But also: we’re rich. I am so not a do-goodie type and I moan and bitch with the best of them.

But: we’ve got running water. And heat - and the spring is coming so early, we’re lucky, we’ve got AC too! I have to watch the food budget all the time but we eat EVERY SINGLE DAY.

We have our own house. Well, us and the bank. I have a sometimes-self-supporting at-home job. My DH has a good job though it’s tough and hard on him. We’ve got trees and grass and two happy dogs. We’re mostly healthy, knock wood.

Did I mention we eat every single day?

You tell me that’s not rich? Ask half the people in this world. More than half. A lot more.

Oh yeah. We’re rich.

Getting off the little soapbox now. But think about it.

It’s made from a colander! And a lot of careful craftsmanship.

Look at all the positives: it’s recycled (a colander!). This could have gone in a landfill - and it shouldn’t have - and it didn’t. It’s handmade, which is always a good thing. (There’s enough big box stuff out there already). It uses the new energy-efficient CFL bulbs. It’s unique. It’s affordable - a pendant lamp for your place and even with the shipping, it’s only $55? Oh yeah, this is of the good.

And of course the most important thing - it LOOKS GOOD.

It’s available from SpokenStitch on Etsy - go over there and take a look, they’ve got lots of goodies, both recycled and handmade. Totally worth checking it out!

Think how great this would look in a loft space. Or a farmhouse kitchen. Or over your dining room table. (Or mine!)

You get the idea I like this lamp? I really really do

The deep pink adds a burst of color to your winter outfit - and it looks great in Spring, too. The kanji says Onna, or Woman.

They’re lightweight of course, and comfy, and the earwires are argentium sterling silver - argentium is a new sterling alloy that adds a bit of germanium to the sterling compound - they’re stronger than “regular” sterling, and practically non tarnish.

And they’re pretty!

You know all those christmas packages with the boxes and the packaging you were just going to throw away (in the recycle bin, I hope). Don’t toss them! Convert them into an ultra-useful organizer instead. Like this one:

Start with empty boxes like this:

The full post at Design Sponge shows how they did it. Here’s one crucial clue - how to cut your boxes. I figured a pic would make more sense than trying to describe it!

It’s totally worth reading the whole post. One note - in that article, she wraps the boxes in wrapping paper before mounting them on the backing. Me, I think I’d just spray paint the whole arrangement. But either way would work.

And either way would (1) be free (or practically free, if you have to buy some paint, or maybe glue). And (2) it would give you a jump start on organizing all those odds and ends you keep *saying* you’re going to organize.

Do it! It’ll look great, it’ll help clear away clutter, and it’s cheap - or free!

This is one of the most popular kanji choices at Paper Jewels - which I think is kind of cool. People want to tell their sweeties that they’re beautiful (or hot!) What a nice thing to tell your honey

Here are some new choices:

You can find them here:
Sapphire Vintage Glass Heart Lariat Necklace with Bijin Kanji
and
Pink and Purple Bijin Earrings
and
and Turquoise Bijin Earrings.

Tell your sweetie she’s hot - you’ll make her day!

I found this nifty idea over at Chico and Jo’s Blog and they have pages and pages of terrific do-it-yourself ideas.

Of course they also show you how to do it, and as you can see, you can use the phone book “au natural” or choose your own colors. And you’ll probably think of other variations to make it your very own.

So - a useful and decorative way to get a little more organized, and if you’re like me, you can really use THAT.

And it’s fun, and it’s recycled, and it’s practically free. Too cool!