Altering Thrift Store Clothes

This year I turned 30 and I wanted to do something fun and memorable to celebrate! I had this idea in my head for several months of exactly what I wanted to wear. I wanted to do a masquerade theme in all black. I had the perfect dress designed in my head, but knew I would never find it at the mall for the price I wanted to pay, plus I really do not enjoy going to the mall, it's just not for me. I LOVE thrift stores, and knew that was where I was going to find my dress!

First thrift store stop, I found this beauty below! It was exactly what I had designed in my head! I was so excited. There it was hanging on the rack for only $2... this made me even more excited. Of course it was two sizes too small... but that was okay. I figured I could find a different texture of fabric to alter it and with the help of my mom and grandma (excellent sewers) we would have no problem making it fit!

The detail was absolutely beautiful!

I had a couple old pleather belts in my closet that I wasn't using anymore and I thought they would be perfect in the alteration of the dress.

I cut the buckle off the belts. My grandma and I ripped the seams in the side of the dress and then my mom pinned the belts along the seams. Grandma sewed the belts in and it worked out perfect! Fit like a glove.

To add a little more flare to the dress... I bought four yards of tulle from the fabric store, cut it up and sewed it to an old belt I had.

I purchased these mask off Etsy for my boyfriend and I to wear for the evening.

I wanted to dress up a pair of pumps I had, so I went straight to the feather aisle in the craft store! I purchased a couple different types of black feathers, black elastic and velcro. I wanted to create a shoe cuff, something that wraps around your shoe to dress it up.

I measured out the elastic to fit my foot. Then sewed the velcro pieces to the elastic. I laid out the feathers between two pieces of the elastic and glued them together. Then ran them through the sewing machine.

The Finished product.

Earrings I've had for several years were perfect to go with this outfit!

I ended up only spending $6 total on my entire outfit and I loved it!

My boyfriend and I the night of the party and a few other photos of the night below :)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Creating A Wonderful Easter Table Setting On A Budget

Creating A Wonderful Easter Table Setting On A Budget

Happy Easter weekend friends! I can't believe I haven't blogged since Christmas! As I was getting the house together for Easter, something inspired me to share. So here we are. As you know, I LOVE decorating for the holidays... I don't normally do too much for Easter, but this year I felt like going all out! My family Easter tradition was always Sunday Easter dinner at my Grandparents. For the past several years they have let me take over the tradition and I love it. I love to host, no matter the occasion. It's a lot of work, but fun at the same time :) To get to the point... I thought I would share my thrifty Easter finds and decorating tips with you! Hope you enjoy and again Happy Easter to you and your family!

Below is my Easter Table. I'm not usually one to decorate

with pastels, but it's Easter! So don't mind the dark curtains and furniture in the background : )

A few months back I came across these old bed skirts. I plan on layering them and sewing them together to make one ruffly bed skirt for my bed... but in the mean time, I decided to layer them on top of the table to make a tablecloth. I found the piece of fabric at the thrift store a couple days ago and thought it would be perfect to make a table topper out of!

I was so excited when I stopped in the thrift store yesterday and found these beauties! All of the mix matched plates came from the thrift store and I paid anywhere from .50 - .90 cents each for them... I even found these beautiful crystal wine goblets there... not as cheap but worth it :)

Another thrift store find... Ceramic Bunnies. They were very cutesy looking until I got a hold of them with a can of white spray paint and now they're chic :) I love spray paint!

These beautiful vintage napkins I dug out of a box my mom had given me. They are all different and were perfect for Easter dinner napkins.

I used miscellaneous watering cans and vases I had around the house to fill full of white tulips. I picked the tulips up at Hobby Lobby on sale for around $4 a bushel. I plan on replacing them with live flowers closer to Easter.

I couldn't resist sharing this... my buddy Max! Always by my side while I'm working :) He thinks I only get the camera out for him :)

Guess who??? While I'm trying to photograph the tablecloth...Lol

Hope you enjoyed and I hope to get back to blogging more!

Take Care! <3 Casandra

Christmas Decorating!

It's my favorite time of year to decorate! I am so passionate about creating a warm inviting space all year long, but I can't even tell you how much I enjoy creating a winter wonderland in my house this time of year!

I am on a budget, so when it comes to decorating, I get thrifty. I have been collecting Christmas decor since the day I moved out of my parents house at 19... so let's just say I've been collecting for a decade! I try to add something new every year. Some of my favorite Christmas pieces are hand-me-downs from my grandparents. Grandma was always coming up with new ideas and Grandpa would put them to life in his wood shop. They made everything from the Santa, Sleigh and Reindeer, Toy Soldiers (that I have pictured below), and much, much more! I could do an entire blog of the things they've made!

I do have a quick, sweet story about the things they have made though.....Growing up we didn't have a ton of money. My Grandpa worked for many years and hurt his back on the job many, many years ago. He had to have major back surgery and has been disabled ever since. Since he couldn't return to work he enjoyed making things out of miscellaneous wood around the farm or if a family member or friend brought up spare wood from a project. My Mom knew how much he loved to create things and with funds being limited, she did something very sweet. Have you heard of Sunny 95's Christmas Wish? It's a local radio station that would grant someone's Christmas wish once a week during the month of December. She wrote to them about my Grandpa and everything he had gone through with his surgery. Now that he was home and disabled, she told them about him loving woodworking and that funds were limited and that she wished he could have more tools and supplies to work with. One evening my mom received a phone call from Sunny 95 and they decided to grant her wish for him! I've never seen my Mom cry so hard with excitement when they called and told her... I'm actually crying now just thinking about it... I remember when my Mom was on the phone with them, she was trying to be quiet and hide but my Grandpa could hear her crying and was getting upset and wanted to know who was on the phone making her cry!

With that being said, my Christmas decorations are not just decorations, they are years of wonderful memories that I cherish. Hope you enjoy!

This is my snowman tree... if you couldn't already tell..lol. Growing up I thought that blowmolds were so ugly and now I LOVE them and can't collect enough!

I topped my snowman tree with a top hat and filled in the empty space with glass ornaments hung with Christmas plaid ribbon from the ceiling.

This is my Santa Corner. I know most people put their blowmolds outside, but I love to fill the inside of the house with them!

I have them stuck everywhere!

I took a break from decorating and decided to decorate our dog Max... He was thrilled :)

I NEVER throw away a burnt out bulb... throw them in a jar and they make a perfect Christmas display.

Vintage Santa

To add to your everyday decor, take your extra bulbs and stick them around the house.

I like to use candle pillar holders for other things besides candles. It adds height to your decor and makes a lovely display.

Santa Boot and Greenery

Bathroom Christmas Decor

More bathroom.. Add greenery from your bathroom lighting fixture, then take extra bulbs, hang them from ribbon and attach.

This is my dining room tree with the theme of wine and martinis!

I used my corks I've collected, stuck toothpicks in the bottom them and then stuck them all around the tree.

This is my bedroom. White, Sliver and Black Theme. That's a photograph of my grandparents on their wedding day.

Bedroom Tree

This is my Vintage Tree, filled with pixie elves, vintage ornaments and vintage lights! I LOVE Bubble Lights!

The Buckeye Tree in the basement and our Max :)

Instead of storing away my flower hanging baskets for outside, I decide to go to my Grandparents farm and cut down greenery to fill them and added a few bulbs here and there.

More flower pots on the porch.

More of the front porch

Hand-me-down washtub from my Mom filled with greenery from the farm.

This our Tucker watching us decorate the outside.

Vintage wood Santa cut out from my wonderful boyfriend!

Outdoor Christmas Tree

This is one of the Toy Soldiers my grandparents made. They stand about 8' tall and I have them on each side of my garage.

This is the Santa, Sleigh and Reindeer they made years ago... They are my favorite!

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!!

Don't forget to stop by and check out my Etsy Store... Zassy's Treasures & Design! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ZassysTreasures