Is Necessity Your Mother of Invention?

[babetoo]

today, my pharmacy was due to deliver meds. i wanted to take a nap. they will not leave insulin unless i leave out my little lunch box with the frozen block of blue stuff.

my freezer is stuffed and i could not find the block. needing my nap badly, i put a frozen roll of liverwurst in the box. it worked just fine and the delivery guy got a good laugh.

tell what you have done or still do that may be what people think is strange but works.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Very clever, Babe!

I would say that I'm cheap and that is the Mother of my Inventions. I figured out how to hang my cheap drapes without overspending on hardware. A piece of PVC 1/4 inch pipe and three hooks to fit cost me about $10, instead of the $45 for curtain rods.

 

[babetoo]

Very clever, Babe!

I would say that I'm cheap and that is the Mother of my Inventions. I figured out how to hang my cheap drapes without overspending on hardware. A piece of PVC 1/4 inch pipe and three hooks to fit cost me about $10, instead of the $45 for curtain rods.

i did the same for a valance in my puter/sewing room. made the valance as well. no drape on the slider itself so i can see the outdoors.

 

[joesfolk]

I go to estate sales and buy up all of the cleaning products and plastic wrap/ bags etc for pennies. Last time I did this I came home with a huge box of stuff for about $12.00. Now some will say that I am cheap but many of those products I just can't afford to buy on a regular basis.

We are very limited on space so since dd didn't want to get rid of any of her many stuffed animals I bought a white garden latice made of plastic and had dh screw it to the wall above dd's window. Now all of her stuffed animals hang there on circles of elastic so that she can take them down whenever she wants. Looks adorable, does what I need it to do and costs pennies.

Today since I had leftover mac and cheese I ground it up and used it for the filler in my meatloaf instead of oatmeal. Worked great, family raved.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

i did the same for a valance in my puter/sewing room. made the valance as well. no drape on the slider itself so i can see the outdoors.

I used flat twin sheets as drapes. They worked great and they were color coordinated to each room.

 

[babetoo]

I used flat twin sheets as drapes. They worked great and they were color coordinated to each room.

very clever. i used cheap muslin. then sewed ball fringe on the bottom. the fringe cost more than the fabric or the rods, but it really looks custom made. aren't we clever.

i like the stuffed animal solution a lot, too.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I go to estate sales and buy up all of the cleaning products and plastic wrap/ bags etc for pennies. Last time I did this I came home with a huge box of stuff for about $12.00. Now some will say that I am cheap but many of those products I just can't afford to buy on a regular basis.

We are very limited on space so since dd didn't want to get rid of any of her many stuffed animals I bought a white garden latice made of plastic and had dh screw it to the wall above dd's window. Now all of her stuffed animals hang there on circles of elastic so that she can take them down whenever she wants. Looks adorable, does what I need it to do and costs pennies.

Today since I had leftover mac and cheese I ground it up and used it for the filler in my meatloaf instead of oatmeal. Worked great, family raved.

Quite clever. I finally took all my stuffed animals, okay...most of my stuffed animals and put them in a vacuum bag...they take up about 4 inches deep of space and slide right under the bed.

 

[Zhizara]

I used flat twin sheets as drapes. They worked great and they were color coordinated to each room.

Cheaper, pretty and FINISHED EDGES. Even if you have to shorten them, you still have 3 finished edges. I love to do this.

 

[buckytom]

We are very limited on space so since dd didn't want to get rid of any of her many stuffed animals I bought a white garden latice made of plastic and had dh screw it to the wall above dd's window. Now all of her stuffed animals hang there on circles of elastic so that she can take them down whenever she wants. .

you hang stuffed animals?

no one else is to blame when she turns goth...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Cheaper, pretty and FINISHED EDGES. Even if you have to shorten them, you still have 3 finished edges. I love to do this.

Actually, I thought they looked more elegant pooled on the floor... In our bedroom, I added some lace panels to the sheets, they were on clearance for $3 a pair.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I keep thinking on what I've been able to improvise over the years, I've done so many, but nothing sticks out.

I did find out it was cheaper to buy white cotton t-shirts to use as large dressings on Shrek's arms, after his motorcycle accident, than it was to buy the first aid gauze. And they were reusable after washing and boiling.

 

[radhuni]

I make furniture covers with old curtains.

 

[joesfolk]

A while ago I learned that I could make my own brown sugar using white sugar and molasses. This saves in two ways. First I always have the ingredients on hand since I normally need molasses at Christmas and no other time. So there is always a jar sitting in the cupboard. But it is slightly cheaper to make my own than to buy brown sugar.
But beyond that no matter how I work to package the store bought stufff I always end up with a brick of brown sugar. I'm talking an industrial strength brick which won't yield to the microwave or the food processor. I always have to throw it out. But For some reason when I make my own it doesn't seem to clump. I just put it in a zip lock bag and it stays fresh and lovely till I need it. And even if It did clump, which it doesn't, I could just make up a quick batch in the fp.
I used it to make my Christmas cookies this year and DH's kids just raved about them (and these kids will never even eat most things that I cook, out of loyalty to their lovely mother I assume.)
Give it a try. I use light molasses. Oh, just so you know the brown sugar made at home does have a more molasses flavor but not much.

 

[Zhizara]

Actually, I thought they looked more elegant pooled on the floor... In our bedroom, I added some lace panels to the sheets, they were on clearance for $3 a pair.

I know it's supposed to look elegant, but it just looks too long to me. I'd be after the extra fabric to make valences or matching pillows.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I know it's supposed to look elegant, but it just looks too long to me. I'd be after the extra fabric to make valences or matching pillows.

I would do anything so I don't have to sew...

 

[PattY1]

I found cloth shower curtains that fit perfect in the Victorian decor in my bathroom for $5:00. But no window curtains were available. So I bought 2 pair and set about to make window curtains only to find that my sewing machine had bit the dust. I made them by hand. Not professional looking, but passable.

 

[Kayelle]

I would do anything so I don't have to sew...

Here's my no sewing window treatment. I have a kitchen full of roosters I've collected and I wanted a rooster valance over my kitchen window. I found a nice tapestry table runner that worked really well I think. Husband attached a board above the window, and we cut the table runner in half, and attached it to the board with brass upholstery tacks. The only sewing involved was tacking the pointed ends of the table runner together.

 

[babetoo]

now that is adorable. good for you!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Here's my no sewing window treatment. I have a kitchen full of roosters I've collected and I wanted a rooster valance over my kitchen window. I found a nice tapestry table runner that worked really well I think. Husband attached a board above the window, and we cut the table runner in half, and attached it to the board with brass upholstery tacks. The only sewing involved was tacking the pointed ends of the table runner together.

Very nice...maybe I might attempt something like that. But honestly, I am NOT arty-crafty. I know how to sew, knit, embroider, etc. I hate doing it, it makes me crazy! I can sit and read for 48 hours at a time!

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks

Babe, I really had to laugh over the frozen liverwurst in the cooler for your medicine!! Thinking maybe you should have put a box of crackers in there too, with a note to take it with him for lunch.