Frugal Friday

This weeks tip is to dedicate one shelf in your fridge to leftovers or foods that need to be eaten. Hopefully this will help you avoid those science experiments, and save money!

"A penny saved is a penny earned"....Ben Franklin

Repurposing Rags

The Artist and I have been making rag rugs. We simply use old ripped sheets, t-shirts, etc. Really anything that isn't in good enough shape to donate. If you don't have rags buy sheets from the thrift store, or yard sales. You simply cut the old cloth into 1.5 inch strips and connect them together to make long strips. To connect them snip little holes on each end of your strip, then weave them together. Then crochet your long strip into a circular or oval rug.

These are perfect and durable enough for entry ways or mud rooms, and are pretty enough to add rustic charm to any room. They are works of art that are super easy to make! This would be a great craft project for younger children as well. Simply wash and hang dry.

Canvas Painters Drop Cloth Part 2

So what did I do with that canvas drop cloth? Well first I took the two 12' x 4' pieces and cut them in half making four 6' x 4' pieces.

Then they were ironed and seems sewn all around, making a 4" drapery rod pocket on the top of each piece.

Then we dyed the fabric Navy Blue in the washing machine.

Little Pumpkin was quite concerned to see the blue color in the washing machine! When they were dry I ironed them and looked at them for about a week....They were more purple than blue and since these were for my sons room, purple wouldn't do!

So....

 

Back  into the washer they went! They came out more blue/gray, but looked better.

While I ironed the now darker drapes Handsome Husband hung the old/new curtain rod. I had bought this curtain rod about 5 years ago and it sat in the basement unused.

Finally! Time to hang the new drapes! OH MY GOSH! They shrunk and are now too short! This simple and fun project was now really dragging out!

So I looked online and decided I would lengthen them with a contrasting fabric, I was bummed to have to wait yet another day to finish these curtains.

So I went to my resident artist (my daughter) and asked her what color would look good, well she said black right away. I had just bought Thoughtful Son a new duvet cover for his bed and wouldn't you know it, it had come with 2 long black pillow cases! Ha! What are the chances? They had been washed and were sitting in the linen closet just waiting!
 

So w pulled them out and cut them in half length ways.

 I was happy to have mt rotary tool---I can't cut a straight line that well. Ha ha.

Out with the old seems and in with the new!

They turned out AMAZING! if I do say so myself. I love, love, love them. They really tie in his black duvet cover!

 

I got him a new dresser I am planning to refinish....so you'll have to come back to see the finished room! This will give him time to clean it too!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Buy vanilla beans, cut them down the middle (I bought mine on Amazon)...

Buy cheap vodka...

 Put vanilla beans into cheap vodka...

Set aside for 1 month and get the best vanilla extract on the cheap!

 This Vanilla Extract will keep for years, only getting stronger with time. It makes a great gift, just put it in a pretty jar!

Old Made New

So we have this beautiful lantern in our front yard, however, it is a hideous pink color--sorry for all you pink lovers, I have never been a fan.

So we made a trip to the hardware store this morning and got some spray paint. Black Textured Metallic for the basic color and Metallic Champagne Mist for the accent color. We are gonna do all our outdoor fixtures, and I will post those too. What a difference a fresh coat of paint makes!

The Making of Tedyada

We have a friend "Ted" and he has a great sense of humor and he and my husband get each other "gag" gifts for their birthdays, so this year my husband decided to make Ted a Pinata. I don't know what was more fund the making of the Tedyada or the breaking of it:

 Make the "frame" out of cardboard.

 Shred newspaper for paper mache.

 Tedyada is formed!

 Paper mache head.

 One side finished!

 Tedyada!

 Cardboard chest with hole for candy/goodies to get them inside!

 Cardboard for Tedyadas face.

Here is Tedyada....just needs paint!