:: Some Crafting and Crafty Storage::

I wanted to show a little bit of preparation I’m making for my soon to be craft room.

Even this time of year when all the stores are having sales for organization “helps”;  pretty boxes, file drawers, buckets, baskets and what have you, we all know it can get pretty pricey. 
We also all know how much I can procrastinate and put off doing something,too. I do NOT need help slowing things down—by having to wait on cash flow to get organized.
So on Tuesday, this week when I was at the Dollar General in town—I picked up a few throw away boxes.

You can do this too. Here are some tips:
Don’t be bashful. 
See an empty box, pick it up and ask the clerk, “ Is it ok if I take this empty box?”
It’s a simple question.  You can either come home with free storage containers…or you can simply hand them over to the clerk and say “Well, thank you anyway.”
What they do with them at that point is up to them.
Most likely—they will say something like “Sure, you can have them! That’s one less box I have to break down and recycle. Less work for me!” 
You’re welcome.
So I got my boxes home and I painted these yesterday after noon—the urge hit and so I went with it.


I used 2 colors of paint
a relish jar
and a piece of wooden dowel. It’s not perfect…that is what makes it such a simple project.  I just used a random pattern on each box.
Today I had to CUT the bottom left hand box to fit; it was a little tall for the space. Otherwise a perfect width!

When you’re getting boxes for free don’t worry if they’ll fit—seriously, they’re free!  Even if you have to line them on an open shelf, or against the wall under a table… Once you paint them and start organizing with your pretty boxes; It won’t matter if they fit perfectly. 
I have one more of these boxes and it doesn’t fit this shelf.  So, I am going to use it for paper and ephemera—and it will be perfect because it is pretty tall. Wherever I use it, whether here on this shelf or someplace else in the room—it will still be cute!
I have some other boxes for organizing—I bought at the local grocer that went out of business on January 4th.  These boxes were about .70¢ each. Not the bottom one with the glue gun… I had that one 


I bought what they had, 8 in all, which were red and pink. I think the red will compliment my pale blue boxes I just painted.  I didn’t spend anything extra on fancy labels either. I just used good ol’ duct tape.  I like the labels on the front. I also like the fact they’re clear and I can see what is in them.

• corn sack:  great for achy muscles when you've been bending and stooping—cleaning out and organizing cupboards and crafts rooms!
• corn sack box:  for keeping those pesky field mice from getting their grubby little teeth into my corn sack!

** Ok, back to Crafty Organizing! 

I am using the old entertainment center from the living room for shelving in what will be the craft room. I think it needs another shelf added to it, a fresh coat of paint, and of course some reorganizing.  I have all of my USPS flat rate boxes stacked here right now; along with folded fabric for future projects, and a couple of seat belt pillows that are slated for some grandkids I didn’t get to see.

**Just now, typing that (and seeing it in pictures), I realize---I should probably pop those pillows in a box and mail them! Typing it;  is like saying it out loud--- so now y’all don’t have to remind me how painfully obvious that was!  :)



Anyway—I’m still working on this room.  I have lots of ideas in my head and I’ve PINNED on this board  ::cRaFty PLaCeS::  …plenty of ways to get organized in this room.  I just know once I get it pulled together I’ll be much more creative and productive, right? My favorite part of this process?? The Free boxes!
Well, I had fun painting them too.

I love seeing all the easy and inexpensive ways so many of you have organized your craft rooms—using jars, muffin tins, crates etc.

What is your favorite CRAFT ROOM ORGANIZING TIP?
Do you have a whole room?  Part of a room, a closet maybe?   I hope you’ll leave  a comment and share any ideas you might have!

To see other ways people are using what they to get by click on over here: 


Til next time, Be Blessed!



I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live; but Christ who lives inside of me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me and delivered himself up for me. 
~Galatians 2:20

:: Frugal Fodder 27—Pantry Findings pt. 2 ::

I wanted to share a couple of things I’ve done since re-arranging and organizing in my kitchen pantry.
My IDEA IS “…spending a little to save a lot! ”
Our Dollar General still had some Christmas Items on the shelves.  Everything was just  .10¢ – you really can’t beat that.  I was in there Tuesday evening and bought up 3 boxes of chocolates. You can always use chocolate in the kitchen, right?
 

They were little "Christmas Count Downs".  I opened them and punched the milk chocolates out of the container.  I put them in a baggie and will use them in cookies or something.  Not sure yet…
It was almost 2 cups—GIVE OR TAKE A BITE.  :)


I also bought up the last Christmas Coffee mugs they had …also a dime each!  There were 11 cups left. 
I am putting these up for this Christmas—they will make sweet little cups to add into baskets with Hot Cocoa and muffins or something like that. Very inexpensive—but well worth the effort to put them back for later.  That’s eleven gifts—I don’t have to purchase.
 
The last thing I picked up at the Dollar Store?  Boxes.
As you can imagine this late in January—the Christmas items are VERY picked over and when I saw these empty boxes—


I knew they’d be thrown away. I asked the clerk if I could have them.  I already know how I’m going to use them. 
Though, I don’t have a need for RED BOXES WITH SNOW FLAKES on them. 
So I’ll be painting them for my craft room.  You might remember these I painted last year--- Cheap and Easy Decor

I might be able to make them all match or blend in together.  The ones I got on Tuesday- Free! 

T.H. and I went to the flea market a few weeks ago and I found a rack of spice bottles with clamps on them.  I’ve priced new ones on line and they can get rather expensive.  Since the purchase of my dehydrator last year—I’ve made garlic powder and would love to dry more spices for these bottles.

I found this set of 6 for $3 bucks with the spices STILL IN THEM!  YUCK… but I brought them home and cleaned them up – I want to paint the clamps and shelf.  The lids are ceramic—with an embossed image—I’d like to paint them too. 
Any tips on painting ceramic? I’d hope it could stand up to KITCHEN WEAR… I’m open for all suggestions. 
These are just a few ways I'm saving money in the kitchen and around my home.  The rising cost of groceries--doesn't have to be so difficult if you plan ahead and think outside the box. Most of this is for my kitchen pantry—the boxes will work in the craft room – a “pantry” of sorts! 
I’m still plugging away on re-organizing the kitchen and am thinking about my craft room, though I’ve not made much progress there. My end goal is to be able to save money—being more organized and drying my own spices will help meet this goal. “…spending a little to save a lot! ”
And of course--- There’s always Chocolate!  Any recipe ideas made with milk chocolate? 

You can read PANTRY FINDINGS-pt 1 here.

Til next time, Be Blessed!



Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.~ Joshua 1:9

:: Pantry Findings- Part 1 ::

..."Saving Money with an organized clutter free Pantry" 

For the new year, I made a list of things I wanted to see happen in and around my home in 2014—one of those ‘Inside-the-home-items’ on the list was

• Create a standing PANTRY IN THE KITCHEN--

Several of my readers asked that I would show how I go about meeting my goals for the year.  I can’t promise it will be riveting or have you sitting on the edge of your seat—but you might find a tip or two for meeting your own goals…
One thing I’ve done is bought a Day Planner for the year—I’ve divided-up my home like points on a map and each week of each month I PINPOINT THAT ROOM AS MY TARGET AREA.  I continue to maintain the rest of my home and duties…but I hit the TARGET AREA HARD AND HEAVY THAT WEEK.

This is the second full week of doing this…and my TARGET:  The Kitchen  FOCUS: RE-Organizing

I HAD thought I wanted to ADD  a piece of furniture to the kitchen to serve as standing cupboard as Pantry.  Fitting another piece of furniture into my ‘unfitted- kitchen’ shouldn’t be too challenging as I only have ONE WALL of ‘built-ins’; and  most of my work stations are pieced in with various furnishings.

You can see my pinterest board on UnFitted Kitchens  HERE @ :: FREESTANDING AND UNFit ::
I will tell you—it took years before I found JOY in this type of set up. Many years I longed for a perfect kitchen…but then I realized I already had one.  I can make my kitchen however;  just by moving things around.  It’s perfect and I’m loving my kitchen more and more all the time!

So onto the Pantry Saga::

I make no excuse for this blurry picture- this is just some of the contents I began cleaning out on Sunday.

It’s just lots of baking items, seasonings, canning parts and organizing tools.
I found 4 …yes, FOUR! opened containers of Cocoa in my cupboard; and the red basket is actually 2- one is stacked inside the other. (I bought those 27 years ago…I know because they were used to hold nursery items in my oldest daughters room)  I’ve always  had an organized streak—it ebbs and flows, I guess.
I emptied 3 or the Cocoa’s  into one container. The last one was almost full and was placed back into my cabinet as over flow. For now.


I made Homemade Baking mix and have the ingredients for more on the top shelf behind this door.
The hanging basket has un opened packages of pasta that would not fit…
here in my newly REPURPOSED CANISTERS.

I’ve had those 3 wall mounted canisters for years and have used them for Hot chocolate mixes, extra condiments for eating out, spare tea bags… Not anymore. 
I took all the pasta out of the packaging and filled the canisters with them.  Now I can see when I need to restock the pasta—and they’re Pretty! 
Basically, behind each of these doors I incorporated free CLEAR containers---lots of recycling. I’m visual so seeing the level of these contents at a glance will help me in knowing when to purchase more. 
Behind the second/middle door.

The soda bottles on top hold an assortment of beans and a bottle of rice. More organizing tools,  I found a small ‘lazy susan’ IN THIS CABINET; standing on its side inside another red basket.  Well… I’m using it now!

The last door—holds cookbooks and a recipe file box on the bottom shelf. Middle shelf  has unopened spices that I bought when the grocer was going out of business the first of January; along with over-flow of other baking items I didn’t know I had!   Things like brown sugar, and 2  bags powder sugar, unopened Soy Sauce, etc. 
The plan is to use what I have before making anymore purchases and freeing up even more space. 
I currently have my slow cooker and large Crock pot on the top shelf.  I’m planning to move those in the next phase of the Pantry Saga.
I have a plan for re-arranging just about ever section of this kitchen.  I think it is going to eliminate the need to ADD any furniture for a pantry.  So, I’ll be marking that off the list.
Now look at that, just by doing some clearing out ( I threw away 1 whole trash bag full of packaging and wrappers)  I decided that if I had containers to store items—I should empty the contents of the packages and free up space.  It is so nice to open up my cupboards now, and see all that I have.
My Pantry Findings were

• Space
• Groceries, I didn’t know I had.
• Eliminating the ‘need’ to spend money.
• Checking an item off the list! Freeing up time to work on something else.

This month marks the 18th year to be living in here in our home. I’ve reorganized and cleaned and cleared out plenty of times.  But this is really, the first time—to revamp this part of my kitchen since the kids all moved out.  I’m looking at my kitchen with empty-nester eyes now…but keeping in mind that I do have my littles here day in and day out.  I have a new idea about how I want my kitchen to operate. 
Less is more.
and
the simpler the better.  Free is great! 
Don’t you love how a project starts out like it’s going to cost something; but in the end, you don’t have spend and you EVEN SAVE by reorganizing?  I feel like I’m winning!

FGFbloghop @ DJDH



Til next time, Be Blessed!



Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.~ Joshua 1:9

:: Biscuits for the Pup; Biscuit Mix and a Paint Question? ::

This past weekend I spent time cleaning up in the kitchen. 
The counters, the stainless steel… and my pantry.
I also made cookies for Buster--- I told you I’d give you the recipe I used. It’s at the end of this post.



The other thing I thought I’d ask…since I’m showing this picture again; 
When you paint in your kitchen, do you paint the underside of your cupboards?

:: Frugal Fodder- ways I’m saving in my home ::

On January 2, I went with my daughter to the little grocer one town over (because we DON’T HAVE A GROCERY STORE IN OUR TOWN) and we stocked up on some groceries. I always shop at this store—but we found out right before Christmas that they were closing their doors on January 4th.  They were having a sale and everything in the store was 30% off at the register.
By the time I had gotten there it was picked over pretty well.
Apparently, the sale started on Jan. 1--

:: Revising my 2014 Goals to include Finances ::

I have lots of things to tell you—but first, I hope you are warm or comfortable where ever you are right now.  I hope you have all that you need and you know that you ARE LOVED.
We’ve rounded the corner into a new year, and a zeal for life!  I think whether you make resolutions or stand firm in your conviction NOT to make a resolution---we can all agree that we start a new year with the feeling of hope and wonder on the horizon; and THEN we begin!
I sat down the other day and wrote out my goals for 2014—the list was long and the list was broad too.
So much to do—where to start?  One of you, my faithful readers mentioned that my list was daunting and encouraged me to do well with it.  I am soo hoping to do that—and yes, it is daunting.  But, If I don’t write it down---I have nothing to aim for; and I get so sidetracked.
Thank you all so much for your encouragement.  

I was talking with my brother on his morning commute today- and we talked about the difference in making goals and accomplishing them.  I must say, we both agreed that in order to accomplish anything at all; you can NOT just give lip service.  You must be about the business of getting up and doing things and marking them off the list. No matter how big or small---doing makes all the difference.  I found that out last October when I participated in 31 days of Blogging and wrote my series on “From TO-DO 2 TO-DONE”

Then, I was recently asked if I’d share how I’m doing with my list.  OF COURSE!  you know I will.  This is my life and it is what I write about.

:: Frugal Fodder ~16~Adding Notebooks ::

Last week I told you I was considering 'Note-booking'  (or journaling) again.
With the planting of the garden on Sunday, I was able to easily get my hands on my Garden Notebook. That is the only book I've been keeping up with the last couple of years.
Just finishing up our NO SPEND MONTH...



I decided a price book would be another book, I should make.

I have never kept a price book. I was usually in the stores every week and familiarized myself with the prices better then. Now, however, I tend to only shop once a month.  That makes it difficult to get the sales when they're running and keeping the pantry stocked is a little trickier.
I'm considering spreading the food budget out for the month--but have to take gas prices and travel into account also.
A Price book, for me, would  also be the place to keep recipes, menus and notes about new dishes we've tried; likes and dislikes. 
For some of you, an App on your smart phone may keep prices for you and allow you to scan bar codes and do the work for you digitally. As you all know, I don't use a smart phone...I use a dummy and it's just a phone. So my price book will be pen and paper.

I'm totally okay with that! 

Elaine @ Sunny Simple Life talks about price books here.

Along with Garden and Price Books--

• A Skills & Project Notebook ( I just need to dust it off!) and 
• A Budget Notebook   (probably do this on the computer) 
• A Daily Task Manager-- this would be a Week-At-A-Glance type book. 
• Pen and paper NOT Digital  :)  

I'm finding that with my etsy shop, gardening, egg collecting, baby sitting, dr. appts, house hold management, etc.; I'm a little bit more distracted and forgetful than I used to be!  That is driving me some what batty!

I know I asked you before if you used notebooks-- some of you do, some don't.

How about Price books?
 Do you use one?
Has it worked for you and has it helped you to save money on groceries?

 

Let us no grow weary in well-doing; for in due season we will reap, if we faint not. ~Galatians 6:9

 

::Frugal Fodder ~15~ NO SPEND Summary

This is the last week in  NO SPEND February's Challenge -and. the. crowd. goes. wild!!!
I don't know if other's of you took it upon yourselves to do this or not; but I found it to be quite telling in how we spend our money!

 Meaning:  I learned something!

Just let me stress --- it takes two, to be successful; especially if there are two in the household.
All or nothing!

When the two of us discussed how we wanted to implement this. We agreed it would be ...

(my WORD for 2013) 

• Cash Only --No ATM 
• Necessary Gas and Groceries ONLY.
• No eating out. 

 NO ATM rule:    

That rule got broken. I'd like to say "I made no purchases with a debit card."

Didn't happen like that. 

We used the debit card for Gas only. We spent $60 for gas this month.
I used the ATM card to withdraw CASH for an etsy shipment, a FEED Store run and Fire wood. (Some of this will be replaced) 



Necessary Foods vs. UnNecessary Eating Out: 

I'm happy to report we did pretty well. 

• The only necessary spending for groceries was geared toward restocking the pantry AND...any essentials that were on sale. 

For instance, I was able to buy Sugar on sale early in the month for $1.99 for 4/lbs. (not great...but pretty good around here)  I was also able to buy ULTRAGRAIN GROUND HARD WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR for $.70/ lb.  (10 /lbs = $7.00)

• Also when the month of February started-- Eating out was off the table. Wasn't going to happen. Nope.

We ate out. But...I have a good reason!

My Dad turned 70 years old this month...both brothers and I agreed-- we decided we HAD TO DO SOMETHING for Dad. Party at my house wasn't going to happen.  Long story short we made reservations and have the whole family (those that could make it) surprise him at Carmona's Mexican Grill and Cantina! 
I split Fajita's for One with my Aunt.  Oh man! they were good too! We paid with Cash for our dinner and Dad's gift and  I saved a little bit on my meal  :) 

We even got Dad to wear the Sombrero and let us sing Happy Birthday to him and he ate his Birthday Sopapillas!  
Happy Birthday Dad!

Money Saved: $190.00 

Over-all we saved- $10 / week  for propane.  Our total for the year (by Thursday this week) is $80.00 ($40 for February)

We had $100 left when our monthly check was direct deposited.  Doesn't sound like much...but believe me it is!!! 

We saved $50 toward an Emergency Fund. 

My brutally honest keeping it real statement~ 

• Our POTENTIAL for MONEY SAVED: $428.00 total. That is what we could have saved had we not had to buy more firewood, eaten out at the birthday dinner, plus tip, plus gift! 

What did I learn?! 

1.  It can be done if you're both on board. 
2.  Debit Cards can be habit forming (enabling,even!) unless used wisely.
3.  A well stocked pantry is essential when CURBING EATING OUT. 
4.  We can continue to tweak the budget and tame the beast! 
5.  My Dad is Priceless! 

How about you?  Are you changing things up with your household budget?  Are you over OR under in your spending?  I'm not a finance blog...so I'd love to hear your take on some of these matters?  You can leave your comments below!  

Let us not grow weary in well-doing; for in due season we will reap,  if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Summer Time Outdoor Projects

 I recently told you about the downed tree and messed up roof we had during an early May(5-2012) storm  ---

Here is the before picture of our roof. This happens to also be a *before the grasshopper plague that ate our shrubs* picture! 

 Our house had a charcoal colored shingle.. and the over hang on the porch addition was graphite looking fiberglass. Since this picture was taken  we've since added our 'futon rail'... you can read about that repurposing project    here and I painted the trim around the front door and 

had my 'screen door' project you can read about that here.

One thing that has been an eye sore to us were the posts or columns. 

We had two 'turned' columns that were both supportive and decorative. They're old and cracking--and they've needed to be replaced for a while. 

Then once the addition to the porch was added out on the end (in the fall of 2010); we had one 4 x 4 post (actually, I think it was a landscape timber and it was supposed to be temporary, you know how that goes) -so far it's lasted.  But I wanted them all to be uniform. 

Ta-dah! 

So, this past weekend The Honey and I wrapped the posts! He also added new trim pieces over the gabled porch. You can get just a glimpse of the new roof. We just got them both replaced ---the roof and the porch cover. It is hard to tell in this picture; but it is definitely lighter in color. I thought I had taken a better picture of the new roof (the roofers were here last week on Monday and Tuesday and installed it in 2 days!) 

This is as far as we've gotten ... The posts are wrapped and look new! The roof is on and there's no leaks!  We're talking about painting the whole thing; it sure needs it. 
We'll see. It's just us doing the work; so it's baby steps for sure. 

Just to be sure you know. It's not about the money you spend or the time it takes you; because believe me-- we work slow. It's about being good stewards of what you've been given. Taking care of the things you have. One small project at a time. ;)

Do you have any summer projects that need doing? 
Do you have any tips for re-purposing things around the yard? Or remaking them so that they last? Feel free to share some of your stories and even send me the link... I'd love to read them! 

The grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with you spirit. Philippians 4:23

Menus- Week of 3-26 thru 4-1

I meant to post this yesterday—but was having some internet problems.
I’m trying to get back into the habit of making menus ahead of time (before the week starts); because when I know what I’m making, it takes the thought out of it during the week when I’m usually TIRED and don’t KNOW OR HAVE A CLUE what in the World to fix.  That is when I usually resort to TAKE OUT!
I used to do this (make menus) years ago when the kids were all still at home and I just need to get back in the habit. It’s part of a FOOD AND GROCERY BUDGET… and it’s all part of finances.
You know this isn’t a FINANCE BLOG, really. But, like most of the rest of you; we’re just trying to make do with what we’ve been given, stretch it and have little waste. I say that if you go to the store buy groceries and leave them to sit in the fridge or freezer to go bad and instead eat out… that is wasteful. I don’t want to do that anymore.  I can honestly say, this became a habit for us once Honey retired and certainly after his heart attack.
I’m so hoping I can stick to it and here are a couple of reasons why:

• It’s healthier: Quality- You know what you’re getting. Quantity- You can control the portion size. Quantitative- You’re not limited to any menu but the one YOU create.
• It’s cheaper: In terms of per serving (what you pay for a meal for 2 people at a restaurant could total 1 meal 4-5 nights for 2 people); travel time- being away from home costs money-we NEVER JUST GO EAT. We almost always go someplace else, because we’re already out; gasoline (one trip to the store vs. several trips to different restaurants) We live in a rural area, so a trip to town is traveling. 

 
Monday: Italian Sausage Sandwiches w/ chips
Tuesday:
         bkfst: oatmeal w/ dried cranberries and whole wheat toast-
         lunch: left over It.Sausage sandwich w/chips
         supper: bar-b-qued chicken legs- Baked potatoes & Mixed veggies
Wednesday:
         bkfst:
         lunch: Tuna Salad / crackers
         supper: Cincinnati Chili  and corn salad * cook whole package of venison, save 1/2 cooked portion for Tacos on Friday.
Thursday:
         bkfst: eggs/ sausage/ whole wheat toast
         lunch:
         supper: Individual Meat Loaves and Potato Salad  *meat loaf prepared with venison w/ added pork sausage
Friday:
         bkfst: PIGS and Coffee  * make enough PIGS for later store in the fridge
         lunch:
         supper: Soft Tacos w/ lettuce and tomato fixings
Saturday:
         bkfst: PIGS and coffee-
         lunch:
         supper: SPECIAL DINNER @ birthday party to attend
Sunday:
         bkfst: cheese toast and coffee-
         supper: early supper after church-- Beef Tips and Rice w/ asparagus and tossed salad           snack:  early supper means: sandwich or leftovers later
       That’s our menu for this week. I’m pretty much of the opinion. It doesn’t have to be fancy to taste good OR be good for you. I also happen to think you only need about 10-15 GO-TO meals that you can rotate on a menu- because you have sandwich and/ or soup nights, LEFTOVER nights, and SPECIAL DINNER, HOLIDAY, or the rare EAT OUT NIGHT (which I’m trying to avoid right now)  
So how about you; do you have a menu that you make out on a regular basis? 
Do you save money by doing this? 
How have you changed your meal times or eating habits w/ the economy or is it personal preference that determined your decision?  
Is it working for you?
Please leave a  comment and feed back. Let’s discuss this—I’m really interested in how everyone else is doing in this area of homekeeping.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
~Philippians 4:23