Condo Blues

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Quick and Easy DIY Industrial Farmhouse Kitchen Utensil Holder

We recently outgrew our ceramic kitchen utensil and spoon holder. Trying to cram gently fit and remove wooden spoons and utensils from it was like playing Kerplunk on a daily basis.

After a losing round of kitchen spoon Kerplunk for the third time that day, Husband made the off hand comment that we need a new utensil organizer. He's right and we did what happens a little too often than I care to admit.

We totally forgot about doing something about it until the next round of quickly grab a ladle and everything else comes with it. Grr!

After losing that game one night  after cleaning up from making crock-pot chicken enchilada soup recipe (read it on my food blog Lazy Budget Chef here)  I liked how the empty red El Pato Enchilada Sauce can looked in contrast to the green ceramic utensil holder on the counter. Instead of popping the empty aluminum can into the recycling bin, I  washed it out and plunked my short handled Instant Pot paddles into it. Whimsical and functional!

But I needed more.

Fortunately, that was only a cup of coffee away. The next time I opened a can of Cafe Du Monde coffee (Cafe Du Monde has been on of our favorite brands of coffee long before we visited New Orleans - so good!) I got the "medium" in my low, medium, and high food themed kitchen spoon organizer to follow the decorating rule of three: odd numbers of objects look better clustered together than even numbers.


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I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience in case you don't have a local international grocery store that carries these super yummy (and now decorative) products.

Not to mention, using low, medium, and high kitchen utensil caddys saves counter space because I can cluster them together and still find everything I need.

What do you think?


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Sunday, February 12, 2017

3 Year Old Boy Starts a Recycling Company to Save the Ocean (and for College)

At three years old my only ambition was, um, not much beyond what any other three year old was into: toys, meals, and playtime.

Because 3 year olds.

Not Ryan. When he was three, actually three and a half as he always emphasizes in interviews, he started a recycling company called Ryan’s Recycling. Ryan was fascinated a trip to a recycling center and asked his parents if he could give bags to his neighbors so maybe they could give their recyclables to him.


 Pin this post to share Ryan's fantastic story!
 Photo courtesy of Ryan's Recycling.

Four years later Ryan is now seven years old and estimates he has recycled over 200, 000 glass and plastic drink bottles and aluminum cans. He’s saved 10 thousand dollars from his recycling buisness and wants to to put it toward new business equipment – a garbage truck!

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 358

It's time to link up your favorite DIY, decorating, and craft projects and tutorials and drool over your fantastic recipes!





Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

 

You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
 
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party!

Monday, February 6, 2017

How to Make a Quick, Easy, and Ergonomic Computer Monitor Stand

When I look down slightly at my computer monitor on my desk I get the most horrendous and awful migraine headaches because my head acts as a counterweight and gives me a migraine that makes me want to cut off my own head and pain that makes me feel beaten up all over my body. Pain shoots down my extremities and I feel like I want to vomit when I’m supposed to be productive at work.


If I lower my office chair so my head is level when I look at the computer monitor, I’m so short that the keyboard tray on my desk is too high and gives me a slight shrug while I work. Bam! More migraines and pain.

It took years to find the right person to tell me the cause of my very real  but mysterious pain issues are a poor ergonomic work station not tailored to someone of my petite stature.

 I’m just a small pint size girl living in a lanky world. Short girl problems.

Luckily, since I already use a desk with a lowered keyboard tray, it was easy to adjust my office chair to to make sure my arms are wrists are parallel to my keyboard and remove the slight shrug when I type.  I use an adjustable office desk foot rest to make sure my feet touch the ground otherwise my knees ache because my feet dangle. Disclosure: I included affiliate links in this post for your convenience.

DIY Duck Tape Computer Monitor Raiser to Kiss Those Headaches Goodbye!

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 357

Happy Groundhog Day!

The little guy saw his shadow this morning. It looks like six more weeks of winter will be heading our way.

But that's no so bad because it gives everyone six more weeks to stay inside and create your fabulous home improvement, DIY, and craft projects and yummy recipes!

 Let's party!



Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

 
You can show your love for this week's favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!
 
And if you love all of this week's favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week's linky party! Now on to this week's picks!

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

What is This Green and White Corrosion on My Faucet and How Do I Fix It?

The kitchen sink started leaking from the back side of the faucet handle.  Most of the time the kitchen faucet leaks because the washer in the faucet handle wears out.

Faucet handles get a lot of use all day every day so the wearing of moving parts is inevitable. Replacing the washer with a new one is usually the quick and simple fix.

I removed the screw cover and screw from my single single handle faucet to lift the  handle up to remove it and replace the rubber washer.

It wouldn’t budge.


Pin this post for reference later!


You can see a lot of rust inside of the faucet handle. White and green corrosion fused the faucet handle parts together and snapped off in my had. What is this stuff?

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 356

It's too cold to build things and DIY in the garage so I usually turn to more crafty projects I can do on the sofa.

Because Lacey likes to snuggle on sofa with her humans when it is cold outside.

I learned to crochet when I was a very little girl but I've forgotten how. Mother in Law offered to teach me. I'm not sure what I would do with the project because Mother in Law is fantastic about keeping me in hand made afghans (blankets, not dogs,) hats, and scarves already. Instead I decided to try my hand at knitting socks on a sock loom! (affiliate link for your convenience)

 Pin this idea for later!

The directions that came with the sock board are written for someone who is familiar with knitting so I bought the Sock Loom Basics to  teach myself how to knit. It's a nice portable project but knitting socks is slow going. Maybe because I'm new at it? Do you have any tips for me?




Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Tiny Recycled Glass Bottle House

Recycling glass bottles into walls isn’t a new idea, glass bottle walls have been around since ancient Rome but seeing a glass bottle house in person rarely happens unless you know where to look. This tiny house made from recycled glass bottles is in Ohio practically under my nose until I stopped while walking past it (for a zillionth time in my life,) really looked at it, and realize it is a tiny store with wine glass bottle walls.



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Isn’t it cute?

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 355

Yowza gang Valentine's Day will be hear before you know it! I always struggle with buying Valentine's Day gift ideas for my main man because I use all of my good ideas for Christmas.

You too?

I'm here to help you! I added two new Valentine's Day metal heat key chains to gift to the man or woman in your life in my store LNWCreativeGifts.



Personally, I buy both and give Husband the set as a gift which we split accordingly.

Do you have any good Valentine's Day ideas? Add to our fantastic link party below!





Tuesday, January 17, 2017

DIY Flannel Pajama Pants

My 2016 World of the Year was Hygge – the Danish concept of what loosely translates as a feeling of happy coziness which I had no idea Hygge became A Thing but it has.

Well, well, well lookit me being all bleeding edge hipster because I wanted to share the concept of Hygge with my family in the form of handmade pajama pants as Christmas gifts last year.

Pin this project for later!
I am including affiliate links in this post for your convenience.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

How to Make Fleece Rain Boot Liners

I have a pair of rain boots standing ready by the front door so I jump into them when Lacey needs to go outside to do her business. This is a great plan during the muddy spring and fall but could be better during winter snow since the boots aren’t very warm.

Putting Lamb's Wool Insoles helps but adding a warm boot liner helps keep the rest of my foot warm and extent the usefulness of my rain boots into the winter. I couldn't find any to buy in a store but fortunately warm fleece boot liner socks are super simple to sew and quick to make because you make them inside out!

DIY Fleece Boot Liner Socks


Pin this tutorial for later!
 

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Sears sells Craftsman Brand and Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 354

Super big news in the tool world last week. According to Business Insider, Sears sold the Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker who also owns the Dewalt tool brand. According to The Motley Fool:


"Rather than buying Craftsman outright, Stanley Black & Decker is buying the rights to use the Craftsman brand outside of Sears-affiliated sales channels. Meanwhile, Sears Holdings will be able to continue producing and selling its own line of Craftsman-branded products in Sears and Kmart stores. Sears will start paying royalties to Stanley Black & Decker for use of the Craftsman brand after 15 years.

Since non-Sears retail outlets account for just 10% of Craftsman sales right now, Stanley Black & Decker is essentially paying for the growth potential associated with making Craftsman products more widely available. The deal was deliberately structured this way to protect Stanley Black & Decker from Sears' ongoing decline."

I can't say I'm surprised because the writing has been on the wall for Sears Holdings for quite awhile. For example, last Christmas Kmart made it impossible to buy a few items I was interested in both in local store and on line. They were little extras so it wasn't a loss that I didn't buy them. Although I know Husband had to jump through a quite few hoops to buy the Craftsman orbital sander I wanted for Christmas. Originally he wanted to give it to me for my birthday but couldn't find it.

I hugged my Craftsman sander like an eight year old girl getting an American Girl doll for Christmas.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

DIY Flannel Handkerchiefs and Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 353

My poor wee little nose just can't take it any more. I blew through a 100 +count box of tissues (literally) in three days and my Plague is now just barely showing signs of stopping. If it weren't for my neti pot (affiliate link for your convenience) I  wouldn't be able to breathe since I'm all stuffed up with a cold AND a sinus infection. Never do anything half way I always say! 

Fortunately, as I felt this ick coming on early, I made a stack of quick and easy flannel handkerchiefs to use in addition to disposable tissues to keep my nose from getting chapped and feeling raw. By bouncing back and forth between the two types of tissues I don't have a chapped nose for the first time in forever! Not to mention, the flannel hankies don't disintegrate after using a neti pot like the paper tissues do. (Ew.)

Flannel tissues are super simple to make!

 Pin this tutorial for cold and flu season!


1. Cut a piece of flannel cloth in the size of your choosing.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

The 10 Best DIY Projects of 2016

We’re celebrating the New Year by taking a look back at some of our favorite Condo Blues DIY projects for 2016.
From the looks of it, we all like to decorate and make things with recycled materials and add green home improvements to our homes, myself included!
 

Our Top 10 DIY Projects and Posts on Condo Blues in 2016


How to Cut Wine Corks for Crafts the Easy Way!

 

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 352

Merry Christmas Eve Eve! Lacey asked me to put up our favorite Christmas marquee sign to make sure Santa doesn't forget our house. She's hoping for a new squeaky tennis ball because you never can have too many tennis balls to hide under every piece of furniture in the house.


Let's party!


Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Christine at Light and Savvy - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Dawn at LeroyLime - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL
Maisy at Becoming Alice - FB | G+ | Pin
Sheree at Stage Presents - Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst
Lisa at Condo Blues - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Penny at Penny's Passion - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst
Kelly at Under a Texas Sky - Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

8 DIY Gift Bow Tutorials

I obsolete love topping a hand wrapped present with a big fluffy bow.

Which I never seem to have on hand because all too often I end up wrapping gifts at Zero Hour.

Fortunately, the person receiving my pretty present is none the wiser because I now tie my own big, fluffy, and I dare say fabulous gift bows from real ribbon or paper - yes paper! – I have on hand in my gift wrapping box.

 Pin this post for easy ideas on how to recycle scraps into decedent gift wrap!

 

How To Tie 8 Easy Gift Wrap Bows

Monday, December 19, 2016

DIY Giant Peppermint Candy Gift Wrap Tutorial

My husband is a dedicated runner. He runs in even the worst weather conditions, cross trains to prevent injuries, checks in with his doctor about his nutritional needs, and as a result often drinks a protein shake after a workout.

I have so many empty protein powder containers it isn’t even funny. However considering how it contributed to Husband coming in first in his age group and 19th overall out of 800+ runners during his last race, I’m OK with it for the most part.

I repurpose the containers as often as I can for storage before settling on the recycling bin solution. Originally, I was going to upcycle the protein powder containers into GIANT peppermint stick candy decorations and use them to decorate  our front porch for Christmas.

Pin this idea for later!


After Lacey and I finished the project,  I decided to use them as peppermint candy Christmas gift boxes instead.  I ran out of cardboard gift boxes and in all honesty, I don’t want to deal with the folks who make fun of my DIY fabric gift bags this year.