Recycled Christmas Countdown or if we are going to eat this sugary stuff let's recycle the boxes

My plan is for a weekly post on some recycled and repurposed Christmas gift ideas- things that are easy enough to make fairly quickly, but still look like you put the proper time and thought into them.

Now I know we shouldn't be eating this stuff, but some of us do have a collection of these cereal boxes from overnight guests

(uhuh)

and I especially love the little mini assortment packs.



1. Glue the top flaps open. For stability you want to leave them on rather than rip them off- a glue stick would probably work just fine for this.

2. Using a razor knife or scissors cut a larger package (carnation instant breakfast packaging show here) open and glue the flaps back

3/4. Add little scrapbook doodads to the sides of your boxes- there are tons of variations here, so just use things that you have when possible.

These cereal boxes could also be made into little books and albums in this same way. Large cereal boxes also fit nicely into those plastic crates in your kids' rooms.


Mini Cereal Box Storage Unit (especially great gift when paired with one of the amazing Etsy finds below)


1. Hawaiian Coconut Bowl by Glazed Over
2. Favorite Plaid Shirt Print by LittleBranches
3. Coffee in Color Notecards by ThingsThatAreMade
4. Rice Cereal Upcycled Journal by IvyLaneDesigns.
5. Vintage Recycled Quilt Coasters by RikRak
6. ID Bracelet by Spoonerz
7. Fork Shirt by Xenotees

It's Whining Wednesday

So ... before I abandon another 'series' of posts after just one post

(and because this series is just so easy to write)

I think I should whine another Wednesday.

1st whine- Hubby got sick and blew off both our Halloween invites. He made an amazing recovery the very next day and I think his "24 hour (ie collapse on the bed and shiver) flu"

had more to do with his total lack of pop culture references and insistence that he has never heard of Kanye West or Taylor Swift and that I could be making the whole thing up so I would get to wobble around in heels and carry a soccer trophy

(well, that did sound like fun)

2nd whine - I hate this whole daylight savings time thing. I do like getting up in the morning when it is light out, although it has been pretty much cloudy here for a month so the only light is the compact fluorescents in the bathrooms

(btw- if you have one of those bathroom mirrors surrounded by light bulbs and you only screw in every other bulb you will have yourself some very flattering lighting and in fact will never need any anti-aging cream because you will have an anti-aging mirror, at least in my opinion- every couple years you can just unscrew another bulb)

I hate that it is dark out so early at night now ... and cold ... I hate that it is dark and cold so early. Because to me dark and cold means the day is over - grab a blanket, hunker down.

(and yes, I have been known to take down the phone number for the Snuggie ... every time it is on)

I don't get much done at night now and I really just want to drink hot liquids and read my library books. So, because my day ends earlier it needs to start earlier so I can squeeze everything in which means I have to get up at 5 and that means I am getting up in the dark ... again.

Final whine- I love Williams Sonoma - I don't always buy anything there, but I like to make some pre-holiday visits and see what kind of goodies they are cooking up with their mixes and sauces and dips and such.

But this little guy has made me question their product designers.

I mean, they were considerate enough not to add a face that you would have to smash down on a hot casserole dish, but I'm wondering if they actually put one of these to use before the big roll out-

(or is my mind the only one going to these places)

to actually use Mr. Gingerbread Man (and I am assuming a male here because the alternative would be even more upsetting to me) you need to seriously violate his no-no place.

The bad news is that I burnt the cookies. The good news is that his prostate is just fine.

GIVEAWAY 3squares AMAZING Champagne - Sterling Silver and Copper NECKLACE CLOSED

And the winner is THE BLUNT FAMILY (chosen by random.org) True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 588
Result:
575

My favorite piece of jewelry (an amazing moo card holder necklace) was created by the gifted metalworker Jean Cameron of 3squares.

Jean is a mostly self-taught metalsmith whose work is crafted from a mixture of metals with a variety of finishes. Her eclectic creations are some of the most stunning and original work I have ever seen!

Jean dropped out of the corporate world (lucky for us!) to keep her sanity and focus on the things that she's most passionate about.

Aside from her family, that includes creating jewelry and cooking, so it’s no surprise that most of Jean's designs are inspired by (or at least remind her of) something edible.

Her pieces have names like French Toast, Oysters Rockefeller, Cinnamon Poppy Bagel and Squid Ink Fettucine and my all time favorite Milkshake (the moo card necklace!).


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive 3Squares piece - CHAMPAGNE - a totally gorgeous sterling silver and copper necklace!





HOW TO WIN:

Visit 3squares and leave a comment below letting Jean know about your favorite item on her "menu" or something you would like to see her cook up!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Sunday, NOVEMBER 8th! Good luck! CLOSED

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!


Hoping everyone has an amazing Halloween this year!

Hubby and I are going to be Kanye West and Taylor Swift - he is going to wear a tight t-shirt and sunglasses

(this is about as much costume as I can force on him and still get him out of the house)

carry a microphone and be rude.

I'm going to wear a long dress (if I can dig one up), carry an award (soccer trophy actually) and look confused.

(in other words no big stretches for either of us this year)

My daughter is going to be a Price is Right contestant.

(with a guess of $701.00 - you know the annoying contestant who always guesses $1.00 over the last guesser)

She has had a Price is Right obsession for years.

Hoping to post pics- we'll see how that goes!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!! Go Yankees!

It's Whining Wednesday

Maybe if I set aside one day a week to whine, I really will become the glass half-full kind of girl that I've always wanted to be (they live longer) for the rest of the week ...

1. First whine- the plumbing in my house stinks. One faucet after another has started to drip, one toilet handle after another is not even jiggle-able anymore. Handy hubby told me this morning to flush the downstairs toilet "very slowly".

When we first bought this house- we were just so happy to be out of our crappy apartment and excited that someone would actually sell us a house that we overlooked a few things.

I remember the realtor turning on every faucet, smiling that happy realtor (ka-ching) kind of smile and handy hubby and I (he was handy boyfriend in those days) smiling and nodding as if we had never lived in a place with running water before.

Later, George and I had a good laugh about happy realtor's faucet olympics - but now that I can appreciate the beauty in a sink that doesn't have an endless parade of potted plants sitting in it to catch the drips, I miss those days when we were young and stupid

(and had empty sinks and toilets that could be flushed fast and thoughtlessly like they are supposed to be)

2. 2nd Whine- someone stole gas from my car in my driveway and no one believes me about this.

My proof of this is:

1. I put gasoline into my tank
2. I went to sleep
3. I woke up to no gasoline in my tank

(and I think, even on my most distracted mornings, I would notice a 10 gallon puddle of Amoco unleaded in my driveaway)

But apparently this is all something I must have imagined because after hubby analyzed my gas cap for "pry marks" - and found none

(and I was unable to produce a gas receipt, although I am left asking what kind of man would even ask his wife for such a thing- where did the trust go?)

he did, of course, find some orange paint on my side mirror and asked who I'd hit - assuming that I had hit someone and not that someone had hit me (this paint is actually from a very poorly placed pole outside of a drive thru window that I had hit, but his assumption totally irked me and so I said)

"it must have been the gas thief"

as you can imagine, this line has now become the family joke line and every misplaced set of keys and sunglasses is blamed on the "gas thief"

so, anyhoo, yesterday I decided to talk to a NJ State Trooper about this (our town has no police department, that's right, no police- probably the main reason for the rise of gas thievery in our driveways) and a small handful of state troopers have moved into the municipal building across the street from our house.

The trooper looked at me a bit strangely (hubby may have been giving her a cuckoo hand signal behind my back, although he denies this) and said that maybe it was "a friend playing a joke"

which is totally ridiculous because

1. I don't have any friends

and

2. if I did, they would be the kind of friends to autograph my side walls with deep key scratches not steal gasoline because they know how much I dislike the oil companies

Well, I could whine all day, but I am off to Home Depot to buy a new toilet handle and ... of course, I have to get gas first.

GIVEAWAY Mod Mobile Trash Bag from Allyson Hill CLOSED


AND THE WINNER IS - SAVING IN STYLE! Chosen by random. org
True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 387 Result: 282

One of my first Etsy purchases was an Allyson Hill trash bag for my car. I thought they were so cool and clever and since then she has sold thousands!

(mine is still good as new)

Allyson has a degree in Woodworking and Furniture Design from RIT in the School for American Crafts. Her trash bags (her own innovative design) and tissue holders can make even the messiest driver's car

(not that we know any of those, right?)

super neat and organized!


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive your choice of an Allyson Hill mod mobile trash bag!


HOW TO WIN:

Visit ALLYSON HILL and leave a comment SELECTING THE BAG you want to win!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:

MIDNIGHT on Sunday, NOVEMBER 1st! Good luck! CLOSED