I am so excited about beginning a new series for Mondays today. In our current economy, we try to stretch every dollar and pinch every penny, don’t we?
I wanted to do something to encourage us all to look at our homes and things that we’ve been given with new eyes, to inspire us to use everything to its fullest capacity. We, or at least myself, are donning a new hat in 2013. I’m adding the title “inventor” to my repertoire this year. Sound impressive, eh?
Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without is my secret mantra for the coming days- specifically on Mondays. 
So on Monday mornings I’d like for you to join me this year as I reinvent random objects in my home to fill the needs and, yes, sometimes the wants for our little family. Who knows? Maybe it will inspire you to be creative in your thinking as well.
Without further ado, here is the first innovation of the series. My winter wreath.
As I was putting away our Christmas decor the week before last, I wanted to reuse our Christmas wreath for our front door. It was the one that I had purchased way back on Black Friday for only $5.oo. I loved it. For the holidays, I kept it simple with only a burlap bow to adorn the beautiful simplicity of the natural branches.
It was in tremendous shape still-not a bit dried out or brown. However, I had grown weary of the evergreen look and wanted something fresh and new for January.
So out came some faux snow that I had bought for a craft but never used {guilty of procrastination}, some of my new pine cone ornaments, a kitchen trash bag, and two pairs of latex gloves. So in the end, this new wreath only cost me 60¢. This was my kind of craft.
Bunny and Fuzz went skipping happily ahead of me to our backyard. Crafts make them happy too.
I quickly ripped the trash bag open down one side and across the bottom seam to create a large, flat sheet of plastic coverage. The girls gathered some stones from the woods to weight down the four corners. Bunny eagerly tore open the pine cone ornaments and she and Fuzz gave their opinions about where I should attach them.
They have good taste, don’t they?
Now was the moments that two Northern little girls in the South were waiting for…faux snow. They like it in all forms. As their toxic- cautious mother, I made them don latex gloves before they began spraying the snow all around. Their smiles were a mile wide.
So was mine.
We let it dry and continue to air out in the back yard until dusk. Since we weren’t even bringing it in our house, airing it out probably was overkill and ridiculously unnecessary, but I have issues, I guess.
It turned out great and I feel good about using the same wreath a little longer for a different season. The coverage is not as even and perhaps could have used another coat or two, but I love it in spite of its imperfections. The girls looked forward to “crafting” with their momma all day long, and it felt good to spend that time with them. Making something new out of something old was such fun.
Talk about an easy transformation, this was certainly it. Now I am super excited to try creating something else.
Besides, who doesn’t want the term inventor added to their resume? =)
Happy Monday.
Great way to add a new touch to your home without spending a lot of money – and a fun way for the girls to spend time with their mama too! I’ve already been trying to be better about using up the things I have, but this series will help me even more, I’m sure!
That fake snow looks like so much fun! I love the idea of reusing what you already have. And how nice that you got to spend some quality time with your kids. Looking forward to this new series!