Crate bookshelf

Over the summer I was volunteering at the thrift store and someone donated some old wood crates that I absolutely loved. They lasted less then a week at the thrift store because other people loved them too. During my shift I kept walking by them and envisioning what could be done with them. Since I am terrible for bringing home everything I think is cool I decided that I should exercise my restraint and just let them go. BIG MISTAKE! I still think about those crates! Anyway, a few weeks later my husband showed me this post of "Colorful Crates Turned Awesome Entryway Storage" on apartment therapy. What comes to mind? The crates I walked away from!! grrrr. I confessed that I let some crates go at the thrift store that were very simular and of course he said I should have got them. :(

Anyway, time passed and I was again, on my way to the thrift store when I see this sign on the street "SALE". I drove a couple of blocks thinking, "no no, I don't need anything" but of course I turn around as soon as I remembered the crate incident. Guess what I found? Old wooden crates, yup. But before you get too excited I almost made the same mistake as last time! I walked to the crates looked at them and decided, "not right enough". A few minutes later and I walked only a few feet away and a couple walks up to the crates and is discussing them! Nope, not this time. I spied on them for a bit and as soon as they walked away I scooped them up and even got a deal since I bought all 3!

So far, this is what I have done with the crates.

Ideally I should have more crates because I have too many books for just 3 and it's looking a little cluttered. But for now, sans bookshelf these are perfect! Eventually after I get a bookshelf, or more crates, I want to use 2 above my computer desk for storage/decoration. Maybe paint the insides a bright color? Maybe not. Time will tell and when it does, I'll show you. :)

Wisconsin Great River Road

I really love the beauty of Wisconsin. After living here for a year I am just now getting into the out doors and seeing all of the natural land formations that I had no idea existed right in my "back yard". Just recently we took a couple days drive which was very refreshing and relaxing as well. Not only was it awesome, it was also inexpensive. All the money that was "required" was a full tank of gas, 1 night's stay at an Inn and food, which is also very inexpensive out in the rural towns. An awesome spontaneous trip that did not flash by in an expensive whirl of lights and busy city streets!

Just a couple of highlights from the trip and of course, a thrifty find.

Laue House Inn, Alma WI, Buena Vista Park, Alma WI, Thrift find in Eau Claire, WI

The Laue House Inn in Alma WI was a real gem that my husband found in all his research of the perfect place to stay along the Wisconsin Great River Road. At $40.00 a night it was a real steal because of the charming design and amazingly nice owner. The WGGR is all along the Mississippi River along the Wisconsin/Iowa and Wisconsin/ Minnesota boarder so there was tons of amazing views. Overlooking Alma was Buena Vista park which has an amazing rocky lookout point. All along the way on the WGGR are tons of historic towns where the air is clean and the people are super nice.

After we finished up the drive which also included a stop at an Apple orchard, which had the most amazing apples I EVER tasted we decided to come back home. On the way we made a pit stop in Eau Claire and I was able to convince my Husband to stop at a garage sale! We found this antique scale for .25!

All in all it was a lot of fun and I got to spend some quality time with the hubby. What more could I ask for?

Cooking is hard without proper tools!

I would love to learn to make pie. ALL kinds of pie. I would also like these pies to be enjoyed by others. I tried a lemon meringue pie the other day it was a disaster. There was tons of liquid at the bottom, the crust was not cooked because of said liquid, and the meringue did not stick to the lemon filling. I don't really understand went wrong other then the fact that I used a cake pan. Oops, maybe, just maybe it all boils down to the cake pan? I want to say that's what it was but I can't even make cake in a cake pan so I think there is more too it then that! hehe. I hope to try again once I get a proper pie plate. So far I know to look for a pie plate that is a little deep thanks to one of the other volunteers at the thrift store. I am going to be on the look out. I think that if the crust was able to turn out it would have tasted good though! The first pie crust I made before this was pretty salty and this time it wasn't soo.... Minor success.

On another brighter side I scored these measuring cups at the thrift store for $1.99

The thrift store I am referring to is the Hospicecare Thrift store on the east side of madison.
I spend a few hours a week there as a volunteer and it gives me an opportunity to look around and see what little gems are available. I was happy to find these! Now if only someone would donate a nice deep pie plate!

I've always wanted to live somewhere I would be able to have a tiny garden. So far we have lived in apartment buildings in cities with no actual green space. The closest we came to having a yard was a private cement 8X10 lot behind our apartment in Philadelphia. Since moving to Madison though, we finally have our own tiny street facing yard! yay! The only problem now is the bunnies. I'm pretty sure those little cuties will eat anything I decide to plant out under the window. So this was my plan. A garden in a large plastic tote with some little fencing around the edge. Luckily this past Saturday I came across the perfect 40 Gallon tote at the thrift store for a steal at $4.99!


I'm having all kinds of wonderful ideas floating around this tote, like starting some herbs in the basement through the winter with proper lights and just starting plants in general so they get a head start before I can re-plant them outside in the spring! Oh the possibilities!