Recycled Christmas Countdown Part III or what to do with those empty bottles

This is the third part of my weekly series 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.

This is a modern take on the romantic cut flowers in a recycled glass bottle that we have all been doing forever.

You will need a bottle of something as a gift or an empty bottle you have on hand (wine, classic soda, some special something), a 3/4" galvanized split ring hanger (plumbing department), a 3/8" galvanized ceiling flange (plumbing or electrical department), 3/8 threaded pipe cut to size (store will cut), #12X1" screws.

These parts are actually pipe hanging gizmos and come in copper and galvanized steel and a mix and match assortment will look great.



This one is actually too easy for step by steps. The pieces all fit together neatly into an adorable little industrial hanger. They also come in different sizes for different size bottles and jars. You can fill an entire wall with these and it would look amazing!







Once again for some easy packaging grab a few of these larger size lunch bags (found at Target) that you can run through your inkjet with some clever wording.

It's Whining Wednesday or a real wine whine this time


The best thing about weekly whining is that when something disappointing happens I can pull out my little notebook and jot it down for my whining post

(not really, but if I actually did do this, I would write about way better stuff, because my memory is pretty much gone these days)

and then go back to being that glass half-full kind of girl that I know I really am down inside

(deep down inside)

Next week I am thinking it is time for Thankful Thursdays thru Christmas- 5 weeks of thankfulness can offset 47 weeks of whining, right?

Whine 1: This is an actual wine whine and even though it is a little lame, I have been on the lookout for one of these since I started whining because an actual wine whine, well you really can't ask for more than that, you know.

So anyhoo, the liquor store in our town has recently expanded into a liquor block (almost) - good to know at least one industry is thriving these days

and is all clean and shiny and new and I hadn't been in there since the grand opening, so I wandered in for some (cheap) white wine to make a chicken dish.

I plunked the bottle down on the counter and the counter girl who had been busy admiring the gigantic housefly tattoos on her very skinny arms in a bottle of white zinfandel muttered, "I'm gonna need to see some ID."

"Rad," I said.

(because when I'm happy, I sometimes talk like that annoying guy you hated in middle school)

The counter girl, sensing just a touch too much happiness in my 3 letter answer said, "Oh, I know you're old enough. It's for the computer". She slowly pecked my birth digits into the keyboard. "Because it can't see you."

(impressing me by knowing the cash register is not actually 'alive' and depressing me -just ever so slightly- that my carding days are way, way behind me, but mostly that this had just been pointed out to me by someone whose tats and tude made me want to roll up one of the newspapers on her counter and give her a swat)

But with the words, "that Cat- she wouldn't hurt a fly", ringing in my ears - I decided to let it go.

(plus I've been watching the Biography channel in my studio while I work these days and had seen Gandhi just that morning and felt inspired)

Now this wasn't a particularly interesting whine, but still a wine whine has to trump a regular whine any day plus I need to preserve this memory in case I ever run into horsefly girl again.

(like in a dark alley carrying a fly swatter)

Whine 2- I am noticing my vocabularly is getting very, very pathetic.

(and when I say pathetic I mean- small and repetitive and boring)

Back when I had a real job and was out in the real world with real people all day I could hold a fairly decent, smart and quick witted, conversation on some pretty involved subjects without sounding like a blabbering idiot.

But now that I work from home I am noticing my vocabularly has taken a step (or two, or maybe a couple football field lengths) backward.

Here are the things I find myself saying most often in no particular order:

1. Dammit!
2. You're fine
3. OK seriously
4. God I hate you
5. I can't believe that (insert name of item here) is on the front page
6. I seriously don't have time for this
7. That will be $50.00 - now get dressed and get out (just kidding)

(it's way more than $50.00)

Other than the word seriously which I am clever enough to use in multiple situations several times I day - I am pretty much a 3-4 letter word kind of girl now, which I am thinking makes me about grade two.

I need one of those word a day calendars and someone to require me to use those words in real life situations daily.

(like a vocabularly coach ... hmmm - this may be a new industry created especially for the work-at-home sector ... and remember to give me credit and cash, if you start doing this ... or, at least, free mentoring)

Using dictionary.com's word a day calendar flashcards, this is how my new and improved 'things I say most often list' might sound:

1. Exegesis = Exegesis!
2. Hoi Polloi = You're hoi polloi
3. Fungible = OK, fungible
4. Truculent = God, I hate truculent
5. Sycophant = I can't believe that sycophant is on the front page
(hey that one might still work once in a while)
6. Galump = I seriously don't have time for this galumping
7. Scuttlebutt = That will be scuttlebutt- now get dressed and get out (just kidding)

(it's way more than scuttlebutt)

Or I could just settle for my declining vocabularly and ability to talk to seven year olds and of course with my memory pretty much gone, I may have to.

Looking at the bright side (that half-full thing again, remember) a seven year old vocabularly sounds pretty youthful to me and I may never get carded (for real) again, but at least I still have my flashcards.

GIVEAWAY Sherry Truitt Twilight NEW MOON Earrings! CLOSED

AND THE WINNER IS: chosen by random.org Min:1 Max:396 Result: 117 = Fennofashion! Congrats and thank you to everyone who entered!

So, even though she has been famous since her earrings were selected by PEOPLE magazine for their Twilight edition last month, Sherry Truitt is still the same level-headed Jersey girl she has always been!

Sherry creates the most amazing jewelry pieces working with the most amazing materials!





Sherry loves the juxtaposition of mixing every day working objects like a spirit level, a magnet or a compass with sterling silver into pieces of jewelry you will absolutely treasure.

She embraces the Japanese concept of wabi sabi, the beauty of imperfection. (YES!)

It's what makes each handcrafted piece different from the next. Her work is stunningly original and totally unforgettable!


Sherry's amazingly clever and original Twilight pieces will give both Team Edward and Team Jacob something new to fight over!

And to celebrate the release of the 2nd installment of the Twilight series, New Moon, opening this Friday, Sherry is giving us the chance to win the most famous and sought after piece in her collection!

WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive her People magazine selected TWILIGHT EARRINGS!

Forks, Washington, "it rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place in the United States of America" - home to Edward and Bella

Port Angeles, where the adventure begins ....

The maps are vintage and cut from different vintage atlases, preserved and copied to archival paper, therefore the colorways vary. They are set in sterling silver 15mm cup bezels, with hand forged sterling earwire and forever preserved in resin.





HOW TO WIN:

Visit SherryTruitt and leave a comment below letting Sherry know which item is your favorite or something you would like to see her create!

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 Friday, NOVEMBER 20nd - the night of the new Twilight movie premiere! CLOSED

Recycled Christmas Countdown Part II or start saving those coffee cans

This is the second part of my weekly series 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.

This makes a great gift for the coffee fanatic on your list and you can make the same style clock for a tea lover, too- the tea tins are sometimes (often) better than the tea.

You will need a coffee can, coffee scoop, clock hardware, hanging hardware and a drill.

I cheated a bit because I already had these great magnetic hooks that I got at Staples (which I used for the bottom to hold the coffee scoop), but you could definitely screw an eyehook into the bottom of the can very easily- just start with a tiny drill hole.

1. Clean out the can- although leaving a little of that coffee smell in there could be a good thing

2. Drill (or drill and punch) a hole in the can for your clock gizmo (empty side of can on top)

(a word about clock gizmos- they are super fragile- so be careful- I immediate bent my second hand into something that resembles the state of Rhode Island, but since this gift is recycled and the recipient just happens to really like Rhode Island, not sure how I know this about him, it is ok ... probably)

3. Insert the gizmo through the back- you will probably need the directions to figure out the order of the little parts- and if you are like me and tend to toss them before you start- this step may take awhile

4. Screw eyehook into can bottom

5. Add hanging hardware to back of can (I suggest 2 sets of hardware - one top and one bottom, so when the person grabs for the coffee scoop they don't pull their clock off the wall)

6. I love packaging things in these larger size lunch bags (found at Target) that you can run through your inkjet with some clever wording.



I Know It's Veteran's Day but I'm gonna whine anyway...because it's Wednesday

This weekly whining may be getting old, but now that I am becoming more alert for things to whine about

they are everywhere


Whine 1 - I've talked before (I think) about wanting a new bike and my run ins with the 'twig man' - our local bike seller and mechanical guru who has 'classic' bicycles all over his front yard (ie patch of dirt in front of his house).

I finally got up my nerve to approach twig man again. I had questioned him once before about his bike prices- but he just kind of muttered, "What do you want to spend?" between spits of the twig he was chewing on which made me realize I never think in terms of how much I can spend.

(probably why I have no money)

Anyhoo, I've been eyeing a green one-

(I guess it had a make or model of something or other, but more importantly the green one would kind of match my new scarf pattern and I could kind of picture myself riding around on it.)

So, twig man breaks off a new piece of branch for our walk and we head over to his 'bicycle testing area' which is an empty parking lot right in the center of town that has been roped off, so people can't drive through it or park in it - yes, I live in a town that does stuff like this

and I am riding back and forth, but feel I need to take this little baby out on the open road so I head out of the 'bicycle testing area' and onto a back street.

Suddenly, I hear a car coming up behind me and for reasons I can't quite remember, I feel I need to get out of this car's way- probably because

1) it was going roughly 10MPH and
2) there was literally no other car for miles

I went up onto the curb.

(and when I say I went up onto the curb I mean I, the bike stayed on the road)

I have no idea what happened, but I couldn't get up over the curb. Aren't you supposed to be able to ride up over a curb? I mean, I know you're thinking of course not, but this was a little, bitty driveway curb that I am fairly certain I have seen 3 year olds tricycling over while I've sat in the bank drive up line.

I started wobbling, I thought, "OH NO this is it. I'm going over." And WHAM - I was on the ground.

I landed with full force on my right knee, elbow and both hands. Here are the thoughts I had in the order in which I had them:

* Holy crap, Cat!

* Holy crap that car is going to stop and check on me, aren't they?
How embarrassing- this is horrible!

* Holy crap where is the car? Oh - it turned before it even got to me.

* Holy crap did anyone see me?

* Holy crap my knee hurts. I don't know if I can get up.

* Holy crap did I rip my jeans?

* OK, I didn't rip my jeans. Thank God. These are the ones that fit me.

* OK, get up, get back on the bike and ride away like nothing happened.

* I want my mommy.




It was kind of like this -----> but without the actual race and the racing equipment and the racers chasing me



The bottom line is that twig man is now fixing up this bike for me- the crash may have done a little bit of damage and I still don't know how much it is going to cost me

(but like I said I don't think about things like this anyway)

Hubby, of course, asked why I wasn't wearing my helmet

(as if I was going to run around with helmet-hair for the rest of the day, for pete's sake)

of course, I don't have a helmet yet because I don't have a working bicycle yet

He said twig man should supply them to bicycle testers and he got kind of a far off look in his eyes when he said this - as if he was picturing a lawsuit payout where we win a collection of 'classic' bicycles and twig man's tasty maples.

I am remembering Sherry Truitt's post about a spill and her later triumph behind the handlebars, so I am hoping the same will be true for me when twig man gets my bike to me- in the meantime my knee still hurts but I am trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing

(hold me)

Whine 2- I'll keep this one short since if you are still awake after my bicycle whine you probably want to get out of here by now.

Hubby blew our chances for any more free food at Chipotles, like forever.

I love Chipotles. I know it's a chain and chain's are bad (usually), but I just can't help it.

(even though they do make this big deal about recycling those little baskets- that we would never throw out anyway and they allow everyone to toss the plastic silverware- what's up with the plastic silverware Chipotles?)

We sometimes go on Tuesday nights and if we get there very late the guy there gives me free food. And I say me because when we walk in, hubby heads to the napkin/condiment bar and gets our supplies

(I swear he is about 2 years away from sitting on a mall bench with two guys named Arthur and Harry and holding my handbag while I shop)

and then he grabs a table

(this is the way- he puts it- grabs a table- although there are usually 3 other people in the place and about 50 empty chairs)

so anyhoo, the guy there always gives me free chips and guac and last week hubby totally blew it because instead of grabbing a table he got in line with me and before the guy had a chance to give us any freebies George said

"what- no freebies?"

and the guy just gave us a blank stare and no guac and chips and then again this week 'no freebies'

which hubby claims is ok because he didn't feel comfortable with the guy giving me free stuff anyway

(as if we were going to owe this guy a very big favor and he would oneday come to collect on our 62 free guac and chips that had accumulated into the exact value of George's dirtbike)

so I am left forking over $3.99 for the guac and chips

(not that I think about such things)

and feeling irked that George couldn't have just grabbed us a table and let me keep on getting my freebies

(like forever)

or until I get sick of bringing home my dirty silverware.

GIVEAWAY - Gorgeous BONSPIEL Change Purse! CLOSED

AND THE WINNER IS MEG - who has a great Etsy shop, too!

Chosen by Random.Org True Random Number Generator Min: 1 Max: 428 Result: 38

Ellen Box lives in Victoria on the west coast of Canada designing and sewing the most beautiful silkscreened bags and wallets in her amazing shop
Bonspiel
!

Her work is totally unique and amazingly well-crafted. Ellen makes everything herself and treasures the "holy crap, this is the best thing I ever made!" moment.

(looks like she has that moment ALOT)

She loves simplicity, clarity, texture, charm, cuteness, strangeness and complex color combinations.
Bonspiel
has the most beautiful and unique bags and wallets that you will just have to own!


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive a totally amazing Bonspiel bird change purse!



HOW TO WIN:

Visit BonspielCreation and leave a comment below letting Ellen know which item is your favorite or something you would like to see her create!

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 15th! Good luck! CLOSED