Waste Not! Want Not!

I always save empty glass cosmetic jars for buttons and small notions in my sewing room. I was amazed that I could almost completely fill this one with the unreachable product in the bottom of my lotion bottle. I used a box cutter this time to cut the bottle and it worked perfectly. I have to say I was really amazed there was this much lotion left. I usually drain the almost empty bottle upside down on top of a full bottle. Most people just give up and look how much they are throwing away😱. Yes, it's shocking.

I finished my taxes and it feels good. I have caught up on my sleep after Daylight Saving Time went into effect on Sunday. I am doing a little Spring Cleaning each day and the weather has been very nice! See you again soon. xo

Hunt Board & Art Wall in My Kitchen's Nook under Attic Stairs

I am standing in front of the door that opens into my kitchen off the vestibule. The Dutch door for my office/pantry is behind me. You can see a corner of my farm table in lower right corner. The shiny thing on right is my refrigerator. This little nook is another favorite area in my cottage that evolved over the years. The sideboard was my mother's and was in her apartment downstairs until she died in 2012. We bought it together at an estate sale in Madison,NJ. We toured the sale, I bought a few things, and when we got in the car I asked her if she wanted the sideboard for her room with the sliding glass door and she immediately said YES. We rushed back and bought it ($100.00) just in the nick of time before another person said she wanted it but we were already in negotiations and had paid!!!!!! My mother used it in her sitting room and loved it. I love it too! It's just the right scale for this nook with a low ceiling. The back wall is clad in old wood that was attic flooring salvaged when the roof of my kitchen was raised during the renovation. The lamps with blue silk shades came from a local estate sale. 

I have been gathering things all week for a Girl Scout Textile Drive at a nearby elementary school. I cleaned out stored linens and blankets and used clothing. The girls were young and very enthusiastic about the volume I collected. They were going to sort for the homeless and donate the rest for textile bundling to be picked up and made into rag rugs. I hope they do this again next year. Such a worthy cause and so easy to drop off. This is my favorite kind of recycling and donating.

Have a great weekend. xo

Shredding Marathon in my Attic Office

This animated live photo is set on LOOP. I filled up one bag last week and am working on a second one. Let me know if you find this annoying. It wasn't very effective on the BOUNCE setting.

I am taking this bag to our DIY recycling center in case we get snow tomorrow. I got this blue denim bag ages ago and it's perfect for shredding. I have rigged up my shredder on its side so it feeds directly into this container via a paper shoot. I do this every year in January. As you can see, I am not paperless yet. I still like a paper version of my bills, even if I have to print them myself. Have a great Tuesday. xo

Latest Free Find for My Lower Level TV

I am still rearranging as I find new items to decorate my lower level! I found this small chest upside down at the recycling center after a night of rain recently. I thought the brasses on the drawer fronts were nice so I put it in the trunk of my car. The top was covered with all sorts of paint spots as if the previous owner had used it for as a painter's easel. I really wasn't planning to use it as a piece of furniture, I just wanted the brasses. BUT when I got it home, I realized it was the perfect size and height for the small TV I had in the attic and seldom used. After I touched up all the nicks and scratches with a small brush dipped in Old English Furniture Polish. After wiping off the excess, I put a small rug on top to hide the paint blobs, and it was transformed. It isn't old and many of the parts are made of "pressed wood" but it's perfect for all the other things down there that are either garage sale finds or curbside finds and it's the correct scale too. My mother sold all of her furniture when she sold her condo in Charlotte and came to live with me in 2001. We had such fun finding her new furnishings and now I am enjoying adding and rearranging down there. I never look for the things I bring home, they somehow find ME.

 

Have a great weekend and don't forget to set your clocks BACK an hour before you go to bed tonight. xo

 

45 Zero Waste Hacks to Delight You

Are you hooked yet? 

I adore both of these, 

especially the Injure Bread Men! 

Here is the link to see 43 more things people out there are doing to recycle castoffs into upcycled things with a second life. 

Article found on Bored Panda 

Enjoy, and you're welcome. 

Waste not, Want not.

xo

My DIY Compost Bin

I have had recycling kitchen scraps on my mind for a very long time and a week ago I ordered a countertop bin and I love it. I have tried other methods with an old copper cannister and coffee cans but they were harder to use when chopping veggies and wanting to dispose of the waste and stuff got slimy and stinky before it was time to empty. This little item I bought lives on top of my double bin step-on garbage on top of the side I seldom use. I can open it even if my hands are full and the lid opens and closes with a one-finger touch. There was no odor after 5 days of refuse I dumped in my compost bin yesterday. It is the perfect size for me and I hunted down every single kitchen scrap that passed me by. I filled it almost to the brim in 5 days while I scoured the internet for the perfect DIY to make from a plastic storage bin. I already have two large old bins that were empty and waiting and more filled with junk in the loft over my garage. The one I used is old enough to be marked Made in USA rather than China. I would have looked for a black one if I were purchasing new but this is a win win way to recycle the bin I already owned.

I drilled holes on all sides and on the bottom for air flow and drainage.

I searched so many DIY sites and decided on this size holes because I felt some of the other sites used holes much too large. I have brick-sized blocks on the bottom to keep slime from forming. As I mentioned before, there are random holes drilled all over the bottom too. I put a metal tray with sides to catch the overflow after a rain. I bought it years ago from a lady who used it for pizza but it was too big for my oven or under my sink. I am finding uses for all my junk this year. I put my bin outside my basement door in the shade. If I had put it in a sunny location, it would have dried out too quickly.

I followed this funny lady's suggestions except for the size of the holes. Her little dog made me laugh. There were many, many other DIY sites that used holes the size of mine. I have a plug-in drill and it worked perfectly. The tub was much harder to drill than I expected and I was glad I had the power of an electric drill. I honestly didn't even know I had it until I discovered it last week in my garage while I was organizing there.

Here is my original Google Search for DIY Compost Bins. The first one that caught my eye had big holes drilled in the lid and bottom only. I opted for the holes all over approach. I can't wait to open it to see what is happening inside but will wait until my little kitchen bin is full before I do. Then I will stir things up before adding my second batch of stuff that is appropriate. Here is a pictorial link for the things I can  and cannot use. I was surprised to see dryer lint and hair or fur are allowed. Now I can clean out my hairbrushes too and leave some of my DNA in my finished compost. 

Little bin atop my step-in garbage. It comes in white too which I would get white if I wanted it to live on my kitchen counter. The gray one is perfect here and within easy reach when I want it on the counter.

My first layer in my newly-drilled bin was dried leaves. My second layer was dirt. My third layer was my first load of kitchen scraps that I covered with fresh grass. I am new at this and will keep you posted. xo

Return Home for Updates & New Posts

New Look Under My Pantry Window

I did a slight rearrange in my pantry yesterday and got so much more surface space. I put this old blue shutter on top of the bucket bench that houses my microwave, my stand mixer, Instant Pot, Panini Press, and so many more kitchen related items. It extends almost to the doorway and over the wooden counter where my platters live. It makes my pantry much more efficient and I like it for now. This window overlooks my red barn/garage and I overwinter my large Rosemary plant in this spot. I arranged my cookbooks, my plastic bag storage and it took forever. I have a huge bag of paper egg cartons to drop off and recycle at a local farm that sell farm-fresh eggs at the top of their driveway. They will be thrilled. 

Antique Wirework Find

My Valentine to myself. Yesterday's find at an estate sale is so exciting. I love this piece of wirework and will have fun finding things to display in the baskets. Fruit for now. I used the portrait mode on my iPhone for this photo. Have a great weekend.

#BringBirds Back - 7 Simple Actions

3BillionBirds.Org

Doing even one of these things would be a wonderful Christmas present for the birds. Read more here.

Injured Sea Creatures in Doctor's Waiting Room

Look what ocean pollution is doing to all the sea creatures. Please recycle your plastic!
A RECYCLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY.
YouTube link here.

“Marine life in plastic is not fantastic.”

Greta Thunberg is my hero. Read all about her global warming campaign here. How one teenager became the voice of the planet. #FridaysForFuture

Greta was on the cover of Time Magazine. Don't you love her shoes? She posted this photo on her Instagram.

Plastic Change: Poseidon attacks litterbug

This is the best thing I've seen lately. Don't litter because you never know who's watching! If you cannot see this post, here is the YouTube link
Have a great weekend! xo

DIY Twine Holder from Wooden Hanger

I am definitely going to make one of these today. Isn't this an absolutely brilliant idea? I have a closet full of vintage wooden hangers and a basket full of twine. Put them together and what have I got? A gorgeous twine holder that will cost me nothing. Found on Pinterest.

DIY Stuffed Cats + Pattern Made from Old Sweaters

These cashmere cats looks simple to make and you could even add long floppy ears to turn them into rabbits for Easter presents. Directions here.

Lily of the Valley Draperies in My Cottage

I am positive I have blogged about the draperies in my guest room/dressing room but I cannot find it. The doorway of this room is opposite the doorway into my hall bathroom. I don't have a master bath and I never wanted one in my cottage. You can stand in the hallway and look one way and see this room and turn your head and see the window in my bath with the curtains made from the leftover fabric. Now, here is the backstory. Years and years ago, when my mother was still alive, we attended a garage sale in the yard of a fabulous old house. I circled and circled the table piled high with old draperies made from the most beautiful fabric printed with a lily of the valley design. I held them up, showed them to my mom, put them back, and continued looking at all the other items that was for sale. Finally, I decided I had to have them and brought the two pairs of full-length lined window treatments home. I knew I could probably alter them to fit my two windows and I did. This is a more recent photo I posted on Instagram. They are perfect in this room and a wonderful memory of a day with my mother.

I couldn't find any old photos of the way the curtains used to look in my bathroom when they hung straight down. The black rods were like the ones above in my guest room. I did find this photo showing just the hems. I also found this photo showing some paperwhites with the fabric in the background.

Thank you for all of your comments about my car repair and your concern for my predicament while it was inoperable. I am thrilled to have it back in my driveway and today I have to do some major food shopping today and thankful I don't have to go car shopping. xo

Mending Day at My Cottage

Yesterday, I decided to do some mending. One of my favorite percale sheets had a three-cornered tear and had been in my mending basket for way too long.

Here it is before mending. I like percale sheets because they are so nice and cool in the summer.

This is the reverse side after mending. I used a plain zig-zag stitch first and then topped it with another decorative stitch for stability. Then I trimmed away the excess backing material.

This is the side that faces the mattress when the bed is made. I ironed the sheet and changed my bed linens and it was good to have my old sheet back again.

House Plants Outside on Work Table

I found this primitive old work table on the side of the road quite late on the last day of the town's junk days for residents. I have had it for a couple of years or more. The top had some kind of covering and a million rusty nails. I honestly didn't know the front stretcher was in old blue paint too. The paint was what attracted me to it in the first place in a huge pile of discarded items, probably from a barn. Yesterday I removed the composite top and all the rusty nails and scrubbed it down with hot soapy water. I moved some of my house plants outside today and it is starting to get me excited about my balcony again. I washed it down yesterday with a deep cleaning deck wash in a bucket of hot water and swabbed it with a mop. It is looking almost new again in the hot sun this morning. The sun is continuing to bleach the embedded mildew. I shall stop obsessing about it now and maybe concentrate on a little inside cleaning. (Smile)

I adore my roadside finds and feel good about saving this table from the landfill, especially since today is EARTH DAY 2018. Happy Sunday. See you later. xo

Instant Pot Soymilk Yogurt: New Batch

My favorite thing to make in my recently purchased Instant Pot is Organic Plain Unsweetened Soymilk Yogurt. I cannot remember how many batches I've made and I can't tell you how much I love it. It is made using only two brands: Edensoy and Westsoy. Both are made with only two ingredients, filtered water and organic soybeans. No fillers, thickeners, preservatives, or sweeteners. Edensoy is the more expensive and it has 12 grams of protein per cup. Westsoy has 9 grams of protein. There is no difference in taste so I've been using the Westsoy and it comes in an economical carton with 64 ounces. It is not sold in the dairy cooler but is a shelved product. At Whole Foods it is across from the cereals. You don't have to boil it to make yogurt like you do cow's milk. All you do is pour it into the Instant Pot, add 2 tablespoons of your previously made yogurt per 32 ounces. Stir, hit the Yogurt button, adjust the incubation time and come back when it's finished to jar it up. I had to buy a carton of vegan yogurt to start my first batch. All I could find was plain coconut non-dairy yogurt and that worked just fine. I have experimented with incubation times of 14 hours, 12 hours, 10 hours and 8 hours. I liked all of these batches. The longer the "cooking" time, the more sour t(tart) the yogurt. Every morning I have 1/2 cup of Ezekiel Golden Flax Cereal that I buy at ShopRite or almost any supermarket including Whole Foods. Today I had a sliced banana on top and a container of my yogurt on top of everything. This cereal is amazing. You have to buy a box and read all about it or stand in the market and read the box. There are other varieties of this Ezekiel cereal but ShopRite only carries this one and it's right around the corner from my cottage. They make a delicious bread too, good for anyone looking for products containing NO SUGAR. Sometimes I just have it plain with yogurt on top if I am out of fruit. I have used chopped apples too. So good. 

Food for LIfe

The vintage milk glass containers are leftovers from old Salton yogurt makers I have owned. I grew tired of making small batches and having to boil the milk and wait for it to cool, etc. I still have the devices in my garage and I am so glad I saved them so I could use the 6 oz. containers with lids for my current healthy endeavor. I also like not having to throw away/recycle individual yogurt containers so making my own is good for the planet too.

Owl Garden Art from Recycled Objects

Recycled ranch relics - by Ron Smith, USA. The birds like this owl and so do I. Have a great Sunday; it's going to be hot here getting up to 88°.

Old Tools are The Best Tools

I buy all my tools at garage sales and estate sales. They are almost always American made and reasonably priced. Used but not abused! 

via google images

DIY Heating Pad Cozy

I was all set to donate a fair isle pullover sweater vest that I never wear but decided to make a cover for my heating pad instead. It was so easy requiring only two seams, one on the left side and one at the top. I was able to utilize the two finished edges of the garment at the bottom and top right using the underarm banding. I am so happy and can hardly wait to use it. I usually turn it on a few minutes before I jump into bed in the fall and winter. I used the other half for a cozy for my hot water bottle. I have been very busy cleaning out closets and doing general reorganizing. The nesting season will be here soon. xo