MOOD LIGHTING.......Say Hello To My Little Friend, the Mason Jar.

Well, it's officially "Outdoor" time.

Us Midwesterners have a very small window of "outdoor" opportunity, and before you know it, we're back inside, hiding in our houses, waiting for that perfect evening to come along.

It's either raining, blistering hot, or utterly freezing around here.  So when the weather is perfect for Patio Sitting, we are outside faster than you can say......well......faster than you can say ...."Quick get outside before the weather changes".

My favorite outdoor sitting time is in the evening.  To me, there is nothing better than sitting outside on a perfect night.  And there aren't too many of those around these parts during a 365 day span.

So when they finally arrive, we take full advantage of them.

That's when Mood Lighting comes in.

Say Hello to my little friend............the Mason Jar.

Mason Jars, or Ball Jars (depending on what your grandma use to call them) are inexpensive ways to light up that perfect evening.

Just drop in a tea light candle or votive candle, and Voila........instant Mood Lighting.

* Line them up all around the edge of your patio

* Place them all around the ledge of your deck

* Hang them from trees

* Cluster them together, all different shapes and sizes, on your patio table

* Scatter them here and there in your back yard like little lightening bugs

So many ways and creative uses for these little fellas.

Almost any second-hand store you go into, you're gonna find Mason Jars for a pretty reasonable price, just waiting to be re purposed, and proud to give you that patio Mood Lighting.

You can find bags of 200 tea light or votive candles at Michaels or Amazon, for about $20.

A very cute, clever, and inexpensive way to set a cozy ambiance to your perfect evening.

So hurry up.

Get out there and enjoy those beautiful evenings.

And don't forget your little friend Mason, to help you create the perfect mood.

New Uses For Old Things. Part 2

More great ideas -  New Uses For Old Things Part Two
Makes me just shake my head, so simple, why on earth didn't I think of that!

Here are some pretty spiffy ideas that you may or may not have already thought of.

I know I didn't.

Paint Splatter Shield

Paint like a pro. To make a splatter shield for when you’re painting a high surface, cut a slit in the center of a lid and pull the paintbrush through.

Lemon Seed Catcher!

Squeeze lemons, limes, or oranges over the grater to keep seeds out of the juice. I can't tell you how many times I've had to dig out lemon seeds from my juice!

Coffee Filter as Screen Cleaner

For lint-free viewing, grab a coffee filter to wipe down dusty and staticky computer monitors and TV screens regularly.



Pencil Eraser for Earring Backer

If the backing for one of your studs goes AWOL, slice off a disk-shaped wedge from an eraser. The earring will stay put, even if your pencil looks denuded. Boy have I used this many many times!

Wine Bottle Gift Bag

How cute is this.  Slip a (clean) patterned kneesock over the bottom of a bottle, then knot the top to create a decorative carrier. Better yet, offer your hostess two bottles so she can later enjoy toasty toes.

Vitamin Holder for Traveling with Jewelry

Pack enough jewelry for a week away. The individual compartments are the perfect place to keep earrings, necklaces, and rings safe and tangle-free.


Computer Detailer with Cotton Swab

Boy could my keyboard use this. With the machine turned off, disconnect the keyboard and trace between the keys with a cotton swab lightly dipped in isopropyl alcohol. If your mouse is the kind that rolls on a ball, unscrew the bottom and go over the ball and the interior with a cotton swab, too.

Lip Balm Cuticle Moisturizer

GREAT IDEA!

Rub a bit of lip balm on dry cuticles for a quick and easy way to soften them when you're on-the-go.

Tweezer Holder Magnet

Brilliant! Stop tweezers from going astray by installing a magnet on the inside of the medicine cabinet and they will always be at your fingertips.


Soap Case Camera Holder

For Pete's Sake...of course!  Protect your picture taker from getting knocked around in your carry-on by placing it in a hard plastic travel soap case.

Bathroom Mirror Memo Board

I think this is my favorite one so far.  Leave a message that’s impossible to overlook. Write quick reminders (Pick up dry cleaning) or encouraging notes (Good luck today!) with a dry-erase marker.



Tutu Night Stand

So cute.  Not only for a little girls room but for the Shabby Chic Lover. Create an enchanting nightstand from a kitchen stool by wrapping a tutu around the edge of the seat and securing it with double-sided tape.


Lighted Wreath

Ring in the season with a brilliant mantelpiece. Start with a wire wreath frame (this one is 18 inches in diameter, but you can use any size). Then wrap a string of lights around the frame, making sure to leave enough slack to reach the plug; otherwise use an extension cord.



Stones for Plant Toppers

I do this to all my indoor plants (much prettier than seeing the soil on top).  I go to Pet Stores, and get the small brown or white rocks that go in the bottom of a fish or turtle tank.  Insulate potted plants with a layer of decorative pebbles on top of the soil.

Aluminum Foil Protector

Protect doorknobs and hardware in the kitchen and bathroom when you're painting by wrapping foil around them to catch dribbles. The foil molds to the shape of whatever it's covering and stays firmly in place until the job is complete.



Why on earth didn't I think of that!

In case you missed New Uses For Old Things Part One  CLICK HERE!















New Uses for Old Things...Why didn't I think of that?

I love it when magazine articles show brilliant ideas for things that I should have thought of!
Makes me just shake my head, so simple, why on earth didn't I think of that!

Here are some pretty spiffy ideas that you may or may not have already thought of.  I know I didn't.

PANCAKE BATTER DISPENSER!

A clever way to re-purpose an everyday item!  An empty Ketchup bottle!

Portion pancake batter with precision!  Now that's what I'm talking about.  Perfect silver dollar, or mickey mouse pancakes every time.

What they don't tell you is how you actually pour the batter into the ketchup bottle, but if anyone has a great idea on how do to that, let me know.


USED TOOTHPICK COLLECTOR

I always wondered what guests did with their used appetizer toothpicks.  Sometimes I find them a week later after I've had a party, laying all over hither and yon.  Once I found one stuck in one of my house plants!

This trusty little lemon will tell your guests just what to do with that toothpick after they just poked it in a meatball and gobbled it up.  Cute idea!

CUPCAKE LINER ICE CREAM BOWLS

Brilliant!  Boy, I can't tell you how many birthday parties I've hosted, and when it comes time for cake and ice cream, all the guests are standing around waiting patiently for their slice of cake and their scoop of ice cream.

There I stand, trying to scoop out the ice cream, one by one on each plate, trying my hardest not to drip and mess up the whole table.

Perfect Solution!  Scoop out the ice cream the day before and freeze the scoops in the cupcake liners.  The day of the party, bring out a nice serving tray holding all the perfectly scooped ice cream in their neat little holders.  Plop one down on each of cake plate.  No fuss, no mess and NO DRIPPY ICE CREAM!

I'm all about making less to-do for the hostess on the actual day of the party.  After all, a hostess should be able to enjoy her own party too.


COFFEE FILTER SNACK HOLDERS

I think this is my new favorite brilliant idea!  I can't tell you how many times I've had a poker party, or a movie night with friends, and I wanted to pass out popcorn or some home-made chex mix, and went crazy in the kitchen looking for 6 or 8 little bowls so each person could have their own personal snack container.

If you play cards or board games with friends, this is a PERFECT solution so each person can have their own little holder for whatever snack they choose to munch on.  Love this one!


FIRE STARTER

If you have a fire pit or a chiminea like I do, it's always a bit of a pain to get that thing started.

If you have wine corks like I do....and man do I have lots and lots of old wine corks, then your problems are solved.

Get a blaze crackling faster.  Keep wine corks in rubbing alcohol in a sealed jar (stored away from the fire of course).  Just before lighting a fire, toss a few corks under the kindling!  Wow, instant MacGyver!

CUPBOARD DIVIDER

 I have loads of cookie sheets, all sizes....cutting boards......jelly roll pans, you name it, they are all stacked up, one on top of the other under my oven.

This is a Desk Organizer for your files.....why on earth didn't I think of this? 

Now off I to to get my life more organized.