Two Birds, One Sweater

This last week I took my first trip to Target since this challenge began.  Oh my, it was a terribly tempting place.  There were sales everywhere!  Sigh, but I made it out with only R's diapers, baby food, and vacuum bags.

Jerremy had a successful shopping trip this last weekend,too.  He bought three pairs of previously owned work pants for only $14.00 at value village.  Nice pants, great prices.

 My project this week was inspired by an idea on "The Nate Show" (I love that show) for reusing an old sweater.  I cut off the sleeves, sewed them together, and filled them with beans to make a draft dodger for our kitchen door.  I used the remaining sweater body to make a throw pillow.  The stuffing came from an old bed pillow.

The draft dodger turned out okay.  I don't really care for the seam down the middle.  I'll have to think about a way to make it prettier next time.  The pillow is great.   It's so comfy, just like an old sweater.  Makes me wish I could take a nap.

There's a Fine Line Between Genius and Ghetto

While watching "The Nate Show" a couple of weeks ago I saw a great little organizing and space saving tool called a scarf hanger.  They range in price from 7.99-19.99 and are really great for scarfs and ties and belts.

      Since then I kept thinking, "I need one of those clever things."  This last Sunday, after grabbing a diet coke from the fridge, I had a great idea.  My coke bottles already had a scarf organizer holding them together.  I added a normal hanger, some tape, and voila I had my very own (free) scarf hanger.

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Add some ribbon if the original is
too tacky for your closet

A space saving view inside our closet

Perhaps a bit ugly, but useful all the same.  My little hanger will hold 12 scarves, ties, or belts!

How it Began

     The idea began forming itself the night that I burnt a bowl of green beans in the microwave.  I set the bowl in the sink and thought they looked strangely pretty.  So I grabbed my camera and took a few shots of the ruined side dish.  I loved how they looked.  Who would have thought something as useless as a bowl of charred green beans could turn into kitchen art?
     So this photograph, my already existing craigslist.com addiction, and my regular efforts to be green combined to become our family's challenge of living for one year without buying anything new.  Everything has to be previously owned, free, or homemade.  As needed, we will buy the necessary supplies to repair or recreate. Obviously, food and personal care items will also be new.
     Although this started for us at the beginning of the year, I'll officially start my 365 days tomorrow, January 18 2011. I'm looking forward to getting really creative this year and sharing our little adventure with all of you.