Cheap to Free: Winter Tips

In the last weeks of Autumn we were truly feeling the big chill of Winter. Freezing at night, icy in the shade and dry all the time. That's not even when the wind picks up.

Here's some of my tips and tricks to deal with Winter life:

Pep 200mm X 200mm Coral Fleece Blankets:

This is the first of my PEP buys. In normal PEP stores it's usually towards the back of the store and some malls have a PEP Home. I love picking up trend pieces there. Now I know there is always a question about quality with cheap products (R149.00) BUT the leopard print blanket is 5 years old! I also wash them often so they hold up quite well. They are nice to hide cracked up leather seats:

Lola doing some low key modeling

Nice for decoration

But also:

Double Blanket Bed Hack:

Now this is a recent thing I tried. I don't even know if it is a thing. I've been having a problem were the duvet is some how too small for the bed. Especially since it's been getting colder. Instead of going to buy a bigger (more expensive) duvet I hang a blanket over the edge each side. It may sound and look not so aesthetically pleasing but it does the trick. No one is cold at night.

I store the blanket under pillows during the day

Cheap Dog Sweater Hack:

My dogs (even though they originated in England) are cold in Winter. These two shiver and full out refuse to go outside if it's cold. (On several occasions I had to leave them inside unsupervised because they objected to go outside in the cold.)

Animal abuse, clearly.

Instead of buying a dog sweaters or coats, I sized them up and bought cheap PEP kiddies shirts. They also have hoodies but they got bigger in Summer. The last ones I bought a bulk pack of PnP Clothing long sleeves. With minor no sew alterations they are warm (I cut the sleeves in half and cut it like a high low top for the boy-boy because pee pee on a shirt is not cool.)

Close your curtains:

It looks like I only have grey curtains 🙈🙈🙈

Most homes in ZA don't have double glazed windows. When I stand near my windows I can feel the cold seeping into the house. Just pull them closed and they will absorb the cold from outside and make it feel more cosy inside.

Eucalyptus and Peppermint Oil:

Wow yeah I'm going there with the oils. I just don't like going to doctors. I have a nose issue so even if it's minor, I am guaranteed to have full on congestion. Now I had all types of nasal sprays prescribed and that stuff is not always great. My two methods are:

My Humidifier:

This is my expensive winter thing I bought recently (available at here at Takealot.com and I see in the front of Dischem's end of Autumn.) So pricey but cheaper to buy and run that a doctors visit with meds. (Also didn't have to leave my house. It came in 2 day.) I advise if you do suffer from congestion to get one. I got the 4 litre because 2017 is the year of extra.

Shower Sauna:

How has this gone unnoticed? I love this. HERE is the article. There are so many ways to get spa like effects with a bath but you only get steam showers when you Google 'Shower Spa'. The gist of it is that you shower and stuff then drop a few drops of any aromatherapy oil on a wet towel and sit in the steam for 10 minutes to inhale the good properties.

Wash your hands:

This has saved me from the sick (and if I was sick, I saved others). So simple but if you know #officelife, there is always some sick idiot who rarely washes their hands. They cough, give you germ laden paperwork you asked for 3 days ago. (Side note: They are also the ones who stay home conveniently on Friday as well as Monday because they are sick. #JustSaying) Or you know/ have a child that goes to the place that keeps sickness alive: Preschool.

Also always keep a tube of hand sanitiser AS WELL AS hand cream (winter hand washing is drying for skin) in you desk and bag. I would rather look OCD then sick.

Lip Balm:

Imma keep it real: I love these fake 4ss eos orb lip balms. I like pearl balms, ones with light pigment, gloss type to real old school tin types. With the matt lipstick trend (that has become a pillar in the beauty community) formulas tend to be drying. During the day I can remove the matt lipstick with lip balm and after blotting reapply it. I also suggest if you are going to do matt lips, to apply lip balm before even applying foundation so it has time to moisturises the lips before application.

Bonus Tip! The Over the Counter:

*Please Note: I am NOT a medical professional. I am suggesting these items that work for me. If you feel poorly and don't feel better for a few days, please consult with your doctor.

Now after that disclaimer: I hate going to the doctor. Sometimes when I sit in the waiting area I feel myself miraculously being healed and can run a 5 km fun run and I'm not even a runner. No lies, my one doctor asked me if I'm seeing another practice because the last time I was there was 5 years before (This story is 2 years ago).

My first pick is Oscillococcinum. YAS COME THRU WITH THAT NAME!!!! This is the most expensive one. One little vial of powder does magic. It's also homeopathic.

Next is Med-Lemon. My mother swears by this. If you have a nagging head ache that doesn't go away (no I'm not talking about the office idiot who can't work the copy machine) this would help for that too.

Last is McNabs Super Guard. Their products are my jam. Only good things are used to make this and as a bonus, you get a cool motivational quote square. It's no GMO, wheat AND dairy free.

The biggest thing these have in common is NONE of them will make you tired or sleepy. You are taking these to not need down time, what's the point if you can't focus on the job?

And that is all the things that make Winter a better time for me and hopefully for you as well.

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D.I.Y. Bath Caddy

Ah yes and welcome back to the blog. Well today for you, I've got a post on something I wanted but don't have the money to need.

Now I have a Lush problem. A strong one.

Unicorn

Aesthetics

I post them to Instagram then search the hash tags I added and there are these people who use like 5 bath bombs in one tub. You've got too much money my friend but I digress. There are these people who know how to take a proper bath. I know it's probably staged but the romance of it had caught me.

Then when I went to a family braai and besides wanting to steel their oven and prawn sculpture:

they had these cute stainless steel bath caddy.

So started the search. Takealot.com had BUT when I had money it was out of stock. Then I saw again at Checkers in the home section and almost R400 it just that bit too much for a want. Walking past that to the section with the shelves and got inspiration. I thought why not but a shelf for a quarter of the price, cut and treat it and BOOM. If that happened, this post would be done BUT I did have a few things that I already have to make a cool bath caddy:

é Notice: The last time I did wood work I was 11/12 years old. It was part of Art and the male teacher did not care to teach girls properly because apparently girls don't need to know basic skills of wood work just like boys didn't need to know how to cook. School is sexist that way.

Wood (I had a pallet. Here and here are links from Takealot if you want to buy online)

Crowbar/ Pry bar / zombie smasher to take apart the pallet

Saw

Hammer

Nails

Note book

Tape measure

Pen or pencil to make notes and mark wood

The rest not pictured is:

Sanding paper (I had a Mouse I used)

Wood glue

Vinegar

Vegetable oil

Clean paint brush

First off I drew what I wanted and measured up the bath tub. I measured the width and the width of the edges of the tub:

Here I realised I should have taken wood work and technical drawing instead of art in High school

Then I took apart the pallet. Charlie had to be chased away a few times. As I'm taking apart the pallet I remove the nails. I don't feel like going to the vet or getting a tetanus shot. Too real for a cheap D.I.Y. today.

Charlie looking to go on a trip to the Vet

é Notice: I broke 2 planks while prying the pallet. Pallets aren't made with top notch wood and many stand out in the weather so be prepared for breaks and rotten wood.

Half way through I decided to deviate from my sketch and add a third slat (is that a term?) because I wanted the shelf a bit wider. I marked the wood with the measurements of how wide I wanted the caddy and started sawing:

I asked my ancestors why I was having trouble sawing and the answer I got is that I should let the saw do the work.

I used the off cuts of the pieces for the cross members.

I took out the Mouse and started sanding the slats. I used the 180 grit. I could go in with a finer grit but I didn't.

Now comes a more complicated part. Mark where you want the cross members. They keep the boards together and stops the caddy from freely moving around side to side. I glued it at the width of the edge of the bath at 6 cm. Then when it was dry I flipped it around and knocked nails through the top. I picked the the nail by sizing it so it goes through the cross member but not through the other side. Screws are apparently easier BUT I had nails

I didn't want to go to Builders to get a treatment for the wood. The one closest to me has staff who acted badly because of my hair (at the moment it is pink). (The security guard stared so hard at me he didn't even pay attention to what he was doing, then the ladies at the till points started screaming as they laughed at me which made me feel uncomfortable so I can only assume they don't want my money) So Home, DIY & Stuff had this easy solution. One part of vinegar to 3 parts cooking oil.

DONE!!!

rustic but I won't deduct points for that

I didn't fill the bath to stage because I took a shower the previous day. I also am too broke to buy new bath bombs, bubble bars or bath melts. So for this month we can just pretend. Also please note my Yankee Candle is also finished.😩😢😞

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Shopping list demystified

I am a pseudo adult. Aren't we all though? Adulting is hard, but thanks to technology some adult things have become easier. Like you can pay your bills off your cell phone and order basic stuff off the internet.

One thing that is the adultiest thing to do is grocery shopping. Real life grocery shopping that doesn't only consist of tube chips and candy. I've been an adulting amateur for a while but when I moved out a had to go pro because if I don't buy bread and milk, I have no bread and milk. Here is my monthly routine and tips:

Make an inventory of all the food you have in the freezer, fridge and pantry.

I have a few basics that I always have to make or add to a meal. Stuff like pasta, canned tomatoes, herbs and spices. It's time to start cooking and adding things to your 10 bags of macaroni. You're becoming one of those people, the ones in the Math problems. (I unpack my cupboard at least every 6 months. That way I can see what to replenish in my pantry staples. That sounds heavy but it's a different way to say 'see if I have enough canned tomatoes')

Now I know, for instance, I can skip the pasta isle and I have a instant soup problem.

Make a chart to plan meals

No lies. This seems so lame but trust me it will save you time and money. My food list is based on what my mom did when I was a child. Mondays it's pasta's. So Mac & Cheese, Alfredo and even those Knorr Pasta Mates can be used. 

Tuesday it's Chicken, pork or lamb.

Wednesdays we eat at the in laws. 

Fish Thursday and Steakhouse Friday. 

Saturday and Sunday I have a few basics because we're with my family one of the two days and we eat their food so I plan for half the days. I also have a 4 meals I like to call Spares. Like if we do eat a full meal for lunch there is options. It takes the guess work out of what to make for dinner.

Here is where I bring in my Pinterest boards because if there are any unusual ingredients I can pick them up. This is great also if you plan on following a different eating plan to know what foods you need to buy. Or if you decide to Meat-less Monday.

I used some of the food on my inventory list to fill in the blanks

Go through your weekly ads:

It's my favourite part of the newspaper. That and the cutey pre-shool kids doing cute things. Most people are like, I'll buy all my sh*t at the same store, idgaf. I'm one of those lucky people who lives close to all the big retailers thanks to all the new developments, so it's affordable for me to basically free my car down to Checkers/ Makro/ Pnp to get deal. Just make sure they are deals.

Like a nerd, I do math on product to the gram/ millilitre because it it says:

SALE!!!

doesn't always mean its a bargain. PnP had a “SALE!!! only 3 per customer!!!” on washing powder. I bought 3 of course. The next day I went to my friendly Spar and it was THE SAME PRICE with no limit per customer. I felt like a sucker.

If you don't get weekly circulars (For a few months I didn't score a newspaper) go to the store's website or visit Tiendeo or Guzzle

Make that list

I break down all the meals into Meat, Veg and Pantry. I have a laminated page on my fridge that I write on with dry erase pens as soon as any household/ food or pantry item is finished.

Not sure about household items? Here is my checklist:

Floor cleaner

Bathroom cleaner

Toilet cleaner

Kitchen Cleaner

Oven cleaner

Window cleaner

All purpose Cleaner

Dishwashing liqiud

Washing powder

Fabric softner

stain remover

I use a book because of recent events I don't want to walk with a device. But if you are a bit more trusting than me, the PnP app had a digital shopping list where you can pick of things on previous shopping you have done. Another great list app is Google's Keep. There you can break down your shopping in different sections with different colours. (Household/ Blue, Veg/ Green) and I love the satisfaction of ticking things off.

Go Shop

Remember your bags and not to hate humanity.

Bonus tips:

• Work in eat outs and events like birthdays or other get togethers. That way you know to buy or not to buy extra food. (or buy the food for the birthday or get together)

• Use store cards. You may not be saving millions but in a tight month a few extra hundred Rand mean you don't have to spend more
• I buy meat in bulk and package them into smaller portions and every two weeks I buy fresh veg and fruit.
• Every 6 months I try to empty the fridge and freezer. Bargain bulk buys aren't a bargain if you never eat it or toss in away because it got freezer burn.
• Write down as soon as something finishes. That way you don't need to go though your cupboards or pantry every en of the month and prevents buys of multiples. (I wish I'd listen to myself as I have a few unopened Mixed herb refills and that ton of Macaroni)
• Remember to take your list with you.
• Make multiple lists if you want to pick up other things form other retailers. (sometimes Clicks & Dischem have those 3 for 2 deals on toiletries or supplements then it's worth going past them. Also check Makro's R100 deals)

Breathe calmly and greet your teller.

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D.I.Y. Carpet Deodorizer

Aaw snap, more hippy crap about natural living and essential oils. Not really. More like, I like carpet deodorizer BUT I'm not going to pay that much for something that is actually a luxury.

The two main ingredients are:

Bicarb (I use the whole 500g Robertsons)

2 tsp Corn starch 

 

Perfume as per your style.

You can perfume it as you want. I didn't know if it really was a thing until I started looking at other peoples recipes. Some add dried herbs and spices and others (and I) add essential oils. I had an ant problem so I added peppermint oil and the ants reduced heavily. Mosquito season, I add citronella and lemongrass and the mosquitoes dgaf. I was thinking I want to add vanilla or cacao powder, even cinnamon. (PSL carpet smell anyone)

Some oils are pricey (That’s why you see Citronella and lemongrass) but it's an ingredient that you are going to get multiple uses from as you only use 20 drops. Buying a refill of dried herbs are a bit cheaper. I like the Rosemary and Thyme idea.

Mix the Bicarb and Corn starch in a bowl. I add corn starch as my bicarb tends to get clumpy. Even the store bought ones have an anti-clumping agent.

For the container, I used the mass produced store bought one . (Recycle 4 lyfe $$$) but you can store it in a jar and make holes in the lid for sprinkling. I read big spice and salt shakers can also be used. Even a sugar shaker. An empty clean mayonnaise/ Peanut butter/ Cheese spread jar would do the job. (Empty and clean because no one want mayo in their carpet deodorizer)

(Maybe, if you like mayo you do) (I don't judge)

Or be next level with this Ball Jar.

I fill the jar to a 1/3^rd and add my smell agent (Two table spoons of ground up herbs or 10 drops of oil). Fill another 1/3^rd and add the same amount of your choice of smell maker. Top with the rest of your Bicarb mix. Close the container and shake to mix well. I think it's best to smell your creation and decide if you want to add more smell maker. I don't care for this step as I have anosmia.

 

Some blogs said to leave this for 24 hours to a week but ain't nobody got time fo' that. I use mine immediately.

To use, shake a thin layer on the carpet and leave it for 15 min. I usually sweep the floors, wash a toilet and forget about it for a while.

Then just vacuum as per usual. It's optional to smell go down and sniff the carpet.

This is also great puppy accidents. Sprinkle a thick layer over the pee pee and leave to dry. Then just vacuum the clumped up mixture.

That is my wisdom for the week. As you were.

é

P.s. I like this blog's post. I was like: #same

Spring 2015: How I'm getting ready for spring and trend forecast

This year winter was very sort lived in Gauteng in the middle of August I was already walking around in shorts and a short sleeved shirt. I haven't posted in forever as my office looks like this:

camp/ craft table chic. Yes, that is my build-a-bear My Little Pony

Here are the ways I'm getting ready for real spring and a forecast for things I think will be cool in the warm season:

Quick nail session:

Though warmer, GP winters are unforgivingly dry. I like to also wash my hands a bit extra and don't moisturise after. That leaves my hands dry and sometimes cracked. With winter we always wear shoes or socks so we never care for our feet as much as we do when its slop and sandal weather.

For hands supplies are a base and a polish, coconut oil for a cuticle oil, Epsom salt and olive oil for a scrub, a file (mine is glass) and a cuticle pusher.

Start off by combining the olive oil and salt and scrubbing your hands with it. The salt removes the dead skin and the oil moisturizes. Use an orange stick to push back your cuticles. Mine looked super horrible. Paint and enjoy. (Enjoy BEFORE IT CHIPS)

AAAHHHH Feet!

For my feet I soaked them for 20 to 30 minutes. I added green tea with mint. While the toe nails are soft, cut them and push back the cuticles. Remember to start painting with a base coat to protect the nails from discolouration.

Nail Truth

è trend prediction: I think colours on trend for the hot season will be white as well as matt colours rather than nail art. Toes are always bright. My fave white polishes are Signiture's Solid Ice and Essence's Wild white ways. Essence is also launching a matt white latex effect polish called The White Bunny.

I like the glow in the dark top coat.

Hair colour refreshing:

My attempt to propagate lavender there at the back

Spring is a time when most refresh their hair. If it's with colour or a hair cut. The preserve both best is with an awesome shampoo and conditioner. Tresemme's Naturals shampoo is lower in Sulphate that preserves your colour and the conditioner is Silicone free to prevent build up.

è trend prediction:I 

I think hair colour trends will still lean towards the unnatural. Grey/ silver hair, sand art hair and double processed blond is still going strong on social media. I predict hair care will come more to the forefront. It's easy to chemically treat your hair. The trick is looking after it.

Shiny temporary tattoos

It's a trend I think will carry on this season. I think some designs are so simple and chic.

Strobing aka Highlighting:

Yup its everywhere. I always have had an obsession with it because at every beauty sale I always look for the shiny white powders to highlight with. You don't necessarily need a specialised product. Though I did buy Catrice's Kaviar Gauche's blurring pearls and have been using that recently.

I prefer this to writing up about spray tan or tanning. Highlighting does less damage.

Planting stuff:

I think planting food is going to come into the forefront. I will post a tutorial on two ways I planted things recently. This is my yard at the moment:

A lot of nothing

There is a lot of space for improvement.

Cross stitch:

Another thing I think will be huge this season that has been popping up. Here is a unicorn I got off Instagram that I drew out. I'm still thinking of how to use it in a project. Some even cross stitch 8-bit pictures

Here's other awesome cross stitch inspired projects:

Cross Stitch Phone Case

Cross Stitch Mug Design

Cross Stitch Murial

That's my trend prediction and ways I'm getting spring ready.

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