I will show you how to make a nice storage chest from a regular cardboard box. The box shown here is an economy size carton of baby wipes, of which we buy a lot because they are great for cleaning dogs and upholstery. If you shop economy or family-size, you should have a good supply of nice large boxes to convert into chests. These chests can be stacked and displayed all over your house, storing essentials or rarely used items conveniently out of sight. Fantastical treasure chests would be great for children’s rooms to encourage stowing away one’s treasures (a.k.a. putting toys away).

The Box

1. Leave the top of the box open to start.
2. Draw a line around three sides of the box at the level you want the box to open.
3. Using a box knife, or other old knife, carefully cut the lid on three sides.
4. You can now flatten the top, which skews like a parallelogram.
5. On the fourth side, score only halfway through the cardboard to make a hinge.
6. Tape the top of the box shut and you have your chest with a flip top.

Covering the box
Either fabric or paper (gift including wrapping paper) is suitable for this. I usually use white glue, but you may prefer wallpaper paste or decoupage medium as being more durable. It is easiest to cover a chest in several pieces. Have a little extra covering to wrap around the lip of the chest for a nicer finish. I used a navy twill which had to be withdrawn from my costuming business because of imperfections. A lighter or floral print material would give the box a completely different air. if you so desire, you may apply one or two coats of clear varnish to protect the box.

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This project provided an attractive way to post incoming sewing orders without causing our home to resemble a warehouse or factory. It took very little time and cost about $3.

I started with a fancy picture frame from the thrift shop and cut a piece of black velvet slightly larger than the board which backs the frame. This velvet, padded with a piece of old fleece, covered the board and was glued to the back with hot glue. Black satin ribbons were arranged in an even lattice and glued securely in the back and crisscross points. The board was then re-inserted in the frame which now hangs on the wall.

An additional benefit from this project was that the glass cover from this picture frame replaced another which had been scratched.

Endless fabric combinations and styles are possible in making these memo boards. They can even have buttons or faux pearls where the ribbons cross. Those who do not have or wish to purchase fabric can salvage material from old clothing and bedding. Worn or faded fabrics may look shabby on a person, but acquire a vintage dignity when used in decorating.

We often use this “recipe” (it is so simple it might not qualify as an actual recipe) when we’re busy and don’t have time to cook. And no, this is not one for making your own pizza crust. Prep time is less than 3 minutes and 20 minutes in the oven. There is hardly any clean-up and the fresh toppings give the pizza a fresher, more homemade taste.

Ingredients:

• Any frozen cheese pizza (store brand or name brand on sale) from the grocery store. Frozen cheese pizzas can be had for as little as $2.00 per pizza when on sale. And we have found store brand pizzas (Stater Bros in our case) to be quite good.
• Any toppings you desire - olives, mushrooms, pineapple, mandarin oranges, ham or Canadian bacon, spinach, garlic, onion, etc. One can or package of toppings can make you several pizzas, so the cost per meal is divided into the number of meals.

Directions:

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This is my most recent invention modeled after Chinese and/or Thai cuisine, chilled noodles (in this case Ramen) with cucumbers, corn and peanut sauce. This is a great meal for summertime and warm weather days when you don’t feel like eating hot food, and it can be served as an appetizer or entrée.

Ingredients

• Noodles - can be Ramen, Udon or even better Somen from the Asian food section of the grocery store
• Cucumbers (Julienne)
• Cut corn, if desired

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

• Chunky peanut butter
• Vinegar
• Sugar
• Water

Optional ingredients

• Boiled, shredded chicken or other meat
• Sesame oil in the sauce or rubbed on the noodles
• Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top of complete dish

Preparation Directions

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This is one of my favorite and easiest recipes for taco salad. It may not exactly be authentic Mexican cuisine, but it is fast at less than 3 minutes to prepare, inexpensive at $1.00 - $1.25 per serving, and in my opinion, very yummy.

The ingredients are as follows:

• Tortilla chips
• Chili
• Salad*
• Salsa
• Ranch Dressing

* I like to use the prepped salad mixes to save time as it doesn’t cost much more than buying fresh produce and saves preparation time.

Additional optional ingredients for a fancier (but less fast and frugal) version:

• Taco meat instead of chili (made with taco spice – i.e. McCormick’s)
• Sour Cream
• Guacamole
• Olives
• Jalapeños
• Shredded Cheese

Preparation

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This is a very simple and fairly healthy dish, very easy to make in large quantities or single portions. The ingredients are few and the recipe flexible; the basic sauce only requires soy sauce, water & sugar, but can also be enhanced with ginger and rice wine if desired. Our recipe only includes vegetables, but pieces grilled or simply cooked meat can also be added. (more…)