week? For me, it has been an eye opener to be grateful each day for the many blessings the Lord has given me. I've been counting my blessings more which is a good thing.

Psalm 103 reminds us to not forget the benefits of the Lord...all the blessings that come our way each day. This Psalm basically lists all of the many blessings given to people by God and reminds us of God's compassion and love. 

Today, I am grateful for safe travels for my family members who have all returned from Colorado having had safe flights. I am happy that my husband and I found a new used bookstore we had not explored before on our way to Charlotte today. I am thankful for good health, my home, my loved ones and friends. I am grateful for the words of Psalm 103 as a reminder to express my thankfulness to the Lord. What do you have in mind to be thankful for today?

Blessings,
Debbie

Friday, July 21, 2017

How to Wear Orange Tones in the Summer

Orange Is The New Pink


Certain colors are typically looked at as Spring/Summer colors, while others are more Fall/Winter. Orange is certainly a color most associated with Fall. There are certain shades/tones of orange that are related to pink, however. So, I have decided that orange is the new pink, as I am styling orange as a Summertime look today! 


In my opinion, any color can be worn in any season, as long as it is paired with pieces and accessories that match the season. So, I'm pairing this orange tone blouse with a pair of thrifted khaki shorts and a leopard print orange tone scarf. 


Scarves are back as headbands and to tie up ponytails, by the way. There's a little bit of retro to this look with the leopard print adding a more modern vibe to the orange scarf. The background shade of this scarf is a deep salmon or coral color.


So, how do I wear orange in the Summer? Here are a few rules I follow:
  • Choose a tone of orange that is more "summer" like. My blouse and scarf are in the orange family as coral or salmon shades of orange.
  • Pair the orange tone piece with a lighter colored piece. The khaki shorts provide the lighter color.
  • Choose accessories that are light and summery and/or add a unique pattern to the look. My silver Paparazzi wrap bracelet and copper earrings paired with the silver sandals are the light and summery part and the leopard patterned scarf adds the unique part to the look. 


The silver of the bracelet also hints at the silver glints in the headscarf. If you look closely at the scarf you can see the little silver glimmers. 


And you remember these gorgeous copper color earrings from when I did my Paparazzi post. The earrings also have a unique pattern and are another tone of orange to add to this summertime look. 

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To me, this outfit just works as a cool, summertime look even though there are several tones of orange throughout this look. If it has been hot in your part of the world like it has been in mine, then you are most likely looking for your coolest outfits to wear. Shop your closet and don't give up on those pieces that you might think only fit one season! With the right accessories, you can get more bang for your buck from your clothing! I know you will be seeing this blouse again in the Fall/Winter paired with a great sweater!

Be sure to let me know if you wear Fall/Winter colors in the Spring/Summer seasons and how you like to accessorize your summertime looks. Have you been wearing scarves as headbands or to tie back your ponytails? Hope you'll leave a comment, it will make my day! And, please be sure to recommend debbiethisandthat.com to all of your friends! Feel free to pin photos and to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest. C'mon, you know you want to! Have you signed up to subscribe so you never miss a post? Look for the subscription box on my right sidebar of this blog. Thanks to all those readers who have already done so! And join me next time for Saturday Scriptures!

Until Next Time,
Debbie

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

DIY Breakfast Bowls and DIY Purse for the Novice Sewer

Easy Do It Yourself Projects for A Novice Sewer

                                    (But Not A Novice Eater!)

  So, you're getting two for the price of one in today's post! I'm showing you a tasty breakfast bowl that you can make at home and also a shoulder purse that is easy peasy for a novice sewer like me, and possibly you, to make yourself. If you like quick gratification, like I do, with do-it-yourself projects, then today's post is for you!


First, let's talk breakfast. I've mentioned in previous posts about how I like to put vegetables into my breakfast meal. It just seems like if I don't start the day off with healthier choices, I can quickly go downhill with the rest of the day's eating. So, I'm always on the lookout for veggies that I like eating early in the day. Squash and zucchini are so plentiful right now and I love to simply throw some into a bowl with water and cook it right in the microwave. It only takes between 5-8 minutes to cook tender and it is so delicious!


In this morning's breakfast bowl I included three egg whites/one yolk scrambled to perfection, spinach sauteed in olive oil with a little added onion powder and black pepper and the zucchini/squash that I microwaved. It was delicious! Breakfast bowls are popular in restaurants right now. A few days ago some friends and I ate in downtown Asheville and one friend ordered a breakfast bowl that came filled with eggs, cheese, black beans, rice and avocado topped with salsa. I haven't gone that route yet, but it looked delicious. If I do try one with the black beans, rice and avocado I'll be sure to take pictures and share that with you! Now, let's get busy sewing!


I enjoy sewing projects that are simple and easy and can be completed fairly quickly. Like I said before, I like instant gratification when it comes to do-it-yourself projects! For this simple purse I needed my Janome sewing machine, scissors, straight pins, skewer for pushing out neat corners, cord for the purse strap and, of course, material for the purse itself. 


Now, here's my little secret for the purse material. I used place mats that I picked up at a thrift store! As a novice sewer, I like having finished edges whenever possible. This place mat material already had finished edging so all I needed to do was turn two pieces inside out, pin the edges on three sides,  and sew those three sides up. I then turned the material inside out and used my skewer stick to gently poke out the corners to neat squares. The place mat pieces were part of a set of place mats that included smaller pieces that could be used either as coasters or as hot pads for dishes. Those smaller pieces were the ones I used for the purse. I then carefully inserted the cord on the inside edge of each side on the open side and ran the material back and forth with the sewing machine to secure the strap. 


For a purse closer, I used these Velcro stick on tabs that you can pick up at any sewing store or in the sewing section at Walmart. They come in all sizes/shapes so you can easily find what you want. I used white, but they also come in black, as well. 


The end result is a cute shoulder bag that can be worn to carry whatever you like in it! This is not a huge purse, but can certainly carry several smaller items. I see this type of purse for sale all the time at high prices. Making your own is fun and thrifty as well!


This selfie gives you an idea of the size of the purse. And yes, my husband is laying on the bed in the background watching TV. Oh well!

How about you? Are you doing any do-it-yourself projects right now? Have you tried breakfast bowls? Did you like them? Hope you will leave me a comment. I love hearing from you! I like trying new things, like breakfast bowls and simple sewing projects. How about you? 

And please be sure to recommend debbiethisandthat.com to others. I'm always happy to meet new readers.....and to re-connect with faithful readers. Also, feel free to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest and to pin photos. Join me next time when I will be shopping my closet to show how to wear orange tones in the summer!

Until Next Time,
Debbie


Saturday, July 15, 2017

Saturday Scriptures #24-Full of Gratitude

Finding Reasons To Be Thankful

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Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.  I Chronicles 29:13

I recently visited a reader's blog in which they had done a post on finding something in each day that had made them happy. This happy event was recorded in a daily diary. That got me thinking about being thankful and having gratitude in my life. It would seem that, at my age, I wouldn't need to be reminded so much to be thankful. But, it is easy to get sucked into the day to day living process and to forget that the Lord has blessed me with so many reasons to be thankful! I've read about others who recommend keeping a gratitude journal and that is not a practice I have started. This reader, however, suggested writing just one thing down that made you happy each day. Somehow, being able to write one thing down seems easier than coming up with a list of ten or twenty items on a daily basis. Although, I know that if I am honest there are hundreds of reasons each day that I should be full of gratitude to the Lord. But, sometimes, it's good to start small and grow from there. I'm interchanging words here using "happiness," "thankful" and "gratitude" as if they have the same definition. Actually, each word carries different meanings. Happy is more of a feeling. I can choose to be thankful and have gratitude whether I am feeling happy or not. In case you are curious about the definitions each word carries, I will provide those for you. (For you "wordsmith" readers!)

Happy: 1. feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. 2. fortunate and convenient. 

Thankful: 1. pleased and relieved. 2. expressing gratitude and relief. 

Gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. 

(Definitions taken from Merriam-Webster online)

Although each word has something in common with the others, there are still nuances to each word. I am drawn to the definition of thankful that emphasizes being relieved. Perhaps if I concentrate more on things to be thankful for I will be "relieved" of focusing on the concerns of my life. Remember that commercial that used to be on television that asked, "How do you spell relief?" Perhaps one way to spell relief is to remember what we have to be thankful for in our lives! What about you? How do you address being thankful, full of gratitude or being happy in your daily life? Do you keep a diary or journal or reflect on things you are thankful for each day? I'm going to start keeping a notepad by my bedside to write down at least one thing for which I am thankful, full of gratitude for and happy about each day. Care to join me?

Blessings,
Debbie

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Casual Styling for Bargain Shoppers

Staying Casual, Stylish and Thrifty!


So, if you have followed my blog for awhile now, you know that I love a good bargain. I like to be stylish without breaking the bank doing so. Today, I am styling a casual summery look and literally everything I'm wearing or carrying (including jewelry), with the exception of the jeans jacket, cost well under $10! 


I'll be sharing info about each item and showing some indoor and some outdoor photos so you can see the items in different lighting. First, let's look at the top. Can you see what is on it? Butterflies! This top has a story.


I tried on this top along with several others at a local thrift store last Saturday. This thrift store's prices are a little higher than Goodwill, but it just so happened that they were celebrating "Christmas in July" and were offering a "buy one, get one" special. I had definitely settled on two other tops and was debating this one and another lavender blouse when the Mr. told me the lady was closing the store early and I needed to check out. Arghh....I hate to be rushed, especially when I'm making clothing choices! I also decided to be "cheap" and only get two items. Of course, I continued to think about the two tops I didn't get over the next few days and decided yesterday to look back at the shop to see if they were still there. They were....AND.....because it was Wednesday and I am "of a certain age" I got a 35% discount, meaning that I scored both tops for about seven dollars! A bargain shopper's dream, for sure!


This skirt is "Basic Editions" brand purchased at K-Mart. It has a stretch waist and is super soft and comfortable! I haven't typically worn skirts and summer dresses to keep cool in the summer, mainly relying on capris, jeans and shorts to stay cool, but this outfit may change my mind on that subject! It was all day comfort for me wearing this outfit. The skirt cost a whopping $7.98! And you will remember my fun, striped tennis shoes from this previous post.
They were a steal at Walmart for $5.87! 


You first saw my blue jeans jacket and purse on this previous post. The jeans purse was a Goodwill find for one dollar! The jacket is by Gloria Vanderbilt and is the one item that cost more than ten dollars. If memory serves me, I believe the jacket was around $25 and I bought one in white and one in blue. You have seen both of them on the blog several times. Now, let's talk jewelry.



Both the wrap bracelet and earrings that I am wearing are Paparazzi and you know what that means....each piece was only $5 each! So.....how did I do as a bargain shopper? Let's add it all up.

Top: $3.50
Skirt: $7.98
Shoes: $5.87
Purse: $1.00
Bracelet: $5.00
Earrings: $5.00 (Came as a set with a necklace!)
Grand Total: $28.35

That's right...an entire outfit, minus the jacket, for under $30 including shoes and jewelry! Woohoo!! If we add in the jeans jacket, which I consider to be a "staple" clothing item which can be mixed and matched with outfits over and over, the total cost is $58.35. Still, a bargain, for a total outfit to be under $60!


The point of my post is that fashion does not need to be expensive. I learned this at an early age when my Mom, who worked many jobs during her lifetime, just didn't have lots of money for me to spend on "name brand" clothing. I remember being in Junior High and High School and it was all the rage for girls to get their clothing at "The Diamond" which was an expensive store at the local mall. Most of my clothes came from Hills Department Store, where my Mom worked as a Department Head in the women's clothing department. Hills is no longer in business, but was comparable, at that time, to K-Mart or Walmart. At the time, I kind of wished I could have gotten the name brand clothing because I was a teenager and you know how teenagers are....everyone wants to be "the same" and fit in like everyone else. I am so glad, however, that I didn't get the name brands, though, because I learned how to shop for "quality" looking clothing in the cheaper stores. It can be done. When I go to thrift stores I don't buy junky clothes. And, believe me, plenty of what I see is junky looking. I look for "quality" items both in the style and the way the clothing is made. Some days I score several quality items. Other days I leave without buying anything. I read a lot of blogs and I see many fashion bloggers talk about clothing they are wearing that is supposed to be so "economical" with the price. I click on the links and about faint at the "economical pricing." It is much more than I am willing to pay. Call me cheap if you wish, but I just don't think it is necessary to pay huge prices in order to have really nice clothing. To each their own, though, and for those readers who like to shop at high end stores....I am not judging you and I hope you don't judge me. I just have always loved a bargain....and I always will! As I learned at an early age...."necessity is the mother of invention." 

How about you? Are you a bargain shopper? Are you willing to shop at thrift stores and stores like K-Mart or Walmart or would you never shop for clothing at those stores? Hope you'll leave me a comment and share! Have you subscribed to my blog so you'll never miss a post? Just look for the subscription box on the right sidebar of my blog. And, please remember to recommend debbiethisandthat to all of your friends! I love to know when someone "finds" my blog for the first time! (But that doesn't mean I don't want to hear from my faithful long time readers, though, because I do!!) Happy shopping in whatever form you choose to do it!

Until Next Time,
Debbie


Saturday, July 8, 2017

Saturday Scriptures #23 Our Crash Days

Hope For Days When You Crash

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God answer you on the day you crash,
The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm's reach,
Send reinforcements from Holy Hill,
Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies,
Exclaim over your offerings,
Celebrate your sacrifices,
Give you what your heart desires,
Accomplish your plans.
Psalm 20 1-2 (The Message)

Where do we turn on days when life seems to crash around us? What do we do when things don't make sense and we feel like we are floating at sea all alone? All of us encounter times like these. The reasons may vary, but the feeling is often the same. Things aren't going well and we don't know which way to turn.

This psalm really spoke to me this week with things that have been happening in my life. The words "the day you crash," "put you out of harm's reach" and "send reinforcements from Holy Hill" especially stood out to me. When things are going wrong in life, I definitely want God to put me out of harm's reach and I definitely need His reinforcing love to help me get through it. It's also comforting to know that God is working to help me accomplish plans, although I know that God has final say in those plans. 

I really encourage you to get out your Bible and read this entire Psalm all the way through. There's a lot of "meat" to it. Later in this Psalm you will read these words:

That clinches it--help's coming,
an answer's on the way,
everything's going to work out. 

How comforting to read these words! Isn't that what we all want? To know that we aren't alone in this life? That help will come, answers will come and that everything will work out? 

As some things have gone haywire this past week, I have called on the Lord to send help. He is gracious and faithful to always be present in all things in my life....and in yours. We are never alone. Yes, I have said these words many times before in my devotionals and I will say them again. We are never alone....thanks be to God!

Blessings,
Debbie

*So sorry that I missed posting last Saturday's devotional. 

Thursday, July 6, 2017

A Post I Don't Want To Write

I'm Sharing Sad News

Well, I've debated all day about how to share this news, whether to share it, etc. I don't want to share it at all, but since I wrote a big happy announcement 10 days ago, I felt that I should let my readers know. Our little Frisky kitten passed away today very suddenly. We are both in shock and not able to make sense of this. We had him as a family member for just 10 days. We don't know for sure what caused his death. We know that he had developed a slight cough and some slight sneezing. We took him to the vet who checked him over and told us basically that sometimes kittens pick up a virus in shelters and their body fights it off and since these viruses are viral we didn't need to start him on an antibiotic. We were to watch and wait. Well.....we watched and waited.....and Frisky died. We are heartbroken and unsure of our next steps with pets. We both are dealing with the "what ifs" in this situation. But, the bottom line is we did seek medical care for him and he still died. I read online that about 27% of kitten populations die for a variety of reasons, but one predominant reason is called, "Fading Kitten Syndrome." With this syndrome, the kitten gets sick and dies quickly which is what happened to our little guy. So, I'm wondering if Fading Kitten Syndrome is the issue. I also read that in the majority of these cases, there is little that can be done to save the kitten. This knowledge, while helpful, is of little solace to our grieving hearts. We find ourselves, yet again, in a home with no pets wondering what just happened. After losing Gracie so recently, this is a lot to go through. As a tribute to Frisky I would like to share some things about him and his short life.

  • He packed a whole lot of love into the ten days he was with us.
  • He was a true "snuggle bunny" who definitely wanted to be close to us; usually tucked under our chins!
  • He had a cute way of singing when he ate his food.
  • Although he didn't yet have a favorite toy, he loved his soft bed and gray blanket and would settle deeply into the covers.
  • We loved him (and always will)

We may only have had him in our life for ten short days, but I am so glad that we brought him home from the shelter. For those ten days he knew he was loved and there were gentle hands holding him and caring for him. He could have died in the shelter without ever knowing what "home" meant. So, I'm glad he picked us out to come home with us. Rest easy little guy. You are safe now in God's hands. And I hope you know that we did the best we could for you. 


Until Next Time,
Debbie

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Summer Casual Style to Beat the Heat and Nail Art

Styled To Beat The Heat


How do you beat the summer heat? How about with a colorful filmy top and crisp white capri leggings. This style is casual and cool and pleasing to the eye in my opinion. 


The nice thing about this tunic top, besides the vibrant pink color, is the lightweight feel of the fabric against your skin. The pink against the white is a bold contrast of color that just says "Summer!" I'll list brand names at the end of this post. 


This top is also extra long in the back to give nice coverage. You can see this top has a liner with the filmy top attached to it. Sleeveless tops have not always been my choice, so this is an example of risk taking with style for me. I like this look, though, and it's fun to play with new styles. Fashion should be fun, don't you think? 


And I'm truly loving these new gladiator style sandals! I have admired this style for awhile but decided I didn't like the ties that some gladiator shoes have on them. This style has a zipper up the back for ease of putting them on and the criss-cross straps are soft and comfortable to my feet. One thing I always look for with sandals is whether or not the soles are flexible. I cannot stand sandals that don't flex when I walk. These soles are very flexible. They also have some cushioning on the foot bed, although more would be better, but that is hard to find with this style. If you look closely at my right foot you can see my purple fourth toe which I stubbed a couple of days ago. I don't think I broke it, but it is sore and sure is black and blue! Don't ask how I managed to stub my fourth toe....it's really ridiculous....but it involved trying to kill a spider in my bathroom! My husband says the spider is laughing with glee! ( Spider one....Debbie zero!)


You can't see my hands in the other pictures so I'm showing you how I am experimenting with nail art. These are nail stickers by Kiss that you simply peel from a sheet and apply to your nails.


I decided to put clear nail polish on my nails first, then applied the nail stickers and followed with a coat of clear polish over top of the stickers. I like this look but think the stickers might pop more if I put a color on my nails other than clear. I'll try that next time!


I picked up the nail stickers at either a drugstore or a Dollar Store. I can't remember which, but they are available at both type stores. When you take off the nail polish with remover the stickers come off as well. 

Do you like to have fun with fashion by trying new things? Hope you will leave me a comment and let me know. How was your 4th of July holiday? Mine was pretty quiet. Frisky and I watched "A Capital Fourth" on PBS and I did my nails. This place was really rockin'! The Mr. was off playing a 4th of July concert. 

Hope you will recommend debbiethisandthat.com to others and remember to subscribe by email so you never miss a single post!

Until Next Time,
Debbie

Shopping for a similar look? Here's where I found my look. (Not a sponsored post)

Top: Tunic by "Cupio" purchased at Stein Mart
Capri: "No Nonsense" brand purchased at Walmart
Sandals: "Michelle" style by SM at K-Mart

Sunday, July 2, 2017

4th of July Foyer Table and Dollar Store Crafts

Fourth of July Spectacular On The Blog!

(Not a sponsored post. All writing and opinions are my own. Photography by Debbie Ross and property of debbiethisandthat.com)
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You're getting more bang for your buck today as I share a lot of spectacular home decor and DIY crafting with you. There might even be another picture of our cute new kitty at the end, so don't go away too soon! Let's start with the foyer table. 


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I wanted to create a foyer table look that gave a nod to the 4th of July, but also that would contain items that could be used for other purposes as well. You know I like to use items for multiple purposes! I think I got it right with the cute butterfly candle holder and watering can that I picked up on clearance today at A.C. Moore. The table cover was a fabric swatch that A.C. Moore was selling for one dollar. I picked up some Christmas fabric while I was at it. I also got the cute red, white and blue ball picks that I placed in the watering can. Everything you see in the pic came from A.C. Moore except for the red and blue star candles which I picked up a few weeks ago at the Dollar Store. I knew they would come in handy for the 4th!

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For the bottom tier I used my 4th of July Welcome sign that you saw on the front porch for last year's 4th of July decoration. 

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Here it is all together. I like having the candle light on the foyer table. I have started using only the battery operated candles because I don't need to worry about an open flame. Now, let's move on to some craft projects I have been creating. 

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I recently created this wreath using a foam wreath from the Dollar Store and some ribbon I already owned. 

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I simply wrapped the ribbon around the wreath making sure to overlap a little. I had used this ribbon for other things and had about three lengths. When I came to the end of one length I would use a straight pin to secure the end and just start wrapping the next length. Nothing could be easier!

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The completed wreath is now hanging in our hallway. I used a final length of the ribbon to add a simple bow. Not my best bow, but it looks fine for the hallway display. And now, let's go to the front porch to see another Dollar Store craft.

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I wanted to add some color to our front porch table and this cute flower arrangement was quick and easy to make.

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The "vase" for this arrangement is a paper clip holder from the Dollar Store.

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The round floral foam fits exactly in the paperclip holder. I couldn't believe my luck!

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See? It's a perfect fit! All I needed to do was remove the plastic from the floral foam and stick in the silk flowers I picked out. I bought a "bush" and cut each stem down to size using wire cutters. 

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The result is a pretty floral arrangement that adds a nice accent to our front covered porch. I purposely chose flower colors that will take us easily through Summer and well into Fall. If you have never shopped for craft items at the Dollar Store I urge you to do so. It's an inexpensive way to create pretty home decor. I always get a good feeling from displaying something in my home that I made myself! And now, for the final piece de resistance.....

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It's Frisky!!  I couldn't resist adding in a photo of our little guy. Who couldn't love that little face?!  We're having a fun time getting to know him. We took a little trip to the vet today just to make sure he was doing OK and the vet confirmed that he is definitely younger than 5 months as we suspected. It's hard to know for sure, but the vet estimated he is around 3 months or so. He is definitely adding some livelihood to our home! In fact he is walking over the keyboard as I try to write this. Could it be that we have yet another Cat Blogger in the family? I do believe that Gracie may have had a hand in sending us this particular cat!

Now, it's your turn to talk! Are you doing any crafts? Did you decorate for the 4th? Hope you will leave me a message and share your thoughts. And I hope you enjoyed seeing my 4th of July Decor and home crafts today. 

Until Next Time,
Debbie