Frugal and Fabulous

If things were too easily come by, what would be special?

That's my mindset when I make things around the house... If I had money to buy anything I wanted, I probably would.  I wonder, though, if it would feel as awesome as getting a compliment on the things I make...I doubt it...  No sense in wondering! I'm not rich so here goes a post series...

Today's topic is a frugal and fabulous material - COFFEE FILTERS. My appreciation for the morning brew's bff started in November with my job's Christmas party.  We had next to nada for a budget and I became this I-can-do-anything-for-next-to-free party person... A fabulous party was born from what we had immediate access to in bulk - office products! One of my favorite, versatile products has (hands down) GOT to be COFFEE FILTERS!  With a Winter Wonderland themed party, the coffee filters made great decor and prop items.  However, in my real life, I can buy 1,000 filters from the Dollar Tree and I have some personal goals in my life for this weekend.


First, I SHALL finish the feature wall in Zion's room. I SHALL, I SHALL, I SHALL...if it kills Brian :) Zion's room started out with lavender walls and a butterfly theme... It's still lavender only we've gone lavender, green and white for a Princess and the Frog (without commercial decor) theme... Polka dots, stripes and tiaras? I'm in heaven... AnYwAyS, I decided earlier this fall to remove this Ikea shelf that really cut into the design and space. It was just too wide... So, I took it down and painted an accent wall of soft green (truthfully, I did this taping technique for a striping effect but it really needs some touch-ups, and some simple but girly wall art... Queue the COFFEE FILTER WREATH!  I saw alot of these around blogland over the holidays and I just love the ruffles and frills of the filters when folded... The perfect addition to my design. So, last night, while I cooked dinner, I folded and glued to create this:

Total cost: $3 (not including the 3 glue sticks and glue gun I already had).


Total time: 1.5 hours (I completed other mommy projects while making it so it might take less time)
 


Other fabulous uses for coffee filters? Check these out:

1. Coffee filters are lint-free and make the perfect partner for Windex when cleaning windows, mirrors, and other glass items(including ornaments, decorative jars, etc.)

2. Protect your fine china by separating with a coffee filter between each dish

3. Filter broken cork from wine by straining the bottle's contents through a filter... I wish I would've remembered this when I gulped some coffee with the grinds...GROSS!

4. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter to rid the particles of food that make that coffee can or jar or whatever smell so badly.

5. Use strips of coffee filters to wax your eyebrows.

6. Put a few in a plate to absorb grease from your fried foods like bacon, fries, chicken, sausage, etc.

7. Use as inexpensive Doilies under a plate full of cookies or mini cakes

8. Decor items: not only is the coffee filter wreath fab but a coffee filter topiary (hot gluing around a styrofoam ball), party decor possibilities are endless and O, if you take a paper lantern and hot glue coffee filters around it, you get this:

*Picture from here.

 Coffee filters for design.  Loads of money? Nope.  Loads of awesomefantastic-ness? Yes!  Possibilities are endless.  Pull out your creative goggles and look for where you can make an everyday item with a dose of fabulosity.  I love the reward of seeing an ordinary thing used in an unexpected manner.  Now, I need to just find a way to fabulositize laundry :)... Wish me luck! 

P.S. - All made-up cool words are accepted and used 'round these parts!