We’re heading on into the Christmas season. Next weekend we’ll put up our decorations – we wait until December 1st to do that, no matter how tempting it is to do it earlier. If you’re decorating on a budget, it’s quite simple to look festive with virtually no money. You don’t really need to wait in a lineup to get the latest blow up Santa from the store, although you can if you really want to. But sometimes simple is just as effective and much less expensive. Create paper snowflakes out of white paper, tissue paper, and scrapbook paper and … Continue reading →

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the times that we’re in. I’ve been thinking about ecology and about frugality, and about how challenging economic and ecological times mean that we need to think hard about the skills that we develop. I’ve been considering the skills that are most useful in these times. Here’s what I’ve come up with: a list of the top five skills for frugal times. What would you add or subtract from this list? 1. Growing your own food and medicine This is something that I write about a lot. I love plants, I love being … Continue reading →

Acid etched glass can be beautiful and functional. It can let in natural light, all while assuring privacy. Today’s etching cream is safe to use, making etched glass an idea project for the home. Listed below is everything that you will need for this project, as well as the steps to take. Clean your glass. You need to start with a squeaky clean glass surface before you begin etching. Was the glass throughly, using a glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth. Microfiber is a good choice. Any lint left behind by paper towels or other clothes could affect the outcome. … Continue reading →

If you have kids, then chances are that you also have a seemingly infinite number of craft projects and art work around your home. Take all of those creative canvases and put them to good use by repurposing them into useful and pretty items that you can use around your home or bless others through gifting. It is hard to get rid of the artwork that your kids complete. You feel as though you may be discarding something precious. By finding ways to use kids’ artwork, you eliminate that guilt plus get some pretty nice things as a result. Try … Continue reading →

Do you feel the urge to craft but you don’t have the supplies? Do you want to make a nice gift for someone at the last minute instead of rushing out to the store? Try one of these fun household crafts. Chances are that you already have everything you need at home. An Old Stool To turn an old stool into something special, just get some leftover paint and some upholstery tacks. Paint the stool a fun color, such as robin’s egg blue and then push them or tap them in along the lines of the stool to create a … Continue reading →

Do you find yourself having to replace your paintbrushes often? If so, you might want to read this post. A good quality paintbrush can last for years and years and deliver a superior performance. It is all in how you choose your paintbrush and how you care for it. The actual brush part of a paintbrush is known as the filaments. You want to choose a brush that has filaments that are both flexible and sturdy. Nylon filaments are usually a good choice because they can provide a smooth finish while being easy to clean. Next, choose a handle that … Continue reading →

I keep telling myself that I’ll tackle the bigger projects around the house as soon as I get organized. This means that if I am not careful, I’ll wind up spending most of my time on the little things and never get to those big projects, the ones that would really make a difference in my home. Most of the time, it is actually more effective to tackle something big. The little projects tend to sort themselves out afterward. For example, for years, I tackled bits of the basement in small sections at a time. You know how basements are. … Continue reading →