Reuse before you #Recycle Hacks

Spring is another time when many folks hit the Reset button. There's the rebirth of green stuff (no, not money), nature brings new life and animal babies (so cute!), and Lent gives some people the opportunity to give up a vice. It's kind of like New Year's 2.0.

I know there's a great debate about going green, which I will stay out of, but I love finding cool, crafty ways to save money and create stuff. And if it helps save a little of the planet, all the better! This "Blossom" video caught my attention:



Now, I'm here to tell you about a few fails, but also a fun win in my own video...

First, the fails...

So far, the bread fell apart when I tried to clean with it, but I was probably doing it wrong...

The grapefruit cleaning idea is probably better if you use a grapefruit, but I don't like grapefruit, so I used an orange. It worked better than expected, but also fell apart...



The win! Avocados really do make pink. Not as bright as the above, unless you use a ton more avocados and maybe a better process, but... check out how my shirt turned out!

Trying new things is a fun adventure. And getting the most out of items before throwing them away is a win-win!

Quick Tips and Ideas

This week was a busy one. College is out for the summer, so all of my boys are home. I also have two graduating this spring--one from high school and one from college. Between party planning and trying to absorb all the boxes and crates moving back home for the summer entails, I've been scattered.

So, for this week, I'm sharing a few quick tips and ideas. Whenever I see something useful or interesting, I usually write it down or snap a picture of it to share here. Let's crack open that idea vault and see what's there!

Tip #1

I have a decorative can in my bathroom that I put hand bands, etc. in. It's getting older, but it has sentimental value, so I'm not inclined to part with it. The problem was it kept leaving rust rings on the back of my toilet where it sat. 

Time to bleach the rust ring again!

The solution? Paint the bottom of the can with nail polish. Usually, I'd use clear polish, but I didn't have any, so I used pink. Left the can upside down until it dried-- problem solved!

No more rust marks!

Idea #1

I saw this idea at a craft store and I loved it. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm seeing all sorts of easy possibilities. You could use almost any shape. Just search for clip art silhouettes on the internet, like HERE. Pick a picture, attach it to your jar or vase or plate...really there are so many options...and then paint. Remove the printed art and you've made a cute craft!

I'm imagining some pretty flowers for summer time!

Idea #2

I LOVE this idea. My niece did these with her little girl. I am so bummed that I never thought to do something like this with my own kids. These are her child's feet, captured for a lifetime, in simply the cutest way.

Baby's feet and hands as art. I love it!

Tip #2

I saw this on Facebook and had to laugh. Personally, I can over-prime completely sober. I love online shopping! I even bought my dog food online last week. I bought it from Wal Mart and went through Ebates first, so not only did I get cash back from Ebates, I didn't have to carry the 50 pounds of dog food up my steps! I'm sure my mail carrier hates me.

Be sure to go to Ebates before shopping online!
No sense passing up cash back on purchases and if there are
online coupons and discounts, Ebates usually has them listed too.

Salt of the Earth

Did you know the word for salary came from the word for salt? Salt was so valuable in ancient Rome that it was used as currency. Today, it's a pretty cheap staple that can be used for more than just a topping for fries. 

Here are some tips I've heard, but haven't tried out myself-- yet.

~Pour salt on a wine stain for easy clean up. (Thanks for the tip, Jo!)
~Clean silk flowers by tossing them and a quarter cup of salt in a plastic bag and shake gently.
~Reduce frost on windshields and windows by wiping down with a salt water solution.
~Clean your fish tank with salt (non-iodized). Pour a little on a sponge to wipe down the inside.
~Soak enamel and ceramics in salt water to get rid of stains.
~Clean an electric coffee maker by running through a pot of water with a few tablespoons of salt to clean away the grime and freshen up the flavor.
~Pre-treat stains while out with some salt on the table.
~Soak pit stains in hot salty water to get rid of the yellow stains.

Here are a few salt tricks I have tried and love. 

~Salt is a great deodorizer. Hands smell like onions after cooking? Pour some salt on your hands and then wash them.
~Soak drinking bottles in salt water overnight to get rid of funky smells.
~Use a salt water solution to kill weeds.
~For nearly impossible to clean items, pour salt, ice, and a bit of water in the container then shake or stir to clean it out.

My dirty coffee/tea carafe.
The tiny neck makes it impossible to scrub.
Pour salt, ice, and a little bit of water in the bottom and swirl. 

Rinse and it's clean.

~During the last snow storm, I went to Wal Mart to get salt for my front steps and accidentally got water softener salt instead of rock salt. Best mistake ever! At first, my husband was skeptical. They are huge pellets- sort of like throwing gravel on your walks. They are slow dissolving, so they stayed on the sidewalks for two days of snow and kept  clear of snow and ice.

Water softener pellets. My new favorite snow removing tool. 

Who knew that salt was even funny?