Greetings!
Sometimes you just have to be able to laugh at yourself! I did exactly that a few days ago, while making a batch of treats for a hostess gift. Everyone loves these easy-peasy-perfect-blend-of-sweet-and-salty Pretzel Rolo® Treats. Here's how to make them. You'll need a bag or two of Rolo® candy. Of course I highly recommend you be looking for sales and using coupons for these! You'll also need a bag of small pretzels, either the squares or the small knot shape, and a family-sized bag of candy-coated chocolate candy, like M&M'S®.
Unwrap all the Rolos®. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet and top each one with a Rolo®. Place in a 250 degree F oven for 4 minutes. Remove from oven, and place one M&M® in the middle of each treat, pressing down to squish the soft Rolo®. Allow to cool thoroughly. Don't refrigerate as it will make the chocolate look white and patchy.
So . . . why was I laughing at myself? Well, while unwrapping the Rolos® I kept looking at my growing pile of gold foil wrappers, thinking, "There must be something cool I can do with all these pretty wrappers." You see, re-purposing and upcycling is like that--it changes the way you think and the way you see things. That's what this issue is all about-making treasure from trash, finding new uses for old things. It's smart, it's frugal, it's fun . . . and it's downright addictive (you've been warned)!
Every monthly issue of Molly's Money-Saving Digest features a Something Old-Something New column with pictures and instructions for re-purposing and upcycling some object. I'd love to showcase your ingenuity . . . and if I share your project in a Digest you'll get that issue FREE. I'll also include your author bio with a link to your blog and website if you wish. Email me and show me what you've got!
And what about my shiny gold foil wrappers? Well after some good-natured teasing from my family suggesting that I set up a card table trading station at the end of the driveway and trade with the neighborhood kids for, say, popsicle sticks or something, I just threw the wrappers in the garbage. But you know what? I'm still thinking they could have been used for something!
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Special Announcements |
Congratulations to Judy who is the winner of the Couponizer. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have enjoyed mine. If you did not win this time, hop on over to the Couponizer website and get you one today! They are just awesome.
We have another contest going on right now. If you want a chance to win all 8 of the past digests and a copy of my $5 Dinners E-Book, be sure and check this out!
Here are a couple of tips from our readers who wrote in to share their repurposing projects:
Denise's Tip: We used to drink a lot of Crystal Light--and I saved the little bitty plastic cups the powder comes in--they are small enough to make perfect condiment bowls for dipping, or for putting paint into when doing crafts with or without the kids. . .I've even used them to house straight pins when I'm sewing or pinning something. I'm sure there's a million other uses for those little plastic cups!
Beth's Tip: We use cardboard egg cartons, dryer lint, and leftover candle scraps and broken crayons to make firestarters for our woodstove in the winter. Just stuff the cups with lint, pour over the melted wax, and let cool. Break apart and store in old coffee tins. Just light the edge and toss in the kindling :) Good for campfires too!
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On The Blog Last Week
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I have so much to share from my blog this past week. If you missed any of the posts, here is a recap for you:
- On Monday, I posted my weekend wonder. So far, I do believe it is my favorite find!
- On Tuesday, I posted some more items that can be reused and repurposed thanks to the Complete Tightwad Gazette.
- On Wednesday, I posted what works for me regarding blankets. I also shared a blanket tip from a reader regarding those little building bricks that crunch beneath our feet!
- I am having another yard sale again so I posted some tips in my Thrifty Thursday post.
- Enter this new contest we have going on and you could win a whole set of January-August Digests and a copy of my $5 Dinners E-Book.
- Lots of freebies in Friday's Freebie Post.
- On Saturday, I introduced a new website that I found. . .Get Organized. You have to check them out. Their site is just awesome!
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Featured Website |
This week's featured website is Go Frugal. I have been spending some time looking around this website, and there are tons of great articles and helpful information.
Since this newsletter is about repurposing, I found this article entitled 5 Affordable Wall Art Projects. These art projects can be made with items found lying around the house.
Be sure and drop by and let them know how you found out about their website. |
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Recipe of the Week |
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Photo courtesy of Google Images
Roasted Nectarines/Peaches
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
6 nectarines/peaches
6 TBSP butter
6 TBSP sugar
Vanilla bean ice cream (or, if you have coupons, gelato!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Wash, pat dry, and cut nectarines/peaches in half, removing the pit.
Place fruit halves, cut side down, on a parchment paper-lined 12"x15" cookie sheet.
Dab 1/2 TBSP butter on each piece of fruit, leaving it on top of the piece, rather than spreading it all over.
Then, sprinkle 1/2 TBSP of sugar over each piece of fruit.
Roast in preheated oven for 15-25 minutes or until the skin looks a bit wrinkled, and the fruit feels softened when poked with a knife.
It is a good thing to see juices running out from the fruit. These juices will thicken up and become a sort of syrup and/or candy that goes well with ice cream!
Let the fruit cool by leaving on your counter anywhere from 3 to 6 hours before eating. The juices will congeal during this time and will create a delicious flavor that is sure to please!
Serve with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and savor the delicious flavor of summer!
I understand that this can also be done with Strawberries with great success. . .with a proportionate measure of butter and sugar, of course!
Enjoy those summer fruits while they last! |
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Weekly Tutorial |
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Photo courtesy of Making Do with the Not So NewKitchen Cabinet Door/Grocery List/Menu Chalkboard I found this neat little site called Making Do with The Not So New. I LOVE this site. She has many great tutorials for repurposing and reusing things from around your home. While searching her site, I found this great tutorial on making a shopping list chalkboard out of your kitchen cabinet. |
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Idea Center |
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Here are some great repurposing tips I found this week while searching the internet:
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Molly's Money-Saving Digest
August--Organization for Busy Families
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August means organization for many households . . .
Is your home looking dignified and grand?
How impressive are your organization skills?
The special feature for August is:
Organization for Busy Families
Get your busy family happily organized--buzzing like bees as you start to organizzzzze!
Month after money-saving month, Molly presents ideas to help families economize as she shares practical tips, delicious recipes, and helpful interviews with experts. Guest author Martha Greene (Marmee), provides pages of tips and recipes for make-ahead mixes that will save you time and money.
Gain control of "the dirty dozen" working step-by-step through problem areas in an average home. Here are the 12:
- Closets--How to Clean Out a Closet
- Garage--Clearing the Clutter From a Garage can become a reality!
- Recipes--Kudos to the Cook. Benefit from and follow a clear description of just how to categorize it all.
- Kitchen--Come Into My Kitchen! And discover welcoming ways to store and better utilize all your kitchen gadgets and necessities!
- Mail--The Mail Monster. Tame it with easy to implement changes in your home.
- Photos--Organizing Photos. Digital or physical--it is time to do something!
- Toys--The Trouble with Toys. Give yourself a little R&R by learning the acronym ROR.
- Clothing--Organizing Clothing. Take into account your lifestyle, do a little planning, and follow through with some purging!
- Finances--Organizing Finances. A few practical tips for you to stick to!
- School papers--Papers, Papers Everywhere! Get them under control and keep them that way.
- Bathrooms--Bathroom Organization. Tricks to quickly organize your bathroom and make daily tasks easier.
- E-Books--E-Books Everywhere! Learn of the options for E-Book storage.
Still not convinced this E-Book is for you?
Click to View a Sample of this Item HERE. |
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We Want To Hear From You!
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We have some great topics in the works for Molly's Money-Saving Digests, and would love to include your stories and ideas. September's Digest has just gone to layout. You're in for a treat with this special issue on frugal decorating. October's featured topic will be our Great Depression issue, and November we will be talking about photography. Show us your stuff! We'd love to showcase your decorating talent and frugal ingenuity, and give you a free Digest, but we need to hear from you soon! We're always looking for "goal-getter" stories, examples of up-cycled or re-purposed objects, and frugal decorating ideas. Send me your story--Remember, if we include your contribution in a Digest, you'll receive that issue FREE.
 Until next week! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you have something to share? Write to us at MollyGreen@Econobusters.com. All submissions become the property of Econobusters.com and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC ("TOS") and will not be returned. Making a submission constitutes full consent to the Econobusters' Submission Guidelines and Release, and a grant of unlimited permission and continuing, non-exclusive rights for Econobusters.com and TOS, to print, publish, broadcast and use all portions of your submission, including without limitation your full name, on Econobusters.com and other Internet websites owned or operated by TOS, in Molly's Money-Saving Digest and all other electronic, digital and print publications produced, created or published by TOS in accordance with the Econobusters' Submission Guidelines and Release posted at Econobusters. TOS will make reasonable efforts to withhold personal names if requested at the time of original submission. | |
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