Staying Home Sawyer

Real Life Living on a Real Life Budget

DIY

Survival Kit for the Unemployed

Survival Tools for the Unemployed DIY Basket

I cannot wait until I turn 51. I know most people don’t want to get older, but I have been counting down to my retirement since I started working at 14. Only twenty more years to go, and I’ll finally be able to do exactly what I want to do every day. No alarm clock, no boss, just me. And my husband of course. I must give him credit, since it’s only because of him that I will be able to retire at that age. Don’t worry babe, I’ll take up knitting and sell handmade blankets to all the other old folks in our community. Side income right there. I’ll be your sugar momma.

Survival Kit for the Unemployed - DIY BasketThere is only two ways that I’d stop working any time soon: we win the lottery (highly unlikely), or I lose my job (more likely, but keeping my fingers crossed it’s unlikely). I suppose if I had a baby I could get a few months off as well, but does that really count? Let’s see…screaming baby vs. screaming coworkers? Hmmmm…its a toss up.

DIY Survival Tools for the Unemployed - Gift Basket IdeasWhile we remain lucky to still have our jobs, we recently had a friend that lost one. Although I still can’t figure out why people say “I lost my job,” since it’s not really lost. It stays exactly where it is, it just typically gets a new inhabitant. I wish jobs were as loyal as Lucy. Lucy would never let someone else take over my job. She is one loyal fat cat.

Survival Kit for the Unemployed - DIY Gift Basket

In order to send a little cheer to our dear friend, we put together this Survival Kit for the Unemployed. Nothing says “Cheer Up” like a box filled with candy and hand-picked gifts. And if that doesn’t cheer you up, then the mini bottle of alcohol better.

Survival Tools for the Unemployed - DIY Gift Basket Ideas

Survival Tools

Candy: Lemons/Lemonheads, Root Beer Candy / Root Beer, 100 Grand Candy, Laffy Taffy,  Crybabies, Lifesavers, Licorice Bites, Pack of Gum, Peanuts

Brain Busters: Crossword Puzzle, Thesaurus, Notepad, Games, Thank You Cards, Puzzles, Bible

Miscellaneous: Cookie Mix, Alcohol, Champagne (not pictured), Tissues, Packing Tape, Air Freshener

Survival Kit for the Unemployed - DIY gift basektPut everything together in a basket for your friend, and then say a prayer of thanks that you still have your job. While you’re at it, you might as well add an extra bottle of booze. They may need some serious cheer. Besides, you don’t need it. You have a job. Or is that exactly why you do need it?

Survival Tools for the Unemployed - DIY Gift Basket with Free Printables

Print the box tags here.

Print the individual tool tags here.

After you’ve printed your tags, and put your box together, I give you permission to have a drink. You deserve it.

DIY

40 Precious Jewels – A 40th Wedding Anniversary Gift

 

You know how to tell when you can really count on someone? When you’ve been married for 40 years. It’s safe to assume that you’ve been through the ups and downs and all-arounds with that person, and came out unscathed. Or perhaps just a little worse for the wear. Especially if your spouse is a Chicago Bears fan. God bless you, you’re a saint. 40 years of that torment? (Go Pack Go!)

My in-laws have made it to that mark. They’ve spent 40 years of their lives married to each other. I don’t know how, since they don’t look a day over 50 (brownie points?). But regardless, it’s a major milestone. One that deserves lots of gifts and plenty of celebration. Or at least one gift and some champagne. Okay lots of champagne. After all, they’ve been married for forty years people!

DIY Ruby Garland - DIY 40th Wedding Anniversary Gift

I’m sure you’d agree with me that you can find an idea for almost everything on Pinterest. Seriously. What can you not find there? I’m pretty sure if you’re feeling hungover (there’s a pin for that) from drinking too many mimosa’s (there’s a pin for that) at your parent’s Hello Kitty themed anniversary party (there’s a pin for that too), Pinterest will save you.

Until you actually need an idea. Then Pinterest fails you. And here I thought I could count on Pinterest forever. When Pinterest and I took vows five years ago, I really thought it would be forever. I thought we’d be celebrating our 40 year anniversary some day. But do you know why we can’t? Because Pinterest has no original ideas for a 40th Anniversary. None. I’d have to come up with my own ideas? Preposterous! Clearly I’m being left out to dry.

DIY Ruby Garland - DIY 40th Wedding Anniversary Gift

Of course, my husband and his siblings wanted to do something extra special for their parents (cue the gifts and champagne), not just any little thing, so I really had to think. The traditional 40th Wedding Anniversary gift is a ruby. Light-bulb moment: since a ruby is a jewel, I decided to make a “40 Precious Jewels” garland for their mantle. What is more precious to parents than their children? (Cheeseburgers are not an option)

What You’ll Need:

40 three inch wooden tags

4-5 different sheets of colored/textured red paper

40 Ruby Jewel Beads

Photos

Red Ribbon/Garland/String

DIY Ruby Garland - DIY 40th Wedding Anniversary Gift

  1. Trace a wooden tag onto the red paper (40x), then cut out.
  2. Write out each tag with favorite memories, stories, or things you’ve learned from the couple.
  3. Print desired number of photos (we did 10) on a regular colored printer, with white cardstock.
  4. Paint the back of each wooden tag red.
  5. Use Mod Podge to adhere each red paper tag to a wooden tag.
  6. When it’s dry, use the MP again over the paper tag, to seal it.
  7. Use a thick piece of yarn or string to measure out the length you want your garland to be (mine was 6 ft long).
  8. Lay the tags out along your yarn, giving adequate spacing.
  9. Use 4/5″ strips of ribbon/garland to tie knots throughout your tags.
  10. String your ruby jewels on with yarn (or fishing line if you have it), and/or hot glue some to a few tags.

DIY Ruby Garland - DIY 40th Wedding Anniversary Gift

When you’re done, you’ll have a ruby garland filled with 40 Precious Jewels of memories, stories, and love. There just may be something more precious than children after all. Now, can someone please bring me the champagne? And a cheeseburger.

Caution: When the recipient opens this gift, be sure to have LOTS of Kleenex on hand. It’s a real tear jerker.

DIY Ruby Garland - DIY 40th Wedding Anniversary Gift

DIY, Holidays!

What’s the Dish?

DIY Easy Valentine's Day Dish Dollar Store

You know you’re busy when you haven’t been to the dollar store in over a month. Or at least I do. When I went shopping for the first time this year, I spent over $35 at the dollar store. Seriously. How do I possibly need thirty-five items from the dollar store? Don’t ask. I could justify each item if you did.

We’ve spent the last six weeks traveling the world…or at least we got as far as Key West anyway. We visited my in-laws in Georgia, our friends in San Diego, my parents in South Florida, and my sister-in-law in New York. I’d like to think we are world travelers, but the truth is, the long trips take more time and more $$$. Fitting in a few shorter domestic trips was much easier. Plus, we’re saving up the moolah and keeping our fingers crossed for “the big trip.” Details to come. That is, if we don’t owe the IRS $8K again this year. Damn government.

DIY Easy Dollar Store Valentine's Dish

I had to come back sometime, get back into my routine. So I thought I’d start easy. No one has time for serious crafts right after a vacation. I’m still processing all of our laundry. Okay, that is not entirely true. My husband does the laundry. Ladies, don’t be jealous. I know I scored big time with that one.

Item #1 from the “dollar store thirty-five” was a candlestick. They didn’t have a cute candy dish on hand, so I picked one up at Michael’s. Whoever put our Michael’s and Dollar Tree right next to each other was a genius. A little hot glue or glass glue will stick them together perfectly. Apply a thin layer to the top of the candlestick and set the dish on top. Now I have a prettier dish for my desk. I mean, I can’t just have a plain ol’ candy dish sitting on my desk can I? People might think I’ve been vacationing too much, slacking on my crafting duties. Because, you know, I’m sure everyone at work notices the little things.

Easy DIY Dollar Store Valentine's Dish

Lifestyle, Travel

Welcome to New York

Rae of Sparkles New York Police DepartmentI need a vacation from my vacation. I love traveling, squeezing every possible second out of a trip that I can, but geez. Can someone please get this girl a pillow and a nice comfortable mattress? Wake me up in a few days when I’m well rested. Only then will I be beneficial to any of you. Yeah I’m talking to you! All four of you.

Martin Luther King pulled through again this year (I bet his dream never included a federal holiday named after him), and we took full advantage. With a sister (in-law) in Brooklyn, a three day weekend, and money burning a hole in our pockets, we went right to the trusty old web and booked ourselves flights and a hotel. We could do this on the cheap, right?

Rae of Sparkles Times Square

Well…we forgot that we are go-getters. We aren’t just going to sit around in the hotel! We are going to explore. We are explorers. Just call me Columbus.

Our cross-country red-eye landed before 7am on Saturday morning. With seats right next to the bathrooms, we spent more time listening to people’s conversations (and smells!), than sleeping. So what we anticipated being a full day on Saturday was a little deterred. We took the subway into Times Square, where we walked to our hotel. Booking the hotel online, and let’s face it, trying to find the best deal possible, I wasn’t sure what to expect. We arrived at The Row NYC (booked on Hotels.com) around 8:30am. Everyone knows even an “early” check-in usually isn’t until 1:00pm, so we were keeping our fingers crossed. The front desk experience could not have gone any better. Our host let us check in at 8:30am, at no extra cost. Oh boy did we need it. I think we got to our room and were both sleeping less than two minutes later.

Rae of Sparkles Sparkle in Times Square

When we woke, I knew exactly where we were going. I’ve been waiting my entire adult life (okay…maybe just a year or two) to try the cheeseburgers at Shake Shack. Seriously. Who hasn’t heard of the hype going around about good ol’ Shake Shack. This was the top of my NYC travel list. I was doing it immediately. Lucky for me (fate?), there was a Shake Shack directly across from our hotel. I mean, come on. The Gods were shining down on me that day. I won’t go into complete detail here about my experience, but if you’re interested (and I know you are), read my Yelp! review.

Rae of Sparkles Shake Shack

Rae of Sparkles Eating Shake Shack

After Shake Shack we did what ever other typical NYC tourist does. We explored. We went up into Central Park, attempting to make it to the Belvedere Castle…quickly giving that up. Actually, not so quickly. We walked. And we walked. And then we walked some more. And we still weren’t even halfway there. We gave up. After all, there is so much to see in the city, we weren’t giving it all up for a measly castle. I mean, you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Even though I’ve never even seen one.

Rae of Sparkles Central Park

Rae of Sparkles Central Park Skyline

Rae of Sparkles Central Park Bridge

Rae of Sparkles Central Park Trees

We spent the rest of the day walking around, taking random photos (hence Zoolander below), and eating. Seriously. I have never been more excited to get back to the gym in my life. Between the daily pizza slices (his goal was 7 for the entire trip), the cheeseburgers, and the booze? Ugh. It was rough.

We walked by Radio City Music Hall, went into St. Patrick’s Cathedral, saw the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center, and did a little shopping at the NHL store near Times Square. He would have spent our life savings if I hadn’t dragged him out of there. Seriously? A $3000 bubble hockey game? No. Absolutely not. I had already gotten him away from the $300 pair of shoes, the bubble game was not beating me.

Rae of Sparkles Zoolander Sign

While the top of my travel list may have been Shake Shack, for my husband it was most definitely seeing an Islanders hockey game. On Sunday, his wish came true when we went to Barclay’s in Brooklyn to see them play the Canucks. While it wasn’t the ending he was hoping for, it was a really fun experience. Anytime I find a full bar at an arena is A-Okay with me. I wish the San Jose Sharks would get on board here. Is it too much to ask for? Just a little vodka would suffice.

Rae of Sparkles Islanders Game

New Jersey Skyline
New Jersey Skyline
Rae of Sparkles Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty (wayyyyy out there)

On Monday we had tickets to the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Wow. It was heartbreaking but magnificent at the same time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an amazing display at any museum I’ve been to. I think all Americans should visit, it’s definitely a must-see. If you don’t walk out of there feeling happy to be an American, I don’t know what else will do it for you. I have never felt more honored to call myself an American.

We had originally decided to take a ferry out to Lady Liberty afterwards…but that was quickly nixed due to the 9 degree weather and something like 50mph winds. I mean seriously. I thought a tornado was taking me away. Nevertheless, I still dragged my husband (he’s such a good sport) to the shoreline to take a few photos (and nearly died of hypothermia). Before you say it…Yes. I know I was underdressed. Do you think I have a winter coat? I live in California for Heaven’s sake.

Rae of Sparkles Freedom Tower, 911 Memorial

Rae of Sparkles Snowing in NYC

Some of the other highlights of our trip: It snowed!! And not any of that “five feet of snow” crap. I’m talking the perfect light snow. A gentle sprinkle, covering all the surfaces, making everything beautiful. We had a few snowball “fights.” My husband lost. Look, I’m from Wisconsin. I can’t let him beat me at a snowball fight.

Our sister mapped out some of the coolest bars/taverns that we had to see, and we spent Monday afternoon checking them all out. We stopped in at Fraunces Tavern for a drink, George Washington’s famed hangout. We walked through Greenwich Village and popped into a few bars along the way. I mean, come on. It wasn’t just cold outside. It was zero degrees. We needed to keep ourselves warm. The drinking was simply a survival mechanism.

And the best for last. I have a friend from high school that also lives in Brooklyn. We have seen each other only once in ten years, but it’s just one of those friendships. We picked up exactly where we left off, and it felt like nothing had changed. Even though everything had changed. And one of the best changes? Her babies. This photo was captured while I was getting to know her son for the first time. I think it caught the best moment of the trip.

Rae of Sparkles Baby Love