Off topic~ penny pinching tips

Occasionally, I like to pass on one of my lifestyle tips to you, so I hope you don't mind my going off topic every now and then.

I go through a lot of paper towels when I work at my sculpting desk. We also use a lot in the kitchen because we cook nearly all of our meals at home, so there are always spills on the counter or on the floor. Without thought, I would rip off a paper towel. We get our paper towels at CostCo and they are a much better value than at the grocery except for one thing, the sheets are way too big! So, I have started cutting them in two as soon as I open a roll. I can cut through several layers at a time. I set the stack on the kitchen counter and we are literally cutting our paper towel purchases in half!

Another tip:
We like the "homemade" bread at a local grocer because it has no preservatives in it. The bread gets stale within two days so I was always pitching bread! Now, I freeze 2 slices in a ziplock bag and freeze them for individual use. No, I'm not using a lot of bags because I stash them back in the freezer to reuse the next time I buy bread!

As an artist, I compare the cost of daily use products to the amount I get from my little sculptures. I spend hours on one piece, a piece of work that will last for years to come. Bread, paper towels, etc. are gone in a flash. I have become much more frugal about where I spend that money. Good for me and good for the environment!

Decorating on a shoestring!

As promised, here is a photo of my $12.90 night stand! In the photo of the finished guest bedroom, you can see the matching one on the other side of the bed. In case you didn't see original post about this room, let me fill you in on some of my thrift store finds. The triple dresser is by Stanley and I paid $19 for it. The hutch on top of the dresser was free! My son and daughter-in-law pulled it out of a trash bin at their apartment complex. Unbelieveable, huh? I made the pictures over the bed. For those, I simply used scrapbook paper and watercolor paper. The frames were inexpensive ones from WalMart($3 each if I remember correctly). They were brown so they got a couple of coats of white paint. The chest on the left, the one with three drawers, was only $29.00 and the mirror over it was $11.00. The vintage lamps were $10 a piece with new shades. I just want to show you that you don't have to put a lot of money into a room, any room, to make it attractive and inviting. BTW, my dad made the shelf over the bed many years ago. I painted it white to match the rest of the room. All of the bedding and pillows are new and were found at Kohl's and TJMaxx.

So get some paint and get to it!

Foot Stool Idea!

I really must start remembering to take "before" photos so you can see some of the "ugly" things I turn into treasures.
For example, I have had this small foot stool for years. It had some very dated fabric on it, so I decided to recover it in a neutral tone. When I finished with the fabric, it just didn't look very interesting. The idea of a doily came to me. Although I often use antique and vintage doilies for my dolls, the one I used for this stool is new and came from JoAnn Fabrics. I will do anything to avoid a thread and needle, so I used FabriTac (gotta love it!) to secure it to the new fabric on the stool. I am thinking that I just might add a button to the center of the doily.

Coming soon:
I will show you my $12.90 end tables that I painted to go in my white guestroom. Honestly, they are super sturdy and well made, but they were an ugly blonde color. At only $12.90 each, I had to give them a try! I just need to put the knobs on them and then I will click some pics!