a frugalicous mantel-y friday...

It's FRIDAY!

I found my way to Michaels once again this week. I'm never sure how I end up there but I think it's borderline addiction my wanting to go in there and see what they have. My husband and I joked when we first moved here that my only two friends were Micheal and JoAnne. Those were two expensive friendships so I am sure glad I moved on to meet some new girlfriends. Mia unknowingly calls it the "crap store" rather than the craft store and we just leave it at that rather than correcting her, because really, how much more "crap" can I bring home from there???

well...a few crap things came home with me this week

..all of which create more for me to add to my "to-do" list....

those dollar bins went down to 4 for $1.00 so I stocked up on some notecards which I cover up the fronts with scrapbook paper and create regular notecards or birthday cards - a lot cheaper than buying the boxes of notecards that are blank...i plan to use these for valentine's cards.

and my twins have decided to have a Candyland themed 5th birthday party so these will help with invitations and favor boxes, with a little work added to them...

and some snowflake decorations for "snowflake lake" when that party actually occurs... 20 cents for 4 snowflakes.

so i have a few crafts up my sleeve with those thrifty purchases

on to the mantel party at The Stories A 2  Z...

I had two very opinionated helpers today - one wanted balloons, one didn't; one wanted purple, the other didn't; one wanted to do it her way, the other could care less -

all in all, all three of us were smiling once it was completed.

Maddie tried so hard to form a heart with the beads hanging on the

fireplace handles...it's just the special touch I was looking for.

while i've got you in the mood, please check out my first blog party and join in on FEBRUARY 12