Search Results for: blog turning trash into treasure

Mount Everest Trash Turned into Art

The other day, I mentioned how climbers were literally leaving tons of trash on Mount Everest. Even Sir Edmund Hillary admitted to leaving behind oxygen cylinders during his historic climb. Since most climbers require oxygen, cylinders are plentiful and usually left behind because climbers don’t want to carry the extra weight. As I was doing research on this blog, I came across an interesting article about Jeff Clapp. Clapp is an artist and one thing is true of artists – you never know where their inspiration is going to come from. For Clapp, an ice sculptor, it came from watching … Continue reading →

Turning Trash into Treasure

How would you like a cool desk for your home? Follow the adventures of a friend who calls herself the “Trash Queen” as she turns another found piece of trash into a real treasure for her home. You may have read about my friend before here in the frugal blog. She is high on creativity when it comes to curb shopping and turning other people’s discards into usable items for her home, from a backyard fireplace made from a headboard to a kitchen table made from a door, the Trash Queen is constantly coming up with something new. A couple … Continue reading →

Trash or Treasure?

You may have seen the segment on Decorating Cents where they turn odds and ends into great stuff for the home. There is also a show called Trash to Treasure that is devoted to turning throwaway items into useable things. These shows offer great solutions for using what you have, or picking up inexpensive items at salvage centers, thrift stores, garage sales, or collecting things from friends and family you no longer need them. With a little creativity and effort, you’ll be amazed what you can make from odds and ends. A block of leftover wood can easily become a … Continue reading →

Green Magazines

Even though I write a green blog, I still like to learn new green practices as well as keep up on current green news. Of course, the Internet provides a great number of resources, but there are also green magazines. Here are a few examples: Mother Jones Mother Jones magazine is known for its investigative reporting that that includes green issues. Editor-in-chief Roger Cohn took over in 1999 and helped move the magazine towards environmental issues. Before joining Mother Jones, Cohn was executive editor at Audubon. Cohn has since left to serve as editor of YaleEnvironmental Online, but Mother Jones … Continue reading →

Shutting Off the Furnace

In our home, we have found that we can save on heating oil by simply shutting off our furnace for days at a time. While this technique isn’t for everyone, it can help you get through the really tough times. We usually take having automatic hot water for granted. But generations before us didn’t have any such luxury. While I’m not ready to live in the dark ages, I have discovered that there are times that living without hot water isn’t as hard as you might think. The way I discovered this was by accident. The switch that turns off … Continue reading →

Smaller Garbage Equals More Money

We have been smug. I admit it. When we look at all of the garbage that our neighbors have out, we tend to feel that we are on the right track. This is because we know that the smaller our garbage is then the less money we are spending. While the neighbors can have three or more extra large trash cans a week, we have trouble just filling up half of our can per week. Once we are past disposable diapers (we just don’t want to do cloth), we may even cut that little bit in half. There are so … Continue reading →

Fall and Holiday Decorating with Nature 2

Isn’t it fun to decorate for the fall and upcoming holidays? I’ve done a little bit with a basket of mini pumpkins, a friendly scarecrow and some candles, but I am itching to do more. Some of my favorite decorating involves the use of natural materials. I covered some ideas for fall and holiday decorating with nature in an earlier post. Did you like that log idea? Now I’ll share some more suggestions for your home. With a heavy rain yesterday, I know that there are plenty of fallen twigs and small branches in my yard. One idea is to … Continue reading →

Elements of Rustic Style

If you are looking for a decorating idea, why not consider the rustic style. It is warm, inviting and cozy. Think of sitting in a plush chair by a crackling fire. And although you can really go high end with rustic style, it also lends itself to budget decorating. Here are some of the guidelines of rustic style as well as some tips on creating this look in your own home. The rustic style should induce a sense of an inspiration from nature and a sense of nostalgia. This style is very timeless and can work the throughout the year, … Continue reading →

Addressing the Rise in Prices

In an earlier article posted today: Food and Gas Price Report, I discussed the latest information from the U.S. Department of Labor about our rising cost of food, energy and other goods. Here, I will offer some strategies and ideas for addressing the rise in prices. Let’s first address the rising food prices. To combat these prices and continue to provide food to your family you can (be sure to check the links for more information): Find substitutes for more expensive items, such as using dry milk for baking or drinking, giving up organic milk, baking your own bread, consuming … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: April 7th Through April 13th

This past week it has been all about maximizing your savings and keeping as much of your hard earned money working for you. Check out these great articles for the Frugal Living Blog week in review: April 7th through April 13th. April 7th Turning Trash into Treasure How would you like a cool desk for your home? Follow the adventures of a friend who calls herself the “Trash Queen” as she turns another found piece of trash into a real treasure for her home. Rainy Day Activities April showers may bring may flowers, but they can also bring bored kids. … Continue reading →