We are beginning our unofficial "Countdown To Christmas" today - (this article was not TRULY posted on this date, but we had some "blogger issues" and are going back to add the articles already written!)
Today's post actually begins with a download. Last year I wrote an ebook (and yes required payment) and filled it with WONDERFUL gift basket Ideas and survival kit Ideas. I figure with Christmas right around the corner, who couldn't use some Gift Basket Ideas to help think of the perfect gift for everyone on your list. I have used some of these very ideas as not only gift sparks but my own gift basket ideas. I love them and they really get you thinking of some fun, inovative, and creative gifts. Some people are just plain hard to buy for, but with the Gift Basket Ideas and Survival Kit Ideas you are sure to find something for EVERYONE on your list! And if not, MAKE A KIT or BASKET!
Here is a list of the contents:
The Sections you will find:
· Gift Baskets
· Gift Basket Container and Fillers
· Build Your Own Survival Kits
· Survival Kits for Everyone
· Bags of "Poop"
· Just for Fun Gifts
· Candy-Grams
I suggest right-clicking and hit "save as" to download it faster.
Gift Basket Ideas & Survival Kit Ideas
This download requires Adobe Acrobat - Get it Here
I have linked it here for FREE. If you like it, all I ask is that you consider donating $1.25 for the bandwith it cost to host the ebook. It is NOT required, but we are all on a frugal budget, and this would help out. If the bandwith get's to be too much, I will have to remove it. You can send it to me via paypal: richmontwithnicole@gmail.com
Thanks for supporting my efforts!
Monday, November 28, 2005
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Trash To Treasures
I've been a "Trash to Treasure" girl for as long as I can remember. (I'm sure if you ask my ex husband, even he will agree).
I have come up with some creative ideas using TRASH to create beautiful Christmas treasures.
Lightbulbs - When a lightbulb in burnt out, SAVE it. I use white acrylic paint and paint the entire glass part white. I then paint the "plug in part" a metallic gold color or metallic silver. Take various colors of paints and paint the "white part" of the bulb. Paint stars, stripes, splatters, shapes, objects, whatever your heart is content with. Buy some gold string and hang from your tree.
Toilet paper tubes - wrap them in festive wrapping after inserting some fun little gifts, candy or nuts inside. Tie curling ribbons on the ends and place all over the house in clusters. You can also use paper towel tubes too.
Soup cans - decorate in festive gift wrap or fabrics. Scrapbook patterned paper works well too (I know from experience) LOL Modge Podge the paper/fabric all over the outside of the soup can. Tie a beautiful ribbon around the outside. Fill with cinnamon sticks for a scented smell - or poke holes in the can and create a candle holder. Fill with pens and pencils for a festive look on your desk or do a coffee can sized one to hold cooking utensils in the kitchen. There are at least a dozen more things I can think of to use these for. You can make a handle for your soup can by hot gluing the end of a pipe cleaner to either side of the can. Be sure it sets well.
Milk Jugs - huh you ask? Oh yes, oh yes! I have ideas!! Make a Holiday Luminary with your Milk jugs. This is an easy decoration to make that will light up the night for your holiday party or your frontstep at home. All you need is:
1 gallon plastic milk jug , 6 cups of sand, scissors, colored construction paper/used wrapping paper or other scrap paper, tape or glue, 1 votive candle. How do you make it? First, be sure and clean out the milk jug with water and soap so that no milk residue remains. Now, cut the top off of the jug so that you still have the entire handle, but so that the front top part of the jug is open. Place about 1 inch of sand in the bottom of the jug. Fold the construction paper/wrapping paper/or other scrap paper around the jug and mark the shape on the paper. Cut out the paper to match the shape of the jug, then cut out a holiday design in the center of the paper using the scissors. If you are using plain scrap paper, make a holiday design on the outside to make the luminary more decorative. Tape or glue the construction paper to the outside of the jug. Place your candle in the sand so that it is placed in the center of the jug. Set the luminary outside by your driveway or on your porch. Light the candle in the luminary to welcome holiday visitors or passers by.
Make several and line the driveway or surround your porch with them or give them as gifts. Have fun!
Jars - Whether it's mayo, peanut butter, jelly or chip dip - clean the jar thouroughly and remove as much of the label as you possibly can (sometimes peeling the label and then running it through the dishwasher will work well). Now, what to do with these jars? Well, they can be used for all sorts of things - first, you can use them as "gifts in a jar" which will be discussed later on. You can place candles inside and use them as a candle holder, paint them, stuff them with holiday ribbons and items, etc.
We made "snow globes" last year with a few. We used water, glitter and some little floatable confetti. We glued a little plastic snowman in the lid and glued the lid to the top of the jar. Amazingly they still look pretty cute this year. Anyway, you can do lots with them. I made on and glued a plastic cross inside and used gold glitter. They are simple to make and are really pretty and most people pick them up when they come over.
Anyway, that's all for now!
I have come up with some creative ideas using TRASH to create beautiful Christmas treasures.
Lightbulbs - When a lightbulb in burnt out, SAVE it. I use white acrylic paint and paint the entire glass part white. I then paint the "plug in part" a metallic gold color or metallic silver. Take various colors of paints and paint the "white part" of the bulb. Paint stars, stripes, splatters, shapes, objects, whatever your heart is content with. Buy some gold string and hang from your tree.
Toilet paper tubes - wrap them in festive wrapping after inserting some fun little gifts, candy or nuts inside. Tie curling ribbons on the ends and place all over the house in clusters. You can also use paper towel tubes too.
Soup cans - decorate in festive gift wrap or fabrics. Scrapbook patterned paper works well too (I know from experience) LOL Modge Podge the paper/fabric all over the outside of the soup can. Tie a beautiful ribbon around the outside. Fill with cinnamon sticks for a scented smell - or poke holes in the can and create a candle holder. Fill with pens and pencils for a festive look on your desk or do a coffee can sized one to hold cooking utensils in the kitchen. There are at least a dozen more things I can think of to use these for. You can make a handle for your soup can by hot gluing the end of a pipe cleaner to either side of the can. Be sure it sets well.
Milk Jugs - huh you ask? Oh yes, oh yes! I have ideas!! Make a Holiday Luminary with your Milk jugs. This is an easy decoration to make that will light up the night for your holiday party or your frontstep at home. All you need is:
1 gallon plastic milk jug , 6 cups of sand, scissors, colored construction paper/used wrapping paper or other scrap paper, tape or glue, 1 votive candle. How do you make it? First, be sure and clean out the milk jug with water and soap so that no milk residue remains. Now, cut the top off of the jug so that you still have the entire handle, but so that the front top part of the jug is open. Place about 1 inch of sand in the bottom of the jug. Fold the construction paper/wrapping paper/or other scrap paper around the jug and mark the shape on the paper. Cut out the paper to match the shape of the jug, then cut out a holiday design in the center of the paper using the scissors. If you are using plain scrap paper, make a holiday design on the outside to make the luminary more decorative. Tape or glue the construction paper to the outside of the jug. Place your candle in the sand so that it is placed in the center of the jug. Set the luminary outside by your driveway or on your porch. Light the candle in the luminary to welcome holiday visitors or passers by.
Make several and line the driveway or surround your porch with them or give them as gifts. Have fun!
Jars - Whether it's mayo, peanut butter, jelly or chip dip - clean the jar thouroughly and remove as much of the label as you possibly can (sometimes peeling the label and then running it through the dishwasher will work well). Now, what to do with these jars? Well, they can be used for all sorts of things - first, you can use them as "gifts in a jar" which will be discussed later on. You can place candles inside and use them as a candle holder, paint them, stuff them with holiday ribbons and items, etc.
We made "snow globes" last year with a few. We used water, glitter and some little floatable confetti. We glued a little plastic snowman in the lid and glued the lid to the top of the jar. Amazingly they still look pretty cute this year. Anyway, you can do lots with them. I made on and glued a plastic cross inside and used gold glitter. They are simple to make and are really pretty and most people pick them up when they come over.
Anyway, that's all for now!
Friday, November 25, 2005
Lighted Christmas Wreath
Lighted Christmas Wreath
Is your wreath boring? Or do you have a plain green one just lying around waiting to be decorated for the holiday - if you were like me, you purchased it last year for 75% off at Michaels! LOL
Who doesn't love the look of a lighted wreath. But store bought one's are pricey to say the least (ok well I've seen some for only $10 but they aren't very special).
You can purchase a plain green wreath very inexpensively, or use one you already have.
Our tree is prelit now, so I have BOATLOADS of small strands of lights. But if you don't, you can purchase them for about $1.00 at the dollar tree, or even wal-mart often has them for .99-$2.99.
Put the two items together (wreath and lights) and wow! You have the look of a professionally lighted Christmas wreath.
For my wreath I used clear lights (I was going for a more elegant look), but multi-colored lights are festive and fun!
I took my green wreath and wrapped the lights around it kind of like candy cane striped. If the strand is super long, just keep going doubling up in the same spots you already wrapped.
Be sure you leave the "outlet" towards the bottom, and be sure you have an extension cord that can reach it.
Now that you're finished, plug it in and see your very own design.
NOW, I couldn't just leave my wreath like that. It looked too "boring". So I added a gold bow (red would look great too), tied and hot glued it to the bottom. I also added a few tiny pinecones that we found on a nature walk the previous year. I also hot glued those to the wreath.
I thought my wreath was done then, but I wound up visiting Michael's about a week later, and found these little berry sprigs for .99 and bought them. I cut them apart and stuck them all over the wreath. The finished result was absolutely gorgeous.
As people drive by, they see a beautifully lit wreath on my front door (though you could put it in a window) and they have no idea that I made the whole thing myself.
Is your wreath boring? Or do you have a plain green one just lying around waiting to be decorated for the holiday - if you were like me, you purchased it last year for 75% off at Michaels! LOL
Who doesn't love the look of a lighted wreath. But store bought one's are pricey to say the least (ok well I've seen some for only $10 but they aren't very special).
You can purchase a plain green wreath very inexpensively, or use one you already have.
Our tree is prelit now, so I have BOATLOADS of small strands of lights. But if you don't, you can purchase them for about $1.00 at the dollar tree, or even wal-mart often has them for .99-$2.99.
Put the two items together (wreath and lights) and wow! You have the look of a professionally lighted Christmas wreath.
For my wreath I used clear lights (I was going for a more elegant look), but multi-colored lights are festive and fun!
I took my green wreath and wrapped the lights around it kind of like candy cane striped. If the strand is super long, just keep going doubling up in the same spots you already wrapped.
Be sure you leave the "outlet" towards the bottom, and be sure you have an extension cord that can reach it.
Now that you're finished, plug it in and see your very own design.
NOW, I couldn't just leave my wreath like that. It looked too "boring". So I added a gold bow (red would look great too), tied and hot glued it to the bottom. I also added a few tiny pinecones that we found on a nature walk the previous year. I also hot glued those to the wreath.
I thought my wreath was done then, but I wound up visiting Michael's about a week later, and found these little berry sprigs for .99 and bought them. I cut them apart and stuck them all over the wreath. The finished result was absolutely gorgeous.
As people drive by, they see a beautifully lit wreath on my front door (though you could put it in a window) and they have no idea that I made the whole thing myself.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Boxes, Candles, and More!
Centerpiece ideas, and more.
The holidays don't have to cost you a fortune for decorations, because often you can use what you already have. For instance -
if you have tons of votives in little glass jars, place a mirror or stainless steel silver platter in the center of your holiday table. Cluster about 5-6 candles on it. You can even decorate by adding pieces of greenery around the candles. Simple elegance.
An idea I did last year
I was having my family over and realized that I did not have a ton of "serving bowls" etc. I had read an article on frugality that suggested baskets. Well, all my baskets were being used and quite frankly I didn't want to take everything apart. So I came up with a clever idea. I took shoe boxes and other various sized boxes - painted them gold and silver and wrapped bows around the outside (kind of like a present). I then placed tissue paper inside the box to "line it" and I wound up serving rolls, nuts and snack mix in the boxes. I used various sizes and it actually added a festive touch to my table. If I can find photos, I will post them!
The holidays don't have to cost you a fortune for decorations, because often you can use what you already have. For instance -
if you have tons of votives in little glass jars, place a mirror or stainless steel silver platter in the center of your holiday table. Cluster about 5-6 candles on it. You can even decorate by adding pieces of greenery around the candles. Simple elegance.
An idea I did last year
I was having my family over and realized that I did not have a ton of "serving bowls" etc. I had read an article on frugality that suggested baskets. Well, all my baskets were being used and quite frankly I didn't want to take everything apart. So I came up with a clever idea. I took shoe boxes and other various sized boxes - painted them gold and silver and wrapped bows around the outside (kind of like a present). I then placed tissue paper inside the box to "line it" and I wound up serving rolls, nuts and snack mix in the boxes. I used various sizes and it actually added a festive touch to my table. If I can find photos, I will post them!
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
A gift? A Decoration? You choose!
Today's little "tip"/"idea", can be used as a gift, OR a decoration. Or maybe both! You choose!
What you'll need is some clear glass plates with no design on it - we found ours at Big Lots this year, but I've seen them at Wal-mart too! (I bought some last year!) - they're just big plain glass plates with no etching or anything on them. You can get different shapes, or sizes, but it's important that the texture is smooth. You'll also need "Mod Podge" which you can find in the craft section at Walmart or any craft store(get the biggest jar you can find, it's cheaper to buy it that way, and you'll have LOTS to make tons of these!). Finally, you need some pretty Christmas wrapping paper (actually, any kind of wrapping paper will do, or designed tissue, even window clings work, I just found out. Magazine cuttings, scraps of ribbons, ANYTHING you choose.)
You'll want to cut out the pictures from the wrapping paper, or just unpeel the window clings from their backing, and decide how you want the design to look on the plate when right side up. Then, with one of those sponge paint brushes (.49 at M's), you'll spread Mod Podge all over the BACK of the plate, then stick your pictures right onto that. You need to work fast as the Mod Podge dries fairly quickly. After getting all your pictures on the way you want them, let it all dry.
When it's dry, you'll just spread another layer of Mod Podge over the whole back of the plate as a "sealant", then stick a little piece of felt on the part where the plate would sit on the table, that way it won't scrape the pictures or anything when you set it down. Let all that dry as well. I chose to cut my felt into a circle, and fit it to the bottom of the plate.
Now, when you set the plate down the right way, your design shows through! Bake up some cookies or other Christmas treats, put them on the plate and make that your gift. Be sure to give a note with the plate telling the recipient not to put it in the dishwasher or in water - to clean, they'll just need to wipe it off with a damp cloth. It's a very lovely and inexpensive gift to give for any holiday or birthday!
What you'll need is some clear glass plates with no design on it - we found ours at Big Lots this year, but I've seen them at Wal-mart too! (I bought some last year!) - they're just big plain glass plates with no etching or anything on them. You can get different shapes, or sizes, but it's important that the texture is smooth. You'll also need "Mod Podge" which you can find in the craft section at Walmart or any craft store(get the biggest jar you can find, it's cheaper to buy it that way, and you'll have LOTS to make tons of these!). Finally, you need some pretty Christmas wrapping paper (actually, any kind of wrapping paper will do, or designed tissue, even window clings work, I just found out. Magazine cuttings, scraps of ribbons, ANYTHING you choose.)
You'll want to cut out the pictures from the wrapping paper, or just unpeel the window clings from their backing, and decide how you want the design to look on the plate when right side up. Then, with one of those sponge paint brushes (.49 at M's), you'll spread Mod Podge all over the BACK of the plate, then stick your pictures right onto that. You need to work fast as the Mod Podge dries fairly quickly. After getting all your pictures on the way you want them, let it all dry.
When it's dry, you'll just spread another layer of Mod Podge over the whole back of the plate as a "sealant", then stick a little piece of felt on the part where the plate would sit on the table, that way it won't scrape the pictures or anything when you set it down. Let all that dry as well. I chose to cut my felt into a circle, and fit it to the bottom of the plate.
Now, when you set the plate down the right way, your design shows through! Bake up some cookies or other Christmas treats, put them on the plate and make that your gift. Be sure to give a note with the plate telling the recipient not to put it in the dishwasher or in water - to clean, they'll just need to wipe it off with a damp cloth. It's a very lovely and inexpensive gift to give for any holiday or birthday!
Monday, November 21, 2005
What's the New Topic!?!?!
I thought it would be fun, since Christmas is SOOOOO close to focus on holiday decorations and using what you have, saving money, etc. Beginning last week, and ending around Christmas, we will focus all our attention on holiday related tips! So enjoy!! We'll go back to everyday frugality after the holidays!
So onward we go!
Its that time already! Christmas is in full swing with the hurry-scurry, Christmas carols, wrapping paper, and pine needles on the carpet. It can be exciting and invigorating; it can also be exhausting! So how can I decorate for less you ask?
Day 1 - My first tip is use what you have. Before you dash out to the craft store or trim-a-tree shop, pay a visit to the attic or storage room. Memories fade from year to year, so refresh yours with a quick inventory of the holiday decorations you already have on hand. Keep them firmly in mind as you read Christmas magazines or check out the Festival of Trees displays. Can you update your decor with a few simple additions? I'm sure you can!
After you figure out what you have and how you can use it, you can begin to implement it. A tip for you, run out to Lowes, or Home depot - ask if you can buy up their wood scraps, various sizes is good. Bring them home and wrap the wood pieces, Tie ribbons, etc. Use scraps of wrapping paper from last year. Or pick new wrapping paper in colors you like! These can be used, year after year, if stored properly together. And they can be displayed all through the house - a few on the mantle, some on the coffee table, a larger one on the Christmas table, and perhaps a few clustered together near the front door in a corner? I can think of all sorts of places that you could place these inexpensive, but festive little decorations. So run! Don't walk! To ANY home improvement store! Now! (you can find replacement squares - use empty jello boxes, macaroni boxes, spagetti boxes, and so on for diff. sizes and shapes. You might want to fill the boxes with some crumpled newspaper to weigh them down a little). Have fun!
So onward we go!
Its that time already! Christmas is in full swing with the hurry-scurry, Christmas carols, wrapping paper, and pine needles on the carpet. It can be exciting and invigorating; it can also be exhausting! So how can I decorate for less you ask?
Day 1 - My first tip is use what you have. Before you dash out to the craft store or trim-a-tree shop, pay a visit to the attic or storage room. Memories fade from year to year, so refresh yours with a quick inventory of the holiday decorations you already have on hand. Keep them firmly in mind as you read Christmas magazines or check out the Festival of Trees displays. Can you update your decor with a few simple additions? I'm sure you can!
After you figure out what you have and how you can use it, you can begin to implement it. A tip for you, run out to Lowes, or Home depot - ask if you can buy up their wood scraps, various sizes is good. Bring them home and wrap the wood pieces, Tie ribbons, etc. Use scraps of wrapping paper from last year. Or pick new wrapping paper in colors you like! These can be used, year after year, if stored properly together. And they can be displayed all through the house - a few on the mantle, some on the coffee table, a larger one on the Christmas table, and perhaps a few clustered together near the front door in a corner? I can think of all sorts of places that you could place these inexpensive, but festive little decorations. So run! Don't walk! To ANY home improvement store! Now! (you can find replacement squares - use empty jello boxes, macaroni boxes, spagetti boxes, and so on for diff. sizes and shapes. You might want to fill the boxes with some crumpled newspaper to weigh them down a little). Have fun!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Fa-La-La-La-La, My shoppings done!
I'm actually sorry this week is over! I like these ideas, and it's gotten my mind going for Christmas (plus I have so many more to share!!) LOL
Maybe soon I'll add another week (for those last minute Christmas gifts).
Today's final gift idea is actually two ideas. :) I decided to throw them both in because they are terrific ideas!
- Make your favorite homemade cookie mix and pack in mason jars, seal and attach recipe. This would be great for teachers gifts and friends who drop by unexpectedly with a gift. (or neighbors that happened to me last year!)
- Fix a large box of items such as dishwashing liquid, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. that you have gotten for almost nothing using double coupons and sales together. (you can also scour the $$ store or wait for sales all year!) These items are items that every household needs and will use over the year. I plan on making this type box for my brother this year - he's a bachelor, living alone in a small apt. He'll love it! I will put at least 10 to 12 of each item in the box so that the items will last all year. I'm sure he will think of me each time he needs soap, toothpaste, etc.
Maybe soon I'll add another week (for those last minute Christmas gifts).
Today's final gift idea is actually two ideas. :) I decided to throw them both in because they are terrific ideas!
- Make your favorite homemade cookie mix and pack in mason jars, seal and attach recipe. This would be great for teachers gifts and friends who drop by unexpectedly with a gift. (or neighbors that happened to me last year!)
- Fix a large box of items such as dishwashing liquid, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. that you have gotten for almost nothing using double coupons and sales together. (you can also scour the $$ store or wait for sales all year!) These items are items that every household needs and will use over the year. I plan on making this type box for my brother this year - he's a bachelor, living alone in a small apt. He'll love it! I will put at least 10 to 12 of each item in the box so that the items will last all year. I'm sure he will think of me each time he needs soap, toothpaste, etc.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
A Can, a Pot - a creative gift!
Take a clean, dry can from soup or canned vegetables. You can buy paint cans from Home Depot or Lowes as well.
Using craft acrylic paints and your imagination, paint the cans for the holidays.
This is a great project for kids too. Right now my family is working on painting jack-o-lanterns: simply paint a can orange, let it dry, repeat if needed, and then use black to make the face. Fill the can with candy, tissue paper, pencils, etc.
We're also working on snowmen and I plan on painting the top part black and putting paper around the black for the rim of Mr. Snowman's top hat. The larger cans could be filled with baked goods, fudge, etc. The smaller one's can be filled with candy and mints. I've seen some that are painted with a design then spatter-painted which looks quite neat. This is a nice way to recycle cans into something useful and fun. I'm thinking that candy canes will look nice for the holidays.
Another similar idea is to buy the smallest terra-cotta plant pots from the store, paint them, and put small votive candles in them. Silver and gold stars are nice for a holiday theme but you could do whatever suits your fancy. I'm sure you could use larger pots with pillar candles for a bigger centerpiece. Don't forget all the gorgeous ribbons available! Tie a few on!
You don't have to be a great artist to do these. A folk-art style is simple and looks great.
Using craft acrylic paints and your imagination, paint the cans for the holidays.
This is a great project for kids too. Right now my family is working on painting jack-o-lanterns: simply paint a can orange, let it dry, repeat if needed, and then use black to make the face. Fill the can with candy, tissue paper, pencils, etc.
We're also working on snowmen and I plan on painting the top part black and putting paper around the black for the rim of Mr. Snowman's top hat. The larger cans could be filled with baked goods, fudge, etc. The smaller one's can be filled with candy and mints. I've seen some that are painted with a design then spatter-painted which looks quite neat. This is a nice way to recycle cans into something useful and fun. I'm thinking that candy canes will look nice for the holidays.
Another similar idea is to buy the smallest terra-cotta plant pots from the store, paint them, and put small votive candles in them. Silver and gold stars are nice for a holiday theme but you could do whatever suits your fancy. I'm sure you could use larger pots with pillar candles for a bigger centerpiece. Don't forget all the gorgeous ribbons available! Tie a few on!
You don't have to be a great artist to do these. A folk-art style is simple and looks great.
Friday, November 18, 2005
The Favorite Gift Basket...
I sell an e-book on this exact topic, but here are a few items to get you started:
I suggest buying straw baskets at a yard sale or flea market (sometimes Wal-mart, Gordmans and other places have them for pretty cheap too) and deciding on a theme for the particular person- whatever would be appropriate for that person. Fill the basket with either different fruits or other foods (i.e.-herbal teas, cookies, etc). You could make your own homemade cookies and include the recipe in the basket. Or, you could fill the basket with something other than food stuff. An example would be a framed picture of you and your friend who you're giving it to. Another idea is to give 'IOUs' for different services such as a car wash, child care service, a massage, a manicure,etc.
For more information, email me for the link to my e-book! It's only $4.00 and I accept paypal, and checks! Plus there's no shipping involved! Because it's an EBOOK! :)
I suggest buying straw baskets at a yard sale or flea market (sometimes Wal-mart, Gordmans and other places have them for pretty cheap too) and deciding on a theme for the particular person- whatever would be appropriate for that person. Fill the basket with either different fruits or other foods (i.e.-herbal teas, cookies, etc). You could make your own homemade cookies and include the recipe in the basket. Or, you could fill the basket with something other than food stuff. An example would be a framed picture of you and your friend who you're giving it to. Another idea is to give 'IOUs' for different services such as a car wash, child care service, a massage, a manicure,etc.
For more information, email me for the link to my e-book! It's only $4.00 and I accept paypal, and checks! Plus there's no shipping involved! Because it's an EBOOK! :)
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Another candle? With a twist!
Once, I spotted a simple idea that had a hefty price tage - $12 - that I knew I could make at home cheaply and easily.
The item is a candle in an antique tea cup. Scour garage sales, flea markets, wherever, for cheap but interesting tea cups. Then melt down old candle ends or any type of wax you can find (parrafin can be costly) and - optional - add a little scented oil like lemongrass or grapefruit (or stick with the Christmas theme - cinnamon, vanilla, etc.). Put a wick in - really cheap by the yard from the craft store and - voila - for about $1 you have a nice gift with a little tag attached to the handle. You can even do this buy purchasing a whole set of white tea cups from anywhere (coffe mugs would work well too) and decorate them with paints yourself, decoupage, tie ribbons, WHATEVER! Be creative and have fun, but be sure you put your heart into it.
The item is a candle in an antique tea cup. Scour garage sales, flea markets, wherever, for cheap but interesting tea cups. Then melt down old candle ends or any type of wax you can find (parrafin can be costly) and - optional - add a little scented oil like lemongrass or grapefruit (or stick with the Christmas theme - cinnamon, vanilla, etc.). Put a wick in - really cheap by the yard from the craft store and - voila - for about $1 you have a nice gift with a little tag attached to the handle. You can even do this buy purchasing a whole set of white tea cups from anywhere (coffe mugs would work well too) and decorate them with paints yourself, decoupage, tie ribbons, WHATEVER! Be creative and have fun, but be sure you put your heart into it.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Cute Candles - Who doesn't love candles?
I got this idea from a kid's craft show I saw on PBS. In the end, you'll have a cool, personalized candle for not much $$ at all.
You'll Need:
+As many candles as you want to make: medium to large, WHITE candles (Try Wal-Mart ones, they're awesome)
+White school glue
+Glitter colors of your choice
+Paint Brush
-OR-
+As many candles as you want to make: medium to large, WHITE candles
+Elmer's 3D Shimmering Shapes Washable Art Glazes
+Elmer's 3D Sparkle Scents Washable Glitter Glue Pens
+Paint Brush
---------------------------------------
Spread glue over one section of the candle, sprinkle with glitter. Repeat until entire candle is covered. Let dry. To make this candle personalized, use the glue to write the recipient's name and sprinkle with another color glitter. Let dry and enjoy :)
I find that using the Elmer's art glazes and Glitter pens (both found at Wal-Mart in the school art section) work better. They simply have a light, fun tone to them. However the other way is definitely cheaper! Enjoy!
You'll Need:
+As many candles as you want to make: medium to large, WHITE candles (Try Wal-Mart ones, they're awesome)
+White school glue
+Glitter colors of your choice
+Paint Brush
-OR-
+As many candles as you want to make: medium to large, WHITE candles
+Elmer's 3D Shimmering Shapes Washable Art Glazes
+Elmer's 3D Sparkle Scents Washable Glitter Glue Pens
+Paint Brush
---------------------------------------
Spread glue over one section of the candle, sprinkle with glitter. Repeat until entire candle is covered. Let dry. To make this candle personalized, use the glue to write the recipient's name and sprinkle with another color glitter. Let dry and enjoy :)
I find that using the Elmer's art glazes and Glitter pens (both found at Wal-Mart in the school art section) work better. They simply have a light, fun tone to them. However the other way is definitely cheaper! Enjoy!
Friday, November 11, 2005
Organizing Kids Room
I really DO love to organize, but my kids rooms are a complete EXCEPTION! There is always a mess and rarely does it stay clean more than about 3 days on average. Why? It took me awhile to figure it out, but after reading several GREAT books, my favorite being Julie Morgenstern's "Organizing from the Inside Out", I figured out what it was.
The first step is to view the world as your child see's it. In their room, adult storage methods are NOT going to work! You also need to get your child involved in the process. By teaching them proper storage techniques, not only does it help keep the room clean, but it also prepares them for a life of more organized living! I assure you these techniques work, if you apply them properly and consistantly! (no shouting allowed!)
Begin with the simple "S" strategy! Sort, Store and Simplify.
Since a child's room is usually small, often shared, and just in general lacks built-in storage, you have to "modify" their world. A child just cannot stay organized if the closet is crammed full, and drawers are stuffed. And what about the toys and other play things all over the room. I know there's carpet in there somewhere!!
So what's the solution? The Simple S Strategy - Sort, Store and Simplify.
So where to begin? Easy! Start with the clothes first! Step 1 - Sort it. Create piles. Be objective! My favorite piles are "Keep, Store Elsewhere, Donate/Sell and Toss"
Keep - simply clothes that are in season and work frequently.
Store Elsewhere - clothes that are out of season but are still wearble (put them in boxes or containers and store in the basement or garage).
Donate/Sell - self explanatory but I will explain anyway - anything that is still in GREAT condition, might be off season, but won't fit the next year, etc. Blankets, Sheets and other bedding items that are no longer used can go in this pile! (keep in mind your child does NOT need 15 novelty t-shirts from every traveled location grandma and grandpa have been! - those go here too!)
Toss - This is anything that has holes, missing buttons you don't plan to ever repair, stains that won't come out, or any other defect. Just throw it away! Chances are you probably aren't using it!
Ok, so you've gotten this far - GREAT. Now, Place the KEEP clothes back into the drawers and closet. Place the STORE ELSEWHERE clothes - ELSEWHERE. LOL Place the DONATE clothes in the back seat of your car and the SELL clothes either in the back seat of your car if you plan to hit a consignment shop or if you are an ebayer - then place them near the computer and get on that as soon as humanely possible! Place the TOSS pile in your trash can! Now! Do it! Before you change your mind! This is a great activity to do the night before trash day. :)
Ok clothes are organized. Whew! What a task! What's next?
Toys. The most complicated feature ever! If you're lucky like me, most of your children's toys are kept in a separate room (for us the basement), however after umpteen years of apartment living and living in states that don't HAVE basements - there had to be alternatives.
So, organizing toys in a child's room has to be accessible to the child, practical and easy to use!
Many people purchase a toy box for storing items, and this can work, however keep in mind, finding the toys in a great big box can be hard for a young child. Also it is home to many the crumb and dirt & dust that collects in the bottom! Yuck! Perhaps consider only storing large, seldom used toys in a toybox. You might even move this box to an out of the way area and occasionally pluck a new toy from the box and give to your child to play with. It's a nice rotation method for all the toys that children are abundantly blessed with! LOL
You can also purchase very inexpensive storage for the closet, and this can be very easy to keep items. Purchase a hanging shoe box shelf (usually fabric or plastic). You can store clear plastic shoebox storage containers in them that can hold pieces to a game, legos, Fast Food Toys, etc. These storage containers make it easy to see the contents. So not everything should wind up everywhere when trying to locate something. (of course this still happens - they are children after all!)
Ok, containers - Use plastic shoebox containers for smaller toys (Barbie clothes & accessories, Fast Food Happy Meal toys, smaller game pieces, puzzles), larger lidded containers for legos, blocks, cars and trucks, and cardboard file boxes stack nicely on the closet floor for stuffed animals & artwork. Purchase an inexpensive bookshelf for older children to contain books, CD's, Video Games, Magazines, Comic Books, WHATEVER! For smaller children, use a dishpan to place books in. They can flip through the books, make their selection and replace the book in the front. Which brings me to a handy little trick.
I learned a terribly useful trick, from all my research in organization - Make it EASIER to put away and HARDER to get out. I promise, it works! Keep this is mind as you are organizing your child's room. Think about storage placement in regards to ease of putting it away. If it's easy to put away, a child is more apt to do it. Consider that you need to start from the bottom of the room and work your way up. Children are smaller than us adults, so storing on a closet shelf that they cannot reach, is really not practical at all! Because think of all the extra work when you hear "Mom I cannot reach my lego container way up on the shelf" - you then have to stop what you're doing and go retreive the out of reach item. So remember that rule. There is absolutely nothing wrong with storing items on the floor of a child's bedroom. If their closet it big enough, you can utilize the storage space there and keep it behind "closed doors" so to speak. I purchased some inexpensive stands to place in my daughter's closet - they have 3 drawers each and she can store items in these drawers. We separate items by placing boxes inside to organize (as drawer dividers). Which brings me to another important trick.
LABEL EVERYTHING. Yes, I understand a small child cannot READ. I was faced with that problem several years ago. It's actually an easy solution - first if you're a good artist - draw pictures of the items that go inside the containers or drawers. If not, there's another easy way - start cutting up those catalogs. Even if you have to request some catalogs from companies you don't shop with, do it - keep packaging from toys, etc. What do you do with all this stuff? Cut out photos of the items to be stored. They don't have to be specific, just be sure to show your child that the photo of the blocks you but out, might not look exactly like the one's picture, but they still are the same. Obviously for children at reading ages, you can label these containers with actual words! This really DID help with clean up!
The last tip I'll give you is a key! First, be sure you are following your OWN organizing methods; children learn by seeing other's - so if you make an effort to keep your own areas clean and organized, your child will often follow by example. But since this is not always the case, set aside some time. Maybe 15 minutes before bedtime. Have EVERYONE in the house, spend 10-15 minutes cleaning up and putting everything back in it's home. I know bedtime can be chaotic, but if you set this into your nightly routine, not only will your home remain organized but it will be an expected part of the day(and your kids might actually find cleaning up during the daytime as they play is MUCH better than doing it right before bed!) :)
Best of luck to you in your organizing endeavors!!
The first step is to view the world as your child see's it. In their room, adult storage methods are NOT going to work! You also need to get your child involved in the process. By teaching them proper storage techniques, not only does it help keep the room clean, but it also prepares them for a life of more organized living! I assure you these techniques work, if you apply them properly and consistantly! (no shouting allowed!)
Begin with the simple "S" strategy! Sort, Store and Simplify.
Since a child's room is usually small, often shared, and just in general lacks built-in storage, you have to "modify" their world. A child just cannot stay organized if the closet is crammed full, and drawers are stuffed. And what about the toys and other play things all over the room. I know there's carpet in there somewhere!!
So what's the solution? The Simple S Strategy - Sort, Store and Simplify.
So where to begin? Easy! Start with the clothes first! Step 1 - Sort it. Create piles. Be objective! My favorite piles are "Keep, Store Elsewhere, Donate/Sell and Toss"
Keep - simply clothes that are in season and work frequently.
Store Elsewhere - clothes that are out of season but are still wearble (put them in boxes or containers and store in the basement or garage).
Donate/Sell - self explanatory but I will explain anyway - anything that is still in GREAT condition, might be off season, but won't fit the next year, etc. Blankets, Sheets and other bedding items that are no longer used can go in this pile! (keep in mind your child does NOT need 15 novelty t-shirts from every traveled location grandma and grandpa have been! - those go here too!)
Toss - This is anything that has holes, missing buttons you don't plan to ever repair, stains that won't come out, or any other defect. Just throw it away! Chances are you probably aren't using it!
Ok, so you've gotten this far - GREAT. Now, Place the KEEP clothes back into the drawers and closet. Place the STORE ELSEWHERE clothes - ELSEWHERE. LOL Place the DONATE clothes in the back seat of your car and the SELL clothes either in the back seat of your car if you plan to hit a consignment shop or if you are an ebayer - then place them near the computer and get on that as soon as humanely possible! Place the TOSS pile in your trash can! Now! Do it! Before you change your mind! This is a great activity to do the night before trash day. :)
Ok clothes are organized. Whew! What a task! What's next?
Toys. The most complicated feature ever! If you're lucky like me, most of your children's toys are kept in a separate room (for us the basement), however after umpteen years of apartment living and living in states that don't HAVE basements - there had to be alternatives.
So, organizing toys in a child's room has to be accessible to the child, practical and easy to use!
Many people purchase a toy box for storing items, and this can work, however keep in mind, finding the toys in a great big box can be hard for a young child. Also it is home to many the crumb and dirt & dust that collects in the bottom! Yuck! Perhaps consider only storing large, seldom used toys in a toybox. You might even move this box to an out of the way area and occasionally pluck a new toy from the box and give to your child to play with. It's a nice rotation method for all the toys that children are abundantly blessed with! LOL
You can also purchase very inexpensive storage for the closet, and this can be very easy to keep items. Purchase a hanging shoe box shelf (usually fabric or plastic). You can store clear plastic shoebox storage containers in them that can hold pieces to a game, legos, Fast Food Toys, etc. These storage containers make it easy to see the contents. So not everything should wind up everywhere when trying to locate something. (of course this still happens - they are children after all!)
Ok, containers - Use plastic shoebox containers for smaller toys (Barbie clothes & accessories, Fast Food Happy Meal toys, smaller game pieces, puzzles), larger lidded containers for legos, blocks, cars and trucks, and cardboard file boxes stack nicely on the closet floor for stuffed animals & artwork. Purchase an inexpensive bookshelf for older children to contain books, CD's, Video Games, Magazines, Comic Books, WHATEVER! For smaller children, use a dishpan to place books in. They can flip through the books, make their selection and replace the book in the front. Which brings me to a handy little trick.
I learned a terribly useful trick, from all my research in organization - Make it EASIER to put away and HARDER to get out. I promise, it works! Keep this is mind as you are organizing your child's room. Think about storage placement in regards to ease of putting it away. If it's easy to put away, a child is more apt to do it. Consider that you need to start from the bottom of the room and work your way up. Children are smaller than us adults, so storing on a closet shelf that they cannot reach, is really not practical at all! Because think of all the extra work when you hear "Mom I cannot reach my lego container way up on the shelf" - you then have to stop what you're doing and go retreive the out of reach item. So remember that rule. There is absolutely nothing wrong with storing items on the floor of a child's bedroom. If their closet it big enough, you can utilize the storage space there and keep it behind "closed doors" so to speak. I purchased some inexpensive stands to place in my daughter's closet - they have 3 drawers each and she can store items in these drawers. We separate items by placing boxes inside to organize (as drawer dividers). Which brings me to another important trick.
LABEL EVERYTHING. Yes, I understand a small child cannot READ. I was faced with that problem several years ago. It's actually an easy solution - first if you're a good artist - draw pictures of the items that go inside the containers or drawers. If not, there's another easy way - start cutting up those catalogs. Even if you have to request some catalogs from companies you don't shop with, do it - keep packaging from toys, etc. What do you do with all this stuff? Cut out photos of the items to be stored. They don't have to be specific, just be sure to show your child that the photo of the blocks you but out, might not look exactly like the one's picture, but they still are the same. Obviously for children at reading ages, you can label these containers with actual words! This really DID help with clean up!
The last tip I'll give you is a key! First, be sure you are following your OWN organizing methods; children learn by seeing other's - so if you make an effort to keep your own areas clean and organized, your child will often follow by example. But since this is not always the case, set aside some time. Maybe 15 minutes before bedtime. Have EVERYONE in the house, spend 10-15 minutes cleaning up and putting everything back in it's home. I know bedtime can be chaotic, but if you set this into your nightly routine, not only will your home remain organized but it will be an expected part of the day(and your kids might actually find cleaning up during the daytime as they play is MUCH better than doing it right before bed!) :)
Best of luck to you in your organizing endeavors!!
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Don't confuse "getting organized" with "buying stuff"
You make think that getting organized is actually an expensive task. You may think that you have to go out and buy all those organizing holders, baskets, bins, and whatever else they tell you! Uh no! Don't confuse "getting organized" with "buying stuff". It's NOT the same thing!
After you have your household notebook, you can begin the decluttering process (which we will delve more into in Jan 2006). It's a process not a purchase :) Cute phrase huh? Yeah well it's true!
Look around you! See all that stuff? The clutter? The stack of clothes that needs buttons, or has a rip. The stck of artwork in the corner because your child cannot part with their little "gems". What about that pile of papers on the kitchen island - oh come on - you have it! And all those magazines! What are you going to do with all of them? I can guarantee you that a) you don't need most of it, and b) you can use some of it to actually get yourself organized! So let's begin with looking around us for mundane everyday "often tossable" objects that we can organize with.
Ok, the magazine/catalog problem. I'm starting here, because it seems most of us have this problem. Since you probably aren't prepared to get rid of them yet, let's begin with storage for these items. First, you can purchase fairly inexpensive cardboard magazine holders from just about any office supply store, I have even seen them at Wal-mart. HOWEVER, there is a cheaper way to organize them. Open your pantry. See all those boxes of cereal? Pick a few up, shake them! Is there even enough for another bowl of cereal? One thing you can do with that problem, is combine cereals with like tastes. Experiment a little, but we do this a lot and my kids actually love it. (I know, a little weird, but it works!) THEN after those boxes are empty - get rid of the bag and shake those boxes over the trash cans. Don't want any little cereal bits left to attract bugs - slightly defeats the process of a clean and organized home. LOL Then cut the boxes into a magazine holder! Put your magazines in the boxes. At least organize a little at this point - separate them by "Magazine Title", and place all catalogs in one. Once each box is full, don't allow yourself to put another magazine into it until you toss one out. (unless you're a scrapbooker like me - lol but that's a WHOLE different post!) Ok, so now we at least have that area of your life organized. One last tip on that, they should fit perfectly on any book shelf, but if there is no room on your book shelf, either make a shelf out of something else, or place on a top shelf of a closet - be sure to label the outside of the box so you know at a glance what's inside and don't have to pull out every box when you're looking for something. (I have two boxes in my kitchen with my cookbooks, about 5 up in my scrapbook studio, 1 next to my bed (containing catalogs and new magazines to read before bed - then they get placed in their respective homes after they are read or tossed if nothing worth keeping it for) and I have two on a shelf in my living room which contain the newest edition of catalogs I use regularly and a few magazines I reference often.) I did wind up buying a big basket to place some coffee table reads in and it slides under my coffee table. (I'll take a photo later). This works great.
Ok, next item:
Ice Cube Trays - WHAT?! If you need to organize smaller items in ANY room (examples: earrings, extra buttons, pins, craft supplies, etc), Ice cube trays or even some muffin tins are perfect for keeping everything sorted. You can put them right into your drawer (so they are out of sight) and they are stackable on shelves! The great part is - ice cube trays and even muffin pans are CHEAP - check out your dollar store or just go to Wal-mart - or anywhere else kitchen supplies are sold.
Boxes & Containers - First, consolidate any items that you can, out of already in use plastic containers, as these are the easiest, most flexible (and sturdy) to use - generally what I suggest. But for the frugal organizer, looking to accomplish this with little to no $$ forked out, here is another option. Use boxes, and containers that food used to reside in. Same with jars. Clean them out thoroughly and they are perfect for storage. I use empty butter and sour cream tubs for everything from leftovers, to craft supplies. Nails, screws, corn holders, you name it. If it's small it can fit. Boxes are always available. Just look around - oatmeal, pastas, kleenex - so you get the idea by now - use these! You can cover them with wrapping paper, or patterned paper purchased from Wal-mart or somewhere else equally as cheap. Fabric scraps work well too! They can hold anything depending on their size. And you can actually make them look cute by taking some time to embellish them (but that again is for another article!)
Film Canisters - Now these work best in a craft room or a "catch all drawer". Because of their size, they don't hold much, but they look uniform organized all together. You can even place them in a small box or basket to kind of corral them! You don't even need to decorate them, but be sure to either label the lid or glue one of whatever little treasure you've placed inside them, onto the lid. This makes knowing what's insdie easier. I've also seen people store them with the tops off, so they just glance inside! Nice and frugal and EASY!
Hmm... what else can work:
- Baby Food Jars
- Containers used for other items (ie. lego containers that no longer host the item, etc)
- Paint Buckets, and Regular Cleaning Pails
- Trash Cans - they can be decorated or painted on to make them "Blend" into the decor! (I have a photo of this I will upload soon!)
- Medicine Pill Bottles (be sure to clean these thoroughly and I recommend covering them with something so the prescription or title of item is no longer showing)
- Pringles can - these can store rulers, pens, skewers for kabobs, even cooking utensils. If you are storing cooking utensils, be sure to weight the bottom of the can with some beans or something to be sure it doesn't tip! (just paint or decorate the can and you can blend it with your decor nicely!)
- Pizza Boxes - ok these can be hard to use - First, often the pizza is stuck TO the box. However, if you do happen to come across a pizza box that is not completely covered in grease, cheese or sauce (it does happen!) line the bottom with something (I use wax paper) and you can store large craft projects, art projects and school work for each child. Just label the outside of the box with their name and the year and you can stack these on a shelf somewhere!
- Cardboard - cut shapes to fit the "project" and you can use these to wrap ribbons, wrapping paper scraps, christmas tree lights, extension cords, etc.
I have loads more ideas, but if I give them all away today - we won't have anything else for the rest of the week!!
After you have your household notebook, you can begin the decluttering process (which we will delve more into in Jan 2006). It's a process not a purchase :) Cute phrase huh? Yeah well it's true!
Look around you! See all that stuff? The clutter? The stack of clothes that needs buttons, or has a rip. The stck of artwork in the corner because your child cannot part with their little "gems". What about that pile of papers on the kitchen island - oh come on - you have it! And all those magazines! What are you going to do with all of them? I can guarantee you that a) you don't need most of it, and b) you can use some of it to actually get yourself organized! So let's begin with looking around us for mundane everyday "often tossable" objects that we can organize with.
Ok, the magazine/catalog problem. I'm starting here, because it seems most of us have this problem. Since you probably aren't prepared to get rid of them yet, let's begin with storage for these items. First, you can purchase fairly inexpensive cardboard magazine holders from just about any office supply store, I have even seen them at Wal-mart. HOWEVER, there is a cheaper way to organize them. Open your pantry. See all those boxes of cereal? Pick a few up, shake them! Is there even enough for another bowl of cereal? One thing you can do with that problem, is combine cereals with like tastes. Experiment a little, but we do this a lot and my kids actually love it. (I know, a little weird, but it works!) THEN after those boxes are empty - get rid of the bag and shake those boxes over the trash cans. Don't want any little cereal bits left to attract bugs - slightly defeats the process of a clean and organized home. LOL Then cut the boxes into a magazine holder! Put your magazines in the boxes. At least organize a little at this point - separate them by "Magazine Title", and place all catalogs in one. Once each box is full, don't allow yourself to put another magazine into it until you toss one out. (unless you're a scrapbooker like me - lol but that's a WHOLE different post!) Ok, so now we at least have that area of your life organized. One last tip on that, they should fit perfectly on any book shelf, but if there is no room on your book shelf, either make a shelf out of something else, or place on a top shelf of a closet - be sure to label the outside of the box so you know at a glance what's inside and don't have to pull out every box when you're looking for something. (I have two boxes in my kitchen with my cookbooks, about 5 up in my scrapbook studio, 1 next to my bed (containing catalogs and new magazines to read before bed - then they get placed in their respective homes after they are read or tossed if nothing worth keeping it for) and I have two on a shelf in my living room which contain the newest edition of catalogs I use regularly and a few magazines I reference often.) I did wind up buying a big basket to place some coffee table reads in and it slides under my coffee table. (I'll take a photo later). This works great.
Ok, next item:
Ice Cube Trays - WHAT?! If you need to organize smaller items in ANY room (examples: earrings, extra buttons, pins, craft supplies, etc), Ice cube trays or even some muffin tins are perfect for keeping everything sorted. You can put them right into your drawer (so they are out of sight) and they are stackable on shelves! The great part is - ice cube trays and even muffin pans are CHEAP - check out your dollar store or just go to Wal-mart - or anywhere else kitchen supplies are sold.
Boxes & Containers - First, consolidate any items that you can, out of already in use plastic containers, as these are the easiest, most flexible (and sturdy) to use - generally what I suggest. But for the frugal organizer, looking to accomplish this with little to no $$ forked out, here is another option. Use boxes, and containers that food used to reside in. Same with jars. Clean them out thoroughly and they are perfect for storage. I use empty butter and sour cream tubs for everything from leftovers, to craft supplies. Nails, screws, corn holders, you name it. If it's small it can fit. Boxes are always available. Just look around - oatmeal, pastas, kleenex - so you get the idea by now - use these! You can cover them with wrapping paper, or patterned paper purchased from Wal-mart or somewhere else equally as cheap. Fabric scraps work well too! They can hold anything depending on their size. And you can actually make them look cute by taking some time to embellish them (but that again is for another article!)
Film Canisters - Now these work best in a craft room or a "catch all drawer". Because of their size, they don't hold much, but they look uniform organized all together. You can even place them in a small box or basket to kind of corral them! You don't even need to decorate them, but be sure to either label the lid or glue one of whatever little treasure you've placed inside them, onto the lid. This makes knowing what's insdie easier. I've also seen people store them with the tops off, so they just glance inside! Nice and frugal and EASY!
Hmm... what else can work:
- Baby Food Jars
- Containers used for other items (ie. lego containers that no longer host the item, etc)
- Paint Buckets, and Regular Cleaning Pails
- Trash Cans - they can be decorated or painted on to make them "Blend" into the decor! (I have a photo of this I will upload soon!)
- Medicine Pill Bottles (be sure to clean these thoroughly and I recommend covering them with something so the prescription or title of item is no longer showing)
- Pringles can - these can store rulers, pens, skewers for kabobs, even cooking utensils. If you are storing cooking utensils, be sure to weight the bottom of the can with some beans or something to be sure it doesn't tip! (just paint or decorate the can and you can blend it with your decor nicely!)
- Pizza Boxes - ok these can be hard to use - First, often the pizza is stuck TO the box. However, if you do happen to come across a pizza box that is not completely covered in grease, cheese or sauce (it does happen!) line the bottom with something (I use wax paper) and you can store large craft projects, art projects and school work for each child. Just label the outside of the box with their name and the year and you can stack these on a shelf somewhere!
- Cardboard - cut shapes to fit the "project" and you can use these to wrap ribbons, wrapping paper scraps, christmas tree lights, extension cords, etc.
I have loads more ideas, but if I give them all away today - we won't have anything else for the rest of the week!!
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Jars and Canisters - What to do with them?
For organizing small things, it can be a challenge.
Save your jars and film canisters - why? Because they can help you organize.
Clean out those jars, remove the labels, and you have the perfect storage containers for nails, screws, nuts, bolts, buttons, loose change, paper clips, elastic bands, and so much more! I'm a scrapbooker and use them to store eyelets, glitter, etc. And the best thing is, they're see through, which means you can easily identify everything inside at a glance!
Empty film canisters are perfect for storing pins, buttons, tacks and other small items. I use these too, and generally glue an eyelet or button to the top so I can easily identify what is inside. Sort your things into these small organizing wonders, press on the top and stick a blank label around the outside.Then, label each canister to identify the contents. Finally, store these canisters in a box to keep them all together.
Save your jars and film canisters - why? Because they can help you organize.
Clean out those jars, remove the labels, and you have the perfect storage containers for nails, screws, nuts, bolts, buttons, loose change, paper clips, elastic bands, and so much more! I'm a scrapbooker and use them to store eyelets, glitter, etc. And the best thing is, they're see through, which means you can easily identify everything inside at a glance!
Empty film canisters are perfect for storing pins, buttons, tacks and other small items. I use these too, and generally glue an eyelet or button to the top so I can easily identify what is inside. Sort your things into these small organizing wonders, press on the top and stick a blank label around the outside.Then, label each canister to identify the contents. Finally, store these canisters in a box to keep them all together.
Monday, November 07, 2005
Organize the RIGHT way...FRUGALLY!
I honestly will admit, one of my favorite past-times, or hobbies to some - is Organizing! There really isn't a right or wrong way to organize, simply because each person is unique and different in what works for them. For me, I am a clean person. I do not like dirt, smells or anything else! But I was a bit on the cluttery side. It took me awhile to figure out why. When I did, everything made more sense and I was able to organize much better. For me, the problem was lack of organizing TOOLS, SPACE and MONEY! So I learned how to organize FRUGALLY, by using what I have, scouring garage sales, etc. Earlier in the year we discussed the SPACE concept. So if you've been practicing that, then you already should be more organized than before. But now how to implement what you learned THEN, and organize your space more efficiently. After Christmas - the first week of January - we will begin a series on organizing AREAS of the home. These will all be frugal tips to organize your rooms, more efficiently. As I've "preached" before, time is money. When you can't find something, often it's replaced and later found. And think of all the things you could be doing instead of hunting for that missing object. For me, it's focusing on my children or working on my business (that one definitely = money for me!).
So today we begin a week of organizing on a budget. Let's see what tips we can find, and learn from!
Today's tip - Use baskets and cardboard boxes to store. Cover in fabrics, patterned papers, whatever. Then store what you need to inside. If you stick to the same colors, or the same sizes, these look very uniform and practical! Place on a shelf, or if there is a lid, stack them.
So today we begin a week of organizing on a budget. Let's see what tips we can find, and learn from!
Today's tip - Use baskets and cardboard boxes to store. Cover in fabrics, patterned papers, whatever. Then store what you need to inside. If you stick to the same colors, or the same sizes, these look very uniform and practical! Place on a shelf, or if there is a lid, stack them.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Fall Frugal Finality!
Our final day in fall decorating the FRUGAL way, is a HUGE list of ideas to use. Some may be repeats, but they might get your mind reeling! My only piece of advice (ok two pieces of advice) be CREATIVE and have FUN!
Simple and fun ideas
Salt dough
Whip up a batch of salt dough using one cup flour, one cup salt, 1/2 cup water (or enough to make a nonsticky dough) and cut into fall shapes, either free hand or using cookie cutters shaped like leaves, pumpkins, etc. Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes per side, more if item is thick or large. Paint and hang in windows, on a stick "tree-anchored" in more salt dough... the sky is the limit! Shape into fall figurines for knick knacks such Indians, Pilgrims, animals, etc.
Papier maché
Combine equal portions of flour and water and soak newspaper strips in the mixture. Drape over a form, such as a balloon or a bottle. Dry and add more layers, using a paste of flour and water as "glue," if necessary. You can make pumpkins, Halloween masks, you name it!
Tin can luminaires
Fill large, clean cans -- such as coffee cans -- with water and freeze. Place tape onto the can in a pattern you would like to punch. Then, using a nail and hammer, carefully punch holes evenly spaced along the tape. Dump out the ice, dry out and paint the can, if desired. To use, put sand on bottom of can, insert a candle and light. Arrange several on the ground, lining your walkway.
Tin can ghosts
Recyle and decorate! Step on a soda can to crush it, then spray paint it white, Add facial features and hang with string. I saw this done in Crafting Traditions and it was cute, not at all hokey. The secret was to use the top of the can as the "face" with the drinking hole as the mouth of the ghost. Keep the face simple and sweet. You can add paper arms or draw arms/hands on can.
Wreath ideas
Gather acorns, "helicopter" seed pods, and other interesting nuts and seeds. Hot glue your bounty onto a styrofoam or straw wreath. Accent with a fabric bow of fall colors (or one or those fall-leaf print fabrics). Tear the fabric for the bow to get a "primitive" country look.
Press fall leaves under heavy books or in a flower press. Try to get lots of different colors and shapes. Hot glue to a styrofaom wreath. (I saw this one in Martha Stewart's Great American Wreaths book. Lots of great ideas in there!) Pressed leaves can also be framed, used to decorate a homemade card, or to decorate a table.
Other ideas for your natural gatherings: Make acorn napkin rings (hot glue the acorns to tied fabric strips) and stick in a few leaves with the napkin. Or place a beautiful centerpiece on a bed on freshly fallen leaves.
Simple and fun ideas
Salt dough
Whip up a batch of salt dough using one cup flour, one cup salt, 1/2 cup water (or enough to make a nonsticky dough) and cut into fall shapes, either free hand or using cookie cutters shaped like leaves, pumpkins, etc. Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes per side, more if item is thick or large. Paint and hang in windows, on a stick "tree-anchored" in more salt dough... the sky is the limit! Shape into fall figurines for knick knacks such Indians, Pilgrims, animals, etc.
Papier maché
Combine equal portions of flour and water and soak newspaper strips in the mixture. Drape over a form, such as a balloon or a bottle. Dry and add more layers, using a paste of flour and water as "glue," if necessary. You can make pumpkins, Halloween masks, you name it!
Tin can luminaires
Fill large, clean cans -- such as coffee cans -- with water and freeze. Place tape onto the can in a pattern you would like to punch. Then, using a nail and hammer, carefully punch holes evenly spaced along the tape. Dump out the ice, dry out and paint the can, if desired. To use, put sand on bottom of can, insert a candle and light. Arrange several on the ground, lining your walkway.
Tin can ghosts
Recyle and decorate! Step on a soda can to crush it, then spray paint it white, Add facial features and hang with string. I saw this done in Crafting Traditions and it was cute, not at all hokey. The secret was to use the top of the can as the "face" with the drinking hole as the mouth of the ghost. Keep the face simple and sweet. You can add paper arms or draw arms/hands on can.
Wreath ideas
Gather acorns, "helicopter" seed pods, and other interesting nuts and seeds. Hot glue your bounty onto a styrofoam or straw wreath. Accent with a fabric bow of fall colors (or one or those fall-leaf print fabrics). Tear the fabric for the bow to get a "primitive" country look.
Press fall leaves under heavy books or in a flower press. Try to get lots of different colors and shapes. Hot glue to a styrofaom wreath. (I saw this one in Martha Stewart's Great American Wreaths book. Lots of great ideas in there!) Pressed leaves can also be framed, used to decorate a homemade card, or to decorate a table.
Other ideas for your natural gatherings: Make acorn napkin rings (hot glue the acorns to tied fabric strips) and stick in a few leaves with the napkin. Or place a beautiful centerpiece on a bed on freshly fallen leaves.
Friday, November 04, 2005
The "Center" of Things...
Ceramic or Wooden Bowls lined w/ Pretty Cloth or Napkins & filled with fruit or gourds
Hot Glue Acorns & Cinnamon Sticks to a pretty jar or glass and place a votive candle inside
Place a row of apples in the center, carve out just enough to place a green tea-light candle and set it down into the apple. Makes a beautiful addition to the table
Place a small wicker basket in the center on a pretty placemat, add pinecones & a couple oranges & apples
Pint Size Mason Jars: fill the bottom with cracked corn and place a (colored) candle in the middle
Place a small decorative plate in the center of your table, add several candles of varying sizes & then cover the bottom of the plate with Candy Corn. The candy will glisten when the candles burn.
Add scent to the home. Simmer apple peels and cinnamon sticks on the stove, or invest in a couple of vials of potpourri oil. They are relatively inexpensive at just a couple bucks apiece, and they last forever as you only need a few drops.
Hot Glue Acorns & Cinnamon Sticks to a pretty jar or glass and place a votive candle inside
Place a row of apples in the center, carve out just enough to place a green tea-light candle and set it down into the apple. Makes a beautiful addition to the table
Place a small wicker basket in the center on a pretty placemat, add pinecones & a couple oranges & apples
Pint Size Mason Jars: fill the bottom with cracked corn and place a (colored) candle in the middle
Place a small decorative plate in the center of your table, add several candles of varying sizes & then cover the bottom of the plate with Candy Corn. The candy will glisten when the candles burn.
Add scent to the home. Simmer apple peels and cinnamon sticks on the stove, or invest in a couple of vials of potpourri oil. They are relatively inexpensive at just a couple bucks apiece, and they last forever as you only need a few drops.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Mr. Scarecrow rings the bell!
Run to the $ store. Look for any fall decorations that catch your eye. You might also want to run to MJDesigns and see what they have. And if you were smart like me, you bought anything you could find LAST year at 50-75% off! I even bought some really crappy looking things so I could pull pieces of them off. I figure some stuff I got for only .50 so it was worth it. Once you have your collection of autum themed misc. "stuff", try getting out the hot glue gun and affixing your items to candles. Small glass jars make great votive holders when dressed up with a few pressed leaves and acorns. Fill a bowl or plate with goodies around large pillar candles and use as a centerpiece. If you can't find enough natural material near your home, check out the bulk grain section at your supermarket.
Fall is about harvest, so any grain can be used to add that element to your home. Even cracked corn meant for the bird feeder can look great in a jar as a base for a candle.
Lastly, don't forget the front porch when adding the element of fall!
Ask a local farmer or produce stand owner if you can get some corn stalks, and display them on your porch with a homemade scarecrow. Often you can get hay bales for cheap too!
How to Make a Scarecrow
Use old clothing, or an old pillowcase for the face, stuff most of the body with newspaper or stuffing, then add a little raffia or straw at the sleeve and neck cuffs.
Draw on the face with permanent makers or craft paint. Use one of dad's old "plaid" shirts or run to goodwill or even wal-mart had one last year for $7.00. You can use ANY type of jeans - so look for a pair dad might not wear anymore, or even a pair that son has tons of holes in and are on their way "out". You can then hot glue patches of fabric over the holes like a TRUE scarecrow. These are the "body" you will stuff.
Have fun! Take photos with the kids and the scarecrow! But most of all, build memories!!
Fall is about harvest, so any grain can be used to add that element to your home. Even cracked corn meant for the bird feeder can look great in a jar as a base for a candle.
Lastly, don't forget the front porch when adding the element of fall!
Ask a local farmer or produce stand owner if you can get some corn stalks, and display them on your porch with a homemade scarecrow. Often you can get hay bales for cheap too!
How to Make a Scarecrow
Use old clothing, or an old pillowcase for the face, stuff most of the body with newspaper or stuffing, then add a little raffia or straw at the sleeve and neck cuffs.
Draw on the face with permanent makers or craft paint. Use one of dad's old "plaid" shirts or run to goodwill or even wal-mart had one last year for $7.00. You can use ANY type of jeans - so look for a pair dad might not wear anymore, or even a pair that son has tons of holes in and are on their way "out". You can then hot glue patches of fabric over the holes like a TRUE scarecrow. These are the "body" you will stuff.
Have fun! Take photos with the kids and the scarecrow! But most of all, build memories!!
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Use what you have!
I know I preach that over and over - but often times, it's the best, most frugal WAY to decorate! So dig through your storage area, and look to see what you have.
Add a decorative touch to your already existing décor with a splash of color. This time of year, go with burnt oranges, greens, reds, and other rich hues. Look for inexpensive seasonal candles, artificial gourds and fruit, and silk garland or flowers. Then use them to decorate two or three focal pieces in your house like a decorative vase, glass bowl, or seasonal items like these ceramic pumpkins. They'll look fabulous on a buffet, dining table, or bookcase and cost next to nothing.
Another inexpensive trick to dress up a window is to make two handmade bows and use them as tie- backs for your curtains or sheers. Be sure to add a ribbon runner along the valance or curtain rod for a complete look. This simple change will dress up any room.
Add a decorative touch to your already existing décor with a splash of color. This time of year, go with burnt oranges, greens, reds, and other rich hues. Look for inexpensive seasonal candles, artificial gourds and fruit, and silk garland or flowers. Then use them to decorate two or three focal pieces in your house like a decorative vase, glass bowl, or seasonal items like these ceramic pumpkins. They'll look fabulous on a buffet, dining table, or bookcase and cost next to nothing.
Another inexpensive trick to dress up a window is to make two handmade bows and use them as tie- backs for your curtains or sheers. Be sure to add a ribbon runner along the valance or curtain rod for a complete look. This simple change will dress up any room.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
An Elegant Pumpkin!
After cleaning out the interior of a pumpkin, you can use drill bits of different sizes to make dots and circles, arranging them in festive designs all over the pumpkins (abstract patterns, bunches of grapes, faces, etc.).Consider using carved pumpkins or gourds as autumn centerpieces on your holiday table. Add candles and the beauty is apparent! :)
You can also glue leaves to the top of the pumpkin. Michael's sells "foamy" pumpkins you can carve and use YEAR after YEAR. I recommend getting two to start out with, and then you can add one a year. Saves money and eventually you'll have them everywhere. (Might also wait until one of those great 50% off coupons!) Then you could buy one and get one half off. :)
You can also glue leaves to the top of the pumpkin. Michael's sells "foamy" pumpkins you can carve and use YEAR after YEAR. I recommend getting two to start out with, and then you can add one a year. Saves money and eventually you'll have them everywhere. (Might also wait until one of those great 50% off coupons!) Then you could buy one and get one half off. :)
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