Save Your Wallet While Helping Save The Earth Tip #2

 ,
Hi all,
  With cool weather upon us and cold weather on it's way, I'm looking forward to curling up on the couch to a warm, crackling fire.  I've got another great tip to share with you to Save Your Wallet While Helping Save the Earth (if you missed the first one, just click here).  So, tip #2....toilet paper and paper towel rolls....the empty ones. ;)  You know we all have them.  Now I'm going to share three things you can do with all of those rolls besides just throwing them in the garbage.



Number 1:
 The most obvious choice...just recycle.  Toss them in your recycle bin.

Number 2:
  Take them to your laundry room.  Yep, you read correctly.  Toss them in a bag, tote, box (whatever will keep them nice, neat, and easily accessible).  I'm sure most of you know that lint from your dryer is highly flammable.  Which is why you should always clean out the lint between loads.  Take that lint and push it into that empty roll.  Keep adding after every load.  Once filled you've got yourself a perfect fire starter for that warm, crackling fire I was talking about!

Cha Ching!!!!  No more buying fire starter logs!  Or breaking your back splitting kindling.  

 I take this even a step further.  Once there's enough lint to plug the bottom of the roll, I go to our office.  Pull open the door to our shredder and stuff a pinch of shredded paper down in there.  Then I just continue the layering....lint, paper, lint, paper...you get the idea, until full.  The last layer is always the lint so that I don't have shredded paper falling out everywhere.

  This number  2 method keeps the rolls, lint, and shredded paper out of the land fills and serves a very practical purpose.  I love practical!

  Is this method not glamorous enough for you?  Well, I've got something great for you to use those rolls for that will glam your decor!

Hence,
Number 3:
  This tip will appeal to decorators and crafters.  My friend over at Thrifty Crafty Girl has found a fantastic tutorial on how to use those empty rolls.  You know those expensive decorative metal scroll wall hangings?  She found a way (through another great blogger), on how to mimic those for just the cost of some glue and paint!

  Just take a look! 

 Can you believe those are toilet paper rolls?!  What a fantastic way to utilize something that is just going to be thrown away, and make it into something beautiful.  I LOVE that!  For all you crafters.....don't you love the idea of crafting without having to buy all the materials?

Another win win in my book!

Well, I hope you have enjoyed all my tips for those empty rolls.  Enjoy those warm fires!

Happy Recycling!
Jennifer

My Fall Kitchen Table 2011

Hi all,
  Well, here's my fall kitchen table decorations.  The tall basket stays on our table all year round.  It normally has ivy in it.  For this  time of year I just put in some fall foliage that I picked up at Michaels last year for 50% off. :)  I picked up the runner at our local Dollar General two years ago.  It is so colorful and vibrant,  you should really go check out the Dollar General in your area. You won't believe the cute holiday decor you can find there!














The little scarecrow was picked up at Big Lots about 7 years ago for a dollar I think.  Added a great smelling red candle in a beautiful glass jar.

 The bronze leaf pedestal bowl was a great outdoor market find.  I just fill it with some leaf garland and faux gourds and jeweled fruit.  I took some of the remaining leaf garland and wrapped  it around the bottom of the bowl for color.













  This cute little terracotta bunny also stays on the table all year.  For the fall decor, I just gave her a cute little bow (left over from that purple ribbon I mention in my front door post) and added a sprig of the fall berries in the center.   Doesn't she look cute?


How are you decorating this fall?  I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas!!


Happy Decorating!
Jennifer

My Fall Front Door Picture for 2011

Hi all,
  I've had my front door decorated now for almost a month, and I'm just getting around to posting the pictures.  Better late than never! :)  I usually stick with a more fall theme then the Halloween theme.  That way I can keep it up until Thanksgiving.  Well, up until the weekend before Thanksgiving, which is when I normally decorate the outside for Christmas.

  After Halloween, the jack-o-lantern will be replaced with a mum.  The small pumpkin on the mini bale of hay is faux.  We got it a Michaels a couple of years ago.  My daughter painted a ghost on one side, a happy jack-o-lantern face, and a girl jack-o-lantern.  She just turns them around when she sees fit. :)

  I finished off the look with a spotlight so that the whole display can be seen at night.

  My front door needed something, and I didn't have a nice colorful fall wreath.  So my thrifty decorating wheels starting turning in my brain.....I had two of those cinnamon brooms, that no longer smelled of cinnamon, some leaf garland, and some purple checked wire ribbon that I got on sale at Dollar General last year for $.25.  I just criss crossed the brooms, wired them, wrapped the leaf garland around and secured with wire.  Then tied a bow with the purple ribbon and well-ahhh!  A nice colorful fall door arrangement!  I was quite pleased.

 The bale of hay was lacking something, so I put a cornucopia at the scarecrow's feet.  I stuffed a small yellow towel in the bottom and filled the top with leaves that fell from the garland, and some faux fruit.  I think it filled in that space nicely.  If you look at the bottom of this picture, you can see the girl jack-o-lantern my daughter painted.....green eye shadow and all. :)



I hope you all have been enjoying your fall so far!

Happy Decorating!
Jennifer