{WHAT'S A FRUGAL GAL TO DO?}

I'm a crafting junkee. There, I said it. I gotta have my fix. Sometimes I lie awake at night (or is it lay awake?) thinking about how soon I can get another can of Colonial Red to redeem a curbed piece of furniture. Okay, did I say to much? You aren't all going to come over here and throw an intervention on me, are you?

Well, don't. Cuz I'm being really good right now. REALLY good. I haven't been in a Hobby Lobby in weeks. Or a Lowes, even though there is one less than two miles from my front door. And I have three pieces of totally awesome, perfectly good but discarded furniture in Mr. Smarty's side of the garage (sorry, babe).

We are in the middle of a series on being Consumed at our church right now. The series is designed to teach us about how God wants us to deal with money so that, rather than bringing us a temporary fix, and ultimately causing us anxiety, it brings us joy. And it couldn't be at a more appropriate time. As we are approaching the Christmas season, the season of giving (and getting), I am becoming more aware of what really consumes me. Just look at my VISA bill, and you'll see where my "excess" has been going. I don't believe my fondness for spray paint (it's not an addiction. really. ) is my problem (denial? ehhhh...), but when I put it above spending, saving or giving to things that have more significance, or a more lasting effect, it has become a problem. And even though I am missing my little projects, I am really excited about choosing to use our resources for something more significant. You could say I am finding joy outside the can. Well, you could. I didn't say you would.

So, I'm taking a break from my stores. Now what's a girl to do when she needs to get a crafting fix?

Rearrage the furniture. Then rearrange it again. Swap out pillows from the couch upstairs-why didn't I do this earlier?



Finish that grout project from three months ago...now even the laundry room has pretty grout. Yup. I'm all done. Totally. Really. just don't use the hall bathroom. or look in the pantry. or under the dresser in the stairway.



Sew for a friend. This was such a God thing-I was really missing sewing, and a friend asked me to make her sister a shopping cart cover. I got my fix, my friend had a hand-made gift to bring to her sister's shower, and her sister now has something to help keep her son healthy when shopping! Win, win, win! Yay, God!



Frame some foliage from back home...Mom sent me some leaves from home, I found some old frames I wasn't using-viola! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE looking at these:



Change the sign on the front door to welcome Thanksgiving!



So what do you do when you have to be more creative when being creative? (Does that make sense? You know what I mean!)