Gardening - Use What you Already Have

If you are anything like me, you've heard it time and again that the best way to save money is to "use what you already have". This year, we are working harder to use, and re-use, what we have. 

Over the years, we have accumulated more than the average family should. On top of that, we've moved several times and accumulated other people's junk that they not so nicely left us. 

My garden needed a  few things. In the grow bags below, I am trying out a sweet potato that supposedly grows well here in the north - Beauregard. This was definitely NOT a great year to try them because even though they are supposed to be cold hardy, they still need heat. Our spring was very late in coming and then we had cold rains combining with the cool days and colder nights. My sweet potato slips came and I couldn't keep them in the house forever, hoping and praying that it would finally warm up.

I planted them. Not all of them survived, but there are six plants in the large bag, one in a small bag, and three in the other small bag. Now, sweet potatoes vine, unlike white potatoes (which do great in our northern Michigan climate). One day while I was at work, my husband took extra lumber and scrap pieces that he had in the work shop and crafted this platform, complete with a "trellis". Next year, I can always use it for flowers or whatever else I decide to put in the grow bags - they are re-usable. As of this morning, the vines in the large bag were already long enough to begin training on the trellis. This picture was taken last week.

Below is another gardening project Hubby did for me. He used an old antique table top that was left here by the previous owner and made me a garden table. The table top is heavy and I think he said porcelain, like our antique kitchen sink. The bottom shelf is constructed of wood. He had some lattice that he placed on the back. The whole thing stands about three feet high.

I have to tell you, this table sure is handy. The best thing about these two projects is that they were crafted with love but without having to buy anything to make them.

Make a Winter Scene

A friend volunteers at our library once a month to teach a craft. Yesterday, she helped the ladies (and one gentleman) create a cute winter scene. The above left is the one I made myself.

Here's what we did:

Take a ramekin and put a piece of craft foam (cut to make fit in the ramekin) inside. It should fit fairly snugly. Insert artificial pieces of greenery, flowers, pinecones, etc. In other words, put whatever fits. We hot glued in the stones and pinecones that we wanted to use. The stones look sort of like boulders once next to the trees. Use craft snowflakes to fill around the bottom so it looks like snow. Pack it in. You could use Epsom salts instead. Glue a piece of ribbon or ricrac around the ramekin.

This project took us an hour, but that was with lots of laughter and goofing off.

Simple Homemade Clothespin Bag

I got tired of keeping my clothespins inside of a plastic grocery bag. Good grief! Why did it take me so long to get something that would work better than that?

This clothespin bag I made from a t-shirt my son was giving to the local Goodwill store. I admit it. I took the donation for myself. To transform it I simply cut off the sleeves and the hem. Then, I sewed the openings together and put it on a wire clothes hanger. The bag can hold a LOT of clothespins. I barely covered the bottom with the 50 pins I own. The t-shirt is a men's size small.