Its time to earn my title as the Frugal Mom. Today I have chose to bring you some recycling tips for some common things you can find around your house... I know I see alot of these things wandering everywhere in my house LOL!
Recycling Tips
1. Kleenex boxes - Store plastic grocery store bags in them. You can then grab the bag just like you grab a tissue out of the box.
2. Envelopes - Carefully open the envelope and turn it inside out, so the address is on the inside. Re-glue or tape the flaps down. Or make your own envelopes out of scraps of paper, wrapping paper, newspaper, old phone book pages, or wallpaper scraps (see below).
3. Happy Meal boxes - Save the boxes, and when your child needs to be cheered up, make them their own happy meal! Add your own nutritious foods and a favorite toy. Or pick up inexpensive items from the dollar store: stickers, special pencils, etc (usually 10 for a dollar) as the toy.
4. Ziplock bags - Wash and rinse bags, then store them in the freezer to prevent mildew.
5. Tennis ball - Split it and hide your valuables inside.
6. Coffee cans (big ones) - Make toy "stilts"! Poke holes (with a can opener) on either side of the can and thread a jumprope through and they can walk on the cans while holding the jumpropes. Cool!
7. Egg cartons - Use to make seed starter trays. If you use the heavy cardboard trays, you can compost the cardboard when you pop the seedling out, or you could bury it next to the seedling to decompose. Use to make extra ice cubes or to freeze soup stock and gravy.
8. Old clothes - Use to make quilts, pillows, and blankets. Always save the buttons.
9. Broken candles - Melt them down to make new candles. Add broken crayons for color.
10. Nylon mesh bags from veggies - Cut the mesh into several pieces and use for plastic scouring pads to clean your dishes.
11. Used dryer softener sheets - Use for dusting instead of the Pledge grab-it or Swiffer cloths. Impossible to clean pots and pans - fill with water and used sheet, let sit for awhile, and stains will be easier to clean. Great for removing soap scum from shower doors!
12. Old pillow cases - Use for laundry bag.
13. Empty paper-towel roll - Store extension cords inside.
14. Frisbees - Use as paper plate holders at a picnic.
15. Mouse Pads - Use as a paint pallet. Use acrylic, oils, or most any paints. Wash when done, and reuse!
16. Newspaper - Use to clean windows, line trash cans, wrap presents. Use in place of peanuts when mailing packages, as fire starter, or as garden mulch.
17. Shoulder Pads - Use them to make padded hangers. Just sew a pad on each end of the hanger.
18. Wallpaper books/samples - Use to make book covers, decorative envelopes, or wrapping paper. Or make your own beautiful envelopes: take apart any envelope you have, and trace the pattern onto the back side of the wallpaper, then fold and glue or tape.
19. Film canisters - Store small items such as buttons, sequins, and small nails.
20. Soap scraps - Mix with water to make soap jelly. Put in sock, mesh, or used pantyhose to use in bath or for scenting drawers.
21. Pantyhose - Use for ponytail holders, to secure plants, or buffing your shoes.
22. Coffee filters - Use to clean and polish, or as a replacement for cheesecloth, paper towels, and napkins.
23. Glass jars & bottles - Use as a vase, for canning, or melt and pour wax in for candles.
24. Plastic grocery bags - Donate to local Salvation Army. They deliver meals on Wheels to elderly and are a non profit organization and need bags to put food in to deliver.
25. Plastic jugs - Cut out the side to make a big scoop or garden shovel, cut off the top and use as a funnel, fill with water and freeze to use in coolers, or cut off top and use bottom to store toilet brush.
26. Baby food jars - Fill with salt or cornmeal and use for paperweight, use for crafts, and for storing small items. Use for Use for individual Jar Mix Gifts: 1 cup of coffee mix, 1 cup of hot chocolate mix, or 1 cup of tea. Decorate jar, glue on ribbon, and attach gift tag with instructions.
27. Broken crayons - Sort by color, melt in old can, pour into molds that come with Jello gigglers, then kids have new crayons in all diferent shapes. **Thanks Susie!
28. Socks - Use in crafts, to hold soaps, or to wash car.
29. Milk cartons - use for potting plants, or fill with water and freeze to make blocks of ice.
30. Soap Wrapper - Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoe box. It's a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.
31. Pill Bottles - Use to carry pins, vitamins, or fill it with vaseline to use as lip gloss.
32. Junk Mail - Put it through paper shredder and use as packing material when shipping gifts.
Ok, let's talk about some crafts. Are you getting excited? Just a few days left until the Christmas Countdown challenge begins! WOOHOO! Now I found today's craft one day while looking for a charitable sewing project for a cause close to me... cancer patients. Hair loss is a big deal when you are going through chemotherapy. So I made some of these with a bunch of different types of materials and donated them to a local hospital. But of course, you don't have to be a cancer patient to wear this cute cap. Feel a little frisky frenchy with this cute homemade beret! I'm not going to post all the long instructions, because if so, you'd miss all the step by step illustrations! Instead, follow the link to this great craft!
Craft Idea of the Day: The Beret
Supplies Needed for Two Creative Kindness Berets
5/8 yard of 60" (or wider) soft, comfortable knit fabric, such as medium to lightweight fleece, cotton or cotton blend interlocks and stretch knits.
Matching all-purpose thread
Note: All seam allowances are 1/4"
Time to eat and what would TERRIFIC TOMATO week be without sauces and dips? There are literally hundreds of different kinds of sauces you can make with fresh beautiful tomatoes. Ketchups, soup bases, pasta sauces, salsa, etc. can all be the beginning of beautiful food magic and its all thanks to the cute little plumpy redness of the tomato! LOL. SO, today I figured I needed to bring some sauces & dips "to the table" for you... Eat & Enjoy!
Garden Salsa
Ingredients
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Tortilla chips
Directions
In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the water, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, lemon juice and pepper; stir into the vegetable mixture. Serve with chips. Refrigerate leftovers.
Easy Vodka Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, diced
1 cup vodka
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 pint heavy cream
Directions
In a skillet over medium heat, saute onion in butter until slightly brown and soft. Pour in vodka and let cook for 10 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and cook for another 30 minutes.
Hearty Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook ground beef with onion until brown; drain. Stir tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, garlic powder, oregano and mushrooms into beef mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer one hour. Serve over hot pasta.
Well Kids, that's all for me this morning. I am gonna get dressed and head on over to my mom's for what will prove to be an "interesting" day! I hope you have enjoyed our little chat this morning and will visit again soon. Until tomorrow... HUGS!
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