Ideas to Make Life Easier

Why didn't I think of that?!  You'll be uttering those words more than once at these ingenious little tips, tricks and ideas that solve everyday problems.


Hull strawberries easily using a straw.

Rubbing a walnut over scratches in your furniture will disguise dings and scrapes.

Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40.

Stop cut apples browning in your child's lunch box by securing with a rubber band.

Overhaul your linen cupboard, store bed linen sets inside one  of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.

Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone & iPod in a  bowl. The concave shape amplifies the music.

Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.

Add this item to your beach bag.  Baby powder gets sand off your skin easily, who knew?

Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.

Use wire to make a space to store gift wrap rolls against the ceiling, rather than cluttering up the floor.

Find tiny lost items like earrings by putting a stocking over the vacuum hose.

Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box  lid.

For those who can't stand the scrunching and bunching: how to perfectly fold a fitted sheet.

Forever losing your bathroom essentials?  Use magnetic  strips to store bobby pins, tweezers and clippers, behind a vanity door.

Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes.  And you can find them in just about every  hotel.

A muffin pan becomes a craft caddy.  Magnets hold the plastic cups down to make them tip-resistant.

Bread tags make the perfect cord labels.

Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones, so much more fun and easier for kids to eat.

Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag.  Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.

Install a tension rod to hang your spray bottles.

Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the  top and voila, you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream.

Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.

Create a window-box veggie patch using guttering.

Use egg cartons to separate and store your Christmas decorations.

The above are not my pictures, this was a public email.

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Mocktails for kids

Having a New Year's Eve Party?

Fancy drinks all around?

But, what about the kids?

Both of my kids are old enough to stay up till the ball drops so I thought they'd like to have a fancy drink as well.

Here are a few mocktails for kids. Be creative, rim the glass with some Pop Rocks or Pixi Sticks, freeze gummi worms for ice cubes.

Use your imagination!

Steven and Chris

EPIC LEMONADEIngredients

3 ounces pink lemonade
½ cup frozen raspberries (thawed)
1 cup ice
1 ounce pineapple juice

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust the amount of ice depending on the thickness desired.
(adapted from Steven & Chris)

Squidoo

APPLE CINNAMON

Chill a wine goblet with ice. Add 2 oz. cranberry juice and 4 oz. chilled apple cider. Stir to mix. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
(adapted from Squidoo)

LCBO

BANANA RAMA In a blender, combine 1 cup ice, 1 whole banana, 5 fresh strawberries, 5 oz. pineapple juice and 4 oz. coconut milk. Blend until smooth and strain into a glass. Garnish with a slice of banana or strawberry. (adapted from LCBO) LCBO COCO COLADA In a blender, add 1 cup ice, 4 oz. pineapple juice and 2 oz. cream of coconut (or 6 oz. pina colada mix). Blend until slushy and strain into an old fashioned drinking or margarita glass. Garnish with an orange wheel. (adapted from LCBO)

LCBO

COOL FROST

To a blender, add 1 cup ice, 1 scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream and ½ cup milk. Blend and pour into a martini glass. Drizzle 1 tsp. chocolate sauce on top and garnish with a candy cane.

(adapted from LCBO)



LCBO

COUNTDOWN MOCKTAIL


To a flute, add ½ oz passionfruit juice, ½ oz cranberry juice and ½ fresh strawberry, sliced. Top with 4 oz chilled sparkling water.
(adapted from LCBO)


celebrations.com

S'MORE MOCKTAIL

Ingredients

5 ounces milk
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
1 - 2 tablespoons Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
1 graham cracker
1 chocolate bar piece

Directions
Add milk into a mug or glass.
Stir in chocolate syrup until combined.
Spoon marshmallow creme on top of the cocktail.
Wait for a couple of minutes and the cream will settle forming a smooth topping.
Insert the graham cracker and chocolate bar piece into the creme topping and serve.
(adapted from celebrations.com)


Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

New Year's Printable Roundup

Christmas was wonderful!

How was your Christmas?

It is so nice to have a few days to relax and spend with family.

There was no link party this past Monday since it was boxing day and we were all enjoying the holiday. We went skating on our backyard ice rink!  I will share some pictures of the rink soon. The kids love it, so much fun!

Make the Scene Monday will be back this Monday January 2nd.

So what are your plans for New Year's Eve?

We are having friends over, going to cook up something yummy and set off some fireworks!

For those of you who are hosting a New Year's party, here are a few printables from around blogville.

Catch My Party

Catch My Party

Ellinee

Idea Room

Ellinee

How About Orange

Burton Ave

Have a wonderful New Year's Everyone!

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

A collection of Festive Trees!

Have you visited Trendy Tree?

I am in love with all the variations of trees on their website.

Here are a few of my favourites!

Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah

Our Christmas Card

Isn't it exciting? It's getting close now, Christmas is such a good feeling!

Here is our Christmas card this year. These pictures were taken in our back yard. It was really chilly that day but we braved the cold, posing without jackets!

And a couple of times our make shift bench gave way underneath us and we scrambled not to fall in the snow.

It was fun!



Imagine, Improvise & Invent

Sarah