The Green Frugal

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Recently my wife and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. It was my year to plan (she plans the even years, and I plan the odd years).  With three kids, two of which are still in diapers, getting a sitter is both challenging and expensive.  So, this year instead of going out, I decided to try and create a little magic in our living room after the kids went to bed.  Here is a picture I took of our anniversary dinner, right before I escorted her into the room. Think also of some soft piano music playing in the background:

Now I know the ladies are thinking, “this is great and easy to do”.  And, the guys out there are probably thinking, “impossible”. Well, you’re in luck, because I’m going to give you the step by step guide to creating some romantic magic at home (and you don’t even have to tell your significant other that you read how to do this online).  To take it a step further, why not surprise your significant other with this?

Let’s start with your shopping list. Keep in mind that you may already have some of this stuff around the house, or you could borrow from a friend, or you may find most of it at your local thrift store.  I think it is definitely feasible to keep it a cheap date night but at the same time very special and romantic:

1. A round table with two chairs. Yes, you could do this with a square table, but round is a nicer touch I think.
2. A round table cloth and some cloth napkins.
3. Two wine glasses or champagne flutes (the flute style is shown in the photo).
4. Piano songs (12-15 songs should do). This could be done via an iPod if you have a way to put your iPod on speakers. Or, a portable CD boombox will work just fine. Whichever way you go, make sure to put the music on REPEAT.
5. If this is for something special, such as an anniversary, be sure to pick up a card and gift while you are out as well. Flowers perhaps too?
6. Wine or champagne. Recommendation for Oregonians: If you are ever in Seaside, Oregon, pickup a couple bottles of Centive Moscato D’asti from The Wine Haus. It is a really great lightly carbonated sweet white wine.
7. Corkscrew to open the wine, if you don’t already own one.
8. Candle holder and candle(s).
9. Card stock or some other heavy paper.
10. Optional: special plates and special flatware to make the evening even more special. I went with two dinner plates, plus two smaller salad plates.  Also, matching bowls for dessert can work great too.

Putting it all together:

• The food–OK, first I’m going to admit that I cheated a bit and ordered the ravioli and bread sticks from Olive Garden. I drove and picked it up a couple hours before our dinner date started. But, the salad and dessert I made myself. Don’t forget about dessert! Anything with chocolate is usually a good choice for dessert.
• If you purchased flatware, glasses, and/or plates, be sure to wash them. This can be done a day or two ahead of time.
• Sign the card and wrap the gift (if applicable). Again, do this a few days ahead of time and cross it off your list!
• Make a menu. Remember that card stock paper from #9 above? Type out the night’s menu (and activities?)  and print it out. Put two copies out on the table.
• Choose a napkin fold for your cloth napkins and learn how to do it.
• The finish line: Put out the table cloth, folded napkins, flatware, glasses, and menu. Light the candle(s), pull the cork, fill the glasses, put dinner on the table, and get the music playing softly. Escort him or her into the room for a surprise and a special evening together.

Have other ideas for how to create a romantic dinner date at home? Be sure to leave a comment! Thank you.

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In this digital age, I have found I take hundreds of photos each year – all which end up stored on my hard drive never to see the light of day. Rather than let my memories remain zipped up in files on my computer, I have found a creative and economical way to not only put these photos to good use, but share my experiences with friends and family.

Each year I take my favorite ten photos and create personalized stationery as gifts for the special people in my life. It is a lot more simple than you think, and definitely cheaper than buying the same thing in the store. Not to mention, the store won’t carry photos of your trips, hikes and family get-togethers!

Turn your photos into personalized stationery with the following steps…

First, choose 6-10 of your favorite photos. I recommend an even number, as two photos easily fit on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper.

Next, create a template for each note card in a Microsoft Word Document.

1. Change the page setup to ‘landscape.’
2. Insert two of your favorite photos from files into the document. Adjust the margins so that the images appear at the bottom of the page, side by side.
3. These will serve as the cover of  your stationery.
4. Complete this task for the rest of your photos.

When it comes to printing…

1. If you decide to print from a home computer, I suggest using a semi-gloss cardstock with a matte backing. The glossy finish will really dress up your photos, and the matte backing will ensure you are able to write on the stationery.
2. If you do not have the ability to print from home, I recommed saving a copy of each template on a USB flash drive or memory stick. Your local Kinkos or printing store will be able to make copies for you. In this case,  have them print one master copy of each template, and use this master to make copies on a color printer. This will save lots of time and money!!!

 Finally, once the prints have been made, all that is necessary is to cut the cards and fold them.

1. Cut along the solid line to create two cards per page.
2. Fold along the dotted line for a fold over stationery card.

My favorite part of creating stationery and postcards? Getting them back in the mail over the years! Good luck with your projects!

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We all love books, but creating a nice affordable storage space for them can be a challenge, especially with children in mind.  If you have young children you have probably discovered that they love to pull them off the shelf and look at the covers until they find the one they want, without putting them back!  Or maybe you would like to show off that First Editions Oz Book Collection of yours?  We all know a good looking quality bookshelf will cost you A LOT of money.  So I was curious to see what others have done in the DIY bookshelves world to solve this problem.

The $20 DIY Book Display – 4 Shelves:

“Fawn” over at frugalhomedesigns.com has created an inexpensive and elegant book storage solution for her toddlers.  This face-out book shelf makes it easy for people to see the covers, and easier for children to put them back.  A quick trip to Home Depot, some gluing, nailing, and painting and voila! You have wall mounted book display shelves that look great for far less than buying them ready made.

Hanging Book Display – Under $30

Another great idea is the Hanging Book Display by Megan featured on ohdeedoh.com.  She has done a great job of listing all the time, materials, and money you will need for this DIY book display.  She estimates about 1-4 hours, depending on how handy you are with a sewing machine.

Floating Book Shelves – Under $20

These popular shelves cost less to make than you might think.  Not only do they look great, (they’re “floating” on the wall!) they are also simple to make.  This tutorial at The Family Handyman provides one of the more inexpensive bookshelves out there.  If you don’t have old hollow doors lying around, maybe your town has a re-use/renew building supply center, like The ReBuilding Center here in Portland? Otherwise, I’m sure you weren’t in need of that closet door anyway.

Another great variation is the Invisible Book Shelf – it’s literally a “floating” book, that’s a shelf, that holds other books.  How cool is that?  It provides a great optical illusion that will be sure to get attention and looks of unbridled confusion from your visitors.

All of these great how-to’s lay out all the steps and materials along with helpful pictures along the way.  Have fun with these DIY bookshelves and remember to wear your safety glasses!

And, if you decide to spend a bit more money, these foldable bookshelves are fantastic too:

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Every year I struggle with what to buy my dad for Father’s Day. He never wants or needs anything! I usually end up getting a gift certificate or some useless tool he will stow away in the unused toolbox I bought him the year before…that or underwear.  This year, instead of golf balls, socks or a tie, I have decided to give my Dad the gift of creativity, and save my pocketbook at the same time!

Because I work at a bookstore, I am always on the lookout for great ways to reuse old books. As is turns out, there are several ways to convert your old tomes, or that great bargain bookstore find into a homemade gift for Dad. Here are a few innovative ways I found to recycle your used books into memorable Father’s Day gifts:

1. Father’s Day Frames -

Take your dad’s favorite title, author or even genre and turn it into a picture frame in just a few easy steps. Several blogs have outlined detailed instructions and tips to convert your used books into easy gifts:

fototiller.com Blog - DIY Book Frame

The Red Chair Blog- DIY Old Book Photo Frame

2. Father’s Day Journals –

Use your used books to create journals, and give your hardback another life at the same time. It’s easy; simply sandwich blank pages between interesting covers and rebind (sometimes it is even fun to leave in some of the original text.)

If your Dad is a big golfer, or a fishing fan, you could create a journal to keep track of those great shots or unbelievable catches! Likewise, you could create a themed journal to log those beers or wines he loves, or even to note his favorite movies or books. There are even sites to make planners!

Here are a few blogs which outline step-by-step journal creation:

HGTV.CA – Journal from old book covers

Just Something I Made – Vintage Book Planner Tutorial

Book Journals

Good luck with your projects and Happy Father’s Day!