Down to the Dungeon

So tonight was a laundry night. Which means a little trip down to the basement. The basement holds the washer and dryer and a storage area. My personal storage area is a little room about 6 foot by 8 foot. Which sounds like a pretty good size, but its actually not too big or perhaps I just have too much stuff (my family would lean towards the latter) Having a small space means that somethings are not accessible without moving about sixteen other items out of the way. So without having to rummage around for hours trying to find the one box I'm looking for, I came up with a little system. Writing on boxes and containers doesn't seem to work because you can't always see the labels with other items in the way. There are many different varieties of duct tape on the market and using a few bands of duct tape around a box really helps. For the Christmas boxes I have a stripe of green and red, for Halloween black and orange. This way when boxes are piled all over one another their contents are revealed even when the container is barely visible. This same method could be applied to the closet you store all your family's seasonal clothes. Assign each family member a color and know exactly which box to go to in order to find your winter coat for that August trip to the arctic.
Hope this helps with your basements, attics, storage units, closets and where ever else you have overflowing boxes stashed. Its back to the basement for me, laundry won't magically jump to the dryer itself. Although maybe there is a trick for that :) next time?

Exercise deserves Relaxation …

Good Afternoon!
I’m feeling very refreshed and rejuvenated after this weekend and this morning. The weekend was super relaxing and this morning I went for a run. I forgot how much more I like running in the morning rather than the afternoon. I always have a minor dilemma when I go for a run. Normally wearing a t-shirt and gym shorts of some kind, there is no good spot for a house key. Since I only use my running shoes for running I’ve used a small ribbon to tie a spare key to the laces. It’s the easiest way I’ve found to keep up with it.

This is a project I completed a while ago but thought I’d share the finishes product. It all started with a old crummy looking coffee table. This table had been painted about a hundred colors last of which was this hideous shade of peach.

With a little transformation it developed into a attractive, functional ottoman. I cut the legs down so that when adding foam and batting to the top it was at a height appropriate for resting those tired soles. A quick coat of paint to the legs and base covered the unsightly coral hue. I used three inch foam, covered with batting and then I used ostrich leather. I secured the layers with a staple gun around the edge of the table. To cover the staples I applied a black velvet ribbon trim. It’s comfy enough to sit on, but sturdy enough to set a tray on. You might consider using a much smaller end table in the same manner as a single foot stool in front of your favorite reading chair or as extra seating to store under your coffee table. Enjoy the before and after.

So my knowledge isn't all self invented, but it is acquired from expert sources. I have collected all of these tidbits of knowledge into notebooks of which I have a complete catalog of entries kept only in my head. I pretty much know which notebook contains exactly which pieces of information and can usually flip to the specific page I'm looking for. These books are my most prized possessions other than heirlooms. Many times people will ask me what may seem like odd questions, but somehow I have the answer, or at least a book that has the answer. I'm using this medium in an effort to share some of these morsels of information. Enjoy...

Love using tea lights? consider making your own. Packages of 10 tea lights are hardly economical, so I usually purchase the bags of 50 or so. The only disappointing thing about this is that white unscented is pretty much the only choice. So in making your own you can have pretty hues and fragrances. You can do this just using muffin tins, both regular size or the mini muffin diameter. Purchase wicks and wax from the craft store. They will come with instructions for heating the wax and added color& flavor. The only thing you will need to do differently for the muffin tins is to coat them with petroleum jelly so the candles will slide right out. These can make a precious gift as well. You could also use tart molds for a fluted shape.

Going shopping at a flee market or garage sales? If you purchase delicate items its sometimes difficult to get them home in one piece. Use a large rolling cooler. Its a great way to transport your new goodies. Throw in a little newspaper to use as a buffer and you'll get those new treasures home in one piece.

I hope these suggestions will perhaps remedy someone else's concern or spark an idea for something else. If its the later, please share.