Product Review: Target Diapers

Tried something new...$.12 per diaper!!!

Well we were super low on diapers and I was at Target.  I have been so happy with the Costco brand diapers I didn't want to try something else.  However Costcos aren't around every corner so I felt I had to try something new.  Rather than pay something ridiculous like $.20 per diaper I decided to try Target brand which worked out to be $.12 per diaper and WOW we are so happy.  Now, if you baby has sensitive skin I don't know if you will like these.  I have a friend whose baby broke out from the diapers.  But, Remy doesn't have ultra sensitive skin so these work out great.  What is nice is they don't leak, fit nicely, and are nice on his skin (non-sensitive skin).  What this allows us to do is splurge somewhere else like on his formula which is more important for his little growing body.

Give it a shot!!
 

Crafty Travel Condensor!

Travel, travel, travel!!!

I end up traveling quite a bit for work and I love make-up.  Why do I bring this up you ask?  Because I like to have options for my make-up and I don't like to bring a large make-up bag with me when I travel.  Solution??  This!!  Your do-it-yourself personalized make-up palette.

First, pop out all of your favorite colors.  Watch this video from the Make-up Geek. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAcoNZLpkyo

This works for any shadows and almost any brands.

Once out, superglue into a tin of your choice.  Boom, you are done!!!  Now keep in mind, I have traveled with my all over the place so it is a bit banged up.  Also, the cheaper the shadow (E.L.F. the more brittle breakage you will get).  The small shadows are E.L.F. and the larger shadows and blush are Revlon and CoverGirl.  So they help up well. 

Good luck!!

Money Saving Tip: Grow Your Own Food

Soap box again!!

Okay, I know I have talked about this before.  But growing your own food is an excellent way to save money, plus do something healthy.  Growing & eating out of your own garden cost less money, plus it forces you to eat seasonally.  Eating seasonally keeps you in food that has a low carbon foot print.  It doesn't have to be shipped from across the world in order to eat it.

Food for thought :) what a pun I know hehehe

Money Saving Tip/DIY: Lotion

We want to feel and look nice at work too right?

I have been in need of a new tub of lotion at work for some time.  Rather than go and buy some nice lotion, I used a trick I learn from my mom and expanded upon it.  

Long ago, she would cut the top off of her Bath & Body Works cream so she could enjoy every last drop.  I thought that was clever and practical.  However, it does lead to a problem, the lotion drys out and usually there isn't much left anyway.  

Thinking like a frugalista, I pulled together a bunch of my old lotions.  The ones that only have a little bit left (the trick is not to pick a bunch of conflicting smells).  I took them all, pooled them together and got something great for work.

1.) Get all your lotions together and get a container that you can easily get the last drop out of.  I am using my Burt Bees Belly Cream from when I was pregnant.  Plus my favorite Aveeno and a great smelly lotion from Baht & Body.

2.) I needed to cut the top off of the Aveeno bottle.  Use a bread knife.  It works just like a saw and will cut right through the plastic.  The Bath & Body lotion was smooth enough to just pour out.

3.) Just dump into your container and enjoy!!  Easy breezy.

DIY: Palette Shelf, WHAT!!!

FREE!!!!!

I have another great free storage idea.  Palette shelf.  I needed a new book shelf in my new home, but I really didn't want to buy a new shelf.  Now my personal style is shabby chic so this works for me.  If you are very traditional this isn't going to work.  However, most all other styles this can work for you.

First, get a helping hand on this one.  Palettes are heavy and best not to tackle all on your lonesome.  Second, go onto Craigslist and get some free palettes.  Companies are always happy to have people take the palettes away.  They are hard to dispose of because they are heavy.

Again, I have to apologize because I got started on the project and didn't take step by step pictures.  

1.) Map out how you want your shelves to look.  Every palette has vertical support beams which make great horizontal support.  I was able to come up on a couple of boxes as well that I decided to use as a base.

2.) Once you have a map, start pulling, cutting and assembling.  You will need to pull the cross beams of the palette as I have done here in order to reveal the vertical risers.  Depending on the quality of the palette you might be able to do that with a hammer or you will have to get a crowbar to pry it up.  Net cut the shelves that you want.  I used scrap wood.  Again this is something that you can find on craigslist.  People are always looking to get rid of scrap wood and you can come up on some for free.

3.) Assemble.  Dry fit everything, and then start screwing!!  yes, do not nail.  Since these shelves will house books which are a heavier load, use screws.  They will hold your parts and pieces together better.

4.) Once assembled you can leave as is if you want a more rustic look or you can stain.  I chose to stain because I want to unify with the other wood furniture in my home.  This was the most expensive part of the project (I can't remember how much but less than $5 for a tin of stain).  I used dark mahogany with a dry brush.  This kept the weathered look, while making it all feel like the same color.  Keep in mind your wood is going to be extremely dry.  It will suck the stain up immediately.  You might want to get a water bottle to wet the wood in areas to prevent this.

5.) Let dry to a couple days if you are using stain.  A good oil based stain will be dry over night, but will off gas for a couple days.  Don't want those stinky fumes in your home!

6.) Final step is of course ENJOY!! Here is my final product.  Never mind the crappy paint colors on the wall and fireplace (I still haven't painted).

If you give it a go please let me know how your turns out!

DIY: Easy Sugar Scrub

Cheap skin care...yes please!!

This is a quickie.  Who doesn't like sugar scrubs?  They make your skin so smooth.  However, they are expensive.  Here is an easy option.  Simply put some sugar in a bowl and add olive oil or grape seed oil.  You can add coloring if you want (but why bother) or you can also add some oil essence to make it smell good.  It should be an oatmeal like texture.  Use within a couple days.  Nice, easy, and effective!!!  We love that!

Benefits of Babyfood

Quickie but a goodie!!

This is a quick one but wanted to share an added benefit of making your own baby food.  As you are boiling your veggies, keep using the same water and scope the veggies out when they are ready.  When you are done you will have an amazing vegetable broth.  Use it where ever you would use a chicken or beef broth.  I made an amazing soup yesterday with the broth.  It was rich and flavorful.  Give it a go and let me know what you use it in!

Just a reminder, we are boiling 3 -4 difference veggies (for example squash, peas, green beans, and broccoli).  This water will reduce down and condense the flavor of the different foods.

Yup!!