Posted in DIY, Helpful Hints & Tips, Holidays & Celebrations, tagged Christmas, DIY, fabric, Gift, repurpose, reuse, wrap on December 10, 2014|
This year, my daughter Erin suggested we wrap gifts in fabric – not paper. I think it’s a great idea as we can re use the fabric year after year. I picked up fabric scraps at the thrift store. I also came across some lightweight cotton place mats that will be a nice size to wrap a small gift. I have a few older table clothes that my mom sewed for me many years ago. I think I’ll re purpose them into wrap also. I hope you give green gift wrapping a try.
Posted in DIY, Helpful Hints & Tips, Uncategorized, tagged bug, DIY, mosquito, Tea bag on August 16, 2013|
When I was in the North, I sure got alot of bug bites. The bugs up there take out a portion on the skin so the bites are sometimes very bloody and always uncomfortable. I brought bug repellant but nothing for when the sneaky things bit the spots I missed with ‘bug dope’. I had plenty of tea bags though. Sure wish I read this on Real Simple before I went to the North. I would have tried it. Maybe you can try it if you get a bug bite.
A smart way to soothe itchy mosquito bites: Place a cold, used tea bag on the sting and let it sit for five minutes. Tea will help ease sunburn, too: Brew a pot and pour it into a bath of lukewarm water. Soak until you feel relief.
Posted in DIY, Health & Beauty, tagged DIY, Feet, pedicure, Save on August 6, 2013|
Yesterday, I returned home after 17 days volunteering in the North West Territories. My feet were in need of special attention. Once again, I gave myself a pedicure. It really is quite simple and inexpensive.
Follow these steps :
1). Soak your feet 10 minutes in Epsom salts. Remove old polish.
2). Exfoliate with a scrub – (there are many homemade recipes online)
3). Clean, trim and shape nails
4). Apply lotion
5) Optional – apply a few coats of polish (light pink looks clean and natural)
To keep it up – lather your feet with lotion before you go to bed. Any lotion will do. Put on cotton socks and leave them on overnight. If your feet are very dry and cracked add Vaseline to your lotion or use Vaseline by itself. Each time you shower or bath, use a pumice stone on your heels and rough spots. You can exfoliate at this time also. Do not try to remove all dry skin at one time.
If you keep this up, you will have pretty feet year round.
Posted in DIY, Money - Saving & Using, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, The Home, tagged DIY, metal, reuse, spray paint, table, vintage on January 15, 2011| 4 Comments »
This past summer I came across an article in Real Simple featuring artful outdoor furniture pieces. Being a gardener, I was very interested in acquiring a piece or two. I thought ‘I’ve seen stuff like that at the thrift store’. I decided to keep a look out for older metal pieces that I could spray paint. In October, I came across a brilliantly blue (painted) vintage metal table. It was $2.00. I really liked the snowflake pattern and thought the bright blue would look great in my new garden. I brought it home and stored it in the shed. Meanwhile, in the back of my mind was the desire to add to our living room a visually lightweight, gold colored table. So just the other day, I decided to spray paint the blue metal table, that was in the shed, gold. Well, I’m really happy with the outcome. I used Tremclad Hammered paint ($8.99 per can). 
Just 2 coats and the job was done. I want to stress how home decorating can be done on the smallest of budgets. If you have patience, shop used, and use spray paint! As for the garden piece, I’m confident I’ll find other items at the thrift store or at a garage sale in the future. I hope I’ve encouraged you to reuse where you can and be adventurous with your decorating.
Flourish 