Time for Treasures: The "Lil" Mermaid Preparations

The festivity preparations have begun around here for Miss Lil's birthday party on Sunday. The less I save for the last minute the better. Her constant encouragment telling me that she "loves it" is also helpful and motivating!

Since our party will be at home (one of these days we may venture out of the house for one of our kids parties, but then again maybe not!) I tend to try and decorate here and there around the house to fit the party theme. So now we are a little "under the sea".

Transforming the mantle....I scored this silver beading at my favorite Sedona shop called The Hummingbird House, it was an after Christmas deal at 75% off, which meant $10! I picked up the antique key at the same Sedona shop and the netting I blogged about a while back and its actually a wine bottle holder, now serving as a vase cozy.

I tore a picture out of a book we had lying around and framed it with one of our frames. Presto! It also helps that I have a large collection of shells that I have been putting here, there and everywhere...

The Hummingbird House has the most amazing dried lavender, which I usually buy (its actually purple and not gray and falling apart like alot of other places) but this time she had this beautiful purple blooming dried oregano!

I picked up these favor bags at Michaels in the clearance section and listen very closely because I am about to share with you a very BIG secret....If you shop in the clearance section at Michaels and the item is tagged with a "WAS $whatever price, NOW $whatever price" you can STILL use a coupon on it. The logic behind it is that the "NOW" price is now the regular price and not a sale price at all, hence you can use your coupon because techinally the "regular" price has just been reduced and its not "really" on sale. got it. good....and this does not apply to the "Clearance signs where it takes a certain percentage off of an item". Just thought I would clarify. got it. good.

Anywho these are Martha Stewart treat bags and the regular price was $19.99 and they were marked down to $5.99 and I used my 40% off coupon on them which made them like $4.00 or something I don't do math I do crafts.