Tip Time Tuesday

Toilet paper rolls!  Not just for TP

Making the quilts and pot holders I’ve batches of binding cut and ready to use.  There are times I can’t stop and sew but I generally have the binding cut with the quilts (once I see  which will look best).  prepping and having ready to go saves time when I’m ready to use it.  I had piles of binding ready but kept needing to repress wrinkles out….The empty rolls have come in handy

Bindings for potholders ready to be used

There are lots of ways to repurpose empty TP tubes, be sure and check out my friend

Sci-Fi over at “Bacon & Eggs”,  (AWESOME blog!) she has a few other ideas for using them.

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My plans as of this morning were to sew for a while and then hit the garden to plant peas.  A bit of housework after that….

Well, I got the bit of sewing part….  I had the radio cranked up and kept the machine going.   I was hearing a train engine and thought it had been sitting for a while, much longer than normal.  About that time Mr.Fix-It called and I ended up running into town to pay the insurance for the new rental. But there was a problem leaving the drive way.  There were 2 huge cranes on track (think tanks) engines driving up (chewing up)our road.  They were the super huge derailment repair cranes. The train was still sitting across the road because 2-3 cars had derailed! 

That is one of the track rails half way down the ditch

I missed getting photos but, one of the cars was all the way down the embankment, the tanker car only half.

So, once I got going I paid the insurance and popped into a local grocery chain for some coffee.  They have the best coffee prices.  It’s wasn’t the store I generally shop at (it was in a very questionable section of town) but it was on the way home.  I ran in (remembered why It wasn’t were I generally stopped very quickly) got my case of coffee and left the store with 2-3 others.  Crossing the parking lot they went to the cars in front of and next to me…..I thought that’s weird..what are the odds in this size parking lot they would be this close.  Well, I got home reached across to the passenger seat for my purse to get out…..and it wasn’t there!  It was no where in the car.   I quickly drove back to the store….and the cart was still in the cart corral  empty.  I know the cart was empty when I pushed it in as it rolled back out and I had to angle it to stay in place.  Of course no one turned it in. I checked all the trash cans in the shopping center and the parking lot.

Now I wonder if I was played in the parking lot.   I always always always (except today) leave a store with my purse on my shoulder and my keys in my hand. I thought I remembered tossing it in the front seat but now I’m just not sure.  I do know the cart was empty when I left.

Thankfully I only had about $15.00 cash in my bag…along with a knitting project, a shawl I was knitting for me! I was my all time favorite bag.  I’d bought it at a resale shop about 10 years ago and it was just finally butter soft *sigh* 

Spent the afternoon at the bank setting up new accounts and of course today was the day we wired the down payment on the house…from that account.  Putting a hold on any checks other than the one I’d just written for the insurance….from that account. 

I tried to go on line and order a new drivers license but my new Debit Card won’t be active till tomorrow GAH!! Tomorrow to the police station to file a report (not that it will do any good)  Talk about feeling like an idiot!

I’m ready for the day to be over

Tomorrow will be better!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Train derail,stolen purse

Technorati Tags: tips on Tuesday,random stuff,repurposing

Repurposing & Progress in the Workroom

I’ve been pricing shelves for the wool bins.

Finding shelves big enough & deep enough has been the cause of some serious sticker shock & pricing lumber to build them even more so.(I can’t get over how much lumber prices have risen this past year!)

So the other day we were in the work room talking about design…I need deep shelves as with anything shorter than 14 inches lets the tubs slide right out on the floor.  I also needed a deep top shelf to protect the wool from fading under the light bars.  Shelves tall enough to store the tubs 1-2 on a shelf.  Anything more is an avalanche waiting to happen. Grocery store shelving would be perfect…. & he just grinned like dream on !

  Look what he brought home….SHELVING! 

When they redesigned the parts store, they had a few extra heavy duty commercial shelving units left over which have been stored in the barn out back.  Sunday he pulled a set out for me and hauled them home.  Within half an hour we had frame up and I was able to load the tubs as we went to set the shelf height. Crazy as it sounds I’ve actually gained floor space.   The added bonus is the these leftover shelves had been stored freshly painted to be nice and clean for the redesign!

This how it still looks this morning.  I’d already had each color labeled in its own tub & now I need to repack a few bulging tubs and arrange colors as I’d like them. 

I love my new rainbow wall& my hubby who I swear has a computer hard drive built into his brain.

I need to gather bags from prior projects and get them sorted out &, I’m thinking to store the un-dyed on the upper empty shelves with an overflow bin…..I’ve so many ideas & hope this weekend I can dive back in there and start arranging.

On the knitting front I’ve 2-3 WIP’s nearly done and will have photo’s up soon.

Have a wonderful weekend, I know I will

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Katidids Knits,work room,repurposing,studio space,wool,storage,shelving

 

Make Do Monday Frugal/Cheap Chair Cushions

OK, I did the work on Saturday but..
Heres my make do Monday!

I love this table & chairs
Spill something liquid,
it falls through

Spill food?

drops right through

(Buddy, Clean up table 0ne!)But here is my issue..

the chairs are the same mesh

If you have any "fluff" on your back side

You have "Mesh marks" where you don't want them

I have fluff

Lets just say lots of fluff

(we'll leave it at that OK?)

These are the plastic/vinyl cushions that came with the table

We've had them for 10 yrs, and they were old when we received them

The foam & covers are sad but in fairly good shape

I figured if they lasted this long, they would see

another ice age in a land fill......and i'm being frugal right?

Ok, cheap!

I decided to just recover them.

It also added stability to the cushion

$3.00 of remnant fabric later...

Trim off the ties or tabs,
measured the cushions;

cut the fabric.

Its best & looks nicer

if you can match the patterns

My fabric had a big fade mark in the center

so for $3.00....

They are not "centered" stripes

but they do match

sew the sides, miter the corners

so they don't smoosh up

Sew the back leaving a 6 inch opening in the center,

flip right side out

I rolled the old cushion

slid it in the opening and flattened it out

Tuck in raw edges and sew closed

the fabric was heavy enough to finger press
Repeat 3 more times,
grab a cup of Fresh cup of coffee & relax
with no fear of



fluff marks

Garden Updates

In answer to the challenge issued by Paula from

http://www.savingmoney101.blogspot.com/
(Great website by the way be sure & check her out!)

to show off your garden progress......

Green beans, Peas, & cucumbers

Fresh tilled by Mr Fix it

with a free small tiller

It was handed to him with the comment

it won't work, we're throwing it away

if you can fix it,

(& he takes these challenges personally)

keep it

so he did

and we did

THANKYOUVERYMUCH!

Yes, we know the Locust tree in the back ground is dead,

yes we know its leaning but,

it survived the wind storm,

the ice storm...

it can fall when it wants

it has earned that right..

Besides, we need a break from hauling dead trees & wood for a while

I'm trying something new with the tomatoes this year...

newspaper mulch

shredded newspaper.
I know you can use plastic YUCK!

I know you can use the paper in sheets

I thought this would mulch faster

Besides, there is something therapeutic

in shredding paper

PSA.......reuse, reduce, recycle....

Sorry Freecycle Friends, no more newspapers!

Back to our regular programing...

I put it in the fenced enclosure first in case it blew around

before I could soak it down

(you know the enclosure the rabbits laughed at?

that became the "Rabbit Diner"?)

So far, so GOOD! I have a few weeds poking thru

where the paper is not as dense

& the soil underneath is staying moist

I'm sure "Martha" would not approve

But she lost my respect when she said to be ascetically pleasing...purchase

"Color Coordinating Nylons" (for your organic garden) to tie up your tomato's

I looked around on line and found 2-3 others that have tried this.

I thought I had saved the links to credit...so,

If some how you find your way here

and you know I found this through your site

THANKYOUVERYMUCH!!!!

Please let me know it was you

so I can give credit where credit is due!
*****Updating*****

I know Bargain Becky inspired me..

In more ways than just shredding newspaper!

off to find the others.....

Hey, Whats in your garden!

How to Recycle Concrete

We're done

Finished

I think

We went from a grassy

slippery slope

to this

And I was OK with it

It was better than

a 3ft deep pit between

the house & garage.

We could work with it.

Then the new floor cracked,

they re poured over it

it cracked.

So to make a long

2 yr project a

short story

I have a new,

courtyard

between the house & garage.

With the exception of the

new umbrella &

$3.00 fabric on clearance

and about $200.00 (maybe)

of building materials

Everything is repurposed
The table was Larry's Grandmothers

The Stump we carved out for a flower pot..



This area is large enough area to create seperate

cozy spots.....

The 4 green chairs & table I purchased at a yard sale

for $5.00


The stone slabs we hauled

by hand

from a friends

crumbling 1800's barn foundation

in the woods

The tan chairs... I bought 8

for $2.00 ea at a yard sale a few years ago


My oldest daughter Danielle has the other 4

We have a slab of the tree we just took down

to make a small table for under the window &

2 logs curing Mr Fix it will split & use to make benches
to go with it


These chairs are for the Grill Master

& his supervisors

They can solve the worlds problems

in the shade

We would like to give special thanks
to Dr.Steve Hoffman
...........our chiropractor

Yeah, I'm pretty sure were done.

Test Knits and Wash Cloths

I know, I know, I’m stuck on dish & wash cloths but these have been so fun!
Some were test knits for Lisa Milan of DigKnitty designs.
So far I have all Grandsons & boy patterns are hard to find but, Lisa is LOADED with them. Well, She’s loaded with patterns to fit any taste!
Here are the newest that will be posted in my stores soon;

Scooter in Medium Blue
100% cotton
Red Dino, In the TUB?
100% Cotton



Olive Green Monster Truck to scrub away outdoor play!
100% Cotton


Yellow Go Cart, racing you to the tub!
100% Cotton



Set Sail in the bubbles!
Med Blue, 100% Cotton

Why do I love these was cloths so much? They are easy to launder, soft enough for babies & adults. You choose the color and pattern to meet your wants and needs! They also fill that instant gratification fix.
And every once in a while Lisa posts a free one!

THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY& GOING GREEN

For a quite a while I have been thinking of all that we as a society waste. Since the early 70’s Reduce, reuse & recycle has been the mantra. The next few weeks I’d like to look at a few little things (call them baby steps if you’d like) that we can all do with little effort.

Ever driven down the road and see good furniture, toys, on the side of the road? Waiting for the trash, on the way to the Dump. Some say landfill but excuse me, the land is full, and we dig a hole to dump things into it!

Good things possibly, toys the kids no longer play with, a wheel maybe missing, wobbly leg table, dirty lawn furniture, bed frames, curtain rods, dishes, lawn mowers, I could go on but we’ve all seen the piles.
I always think there is some young person moving out for the first time or a young couple just getting started that could fix those things and use them.

When did we become a throw away society?

What happened to fixing things?

One gentleman I know picks up lawn mowers tossed out. He fixes and sells them on the side. The things he found wrong with them; need a tune up, wheels tightened, once a (new-one) spark plug was not connected. No more than an hour or so of work, they are cleaned up, running great and ready for a new home. Granted fixing lawn mowers are not a hobby for everyone. But for goodness sake pass it on to someone who could!
You could have a yard sale, take it to your local thrift store. Don’t want to haul it? There is another alternative, my family has recently found.
Ever heard of ”Freecycle “ (This is off the website)

It’s a wonderful way to get rid of things you no longer need.

“Where one person's trash is another's treasure!The Freecycle(TM) mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community. We are open to individuals, businesses, schools, and nonprofit organizations. Our goal is to make it easy for everyone to find new homes for good items rather than throw them away. In the process, we'll reduce waste, save precious resources, and ease the burden on landfills.”


You should check it out, just type freecycle in your search engine. Clean out some closets, or if you’re real brave the basement!