Uses for packing peanuts

So I read this article today about what to do with your leftover packing peanuts, I just assumed it would be a good read and give me some grand ideas, I think a man wrote it!

"Fridge Magnets: Glue packing peanuts on magnets and use with push pins to tack the grocery list and other notes to the door of the fridge."
Me -I say, why not just use the magnet to attach the note and leave the packing peanuts in the box. 


"Deck the Halls: String up multi-colored packing peanuts instead of old-fashioned popcorn and cranberries for some festive yuletide decorations." 
Me -Not at my house!


"Floating Key Chain: Thread a few packing peanuts on your key chain if you're going boating or to the beach."
Me -Maybe don't cause your friends will laugh at you!

So there you go, packing peanuts are meant for packing, only!

Homemade caramels

I was browsing through my favorite blogs today and I happened upon this caramel recipe on the Giverslog.

I've made homemade caramels once, it was actually very time consuming fun to do, 

so fun in fact I paid my friend to make them for me again the next time.  But really 

who doesn't love caramels. 

   I made regular caramels and black licorice caramels then wrapped them in parchment paper just right (cause that's the way I am) 

and put a small handful (cause that's all you need when they're wrapped) in super cute containers,

 then I favored my friends with them.  I think they liked me. 

 I like how she cut hers in long strips, that's what I'll do next time, because darn it, there will be a next time!

My new clothesline

Even as I begin writing this, I take a slow deep breath, eyes closed, smile on my face.  

I'm blogging today about my new clothesline.  Are you as happy as I am, cause I'm really happy! 

 I want to do laundry just so I can hang it outside, it smells soooo good and I feel...

like it's Earth Day every day.  Hey, I try to do my part and hand carry my purchases from Marshalls,

 but this, this is a whole new experience.

Actually I only hang the towels and dish cloths outside because my daughter would be mortified 

if I hung her "dainties" for the neighbors to see.  It's also a question whether or not 

to hang darks outside because our hot California sun would completely 

bleach the heck out of them.  So I'm left with going through the clean laundry 

and picking out the towels and tossing the rest in the dryer (now that's okay when you

 only have a few things to put in the dryer, takes less energy to dry a small load, right?)

Question #1:  How do you get your towels soft after drying them on the clothesline?

Question #2: Does it really matter?

If you look hard you can see my pink plastic flamingo peeking through the towels in the last picture,

 one of my latest acquisitions from Target. 

(I think it scares the gardener though)

Doily cupcake wraps

I know there are fancy machines out there that cut out fancy cupcake wraps and there are fancy stores that sell them too, but I just found a great pattern to make my own at a fraction of the cost, 8/$1.00!

paperorchid.com 

     

At Free Pretty Things for You she shows you how to make her own version of this wrap, have a peek, it's all about the cupcake these days, mmmmm! (there's no calories if you just look!)