Category : Recycling

Making drop cloths out of curtains

While Joel and I were painting our house in Nebraska getting it ready for sale, we were lamenting how we wished we could afford nicer drop clothes. We have always bought the cheapest plastic stuff you can find and have gotten what we paid for-rips, trips, and constant readjusting because it won’t stay in place. We have done enough painting over the past 8 years of marriage that an investment in the beginning would have paid for itself by now. Alas we were poor back then and sadly we are not too much better off eight years later.

As we were getting the dining room ready we took down the curtains that had been hanging in there for the last 6 years. They were cheap cotton loop curtains from Wal*mart we had purchased to cover the windows after our house was robbed. Looking at them now one could tell they had better days. The sun had bleached all the folds that were facing out towards the sun (they were south facing windows, so those curtains had no chance of lasting long term). I decided that I’d keep them for some project like totes or something out of the good parts.

Then I got a brilliant idea. Why don’t we use the curtains as drop clothes! The plastic that we had wouldn’t fit the whole room and the curtains we had would do great fitting into the odd spots. They also worked great in the bathroom as pictured above.

We can chalk that one up to making do with what you have!

 

What creative things have you done to get what you need/want without having to spend money?

 

I’m linking this up to:

The Morris Tribe Blog Carnival     

‘Making’ Christmas Special 2011

 

I’m starting a new series that hopefully I will see through. This year I am planning to make most of the girls’ gifts plus various gifts for friends and family.

I have been taking a hard look at what’s important to me and with every day that passes I am drawn less and less to things. It is more important to me that my kids are fed well, are warm, are learning to love and respect others and the what’s around them, and that they learn each day new ways that Jesus loves and impacts their lives and how to turn around and do the same. Now if I come across an item that can help me do that (for instance the 10 cup food processor that I bought myself with birthday money-yea for homemade apple sauce!) then I will ask for it or buy it with birthday money.

In the same way, if there is a particular item that I know someone would really enjoy or appreciate I am more than willing to get it for them. However, I don’t like just picking up something shiny and new for them just because. I would rather save them the hassle of returning it or finding a place for it and make them something they can use or something that I know will hold sentimental value for them.

Giving gifts is about showing someone how special they are to you and blessing them beyond expectation (don’t read $$, read thoughtfulness).

That’s enough of my ranting. Here’s a rough list of the gifts I am making my girls:

A winter scarf-I’m crocheting them

A bear bankMade from recycled Animal cracker containers

Building blocks- made from recycled cardboard egg cartons

Baby doll clothes and diapers-made from old clothes I’ve kept because I liked the fabric

If I can get all of that done in the next month and a half I will be delighted.

Wish me luck!

Here’s a couple of links to gifts I’ve made or assembled in past years.