Photo: K Thomas

Other things to keep an eye out for are decorative pots or baskets and outdoor cushions. Pots are great for storing and organizing items and cushions are ideal for using as extra seating on the family room floor when the kids have friends over. Spilled drinks or dropped food? Just take your cushions outside and hose them off!

Do you use outdoor items inside?

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Look for Clearanced Outdoor Items

We’ve decided to make a craft room in our house recently because then we can pull stuff out and leave it there without having a mess sitting in our living or dining area. Being the frugal girl I am, we decided to do this without spending a lot of money. Here are a couple of the things we did to make our craft room work.

Cabinet Storage
Crafting is seriously messy business. Or in can be if you don’t have proper organization (especially with something like scrapbooking.) We purchased a full-size cabinet at Goodwill for $30. The drawers will help us pack the paper, stamps, and other doo-dads away neatly.

Room to Work
We purchased two plastic folding tables, one from Aldi, one from Sam’s. Both were under $50, and are fold up tables about 6-feet in length. We can put them both up so people can paint, color, or scrapbook together and still have lots of room, or just fold them up and put them off to the side.

Plastic Storage
While I have much of the paper supplies in the cabinet we got at Goodwill, I still need a few more plastic storage bins for scrapbooking. Here’s a tip, go to Walmart or Kmart to get a plastic bin that holds the 12 inch papers. I got one for $17. So much cheaper than the $60 bins in craft stores!

Lighting
We went to rummage sales in the area, and picked up too funky lamps without shades that will go perfect in the craft room. The lamps were $1 each. At another sale a few weeks later, I found two matching shades for 50 cents each. It pays to be patient.

Seating
We got two comfy chairs at a flea market a few weeks ago for $15 each.

Table Covers
Since our tables are white, we didn’t want paint or crayon to ruin them in case we wanted to use them for something else. We picked up two plastic (white) tablecloths at the dollar store which we can swap out anytime they get messy.

Most of the steps we took in creating this room were not only frugal but green and good for the environment. Now we’re ready to craft away (and shut the door if company comes over!)

Image: sxc.hu.

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Craft Room

We seldom think of zoos running out of money, but it’s happening to Franklin Park Zoo, open since 1913 in Boston, as well as Stone Zoo in Stoneham. Zoo officials have said that they will run out of money within a few months. The zoos face an uncertain future due to state funding cuts.

If the zoos close, more than 1,000 animals would need new homes. According to a recent article from The Boston Globe, zoo officials believe that it’s unlikely they’d be able to find new homes for around 20% of the animals. If new homes aren’t found, some of the animals could be destroyed.

Zoo officials are urging legislative leaders to restore funding to save the zoos. Visit Zoo New England to learn more about supporting the zoos.

(Image via flickr/Corey Leopold)

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Zoos Face Closure

To me, it’s the women that get this feeling more than the guys. How often have you had an hour free and then thought, “Now I can reorganize that bathroom drawer,” or “I’ll quick fold that laundry before I relax” or “I really should call up X to see how she’s doing.” In other words, when you have an hour free you immediately want to fill it up doing something. This isn’t a bad thing altogether, but you do need do NOTHING once in a while. It’s good for you.
In fact, I think I’ll do that right now.

Image: sxc.hu.

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The Joys of Doing Nothing

Photo: SXC

Here are a few ways you can use teacups in your home:

• Make a pincushion. I made a few of these for Christmas gifts last year, but my cup pile replentished itself!
• Serve desserts like jello or pudding in mismatched cups for a quirky touch at a dinner party.
• Organize small craft items, like buttons or charms, in a row of cups.
• Plant mini African violets or ferns in cups to give as cute hostess gifts.
• Tidy a desk. Use one teacup for rubber bands, one for paper clips, etc.

Do you have a great use for mismatched teacups?

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Five Ways to Use a Teacup

Our winner, chosen randomly, was Nicole! Nicole said, “I would LOVE to win this so I could decorate my husband’s cube. He’s always complaining about how plain it is. There’s a woman 2 down from him that has a beautiful one w/ all kinds of plants and flowers.”

See, it’s not just the woman that like to have a happy work space! Nicole, if you do end up redecorating your husband’s cube, be sure to send us before and after pics! You might inspire someone else to give their cube a makeover.

Image: Amazon

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Winner of Cube Chic

The new FDA egg rule highlights for egg suppliers:

• Refrigerate held or transported shell eggs at or below 45 degrees °F beginning 36 hours after time of lay
• Maintain program to control rodents, flies and other pests
• Monitor a biosecurity program, including limiting visitors on the farm and in poultry houses and protecting against cross-contamination from one poultry house to another
• Buy chickens that are SE-monitored, or raise them under SE-monitored conditions

There’s much more to the rule. To read the complete egg rule, visit the FDA’s website. Many states already follow most aspects of the egg safety rule. It’s taken a very long time to formalize the rule, which is part of the Obama administration’s focus on food safety.

For consumer tips on purchasing and safely consuming eggs, visit the FDA’s egg safety page for consumers.

(Image via stock.xchng)

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Finally, An Egg Safety Rule

Song selections that can be downloaded from the U Rock 2 site include:

• “One And The Same” by Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez from the Disney Channel Playlist CD, with exclusive music video available on the Princess Protection Program DVD
• “Paranoid“ by Jonas Brothers from their upcoming album “Lies, Vines and Trying Times”
• “Hey” by Mitchel Musso from his self-titled album “Mitchel Musso”
• “Ready to Rock” by Steve Rushton featured in the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures’ film“G-Force”

Fans can upload videos on Disney.com now through July 12, 2009. Finalists in each of the U Rock 2 categories will be announced on July 17, 2009 and fans can then vote for their top video picks through July 31, 2009. Voting categories include “Rock of Fame” which will be awarded to the best overall video for each song, “Tricked Out” recognizing the video with the best graphics, editing and special effects, ”Sweet Groove All Star” recognizing the fan with the best dance moves, “Mega Pipes” which honors best singing and “Aww…some!” which highlights the cutest rockers.

Now for our giveaway. Thanks to the folks at U Rock 2, three lucky Blisstree readers will receive prize packs that include portable speakers and the U Rock 2 CD featuring the four songs kids can create their video to. One of the prize packs will also include Mitchel Musso’s new CD.

To enter for the prize package, leave a comment on this post by Thursday, July 16th. Three winners will be chosen at random (one of which will also win Mitchel Musso’s new CD.) I’ll announce the winners on Friday, July 17th. Good luck.

Images: U Rock 2

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Giveaway: U Rock Prize Package

Since so few of you entered, you each had a great chance of winning. The good news! The lucky person (using random.org) was our last entrant, Dum.

Dum was the 7th entrant and will receive this fabulous DVD. (Now Dum, since so few people entered this particular contest, I hope you will watch the DVD and comment back here with your opinion! I have a feeling this little gem is a diamond in the rough and barely anyone knows about it since it was once of Heath’s earlier movies.)

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Image: Zuma Press

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Winner of Heath Ledger Movie

Today we choose our winner: Heather C.! Congrats to her! She said, “Hmmm, I always wondered what I meant when I say certain things. lol”

See, it’s not just the kids of the world that want this book, it’s the moms too! Now, Heather, if you see some of the things you say listed in this book, be sure to leave a comment and let us know. (wink)

Image: Amazon

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Winner of Momisms