Pantry Makeover for $30 in 30 minutes

About the Author:  I am from the West Coast but currently live in the Midwest and I am continually seeking to be the best possible version of myself. I am not a doctor, crazy weight lifter or even a nutritionist. I am simply a real woman who is exploring real ways to Be Well in every area of my life. My journey to being well is definitely a process and I am not perfect. I have weak moments too and mess up often. However, I seem to always pick myself back up and keep going. 

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What you will need (All from Target):

• White Target Brand standing shelf About $5

• 10" lazy susan from Target About $5

• RE Essentials Brand 4 Piece Canister Set from Target $20

• Used other containers I already had in the house and re-purposed them for the pantry. Green baskets shown in photos are also from target at about $5 each.

The first step is to make sure you have plenty of counter space available to spread out everything in your pantry and have your trash can ready. A lot of us, do not go through our pantries often enough and sometimes find little expired gems in there when we do. This time, I found a bagel that was nearly it's own life form. If you want to spend a little extra, I recommend getting one of those stick on battery powered LED lights from Home Depot. Our pantry is not wired for electrical so this was our thrifty solution.

Begin by taking everything out of the pantry and checking code dates as you go. Throw away anything that is out of code or was not sealed properly. Once you have gone through this process which takes the longest, you are ready to organize.

I used a handheld vacuum to clear out any crumbs on the shelves. Now, I take a look at the food items that are left and decided what I am going to put in the canisters from target $20. I chose to use these for noodles and bread crumbs. Then I used the shelf rack for the canned goods and I was surprised at how much space this saved me.

The lazy susan was used for items like, olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette  PAM spray and A1 sauce. This was a must have for us because my husband always buys more A1 sauce because he cannot find it. We then end up with a dozen bottles.

When selecting which shelves you put everything on, consider how much you use these items. For me, all of the baking items like sugar and flower went on the bottom shelf along with my amassed collection of Kuerig K Cups. The next shelf up which easy to reach for me has all of our go to's that we use in everyday recipes. This is why I chose this shelf for canned items, sauces and oils as well as our pastas. The next shelf up which is at eye level has our snack items, dog treats and homemade soup mixes. Being able to see all your snacks at a glance helps you know you do not need to buy anymore snacks.

Unfortunately for us, we lose two large areas on our pantry on the top shelf and on the bottom to storage for larger appliances and our china. Our kitchen is very small, so storage is tight. The top shelf is home to the bread, popcorn and ice cream maker. The bottom area is home to dog food and fine china (funny mix, huh!).

As we go along, I think I will purchase another of the RE Essentials brand canisters $20 for popcorn, almonds, cereal and regular whole oats.

Before and After

How to cut a Hippo's nails:

1. Gather cutting device
2. Make sure back up is available
3. Capture the hippo
4. Sit on the hippo
5. Proceed with Extreme Caution

DIY Scentsy Samples!

I'm addicted to Scentsy, so much so that I've become a consultant!  I love it!  

This is how I make my samples, I give these to everyone that I meet and in each order that I deliver.  I get lots of compliments, and I generally generate lots of sales for these as soon as I get it in their hands.  After all, Scentsy is something that must be experienced.  

Here is a list of things that I used, and where to find them:

1. Joie Fruit/Veggie Wavy Chopper  - I bought 24 for $7.43 with Free shipping from Amazon.
2. Cutting Mat - The link is to a Pampered Chef Cutting mat, I love these, and I will talk more about them in future posts.  Make sure that you dedicate 1 to this project. 
3. Mini Baggies - These are available in the work station, or I get mine from the local Hobby Lobby or other craft store. They are generally available in the Jewelry section, and are about 100 for $1.
4. Stapler with Staples
5. Scent of the Month with flyers.  OR other bar you wish to make samples out of, but then you will have to add labels with the name of the scent.  I usually stick the label to the business card and put the card in the bag to save the extra stop of stapling it. 

Now put that good stuff to use!

1. Gather your supplies and take the bar out of the package.
2. Seperate bar into each square, and cut each square into 2 or 3 pieces with your crinkle cutter. {WARNING: KEEP FINGERS CLEAR!  VERY SHARP BLADE!}
3. Place each of your samples into a little baggie, and make sure to label your flyers.
4. Staple each sample to a flyer, and pass out to everyone!

Questions or Comments below are VERY appreciated!  Thank you!  

Funny Drumline Video

Check out the original here: Cosmic Abundance

Lovely Wreath

I made this lovely wreath for Chris' mother.  

What is a Crafty Hippo?

While I would love to tell you that I have always loved him, I cannot.  He was once my arch-nemesis. But, I'll tell you a little about this boy and how he became the Crafty Hippo.  

Do you know the bond between a boy and his dog?  What about a dog that is so cute that it's hardly legal?  Chris, my awesome fiance wanted a bulldog.  All of the bulldog owners out there know just how much these precious little wrinkles cost.  College kids just don't afford these expenses.  Just the name "Bulldog" is expensive, not to mention the on-going care, and attention.  

Bean and his boy.

Bean with his Aunt Lindsey

Bean was one of 2 puppies, in a first time litter.  He was in a shed with his mother and sibling, when the power went out, and his mother and sibling froze to death in the middle of winter.  Bean comes from a champion blood line with all the papers to prove it.  Was was sold very cheap because the vet told the breeder that he would have bad knees.  Chris didn't care.  He had a little friend to play with and keep him company.  Chris couldn't decide what to call him.  Was he a Sherman or a Bean?  Eventually Bean won out, but he still says that the next bulldog in our lives will be Sherman.  

Bean instantly stole the hearts of everyone he met.  He lived with his Aunt Lindsey until Chris got an apartment that allowed Dogs.

Baby Bean, looking adorable

As Bean got older he developed more and more quarks.  He has a real knack for staring at random inanimate objects.  He has more personality than he really should. He huffs, snorts, and turns his back when he is mad.  He dances when he is happy, or when you come home, or a child is near. He knows the command to sit, but rarely follows it, even under his own conditions. He is fiercely jealous, and very territorial.  He holds grudges worse than any human woman I have ever known.... but he learned to love me, with bribery.

Cocoa and Rylie, the Sisters

Bean eventually got a clean bill of health from a specialized Bulldog Vet.  They said his knees were loose, because he hadn't yet grown into them.  He grew up healthy, and then one day...

His Daddy met a girl.  They fell in love and moved in together.  This did not sit well with Bean.  She had things that smelled like her.  

His new evil step mommy had other children.  A fluffy little Papillon/Pomeranian mix and a Boxer, who came from a rescue and lacked all socialization and manners. His sister's were already very much a duo.  Rylie is too silly to understand Bean's delicate boundaries.   Bean was an only child, he did not have to play with other puppies, or share attention with them, much less an evil step mother taking his daddy's time!  

Bean fought hard against the changes.  He fought his mommy, chased his sisters, pee'd on everything that belonged to that evil mommy.  Mommy would clean one thing, and he would pee on the next. He could corner the little fluffy sister and wipe his drool on her.  He would eat the girl's food, and get mad at them if they tried to eat.  He was a jerk.  The first time that I met Bean, he scratched my leg and I was bleeding.

 One night when Chris was at work, I put Bean in his room.  It was the laundry room with a baby gate at the door, and his warm fluffy bed. I was laying in bed, watching some TV when I hear a sound.... It was a scratching and it sounded like something was in the wall... Was it Mice?!  But then I knew, Bean.... Chris had told me that Bean was mad about moving into the new house together and recently started an old habit - chewing dry wall. So, I thought that I was going to teach him a lesson.  I would put him in Rylie's metal crate. "Try chewing out of that." I thought.  So I went and got his bed and put it in the crate, then I went back and opened the gate and he RAN! I stepped and tried to grab his collar, but I slipped in a drool trap that he left for me.  I hit my head on the tile and my knee on the door jam.  I screamed his name.... and then he knew. He ran right into his crate, with his ears back and put his head down.  I locked the kennel, cleaned the drool off of myself and the floor and called his father.  "Your son...." is how I started, and recanted my story.  Chris just laughed because he knew Bean was capable of it all.

Chris and I bought a house, and we moved, I got a "Lady Cave," Its like a man cave, but its for ladies, and that's where I craft.  I also have my Scentsy there.  When I craft, I put some music on, relax, enjoy my Scentsy, and do a craft, or 10.  I like to think that Bean enjoys the ambiance and comes in a sleeps. He is in 1 of 2 places.  He is laying right over the vent in the summer, or on my feet in the winter.  We started to bond, at least I liked to think so.  I would give him treats, and brush him until he fell asleep. He started to listen to me a little, but only when he felt like it.  He follows me around, and sometimes even comes to me and asks for loves.

When he sleeps, he curls up his paws below him and looks like a little hippo, coming up from the water, with his fluffy little jowls just flapping while he snores.....  But things have gotten so much better.  He doesn't act out or bite at me anymore.  He just lays near me, and sleeps.  He is very much still a daddy's boy, but he is coming around.

DIY: Giant Jenga

Giant Jenga is a very large favorite of an old table game played by millions!  Bigger is better, so lets grab or safety goggles and make one for ourselves. 

As the weather gets better, why not move the party outside and play with friends.  Make some summer cocktails or mock-tails and get out there!   We are working hard on the "new and improved" back yard so stay posted for fun new how-to's on all sorts of things summer.  

So, without further adieu  I bring you the details, Go get these things:

• Safety equipment, I am a paramedic, I don't want to be at your house because you didn't use them, so just do it. ;)
• glasses
• gloves
• proper safety equipment that goes with the saw of choice.
• Saw
• Miter, table, ect. 
• 2x4x8's
• to make 54 pieces (Exact replica of the original game,) You will need 6 boards.
• Tape Measure
• Pencil, or other marking device
• Sand paper block(s.)  This is easier to use in my opinion than just sand paper. 

Once you have all of the supplies that you need, get started by:

1. Marking each board at exactly 10.5"
2. Cut each board in exactly 10.5" section.  ***** THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  See below
3. Sand the newly cut edges of each board, to prevent splinters. 
4. Safely continue until you have 54 identical pieces. 
5. Stack in 3 wide, then turn the next stack perpendicular to the previous, continue until you are out of blocks. 

Edit:  *****  You MUST cut them to 10.5 inches, or it will hang over the next row.