I Wanna Washi -- Let's Do the Twist (Tie)

You know how you open a box of garbage bags with 15 bags, and 50 twist ties?  Twist ties are good; twist ties are useful.  But no way do you need 50 twist ties for 15 garbage bags!

So a small pile of twist ties starts to collect in the bottom of your storage bag drawer.  Oh, you may pull out one or two every now and then to close up the half-bag of chocolate chips or the bulk walnuts.  But the pile just keeps growing, and growing, and you'd feel guilty for throwing them out, but what are you going to do with them?

Then maybe you get a pretty bag of holiday candy with a shiny gold twist tie and think, oh, if only I could make these look nicer, I could do something with them!


Hannah of The Homesteady came up a pretty solution for you (and me):

Credit:  The Homesteady

Hannah came up with this idea for color-coding identical power cords in your luggage, but I'm seeing definite crafting and gift-giving possibilities here.

What about you?  What will you do with your washi twist ties?

A Box Full of Summer

What do you think when you think of summer?  Days at the beach or by the pool?  Long summer vacations?  Or all that wonderful produce that's just around the corner?

Well, if you live in the town that's known as The Big Tomato ... 

This year I'm finally taking the plunge. Tuesday was the annual Earth Day plant sale at the office.  Every year I head for the herbs, so we've got parsley, sage (already have the rosemary and thyme ...) and basil.  And every year I gaze longingly at all the beautiful tomato plants.  Romas, cherries, Big Boys and Early Girls, and all those heirlooms ...

Well, my teeny-tiny available tomato space might fit these Romas and red and yellow cherry plants.  Maybe I can keep them going long enough to feed my summer tomato addiction.  Maybe I'll even be the person trying to unload her tomatoes on all her neighbors (but probably not!)

Time to hit the search engines for everyone's favorite tomato-growing secrets!

Do you grow edibles?  What are your secrets?

Not-So-Weird Trick: Hands-Free Shopping List

Elegantly simple -- a Post-It shopping list on the handle of your grocery cart.

I recently discovered this standing in line at the checkout during a marathon holiday shopping jaunt.  It was definitely a "why didn't I think of that?" moment.

When you're stopping off for four things on the way home from work, the back of an envelope is still just fine, and you'll still want the special features your smartphone grocery list app has.  But on a Major Shopping Trip, you can't really use both hands for scrolling while grabbing all the spices for your big baking project, and it's just no fun trying to juggle a list, a pencil, and three cartons of ice cream (especially when you get so frustrated you give up on the list and then get home only to find you've forgotten your Secret Ingredient -- don't ask me how I know).

If your list is especially long, you can do two or three notes across the handle and still have room left to steer.  Just make sure to do a different sheet for every store -- you don't want to get to your second or third destination and discover your list is in the cart corral at your previous stop! 

What about you?  Do you have any secrets for keeping your sanity on those Big Big Big Shopping Days?

I Wanna Washi: Easter Eggs

Holidays happen right on schedule no matter how busy you are.

Have you been pinning Easter egg decorating ideas for the last month?  Me too!  No time to try any of them?  Me neither!

Washi to the rescue -- an egg decorating session you can do in your new clothes!

 (Yes, I may have gone a little overboard)

I've been itching for a project to do with the tweens in my family, so come this Sunday, there will be eggs, and they will be pretty.

From simple to elaborate, here's our inspiration board:

Credits:

1. Tara Donne, via parents.com 
   
2. Lovely Indeed*
3. Teip, a Swedish washi company.  Their gallery has pages of fun ideas.
4. Melissa @ My Party Passion, via Eye Candy Creative Studios

Oh, and there may be a little gold Sharpie involved too ...

 via Pinterest

I can hardly wait to see what we all come up with!
  

To all who are celebrating, Happy Easter!

*For those washi circle stickers, we'll be using the easy tutorial Sabine has at Moments to Live For  -- all you need besides the tape are a circle punch and a little wax paper.