Create: It's On the Walls

I have a horrible habit of being broke.  It's not that I spend money on things so therefore I have no money, it's that I'm paying off old bills and being a single mom.  On the plus side, it makes me think outside the box at times on how to accomplish things I want without paying money.

One of the things I really wanted, especially once I moved, was more bulletin boards.  I wanted to have a place to tack up things that I fancy and that will help me with my writing and blogging goals.  I had the idea previously but had never accomplished it.  But given the large amount of cardboard laying around my house after the move, it was inevitable that I would finally get down and accomplish making my own bulletin boards.

These three boards are built out of one cardboard box and different stashed fabric.  As you can tell, I am still not done unpacking... One of these days!

One cardboard sheet by itself is not enough to stop tacks from going through the wall.  So I took two sheets and glued them together.  This also helped because my cardboard box was not big enough to have the expanse be a full sheet.  So there is a crease in the middle of each of my sheets.  But I crossed the creases so that while one was horizontal, the other was vertical.  It strengthened my board and gave it the thickness it needed.  Using this option also gives you the change to make much larger sizes than you would otherwise. 

All you need is cardboard, fabric, stapler (and/or glue), and nails to hold it to the wall.

1.  Cut your cardboard into pieces your desired shape.  Make sure you have two of the same shape to create the right thickness.  Three might even be better. 

2.  Glue your pieces together and let them dry.  I used tacky glue.  Keep in mind that you don't have to glue the entire piece.  I went just around the edges and x'd across.

3.  Use your pieces as a template for cutting our your fabric.  Cut a larger shape than your cardboard, about two or three inches on each side.

4.  Once your fabric is centered, for a square, open up your stapler and staple the corners of the fabric to the cardboard.  With a circle, I imagine you would pick points on your circumference to staple, working back and forth to create an even pull. 

5.  Fold up the long edges of your fabric like you are wrapping a present and staple the fabric to the cardboard.  I stapled in the center and then at the edges.  You could experiment to see what works better for you.

6.  Once you have all your long edges covered, place on your wall and hang!

I used nails through my board because I forgot early in the construction that I wanted to try to put tacks in between the cardboard.  You could push the flat headed tacks into one of the boards, then glue the other on top of it.  You might have enough tack left over to hold it into the wall. 

Create and enjoy!

Create: Envelopes for Coupons

First off, yup, I've changed the layout and color scheme a bit (ahem, totally) since I was messing around with free backgrounds from the Background Fairy.   I am not currently using one because I'm not sure I like being stuck with some other logo up by my name.  We'll see.  I have been wanting to make a banner now I have motivation to work on that.

Second, Monday's post will be on Tuesday.  It's Memorial Day and I believe all the libraries are closed.

Third, do you use coupons?  I do randomly, when I find a great deal and happen to have the coupon with me.  It's really rare that I remember to take the rare coupon I found that I will actually use.  So I decided that I needed something other than my pocket to keep coupons in.  So tadaa!  Enter the coupon envelope book.

I found a fantastic pattern on how to make envelopes on Mirkwood Designs.  I need to remember to check that site more often.  I took old security envelopes I had received in the mail and used them for my little envelopes. 

Before I glued them together, I used codex binding to bind them to pieces of cardboard.  This one was from Koolaid drink pouches.  I'm kind of sad that I won't have any more of that cardboard since I started using reusable drink containers for Daemon's lunches.  Oh well. 

Once the book was in place, I glued them together and tadaa!  A book full of envelopes.

Enjoy your weekend!  And remember those who fought and died for Liberty.

Write: What It Means to be Frugal

Here is the exercise for today:
Think of something that you are frugal about, or something you splurge on. Why do you save/spend money on that item? How often do you use it?

There are piles on the floor,
overflowing from the bins and boxes
they’ve been assigned to.
Random bits, leftovers, things inherited.
From this chaos, my creations are born.
Thrift finds and garage sale surprise
blossom, forming new life
saved from the landfill.
No extra packaging or instructions
come with my new beauties.
Life created wastes nothing.

Inspire: Frugal Fun

Sorry, guys, for the late post.  For those of you who have followed my disaster of a car, you won't be too surprised when I say it broke again.  The transmission is doing the same thing I had it replaced a few months ago for, not going into third gear.  And it's a manual, so it's not like I can try to bypass it.  It's in the shop now, but if they tell me it's going to cost another arm and a leg, I think I will take the car back as is and just use it to scoot about town.  I'm ready to go without a car after all this hassle, I just have to move first.

This weeks theme is Frugality.  It's a pretty big catchword anymore.  Be frugal, do more with less, simplicity, save the environment, etc, etc.  But to me it's something that I've always had to do (since I'm always broke) but I've started taking control of it the past several months. 

I don't care much for conspicuous consumption, and I try really hard not to buy something because I think I need it or want it.  I've limited my craft supplies to buying something I can't make do without.  The same for clothes.  I hit the thrift stores first, then move on to the box stores.  I'm trying to plan out meals and budget things in.  And I'm doing pretty well, and getting some bills paid off!

So are you frugal?  Do you want to be frugal?  What steps do you take?