{Get Thrifty} Thursday 11.27.14

I'm posting early this week because most of us (in the US) will be busy on Thursday.  I hit up a lot of thrift stores last week looking for plate chargers to fill out our silver/gold collection and I was successful! I found a big stack (upper left corner) of silver plates. I think they are plated and they are very heavy.

 My other chargers are all plastic. The plated ones are a bit small for chargers but they will work. I can always use them for giving out plates of cookies, etc as a hostess gift. They are nice!  I also found a a gold plastic one that needed a little spiffing up so I gave it a touch of spray paint. I added a couple of glass candlesticks to my collection and some fun little bottles, a holly berry mini wreath, ceramic spoon and a pillar candle holder.
 I love the Christmas tree. It holds a tea light and the whole thing glows.

I snuck it up on my Thanksgiving mantel (far right) and it will stay up there when I change it out to Christmas.

Here's a sneak peak of our tables all set up in the basement for our large group at Thanksgiving . I wanted to do a test run once we got them set up.  We needed to add a few things but it was nice to see how they were going to look.

Well I need to get to work on my Thanksgiving prep and it just started snowing here so I'm hoping we don't get too much.

Wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!!

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{Scrapbooking} Digital & Done 2012 & 2013

After finishing up my 2011 scrapbook back in July I decided I was going to give digital scrapbooking a try.

My traditional supplies are dwindling and what I do have takes up a lot of space and makes a mess so I liked the idea of going digital...no photos to order, no physical cropping of photos or running out of adhesive halfway through a layout. The idea was appealing!

 Shutterfly was running a 50% off sale and that motivated me to finish two books in a short time(over a weekend).

 I went through my Iphoto library and uploaded photos that I wanted to use into folders by date.  I used the Custom Path which lets you customize your book the way you want it.  Each book started as a standard 12 x 12 book with 20 pages and a hard cover. I added the maximum number (91) of additional pages and also upgraded to matte finish (I hate glossy!).

 There was definitely a learning curve to getting the pages just right and I had to add and take away some photos to make my layouts work sometimes.  I also noticed that my Iphone and Instagram photos needed to be on the smaller side since their resolution isn't as high. The books come out larger than they appear on screen as well.

 I love these layouts where the photos cover the whole page.  

There were a lot of fun 'stickers' and embellishments that I could pick from.

This was fun but time consuming because I took a lot of time deciding what I wanted to use.

Most of the time, I just let the photos speak for themselves and kept the layouts simple.   I definitely didn't journal as much because I was pressed for time.

I love how slim and compact the books are and that I can fit an entire year of photos in one book (they hold up to 1000 photos each).  

    Overall I'm very pleased with the books now that I've got them home (I can't stop looking at them!).  They are definitely a time saver and a money saver. For two books I spent a little more than $200.  The prints alone (even at a discount) would have been $180 and then I'd have the added expense of albums, pages, protectors, adhesive and embellishments.

What do you think? Are you on the digital bandwagon already? I'm sure I'll always do some traditional albums but I think I'm hooked!

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{Link Party} Friday Favorites #88 & Features

Did this week fly by or is just me?
I'm so happy it's Friday because that means it's the weekend AND it also means it's time for Friday Favorites!
I hope you'll link something up with us this week!!

Here are my features from last week's Friday's Favorites.

Angela @ Blue i Style shared these fabulous dual function decorative pumpkins. I love when decor items can be multi purpose (and holiday!).  Her Sharpie silhouette technique is so cool too!

This Thanksgiving Chalkboard from Julie's Lifestyle came at the perfect time. I can always use some chalk art inspiration!

I'll be sharing my Thrifty Thanksgiving Table.
I hope you'll join in too!

Rules:

LINK & LINGER WITH A NEW BLOG

Link 1-3 of your projects- older projects work too!

Link back to www.ourlifeinaclick.blogspot.com 

Social media shout outs for the party are encouraged!
Please add our button to your post!

I'm going to be co-hosting this link up with these lovely ladies!

Laura from I'm Not a Trophy Wife

Emily from Our House, Now a Home

Morgan from Finding Morgan

They'd love it if you'd follow them and link up a project!!

An InLinkz Link-up

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{Get Thrifty} Thursday:Thanksgiving Edition

We're hosting both families this year for Thanksgiving (31 people as of right now!). I'm doing a trial run of our table(s) and sharing all of the thrifted goodness that I plan on using.

 I'm going to use four long folding tables and set them up in the basement so we can all(hopefully) eat together in the same room.   I ordered some inexpensive white table cloths and burlap runners to give the tablecloths a rustic look.  You can't go wrong with simple white and burlap and I will defintiely reuse them all.  Then I pulled out my stash of fall type decor.

 Most of it is thrifted or free!  

 I'm using disposable (gasp) dishes this year to keep my Thanksgiving as stress free and relaxing as possible so the chargers really "joodge" up the clear plates.   I have a mix of silver and gold chargers and I'm on the thrifting hunt for some more --I definitely didn't have 31 in my collection! Will keep you posted!

 I'm always on the look out for clear, silver and white candlesticks in different heights.  They seem to work well together and by using white candles, I can tie them all together.  I probably wouldn't buy turkey salt & pepper shakers at full price, but when I found them at a thrift store, I scooped them right up. They are more decorative than functional.  So that's where I am right now with our table settings for Thanksgiving. I still need to wash and iron the cloths but I'll do that right before I put them on the tables and in keeping it real around here.....

....the other end of the table.  You're welcome!

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Linking up with:
Thursday Favorite Things

Creative Inspirations
Thrifty Thursday

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{Recipe} Red Lentil and Turnip Soup

Even though the calendar says it's still fall, the temperature is screaming winter right now. Our temps have fallen drastically over the last few days so I'm glad I've been ahead of the curve in my soup making endeavors.

This Red Lentil Soup with Turnips and Parsley showed up on my Facebook page courtesy of Martha Stewart Whole Living.

 I was intrigued by the turnips since I've never cooked with them (or even bought one).  The soup is a nutrition powerhouse so you won't feel the slightest bit guilty about having seconds (or thirds).

 It's packed with fiber that will keep you full as the soup warms you up.

The turnips add a potato like feel to the soup with a lot fewer calories.   I was never a big fan of lentils or lentil soup growing up, but now I'm a super fan!

What's your favorite soup?

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Thursday Favorite Things
Creative Inspirations

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From My Photography Class....

 I've been taking Lisa's "Learn To See It" class again this session and I thought I'd share some of my work with you.  

This set is from Miss High School's Halloween costume, she was dressing up as Pop Art but we had a rushed photo shoot so I wasn't too happy with any of the photos in terms of a stylized shoot. I decided to try and make them look like real pop art. I did this version which I think is a lot of fun. I found a tutorial here  that uses a stamp effect and gradient (in Photoshop) to give your image a rainbow pop art effect.

I wanted to try doing an Andy Warhol style image too. This one was tougher and I used a combination of tutorials to create this, plus some help from Lisa.

This was my dramatic light shot.

 I did a few magical/fantasy photos with my niece.  I tried to make this one look like she was entering a magical butterfly forest.

 This one wasn't exactly magical but it was my favorite from the shoot and just too cute.

I turned this image from day to night and gave the lantern a little glow.

I haven't been able to shoot as much as I'd like and I'm still behind on a few of the assignments but I'm hoping to complete them before the class finishes up.

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