(RePurposed) Things around the House

I've entered the world of being a grown-up again, financially speaking.  I now owe the US Government enough money to purchase yet another house - just so I could further my education.  Work is more flexible, but now I've entered a realm of becoming more thrifty (again).  Goodbye shopping for luxury goods for a while.

So... what have I done around the house to make life easier?

I Re-Purposed a common purchase to start composting indoors

A friend of mine gave me a ceramic indoor compost container before she moved from the area currently reside now.  I did not realize how damaged it was from sitting in the garage over the winter!  The darn thing had a crack on one side.  I went to empty it into the garden and ended up with several pieces rather than one bin!  Of course, this was frustrating.  I was about to send a large coffee can off with the weekly recycling then decided I could put a better use to this item AND save a few dollars by NOT purchasing an expensive metal one.  And by expensive, I mean about $20 for a metal bin with a metal lid and some compost sponges.

Here's how to achieve the item pictured above.  This applies to METAL coffee canisters only.

Supplies you will need: A blow torch or other similar item, Scissors, Spray Paint, Chalkboard labels, Chalkboard Pen.

1.  Finish using your product.  This could be considered a waste if you did not enjoy your daily coffee!

2. Use the SCISSORS to cut the plastic label off the can. There will be some remnant where the label was glued.

3. Use the BLOWTORCH to burn off the remaining glue and plastic.

4. Use spray paint. Apply several coats. The product I used was Rust-Oleuim Painter's Touch in Gloss Seaside (I LOVE this product).

5. Apply Chalkboard Label, write on using Chalk Board Marker.

Alternative uses:  Trash can for a car (or other small area).  This is important if you have kids.  They seem to make messes no matter where they go!  Outdoor Luminaries (with LED candles or flame candles, remember, never leave flames unattended!)

Variations on a theme: Use to store knitting needles, pens, pencils, art supplies if you have 16 oz. vegetable cans available.  You may need to coat the inside of your can if the plastic liner is burned; Tin Can Telephones, Outdoor Luminaries.

Total Cost for Supplies: $8.00 + tax for spray paint, $2.99 + tax for 24 chalkboard labels, $6.99 + tax for a chalkboard marker, cost varies for a blow torch or long lighter.  Cost also varies for the product in your tin can.

Cost of a new (metal) compost bin: Starting at $24.99 on Amazon.com.  Cost of a new trash can: Starting at: $6.00 on Amazon.  You may find cheaper at Wal-Mart.  Of course, Ikea can't be beat!!!  But is saving all that $$$ worth the drive???

Happy Crafting!

Learning a new Techniue: Intarsia Knitting

I have a feeling I am going to run out of my main color for a sweater that I cast on (and purchased yarn for) over two years ago.  The pattern I am knitting is a hooded sweater with a cable trim.  I am using Rowan's Creative Linen in Salmon and Natural.  The main color of the sweater will be salmon with natural as the cable/accent.
I thought knitting intarsia would be super complicated until I found a tutorial from the ladies at Tin Can Knits (great designs, even with the free patterns!!!).  The tutorial gave me everything I was looking for: how to cast on, how to knit with two different colors in a non-Fair Isle way.
Now to finish other objects before I go back to another treat for myself.