Three strategies for a greener, simpler, happier holiday

Revisiting a bustling mall makes me think about the environmental impact of holiday shopping but it also makes me think about human resources that are eaten up by excessive shopping. (And I say “excessive” because I am in no way an extremist, as you all know.) On this blog, a message I hear repeatedly from my readers is how important friends, families and pets are to our happiness and well-being.  Spending time with the people we care about is obviously a crucial component to our happiness and, without a doubt, the best frugal luxury there is.  In a busy world, time with others, and time alone, has become a valuable commodity. Wouldn’t it make more sense to spend less time shopping and more time just being?

In Amber’s post, she asks, “What green holiday traditions are you adopting?” Well, I have a few strategies to reduce environmental and financial costs, and make the holidays more meaningful and special to me:

1. Doin’ it DIY. I love making homemade gifts and homemade cards. There is nothing quite like crafting something that is tailor-made and perfectly suited to the recipient.  Seeing them actually use or consume the gift offers a particular thrill.

*homemade treats*

2. Innovative Packaging. Gifts become instantly more environmentally friendly when you package them yourself, especially when you use what you’ve already got around the house - think reusable glass mason jars, wire or wicker baskets, vintage tins, or - my favourite - “repurposed junk”. (Remember the tea box I made? You can find a tutorial I wrote on how to do it at Organizing Junkie.)

*once a tea box, now a gift box*

2. Thrift. I must admit, I owe a lot to Shopping GoLightly at The Thrifty Chicks.  This woman has opened my eyes to a whole new world.  And although I know that I’m preaching to the converted, I must just reiterate that thrift stores are not just full of fondue sets, massaging foot baths and harlequin romance novels.  You can find great vintage pieces for collectors, one-of-a-kind items and plenty of brand spanking new in-the-box items, sometimes with the tags still on.  You get to decide whether your favourite part of thrifting is that it is environmentally friendly, saving you gobs of money, supporting local charities, or providing you with the thrill of the hunt.

*a vintage find for my table - pretty, embroidered napkins*

Shopping GoLightly also reminds us that to be known and understood is the true gift - in this post, Ms. GoLightly responds to a comment I made on her blog, and reminds me (and all of us) that a gift, whether homemade, thrifted, or bought retail, means the most when it is meant to enhance a person’s authentic self:

The act of taking time to truly listen to me, observe me and truly know me is, in essence the gift, not necessarily the object. That’s the part that sets tears in my eyes. To feel, in this wide world, there is someone who has taken the time to truly know me and wants me to continue on as myself and not be swayed.

*life in the beach, last December; expectations for a different kind of year ahead*

Dried flowers: a frugal, forgotten fall craft

I bought these flowers (shown above in my James Sadler vase)  from some mennonites at the St. Jacob’s farmer’s market at the beginning of the month. They were $4 for the bunch, which I thought was quite reasonable.  I only kept them in water for a few days, because my main goal was to dry them and I needed them to be in excellent condition.

I’ve never dried flowers before, but I think it’s one of those old country crafts that is really sweet.  Here’s how to do it (it’s easy!)

Lay the flowers out on newspaper and arrange them in bunches.  Next, take string or twine - I had neither and used ribbons made out of fabric instead - and tie around the end of the stems.  Make sure to tie it tight enough so that the flowers are held together, but loose enough that the flowers are not tightly pressed up against each other.  

Hang them in a warm, dry place for 30 days. I tied mine to the racks in my pantry and it worked perfectly!

After 30 days, remove them from the pantry and take all the ribbons off.  You can rub the stems to make any excess leaves fall off.

They still look vibrant and beautiful in the vase - and now they will last for a long time! (That is, as long as I can keep Butternut from attacking these crumply, rustly, crunchy items which awaken a hunting instinct in cats!) 

I also put some of the flowers in a milk glass vase in the living room, a few others in rustic looking tin box in the bedroom, and I saved a few other loose pieces for crafts. I actually have no idea what I would use them for, but I know that I will think of something. 

Now that fall is fast approaching, beautiful fall wildflowers are out in full force.  I think I might spend some time this weekend picking some for drying.

Do you dry flowers? Anyone know any crafts that involve dried flowers?

The Cereal Box Organizer

I know many of you must be wondering where Saver Queen went! I didn’t intend to go so long without blogging, but this summer has been a busy one! As a result I have a huge stack of blog posts written in my head, full of interesting crafts, recipes and frugal and fun activities.  So I thought I’d start by sharing a little frugal craft I tried a while ago, courtesy of Martha Stewart and her post on the “cereal box organizer”.

Her site contains clear directions, so feel free to head over there if you need a better tutorial.  But the idea is pretty simple.  You take an empty cereal box (the jumbo size works best for magazines!) and cut it diagonally across the top so that it fits your magazines or papers. Cover with scrapbook paper, contact paper, wrapping paper, or make a collage like the one I made here with the tea box. Trim and secure using double sided glue or a glue stick.

After making these, the idea of actually paying money for those flimsy magazine holders seems ludicrous.  The cereal boxes are actually strong enough to hold even the heaviest of magazines, such as my collection of Real Simple and Martha Stewart Living magazines shown here. 

I love finding new ways that repurpose junk.  Environmentally sound, frugal crafts that actually help you to organize your home while adding charm and aesthetic appeal are really the best!

What junk have you repurposed lately?

Coping

I know you are all probably wondering where Saver Queen has been lately.  I think this is the first time that I’ve actually missed more than an entire week.  I just wanted to let everyone know that I have been having some personal difficulties lately, which have prevented me from blogging. I will update you later and will certainly be back blogging in the near future.  If anyone is interested in supplying me with a guest post on a frugal topic of your choice, please let me know.

In the meantime, seek out frugal luxuries wherever possible, and stay as mindful and present to the abundance at your doorstep as you can.  I recently enjoyed a yoga and meditation retreat. Afterwards, a friend of mine shared a story, recalling time spent in a park with her siblings as a child.  Their family owned very little, but a little picnic in the park was all she needed to feel free and filled with joy. I hope that all my readers can find joy in the simple beauty that surrounds us.  I will try to take my own advice, too.

I will be back to share more as soon as I can. Thanks for your understanding, and for your support.

The joys of an empty box of salt

What can you do with an empty box of salt? 

As it turns out… a lot!

I made this craft with an empty box of kosher salt.  Normally I would throw it away, but as you know, these days I am trying to repurpose junk to create a more organized home. I love giving a new purpose to stuff that would normally end up in my recycling bin.  It’s frugal, fun, and environmentally friendly!

Here’s how I did it:

First, I cut the top off in a diagonal direction.

Then I cut out pictures of Archie comics* and followed the same set of instructions that I provided in my guest post at I’m an Organizing Junkie on repurposing a tea box.  

Note: If you don’t want to destroy your old comic books, use comic strips from the newspaper.  I simply cut out the “gag bags” or other one-page stories that had advertisements on the back.  That way I didn’t ruin the entire comic.

I pasted the comics on to the box and then covered it with mac-tack, trimming and folding the edges carefully.

This little box was the perfect size and shape for the comic digests! And the box fits neatly onto a shelf. 

Believe it or not, I didn’t stop there. When you are cutting off the top of the box, save the spout! I taped it on to my box of baking soda to make it easier to pour. This spout will help me to measure out the exact amount of baking soda I actually need, instead of spilling it everywhere, so I will waste less.

With a little creativity, we can turn junk into really fun, attractive, useful items around the house. 

Have you repurposed anything lately?

*So now I have revealed that I am a Star Trek nerd, I might as well admit that I am a comic book geek too. *Sigh* What else will this blog reveal about me?  I haven’t even gotten started on my secret love for medieval themed board games.

Card making, the fun & affordable way

Lately I’ve been getting crafty and making my own cards.   For example, I made a wedding card for a good friend of mine:

I also made a card for my Dad, who recently completed the Boston marathon with an astonishing time of 3:44:18.

The benefits of homemade cards are many.  For example, you can:

Add a personal touch that store-bought cards lack

Make cards for unique events (such as running the Boston marathon)

Reduce waste by using paper, envelopes and other materials you have around your home

Save money on store bought cards

The last two are dependent upon one major point: that you don’t spend excess dollars on expensive scrapbooking supplies.  Mind you, if you enjoy creating really professional cards, scrapbooking supplies may be worth the investment.  But it depends on where your passions lie.  There is nothing wrong with using your imagination to find things around the house that can be re-purposed into scrapbooking or card-making supplies.

Look for coloured paper or thin pieces of cardboard in place of cardstock (I’m wondering, for example, if a cereal box or even kleenex box might work.) Cut out letters or pretty pictures from old magazines at no cost. Certain women’s magazines can yield really beautiful pictures - Martha Stewart Living is a prime example. If you don’t subscribe to any magazines, you can usually pick up old ones from the library or at garage sales for next to nothing.  (For an example, see the magazine cut-outs in my Dad’s card pictured above.)

Save little trinkets that you can glue on. The flower attached to the wedding card fell off of a barrette.  I actually saved it for literally years before I identified a use for it.  Other decorative items might include ribbon (the tiny bit of ribbon you see in the wedding card came off a fancy bottle of body lotion) or stray buttons.

Obviously some of the items I used were store-bought materials, although most of them were gifts or hand-me-downs, which I had been storing for a couple of years now.  While you may want to invest in a few simple items, aim to go for affordable, multi-purpose items, rather than expensive, single use ones, and supplement with crafts from home.

Do you make your own cards? Do you use items from your own home? Do you have any suggestions on how to find affordable card-making supplies?

Spicing things up

On Friday, I received a nice surprise: a big box of spices showed up at my door from The Spice House.  Well, it wasn’t a total surprise.  Josh and I ordered a great big bunch of spices there earlier this week.  As you may or may not know, you can order fine quality spices online at affordable prices.  The Spice House is Alton Brown’s store of choice, which is why we decided to give it a try.  The shipping was expensive - almost $30 US - so I’m not convinced that it is the most frugal option ever, but I was certainly impressed with the quality of the spices.  I decided that since I am cooking more and more at home, I should enjoy the flavour of real spices, not the tasteless, stale and pre-ground kind you find at the grocery store. 

Now that I have my spices I need to figure out how to make a frugal spice rack.  One option is to make an Alton Brown style spice rack by attaching velcro to the spice jars and to the inside of a cupboard.  Or I suppose I could display my beautiful spices in cute jars.  Any suggestions of where to find affordable spice jars or spice racks? Or perhaps you have a good idea about how to build your own spice rack?  Please share!

Today I’m at orgjunkie.com!

Today you can find me at a great blog called I’m an Organizing Junkie. Laura is a self-proclaimed organizing junkie who is addicted to organizing - her readers are better for it, because Laura shares her best tips on how to stay organized.  Check out my post on how to re-purpose a tea-box for home organization and read my tutorial on how to turn an empty tea-box and cut-up magazines into a pretty box for storage or gifts!

Also, I apologize for the lack of posts lately - I’ve been suffering from a terrible case of the flu and I’m still recovering.  I promise to be back posting again soon, answering my comments and emails!  Thanks!

Why I don’t want roses for Valentines Day

Well, okay.  It’s not as if I would be unhappy if my man walked in the door with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  So maybe I should rephrase this post to “why I don’t expect, need, or demand roses for Valentines Day.”

Part of my apathy towards roses is, of course, the fact that the prices skyrocket on Valentines day.  But there are a host of other reasons why we should avoid them.

1. They are unoriginal.  If it’s the thought that counts, roses are one of the least thoughtful gifts you can get.  Why not use your creativity to buy or make a more meaningful gift?

2. They say nothing about you, your personal taste, who you are, or the nature of the relationship.  Instead, I suggest you find something special for your sweetheart that has more sentimental value, recognizing how you’ve grown as a couple or why you love him or her so much.

3. They are fleeting.  Roses do not last very long.  Perhaps that’s part of their charm - you have to take in their beauty before they disappear.  But consider something longer lasting - and by that I don’t mean a houseplant - I mean something memorable.  Perhaps splurge on an activity or getaway that will give you happy memories for years to come.

Case in point. Last weekend, my partner and I went snow tubing at a nearby ski and tubing resort.  We paid $36 in total and that gave us each two hours of utter childlike fun.  On a bright, sunny, wintry day, we flew down the hills together laughing our heads off.  A dozen roses on Valentines Day could cost you double that, but would not provide any of the laughter, shared memories, and sense of freedom or adventure that we enjoyed from our saturday afternoon outing.  

According to Canadian Living magazine, roses and other cut flowers cut say, “I threw caution to the wind. I did not do the sensible thing today. I send you these because today, I am thinking with my heart, not with my head.”  But there so many other ways to throw caution to the wind - many more original, exciting ways, in fact, that cost a lot less.

Moreover, splurging without the consent of your partner can either be delightful, or stressful.  If your family is struggling financially right now, having your partner spend so much money on something frivolous may cause more tension than joy.

For frugal Valentines (or anti-Valentines) craft ideas, check out Crafster - I love some of their ideas!

I am currently collecting ideas for a new post on fun, free things to do on Valentines Day.  If you have a suggestion, please email me at saverqueen - at - gmail - dot - com, or tweet me: @saverqueen.  If you are a blogger, I will link back to your blog.  Thanks!

Do you want to receive roses on Valentines day?

* Image courtesy of Canadian Living

Free materials for artists & students

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Frugal can be beautiful.
I love oil painting, especially experimenting with textures. Most recently I have employed the aid of layering tissue paper on the canvas. I also layer in feathers and sparkles for texture, and I love using palate knives, coarse hair brushes and other non-traditional methods of slathering paint onto the canvas.

So recently, I was intrigued when my Mom told me about a website called Artist Terms that provides ideas on how to create paintings around texture, using items such as bubble wrap, elastics, even sesame seeds.  After I took a look, I couldn’t stop noticing all the crafty materials I had in my own apartment that would be perfect for painting.  I thought I would take a few pics to share my ideas with you, (as shown in the slideshow above) and the results turned out to be somewhat artistic in their own right; the materials became beautiful before they even made it to the canvas! (If you want to know what each item is, just click on the picture to see the title.)

Right now, there is quite a mess in our soon-to-be office.  The cardboard, packing paper, styrofoam and styrofoam paper strewn about looks like a disaster as a whole, but close up, each becomes a work of art.  The other items you see are from my craft cupboard, such as the sea shells I purchased from the dollar store, and the tiny bag they came in.  

There are two lessons in my photographic discoveries.  First, if you are an artist, a student, or someone who just feels like being creative, you need not frequent an expensive arts & crafts store for your supplies.  Just look in your kitchen.  I discovered netting that held oranges, avocados, clementines, and garlic.  Peek in your tool box or garage for old brushes, sponges or other materials you can recycle. Secondly, take the time to appreciate the beauty in the world around you - something as ugly as cardboard can provide pleasure to the eyes when given the right attention.