OMG!!!! (Squealing like a 13-year-old girl!)

THEY. ARE. COMING.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

Finally the day has arrived!

Yes, I squealed. Blew out my hubby's eardrums.

My girlfriends and I are already planning how we are going to purchase the front row seats.

Who do we know? Who can we bribe? Who can we steal borrow from?

We will get them. Oh yes, we will.

OK. Done. Back to our scheduled programming. Check out my five dollar projects below.

Squeal!

UPDATE: Tickets are secured by a very-powerful-distant-cousin-of-best-friend-and-coworker-of-my-sister person.

We don't know where we will be sitting but this guy has connections around here I am confident he will hook us up!!

Awww yeah!!

Double squeal!

Five dollar Spring projects!

Hope your weekend was GREAT! It snowed here today. Ugh. So it was fitting that I worked on Spring projects, eh?

I'm joining Lindsay over at Living with Lindsay for her Five Dollar Challenge -- check out her site, so much fun!

Money doesn't grow on trees?? No one sent me that memo. I should clarify -- one of these projects was FREE and one was only two bucks.

Just sayin'.

Let's start with one of the cutie moss bunnies at Pier One. I've picked these up about four times in the past month or so, but couldn't figure out what to do with them. Last week, it hit me:

A pot I already had, along with foam and moss I already had. Add in a $2 mossy bunny:
ACK! Adorable! Stuff the foam in, stuff the moss on top, stuff in the bunny. You are DONE.

My other project was one I'm really excited about -- because I know you already have half of it in your cabinet:

If you are the ONE person on earth who does not have the generic glass vase that comes with all flowers, then just get your booty over to Goodwill -- they've got about 25 waiting for you.

I used my jute twine (correction from this post -- I thought it was sisal but turns out jute has a slightly darker look that I like better than the sisal) and wrapped it around and glued it like I did the bottles.

I. love. it. It screams Spring to me. I threw in the "faux" flowers till I splurge on some white tulips. (When did tulips get so expensive??):

And I have to show my under $5 projects from last week as well -- you can find them here. My son's art caddy:
Little container for little toys:
Four custom tags for under $2:
Fun little magnets:
Head over to Lindsay's to see more fun projects! And keep linking up your spray painting projects here -- so much inspiration!

How to install a dimmer switch.

If you read this blog waaaay back when, you know how much I luuuuv me some dimmers. I think lighting is one of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to create a mood in your home. And I just cannot express how much a dimmer switch will change the lighting in your room -- for as little as $7.

OK, now STOP shaking your head, thinking, "This Chick has gone and lost. her. mind. I cannot (and will not) do anything electrical."

Yes, you can! I swear. Just look at how easy it is.

If the light you are placing the dimmer on only has ONE switch that operates it, you'll need the single pole dimmer, like this one. This is GOOD because these are CHEAP -- less than $7. Dimmers come in a mad selection of styles and you'll pay more for more bells and whistles:

If your light is controlled by more than one switch, you will need the 3-way version. You need to look when you purchase -- the packages are almost identical.

When you open it up, this is what you'll see:

(Stop shaking. It's easy, I SWEAR.)
The only tools you should need are a Phillips head screw driver and a flat head screwdriver:

Go to the switch for the light you are changing out and turn it on -- first so you can tell if you get the right breaker and second, it's a real PITA when you've run down a set of stairs, through the house and to the garage, turned off the breaker, run back through the house, up the stairs and then realized YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHICH SWITCH YOU ARE WORKING WITH! Whew.

Go to the breaker box, and turn the switch to off:
Make sure the light is NOT working. Now you are free to use your flat head screwdriver to take off the switch plate. This is what you'll see:

Stop hyperventilating. It's going TO BE OK!!

Use your Phillips screwdriver to take the actual switch off the wall:

Then pull the whole switch out. There will be a wire connected to the green ground screw, and two wires connected to the switch -- either stuck inside it or tightened under the screws:

See that little bitty slat below? You'll want to use the flathead screwdriver and push it in while you pull the wire out of the little hole above it. (If your wires are in there. See above.)

Next, just follow the directions. Wrap the copper ground wire around the green wire on the dimmer:

Cap it off with the enclosed nut. Just stick it on the end and twist it. This ensures the wires stay connected and protected:

Then simply connect the other two black wires to the two left over wires. Twist together and twist the nut on:

Gently push all the wires back into the wall box:

That's it!! Told you it was easy. Screw the dimmer switch back onto the plate:

Go to turn on the breaker switch to make sure it is working. Then get completely sidetracked by your Decorating ADD and peruse the new Ballard catalog that just came in the mail:

Sorry. Make sure the light works:

Then go ahead and put the plate back on. Make sure all the little screws go the same way:

Oh, sorry. That's just me. I think I like this way better:

So many issues, so little time.

That's it! You are done!! I have installed dimmers in pretty much every room in our house. The kitchen: The dining room is a necessity!!

I have all of our ceiling fan lights on dimmers. Our master bath light is on a dimmer -- FABULOUS on dark mornings. All of our recessed lighting is on dimmers. I tell you what -- they say dimmers save on electricity and I believe it. We've been in this house five years and just last week changed out two recessed lights. They lasted FIVE years people!

You won't be disappointed! I challenge you to make this a quick and easy weekend project!

Disclaimer: MAKE SURE SURE SURE the breaker is turned off. Please!! :)

On a completely different note, I need to show some love for my friend Kimba:

I know many of us have struggled with the amount of time we dedicate to blogging --whether it be writing a blog or just being obsessed with looking at them! Kimba challenges all of us to unplug tomorrow from anything (like the computer!) that we feel is taking up a bit too much of our time.

I have made some changes of late that have made a BIG difference to us -- for example, I don't get on the computer in front of our son anymore. It has been a great change for us -- he was starting to hate the computer. ;) If you unplug tomorrow, share how it went for you at Kimba's on Monday.

Four ca-ute projects under $5!

And three were under TWO BUCKS!!

Awwwww yeah...

And yes, some involved spray paint, of course.

Remember the little tool box from the previous post? I got it for $3.99 at Goodwill and about peed. my. pants. when I saw it. I have been looking for one forever! (OK, just a few weeks, but...whatever.)

I printed out my stencil:

After I spray painted the whole thing brown, I added the stencil to the front:

(The blurriness is me, not the stencil.)

Then took another trip to Goodwill (good thing there are three within 1.5 mile radius of our house, right??) and found five little glass cups that fit in perfect:

Totally and completely adorable, no?? I still have to find more art supplies that are scattered throughout the house, but I absolutely positively adore it:
Total cost was $4 for the box and $2.50 for the cups. Uhhh...wait...that's more than $5. OK, well...whatever.
The next two involved the following:

Basically 60 cents of paper, $1 wood tags and $1.50 knob from Hob Lob -- almost all half off!

I got this little container from my sweet stepmom last Christmas, (hello LA!) and loved it, but have been staring at it in my son's toy room thinking I needed to jazz it up with some ca-uteness:
Spray adhesive, scrapbook paper, spray paint and a knob later:
He loves it! I love it! Ahhh! Feel the love!!

More scrapbook paper and spray adhesive on the wood tags for this one. Add in some fun scissors (1.99 at Hob Lob -- I have a few and love them!), $1 ribbon, the printer and you get this:

(Again...blurriness is me. I swear I wasn't drunk.)

I drilled holes, ran the ribbon through and tied them to the baskets:

This box was a $1.99 Goodwill find. It's the perfect size for the itty bitty teeny tiny toys little boys love:

Adorable!! Less than $2 bucks for all four people!

And for my final trick of the evening, I give you 60 cent wood cuties you can find at any craft store:

Hot glued magnets to the back and you get new magnets for the Bub:

I did all of these in just a couple hours and they were F.U.N. I've got a couple more little projects to do to the toy room and then I can't wait to show you!

The Spray Paint Party has seriously been the most fun I've had! Keep linking below ladies!!

You know what Spring means!!

Fresh air coming through the windows?

Nah.

Tulips finally poking out of the ground?

HA!

Short sleeves and capris?

Snort.

Noooooooo sillies -- it means we can spray paint outside again!!!!!!!!!!

WOO-HOO!

So let's get this party started!

First of all -- a few of you have asked how to spray paint. My best advice is to use many thin coats and use very short bursts. Don't hold down and spray back and forth -- this is not good. I took a very quick video to show you how I do it:

See how easy it is??

OK, now onto so some of my goodies. I found my Easter tree a few weeks ago and love it...but the more I looked at it the more I thought it looked a little sad:
So I spray painted it white -- the whole thing! I am so excited about this because now I can use it for pretty much any holiday. Can't you just see little hearts hanging from it?:
I showed you our laundry room here. I spray painted the frames, the shelf brackets, the clothespins in the jars and four other items I found at my BFFs...I mean....Goodwill:
This was an unfinished Bub rocking chair I got at Micheal's for $24 -- spray painted it and it's held up great!:I spray paint lamps:
Finials that were U.G.L.Y. until some paint made them look fab:
My consignment shop pear...it is stone and was grey. Uh...who wants a grey pear?? Not me!
Not sure anyone wants a black pear either...Ummm...shut it! Black works for everything!!

I got this beaut at Homegoods last fall. It was a cheese plate thingy. I just spray painted the tray and now it looks less cheesy and more wine cabinety. (NEEDED: more corks!!)

I'll spray paint just about anything. This was the top of a mirror that broke off...I got it for free and painted it. You can see where it broke off on the bottom, but I lurve it!: My candelabra over the tub wasn't just the right color of brown, so five minutes of spray paint and there. you. go.

Here's what I was spray painted in the video -- I'm soooo excited about this! I'm making it into an art caddy for my son. I'll show you the finished product later this week:
Here are some other quick tips:

I use the dollar spray paint you can find just about anywhere for most of my items. If it's wood that needs really good coverage, I use the stuff that's a bit more expensive -- like $4.

ALWAYS get the "fast drying" spray paint. You can get a small item completely finished in 30 minutes if you use this.

If the paint drips, wipe it up immediately and re-spray. If you notice it later, sand it down and spray again.

If the item get crackly when it dries, sand it down and spray paint again.

There you go! If you haven't tried it...now you have no excuse. :)

1. Katie @ Clean and Classic Interiors 2. Mary 3. Amber 4. Infarrantly Creative 5. Fresh Poppy Design 6. DomesticFashionista (birdcages) 7. Domestic Fashionista (chairs) 8. Domestic Fashionista (more chairs) 9. Domestic Fashionista (Plates) 10. Karen 11. Sunshine@Sunshine Design 12. Karla @ It's The Little Things... 13. Cheryl 14. Amber.Filkins--{ae filkins} 15. Terry 16. Rachel @Memories and Mayhem 17. Chrissie Grace 18. Kimba @ A Soft Place to Land (lamps) 19. Kimba @ A Soft Place to Land (rocking chair) 20. June 21. Angi 22. Kristen@The Land of Oz 23. Jana 24. Kimm at Reinvented (headboard) 25. Casa Petrie (birds) 26. Wendy @ the Shabby Nest 27. Ellie ~ The Twins Mama

28. melissa * 320 sycamore (little chalkboard) 29. Carla 30. Jen R-bench 31. Kayla 32. Kendra@My Insanity 33. Stephanie 34. Jill @ BarnesYard 35. Jill (trying again) 36. Shelly @ My Own Little (Sometimes Creative) World 37. Linda Caroline @ Home desk redo 38. Linda Caroline @ Home bookshelf 39. Abbi@My Garden Of Eden (side tables) 40. Molly @ A Bit O' Shine 41. Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam (little of everything) 42. Jennifer @ The Apple Grove 43. Megan 44. Jennifer 45. Rachel@ I'm Telling... 46. Victoria@WhimsybyVictoria 47. Megan 48. Kim @ TIBTF 49. Rebecca 50. Nina 51. Jill (Pumpkins) 52. Jill (jewelry box) 53. Megan@making house a home 54. So Not Martha

55. Holly@Homebody(Dollar Store Decor) 56. Toni Roberts @ Design DAZZLE 57. Kristi 58. Rachelle -Old dresser 59. Heather @ Paper Princess Chronicles 60. kari & kijsa (fabulous plastic frame re-dos) 61. Rachelle- Old shelf redo 62. Angie ( Craft Room ) 63. Vivienne 64. Molly @ A Bit O' Shine part II 65. Carla, part 2 66. Kathleen @ Everyday Ellis 67. Julie@Spray Paint and a Glue Gun 68. Jen@ raising granola 69. Gina @ Moneywise Moms 70. Erin 71. Vivienne @ The V Spot 72. Custom Nursery Art by Kimberly 73. Lila's Pockets (Everything is Spray Painted Here!) 74. Sherrie-faux stone counters 75. Char 76. Michelle McClure 77. Stacia @ Living Our Love Song 78. Shabby Chic- Dresser 79. Katie 80. Kate 81. Molly