Learning Tools (low cost)!!

If you have ever had the need to purchase any type of learning tool, you know how expensive it can be. Especially when you are looking for something specific.

I recently found the need for flash cards, but I needed the type that had pictures of common things like a cup, or bread on them. I needed these for my youngest daughter who is currently having communication delays.

I was shocked to see how much a set of cards like this costs, anywhere from $10.00 to $60.00. I found several places that you could order them online, but I just could not bring myself to do it. So, I set out on a mission to find a more cost effective solution.

I have tons of magazines around the house, so I started scanning them for pictures that I could use. I found several in a matter of minutes that would be perfect for my flash cards. So, I cut out the pictures and grabbed a stack of index cards and my glue stick.

Next, I simply glued my picture onto the card and used a little contact paper to make it water proof.

So for basically no money, because I had everything that I used just laying around the house, I made my own set of communication flash cards that are customized to my daughters exact needs.

My next step is to purchase some of the magnet strips and turn my cards into magnets that can be placed on the fridge, to further help with our communication process.

Cleaning Out!!

One of the most annoying things for me is clutter, but with seven people in this house you can not avoid it. So my solution is to keep it under control, but how do you do that??

Clean it out!! Attack clutter zones (places in your home that tend to accumulate more stuff than others). This is one of the bad ones in my house, the closet in the laundry room. It just seems like everything gets thrown in there. Well, the other day I simply could not stand it any longer.

This is the before picture, I know it is terrible, but this is how it looked. The trash bag does not have trash in it, it had clothes that I need to get ready for a consignment sale.

So, I took everything out and sorted it. Laundry supplies together, cleaning supplies together, craft supplies together, that sort of thing.

I dusted the shelves, and swept the bottom, and then placed everything back inside neatly.

This is the end result. Tons better than the before picture.

So, how do you keep a handle on clutter??

From Ugly to Lovely!!

Okay, so my project for the day was taking these two rather ugly wooden bowls that I found at the Good Will store, and making them into something useful and pretty.

I have this space on my counter that is empty, but would be a great place to catch all of the car keys and cell phones, so I wanted to find something to go there. When I saw these bowls, I thought they would be perfect.

I started by sanding the bowls and wiping them with a damp cloth. Next I sprayed them (a million times) with red spray paint. Not really a million times, but it took many coats.

After the coats of paint were dry, I used my trusty Gorilla Glue to glue the bowls together. I put the small one on the bottom and the large one on the top.

This is how it turned out. I love the color, it really pops in the kitchen, and it works perfectly.

I am linking to these parties:
Get Your Craft on Tuesday
Toot Your Horn Tuesday
Lucky Linky Tuesday
Blue Cricket Design
Tea Rose Home
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Power of Paint Party
WFMW
Thrifty Thursday

How much money can you actually save with cloth diapers??

I am a visual person, and I Need to see numbers when I am weighing the pros and cons for certain things. I decided to add up exactly how much money we save by using cloth diapers.

In our house we currently have two children in diapers. About a year ago, I decided to invest in some reusable diapers. I bought the all in one diapers that adjust in size. I spent $40.00 on my diapers from ebay, which gave us enough to get through roughly a day and a half.

If I were to purchase disposable diapers, we would need two of the smaller packs per week, roughly 60 diapers. If you buy the super cheap diapers, like the Kroger or Walgreens brands you will spend around $7.00 per pack. That would add up to $14.00 per week, and $728.00 per year in diapers.

If you go with Huggies and find them on sale, for the smaller pack you pay roughly $9.00 per pack, which would add up to $18.00 per week, or $936.00 per year.

Wow, when I saw the numbers, I was shocked!! That is a lot of money, or at least it is for our house. So, by using cloth diapers, even if I do purchase a pack of reusable every now and then for outings, I save at least $500.00 per year on diapers.

I can think of a lot of things to do with $500, what about you?? I know that not everyone can use cloth diapers, and I am not saying that everyone should, but it works for us.

I know there are some people who like to argue that the amount of laundry adds up. We do one load of diapers daily, and I hang them out to dry, so there is not "dryer" expense.

The way I see it is, if a $40 investment can save me at least $500 per year, I will take it!!

Have any of your tried using cloth diapers? Was you experience good or bad?

photo source: happy heinys dipaers

Pillowcase Dress Tutorial!!

I wanted to share this tutorial with you all. I love making little Pillowcase dresses for my girls. I think they are so cute, and they are super simple. Trust me, when I started making them I had NO sewing experience. Now it takes me about 15 minutes from start to finish to make one of the super cute dresses.

Okay, to start you will need the material that you like. If you want something a little more unique, buy two materials that complement each other and use one as a border around the bottom of the dress.

Next, you need to figure out your measurements. The dress that I am making today will be for a size 3T, and the measurements that work for my little one are as follows:
Base material: 19 inches long
Border material: 5 inches long

When I buy my material, I use the width that comes off of the bolt, and cut the length.

So, I will try not to be confusing with this part. I love using this method to add the border, because it looks neater to me. Once you have measured and cut your material, you want to take the base material and roll it up from top to bottom. Then you want to take the border material and lay it flat with the right side of the material facing you. Place the rolled up piece of material on top of the border material and then fold it over. You should have a layer of border, one layer of base material, and then another layer of border material. Pin this all the way down.

Sew all the way across. Next you are going to turn it right side out.

Next press your material.

The next step is to add a seam to the dress so you end up with a tube.

Turn your material right side out and press.

Now, for the arm holes. For a size 3T I measure down 6.5 inches from the top of the dress and mark. Fold over the dress, so you can cut both sides at the same time.

Once you arms are cut, you need to make your bias tape. You can use the kind that you purchase, but I like to take some of the extra material and make my own. It really is very simple. Cut a strip of material that will be long enough to go around the entire arm hole. Next, fold each side in, and then fold in half and press. Place on the raw edge of the arm holes and sew on.

The next step is the top of the dress. Fold the top over once and press, then fold it over again and press. You are making a casing for the ribbon. Make sure your casing is big enough to fit the ribbon through.

Sew across.

Next find ribbon that matches your dress. I take the ribbon and lay it across the top of the dress (the neck) and make it three times that length. That always ensures that I will have enough ribbon to make pretty bows. Place a safety pin in one end of the ribbon and use the pin to thread the ribbon through the casing.

Tie your bows, and ta-da you are done.

Show and Tell












Tales from Bloggeritaville
The Shabby Nest.

More Great Finds at GW!!

Okay, so I posted here, about the great things that I found the other day at Good Will. Well, I went back today, and they were having a sale, 50% off of everything in the store. They still had the $1.00 racks up and they were included in the sale. I found so many great things!!

I love finding little treasures that I can "re-do"!!  There are several projects coming up soon!!

So, in total I spent $10.00!!  I LOVE IT!!  Several of the clothes that I bought are going to be refashioned, and I will post them once they are finished.

Yard Sale Jackpot!!!

Okay, so I am so excited about all of my finds today. You all know that I LOVE to go to a yardsale. Well, this is what I found today:

And, the grand total was (drum roll please) $14.25!!!

I got, 4 necklaces
4 bracelets
1 pair of earrings
1 pair of Sperry shoes
1 lamp
2 twin size comforters
1 wooden shelf
I small wall shelf
1 basket
2 large serving bowls
2 dome screens
1 small glass thing
1 cute candle holder
1 rug
1 wallet
and 1 box of corner protectors

I think I did pretty great!!  Look for projects with most of this stuff coming up soon!!

Did you find any great bargains??

To find more great bargains, visit the Cha-Ching challenge.