A whole new level of cheap

Using up what I already have.

This is my mantra for the year.

Mostly because I have a whole lotta stuff.

Stuff that has possibilities...

I feel like my eyes have been opened.

And I can see options in items that never before had existed.

Like turning a headboard into a puppet theater.

Refashioning an old dress into a skirt.

But...with this blessing comes a curse.

Because, all of a sudden...all kinds of things have value.

And it's a fine line between collecting projects that have value and becoming a hoarder.

I'm just totally for sure that I haven't crossed that line yet.

Just don't look in my barn.

Ahem...

Anywhoo...

I'm going to change subjects here.

Just wanted to warn you so that you can keep up with me.

Easter is coming.

Which means putting together Easter baskets.

Which means buying candy.

Not much, mind you.

But some.

Usually I buy them a little chocolate sampler that runs about $1.19.

It has 1.75 ounces of chocolate in it.

But, after Valentines Day, I spied clearance chocolates.

Please forgive the poor quality pictures as I am hiding in my closet.

Not from the in-laws that was last week.

But, I am hiding the candy.

I bought 4 of these 14 ounce candy boxes on clearance...$2.24 each.

I needed some little boxes to put them in.

But, I didn't have any.

Bummer.

Determined as I was, not to go out and buy anything, I went on-line and found a great tutorial for making little boxes out of scrapbook paper.

I picked out pastel colored paper from my stash I know...I know...this makes me look like a hoarder and folded up a bunch.

Click here to go to the tutorial.

Here are my boxes...all ready to go.

Just look at all that chocolaty goodness.

I had to test out a few one.

Just to make sure they were yummy.

I needed some shredded paper to fill up most of the box and then set the chocolates on top making it look like it was really full of chocolates but it really isn't.

Just like they do it in the stores.

But...I didn't have any shredded paper.

So...in a moment of weakness, I called Corey and asked him to buy some on his way home.

He called me, while in the store, to tell me that the little sacks of shredded paper were $2.29 each.

I think not.

So...back out came my stash of scrapbook paper.

And I sent some through the paper shredded.

It worked perfectly.

And, again, I was using stuff that I already had.

I would have wrapped them all up in clear cellophane except I didn't have any.

But, I did have green.

So, that is what I used.

Here they are...all pretty and ready to go into the baskets.

If I can just stay out of them in the meantime...