DIY: Decorative Branches

Today's creative DIY comes from a friend of A Tale of Two Bloggers. After completely redoing her family's bathroom, our friend decided to spice it up with something she made. Using only branches from their backyard and some hemp string she had on hand, she made this hanging piece.

She added a decorative piece that she found on sale at JoAnn Fabrics for $2.25 and voila! The branches tie the bathroom together perfectly and she didn't have to spend $50 on some generic artwork from Target.

This piece is a wonderful example of looking at what you already own and seeing what can be made from it, before you buy something new. You'll be surprised at what you might come up with.

Photos courtesy of Laurel Hasner Lifestyle Photography.

Packing your lunch

(Two lunches I recently packed. One has cucumber slices, grapes, carrot sticks

and a turkey sandwich. They other has hummus, carrot sticks, Babybel cheese,

pickle spears, a banana and roast beef lunch meat.)

As new homeowners Flannel Man and I have quickly realized that there are many unexpected costs that come with owning a home. A big one of those is outdoor upkeep. We have a big yard, which means we need a big mower. This was a purchase that we wanted to be able to make without sticking another big toe into the pool of debt that student loans created.

Hence, packing your lunch. We both work full-time outside of our home and so spending money on eating out becomes a common occurrence. There are many reasons for this. Packing your lunch takes time. Also, I hate sitting in the office all day with no break. Going out to lunch makes the day feel a bit shorter.

So being frugal about lunch becomes a bit trickier. I watch my co-workers occasionally dump the lunches their wives packed them because they don't want to sit in the office, but they know they have to take the empty containers home. I know, ridiculous, now they are paying for 2 lunches!

(My lunchbox)

The trick is to make sure taking your lunch isn't a chore. For me it's important to have a wide variety of foods for lunches. I don't want to eat the same thing every day. I also allow myself 2 days during the week when I can eat lunch out with co-workers. This is a big improvement from 4 to 5 lunches out and it gives you something to look forward to. It's also a lot healthier.

I use my lunch break to run errands to the post office, bank, library, etc. and eat my lunch on the go. This gives me a chance to still get out of the office and to make me feel like I'm accomplishing something that I would have had to do after work. It's a win-win for everyone.

So, if you want to start packing your lunch more frequently, know the reasons why it has been hard in the past and find ways to accommodate those hindrances. Also, it doesn't hurt to pack a special treat in your lunch so that you have something to look forward to, like a special kind of cheese or almonds, etc.

Containers from here and here.

Photos by moi.

Tips for Yard Sales (Buyers Edition)

Garage sales with a little creativity and change in your pocket can go a long way. They are a chance to benefit from someones excess while not living excessively yourself. A way to treat yourself, house, and family without having to treat your bank account harshly. Another way to be a different kind of giver/home manager. One who thinks ahead and is prepared for the holidays and year to come by buying before the need arises.

So, after coming away from a morning/afternoon yard saling with my head in the clouds or feeling like a rain cloud is following me. I tried to come up with a few tips to make the day go easier.
1.) See the potential in every item. That bowl with musty potpourri was just .50, cleaning the bowl out I currently use it by turning it upside down and putting it on the mantel with my other round glass bowls. The flowers were taken out of the brown holder and it was used as a bathroom trashcan, much better than the plastic version at the store. Garden tools are a great find at sales. And lamps can always find a home somewhere around the house spruced up with ribbon or painted.
2.) Trash Day is Freebie Day. Take a walk or drive through your neighborhood on trash day in the summer. I found these items plus a few other extras. The shelves (from Target) now hang above my computer desk and the stars were given as gifts. They even still had the tag on them. Don't be above taking someone elses "trash". They are glad to be parting with it and you are doing them and the local dump a favor!

3.) Hit the higher-end neighborhoods first. All these items came from a "nicer" neighborhood with bigger houses and green manicured lawns. The prices may be higher, but the items will sometimes be better quality. I kept the flowers in the original vase, but filled them with polished stones from our yard. The lamps decorate a table between our living room and kitchen. The picture was in our bathroom, but since we are remodeling I am thinking about painting it with chalkboard paint, and moving it else where. The wicker basket houses my workout things like a yoga mat and weights.

4.) Community Garage Sales are your BFF. You can hit tons of individual sales in just a couple hours because they are all so close together. Saving you time and gas money.

5.) Make a List. A bicycle helmet, step stool, winter jacket, baskets, snow pants, black sandals, a decorative plate holder were all on my list. No joke. Because my brain had already preplanned it was easy to remember what I needed most for the coming year.

6.) Kids Toys. If you see something that your kids or others would enjoy I suggest buying it for them. Then when you are home put those things in a box far far away from their view.
I was able to furnish Christmas fillings and others birthdays with this box. At one sale I bought a misc. box of GeoTrax(toy trains) for my son for $30. There must have been over $300.00 worth of trains and accessories in the box. If I had saved it for Christmas I would have been his hero, but I am weak and wanted to see his face light up in the middle of July!

A few other things:

• Have small bills and quarters on hand.
• Ask around to see if anyone has anything specific they need or anything you need they could be watching out for at their sales
• I used to be shy about asking for a lower price. Now I know that the worst thing that could happen is they could say "no". Always Ask.
• Google Maps, YardSaleTreasureMap.com, Craigslist, or your local paper are all good places to hear about yard sales. If I am planning to go out that day I will map the route I plan to take and then follow it loosely. Having a plan is crucial so you aren't aimlessly driving around town. Also, if you know someone else that might go garage saling that day email or print them the route too. Simple things like that will make someones day.
• If you find something you are even remotely thinking about buying pick it up and carry it around. The "one" that got away will haunt you forever.
• Clean out your car before you go. Who knows how lucrative your trip could be? Enough room to carry your ____ (fill in the blank) is crucial.
• If you see something, but you can't decide, give them your card. A card with your name and number and if they don't sell the item by the end of the day just ask them to give you a call.
• There are a few things that I almost always buy baskets, picture frames, and big glass anything (bowls, vases, etc.). These are things that can be used in a multitude of different ways for decorating the house and never go out of style.
• Pray about your needs. I cannot tell you how many things I now take for granted in my house that I didn't have and wanted last summer. God blessed me many times over finding that perfect item!
• Dress in layers. It is cold in the mornings, enough so for a sweatshirt, but as the morning sun arrives you will be glad you thought to put a t-shirt on too!
• Organize different boxes for the different types of garage sale items you regularly purchase. Once you have filled your box or container you should think you are at your limit for the season. I have two decorating boxes that I occasionally "shop" my house for. That way I'm not running out to buy something when I get the need to redecorate. All I do is rotate my things so I am never getting tired of seeing the same old pieces. When those two boxes are full I know I need to stop, or purge my decorating boxes. Having boundaries in all things helps.
• One-in-one out rule. If you have bought a shirt or anything else that will be taking up space in your home then you should think about what could be taken out of your house and donated or maybe have a garage sale of your own?

Happy Yard Sale(ing)!

Freezer Organization

For most a freezer isn't something that one spends a lot of thought on, but when properly organized can serve as a helpful resource. Think about all those half eaten meals (that weren't touched with your fork), leftover spaghetti sauces, fresh vegetables not being eaten, or bulk meats bought on sale in the refrigerator. All these things have potential to be used at another time if put into the freezer.

Yet, I never thought of utilizing this space because it was so limited. Cramming everything in and hoping for the best was the "system". A few Ziploc bags later and some work on my part makes a whole new area for storing food! My options are now wide open and the new system saves me not only money, but time. Buying meat in bulk, splitting it into smaller 1lb portions, and flattening with a rolling pin makes it easier to dethaw and serve. Also, it is more convenient then buying it every week and lugging it home and not even at a sale price.

The veggie portion of the freezer was a hot or should I say, cold mess, before storing them in flat Ziploc bags. The top half is meat and sauces already frozen and flattened. The problem with just keeping veggies in the original bag is that it isn't a secure close, hard to take inventory on what I have, and which is the oldest veggie I should use up first.

Now, I can tell from top to bottom which is the veggie that is the oldest, what the contents are, and how much of one thing I posses. Also, when you are done with the freezer bag it is easy to rewash and use again. I would do this only with the ones that held vegetables as it is hard to get a truly deep clean with raw meats. Tips have been to purchase cheap plastic bags, fill them with the meat and then in a nicer freezer bag like Ziploc or Glad to protect them from frost.



I also put onions and red/green peppers in the freezer. Chopping them up and then flash freezing them. Flash freezing just means to put them individually on a flat surface, place them in the freezer let them harden, and THEN place them in a Ziploc bag. This way it is easier to take a few out at a time rather than a clump. They are mostly convenient for throwing in meats and sauces as flavoring.

The flash freezing process is also good for homemade chicken nuggets, pancakes, berries, and casseroles. To properly freeze a casserole and be able to keep reusing the dish, line it with foil, spray with cooking spray, and then flash freeze it. When completely frozen take out the meal in the foil, transferring it to a plastic freezer bag.

One tip for getting your meats to lay flat is to place them on a small cutting board in the freezer and let them take a flat shape before moving them. This way you gain more space and could even stand your foods sideways if you have the room and organizational talent!

The Why of Green & Frugal Living

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those that cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."

- Alvin Toffler

The most ironic thing to me about the "Green" movement is that older generations practiced it, without much practice at all. They simply didn't have the luxury not to, they didn't have a choice. Most were just trying to live & save money, not trying to save the planet. This reasoning resonates with me the most because it passes up the fad and hype of the movement, and goes back to its roots. The green movement was begot out of the just using wisely what God gave you from the earth and surroundings.

One of the fundamental questions to ask when being a manager of the home is "why". The women of the last generation were mostly brought up in the age of convenience, as is this one and the next will be. No one has stopped to question our current methods. There now is a product for everything! The latest gadget is always behind the next curtain. Why do it yourself when there is a store down the road?


The answer is that most of the things that everyone is telling me I need, are subtly harmful for me and I can do it better myself and cheaper, thankyouverymuch.

Maybe store bought products can save me time, but what am I saving that time for? To watch tv? To make more money to buy more things? What am I sacrificing (iffy ingredient-wise)?And how much time am I really saving? My priorities need to be in check.



Chemicals and pesticides, to plastics and BPA. Almost no companies these days care where the item is made or where it was shipped from. Just as long as you are dependent on them. Unilever, the company, is a prime example that shows just how uncaring today's product promotions have become. Dove soap is a branch of Unilever, and is working hard to give women a positive body image. Shouting to women everywhere to be comfortable in their own skin. While in the same breath promoting Axe brand to men. Which shows women as only skin. Something to be lusted after, not much more. Now, I understand that money makes the world go round. But just knowing that they have no real loyalty to the consumer also makes me wonder about their ingredients. It makes me want to be more informed about my choices. It just makes me want to ask "why".

So, I would say that the most enlightening thing that I have learned is that I have a choice! I had no idea how easy it was to make bread. Seriously simple, like just a few ingredients simple. Why had no one told me it was in my reach to do this? I don't have to buy it? I honestly didn't even think I had a choice. I had no idea that making your own cleaning products is so easy a caveman could do it. It also saves me a ton of money! Gardening brings your food to your backdoor. How much more local can you get? Ok, I'm starting to understand now that it is up to me to teach myself these "basics".

Now, I am systematically going through my house and looking at each task/product in a new light. Could I make that easily? What's in that product? How could I use that item again or differently? Is it cheaper to repurpose or produce it at home?




Making some bread the other night my husband came into the kitchen with his plate and said, and I quote, "May, I have some more of your delicious warm homemade bread?" Looking beyond the sarcasm- he really did want more & he told me it was better than the store. If you know him that is a small step for me, but a HUGE leap for greenkind! :)

Being green and being frugal almost always go hand in hand. As does questioning and learning & maybe even unlearning some ways of living.

Relaxing Valentine's Gift

This is a simple anytime gift found here. I am giving it as a "Thank you"/Valentine's gift to the adults that are coming to my daughter's birthday party in February.

The bottles are from Michael's for $1.00 or free from the pantry! I already had the lavendar essential oil, found at any health food store. The sea salt I bought at Walmart for $2.08. And the print outs are free from the website.

Happy Relaxing Valentine's Day to All!