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"Tips & Tidbits"
Space saving closet hangers are a wonderful investment and keeps the closet neat and aesthetically pleasing. Try color coordinating your clothes for easy access.
Finding attractive storage to hide scraps of fabric, old photographs or other large quantities of smaller items has never been easier. Tin buckets, baskets or stacked boxes are great for storage. The best part is you can usually find these items at yard sales, thrift stores or on sale.
Look for plastic or glass containers for ribbons, buttons, screws, nails, or smaller items. Store your nicest selection in areas that will be seen. An array of matching storage boxes and vintage luggage look nice in a corner and can house old magazines, winter clothing, bedding, and keepsakes.
- Keep a memory jar readily available. All you need is a cookie jar. Fill with blank paper or index cards and a pen. When those adorable moments arrive, quickly jot the date and the memory on the index card and put back in the jar. When you are ready to add the information to baby books or scrapbooks all you need to do is pull the notes out of the jar.
- Write fifty “things to do” activities and place in a jar. When the family has trouble thinking of something to do, just pull from the jar.
- Add a bowl of floating flowers to your kitchen. For guests, use small decorative glass bowls at place settings, add your guests name to a rock with a Sharpie, add water and top with a flower.
- Put individual portions of healthy snacks in Ziploc bags and leave in a basket in the pantry or on the counter. Keep washed fruit and vegetables handy as well.
- Freeze grapes for a delicious and healthy treat. Do you have a favorite yogurt? Pour dots of yogurt on a plate and freeze. Yum!
- Keep a fashion emergency kit handy: needles that have been threaded in a variety of colors, safety pins, clear nail polish, hair bands, bobby pins, fashion tape, tweezers, nail clippers, nail file and anything else you might need to handle those morning rush emergencies.
- Dryer sheets are not just for the dryer. I keep these sheets on hand to freshen clothing, remove static clean, deodorize shoes (it works!), and as a drawer freshener. When they come out of the dryer they make an excellent addition to mixed media art.
- Too many magazines? Tear out the ideas you like and keep in a notebook divided by topics. Throw out the magazines.
Not everyone will know a reputable beekeeper. But if you find one, take advantage of the opportunity. If you do not have a reliable source then check with your local fresh market as they would most likely offer delicious choices.
Presentation is a big part of gift giving. Try this simple idea to make the recipient feel extra special:
- Place honey in a small basket with a tea towel, fruit, and recipe cards that include honey as an ingredient.
- Print tidbits of information about honey and its uses (see below).
- Bake bread or muffins using honey and place in the basket. Don’t forget to include the recipe!
- Make a homemade lip balm and add a handmade tag (recipe below).
- Add a book with recipes using honey.
- For less than fifteen dollars you can present a lovely and thoughtful gift. Perfect as a hostess gift.
Want to learn more? Keep reading.
- Most beekeepers do so as a hobby to produce honey for their families and for a small source of extra income.
- Worker bees leave the hive and collect flower nectar which will become honey in the hive. Unfortunately pesticides used in gardening can kill an entire hive.
- Honey, if properly sealed, is the only food that never spoils.
- When honey crystallizes it can return to its liquid state when heated.
- When measuring honey, 1 cup will weigh 12 oz.
- Honey is a wonderful humectant. Try this: add water to your fingertips and face, then add a dab of honey and gently apply to your face. Lightly pat dry. Add a moisturizer.
- Honey lip balm: 3 tbs. almond oil, 1 tbs. coconut oil, 1 tbs. beeswax (grated), 1 tsp. honey. Warm oil and beeswax over low heat until wax melts. Remove from heat, add honey and stir well. Pour in small glass jar. Allow to cool while stirring occasionally. Store in cool place.
Thrifting refers to secondhand shopping usually at a flea market, thrift store or yard sale. The idea of thrifting may make some cringe but I have frequented thrift shops looking for vintage long before vintage was popular (my age is showing!). I was hooked at sixteen. I don’t go as often as I did but I still enjoy the thrill of the hunt.
Thrifting can be a wise choice in a poor economy but it is also fun to sift through rubble looking for buried treasures. I am not saying we forego purchases from retailers because our purchases help create a strong economy but I am saying to consider your purchases, live within your means and consider it.
I have found Ann Taylor and Banana Republic skirts in perfect condition for less than $5.00, vintage linen for less than a dollar, antique frames and many other items for a fraction of the original price.
Tips for Thrifting:
- While thrifting may bring enjoyment to some others will find it to be toil. If this is you, try an outing with friends and make it a time of fellowship. I am sure you will at least find laughter on your treasure hunt.
- Be careful what you purchase. Do you really need that? It can be tempting to start collecting a lot of things you don’t need. Not only will you begin to collect clutter you will spend more than you should and those items will most likely end up at your next yard sale.
- Just because it’s at a yard sale or thrift store does not mean it is always a bargain. I have found things marked well over retail.
- Thrift stores are getting pricier than in the early years. Yard sales usually offer the best deals and you can negotiate. Search for church and community yards sales.
- Make a list of items you need so you can narrow your search.
- Set a budget. You can still go over budget if you aren’t careful. Pennies add up quickly.
- I do not buy anything that cannot be cleaned thoroughly.
- It takes a lot of time to sort through the not-so-good stuff to retrieve the prize. So allow yourself time and patience.
- Have fun!
What do peacocks, fashion, and cupcakes have in common? You guessed it! Pinterest. Want to be inspired? If you have not already browsed the thousands of pictures on this fun site then you might be in for a treat! You can search almost any topic from pink cupcakes to blue doors. You can even build your own bulletin board and add your favorite pictures. Click the Pinterest link in the side bar to view mine. For more details visit www.Pinterest.com. Please make sure you read Pinterest’s terms of use.
Pros:
- You will definitely be inspired!
- You can find pictures on almost any topic.
- You are able to connect with family, friends and others.
Cons:
- The site is very busy and seems to be slow at times.
- As with any interesting site it could be easy to lose track of time. So my advice is to be careful with your time – it’s very precious.
- There are occasional photographs that are inappropriate for young children or teens. The site would be more family friendly if Pinterest would create a search system that would include more suggestive photographs only if requested by the user. Personally I wish most sites would offer that feature.
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