Tip for Driver's License

Hi everyone! I have a super-super-easy but genius tip for you. A sales clerk taught me this a few years back and I can't even tell you how many times since, I've received compliments on it.  You know how when clerks (or police or bartenders for some of you) ask to see your driver's license and you go to get it out of your wallet, you never can quite grasp it especially when there's a long line of people waiting on you, because it's under that thick clear plastic thing? Solution coming. Ready? Get out your notepad and pay attention now. This is pretty heavy.You'll need your driver's license and tape. I use packing tape, the kind with the string in it. You can use scotch tape but just know it will get brittle as it ages and eventually you'll have to redo it and then you'll have gummy stuff on your license and who needs that?

Tear a piece of tape about 2".  Stick about 1/4" of the tape onto one short edge of your license on the back side. Fold the tape in half at 1" and bring it back upon itself and stick the other end of the tape onto the front of your license (about 1/4"). When choosing right or left short edge of your license, if you can plan ahead and think how your wallet opens to show your license right side up for clerks when you're not required to remove it BUT leave our handle out, all the better. The exact measurements aren't important, just the idea.  Leave enough tape on your license to get a good grasp but not enough to obstruct any information. The police are kinda' funny about that. You know what else they're funny about? When they stop you  and you can't figure out how to roll down the power windows and you keep locking the doors and rolling down all the other windows but yours because its night and you're flustered, then you start laughing behind your window. Oh wait. They're NOT funny about that. Good way to make sure they're gonna' have to go ahead and give you the ticket rather than the warning.

Craft Room Makeover

My brother is turning 50 next week. I bought his card yesterday (Shhh. He hasn't seen it yet.) that said "Turning 50? Look on the bright side...Bright side?!! There's no bright side! There's a bright light, but you're going to want to stay away from that." Hahahahhahahaha. I'm still laughing but I'll spare you more hahas. Cracks me up. He's going to love it. But why do I tell you that story you're asking yourself?  Well, about 18 months ago I got laid off from a job I loved. It really threw me for a loop. I couldn't imagine what I was going to do with myself or my time. I had a hard time even getting out of bed not to mention committing to anything. It hurt my pride, I had never been let go from anything, well if you don't count the A&W manager who sent me home after a half day and said I clearly wasn't getting it. No, HE wasn't getting it. Somehow he overlooked my great restaurant-ing skills. So anyway... fast forward, I gave up my primo office space upstairs to my husband and took over the larger but freezing office in the garden-level basement. My friend Lisa talked me into it (and of course it was the right thing to do anyway) pointing out that I could make it a joint craft room/office. What's that she said?!! Craft room? I've never dreamed of having a craft room. So I hopped on that train and set about making one for as little as possible. Now that I wasn't working, funds are quite a bit tighter. Good thing I shop the thrift, huh? Let me show you what I did.

The basis for the room was this Craigs List cabinet score ($25). My husband wasn't too sure about it but it has worked out perfectly! It has loads of storage for my paint, tools, adhesives, paper, etc. I labeled the drawers and glued a tape measure along the front edge for quick measurements. Side story, same brother called me while I was glueing the tape measure on and said "whatcha' doing?" I paused and said "Ugh, I don't want to tell you." He dragged it out of me "I'm glueing a tape measure on my cabinet."  For about 30 seconds, I think he thought I'd gone around the bend...again. But we had a good laugh. The tape measure was one of my sweet mother-in-law's and that makes me smile each time I see it. I did have a tv on top of the cabinet but I freecycled it. I found that I get in the crafting zone and never turn it on.

Bow Hanger

Our Rapunzel has so many barrettes and bows, she was swimming in them. Frugal daughter and I saw an adorable hanger in a kids boutique but the cost ($36) was shocking for this do-it-yourselfer.  This project was easy and so much fun to make. First get your husband to cut you a 15" x 6"-ish pine board or if your husband is like mine and is on his own timetable, purchase one at any of the craft stores. No offense honey, and no we don't have to have the talk again about how the j.o.b. is more important than my handicrafts. Got it.

The board can be any shape you wish. While you're at the store, choose a couple sheets of scrapbook paper that will act as the background, paint for the edges, 3 yds of 1/2" ribbon and 2-3 packs of 3D stickers. I love the K&Company stickers.

Sparkle Jewelry Hanger

So many creative posts out there for hanging our jewelry but we needed something durable and accessible for my 4 yr old precious granddaughter. Hannah has tons of necklaces and bracelets that she wears on a daily basis but were getting tangled in a box, waiting on a better solution. Frugal daughter and I were shopping the thrift when I spotted a countertop 70’s fingertip tip towel holder. The price was right ($2.99) and I knew I could make this work for what she needs.

Some Heirloom White solved the brass problem. I needed to put something on the back of the arms to keep the jewelry from congregating in the middle. I tried washers but they snapped when I snipped the radius and bent them even just a little to get over an arm. I ended up cutting 4 circles from a sheet of purple foam (.99) then hole punched a smaller circle in the middle of each.

Another Pantry Makeover and a little sumpin' sumpin'

When I was laying this crazy blog idea on my best friend Cathy, she offered to let me organize her pantry. I know...do I have awesome friends or what?!! But mind you, I have never in 15 years seen her house anything but spotless so I doubted whether I had anything to offer her. Her husband is a master craftsmen and built their dream house a couple years ago. She has a beautiful and good size pantry.  I took a peek into her pantry and saw a couple things I would do differently but thought we’d be done in an hour or two at most.  I shopped the thrift for baskets and glass jars and found tons of good stuff for under $20 (my personal goal). Sorry, I wish I had taken a picture of all that I bought.

Before:

On pantry day, Cathy gave me free rein to do whatever I wanted in there. I do have a bossy gene but its nerve wracking trying to forget that you care about this person and don't want to mess up her system too.  Finally I got into my groove. No kidding, I can lose myself organizing. I’ve been known to sort my husband’s little screw chest just because.  

What I did:

• moved all smaller appliances together to one side which delegated two sides for food.
• put appliances she rarely uses up higher and the ones she uses all the time at eye-level.
• put all like small ingredients in baskets (drink mixes, pasta, snacks) and labeled them with cute chalkboard signs I'd made earlier.

Sidebar please. Cathy is keeping me company while I’m doing my thing and we’re talking drink recipes (nothing new there)  Cathy drops a bombshell on me by telling me about this new Whipped Cream Vodka! Wha…aaatt?!!! I thought I must have heard her wrong. Two of my favorite things; whipped cream+vodka?! I immediately wished I had invented it. She just happened to have some and poured me a small glass. I asked if she had some root beer which she did.  By time she got it and got back to my glass, it was almost empty. Oops. I kid you not…my lips felt all smooth and whipped creamy for a long time. Cathy said I shouldn’t have drank it so fast but I wasn’t complaining. You have got to try this vodka. This stuff could make an alcoholic out of me.