cardboard container up-do

So I'm deep into another project and no I have not finished the Cedar Chest Makeover project thank you for asking.

It's a sewing cabinet up-cycle project thing that I'll blog about later (when if I finish it).  Part of this sewing up -cycle thingy-ma-jiggy requires lot's of storage.  So I have been collecting marked down (waaaaaay down) baskets galore and re-using old storage containers and scouring the thrift store (i.e. D.I.) to find suitable (cheap) storage solutions.

Enter Exhibit A

New Beginnings--Garden Planning Time

In my Church's Young Women program they have something called New Beginnings.  The Leaders have a special program for those new "Beehives" to welcome them in and help them feel loved and valued.

The Theme for this years New Beginnings Meeting is a Garden Party.  How appropriate.  Spring and therefore gardens signal new beginnings.

This is a perfect time to start planning the garden.  Here in Swan Valley, the growing season is very short.  Most, who are serious about gardening here have a green house.  That is on the docket for us, but even with a green house, starting some plants indoors is the way to go.

Wheat Grinder Life Hack

Taking a break from the Cedar Chest Makeover because, well, I have to.  I don't have the hardware to press on so I'm baking bread today.

Because I'm a good 30 minutes--in good driving conditions--away from a grocery store and 45 minutes away from a decently priced grocery store, I decided to make bread.  Not a foreign thing for me to do, I mean, I've posted it on here how many times?  But this time I am grinding my own wheat.  Have wheat, don't have whole wheat (WW) flour.  Have white, not WW.  Also what I don't have is a room that I want covered in a fine dusting of flour.

So I had an idea.  I don't know if this qualifies as a "life hack", but it sure made my life easier.

I put a XL Space Bag over my grinder and let it roar.  I left the zip lock open partially because it needs air to work, but it worked like a charm.  A clean-kitchen-after-grinding-wheat charm.

Now you must know that I LOVE my wheat grinder and it is quiet for a grinder and it is clean for a grinder, but it still spews some fine flour dust in a two feet radius and today I just didn't want to deal with it.  My creative side of my brain has been working on ideas how to create a "space" where I can grind and not leave a Mt. St. Helen's kinda mess* because my lazy side of my brain didn't want to deal with the mess anymore...


Voila!

Hope Chest Makeover-Chapter 3.5

I took to the paint in an effort to not spend any more money on this cedar chest makeover.

Really I haven't spent any money but the original $40 it cost (5 years ago) and the cost of the stain. I'm going to have to cough up some cash for drawer pulls and new spindly legs, but that is where I want the spending to end.

 Put ME in charge of the deficit! ha!

Hope Chest Makeover-Chapter 2

I got a really good arm workout yesterday. I sanded this old blonde girl making her ready for her new color.

I totally got a good workout and honestly had a Mr. Miagi moment. Actually, that would have been a Danielson moment, because I (!) did all that sanding.

By hand.

Here's what I've done so far...