Upcycle: Coffee and Tea Jars

Okay, this is not technically DIY. More an upcycle?

When Mr Mars and I moved we got rid of most of our kitchen stuff. My old rusty IKEA tins got the bin (imagine these in Orange black and white: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80188927/). I then begrudged paying cold hard cash or warm plastic credit for something to go rusty again.

Then I had a brainwave... hold the applause... and I decided to use the old Douwe Egberts coffee jars that I kept my buttons and stuff in. I only had two of these, so I then went to the supermarket and bought another (we needed coffee anyway and Douwe Egberts is one of my preferred instant brands) it is expensive (compared to other instant brands) but if you wait until a special or offer you can get some good bargains.

I then had 3 big jars. Filled them with tea, grinded coffee and sugar, photo below. I also love loose tea as I got a cracking gift of a tea pot (I'll post another time) meant for fires and wood burners but I put it on my retro cooker hob, so I bought another small Douwe Egberts next time and filled that with my red bush tea leaves. Got another that I'm hoing to fill with my coconut chia tea leaves - it is lush, but it has caffeine in it, so is not my ideal pre bedtime drink.

I love them! They will go with any style of kitchen AND won't go rusty like metal containers!

When ready to re-use soak in hot soapy water and take the labels off, you may need to scrub/rub the glue.

 

Coconut Chia Tea waiting to be out into the jar (once it's emptied!)

Anyone got any other uses for their old coffee jars?

xoxo

DIY: Re-vamped penny jar

I thought I had posted this. I had not.

My "DIY" has subsided as we have settled into our new life (along with the blogging ;). We also purged most of our junk/old stuff/used items therefore not much to up-cycle/revamp. To be clear I like to up cycle as much as I can as it's better for the environment AND no-one else is likely to have it AND it usually saves a bit of cash :)

On the note of Purged, I watched the film The Purge last night. Scary.

Back to DIY. I am a fan of saving pennies/coppers/change. I did my wedding scramble from saving the change and have made payments to debt with change! We smashed a couple of our jars that were wedding/engagement gifts before we left the UK (photo below) but this one opens (no need for smashing). Unfortunately it is clearly styled for a 5 year old boy – I think it belongs to Mr Mars from his youth (oops!).  So I decided to take what I had and try and revamp it to blend into the Lodge House living room black/grey/white styling.

Jars in the first 'Life at the Lodge House". RIP Lodge House.
 

Equipment (including cup of tea):

I purchased some fine glitter (£5 GBP) and I already had modge podge, so off I went. Layer of glue, layer of glitter, layer of glue, layer of glitter. GOD it took forever to cover those bl**dy blue stripes!!!

First layer of glue...

 

First layer of glitter...

 

Another layer of glue and glitter...

 

FINALLY!!! After 100 layers of glue and glitter (an exaggeration, more like 3 or 4)...

I dried it using my pepper shaker baby cactus (cool mug from SPCA charity shop).

But I did it. With black glitter EVERYWHERE. Mr Mars was NOT happy. When I empty my purse of the coppers (and steal from Mr Mars’ pockets!) they will be stored here! Then banked at a later date. Small but effective way to gather some savings!

That's all folks

xoxo

Win Tomorrow - The Tale of The Forgotten Lunch Box

I’m following the Win Tomorrow program.

It’s not actually a program, just a thing where you prepare and get ready for the next day in order to have a successful day. I.e. pack lunches, exercise clothes etc. etc. It’s meant for weight loss but I also use it to try and built some organisation into my life. Less clutter and more organisation are my 2015 goals.

PDF: http://www.noexcusesworkout.com/oldsite/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Win-Tommorrow-Check-List-PDF-Version.pdf

So last night, having been to the shops and I had already went my run at lunch time meant I had the ENTIRE evening to “win tomorrow”. After dinner with Mr Mars,  I cook some buckwheat and cajun mixed beans, add it to a nice spinach salad. Get my running clothes ready, get my evening clothes for a dinner with the girls ready (my mate is moving away) and get my work clothes ready. 8.30pm is the target to have it all ready so I can sit down and watch the super cheesy teenage movie called Pitch Perfect (think Glee, but a movie).

My bag won’t close but I meet my target. So feet up and I watch my movie with a cuppa and a bit of raspberry sponge cake and all is right in the world. Tomorrow, I have won.

As I drive to work today all seems to have went seamlessly to plan, until I think of my beautiful lunch. Still sitting in the fridge. My Cajun bean concoction. WHAT A WASTE. Waste of my time AND my money. 

Here is what it looked like:

Tomorrow - 1 

Veronica Mars - 0

Day trip and some pocket money

Sorry I tried to get back into my blogging again, I’m just so bad at it! Really trying to be more organised. I feel organisation is the key. Get organised, save the world and all that.

This week Mr Mars and I have…

Been at the rugby! Sorry no picture. It is our new date night - ohh how things have changed!

Went on a day trip! Mr Mars and went to Akoroa for the day. I lovely French themed town. We were super frugal and shared a fish and chips and coke! Just as well as it was HUGE!!! Total cost $11.50 (£5.75). We MUST try and do this more often as we ALWAYS have food leftover and it is just such a waste of food and money! The coke cost more than the chips or the fish – but it is the small things, guys!

We have still been saving for a house deposit and still working our “Pocket Money”. Don’t believe we even have a 10% deposit never mind a 20% deposit, but getting there. Must buy fewer bottles of coke!

Trying NOT to buy stuff with my pocket money, I have far too much stuff. Buying stuff can also mask underlying issues, like, not feeling comfortable with some weight gain (current issue). Anyway, I HAVE made a couple of purchases. It's stuff - I'm sorry. But full disclosure here! Pocket money purchases:

This hat. Tried to act like a cowgirl - Failed.

This super cool, totally in love with, necklace:

Check it out it’s made with the inside of a watch – did you hear me? THE INSIDE OF A WATCH. How unique, cool and random is that?

That's all folks! 

Keep swimming little fishes: