Do You Repurpose Your Things?

bbudgetbungalow.com

Are you a shopper who buys things with a single purpose? If so, you may own rarely used appliances, pricey storage containers, or new stuff when the old stuff still sufficed.

When I was just starting out, I bought more than I do now, probably due to my inexperience. What cured me was after replacing a set of bath towels I thought were showing signs of wear, I noticed that the new towels looked no better then the old set after a few washes.

Now don't get me wrong, you want to replace articles if they wear out, and sometimes you really do need to buy a specific item if it does an important job properly. Obviously, you wouldn't wear a lamp shade for a hat to shield yourself from the sun, nor use a magnifying glass to read when you need a pair of eyeglasses. When something is essential; it makes your life better, safer or happier, buy it.

But nowadays, I'm more mindful about buying new things. I try to separate my wants from my needs; and consider the cost to the environment with a desire to lessen my carbon footprint. Furthermore, I learned not to buy toys, tools, or kitchen gadgets that aren't very practical. How often will you use a bread maker, or a tomato slicer? I mean, you can make bread in a mixing bowl and your oven. It takes two seconds to slice a tomato using a sharp knife.

I also try to repurpose things when it makes sense. Here are four ideas that might let you use an old standby in a new way, resulting in savings:

1) Mason jars (above) - Canning jars are sturdy, transparent and come in all sizes. You can repurpose them in so many ways! I store everything from dried spices, flour, sugar, refrigerated leftover food, loose buttons and small office supplies in them. 

I will probably never again buy another candle holder. Mason jars make beautiful glass candle holders, and the price is right.

Photo: instructables.com

2) Cake pans - A Lazy Susan will set you back $10 to $25. But you can easily make your own Lazy Susan by using extra cake pans of the same size; or go to a dollar store to buy two 9-inch round pans and a package of marbles for a couple of bucks. (Better yet, repurpose table salt so you don't have to buy marbles. Salt works!) Pour the salt (try what you have at home first) into the bottom pan. Stack the pans, one inside the other. Voila: a turning Lazy Susan for your spices.

Photo: iPhone

3) Plastic pillow casings - I repurpose the protective plastic casings that come with new pillows. They are usually heavy duty plastic, plus have a handy zipper. I use them to store other items that need protecting like my Everly Brothers paraphernalia, or blankets that get put away until next winter.

Photo: instructables

4) A shoe organizer as a vertical herb garden - This last idea is one I must try as a space saver in my apartment. Clever, right? My research says an indoor (or outdoor) vertical garden is easy to grow. Remember to test the caddy for leakage as you will be watering it, and hang it in a sunny area. Very efficient, indeed!

Shoe organizers come in both cloth and plastic. You can repurpose one to organize all kinds of things to hang in your bathroom; on one side of a door; or inside a closet. Vertical storage saves horizontal feet! There is no reason to restrict a shoe organizer to just shoes.

Have you repurposed something you'd like to share? Your ideas may be even better than mine!

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Snickerdoodle Cake

Photo: Foodnetwork using a whipped egg white frosting and torching it, I simplified the frosting.

Due to the gas shutoff (after the hookah smoker's fire) in our building, I haven't posted recipes on THE SAVVY SHOPPER lately. Have you noticed? I miss baking yet meanwhile, discovered snickerdoodle cookies. After ConEd gives us the green light to return gas to our apartment line, I'll make this cake. As usual, I like to share ... but also can click here myself to remember how to make it (the one and only time, I'm not testing my tweaks beforehand. But, no worries, it's a simple butter cake flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar, therefore I can eyeball the ingredients :) --

Snickerdoodle Cake

Photo: thespuceeats

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup white sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs (Add one at a time and beat in-between.)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla

Extra butter to grease your cake pans.

Directions:

1) With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.

2) Add one egg at a time. Incorporate.

3) Next add the buttermilk, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4) Toss in the rest of the flavorings: cinnamon and vanilla. Mix until uniform about 2 minutes.

Usually I use two pans, than if I desire four layers, I cut each cake layer in half. However, you can use 4 cake pans if you wish.

5) Pour the batter into 2 well greased 9" cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes, or until done in the center. 

6) After removing from the oven, let the cake cool for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides of each pan with a knife. Wait a beat and while they are still warm, remove from the cake pans. (Too hot, they fall apart, but if no longer warm, they stick to the sides of the pans and fall apart.) After removal, cool completely.

Snickerdoodle Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup condensed milk (or rich cream, I never stock it.)
2 teaspoons vanilla (or more!)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (or more!)
5 cups of confectionery sugar (I just grab the box and add powdered sugar until I get a stiff, yet creamy consistency.)

Optional: Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of soft butter (I usually skip the butter in the frosting. The butter will help keep the frosting moist if you plan to eat the cake days later, as well as, add flavor and more calories. (You must take the bad with the good.)

Directions:

Generously, frost all your cake layers. Some people sprinkle the frosted cake with cinnamon sugar, but I don't. I might sprinkle a little cinnamon powder on top to garnish.

++++++++++++++++++++++
Should we turn the recipe into a Single Serving Mug Cake?

Ingredients:

Photo: sugarandspiceglitter

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch of salt
Skip the egg (unless you use the rest (minus a tablespoon) of it for something else). Substitute 1 tablespoon of applesauce; or mashed banana; or mashed avocado; or even a nut butter.
3 tablespoons buttermilk (If the batter needs a tad more, add it drops at a time)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or more!)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1) Mix the ingredients (in the order as the above cake directions, beating with a fork in the same mug you will use to bake it in the microwave. Incorporate well.

2) Microwave for one minute. Check it. Microwave for 10 seconds more at a time until done.  

3) Frost the mug cake by making a small portion of the frosting above. Eyeball the amount. Garnish the top with cinnamon. 

Baking is science, but not rocket science. Enjoy!


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Happy New Year From THE SAVVY SHOPPER

Photo: Abstract Wallpaper

I'm hoping 2017 is kinder to us than was 2016. On the dark side, we survived a nasty, polarizing election, as well as, the deaths of so many beloved luminaries in such quick succession that at times it seemed like fake news, another characteristic of 2016. Sad events are hard to shake off while still fresh.

On the bright side, The New Year begins here in the USA with President Barack Obama still holding office for all of 20 days. Personally, I will miss his intelligent, measured, informed and steady leadership.

The Obama Christmas card

Moreover, there has never been a classier First Lady than Michelle Obama. We should thank the Obamas for their dignity, focus on meaningful progress, and for inspiring us with their attitude towards their critics: "When they go low, we go high." We will do well to embrace their grace and positive example as our guide in tackling change and trepidations in 2017.

Furthermore, Malia and Sasha are turning into beautiful young women. I will miss this warm, down-to-earth family!  

Soon ... onto the next phase of their lives. As I understand it, when President Obama leaves office, he wants to mentor the next generation of leaders in the Democratic party, as it strives to rebuild. So we will have his leadership in another vital capacity.  

Taking another lesson from the Obamas: Change sometimes requires a call to action. Is something not what you want it to be? Get involved. Make things better!

To the readers of THE SAVVY SHOPPER, you are awesome! Thank you for the honor of your time. I love getting your emails and comments, plus cherish a few friendships developed with my fellow bloggers. Sharing our thoughts, interests and knowledge with one another is what makes blogging worthwhile. I love♥ hearing from you and am grateful you stop by for a read. 

Warm, good wishes to all my lovely peeps all over the globe for a ...

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How to Make Kombucha Tea

Photo: drivethedistrict.com

In recent years I replaced drinking diet soda with diet Arizona tea. Admittedly, I should give up diet drinks altogether, but sometimes a person wants something refreshing to drink besides water. So that's where Kombucha, a fermented, carbonated tea comes in. Reportedly, the drink contains healthy bacteria and yeast that have a myriad of health benefits. Keeping your digestive tract loaded with good bacteria, you get B vitamins and other nutrients also.

The 16 ounce bottle I bought at my local health food store costs $3, and I had to buy a glass bottle to fill, priced at $1.50. So to keep drinking it, the cost needs to come down. For that reason, I decided to try making a batch of the fermented, sweeten (black and green) tea at home.

Before we begin, know that you will need to get a starter kit, which is a scoby floating in a cup of the fermented tea. A scoby is a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast that ferments the sweet tea. I ordered a scoby from a reputable seller at Amazon.com for $6.99. Once you have a scoby, here are the steps:

Homemade Kombucka

Photo: Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

3 quarts + 3 cups water (15 cups total)
1 cup sugar (I cut the sugar to 3/4 cup, but any less stops fermentation from happening. The scopy needs to be feed!)
8 tea bags (I use 4 black and 4 green)
1 scoby with starter Kombucha

Directions:  (They may read complicated, but are fairly simple to follow.)

1) Boil 3 quarts + 3 cups (15 cups total) of water for 10 minutes. Tap water works after boiling it. All water, except distilled water, should be boiled to ensure that it doesn't have any elements that would prevent fermentation. (Heck, I'd boil distilled water too. Why take a chance of the Kombucha not turning out?)

2) Add one cup of white sugar to the water and stir it with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. (Many sources warn against using a metal or plastic spoon.) Also, there is no need to worry about the calories from the white sugar. The scoby feeds off it, and there won't be much sugar left to metabolize once the sweet tea turns into Kombucha (= 30 calories per cup). The same applies to caffeine -- less then in a cup of coffee.

3) Steep 8 tea bags (I use 4 black and 4 green) for 10 minutes in the water. (Don't use Earl Grey or herbal teas; they have oils that interfere with fermentation. You can use white and oolong tea, but decaffeinated tea will not ferment either.) After you know what you're doing, you can experiment with the amount of tea bags in your brew to suit your taste: You may prefer to cut back to fewer or more tea bags to your liking. You might like to brew all black tea, or a mix of black and green teas, etc. You can also adjust the sugar to your taste, but nothing drastic because the scoby needs the sugar for fermentation. 

4) Let the sweet tea cool to about 98 degrees F (or human body temperature), then pour into a clean glass jar. Next drop the scoby with the starter tea into it. (If the water is too hot, it kills the culture.)  Also several sources stress the importance of using a glass jar, or if you must, a porcelain, or wooden container. You don't want the chemicals from plastic to leak into your Kombucha and ruin your colony.

Photo of a scoby colony: thewholedaily.com.au

5) Cover the glass jar with a coffee filter, or a white cotton towel and secure with a rubber band. (The rubber band stops insects from getting into the batch and laying eggs on the scoby. Yuck!) The scoby needs to breathe in order to ferment. Let it sit at room temperature for 7-10 days. Make sure it is out of direct sunlight. Also, don't mess or jostle the tea while it is fermenting. Wow, what a temperamental little scoby!

6) After the 7-10 days, remove the scoby along with a cup of fermented tea to store in a glass jar. This becomes the starter to make your next batch of Kombucha. As it turns out, another layer of scoby grows with each new batch ... "a mother and baby." So after a few batches, you can give a scoby (culture) starter kit to a friend for free. (If you don't make another batch of kombucha immediately read how to store your scoby here.)

At this stage, you can drink the Kombucha, but for it to be bubbly and favored there are a few more steps ...

7) To flavor Kombucha, fill a glass jar with 1/5 of fruit juice (or crush some blueberries, raspberries etc.). and pour the Kombucha you just made into the jar. Cover up again with the coffee filter (or white cotton towel) secured with a rubber band, letting the tea breathe. After flavoring and bottling, let the komacha set for at least 2 more days to carbonate. 

Here's how I usually flavor my Komacha:

8) Usually a funnel, pour the finished Kombucha into glass bottles with stoppers (like the example to the right) or swew tops. I  cut a wedge of ginger and put it in a bottle with Kombucka, after setting the filled and sealed bottles aside for another 3-7 days for the Kombucha to carbonate. After it has time to carbonate, I put it in the refrigerator to drink cold. You want to refrigerate it after it carbonates because if fermentation isn't slowed down, the bottles might explode. Also it's refreshing as a cold drink.

I don't know if I feel like a chemist; brewer; or earth mother, but it's cool to try new things. And, it's illuminating to discover how cheap and easy a more exotic tea is when brewing it yourself! At 1st Kombucha has an earthy taste. After you get used to it, you start to like it, like acquiring a taste for anything new, brewed and healthy!

Watch this YouTube video if still confused about the process. Extra Kombucha making tips are here. I also love this Tim Anderson video from Instructables (so much fun to watch!)

Extra tips: 

* For some reason, gallon sized canning jars cost $13 - $18, so buy a gallon of pickles for $5 and use its jar.
* Bottle kombucha in old wine bottles and cork it. Saves money!
* Purists will be upset but I sometimes bottle Kombucha in 16 oz plastic water bottles if I intend to drink them soon. I do use recycled glass Lorina sparkling lemonade bottles for long-term storage. Since we can't avoid plastics altogether in our world, I don't worry about the chemicals in plastic for short-term storage. However, I never, ever expose the scoby culture to plastics. The scoby only sits in glass jars. So that's how I do it.

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Ringing In The New Year

New Year's Day has come and gone, but the new year has just begun.  I don't make New Year's resolutions, per se.  I think you need motivation, direction and discipline everyday to live a life of purpose, as well as, the flexibility to meet the challenges that will invariably arise.  Nothing earth-shattering here ... stay positive, always do your best, learn from your mistakes and keep trying.  (Sometimes, trying something else.)  I don't believe this way of thinking guarantees you'll achieve every goal, get rich, or avoid all hardship, but I think over the course of a lifetime, you'll find contentment in knowing you were the best you could possibly be.  You will live a meaningful life, and one that you direct.

That being said, there are a few things I'd like to have more and less of in 2011:

More

Laughs with family and friends

Fabulous voices to listen to – (No mosh pits for me!)  Music by gifted performers who really can sing.

Interesting books to read – What will I discover in the new year?

Congress working together – Compromise, government getting the job done

Pilates – Good teachers nearby

Organization of home and work space – Forever makes me happy! 

Wholesome, delicious food to eat – Forever makes me happy!

Patience – Practicing it, receiving it

Generosity of spirit – Possessing it, receiving it

Transparency – Living it, being surrounded by it. Forever makes me happy!

Less

Negative people - Life is too short.

Lindsay Lohan - Her mother, her father 

Kate Gosselin - And the journalists who interview her.

Heidi Montag - Ditto.  Let's go back to, you must have a talent to become a celebrity.

Christine O'Donnell and those like her - "I am not a witch."  Enough said.

Processed food 

Clutter

Movies – That are slight, depressing or pointless.

Facebook – A little goes a long way.

Twitter – A miniscule goes a very long way.

And finally, I'd like to share a clever quote from Suzy Orman, who gives advice on tracking your spending and staying out of debt, “You are creating a life where people come first, then money, then things.”  It's a good thought to start a new year, don't you agree?

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B Weiss Water Flosser

In an effort to find an image to let you see the water flosser, we get the the advertising too.

I try to save on clothes, house goods, makeup and grocery bills, but I'll spend a bit on good dental hygiene. I hope to keep my teeth in tip-top shape for as long as possible. Realistically, teeth wear out like the rest of our bodies. After 50-60-70 years of chopping, they undergo wear and tear needing repairs. Yet good dental care should help us keep them permanently. No dentures!

As diligent as I am about brushing, like many people I hate flossing, and I don't think I do it properly. I also skip it sometimes ... because well, I'm human.

In an effort to improve (last year after my dental hygienist recommended it) I bought a Phillips Sonic toothbrush. After my dental checkup this June, I added a B Weiss Water Flosser -- the latter not upon her advice, but due to my desire to do better.

They do a good job of exercising your gums and removing any food stuck in-between your teeth. I don't often have particles stuck in-between my teeth, but sometimes I do have bleeding gums ... and therefore, the purchase. 

Know that if you properly floss your teeth daily, you don't need a water flosser. It's cheaper and effective to use dental floss. But if you, too, are only human, I can recommend a good basic water flosser.

Like a sonic toothbrush, there is no need to buy the most expensive one. I'm happy with my basic B Weiss Water Flosser. It does everything it should do! Fill the tank with tap water, select a setting (gentle, pulse, normal) and turn it on. Shift it from one side of your mouth to the other aiming in-between teeth. It takes practice (1st attempt, you'll shoot water everywhere!), but does its work in 30 seconds.

The water flosser comes with a charger, so you use it until a light indicator tells you to sit the unit in its charger for a few hours (same as other electronic devices).

As a bonus, the retailer hires people with disabilities to give back to the community. The company backs its employees, as well as, its water flosser. Highly recommend!

Note: A combination sonic toothbrush/water flosser exists and you might be tempted to buy one, but I don't recommend it. You pay more money for a device that has a bigger footprint, and when one part wears out, you must replace both! Buying separate units for about $40 each is a better deal.

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Jewelry & Beautiful Things

Photo: Brilliant Earth. Won't you jump off the page onto my arm? 

In my 20s I thought I'd buy myself a sheared mink coat sometime in the future to celebrate a pivotal birthday: turning 40, turning 50. I wasn't sure when exactly, yet that was the plan. But after I bought a goose down coat and discovered how warm it was, I no longer wanted to spend such a sum on a mink coat. My wish evaporated. 

In a way, it is the value of allowing ourselves to want things, instead of falling prey to instant gratification. We make fewer purchasing mistakes if we take our time before pulling the trigger. By nature, I am an under buyer. It has served me well.

Photo: Blue Nile. I'm waiting ...

Here are some pretties I'm eying with the vague notion of treating myself on my next biggg birthday. I have long desired a tennis bracelet. Diamonds or sapphires? Depends on how much I can spend and the deal available at the time. Both stones are lovely!

As long as jewelry is real, well made and substantial enough (as I won't squint to see the stones!), they don't need to be Harry Winston quality because I don't intend to resale them. Years ago, I got some lovely pieces at Macy's.

Photo: Brilliant Earth. A shimmering ring is looking for a new home. 💅

I would not be unhappy with a pretty sapphire and diamond ring. Do you see a pattern here? Diamonds, sapphires (or rubies), oh my! Although there's no need to go overboard, I think every woman deserves a few pieces of fine jewelry, something durable that sparkles and makes her happy. Very happy! Perhaps the equivalent for a man is a good watch.

Below are earrings I do have. They look fancy, but not so much that I can't wear them for every day. Bling should not stay in a box. They would look spectacular with a new tennis bracelet, wouldn't they? Fortunately, as an under buyer, I take my time and won't go broke! Tick, tock, tick, tock ... until a  pivotal birthday.

Photo: Macy's. Hello, beauties!

What is your favorite? Perhaps it is one of the four or something you already own or want to own.


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10 Women I'd Like To Meet For Tea

Sarah Jessica Parker on Katie 

Let's play a game: Name 10 women you'd like to meet for tea. I'll go first. (If you are a man, you have to come up with men.)

If any of the ladies on my list call to invite me to tea I will drop whatever I am doing to accept. I'll take a day off from work, fly back from another continent, or sneak out of the hospital (with tubes and medicine attached) so as not to miss my fun chance.

Not only do I admire each name on my list for her life accomplishments, I think each woman is a good person. Smart, savvy and positive, they seem like grounded, lovely women, whose hearts and minds are in the right place. Just the kind of women one would enjoy sharing a laugh, chat and cup of tea with. So in stream of consciousness fashion, here are my choices:

1. Michelle Obama - America is lucky to have her as First Lady. Bright. Straightforward. Warm. She cares about people. Do you think she'd introduce me to Bo and Sunny?

2. Sarah Jessica Parker - As a child, she supported her entire family of seven siblings with her Broadway actor's wages, and today remains a successful actress, producer, clothing and shoe designer. She's a wife, mother of three, on the New York City Ballet board of directors, social activist and down-to-earth person. I like how she loves fashion, always looks great, but doesn't take it too seriously. 

3. Jennifer Lawrence - Talented, focused, witty, a lovable goofball (I think, because she grew up with brothers), real, has a good heart, as well as, a wise head on her young shoulders. (I love Louisvillians and Londoners. It's a long story.)

4. Drew Barrymore - Overcame a less than ideal childhood, but learned from her mistakes and got on a healthy path. She sort of raised herself. Today, she's a successful actress, executive producer, as well as, wife, mother and founder of Flower, an affordable line of cosmetics.

Julianne Moore & family (photo: isubscribe.co.uk.com)

5. Julianne Moore - Actress extraordinaire. From all accounts, intelligent, level-headed and a wonderful person. Without a doubt, she'd be a joy to hang with.

6. Katie Couric - She is a good journalist, that's a given. Moreover you just sense, she's the girlfriend everybody should have - fun, thoughtful and watches your back.

7. Meryl Streep - Inside and outside the film industry, who doesn't love Meryl? ♥ ♥ ♥ She's our Queen of Hearts. The admiration spans several decades and just continues ... 2014 ... going strong.

8. Kathy Lee Gifford - As the hostess of the third hour of the Today Show, she

Jennifer Lawrence (photo: stylebistro.com)

expresses her views on the topical issues of the day. She has a positive, yet knowing outlook. When she gives her two cents, I find myself agreeing with her. She understands human nature and talks sense.

9. Kate Middleton and her mother Carole Middleton - Carole started a successful business and raised 3 balanced, happy children; there is never a wrong step in that family. I bet, Carole and Kate are delightful company, together and separately. 

10. Kristin Van Ogtrop  - Real Simple's editor-in-chief. (Full disclosure: I have reported to KVO.) She is nothing like the diva portrayed by Meryl Streep in The Devil Loves Prada, despite being as smart, savvy and successful as that movie's main character. KVO is an inspiring boss and a genuinely nice person. Reading her blog, Adventures In Chaos, inspired me to start mine. She is a brilliant writer sharing her snippets of life as a working mother.

I have a hard time stopping my list at ten women. There are many more -- Shakira and The Chew's Carla Hall are also on it, but now it's your turn.

Who would you like to meet for tea?

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