Finally getting a little somewhere on the raised bed...and full disclosure of new purchases.

Well, here's the garden bed starting to take shape. Doesn't look like much, but it has exhausted me to get this far. Was going to make soup and do laundry tonight, but instead I will take some aspirin and go to my own bed. I put down newspaper under where the garden will be. It was no small task as even though there didn't seem to be a breeze, there was one about every 3 or 4 minutes. But, I got the paper down, put plastic over it and secured the plastic around the edges so (hopefully), nothing will be able to blow away.

The plastic extends about a foot beyond the garden. I'm going to mulch that area so the lawn guy can mow right over it and not have to use the edge trimmer around the bed. Hopefully, the plastic will last a few years and keep the grass from growing there. I will cut the plastic out from the bed itself once I get dirt to put in there. I'm hoping to have everything done but the dirt tomorrow, but at the rate I've been breaking down, that may be optimistic.

Full disclosure: I bought a new pair of garden gloves. Mine had such holes that it was rather fruitless to continue wearing them. Also, I'm thinking about purchasing a $59 pop-up roof thingie (they call it a tent, but it has no sides) at Ollies. I am planning to do a couple craft shows this summer. I wasn't going to bother with a tent as I'm not sure I'll be successful enough to continue, but the Ollies tent is a good deal and you can never count on anything being at Ollies from week to week. I doubt I will find a pop-up-type tent used...they only started making them recently and I am so old and decrepit, I need the convenience of a pop-up.

Full disclosure: I had to buy a couple "new" things.

I could not find a "not new" soaker hose, so I bought one for $7 for the raised garden bed I am building. I understand that water on leaves can lead to problems. Also, I walked by a display of $5 t-shirts and picked up three. I needed some that look good for when I have to dress nice and finding a crisp t-shirt used is a difficult task, so I gave in.

I am a bargainista extraordinaire, but I gave up couponing and have never looked back.

Part of the problem was that I would forget I had coupons in the first place. And then I'd buy something without the coupon and all my time cutting the damn things was for naught. But, I really rarely buy things that have coupons anymore. I sort of shop the perimeter of my grocery store (produce, meat, bakery) and leave the center aisles (processed food) unwalked. Not bothering with coupon sections is freeing...and makes it less likely that I will buy some stupid treat just because I have a coupon. Not couponing may actually be saving me money. So there.

Full disclosure: I bought a "new" friggin $8 pen.

Warning: when you run into Walgreens and you are really, really late for a class/meeting/whatever, do not assume that the most the pens for sale at the checkout counter could possibly be is maybe $3-$4. I was in just such a situation and trimmed the time needed to run back to school supplies by picking up the pen at the counter. Worse, I was in such a hurry and dire need, I ripped open the plastic box (no easy fete) while the person if front of me was checking out so I could test the pen. Which worked...but to the tune of $8! Grrrrrrr!

My "new" dryer vent isn't working out.

Not only did the idiot who built our house position the dryer so that the ductwork has to go down one floor and across half the basement before it exits the house...they then built a deck right over the vent exit. Needless to say, it's about impossible to access the vent outlet. And the cheap plastic on dryer vents doesn't last 20 years.

Worse, the new dryer vents they are selling seem to have been redesigned to save the manufacturer money on plastic. There are now 3 louvers instead of 4 and they are about 1/4" shorter. Soooo...I had to buy two new vent covers to jerry-rig 4 louvers. Unfortunately, when I slipped them on, they seemed too heavy to blow open (the dryer is actually running in that last photo with the louvers closed...the bottom one is only open slightly because I found I could get it to stick that way). Grrrr! I suppose my only option is to get a square of hardware cloth or some other type of grid and try to tack it over the vent somehow and hope no insects try to build a nest there. If you've got a better idea, I'm all ears.

My "not new" bubble wrap almost killed me.

I was exiting the thruway when an approximately 20'sheet of bubble wrap (shown in my back seat) flew across my windshield. I assume it was from the construction they were doing on the exit...construction that left no shoulder to pull off on. I had about a two-inch "window" to look through, which kept shifting. There were a string of cars behind me which would quickly backup up onto the thruway and cause a hazard, so I continued on, knowing there would be place to stop ahead.

I nearly had a heart attack when I stopped and got out of the car as there was a car to the left, just inches from my bumper, which I had not seen. Phew! Someone up there was watching out for me. So, I gathered up the bubble wrap, which looks like new. I really needed bubble wrap, just would have preferred not to risk my life to get it.

Free "not new" mulch is actually better than the stuff you pay for

The pine needles and chopped leaves (both shown) make a terrific mulch, as do grass clippings (not shown as no one has mowed their lawns here yet). The pine needles will help acidify my soil (needs it). You have to be careful not to put the leaves or clippings on too deep (and the leaves need to be chopped up...mow them if you have no other way to do it). These will "feed" the soil much better and faster than wood chips and similar expensive mulches bought at the store. If you are lucky, you can find the pine needles already raked into a nice pile at the curb for you. The first mow of the year makes nice mulch as the grass tends to be longer, untreated and has no seed heads in it yet. Since I get the leaves from my own yard, it's a lot less lugging, too!

Going "not new" means exploring creative pairing.

Nothing I hate more than losing an earring or glove. I've done both this year. But, my "not new" attitude lead me to a creative solution. Who said gloves or earrings or socks or whatever...have to match? I lost the cardinal earring and had the birdhouse earring hanging around from years ago (I never give up hope of finding the match). So, now, it's a pair. Less waste. More use. And they are fun to wear.

Though, this also points to a time when it is smarter to go with "new." I lost the cardinal earring because I took an earring back off another earring to replace a lost one. The back wasn't tight enough and I lost the earring. I may buy new, tight earring backers to prevent future losses. Worth the investment.

Hoping my "not new" celery can last until I get my greenhouse up.

I read about regrowing celery, so I thought I'd give it a try. cut the stalks off and put the bottom in some water. It is growing very nicely, but the butt end is getting a bit slimy in the water. It should be transplanted, but our weather is still rotten and I likely won't have my raised garden bed and greenhouse done for at least a week (maybe two, depending on the wind). I suppose "not new" celery is best done in the summer...but I am looking forward to getting at least "two for one" with this technique through the warm weather.

Full disclosure on recent things I had to buy "new."

I spent way too much time and gas looking for "not new" supplies to build my raised bed garden and greenhouse, so I have started buying new: cinder blocks, conduit pipe (supposed to hold up to the weather exposure better than PVC and was cheaper, too...if anyone knows a reason I should not use this as the framework for my greenhouse, please speak up as I have not purchased it yet) and connectors and plastic sheeting. I'll have to get some "new" topsoildelivered, too, but I'm sue it will be, well, old as dirt. I have landscape fabric I got on clearance last year, so I won't need to buy that.

I also purchased the offspring a new baseball cap (allowed myself "new" gifts), but he did not like the style. It was $3.88. I kept it for myself rather than taking it back as I did need a dark gardening hat for Spring and Fall. I'm sure I'll regret it as it is for the Husky company...so in addition to having the cute logo of the Siberian Husky (the breed of our rescue dog), it says "Husky"...and I am a woman of a certain weight.

Using food parts that are often discarded:today, the lemon.

Back when I used to bake (gave it up for the most part because the offspring is older and too much of it lands on my hips), I would always zest a lemon before using it and put the zest in a bag in the freezer. But, why am I denying myself lemon zest just because I don't bake anymore? I'm trying to get back in the habit of remembering to zest my lemons and oranges. After all, the zest adds a yummy and probably nutritious extra blast to dressings, sauces, marinades and more. And it's "free."

Worried my "not new" soup may have been too not new.

Growing old sucks. My faltering memory costs me plenty of time, trouble and money. Tonight I had a bowl of homemade soup that I took out the freezer a few days ago. Except, now I'm beginning to think I took it out a week plus a few days ago (time flies). It was a single serving size, so I'm the only one that will suffer if there's suffering to be had. Fortunately, I heated it super hot. Can't wait to see where my memory fails me next (not).

Freeing a car stuck in the mud.

kI thought it was dry enough to pull my car into the backyard and use it to pull out a bush I want removed. I was wrong. And in pulling on the (immobile) bush, I got my wheel stuck in the mud pretty durn good. Unfortunately getting it out was uphill in both forward and reverse (fortunately, a fairly gentle grade in forward). Pushing did not work (probably needed more pushers due to the grade...but I only had two). The AAA took one look and said my best bet would be to wait for dry weather. I tried to jack the car up to fill in the hole, but I wasn't sure I was using the jack correctly and it was just jacking down into the mud anyway. So, I dug a little trench in front of the stuck tire, lined it will kitty litter and re-enlisted two strong men...that did the trick.

(Half) homemade pet-proof ant traps from "not new" tins.

The ant traps from the stores can easily be chewed up by my dog (it seems like they mix the poison with peanutbutter bait, so he would definitely be interested. So, I poke two holes in a tin, place the ant trap inside and and tape it shut with heavy duty packing tape (heck, I have a hard time getting into them each year to swap out the poison). I put these puppies out as soon as it gets warm and I can go through the year with never seeing more than two ants in the house. (Wish the same could be said for stink bugs, which have invaded us the past couple years.)

Creative repurposing even before going "not new."

As I was picking up the doddy doodoo today...our first really nice, dry day of the year, it occurred to me that I was in a "not new" mode even before deciding to buy nothing new this year. My dog poop container is the offspring's old diaper "pail." (I obviously didn't have to think to far outside the box on this one). It works great...a lid to keep odors down and flies out and a handle to carry it all over the yard. As I was filling my birdfeeders, I also noticed former repurposing that was a bit more of a stretch: the insert from the old potty chair is now the scoop I use in my sunflower seed container. Can't recall what happened to the chair itself.

Another repair combines two "not new" jewelry items into one.

While I don't know how to darn socks, I have learned how to repair jewelry (sort of...thankfully people don't look too close). I purchased this bracelet at a garage sale long ago. It had quite a few missing beads, but it sill looked okay. Fortunately, the beads that were missing were very common, so I picked up a broken necklace for a quarter, took it apart, and filled in all the missing beads. Turned out just fine. At least, it looks good on my Easter egg.

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Free way to prevent rusty tools.

I saw this tip in the newspaper and thought I'd pass it along: Save the desiccant packs that come inside pill bottles and packaged manufactured goods and throw them in your tool boxes. Brilliant idea. Now I've got to go build some "not new" boxes/cases for some of my larger electric tools so they don't get any rustier.

Some thrift stores are hard to find...but worth it.

I found out about a thrift store I'd never heard of at a meeting I attended tonight. I came home to look up the details on the Web, but could not find it on an Internet search of thrift stores (but, I did find dozens of thrift stores I'd never heard of when I searched "thrift stores" in the Yellow Pages, so I have lots of 'sploring to do when I get the chance).

Anyway, the thrift store in question is run by the Mental Health Association and is on the Buffalo Psychiatric Center campus. Apparently, lots of doctors donate to this store and almost every item sells for $1 (except coats are $4). The meeting members were raving about what great clothes they had there. (I imagine doctors can afford some nice duds.) It got me thinking that there might be some other thrift stores associated with local hospitals that aren't well known unless you are part of the hospital community. I'll have to nose around some. And so should you!

Woman makes very cool "not new" dolls.

http://dolls.littlethings.com/mom-gives-dolls-makeover/?utm_medium=fb_share Perhaps you've seen this story of a mother who wipes off the faces of Bratz dolls and makes them look like real kids. Perfect way to upcycle.

This artist is making sort of "not new" new oil paintings at affordable prices.

I love his work. I'm not disturbed by his method, if that's the way he's got to do it to make a living. The artist, Graham Gercken of Australia, is sort of a one-man starving artists shop from what I can tell. He offers dozens and dozens of scenes (he is mostly a landscape artist) that he apparently has painted in a variety of sizes. The prices are excellent for original oil paintings. The one first pictured is a 30" x 24" for $298. The second is a 1"6 x 12" for $129. I feel bad that the guy has to paint in what I assume is a rather production-line type method (I imagine he does one painting after the other of the same scene...or maybe works on multiple canvases at once to gain speed...it would be interesting to see how he does it). But, I'd love to have one on my wall. Looking at art sort of calms down and gets my creative juices flowing simultaneously. Here is the link to his Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GerckenGallery?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Finishing in-progress jewelry, because it's also about using what you have.

Today I dug out the old jewelry-making supplies. I had a couple half-finished items that I completed. I have a couple items in need of repair that I did not have the right supplies for. And I have TONS of beads and baubles. I am going to hope my resolve holds strong and sell off most of the beads on Etsy. (I did not realize Etsy doesn't take care of sales tax for you, so I filed to get a sales tax certificate of authority today and will wait the 3 weeks for the certificate before putting more merchandise up for sale. The "not new" lifestyle should be about only having what you use. Purging supplies is (emotionally) the most difficult part, but there is no way I'll make that much jewelry before I die.

Full disclosure: I have had to buy a couple new things.

While I skipped the bargain tea kettle, I did have to buy new cinder blocks for the raised garden beds I'm building. I also bought a new pipe bender and some pipe and hardware to finish the recycled glass garden stakes I hope to sell. I tried to find used. but no luck. Did find a used pipe cutter on ebay. Hope it's sharp.

My "not new" teapot isn't a teapot.

I stopped in Target today for a couple grocery items and happened to notice an electric teapot for $11 (originally, $30). It had an automatic shutoff, which is what attracted me. Lately, I've not had the spout cover down or the lid on tight enough and my teapot has heated dangerously long without that whistle to warn me.

The box was opened and resealed, hence the markdown. Likely a return ("not new," right?). I had it in my cart for about a minute when I realized I could simply heat my hot water in a Pyrex measuring cup in my microwave. No need to spend the $11. No extra appliance to junk up my countertop. Now, I just have to train myself to stop looking at the clearance endcaps at Target.