Office Makeover Breakdown: Standing File Holder

OK-- so here's my second favorite project from my office makeover-- the standing file.  (second only to the pennant banner project which makes me so happy!)

I knew I wanted a standing file organizer for my desk space (to help corral some of that "I need it at my fingertips every day" type clutter that an office desk has, but I also knew I wanted it to be pretty and not cost me an arm and a leg.  Enter Martha Stewart Tutorial.

image source:  Martha Stewart

So if you haven't already checked out that tutorial-- you'll never guess what this organizer is made from.

A cereal box!  That Martha-- she's a genius I tell ya'.

So go raid the pantry and make one of these!  Now!

Gather your supplies:

note:  I ended up using different paper but didn't take a new "supplies" photo

Figure out where you want to make your cut and mark with a straight edge.

yes, this cheapskate buys "store brand" cheerios.  Not all "store brand" cheerios are good, but these from Aldi (if you have one near you) are actually pretty close to the real thing!

You could probably Mod Podge or decoupage or contact paper your box, but I just used plain ole' scrapbook paper and my trusty glue stick.  I laid the box out on my papers and marked.  Then when I cut them out I left a LITTLE overhang so that they could wrap around the edges to ensure no "gaps".  A piece for each side, front, back and bottom completed the outside.  FYI:  with my cereal box the 12"X12" paper worked REALLY well!

Then, using a complementary paper, I started on the inside.  Since I was using a patterned paper, I was able to work with any creases easily when using more than one piece to fit a side (with the 8 1/2" X 11" paper that I used for the inside).

Because I knew no one would see the inside bottom of my file, I chose to leave that part alone, but it would have been easy enough to do the whole thing.

Here's the beauty of this project (and the specific papers I chose).  If you have little bits that don't get totally covered, you can easily disguise them with a little marker action.  

Now you see it:

see the bit of yellow peaking out.  Oh and look at that-- some of my camera strap made it into the photo too-- oops!

Now you don't:

Hooray for quick fixes!

And now a few glamour shots:

I LOVE this cool retro bin I found in our office supply closet at work too.

Total cost for this project:  FREE-- I already had the cereal box, papers, marker and glue all on hand!

Now I just can't wait to get a house so I can make some for a home office too! :)

I'm guest posting at Thrifty and Thriving!!

I cant' even stand it!  You know how I talk A LOT about one of my other favorite blogs  - other than my own of course ;)  Well, when Christy at Thrifty and Thriving asked me to guest post on her blog I jumped at the chance.  I am soo excited-- see... told ya' I was famous!

Check it out-- I'm sharing a cute way to use your old junk-- namely those wire hangers that add up a little too quickly for my liking.

Oh and while you're there-- say 'Hi' to Christy for me- and tell her you came from Confessions of a Serial Cheapskate!

An Easter Pictorial

Whoa!  Life got away from me for a bit.  Things got pretty hectic here for a while, but I am willing them to calm down now so I should post a bit more regularly now.

But in the interest of time, here's a pictorial post of our Easter dinner (and it's a LOT of photos).  OF COURSE I totally forgot to take a picture of the most important part of dinner-- our company -- the 3 older kids + 1 boyfriend.  I promise you it was a table full of gorgeous people but alas... I got too caught up in ...well... eating, to take a photo.  (yes-- I gave myself the day off of my diet for Easter-- and it was GOOD!)

Anyway, without further adieu...  Easter; cheapskate style.


(note:  The Buzz Lightyear toy in his hand is a gift that his Grandpa brought back from Disney for him-- he hasn't put it down in DAYS!-- well except in the next picture)
 Two minutes later--

I tend to buy and stash little items all year round when I find a good deal-- perfect for Easter baskets or Christmas stockings or 'Job Well Done' treats.  For example-- the stuffed monkey was an After Valentine's Day Clearance item that I got for $2.  I just switched out the red/hearts ribbon for something a bit more Easter-y.

Grace came Saturday and stayed overnight with us so she got to take part in the fun too!  The other kids had to wait until the evening to get their baskets.

A small Easter egg hunt in our tiny apartment.

Can you spot the Golden Egg?

And for Daddy from the Easter Bunny...

 Easter Dinner Table:

The first plan was to use the carrot cones for popcorn for movie watching but then I decided the table needed a bit more color.

Then I was going to write names on the "carrot cones" and use them as place cards, but in the end decided against it to keep it clean looking and added a little flower for filler.
 

Love the Spring-y pops of color on the table!

Pier 1 ceramic bird salt shakers-- $1.50 each.  So sweet! They work on an Easter table and for Christmas too.  They could even be "love birds" for a Valentine's Day setting. Love multi-purpose items!

And what would a holiday in our household be without a little LEGO.

And for dessert:

 We're not big on "fussy" desserts (I know- shocking right?!) so cute egg nest cupcakes seemed like the perfect thing.


 
Classic little boy.

And of course while waiting for the other kids to arrive, Cole watched Toy Story 3 (for the 9 millionth time) with his good buddy, Woody.

Here's how I found him during the "scary" part.

All in all a really nice, relaxing holiday.  Although I'm still kicking myself for not taking photos when all of the kids were here.  arrgh!

Anyway... the cheapskate portion:

After dinner I disassembled the carrot cones because surely I can find another way to use these paper scraps in someother project even though parts are a little beat up.  Yep.  I did.

What would you do with these?

I Can't Stop Cutting Up Old T-shirts!

Well... to be honest, these were the first projects I made with old t-shirts so this post is very overdue.  And if you're my friend of facebook, you've already seen these (sorry), but I'm going to link to a 'How To' if you want to make your own.

Here are two necklaces I made using my husband's old t-shirts that he was looking to give away.  (please disregard the poor nature of these photos-- they were taken at the beginning of my "learning to take photos for my blog" adventure-- sorry-- but you get the idea)

The beauty of these is that they were totally FREE to make.  I already had the t-shirts, the chains that I used were old necklaces that I no longer wore, the beads in the white necklace were from an old bracelet that had broken and the felt that you need (see tutorial) I had left over from a craft that I did years ago.  It was bright yellow, so I had to do a bit more "disguise" work with it in the end, but... it totally worked.

 
I then went on to make a TON of black , white and grey little pom-pom pins for family for Christmas-- they were great , cute little gifts for all the women in the family.  With my husband's 6 sisters, 4 sister-in-laws,  (he's 1 of 11 children-- crazy?--I know! Awesome?--Absolutely!!), and his step-mother, PLUS my sister, my mother, my Aunt and Grandmother, I made a LOT of these pins.  Once the cutting is done (which is total brainless work), they really go quite quickly-- I did 20 (I think) in a couple of hours (cutting time included).

AND because I wasn't quite sure how the project would go (and it was my first real crafting project in quite a while), I didn't create my own tutorial so.... I'll share the love.  I followed this tutorial from Little Miss Momma-- the cutest blogger out there- seriously check her out-- she's adorable!

And if you make one of these necklaces, let me know-- I'd love to see it!