We're Still Here!

Don't worry...we're still here!  We've had a super busy month - full of work (our real jobs) and all of those everyday things that get in the way of being crafty!   We've also been busy trying to figure out what we want this little business venture of ours to evolve into.  We're looking forward to sharing our plans with you soon.  In the meantime though, we're so thankful to all of you who have had kind words to offer- we appreciate your encouragement and support! 

So, here's just a little piece of what we've been up to.

Last weekend, Nicole hosted craft night.  It was so nice getting together with such a great group of women to visit and craft.  We had so much fun making wreaths.  Here are some pictures from our fun night.

{Nicole had everything ready to go}

{some of the crew, hard at work}

  {ta-da! they turned out great}

We wish we had taken more pictures...this was such a fun night.  There were lots of laughs, tons of amazing food, and even some battle wounds (darn glue-guns) that were worth sharing!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day everyone!  We hope you are having a week full of love.  Here's a quick recap of some of our Valentine's Day projects.

xoxoxo

{Amanda's Thrifty Valentine's Day Wreath} 



We love this wreath and love how much it cost, even more...a whopping $5.00.  The wreath is from CVS...the price tag said $9.99, but Amanda got it for free after using her ExtraCare Bucks (yay)!  She found the frame at our local ReStore; after a $5.00 donation, it was hers.  The red spray paint and burlap were left overs from previous projects.  We love a good wreath...this one turned out cute!



{Candy's Vintage Valentine Vignette}

Chances are, that if you're looking for something unique or vintage, Candy, Nicole's mother-in-law, has it!  She has an adorable collection of this and that which she's always turning into something cute.  We borrowed a few of her fun things to create another valentine inspired vignette. 



The vintage valentines are Candy's (how cute are they?)
The button tree is Amanda's...a leftover Christmas crafts.



The red & white antique enamel pan
and shakers are more goodies from Candy's collection.
Amanda made the lovebird print using her
 Sihlouete Cameo and the other was a free printable
 she found via Pinterest.

Double Door Hall Tree

Last month we featured Sabrina's bedroom, which she creatively made her own with an old door headboard, bench, and full-length mirror.  If you haven't already, check out the post here...  Sabrina's a-Door-able bedroom

As promised in the post above...here's another great project using doors (who doesn't love an old, beat up door?).  This double door hall tree is so fun and charming and makes the perfect addition to Nicole's entryway.



Nicole and Amanda spotted these two gems at a local antique store almost a year

ago. 

We've been drooling over them ever since. 

Finally, Nicole came up with the perfect idea for them.

Her entryway was lacking a catchall - a place to hang coats, store that stuff that always seems to pile up at the front door, and to set her almost two year old down when tying his shoes.  After figuring out her design and finding some great hardware, she asked The Briarwood to construct and paint it.  You MUST check out The Briarwood - Sullivan, IL (and Once Upon A Find) is lucky to have them!  

It didn't take David (from The Briarwood) long to turn Nicole's antique store finds into this awesome hall tree.  The doors were attached (hinge sides together, so the knobs would be at each end), a shelf was added at the top, and a storage bench was constructed around the bottom.

Next came paint (a gorgeous taupe color and a clear coat) and hardware.

 

Nicole found the perfect hardware at Hobby Lobby (for $1.50 each...sweet!).  They have just enough touch of vintage to pair well with the old doors.

And check out that storage!

Nicole can't wait to put this thing to good use!  With her busy life, we're sure she will!

Budget Friendly Valentine's Day Crafts

There are only 7 days left until Valentine's Day.  If you're looking for some last minute ideas to bring the LOVE into your home, here are some simple, budget friendly ideas.  



1.)  Heart Wreath with T-shirt YoYo Flowers: 
Here's what you'll need - a foam heart shaped wreath form (we got ours at Hobby Lobby), jute twine, old t-shirts, & your trusty hot-glue gun.






Wrap the foam heart with jute, securing with hot-glue (works best if you start at the middle point of the top and work your way down on each side).  Then add YoYo flowers - we just used old t-shirts...they worked great and were free!  Click the link below for an easy tutorial on yoyo flowers...Danielle does a great job explaining it!
http://mysparkle.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-to-rolled-flowers.html

 



2.)  Candy Filled Mason Jars:
Filling Mason Jars with candy hearts is a quick and easy way to add to your Valentine's Day decor.





3.)  Upcycled Heart Bakeware:
Check out your local dollar store for heart shaped cake pans (you should be able to find them this time of the year). Decorate them with doilies, scrapbook paper, or even chalkboard paint. Super Easy!

Happy Crafting!!!





{A Gift For You}

First of all, let us just tell you that we LOVE finding free printables to add to our home decor.  We have so much fun changing the look of a room depending on the season, holiday, or even our mood - and printables are a simple, inexpensive way to make it happen!  If you don't know what we're talking about, just google or search Pinterest for free printables, and you'll fall in love too! 

Amanda joined Pinterest right

after her wedding last August-

this was one of her very first pins. 

{image via Pinterest}

 Like most of her early pins, it was wedding themed! She was bummed that she hadn't found this cute idea sooner to somehow incorporate at her own wedding reception, but she quickly thought of another idea.   

How cute are these printables that she created for her nightstands?  "Mr. Right" for his side of the bed...and "Mrs. Always Right" for hers! 

Click and save each image below, print in the size you like, and add a frame...as easy as that!  Enjoy.



Sabrina's a-DOOR-able bedroom

Sabrina's bedroom is absolutely a-door-able!  Instead of  buying expensive, new bedroom furniture, she found some awesome old doors to use for her headboard, a bench for the foot of her bed, and a full-length mirror.  The headboard was what started it all.  After a coat of paint and some distressing, this over one-hundred year old door was transformed into the focal point of the room...and it lent itself as an inspiration for the rest of the space.  The bench was an idea that Sabrina came up with and designed.  With a little woodworking help from her grandpa and husband, her vision was complete - this bench serves as a perfect footboard that finishes the look of her bed.  The mirror was another one of Sabrina's crafty ideas.  She knew she wanted a full-length mirror, but couldn't find a bargain that fit her style.  Sticking with the door theme, she found an inexpensive mirror, and with help from her dad, she framed it with weathered wood and added hardware to make it resemble a door.  This ended up being a very simple and inexpensive project! 

Visit us again soon for another a-DOOR-able project in the works.

Insterested in any of these finds?  Let us know...we're all about recreating our favorite finds for you!

Introducing...

Hi.  Thanks for stopping by!  Once Upon A Find is an idea that we've been throwing around for almost a year now, and we are thrilled to see it finally coming to life!  Of course, there are lots of details still in the works, but this blog is definitely the start.  Check back often as we plan to share some of our favorite finds and current projects.  And you won't want to miss what we have planned next!