Why am I just learning about this now???

I'm embarrassed to say in fifty ...yes, fifty years of housekeeping and cooking, I never saw these tabs on the sides of foil and plastic wrap rolls, to hold the roll in place. 😞

Leave it up to Pinterest to get me up to date!

And you know how your straw keeps popping up when you put it in a can of soda? Well, the hole in the tab will hold it in place....genius.

I always thought that the slot in the end of a pot handle was just for hanging, but it sure makes one handy ~ dandy spoon holder!

I always buy natural peanut butter with no sugar added but it's a pain to mix in the oil that rises to the top. Now I turn the jar upside down when I put it in the pantry. When I'm ready to use it, I stir it well and keep it in the fridge, right -side up. And it stays perfectly mixed. Voila!  

I saw this hint in a cooking magazine. Just a rubber band holding a folded paper towel around your oil bottle to catch drips. Doesn't cost anything to do and when the bottle is empty, just pitch it! 

http://www.listotic.com/50-brilliant-storage-ideas/28/

This one I saw a few years ago and I've been using the idea ever since. Tuck your sheet sets inside one of the matching pillowcases to keep the set together! No more searching for that lost pillow case and look how neat the linen closet stays!

What's your favorite hint?

Here's where I'll be sharing:
 Amaze Me Monday * Mix it up Monday * Make it Pretty Monday * Cooking and Crafting with J and J *  Busy Monday * Keep it simple Monday  * Warm Heart *Tasty Tuesday * Delicious Dishes * Inspire me Tuesday * Talk of the Town  * Waste not Wednesday *  Thrifty and Vintage Finds *Moonlight and Mason Jars * Before and After Wednesday * the Alder Collective * You Link it, We Make it * What's Cookin' Wednesday  * Create it Thursday *  Creatively crafty *  Full plate Thursday * Throwback Thursday * The Handmade Hangout * The Pin Junkie * Anything blue Friday * Sweet Inspirations *  Friday Finds * Foodie Friday *  Photo Friday * Foodie Friday and Everything Else * Friday Features * Party Palooza *  What To Do Weekends * Home Matters *  Saturday Sparks *  Best of the Weekend *  Happiness is Homemade  * Sundays at Home  * What's for Dinner * Sunday Crafters-noon  *  Nifty Thrifty Sunday *

*{ Garden junk }*

I just love finding some old worn out junk to give a second life to in the flower bed!


An old chair...a mirror with a worn frame...last year I put two old stained-glass windows in the flower bed. 
I 've carted those windows around from state to state, through nine moves.

Here's some examples I've found:

Well-worn garden tools fastened together into a teepee for climbing plants. How about this gate?

A large terra-cotta saucer atop a tomato cage serving double-duty as a birdbath and trellis for climbing vines.

This old wire garden fence moves up in life. By fastening it to the porch soffit, the fence serves both as a trellis for climbers and as architectural interest on an older home.

 This old drawer attached to a bed footboard becomes an adorable "window box" planter with very little work or money.

I love how the owner used old plates to make an edging for the flower bed!

all photos - BHG

Tell me about " your garden junk " !!

Suzy

Dollar store finds....

a pumpkin and an old - style honeycomb decoration...

" HARVEST" pumpkins and crows and cornstalks....

two heavy - duty tea towels in fall colors....

~ FALL ~

"I love fall! Fall is exciting.

It's apples and cider.

It's an airborne spider.

It's pumpkins in bins.

It's burrs on dog's chins.

It's wind blowing leaves.

It's chilly red knees.

It's nuts on the ground.

It's a crisp dry sound.

It's green leaves turning

And the smell of them burning.

It's clouds in the sky.

It's fall. That's why...

I love fall."

- Author Unknown

~ Saturday photo hunt ~

This week's theme is : BOOKS

Some women like to buy shoes.....I buy books !
Why so many? I can afford to... I never pay more than 3.00 a book

And then there's my cookbook collection...when I retire, I'm going to read them all !
For more ~ Saturday photo hunt ~.....click here !

~Show and Tell~

Last Tuesday, Sarah ask if I had time to get together for some "Mom and Daughter" bonding time...maybe we could have a late breakfast and stop at the "Half Price" book store.

Well, she didn't have to ask me twice...I just love that place :)















Especially the back corner in the clearance section. Lots of books for a dollar or two!!



I











Inspirational and self -help books are my favorites and got an arm load (8) plus 3 Veggie Tales Videos for Alex for a total of $17.00

And speaking of inspirational, Janice over at "Wildflower Cabin" has started a new blog called ~Sunshine Hill~. Stop by and see what it's all about!

For more great "Show and Tell Friday “ click over to Kelli's blog.

Show and Tell Friday....

Simple pleasures ~

On our last trip, we stopped at an antique co-op and I found this cream antique-looking plate holder and a little bird votive that matches.
Kelli, it also matches your tea cup stand in your Show and Tell post!!

I also found this china cup and saucer for my collection.

At the co-op, I also found this little amber hobnail vase. It matches this shoe that's very old. It was my Grandmother's.

For more great "Show and Tell Friday “ click over to Kelli's blog.

A Great Find...

First let me say that I 'm in no way connected to the company that makes this, but I just had to tell you about one of the best purchases I ever made! It's a little kitchen appliance called the "GT XPress 101 ".
I first saw this on an infomercial for $30.00 plus shipping. I was impressed with what I was seeing, but I asked myself "Does this thing really work???" Well soon after that we started selling them at Target, and again it caught my eye, but we were always sold out before I could get one. About a year later, I was in Linens and Things and I saw one on their reduced counter for $13.00! It was reduced because it was the display model ( never used) and didn't have the box...who cares about the box??...so I bought it.

There are so many things you can make with this gadget, from meats to desserts, but most of all, I like to use it to make my lunch with leftovers. It literally only takes a few tablespoons of this and that, wrapped in a flour tortilla and seal it with some cheese to make a wrap. You know, those leftovers that are not enough for a full serving but are just too tasty to throw away. It doesn't heat up the kitchen and it's portable. This is truly one of those small kitchen appliances that has earned valuable counter space!!!

For more great "Show and Tell" click over to Kelli's blog.

Look what I found....

Friday morning, about 8 :30, my phone rang...it was Hubby. He had locked his keys in the car and needed me to meet him with the extra set. He was about 45 minutes away from home on the other side of the city.

I knew that he hated to ask me and kept apologizing for ruining my morning off (that's just the kind of guy he is ).

How could I say no to someone that comes to my workplace when it snows and cleans the snow off and preheats my car before I get off work !!

So I threw myself together, got some directions and off I went. On the way back, I passed two thrift shops that I always wanted to visit. So I stopped...and boy, I'm glad I did !!

I have these two pictures hanging in my bathroom and could never find the larger picture to match them. I've looked everywhere....at any price. Today I found it at the thrift shop for $3.95 !!!

I also found a plate for my collection and 4 Junie B. Jones books for Alex, they're his favorite, at $.50 each.

So it was well worth the trip !!

Hope all of you had a good day too, and enjoy this wonderful weather !!!