Breaking Even

I Bought Myself Flowers... Just Because

There are times that I realize that I'm not really that hard core of a personal finance blogger. I do watch my spending pretty closely and tend not to buy things when it comes down to a decision. But if my mind keeps coming back to a purchase, I tend to rethink it.

I have been wanting flowers for about a month now. I waited until after the Easter rush and then went to my local florist and asked them what they had as far as deals going on.

I walked out with some gorgeous (and local!) lilies and a carafe/vase for about $13. The owner tried to sell me $15 vase but after she realized I wasn't buying, she departed briefly and came back with a five dollar option. (I think she actually physically went in the basement to get it.)

When asked about what discounts were being offered, I found out that customers automatically get 25% off for picking up their own flowers at the store. Interesting, and good to know for future reference!

So my apartment smells fantastic right now and it was a small price to pay for it. Because I deserve a little treat once in awhile, right?

Lasagna Gardening: Gardening For Those Of Us Who Kill Chia Pets

When my friend Paul posted this idea on his Facebook page last week and I thought it was pretty brilliant.

Lasagna gardening isn't growing ingredients for lasagna  but an easy growing technique that Paul's wife Lorena has successfully implemented. (Those thick noodles are tough to grow! Ha!)

As someone who screwed up her Chia herb garden this winter (seriously), I'm all for easy gardening that works!

The interesting thing about lasagna gardening is while you can do it in a lasagna pan, you can pretty much do it in any container or bed that you want to grow things in. What results is a super productive garden.

I called up Lorena on the phone and by the end of our conversation I was a convert. She started doing this last year, not even digging any beds but sticking her first layer right on the ground.

Basic Concept

Layer 1- Newspaper or cardboard
According to Lorena, this is great to do on a rainy day, as the wet newspapers conform to the shape of the ground.

Layer 2- Something brown- hay or peat moss
Lorena recommends hay. Peat moss  can be problematic; it blows around, doesn't mix well, it's not a sustainable resource and, you have to hand mix it. Embrace the relative laziness of lasagna gardening and try hay.

Layer 3- Something green- Grass clippings and/or seaweed
Lorena gets free stuff from her neighbor.

Layer 4- Kitchen compost waste

Layer 5- The plants you want to grow and some premixed compost
Lorena puts seeds in ground with organic compost that she gets at a local feed store. She says it works so much better then the regular stuff and worth the extra cash.

Layer 6- Mulch*
You probably don't have to do this but Lorena mulched everything with grass clippings.

Her initial bed last year was about eight inches high and she's said now it's compacted to ground level. She'll be adding more layers this year to thicken it. Lasagna gardening provides "a nice, aerated canvas to work with" and is "really fun and productive". This sentiment is won me over "Emptying bags is all I did!"

(An aside: A ten minute conversation with Lorena and I got a process, tips, and good quotes. All interviews should be so easy!)

So despite my small space, I'm going to give lasagna gardening a shot in a couple containers. It sounds like this will be more fun (and ultimately more successful) then my previous attempts.

More about lasagna gardening at ThriftyFun...

Image from ThriftyFun

How Poor Are You? Part II

About four years ago, I did some volunteer work at a local food pantry. My job is interviewing prospective users of the pantry which included an in-depth discussion of the budget and finances. I remember one day having to look up the federal poverty rate and having epiphany that I was below it.

That's right, I could have not only been using the food pantry I volunteered at but I could have also taken advantage of some of these programs I had been talking to people about.

I thought it would be interesting to look up some of the programs I used to know well to see who would qualify for them now. Yesterday, I tackled food and health programs and today I'm talking housing.

Circuit Breaker Program
Paying 20% or more of your income on rent? Maine's Circuit Breaker program may be able to help you out. Click here if you want to read the whole post I wrote about it or download the application. (Just a heads up: You have to apply by May 1st.) Not in Maine? Check to see if your state has something like this.

Heating Assistance
LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistnce program) is regulated by states and some programs are even decided at the local level so it's hard to give some hard figures for who qualifies. Your local town office is a good place to start and a full list of contact people by state can be found here.

Low Income Housing
There are three seperate programs from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Basically, these programs seem to be for people who spend more then 30% of their income on housing. Of course, the HUD site is ginourmous but if you click on your state, you'll see opportunities for homeowners (money for home repairs, home buying classes, etc.) and for renters (directory of substidized apartments, help with utility bills, etc.).

What I thought was going to be purely curiosity research turned into an exercise of realizing my good fortune. I am glad that these programs exist for those who qualify, and I do hope if you're reading this and you find out you qualify for these programs that you pursue it. Because trust me, most of us have been there.*

*I've been thinking about people who work the system and I've certainly run across them in my travels. Once a woman and her mother interviewed with my friend and I seperately at the food pantry, each claiming the same children as dependents so they could get more vouchers. Right after this happened (I was furious having been lied to), a woman came in whose husband was in the hospital. She so clearly did not want to be there but didn't know what else to do. And you know what? I realized that helping that one person was worth losing a few vouchers to scammers. . .

Read How Poor Are You? Part I...

The $20K House

 

What if you want a house but can't afford it? Most of us in this boat are renting. But what if you had a morgage payment of around $60 a month?

The concept of the $20K house was featured in this month's Metropolitan Home. It is an interesting article about a design program in Alabama where students and others are working to design prototypes of homes that cost $20,000 to construct: $10,000 in materials and $10,000 in labor.

Like many good ideas, this concept came out of an idea to solve a problem, in this case one observed in rural Alabama:

Eventually Dorr (the organizer of the program) discovered that some of the widows had, in fact, applied to Rural Development, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program, for loans to help them buy a new house. "Their applications were getting approved," says Dorr. "There was a stack of them in our local office. And they were just sitting there." The problem, Dorr learned, was that although the women were deemed good credit risks, their incomes were so low -- typically, $637 a month from Social Security -- that they could afford to repay only a $20,000 loan. And everyone knows that there's no such thing as a $20,000 house. "Well, there wasn't at the time," Dorr says with a laugh.

Most of the houses are between 300-600 square feet and while this trend may be on the extreme thrift end, it does make you think about the possible ways we can make housing more affordable for everyone.

Check out the original article "The 20K House" in Metropolitan Home...
Check out the Rural Studio website...
Check out the Rural Studio blog..

Too Cute Tuesday: Thirteen Craft Essentials

I have a friend who loves the idea of Too Cute Tuesday but she said to me the other day, “Nicole, I’d love to do that stuff but I can’t afford it.”

If you look closely at the TCT crafts, you’ll see many of them cost under $10 assuming you have a few basic and equally inexpensive tools at your disposal. But you know what happens when you assume…

I thought pre-Tuesday I could go over some of my favorite crafting tools that you can use for multiple projects and not break the bank. If you want to do a craft, here are all the Too Cute Tuesday posts ever…take your pick!

Glue Gun- Cost $10
Sometimes you need the good stuff. You can use this on many surfaces and for its staying power, the price is right.

Stapler- Cost $10-20
Handy for attaching things like reciepts to statements, you can also "sew" in a pinch.

Duct Tape- $5 for a huge roll
Do I really have to say more?

Needle And Thread- $2
You can also steal the sewing kit from a hotel you stay at. Great for quick repairs. Get some embroidery floss and you've got all kinds of possibilities!

Fabric Scraps- Free
Reuse what you've got.  I made a pillow out of a skirt last year!

Modge Podge- $5 for a big container
Essentially it's a big pot of Elmer's glue and the cheapest way to "waterproof" something I can think of.

Scrap Paper- Free
Paper is a pretty versatile substance...why let it go to waste?

Paint- $5+
Spray paint or discounted leftovers at your favorite hardware store can give anything a new life.

Good scissors - $5
My tip: Hide your favorite scissors and don't ever let them into a kitchen. Cause then it's over.

Ruler- $1
A straight edge will save you a lot of heartache. Even better if it's a yard stick.

Cardstock or index cards- $5
A stiff kind of paper has all kinds of possibilities, and gives your scrap paper some super powers.

Computer- A lot of money
Don't have an item? Look up the substitution online. There is certainly more then one way to do a craft and having the ginormous library at your fingertips that is the internet will make you unstoppable. Having a printer will make you even more powerful, you know, if that's possible.

Small repair kit- $20
A small hammer, some nails, and a screwdriver will get you out of (and into) some fun messes.

Things you can borrow: cordless drill, belt sander, sewing machine...Some places have a tool lending library but also you can borrow from friends and neighbors. Bring the item back with some brownies and I doubt anyone would mind!

Another great post along these lines was by Frugal Hacks about things you should have in your at-home repair kit. It actually inspired me to write this up finally.

These are the things that I use regularly. Fellow crafters: am I forgetting anything?

Too Cute Tuesday: Record Bowls

This week, Too Cute Tuesday is getting hot. That's right: this week's craft involves an oven! And it involves my very small apartment which means things got toasty.

No doubt you have old records lying around from back in the day but if you don't, that's what eBay is for.

Materials:

Bowls (for shaping)
Oven safe container
Oven
Record
Oven mits

1. Have your friends over for dinner and attempt to bake bread as a way to preheat the oven.

2. Realize that you still suck at baking bread but have friends who are too nice to harrass you about it.

3. Put the record on top of the oven safe container. It will take only a few moments for the record to begin to warp (have droopy sides). Oven temp for this: Between 250 and 350 degrees F.

4. Take the record out of the oven and put it in a bowl to shape. Ideally have nesting bowls so you can put the record in one and put a slightly smaller bowl inside the record. Hold the bowls in place while the record cools again.

5. Do this as many times as necessary to get your desired product. Let the record cool into the final shape.

Some ideas for you to make from melted records:
Trays, napkin holders, envelopes, bowls

Watch out not to burn your fingers!

Aren't you crafty?

Note: Want to follow TCT every week? We now have a Facebook page! That Dorrie has such good ideas! 

Eight Necessary Objects To Be Ready For Winter

You may have heard or even experienced yourself the record cold in the northeast United States. Bar Harbor set a record on Friday and I've experienced my own personal cold  as well.

The furnace in my apartment is randomly shutting off. It happened three different times this week. My landlord has been trying to fix the problem, including last night when I called him around 10:30 after getting home from a friend's house. At 3 am, I finally woke up and felt the heat on again.

If it's one thing I've learned this week, it's that having a few things on hand is really helpful.

For Snow

Shovel
A plastic shovel with a flat blade is most useful in removing snow in that it's light, easy to stow, and picks up more snow faster then its garden-y cousin. On snowy days, I bring it with me in my car in case I happen to get snowed into my parking spot. Also handy for when the plow has left a big pile of snow at the bottom of the driveway that you can't quite drive through. Cost: $5-$10

Salt
Rock salt, which is just really big crystals of sodium chloride is cheap enough by the bag to keep on hand. You can share a big bag with a friend or two. If you're in a pinch, you can also use table salt which does the same job of lowering the melting point of water as the fancier rock salt, it's just a little more expensive. One town actually recently used expired garlic salt to deice their roads! Cost: $5 for a big bag

Car brush
A plastic brush with a scraper and a brush is necessary for both the ice and snow aspects of winter. You want a long enough handle to be able to reach half way across your windshield. Tip: Access the brush on the passenger side of the car, that way when you open the car door the snow falls on the passenger seat, not where you need to sit to drive. Cost: $1

For Warmth

Mittens
Putting your hands on cold steering wheels or door handles is not the way to stay warm in the winter. I keep one pair of mittens in the car at all times just for this reason. Get them from your favorite thrift store or knitter! Cost: $5

Candles
I have a working fireplace but since I'm scared of setting fire to things, for the moment I only have a pile of candles in there. Sometimes I light them for ambiance but have to blow them out soon after because of the amount of heat they throw off. Friends joked around that I should start burning furniture but hopefully it won't get to that! Cost: $10-20 for a bunch of candles

Wool Blanket
Last night, the wool blanket over my head kept things toasty until the heat came back on. I've had this blanket for years and say what you want about wool being a little scratchy but that blanket is warm and durable! Try an army-navy supply store for a cheaper version. Cost: $80 retail, but you'll have it forever

Wool Socks
I have one pair of SmartWool socks and last night, they were on. If your hands, head, and feet are warm, I think it is possible to sleep when it's cold. You can go the homemade route if you are talented or know someone who talented in the knitting department. Cost: $8-10 (for SmartWool)

Heat Pack
Back in the day, people used to go to bed with a warm brick. Now we have more comfortable options. My grandmother made us all heating packs for Christmas and I threw mine in the microwave for a few minutes and brought it to bed with me. Alternatively, you can drag your dog into bed with you. Another warm body does help things out...

Hopefully my heat stays on but if not, I have a few tricks to stay warm!

Saving Money When You Can’t Stock Up

Living Small Forces Means Thinking Different About Saving Money

When I lived in a house (or really a multi-room dwelling). I was a big fan of money saving practices like buying in bulk, making food ahead of time, and holding onto things for future use.

Moving from 1,500ish square feet to a new space that’s 220 square feet was quite a reality check. (To those of you who doubt my fifth grade math skills of figuring this out, ask anyone who has visited. It’s that small.)

I have some limited basement access where I can put things like my bike and skis but most everything I own is within twenty paces of where I sit writing this now.

The biggest change for me was my galley-style kitchen that has a half fridge (aka a dorm fridge). That means either the whole thing can be a freezer or a fridge. Guess what I picked? Though having all my food encased in ice may cut down on the amount of food I eat…Hmmm…

What my new apartment means is a few things:

1) I can’t buy things in bulk; there is no place to store them.
2) I need to choose carefully what stuff I surround myself with as I will be looking at it a lot of the time.
3) I have to go to the grocery store more often then once a week.
4) No more composting.
5) Less space to craft and otherwise spread projects out.
6) I have to store a gallon of ice cream at each of my friend’s houses that I frequently visit; it is the only time I can eat ice cream or anything frozen. (This is probably a good development.)

A few things I am doing now to save time, space, and money in my new place include:

1) Underbuying food at the grocery store. I’ll have to go back later in the week anyway and throwing away food is wasteful.
2) Sticking to the list at the grocery store has taken on a whole new importance.
3) Getting rid of a lot of stuff. Charities and friends as recipients made more sense then slowly selling stuff, not to mention gave me more satisfaction then, say, selling a nice shirt for $5 on eBay.
4) Setting up my apartment for me. Example: I have sweaters on the bookshelf near my door and books in the cupboards above my bed. It probably would look way cooler to my guests if I put out my “thinky” books near the door but I access my sweaters often and only look at books when I’m done reading my latest one. In short, I’ve set up my life for me, not for potential visitors. 
5) Recyclables are stored in a basket in the backseat of my car and emptied weekly. This keeps bulky stuff like newspapers and cans out of my living space.
6) Too Cute Tuesday crafting has moved to a larger location most of the time: my friend Dorrie’s house. She has a large table, good ideas, and is super-enthused about it all. Perfect!
7) I have to leave my house to eat ice cream, among many other things. This forces me to get out of my little space, be social, and try new things.

So a different approach but an equally valid one I think. Living smaller is definitely something I can live with.

Some other articles about living small/living with less:
Some Thoughts on the Small House Movement: Is It Something Worth Considering?
Book Review: The Power of Less
Sell or Donate? From Unclutterer

Too Cute Tuesday: Embroidery with Tattoo Your Towels

I started TCT on Monday, thinking this project may take a little longer then one night. Then life threw a wrench in my plans.

It's been a busy week (and will only get busier) so I decided to rely on a kit I've been meaning to use for awhile.

Materials
Fabric, in my case four identical squares to serve as napkins one day
Tattoo Your Towels kit from Sublime stitching (less then $4 on their website)
Embroidery floss (raid your old friendship bracelet kit, or I found a pack of 104 colors for less then $10 online)
Needle
Iron
Embroidery hoop (optional)

Cocktail of the Day: Whiskey and Hot Chocolate, my winter standby

1. Cut your fabric into equal squares. (A napkin set with a different design in matching colors on each one? what a cute gift!) Hint: A full size dinner napkin is 20". Oddly some people can't sleep at night when they ask themselves these burning questions. Think that some people are weird. Have the thought that you are probably weird too.

2. Plug in iron and put on hottest setting. Heat up hot chocolate while iron heats.

3. Cut out the design you want from your kit and position on fabric (I put mine near a corner so you can see it when the napkin is folded). Iron (do not use steam!). Move iron gently so as not to move around the design.

4. Lift paper gently. See how cute the transfer is. Get excited.

5. Cue up "Lipstick Jungle" on Hulu.com and get out your embroidering supplies. You are going to have a relaxing evening of embroidery followed by blogging.

6. When your computer dies, stress out. Kick yourself for not blogging earlier. Call mom to calm you down. Realize your new computer is only coming in on Thursday. Panic some more.

7. Decide this is the universe's way of telling you to relax. Hook up your headset to your cell phone and call a friend.

8. Put fabric in embroidery hoop. If you aren't using one, just be careful not to sew two sides of your fabric together. Follow the lines of the transfer using a straight stitch, periodically switching colors. (Tip: Since this is a napkin, keep your stitching in the back as clean as it is on the front.)

8a.Talk to friend on phone. Talk and laugh and realize not blogging for a couple days is not a big deal and that you can post during your lunch break.

9. Sip hot chocolate when embroidery is mostly done. Realize the combination of whiskey and talking to friends and family have completely relaxed you. Too Cute Tuesday on Monday can be fun!

Image: Do you see the little birdy? He's almost done... A photo of the finished product will be posted soon!

Friends Help Friends Free: Trading Favors

I've decided to do a five part mini-series about how friends can help friends for free. On the surface, it's a common sense series of posts but a concept I think a lot of us need to be reminded of, especially single folks who have families far away like myself. My point: we need to rely on each other now more than ever! 

My friend Dorrie really wants to paint her bathroom and was trying to convince me to put the project on Too Cute Tuesday. Since I was thinking that may be as interesting as watching paint dry (well, since it would be that), I told her  that I'd help her this weekend. She seemed pretty excited, but a slightly off paint color is putting off our plans until next weekend.

It can be really overwhelming to hold down a job (and possibly a second job), have hobbies and friends, be supportive of family, and maintain a household. You certainly can't do it alone, and even when you have other people to help, it's still hard.

So here's the thing I've been thinking about. As Americans, we have this underlying value of self-reliance to the point where asking for help is the last thing we will do. Buy why? If you can't hire help or do it yourself, are you just supposed to not do a task? That seems kind of ridicuous!

Being a good friend means in part getting excited about painting. And to be honest, it's easy to get excited to help good friends. Dorrie has fed and let my dog out around dinnertime countless times these last couple months when I've had to work late or couldn't make it home in time, which means so much to me. And your friends you help out are just as happy to reciprocate for you.

So hopefully I've gotten you excited about asking for help from friends in completing some of your tasks, especially at the start of the new year. Some guidelines:

1. Be specific about what you want. If you want people to help you move, have boxes and tape ready. When they show up, tell people what to do. "If you could pack all the dishes in the kitchen and wipe out the cupboards after, that would be great." Nothing feels as inconsiderate as making your buddies stand around on their day off. And don't feel like you're being bossy, telling people what's going on is helpful and done in a friendly tone comes off just fine.

2. Provide food. If someone is giving up a day or even an afternoon to give you a hand, don't leave them wondering when they'll eat next. Some of us have blood sugar issues, some of us just need some additional not-so-alturistic motivation.

3. Have an end-point to the task. Quitting time can be when the pizzas get there or at 6 p.m. Signing on to help someone for an indefinite period of time can feel a little overwhelming to your free help so give them a heads up as to what you are thinking.

4. Be gracious but don't apologize the whole time. Say thanks is nice but continuously apologizing the the chaos or thanking over and over can be a little annoying. Your friends don't want you to grovel. (If they did, you'd know it.) Know your buddies are there to help you because they want to be, say thanks once and follow up after the task is finished with a thank you email or phone call if you really want to.

5. Make it fun. My friends S and S bought this house two years ago from someone who was really into 1970s style wallpaper. Their style is more contemporary country (not to mention aging wallpaper is not pretty regardless of style preferences) but getting rid of all that wallpaper was an overwhelming project to undertake. To jump start their efforts, they had a "stripping party", sending out scandalous-looking invitations and inviting us all to come over for pizza, beer, and stripping wallpaper. We all smelled like vinegar but with beer and cranking tunes, it was an almost fun way to spend an afternoon. So if you've got a big project, make it a party!

6. Be the first to jump in when a friend asks for help. Reply all to that group email and ask what time you should be there. And if your friend is a little shy but you know they could use a hand with a task, make a concrete offer: "I'm going to come by Sunday afternoon and we are going totake everything you need to to the recycling center." Helping each other works in both directions. (That said, if you have helped people before and they never seem able to help you, feel free to make yourself less available.)

Remember your friends are a resource and a gift but not indentured servants. That said, a resource untapped is just a waste. Let's help each other out!

Tomorrow: My Theory Of "Karma Money"

Too Cute Tuesday: Recycled Paper Coasters

My mom bought me a cool little gift a few weeks ago: coasters made of recycled foreign newspapers. I added them to my drawer of cute little things I tend to have: candle sticks and napkin rings and other entertainment cuteness. That's right, this stuff gets a whole drawer in my small kitchen because these little things make me smile when I use them.

But as I looked at the coasters again yesterday, made of basic elements with recycled materials, I thought, pfff! I can make that! So tonight I recreate something with a potential gift-giving possibility. (If you have enough coasters, you can make a trivet or tray!)

On another unrelated but actually kind of related note, I noticed a Women's Day article (no judgement please) about some weird put-lemon-juice-in-everything diet. Now, the fact that WW has a new diet every issue with a normal person that isn't fat anymore on their cover makes me a little suspect but, eh, I like lemons and willing to passively see if lemon juice/zest revs up my digestive system and makes me lose 5 pound in a week! (That' WW's exclamation mark and not mine.) So tonight I'm drinking a Disco Lemonade, mostly due to it's name but also because I may be the next star of Woman's Day if I do.

Let the crafting begin!

Materials
Newspapers and magazines I'm recycling anyway (if you're looking for newspapers, visit your local paper for back issues... I'm sure they'd be happy to give them to you!)
Ruler
Scissors
Modge Podge or spray adhesive or, if absolute last resort can't find anything else, a glue gun($5-$10 depending on weapon of choice)
Pencil (to twirl the strips of paper around, you'll see in a minute)

Cocktail of the Day: Disco lemonade—orange liquer and vodka (equal parts) plus lemonade (I'm adding some lemon zest, WW style)

1. If you don't have T.V. put on some crafting upbeat (dare I say disco?) music. Make your lemonade.

2. Cut pages or parts of pages into rectangles of equal sizes (10 strips will make one coaster). Wrap part of your pencil on one end of the page to start the party. Spray adhesive or Modge Podge or hot glue the page as you roll, baby roll. You are essentially making a strong strawlike piece of paper. Set aside to dry. Repeat with the other pieces of paper. (Attention: Glue out of a glue gun is hot!)

3. Now that your straws are ready, glue them together to form a little raft. While it dries, confuse the dog by discoing with your disco lemonade.

4. After your "raft" is dry, you can finish the edges with strips of magazine/newspaper but you can also try yarn, fabric, or anything else you think would look nice on the edge that you may have around the house. Adhere to the edges and tada!

Ok so the real things looks a lot better but with some practice, I can see the TCT equavalent looking pretty cool. Just remember a couple things:
1. Shorter strips are easier to roll.
2. Hot glue should be a last resort.
3. Something slightly thinner then a pencil would be ideal for rolling, but I can't quite think of what that object would be.

Happy crafting!

Too Cute Tuesday: A Curtain Cache

A couple of days ago, I send out some photos of my new place to a few far-flung friends. "Dude, I'm totally get a tell the RA about your fireplace!" Said my friend S. I'll admit that having everything in one room does make my place feel a little dorm-y. Not a look I want to be going for at this point my life.

When I got this place, I made the choice that I wanted to have a bed in this room rather than doing the bed/futon thing. It's just really important for me to have a separate space where I sit and read magazines and a separate place where I sleep, even if they are a couple of feet apart. Of course, I'm not sure that I want everybody who visits my apartment to have to look at my bed either.

I've been trying to come up with a way to close off the area where I sleep from the rest of the living room. I could've bought a screen but that would have been much less fun than this curtain system I devised. And it just so happens to be Tuesday and it just so happens that I purchased myself some Crown Royal. Let the games begin!

Materials
Hooks with a screw in on one side ($2 at your local hardware store)
Curtain rod (by only the length you need...measure first! This rod was about $6.)
Drapery clips (I ordered mine at an online discount store, $5 for 10 clips)
An old sheet or fabric (to test drive your idea)

Cocktail of the day: Hot chocolate with whiskey

Pre-Too Cute Tuesday: Order drapery clips online. Do a search on your favorite shopping comparison website or try eBay. Whatever you do, don't order these things from JCPenney or another department store as they will charge you about four times the amount I bought my drapery clips for.

1. On a cold winter's night, fix yourself a nice cup of hot chocolate and drop a little whiskey in it for double the warming powers.

2. Survey the scene and figure out where in the ceiling is a logical place to put the screw hooks. My ceiling has the fake tile look and where the tiles meet is a conspicuous place to leave a small hole. Measure the distance between the hooks.

3. Buy curtain rod and the screw hooks at your favorite hardware store. (Lesson #1 from Nicole: wire will not work on this project as the material is too heavy not to mention the wire will never straighten. Do not waste $2 and an hour attempting to use wire! Lesson #2 from Nicole: Make sure the curtain rod will fit into the hooks you by or else make sure you have pliers on hand.)

4. Screw the hooks into the ceiling, making sure that the openings face the same direction.

5. Load the drapery clips onto the rod (I used 10). Place the rod on the hooks so it is secure.

6. Attach an old sheet or some leftover fabric to the clips. Before you invest in expensive material, it's best to figure out how much you'll need, the kind of fabric you want, etc. As you can see with this queen-size sheet, my fabric is about 5 inches too long.

Over the next few nights, I'll be able to tell if the fabric is thick enough to block light and thin enough to not overwhelm the room.

Future step: when you know exactly what kind of material and how much you want, pick some up at your local fabric store or order online at a place like www.reprodepot.com or www.IKEA.com (yay Almost Frugal for the idea), which are couple of my personal favorites. When your material comes in, you can easily get rid of your test fabric and clip on your new stuff.

A small space just gives you a little more excuses to be crafty!

Images: TCT Curtain trick through all it's stages, even an intermediate unsuccessful one.

Too Cute Tuesday: Matching Desk Sets

Too Cute Tuesday is a weekly series where we drink a lovely cocktail and make a cute craft, usually in an effort to save money and be stylish. I didn't realize what a popular feature this would end up being so I initally didn't link all the TCT posts together. I'm working on that now. In the meantime, you can get most of the list on the "Home Improvement" section. If you craft and cocktail, do email me your ideas and maybe we can work together on a post!

Desk sets are so pretty and practical but at $30+ apiece, why invest? No doubt you've already repurposed a mug for your pencils or bought some discount supplies at different times when you've needed them (my binders from student teaching, my magazine organizer post Domino subscription, etc.). Your desk accessories are functional but not matching, which is fine. But a couple hours and a can of spray paint later, you can have the look of matching office supplies for the cost of $5. Bonus is you get to feel cool and alternative like a graffiti artist.

Spray paint is such a fast and instant change, it's perfect on those nights where you're kind of tired but still want to do something productive. The cocktail tonight equally reflects my laziness.

Materials:
Spray paint (two colors if you want a two toned look (see left) though one can of white, black, or metallic paint will work)- $5 a can
Newspapers (to protect your floor- alternatively you could do it outside on your lawn)
Painters tape (if you want to protect some areas from getting spray painted in achieving your two-toned look)
Office supplies that need a makeover (take off any stickers and make sure the surfaces are otherwise clean and ready for spray paint)

Cocktail: Cheap white wine, with a screw top (even less work!)

1. Stop by your favorite hardware store, say "Hi" to your buddies there, and buy some spray paint. Try one can, it should be enough to do what you want to do intially. If you like the color, you can always get more.

2. Go home and change into something comfortable that you can get a little paint-y. White wine you can open with a twist is perfect to accompany your painting.

3. Spread newspaper (if applicable) and spread your office supplies on it. Spread them far apart for each other; you want to keep your spray smooth for each item.

4. Shake the spray can and spray each object gently. Keep the spray can moving to keep the finish smooth. Don't worry about getting the paint job finished the first coat. The key with spray paint is multiple thin layers.

5. Let your items dry while sipping wine.

6. Every twenty minutes, feel free to add a coat of paint. Sip. Paint. Sip. Rotate your objects and spray some more until you have a nice even finish.

*7. If you are two-toning your deskware, put painter's tape where you'd like Paint Number 1 to stay. Continue with Paint 2 as you did Paint 1. Is the two toned effect worth it? If you attempt, let me know!

You and spray paint. Now isn't that crafty!

Before photo: Nicole's sad jumble of functional but blah office materials
After photo: Nicole's stuff moves into the future as a cohesive unit, ready to accomplish more and look good doing it!

Lakeside Catalog Gifts (Includes Bonus Lesson on Meaning of "Primitive")

My mom and sister were raving about Lakeside catalog the last time I visited. They even made me take home a copy of it. I personally thought the fake 80s jeans comme lounge pants were quite a find for the 80s loving guy in my life so I took the thick catalog with me.

I just started looking through it the other day. Eighty percent of the catalog costs less then $20. It seems to be a lot of knick-knacky stuff, with a strong preference for the "primitive" style of decorating. Now I just tried to look up a definition for primitive and I couldn't find one. While there isn't one online, my sister has taught me the concept by showing me examples in hers and my mother's home decorations. Check out the photo illustration for some examples of primitive and not primitive:

I think you get it. I bet my sister is rolling her eyes as you read this. (I got a little obsessed with pointing out primitive objects to her a few months ago, to the point of annoyance I think.)

So if you like primitive, check out Lakeside Catalog. But don't worry, Lakeside has lots for those who aren't so primitive. Here are ten of my picks from the Lakeside catalog.

1) 80s style lounge pants for your favorite 80s man
2) Little Miss or Mr. Men books for your favorite kiddo (or friend who embodies one the qualities)
3) Taste of Home cookbooks for your favorite cook
4) Book of Useless Information for that guy or gal who has (or knows!) everything
5) AKC Stuffed Animals for your favorite pet who likes to rip the heads off cute plush animals
6) BYO Laptop sleeve for your favorite techie
7) Scrapbooking supplies for your favorite crafter
8) Three canvas photo prints for your favorite nature lover
9) Detoxifying foot patches for your favorite health nut
10) Fake croc wallet clutches for your favorite fashionista

Since we are all going to be spending less money on holiday gifts this year, I'm guessing stores like Lakeside will become more popular.

If you have any discount catalogs you like, do share.

Too Cute Tuesday: A Little Polish On What I've Got

Usually on Too Cute Tuesday, I tackle a craft or project with a cocktail and some step-by-step instructions. Today I'm not so much making something new as making something better. First off, I didn't feel like spending any money on a craft today (maybe the market was getting me down). And second, I think sometimes it's worth taking a little time to make something better then to create something entirely new.

Sean and I had seen this ginormous brass goldfish at the Chicken Barn (that's right, a huge old chicken barn of random stuff) but of course I went back a week later to buy it but it was gone. Bummer!

So Sean searched far and wide and found a lookalike on eBay. It came in a box and looked like this:

 

Goldy while cute was a dirty girl. So my project tonight was getting her cleaned up.

Materials:
A project you want to work on (in my case, shining a brass goldfish sculpture...who knows, maybe you have the same project)
A computer with internet or handy book like "How To Fix Anything"
Camera (optional, to document progress)

Cocktail:
In the spirit of using what you got, use the spirits you've got (and do comment on any interesting combos that come out of this)

1. After having a little left over cider from last Too Cute Tuesday, I took a before photo so as to feel a sense of accomplishment.

2. I did a little online research to find out what would best clean brass. Turns out there are lots of weird (and "free" to me) options. In order: buff with a microfiber cloth, warm water and soap, and ketchup. Look at a few websites to make sure the ketchup people aren't pulling your leg.

3. Try suggested methods of accomplishing your goal. Laugh at how many towels you are dirtying. Stop when you realize you are an adult who does your own laundry.

4. Finish the project and take a photo.

Here's the after:

 

Not sure if the picture conveys but it looks a lot better. Goldy is so going in the office!

Home improvement with no money spent? Aren't you clever!

So what improvement to something you already have are you working on?

Hired Help: Not Just For Rich People

I met my friend Sally for coffee yesterday. She is far from an extravagent person. Actually, her practicalness and willingness to tackle projects are two things I really like about her.

As a woman who works full time (actually she has two jobs) and maintains a house/garden, she gets pretty tired. She sounded guilty when she confessed that she had hired help. A neighbor helped her with a bunch of yardwork this spring for the day and she paid him to mow her lawn once every two weeks this summer.

"Good for you, Sal!" I said.

"I just couldn't do it alone." she admitted.

I don't understand how someone can work full time and maintain a house by themselves. In my years living alone, I had whole weeks  that my yard looked fieldlike and the house didn't get vacuumed. Sean and I are two people and we have a hard time getting it all done.

"It's really nice to drive up to the house and have the lawn looking so nice." Sally said, smiling when she realized I was very supportive of this development.  

One reason not to hire help is you can do it yourself. Sure, it doesn't mean that you will or that even if you do, it'll come out well but you are an able bodied adult. You can probably do a lot of things for yourself.

Also, people hesitate to hire help is you don't necessarily have something in the way of a physical object or product to show for it. (Sometimes you just have something to not show actually.) We ask ourselves, Is it spoiled or extreme to pay someone $30 to mow your lawn? $60 to clean your house? In our culture,we like to have a physical object to show for our money spent. If your friend told you she spent $100 on a pair of jeans or $100 on a garden consultant, which do you feel more subliminally judgemental about? Exactly.

Finally we're uncomfortable with hired help because we aren't comfortable with the inequality that is created by the hirer and hiree. A relationship with someone you've hired can be delicate. Don't we spend our lives in disfuctional relationships? Why create another?

I run into this when discussing creating content for or marketing a website with a potential client. I can tell what they're thinking. I can probably do this myself if I put in some time, effort, and research. What will I have to show for it in the end? Do I want to create a relationship with this person? All valid questions when thinking of paying someone to help you out.

But why try to do everything yourself? To be Superman? To prove you don't need anyone? So that if someone ever asks if you did it yourself, you can say yes?

Ok, I've made my point. If it's worth paying for help on a project or chore and you can afford it, you should. Because hiring help says "I can't do it all, and that's ok". And isn't that a pretty healthy way to look at life?

The alternative is I wax my own eyebrows. Not pretty.

The Cart Of My Dreams: Yet Another Reason To Hold Out for Exactly What You Want

Ever notice how in decorating magazines you never see a television in the middle of the room? Exactly.

I've been looking for a media cart for two reasons. 1) Ability to tuck the whole thing into a corner or closet when I didn't want to look at it.  and 2) Portability of my ginormous old television from room to room.

I haven't gotten a new television yet because, well, the old one still works so why? Plus it has a huge screen. And if I want to do a work out DVD or watch a movie in bed on this television, I would actually have the option with said cart.

I wanted to sped $50 or less on the cart. I began looking at the usual low price places. $100 for a particle board unit that wouldn't hold my 30 pound television? No way. I then looked at office supply companies, thinking of those simple carts that held the slide projectors, overhead projectors, and other school electronics of my youth. Those cost well over $300. There had to be something better.

Then two weeks ago, my dream was at Mardens Surplus and Salvage (if you click on this link, watch out for the music!). The grill cart was big enough, made of stainless steel, included a drawer, and was on wheels... all for $40. 

Several hours with vague instructions later, my dream is realized. It took me a few months but I'm glad I held out for my little dream cart.

So the lesson my friends is knowing what you want and going for it may not be the quickest path but it will lead to the most happiness.

What are you holding out for?

Five Things I've Learned From Metropolitan Home

Some people don't subscribe to fashion magazines because they make normal looking folks feel bad about themselves. You could apply this same philosophy to a decorating magazine whose pages don't even feature prices and profile a couple going through a living room redecorating project with the help of an upholsterer, an interior designer, and a "project manager".

I won a subscription to Metropolitan Home about a month ago and at first, I too was depressed by the sleek modern house-scapes I will never have...until I realized the same thing I realized about fashion magazines awhile back. These photos are taken in the best circumstances and are not real life. The ideal display is designed to make you think "If my life is displayed this exact way, it would be ideal."

Here is how these magazines are helpful, besides being something to peruse: go through the pages attempting to be inspired by a general idea. Yes, you like the whole page but what is it you like? The clock on the wall? Or the paint color? After you isolate what you like, it can then be changed to fit your life. Here are five things I've learned from Metropolitan Home that are helpful to me. (Because if you can't learn even a little something, why bother?):

1) A room with less stuff in it looks better. Clutter should be contained and if it can't be, it's time to streamline.

2) Painting something black, white, or some kind of metallic makes it instantly more modern. Think glossy for higher drama but less glossy if the surface is a little rough. There are some great painting tips I never even thought of in this article from Metro Home.

3) Too match-y is creep-y. Mixing patterns, fabrics, colors, and styles makes things much more interesting and much less uptight. The chairs around a table don't need to match but painted all the same color, they can still go together.

4) Don't work against your environment, work with it. For example, I love the sleek modern look I see in lofts but I live in a ranch style house. Since this house would look stupid with industrial accessories, there is a subtle nod to modernity with graphic prints and sleek wall colors but the wood furniture and homemade pillows keep things back at the ranch. Take a cue from your neighborhood and house architecture. One guy profiled in the magazine built a  house in Wisconsin but the metal siding on the house gave it a similar look to barns in the area.

5) Bring the outdoors in. Every great looking room in a glossy magazine has ginormous windows overlooking beautiful vistas. It's natural that people want to be outdoors but living a glass house isn't the only way to achieve that. Even a spider plant on a desk can help make things  a little more earthy. If you are not great at caring for plants like myself, you can try incorporating wood, stone, and other natural materials into an existing space.

In short, the free offers you get in life may not be exactly what you want but there is no reason you can't enjoy them and learn a little something you didn't even realize you wanted to know. Because the key to enjoying life and living within your means is the ability to be flexible with what you want. If you are, who knows what will come your way.

Too Cute Tuesday: Industrialize A Storage Container With Duct Tape

So yesterday I noticed that one of the seagrass totes that I have kept movies in has been vandalized by one of the animals. No one has fessed up yet but in any case, I've got a slowly unwinding mess on my hands. Ah, the joys of pet ownership.

Duct tape as a substance has always fascinated me. Maybe it's because I'm from a hardware family of maybe it's that it's just so darn useful but I've always liked the stuff. I used to cover my notebooks with it in high school and I always carry a roll of it in my car. So when life gave me a broken storage container, I whipped out the duct tape.

If you do this project, you may not like the old school look of silver duct tape so try out one of the many colors the stuff comes in. I like the cool, industrial feel of the grey stuff myself.

Materials:

Broken storage containter (could be a basket or even plastic, a smooth surface will mean less coats of tape... I'll explain in a moment)
A roll of duct tape ($5 for a big roll... bargain! The colored tape will run you a little more but a roll of it should be fine for this project)
Scissors

Mojito (because it is summer and what else are you going to do with all that fresh mint...try this recipe from Cheap Healthy Good. yum!)

1. You might as well make a whole pitcher of mojitos for a couple reasons 1) This is a project best done in small steps over a couple of days so if you like to craft and cocktail, you'll drink multiple rounds and 2) even if you have a brown thumb like me, no doubt the mint you planted this summer is growing like crazy. How else are you going to use it all? Making the pitcher of beverage is the hardest part of this craft.

2. Find something to watch like Will and Grace DVDs or listen to like the Satellite Sisters podcast. You will need some outside entertainment for this less-brain-intensive-than-usual craft. Gather crafting supplies and pour a mojito. Take items out of the container you are crafting, if applicable.

3. Cut big strips of duct tape and attach them to the outside of the container. Try to keep lines straight, using the scissors to also trim excess. If you are good at wrapping gifts, channel your abilities for this craft to make defined corners and non-bumpy layers. If you don't have talent, just take your time and overlap strips so no layers on the previous form of your container are showing. If you have a more bumpy material, you will need to go over the area with layers of duct tape two or three times. Sift mojito beverage to stay refreshed.

4. When you begin tiring of this task. Take a break. Return to the task at a later time, adding smooth strips of tape until the outside is covered. If you feel really motivated, do the inside and/or bottom the container. (I only did the inside of the container where most people can see in.) Drink mojitos enough to make you happy but still able to put on a straight line of tape.

5. Continue tweaking your bin until you are satisfied with its looks and water/pet repellent abilities. Say no to flaps or sticky edges.

So for five dollars and some work, you saved yourself from having to trash a perfectly useable storage container and also discourage your animals (if applicable) from messing with your stuff. Aren't you crafty!

Stay tuned next Tuesday for another edition of Too Cute Tuesday for another craft and cocktail. Cheers!

Too Cute Tuesday: Paint Swatch Mosaic

As the daughter of a hardware store owner, I used to think that hardware stores were kind of lame. Now that I am older and wiser, however, it's a pretty sweet operation to have access to. The plumbing section is naughty, power tools and batteries are handy, and there are all the paint swatches you'd ever need.

I am apparently not the only one who loves paint swatches. Jennifer does too and I'm sure there are other secret paint swatch lovers. This Too Cute Tuesday, we craft with them and make a bookcase fun again.

Materials needed:
A crappy old smallish bookcase (or end table or box, something smallish)
Paint in a color you like (more neutral is better and water based is easier to clean, I used a shade of khaki)
Paint brush
Paint swatches (free at your local hardware store)
Modge Podge ($5 for a ton of it at any craft or general store)
Bottle of crisp white wine (I like riesling but it's your call)

1. Paint your smallish but potentially hip piece of furniture. Put a small fan on it so the drying process speeds up.
2. While the paint dries, go to the hardware store and get your swatches. Look really indecisive about color for added effect. You can either go the rainbow route (like I did) or get all colors in a family like shades of red.
3. Paint another coat on the furniture.
4. While it dries, pour yourself some wine and peruse a magazine. You're accomplishing something; fun multi-tasking is perfectly acceptable.
5. Is the paint job even on your bookcase? If not, put on another coat or spot fix as needed. Take your time; a crappy uneven paint job will compromise the integrity of the whole project. (I know, look at my using serious words while crafting!)
6. Line up the paint swatches on the top of the dresser without glue at first. The great thing about this is they are numbered for easy ordering. Yay! Bonus: the paint shades all have fun names under them, great conversation starters.
5. When the paint swatches are in the right location, put a little Modge Podge behind then and stick them down one at a time. Making them straight now is your only option. Make sure the swatches stay straight and are even distances from each other. The more thought you put into this step, the better your final product. Tip: If you don't trust yourself, try making
6. Put a thin, clear coat on the whole top layer with Modge Podge. Two or three thin coats look much better than one thick one! You can drink more wine while doing this part because you are home free!

Don't have a bookcase you can part with? Try this paint swatch idea on a garbage can or even a notebook cover. (How cool would you be back to schooling with that cool notebook!)

Aren't you crafty!

A Wall Of Inspiration

Update: Sean's back home from surgery but it will be at least a month before he's close to fully recovered. I'm back to the blog, sporting my sexy wrist brace and awaiting diagnosis. Thanks to everyone for your notes and continued reading.

When I moved in with Sean into the house where he had been living over a year, I had two demands:

1) wireless high speed internet.
2) a room of my own.

A slight variation of Virginia Wolff but a similar goal: my own space to be creative in a house owned by someone else.

When the moving process was finished, this original idea had changed. Sean was so open in letting me make the house my own. (Though now he says of the first few months how freaked out he secretly was when I took over the kitchen.) Moving our bedroom to the back of the house and away from the street made sense and making the big master bedroom (which is painted a not-so-sleepy shade of yellow) into a big office for the both of us.

Many configurations of the room were considered and ultimately, my desk made the most sense on a wall without a window.

To inspire me to work at this desk (where I am much more productive), I needed inspiration. And so begun my wall of inspiration.

The wall has been reconfigured a few times (it actually moved with me from Vinalhaven). Occasionally new things are added and older things are either thrown out or filed (FYI I always keep things that are complimentary of me). The wall is both functional (calendar, phone numbers, shortcut keys for French accents) as well as creative (paint swatches, quotes from Borealis cards). When the wall is in balance, visually and informationally, so am I.

I keep things on the wall of inspiration that I think are cool. It doesn't matter if someone looks at it and thinks my paint swatches are weird or wonders why I don't have a photo of them displayed. The wall of inspiration is for me and no one else.

There are still things I want to add to the wall (believe it or not, not everything is unpacked from the great move) but even in its current form, the wall of inspiration is just that. It is my corner of the world, and with high speed internet here I am, I'm ready to churn out some moving literary works, or at the very least, a blog that a few people like to read.

Image from www.aroom.org.

Read Virginia Wolff's essay "A Room Of One's Own"...

Too Cute Tuesday: Backyard Water Feature

Download waterfeature.mp3

My apologies for you having to download this audio, folks. I love Typepad but for some things (like audio) it can be quite the little hassle.

Anyway, this is Too Cute Tuesday with a special audio version. Since I am in no condition to craft this week, I took someone else's. Note: it's very awkward to interview one's own boyfriend. ( And the clicking in the background is Sadie Dog, trying to get our attention.)

Listen up and check out these photos and you too can have a cute water feature in your yard. (I suggest looking while listening. Had I known how to do a slideshow, I would have made one). Happy digging!

    

Too Cute Tuesday: Plant Stands

I've always wanted to be the kind of person who loved plants. There was the aloe plant sophomore year of college that I somehow killed (it turned orange before dying though so I like to think it was a somewhat evil plant). There was the spider plant that my college friend H.K. gave me upon the completion of my thesis that I wanted to have forever until it died in my basement apartment the following year. (That place didn't have enough sunlight for me either). But see how I find circumstances to blame the death of plants under my care? I'm such a rationalizer.

So between my dad dying and Sean acquiring a bunch of plants with the existing house, we have many plants per square foot, even after giving some away. Enter the plant stand.

Naively, I began looking around for plant stands. I thought they wouldn't be expensive because essentially I wanted a slab of wood on four legs that didn't look like crap. I quickly realized the least I would pay would be around $40 but most of them were around $70. I'm not going to spend a lot of money on something my plant will just rest on all the time.

So I made some plant stands for the house. At first, Sean was skeptical but then saw, as is often the case, that I was right. Here's how you can make your own for less than $15.

Materials needed:

Slabs of wood about 1 inch thick, cut 12 inches by 12 inches (I had three done to make three stands )
Pieces of 1' by 1' wood, cut as high as you want your plant stand to be (I had 4 legs cut at 12'', 4 legs cut at 16" and 4 cut at 20")
L brackets (24 total for three stands- screws should come with)
Drill (borrow one if you don't have one, makes things much easier)
Screwdriver
Pencil
Old rags
*Small jar polyurethane (optional- only if you think you're going to spill water all over it on a regular basis and you never want to stain it again. This stuff is a little expensive.)
Beer

1. Let your beer chill iin the fridge while you go to the hardware store. Go to your local hardware/lumber store; if you are going to be crafty, it's best to form a relationship with them right off. Don't be intimidated by the masculine energy of it all, you're going to build something, gosh darn it, and you belong there! Bring in a sketch (or the photo above) to them so they can help you out. Be enthused and they'll be happy to help you.

2. Ask them if they have anything in the scrap pile, like some cheap pine that would work. Usually the stuff there is discounted. If they don't, pine will work.

3. Have them cut your bases and legs for you there. This is a good idea for a few reasons. 1) You probably don't have a powersaw. 2) If you did, you may not cut straight. 3) You want the wood to fit in your car. and 4) They'll do it for like $5. Why not let them do the heavy lifting?

4. Get your L brackets and your stain and pay for it all. Yikes, $50 for all that stuff? Remember you're making three stands for that price. Feel good about your handiness and thriftiness.

5. Borrow a drill from your neighbor. You'll be using it about 30 minutes. Make sure the bit that's in it looks like a Philips head and not a flathead. If your kind neighbor asks if you want bits, take them. Thank him or her.

6. Mark four places about 1-2 inches in at the corners where your legs will go with your pencil and place your four legs where they would theoretically go. Does it look right? If not move them. Mark where they will go so you won't forget.

7. Take the legs off except for one. You are going to use the L brackets on the inside and outside edges to make your legs straight and sturdy. This will make sense when you're looking at it. Start with the inside brackets because they're harder to reach. Drill the screw into the holes (one hole will be going into the leg, the other into the top of your stand).

7a. Make sure your screw doesn't go through the top of your plant stand (which is the bottom from the perspective of where you're drilling now).

7b. Don't try to make it tight with the drill. At the end, tighten it slowly with a Philips head screwdriver.

8. Test that first leg. Is it sturdy? Tighten with the screwdriver as necessary.

9. Attach the other three legs in the same fashion.

10. Return your neighbor's drill and bits. Thank them again.

11. Come home and crack your beer. Now that you are no longer using power tools, this is a safe time to have a drink.

12. Stain your plant stand, following the directions on your stain. You can usually rub stain in with a cloth, let set then wipe off the excess. You'll have to do it in a couple rounds: bottom and top and let dry a few hours in between, especially if it's humid. Remember that drinking while staining could be hazardous to whatever you are wearing.

13. This is the part where you polyurethane if you wish. I didn't but it's certainly an option.

Yes a little more work then a usual Too Cute Tuesday, but don't you feel empowered? And you made something useful that would normally cost you a whole lot more. You with power tools. It's a beautiful thing.

Image of woman with drill from www.nickhereandnow.blogspot.com.

Cheap Tricks From Domino Magazine

You regular Breaking Even readers know both my weakness for magazines (their glossy pictures, their easy-to-read articles) and my love of decorating so I really do love a good decorating magazine.

I'm a Domino subscriber for a few reasons 1) I like their modern decorating style 2) It costs $10 a year and 3) It's something for me to look forward to getting in the mail.

That said, when they show an on-the-cheap redecoration involving a $1,000+ sofa or some retro chandelier that someone happened to find at a yard sale for $10, I roll my eyes a little. I mean, come on, With that logic, either I need to spend the next ten years trolling yard sales hoping for luck or throw money at my decorating problems to get things looking good. I don't know many people who have $500 chairs (and if they would, I bet they wouldn't let their dog sit on it like shown in the photo) and these prices are regular feature in this magazine.

When I recieved the latest issue in the mail promising cheap decorating tricks, I was intrigued. Some of it is what I was expecting (paint ugly floors, a coat of white paint looks good on even cheap furniture, etc.) but I followed their in-magazine tease to the web site of cheap decorating tricks from readers.

I'll give you my top three picks of the thirty-one slides but do feel free to browse for yourself.

1) Using label paper (the kind where the whole piece of paper could be a label) and a coat of black paint can make it look like you have fancy wall paper. The stencils can be customized for the room and your taste, though I think the silhouettes are quite striking. (See right)

2) Putting cool scrapbook paper on top of your plain bathroom scale (modge podge over it to protect your handiwork).

3) Use bright colored beach towels for reupholstry or as stretched canvas to insert instant summerness/brightness into any room.

So way to go Domino for some good tricks that don't involve spending a lot of time or money. I can't wait to see if cheap chic decorating will become a regular feature, and another reason I can look forward to my monthly magazine.

Too Cute Tuesday: Jewelry Board

About a year ago, I got a call from my friend Michaela who wanted me to help her with some packing. Now Micheala is one of those people who doesn't have a ton of clothes but what she has is quality. She was going through her jewelry when I got there. And wow, did she have jewelry! Most of it I had never seen before.

I'm sure I could be describing most people out there. (Boys, I bet you have more neckties, belts, cufflinks, etc. than you realize too!) Jewelry is tucked into too-small boxes or hard to navigate bags wherever you can fit them. You have some great stuff but where is it? All I can say is if you can't find it, you won't wear it. Guaranteed.

This is a solution to this without buying one of those jewelry cabinets (no money or room) or other jewelry storage solutions: the jewelry board. It serves a purpose and you can mount it on a wall. I know, how fun is that?

If you have a bigger closet, mounting it in your closet (or on the doors) may make sense. All I have to say is anything that uses wall space effectively and serves a function is cool in my book.

Materials
Cork Squares (I got three for $10 at a local craft store)
Small bits of fabric you like (the fat quarters you didn't use in your pillow project would work!)
Furniture tacks ($2 for a bunch, they look sort of like fancy pushpins)
Staple gun
Strawberry margarita (enjoy the tail end of fresh strawberry season!)

1. Put materials for margarita into your blender. Blend. Taste.

2. While you're thinking about what you could or should add to that margarita, place a piece of material around the square. Think back to when you used to cover books and fold down one side of your project crisply. You should have about an inch of fabric on the folded over. Any more and you'll be dealing with too much bulk. Trim, if applicable.

3. Staple gun one edge on what will be the back of your project.

4. Flip over and make sure what you have looks nice (and that the staples aren't poking through the fabric).

5. Do one edge at a time, checking the view from the front each time. Pay attention to how you're folding the fabric in the corners. Put an extra staple on each of the corners just to make sure.

6. Finish making that margarita. Yum. Put vitamins and/or fiber in too to make yourself feel like it is nutritious.

7. Now that you've made one jewelry, a second (and third) one will be much easier. Follow the same procedure.

8. Mount boards securely where they will hang. Be smart enough to keep the mounting hardware that comes with the cork squares, otherwise use lots of that foamy two sided tape.

9. Arrange jewelry in a way that makes sense. Use the tacks for your necklaces. Use them also to poke holes in the fabric/cork where pairs of your earrings will go. (You don't want to bend those earring posts!)

10. Admire your work. Finish your margarita in a satisfying slurp.

Happy crafty!

Too Cute Tuesday: Wine Cork Bulletin Board

Bulletin boards are pretty functional but they're far from cute. Well, usually anyway.

When I first saw a wine cork corkboard at the Tidewater Motel on Vinalhaven, I thought "Phf! I can make that!"

Wine corkboards are cute, especially in a kitchen entryway area. Ours hangs in the kitchen and holds things like coupons, trash stickers, and other small but frequently used items.

Materials:
Glue
20-40 Corks
Frame
Tacks
Jack and Coke

1. Drink enough wine over the course of a few months to have wine corks to work with. To expedite the process, tell your family and friends you are collecting corks and they can contribute their collections too.

2. Get out supplies, make yourself a Jack and Coke. (Give yourself a break from all that wine you've been drinking!)

3. Line up your corks in the frame in an artistic manner to see how they will fit. You may have to cut a couple of corks in half to make things fit. (Hint: If you don't have enough corks, try cutting them in half to double your supply. Know that this is a pain in the butt so avoid it if at all possible.)

4. Glue the corks in place on the piece of cardboard that comes with the frame. Sip your smooth cola while you work. Let dry overnight.

5. Put cardboard in the frame. Hang in a place that will show off your craftiness and praticality.

Photo from www.wineenthusiast.com.

Ten Uses For Your Local Newspaper

As usual, I brought home two newspapers from work. I get a copy of The Ellsworth American and MDIslander as part of my job. In addition, on Thursdays I get a copy of my hometown paper, the Saint John Valley Times.

So three newspapers every week adds up. I've got more newsprint then I know what to do with. I've come up with some uses for newspapers. And because being practical and saving money involves reuse, I thought I'd put them on the blog:

1. In the fall, putting wet newspapers on the ground around your plants will inhibit weed growth. (This works! I've done it!)

2. Washing your windows with newspaper makes them streak free.

3. Keep a pile to start fires, especially in bonfire season.

4. Spread out newspapers on your table for a non-messy seafood picnic. (Dump the mussels of clams on the table and have everyone dig in!)

5. Shred it with your compost.

6. Make your own recycled paper. (instead of pantyhose, you can use an old screen to make things a little easier)

7. Use it to line cages, dog crates, your produce bin in your refrigerator. (Not only does it create a surface it also has some odor absorbing qualities.)

8. Giftwrapping! If you are charming enough (and buy cool enough gifts), you can get away with this.

9. Crumble in your shoes to dry them overnight. (Great for running shoes.)

10. Read it. Read it for the articles, or for coupons and sales, or just for a local calendar of free or cheap goings-on.

And here's a much more exhastive list, some of which are a little far-fetched. Point is, there are plenty of ways to reuse newspapers, and lots of other things in life. Happy Thursday!

Too Cute Tuesday: The Graphic Pillow

If you're a lover of decorating magazines, you've no doubt seen the cute pillows in graphic and mixed prints casually-on-purpose tossed on furniture in magazines like Dwell or Domino. You may think " Well, I may not be able to afford the $5,000 sofa but I can probably swing that adorable pillow." A quick look at the shopping section and that little pillow is a not so cute price of $200. Boy, have I got a trick for you.

Unless you're a quilter, you probably haven't heard of fat quarters. They are pieces of fabric that are a quarter of a yard (they are rectangle shape but very close to being squares really). They are usually packaged together by color or pattern or designer. They are meant for quilters who don't want to buy a whole mess of fabric but need different fabrics that go together.

Buying fat quarters is like buying perfectly precut fabric for pillows (though you can take off an inch or two to make pillows square). My favorite fabric designer is Amy Butler because she's got great colors and graphics. A quick search online and I find 13 fat quarters for $32. This means I can make six pillows (two pieces of fabric per pillow for way less then one designer pillow.

After fabric, all you need is stuffing. You can buy online or at a fabric store but on the first page of my Google search I saw a great deal on Craigs List. You may also want to take stock of your pillows and see if some of them can be taken out of commission and their stuffing recycled. Even if you have to buy new, stuffing for one pillow shouldn't cost you more than $5.

Materials:
2 fat quarters of fabric that "go together"
Stuffing for one pillow (when in doubt, get more then you think you'll need)
Pins
Sewing machine or needle and thread
1 margarita (optional)

(0. If you want to be a real over-achiever, you can tattoo a design on the fabric you're going to use. The embroidery thing on top of a pattern is hot!)

1. Pin the pillow on three sides, right sides facing each other.

2. Sew the pillow on three sides. You should be looking at the wrong side of the fabric during this process so that when you reverse it, you'll hide the seams. Sew half of the fourth side.

2.5. Invert the pillow. You'll see the right side and the hems are hidden. Yay! Drink some margarita.

3. Stuff the pillow. Fluff the stuffing to declump it and ensure even distribution.

4. Sew a little more of the fourth pillow side and double check the stuffing. Is it even? Do you like it?

5. Finish sewing. Admire your handiness. Lie on your new pillow while finishing margarita.

I'm going to warn you; your first pillow won't come out well. The second one though will be much better so save your best fabric for something besides your first project. And when people ask you where you got your pillow (because they will), say proudly that you made it. Go you!

A Porch Of One's Own: Part I

Outdoor Eatery Or Your Backyard Cozy-fied?

When I moved into Sean's house a year ago, I was very excited in particular about having a deck. It was the one thing my Vinalhaven residence lacked and I saw myself in cute sundresses mingling with friends at my theoretical deck parties.

Only the thing with a deck is it needs something. Something to sit on, eat on, or even look at. Otherwise it's a big expanse of wood. Kind of dull.

While Sean tinkered with his outside project (more on that later this week), it become my goal to make the deck more habitable.

I divided the deck into three distinct areas: the dining/lounging part, the sitting around the firebowl part, and the food/grilling part. In this post, I tackle the dining/lounging area. (Other areas will follow.)

Since Sean hates both wicker and plastic furniture, I'm severely limited on what will work here. I found wooden folding chairs at The Christmas Tree Shop for $5 each last month and bought four. Extra seating, tasteful, and foldable! The added bonus is I can always spray paint them to make them any color I want, though I do like the natual wood look. I used two chairs in my dining area. ($10)

I then made a makeshift table with some leftover lumber in our basement. It looks pretty silly underneath but a water-resistant but cute tablecloth does that trick of hiding my non-handiness. Use lots of brackets to make it as sturdy as possible; remember no one has to know! ($15 for the tablecloth)

To maximize the seating, I took advantage of the bench seating along the edge of the deck. Pillows can make things more comfortable and cozy and with some leftover batting and cloth, I made a bench seat cushion for the other side. (Forgot to take the photo from that angle to show it off. ($20 for batting and cloth on the bench, throw pillows taken temporarily from inside the house)

A planter with bonsai pine tree defines the corner of the deck, and subtly alerts people so they don't fall off the edge (planter $5, tree and rock from yard)

A citronella candle keeps things bug-free, at least relatively ($5). Tea lights on the table will give some light as night falls ($1).

So for just under $60, I can now have four people over (six if we scrunch) for an outside dinner.

Nicole's Tips To A Lounge-y Deck

1. Repurpose. Don't have lumber in your basement? How about a big bulletin board resting on plant stands? Or buy a wide two by four and rest it on a bench. Think of the table height you want (coffee table vs. dining table) and start looking around your house, basement, and garage for things you can use!

2. Invest in a wipeable table cloth. A cloth tablecloth will be in the wash every five minutes. Get one in a plastic-y finish that you can wipe for the occasional spill. Has the added benefit of covering up shoddy carpentry work. 

3. Test your table before people come over. Put plates, food etc. on it and make sure it isn't too wobbly. If it is, adjust as necessary. Remember, the tablecloth will hide your adjustments.

4. Fabric adds poshness. Don't be afraid to use cushions. They're fun and say that you care about your guests' butts. Just have an area close to your deck (but protected) where you can put things when you go in for the night. And make it so you don't have to squish them into storage; if puttint them away is a hassle, you'll never do it and after a season outside, you'll have to junk the cushions. (I have a shelf in our breezeway where the cushions and tablecloth fit perfectly.)

5. Think lighting. As night falls, how will your party transition? Like you would with a room, think of a variety of light sources: candles, Christmas lights, tiki torches, solar lamps... Tea lights and the citronella will be fine in this small space but other lighting will need to happen to make the whole deck useable.

6. Delineate possible hazards. If there is a place where your deck just ends, put a big planter plant. Light transitional areas like stairs (you can do this cheaply by putting a tea light on both sides of every stair). You don't want people to get hurt at your party; it's a real showstopper to have to drive someone to the emergency room!

As the other areas come together, I'll post photos. Hope you had an equally productive weekend!

Too Cute Tuesday: Tattoo Your Towels

Want to make a nice gift that costs you next to nothing and impresses your boyfriend? How about some embroidery?

I got the idea from Tattoo Your Towels. I was in one of those cute stores in the city of Portland Maine, the kind of fun and retro-feeling store where I loved everything but couldn't afford anything. Until I saw a $3 Tattoo Your Towels kit.

Tattooing tea towels seemed very domestic but hip at the same time. I liked the cute, tattoo-like designs and the craftiness of the project.

When I lived on Vinalhaven and had lots of free time, I decided one lonely but goal oriented evening to make Sean a present. My mother had bought me a ginourmous bag of embroidering floss so I got it out along with the cross stitch loop. A glass of wine and twenty minutes later, Sean had a tattooed towel.

He absolutely loves his tatooed towel and thinks I am so handy for making it. The good news is you can do this to your towels in a simple design (like a heart and initials) without kit. (Though the kit is pretty cool when you get good!)

Materials:
Needle ($1 for a bunch)
Embroidery loop ($5 for a whole bunch)
Differnet colors embroidery floss (total cost no more than $3)
Something to embroider, like a bathroom towel
Wine (optional)

Thread the needle. Sketch out a design to stitch (something simple). Stretch fabric into the embroidery loop. (Though you don't need it if you're doing a thick fabric like towels.) Stitch. If you need further instructions on the stitching, see this site for techniques. Drink wine. Be happy with your gift... and you have supplies to make a lot of them!

These towels not only impress not-so-crafty boys but can make great and personal gifts for everyone you know from parents to girl friends. And I'm hard pressed to think of other gifts that can be made in twenty minutes and at such a great price.

Happy Crafting!

Too Cute Tuesday: Fortunate Clothes Pins

Too Cute Tuesdays will be a semi-regular series about cute inexpensive things you can make as gifts for you or others. It's something new here at Breaking Even Inc. so let me know whether I should keep it or can it.

I recieved a thoughtful gift from a friend who somehow found a gift that encompassed two of my loves: cute things and Chinese food.

These little clothespins came in a package and have little Chinese fortunes written on them. A cute hostess gift you can make? I should say so!

Not to disappoint but the fortunes that actually come in fortune cookies are too short and fat for the clothes pin. Therefore, there is a little more prep involved.

You'll Need:
Internet access and a computer
A printer and sheet of paper
1 piece of cardstock
Clothespins
Modge Podge or glue
Scissors (or one of those teeny scrapbook croppers—well worth the $5-10 it will cost you)
Small ruler

Go to a "free font" website like www.dafont.com. I picked Shanghai but maybe you'll see something better under "Foreign Look". Install the font on your computer. (It may be noted that my computer is about to die so I really have nothing to lose as far as accidentally installing something). Here's a link that tells you how to install the font on your computer, whether you have a Mac or a PC. (You can also use the fonts that came with your computer, though going through them all may make you feel a little insane.)

After you come up with some good fortunes, type them in the font. (One of my personal favorites: Be mischievous and you will never be lonesome.) Measure your clothespins to see what size you should make your little slip of paper. Print your fortunes. Crop them to size.

Glue the fortunes onto a piece of cardstock. This will keep the paper from bubbling. Then glue the cardstock to the clothespin.

You could make these occasion-specific and put them in a cute little fake takout container if you wanted to go all out. They can function as clothespins, chip clips, paper fasteners... You can even put a magnet on the back to make them fridge or file cabinet ready! I know, I'm so crafty... and now you will be too!

Stay tuned for other "I can make that!" moments on Breaking Even, Inc!

Some Updates On Projects

Project: The Zen And Art On Coupon Clipping
Time Elapsed: Two Weeks

So far, I'm a little discouraged on this project. I find that I haven't been able to use a lot of the coupons I've clipped. Often, it seems the store brand still beats my name brand coupon. My last shopping trip I saved...$2.38 with coupons. My Grocery Game savings the same trip were around $10, and I don't really have to do anything for that except print off the list and pay $5 a month. (and hey, saving me $10 in an average week means that it pays for itself and then some for sure). I'll keep clipping coupons though and give this a solid month to trial to see if it's worth my time

The one exception to coupon discouragement is the $8 Hills Science Diet Dogfood I got from Spending Less 101. That website points you to coupons you can get online. I waited until the food was on sale ($5 off this week) and I saved $14 on my finicky dog's healthy food: $17 of food will now last at least two months for her.

Project: How To Get Rid Of Carpet Odors
Time Elapsed: Two months

Thanks to everyone who participated in this, including Debt Free Revolution and Bouncing Betty who suggested Odoban from Home Depot. As the daughter of a small hardware store owner, I hate HD but I went to get this product. $8 and only about 1/8 of the bottle later, smell is gone. Completely.

Project: Blogroll Update
Time Elapsed: Too Long!

I finally updated my blogroll with new (well, not so much new as new to me) blogs that I read all the time.

Personal finance-y blogs: Being Frugal, Cheap Healthy Good, Debt Free Revolution, Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, My Small Cents, Northern Cheapskate, Spending Less 101, and The Baglady.

Other great blogs: Intelligent Travel, Shorpy, Hoarded Ordinaries, and Satellite Sisters.

If I haven't added your blog or website yet and I clearly read it and comment on it all the time, let me know!

There I got all those updates done like I've been meaning to! Whew! Now anxiously awaiting five o'clock for the weekend to start... Happy Friday!

...And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

A Cheap And Cool Souvenir That You'll Actually Still Like Two Weeks Later

Maybe it's that it's spring and Sean and I have been talking about taking a vacation but travel is on my mind. Looking around my house reminds me of cool trips I've been on in the past because of something I learned from my friend Sarah.

While other people think about how to pack that sombrero for the plane flight back or try to find that perfect shot glass to compliment their friend's drinking problem, Sarah swears by buying a print from a local artist. They are usually inexpensive (less than $10), they are unique to the area, and make for great wall (or other) decor once you get home. Alternatively, it can be stashed away in a scrapbook, not taking too much physical space in your life.

Now there is nothing wrong with getting other souvenirs (if that's what you're into) but I think a print is the perfect compromise between something artsy and something fun. I took a few photos from around the house of prints I have from different places I've visited. Because I've never paid a lot of money for the prints (and because they aren't originals), I have no problem cutting them down slightly to fit in a standard size frame. (Remember, if you see a frame that's a good size, shape, and price, you should get it. Spray paint and/or Sharpie markers can easily change the colors of the frame.)

So if you are stuck on what to get from that flea market for yourself or your mom, a print is what I recommend. Just put down that collectible snowglobe and step away from the table of knick knacks. Your mom (and your wallet) will thank you.

Image: My framed prints from New Orleans and Moab, UT take up way less space (and cost less) then your average thimble collection. 

Curb Appeal: Beating Around The Bush

A Week-long Series On Gardening, Landscaping, and Money

As a result of some exterior stuff (bad week), I had some blog block today. I did what any self-respecting twenty-something would do: I called Mom.

You know, for someone who has never really grown much plantwise, talking to her made me realize I actually have had some successful attempts. In particular, with bushes.

I have always liked bushes. I have a vivid memory of discovering a flowering bush in a small forest behind my childhood home. I cut a flower and brought it to my mom. We've since attributed this bush to something my grandmother had planted before she died... Perhaps something she wanted us to just find later (I mean, why else put it in the middle of a forest, right?). Every year, multiple times a summer, I went back to the bush to check on it and brought my mom a flower from it after it bloomed. I marveled at how it would grow, with little sunlight in bad soil, without me having to do anything to it. I used to think it was a miracle.

Fast forward to adulthood where I decide to attempt to garden for the first time. I love hydrangeas but when I couldn't find one at the Vinalhaven store, I had to improvise. What is an easy bush to grow? (I asked around.) Try a butterfly bush, everyone said. And try I did. I dug a bed at my old Vinalhaven house and anchored the plot with a big ol' butterfly bush. I did nothing to it except weed and water and it grew. I bet it's still flowering in front of that little house now. And let me tell you, if something can grow on Vinalhaven, it'll probably grow a lot of other places, too.

So bushes are not only hearty but pretty and often perennial. You can cut flowers for a bouquet on a table or just sleep with your windows open and breathe in...

So try a butterfly bush, a hydrangea, or even a bleeding heart bush (they play nice with hostas, bonus!). They are fairly inexpensive ($5-$40), are guarenteed to grow year after year, easy to maintain, and pretty looking and smelling.

I'm pro-bush, but only in the plant way. Have you had any luck with bushes (as in with plants, not people)?

Curb Appeal: You Can Grow Your Own Way

A Weeklong Series About Landscaping, Gardening, and Money

Yesterday, I talked about some inexpensive and perennial ornamental plants to boost your home value. You can also, however, use some more functional plants to grow your own food, even if (like me) you've killed an aloe plant.

Growing food has been a way to engage students and rehabilitate prisoners, not that those two are related... what I'm saying is that growing food is clearly something good for the emotional and physical health of a person big or small. (For way more about the social/societal benefits of growing your own food, check out the book Hope's Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet, which is a great read.) Frugal Dad had a great post recently tying in lessons learned gardening with lessons to be learned in personal finance. There are clearly mental, social, and emotional benefits from the act of growing food.

And to look food growth purely as an investment, I'm betting that gardening is going to get really popular this year because of rising food prices. Growing your own food could be great way to save money and eat healthy (not to mention a way to use up some of those empty flowerbeds I have).

The resource you will most heavily invest in any food growth is your time. (Seeds aren't expensive and neither are bags of soil if you look around....some people may even be giving it away for free). Get Rich Slowly has carefully chronicled the time him and his wife spend gardening (as well as the money on supplies) and will be over the course of the next year.

So what is a tentative gardener like me who wants to save money at the grocery store and increase curb appeal to do? I need successful plants to boost my ego and to grow food at a small enough scale to be able to maintain the garden. I picked Sean's brain at breakfast this morning as he was a gardener in a former life. Here was, almost word for word, our conversation:

What's the easiest thing to grow? Tomatoes.

Why? Because all you have to do is plant them and water them. Not a lot of things attack them.

What else? Jerusalem artichokes.

Why? Because they are a root. They have the added benefit of coming back every year.

Oh, so potatoes would work too? Yup. I have to go to work now.

So as a new person to gardening, I'm going to do these easy plants and a little herb garden, which is what I had moderate success with last year (I love rosemary and basil!). And boy, will I have some good beds! Any other recommendations from real gardeners out to someone like me who is clueless and slightly lazy about living things that can't whine for food?

If you need some more scientific factors to keep in mind, check out this short article "Planning Your Garden" from WSCH6.

Curb Appeal: Good In Beds

A Weeklong Series About Landscaping, Gardening, and Money

Ah, flowerbeds. I get why people have them. They allow you to plant pops of color or small vegetable plots without commiting to a huge garden. They have the added benefit of making it so you don't have to mow as much of the lawn. They are the great pair of earrings to your house's outfit, the spring of your house's step. They create clean lines and borders. But why do we have ten huge beds on our property, anyway? That's a lot of pressure.

The good news is there are a lot of hostas in a few of the beds. At first I thought they were boring but now I have come to love them. Here's why:

1) They're perennial.
2) They're green and bushy so they take up a lot of room.
3) They do alright in some shade.
4) They flower in the late summer/early fall when not much else does.

So if you have a lot of beds, embrace the ease of the slightly boring hostas or hosta-like plants.

Because they don't have much color other times of the year, I planted some violets in between a few of the hostas. I picked perennials (I'm too lazy to replant) and Sean told me violets would reproduce like crazy. And sure enough they are coming back this year! So the hearty little violets will go inbetween the hostas, adding color the time of the year that the hostas are boring. Other little minxes of the plant world: cosmos. They are borderline invasive. We planted one seed pack in two barrels last year and they are already coming back for more. 

I planted a herb garden last year (ok, garden may be a generous word, maybe a plot?). The only thing that came back: chives. And the plant is already huge. So if you are looking for a spiky green plant you can cook with, I suggest a chive or two.

If you feel like breaking out and trying something new I haven't mentioned, keep a look out for plant sales and swaps this time of year. Sometimes colleges or nonprofits have sales in spring. (And they are usually cheaper than the greenhouse and the money goes to a cause.) On the swap side, ask friends, family, and coworkers. They may have extra plants that they just can't use. (One of my coworkers brought in some yesterday.) You may even see some on the side of the road. 

So hostas, violets, cosmos, and chives I recommend as far as varieties of plants to fill your beds. If I haven't killed them and they can grow on our acidic soil underneath partial shade, they're keepers as far as I'm concerned. Make sure to get perennial: they are the plants for us lazy people. But remember, just because you're lazy, doesn't mean you aren't good in beds.

Images of a hosta and a cosmo from www.wikipedia.com (sorry folks, left my camera at work) 

Has Your Curb Got Appeal?

A Weeklong Series About Landscaping, Gardening, And Money

I don't know if it's the HGTV marathon this past weekend (mom has cable and that's our favorite channel to watch together) or some links I've been collecting these last few weeks but I've been thinking a lot about landscaping/gardening lately. I feel like a lot of people want a nice home but don't have gardening experience or money to do the necessary projects and maintain them. Thinking about beautifying the yard is daunting to me but is clearly necessary to add value to the house and avoid judgement from the neighbors. I will devote this whole week to outdoor beauty and value. Today's topic: groundcover.

The house I currently live in has little curb appeal mostly due to the lack of lawn. It is spotty with lots of leaves. Sean mowed it a total of three times last year because that's all the mowing it needed. Our lawn makes it look like we don't care, which we do. We just don't know where to start.

What you plant seems to be determined by your climate zone (see the map at this link to figure out yours if you live in the US), your soil type, and what is immediately underground. (In our case, we live in zone 5, have acidic soil, and have a lot of slate just under the surface.) You also may want to note if your yard gets a lot of shade, if the soil retains moisture well, if there are certain insects about (we've got a lot of ants) and you may want to calcuate the square footage you want covered so you can effectively budget your project. (In our case, about 10,000 square feet). This is all good information to take with you to the garden center, because the more information you have, the more likely you will be able to make good choices for your yard situation. 

Here are some ground cover options:

1) Reseeding the lawn with grass. According to my friend Jane, look for grass that works in the shade if you've got shaded areas and look for perennial grass (so it'll come back next year—I thought all grass was perennial but it isn't!). Prices seem to vary on variety so be prepared to shop around a bit.
2) Moss. I've noticed we have a lot of moss naturally growing on our lawn. The New York Times had an article about moss as ground cover just a couple weeks ago. It seems good for acidic and shaded soils (our issue) and it has the added benefit of not having to be mowed. This seems to be a little more expensive then grass seed but may be cost effective over time.
3) Astroturf. At $0.45 a square foot, for about $1,000 dollars, we could have an astroturf lawn. Ew.
4) Dig up the lawn for a huge garden. My friend Sue dug up her whole lawn and made a garden. A ton of work, but gorgeous.

I'm going to shop around for the first two options. In the meantime, does anyone have any tips for a pretty lawn that doesn't cost a lot of money? Stay tuned tomorrow for more about making the curb of yours more appealing!

First photo: This lawn looks better than ours! From http://www.rmnpforums.com/blogs/

Second photo: Sue's lawn is amazing and with a lot of work, yours could be, too. I'm impressed; I can't even keep a spider plant alive. From http://www.onestep-sue.blogspot.com/

How To Get Rid Of Carpet Odors

I Love My Dog But Hate Her Mess

Before I tell my tale of dog odor, let's all take a quick look to the right and remember her cuteness... Alright, here we go.

When Sadie and I first moved in with Sean, things were good. His cat Duncan only took the occasional swipe at Sadie while Mr. Boogs (the other cat) couldn't have cared less. We settled into a routine and everything was just fine...

Until Sadie began urinating (on purpose!) on Sean's area rug. She would walk up to it, assume stance, and go. Shooing her off didn't work. Punishment didn't work. She did it on Sean's rug only, not my rug and not anywhere else.

At first, I thought it was because she's thirteen and a half and maybe was having some bladder control issues. I quickly realized, however, that it was a dominance thing. I moved her dog bed right near where she peed (so she would think twice about it) and made it easier for her to go outside. I also bought her a new bed to put near the door so she has a place to sleep in both corners of the living room. (Dog Whisperer, watch out!) Peeing stopped.

The smell, unfortunately, did not.

Enter the Rug Doctor which your typical renting places like Rentacenter don't even deal with... but your grocery store does. When I called about getting "The Doctah" (as Sean and I referred to him all weekend), the customer service lady informed me he was indeed available and that I needed two forms of identification to rent him. Ok.

We brought home The Doctor (after I signed my name three times and showed my two forms of identification- I had no idea there was so much to renting a rug cleaner). The $40 spent seemed excessive for a 4' by 6' area rug but as far as I was concerned, the big guns needed to be brought in. We passed the rug doctor over that little rug five times and it took us about half an hour. We figured we were golden.

After we brought The Doctor back and spent the day away, we walked into the house... and it reeked, way worse than before. We had to carry the rug out of the house and air the place out before attempting to eat dinner, that's how bad it was.

Sean then proceeded to hose the rug down and let it dry. Twice. Even after drying in the sun for a week, the smell remained.

Then I went to my petstore of choice and wandered around. The Nature's Miracle display caught my eye. The woman who worked there promised it worked or I could bring it back. I paid $10 for the spray bottle.

I emptied the whole thing onto the rug. The smell is much better then it was but still present. I'll get another bottle this weekend. Until then, the rug has been moved to the basement where it can't ruin our dinner.

In total, I will have invested $60 in the cleaning of this rug, which Sean paid $150 for. If a little more Miracle doesn't work, I may have to spring for a new rug.

If anyone has any good cleaning tips, do share, especially if they are cheap. This article from Stretcher.com has lots of solutions but I'd really like to isolate the one that will work best, having already invested lots of time and energy into this... Help!

Project Night In And Other Adventures

Spend Time With Friends Shouldn't Have To Be Expensive

I think we've all felt a little social pressure to spend money. Whether it's "Hey, let's grab some drinks after work!" or an weekend ski trip around when your bills are due, there are times when you want to be with your friends but can't necessarily afford what they are doing. The options are clear: go home and sulk, create something free to do together, or compromise.

Free Event: The Get Stuff Done "Party"
In college, friends and I used to have homework parties, which are along the same line. Everyone would bring their work over to a room and just hang out. Sometimes you'd throw a movie in or have snacks but overall, it was just a way to get things done, have a few conversations, and not spend a dime.

Last night, a friend came over and we had a project night. First, we made a pizza (I always keep pizza dough in the fridge) and put all kinds of nutrious and yummy things on it like beans, veggies and garlic (total cost less than $5). After we took out our respective projects. She made a cork board; I lugged out the sewing machine. Music was played and selzer water was drunk. (Alcohol and sewing don't mix if you want a straight stitch!) Overall, I fixed eight pieces of clothing and Jessica started and finished her corkboard. We could have gone out for drinks and had really fun conversation to but when it's a friend, location is not critical for having fun. Plus it's fun to have a finished product at the end of a social event.

Going With The Flow, But Comprimising
If you aren't into crafts or homework get-togethers, there are other options to spend time and not money with friends. Another friend and I went out to lunch a few weeks ago but since I couldn't afford a whole lunch, I just got a soda. What I really wanted to do was see her, not break my dining out budget so I didn't. And Ashley's a good enough friend that she didn't say anything about my lone diet soda order.

When I go shopping, I usually let the other people do the trying on or I try on the most ridiculous thing in the store. Dinner out may mean I get a salad or soup instead of a $15 entree. There are small modifications you can make without seeming like a stick in the mud.

You Can Also Just Be Honest
Whatever the case, being honest about being on a budget shouldn't hurt your friendships. Telling a friend you're on a clothing budget or suggesting cooking dinner together to save money isn't a big deal. If anything, your admission could inspire friends to rein in their spending.

I think if people were more honest with each other, people would probably be in much less debt than they are. It can take guts to admit you can't keep up with the Joneses but remember, you're telling this to a friend. And you should have the kind of friend who will love hanging out with you at a five star restaurant or in your kitchen.

Photo: Jessica projects with the best of them.

A $101 Closet Organize

Organizing Will Save You Time And Money, Though It May Be Fun To Spend Just A Little

I moved about six months ago from a one bedroom house with four closets (where I lived alone) to a three bedroom house with four closets (where I live with another person). Same amount of closets divided in two. Oh, and I couldn’t fit my dresser into one of the rooms so that is sitting in storage for now.

I have one main closet where I keep mostly everything (you know, except bulk sweaters in the summer or shorts and bikinis in the winter). It was clear I had to organize a bit.

I love organizing. Before I began blogging, I even thought of doing it as a side career. I’ve read a lot about it, not to mention I’ve made a lot of hand-me-downs work for me. My first instinct was to purge unnecessary items.

And purge I did. I got rid of those clothes from ten years ago that will never fit again. I got rid of things that I tried to fix that couldn’t be fixed. I got rid of everything I wasn’t excited about wearing. $1,500 worth of clothes later, I had a more manageable amount to work with.

Then I went to the Mecca of organizers: The Container Store. I don’t usually throw money at problems but I did make a few purchases to make things work for me:

A six compartment hanging sweater bag corralled the sweater collection and made it accessible. $20

Clear lookers nested boxes helped organized things like tights, belts, and other smaller items. $30

Add-on skirt hangers (2) accommodated a growing collection. $10

A swing arm slack hanger was reserved for work pants that fit so I could find them easily (and I’m still getting down to my pre-island size). $6

A shoe rack kept my shoes from being a jumble at the bottom of my closet. $18

I also repurposed a few things I had bought previously:

Seagrass baskets (3) were bought at a bargain price at the Christmas Tree Shop. $15

A wreath hook became a robe and hat hanger in the off season. $2

My closet is now organized by color, though blazers and dresses (separate) reside to the right while the sweaters are on the left. Purses and hats reside in their own sea grass totes. The upper part of the closet is used for storage of items rarely used: sleeping bags, huge backpacks, etc.

Things like tank tops (for layering), sweatshirts, and leggings are folded and in their separate cubbies. The dividers are nice in that they keep the piles from falling on top of each other. If you don’t have these, you can make them or check out what places like the Container Store have to offer.

The ancient closet doors have been taken off (because one kept falling off) and will probably replaced with a curtain when I tackle my pile of sewing projects..

As you can see, my closet looks inviting (and most people comment, quite colorful). I can always find what I need and, on a crazy morning, that’s worth more than I can say.

So no California Closets for me. They are quite pretty but I find I’ve been able to do a lot on my own. And the great thing is, you can too!

Saving Even More Money Tip: If you don’t have $100 to designate to a project, try collecting unused containers around your house: glasses, show boxes, baskets, wooden crates and then see how you can use them in your organizing project. You can also try building something with scrap wood, like tall skinny shelving or top shelf dividers if you are feeling industrious and good with a saw. If you buy wood, you can have your local hardware store cut it often for a small fee and have it delivered for free!

A Bathroom Transformed

Handyman: Handier And Cheaper Than A Plumber

I am the last person who will give someone grief about not being able to be handy around the house, probably because I just learned how to use a drill last year. When Sean didn't want to attempt the bathroom sink but then kept asking me if he should, I reassured him that I would not think he was any less manly for not wanting to flood our bathroom himself. I also pointed our that someone who did this for a living may have things like tools and spare parts that we didn't have.

The "odd jobber" came to our house and put in the sink in about two hours. He was pleasant, showed up on time, and he all the right tools (which helps when doing this sort of work). There were a few runs to the hardware store, Sean being the gofer/eager learner and me being the constant offerer of food and drink. In the end, he did a pretty good job.

We thanked him profusely and he charged us $50. We were surprised in a "surprisingly happy" way not often associated with home repairs. We tipped generously, overjoyed at the fact our project had come in over $200 under budget. Hugh ("the odd jobbah" as we'd say Downeast Maine) handed us his business card.

"...Handyman... No job too small..."

I have seen this before, of course, in classified ads especially. What makes handymen different than contractors, or even plumbers anyway?

While handymen don't usually have licenses or certifications, they often charge under $50 an hour but their "job sizes" may have a financial limits. (In some places, for example, if the job costs over $500 you need a licensed contractor.) Hugh had learned plumbing "by trial and error" but clearly knew what he was doing.

So if you have some home improvement to be made, look no further than your local handyman or woman. They may be able to give you the results you want for far less than you'd pay a contractor/plumber/professionally certified person. And they'll take on those small projects that regular contractors won't even bother with. Just ask around your neighborhood for recommendations. I know we'll be calling our odd jobber again!

Meanwhile, the before and after photos...

 

      

Even Sadie likes the bathroom better...

Fresh Flowers That Don’t Die In Two Days

Lasting Luxury, Minimal Hassle

I love the luxury of fresh flowers. In a vase on the kitchen table, they make everything seem to smell good and look just a little prettier. Problem is I don’t want to spend a lot of money on flowers. I just made the bouquet that Sean bought me last almost two weeks.

First of all, the type of flower will determine its lifespan. The Extravaganza Florist recommends the following long-lasting flowers: carnations, daisies, birds of paradise, antriums, ginger's, protea, liatras, orchids, and most of the exotic flowers. A video about caring for flowers (Videojug has quite a collection of how-to videos) recommends rhododendron as a less exotic long laster. The arrangement of lilies Sean got me lasted almost the whole two weeks.

The other aspect of keeping cut flowers around is how they are cared for. Every web site I saw recommended 1) re-cutting the bottoms of the flowers at an angle, 2) changing the water every one or two days and 3) cutting off the leaves on the flowers where they would be submerged in the water. I actually did these things (and took flowers out of the arrangement as they died). While the arrangement was smaller at the end, what was left was pretty for two weeks. There is a debate at The Frugal Life about things you add to the water but based on my experience, giving the plants clean water is all they really need. According to Flowerbud those little packets you get with your flowers are just mild antibacterial powder that when mixed with your water ensures it is clean.

So whether you buy a bundle of flowers or force some crocuses to sprout indoors, take advantage of the fact spring is coming. It’s been a long winter; give yourself a small affordable luxury.

Photo from: http://www.naturaltapestries.com/nancyportfolio/flowers/pages/Crocus%20in%20Snow.htm

How To Make Crappy Furniture Cool

When it comes to expensive things, I am doomed to hand-me-downs. I've never been the type to turn down, in particular, free furniture. The way I figure it, if I can't afford to replace it, I should seize the moment when someone offers it to me. My parents, garage sales, discount stores, and the dump are a few of my favorite sources.

This is not to say that things remain in the same condition as when I got them. I usually have to do something to them to make them my own. I’ll take you through a few examples of furniture in my house.

Recovered Ottoman

I found a great ottoman at the Vinalhaven dump. That’s right, the dump. Most dumps or transfer stations have a place where you can leave things that could still work. We all called the Vinalhaven area “The Swap Shop”.

I have a think for ottomans because I think they are really handy. They store and move easily. They make a great luggage stand in a guest room or extra seating at parties. Oh, and you can use them for their original purpose. I took the one I found on Vinalhaven, added a foam topper on it (the springs were sticking out), and then covered it with fabric (I like Amy Butler fabrics). For about $10 worth of supplies, I have a cool looking ottoman that just happens to go perfectly in my living room.

Supplies: Foam topper, staple gun, 1.5 yards for fabric

Difficulty: 3-4 out of 10, you’ll need a friend or patient mother to help you hold the fabric down while you staple.

Painted Bookcase

I see these small pieces of furniture all the time in Goodwill (and now you can shop Goodwill online too, who knew?). My particular piece was retrieved from my parent’s basement. Usually this type of furniture seems a little small to be able to do anything useful (in this case, it doesn’t hold a lot of books) but there are plenty of small places in your house you could maximize with a small piece like this. Also, it usually is made of fake and/or terrible wood making staining out of the question. You have to paint.

In my case, I painted my little bookshelf a shade of khaki (kind of boring) but then added paint swatches to the top. You can get them at a hardware store and they are usually numbered so you can get them in the right order. I went with a multicolor approach but you could also pick shades of red, for example. (I remember seeing this idea in some decorating magazine like Readymade or Domino.) I get so many compliments on that table.

It turns out that the shelf is a perfect size to put in the entry into the kitchen. It holds our keys, Sean’s cell phone, and a dog leash as well as my cookbooks. For $20, I have enough paint and Modge Podge to do at least two of these type of projects.

Supplies: 1 quart paint, paint brush, paint swatches (free), and Modge Podge.

Difficulty: 2, just take your time with the painting (you want it smooth). Also you may need to do three or four thin coats to make it look even.

I have a few other things I could cover but I’ll leave that for another time. In the meantime, some rules to live by:

Nicole’s Tips For Furniture Finding and Fancifying

1)      Try the dump.

2)      Cover with fabric or a coat of paint.

3)      Don’t be afraid to try something bold; you did get if for free. You can always repaint or recover if it doesn’t come out well.

4)      Search decorating magazines and the internet for inspiration.

Here's to you finding a project to get excited about that's good to your budget.

A Pedestal Sink: Further Proof That The Classifieds Aren't Dead

I think there are two types of people in the world: those who look at the classifieds and those who don't. I've always thought it was kind of fun. I think the same people who look at classifieds may also buy the latest copy of Uncle Henrys or shop eBay regularly but that's a whole other story.

Sean and I both saw the same classified ad in this week's The Ellsworth American for a pedestal sink: "like new", $35. It was in a town about 45 minutes away that we've never been to and yesterday was one of those sunny, cool winter Saturdays perfect for a drive.

There's always these moments when you are embarking on these adventures where you wonder, will it be what I expect? How can I say no nicely if it isn't? Am I giving up my Saturday afternoon for nothing?

Turns out Brooklin is a beautiful town with gorgeous ocean views and lots of boat builders. E.B. White used to live there apparently. My digital camera has had issues lately otherwise I would have loved to upload some pictures for you. It would have been worth a drive to see the town whether we got our sink or not.

But in our case, it turns out you can get something good in the classifieds. The older couple was nice and the American Standard pedestal sink was in perfect condition. They gave us all the little parts to go with it which I wouldn't have thought to ask for and some tips of how to put it in.

I guess those of us who have had this kind of experience continue to look at the classifieds just in case something like this comes around.

Of course there have been disappointments. There was the snowblower that turned out to be an electric shovel that Sean bought out of guilt this winter. But as my friend Stacy says, the easiest was to get out of buying something you have gone over to someone's house to see is to say "Sorry, this isn't what I was expecting. Thanks anyway." A polite and vague exit I may have to use someday.

Now the question is do we attempt to put this in? I mean it isn't like electricity that can kill you. The worse we can do is flood. Anyway I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, what have your experiences been with the classifieds? Any favorite stories, web sites, or small, slightly obscure publications?

Picture from: http://common.csnstores.com/common/products/ASD/ASD5837_s.jpg

Getting Ready for Winter

A couple of years ago, my friend Ally and I volunteered (via our jobs) for the Keep ME Warm campaign. The idea was that the program provided window insulation kits, outlet insulation kits, caulking, foam tubes to put around pipes, and wool blankets to needy families to help cut down on winter heating costs. Volunteers like myself showed up at the families homes and did the winterizing for them with these materials.

Because Ally and I are wimpy and aren't so good at telling things like where cracks in foundation are and which pipes are the hot water pipes (no sense using the foam insulators to insulate the cold pipes, right?), we were in charge of outlets and windows which are done from inside the house. I felt sorry for the first couple of houses we did together (not because the windows looked bad but because we were fighting a bit about being the alpha insulator) but by the end of our day, we had it down to a science. We went home with some new found knowledge and a free wool blanket.

Since heat has always been included in my rent, I've never worried about heating costs. That's not to say I don't put on a sweater and slippers when things get cooler rather than turning up the heat but I've never used my skills in winterizing my own house.

I suggested to my boyfriend yesterday over our diner breakfast that we buy window insulation supplies and outlet insulators, since he is paying the heating bill and hasn't yet indicated to me that he is loaded enough to have money to throw away. I argued that the inital investment would decrease our overall heating costs substaintially. He agreed...after I agreed to buy the supplies.

After plastifying our draftiest window, he got my point. He installed all the outlet and switch insulators himself. "Wow, there was quite a draft coming from that one!" he'd say. I pointed out the wind slightly moving our window plastic, unable to come into the house. I had convinced him to cover his pipes last year with foam tubing so that was already done. It felt like a pretty productive afternoon after we were done our work yesterday. Apparently, you can save upwards of 50% of evergy costs from doing some very simple things like these.

If you're worried that the window plastic will diminish the look of your house, please don't. It's very clear and you can't even tell it's there until you get fairly close to it. And the outlet insulators disappear under the covers. For about $50 (including the pipe covers bought last year), our house is winterized. And the best part is that even renters can do the changes we did because you can always take things down once winter is over with no damage. Now if only I can convince Sean that we should get a programmable thermostat...

So you can go to any hardware store and they have a whole aisle dedicated to this stuff. The toughest part is sticking the double stick tape to your windows (step one in the insulation process), as it is some pretty flimsy stuff. I suggest working with shorter pieces of tape and being patient. Doing one window will teach you a lot. Everything else is much less labor intensive, I promise. And the directions on the box are actually pretty good, which is great considering I couldn't find a good enough web site online to show technique.

Stay warm and find $50 to do this if you are paying a heating bill. It'll more than pay you back.