Spotlight.....Vocalpoint

    Vocalpoint is a website that you should sign up for.  You can get it on your mobile phone via text, via email, via Facebook or Twitter.  The membership is free, but the rewards to you are great. Not only are there great article and money saving tips like the ones I'm sharing with you today; but you can also receive free  samples of products you have been wanting to try.  The products come with coupons for you and for you to share with your friends.  All Vocalpoint ask is that you try the product tell your friends about the product and give them a coupon.  They want your opinion. No strings attached. You choose the product to try. Visit their site: http://www.vocalpoint.com//index.html  and see for yourself.
No, they aren't paying me to tell you about them. I really love the site. This blog is about sharing information with others, it's the kind of stuff Mamas share.  Just want to keep you informed.


  This is really a great article, I know you will learn a few new ways to save.
                                                       Upcycle......my new word for the day

Don't Recycle, Upcycle!

Just when you thought you had figured out how to recycle just about anything comes the latest trend: upcycling! Upcycling elevates recycling to a whole new level. We all know to reduce, reuse and recycle, but when you take a used or useless item and transform it into something better, prettier and charming, you've upcycled it.

Anything in your home can be upcycled, from disposable materials to your child's favorite cup. Before tossing an item, give it a second chance by upcycling it. You may already have some upcycling experience, but here are some simple ideas to start you up the path of upcycling. Don't worry, no artistic talent is required, just a sense of fun!

Metal Jar Covers = Magnets and Coasters
You probably rinse and recycle glass jars from spaghetti sauce, but what about those lids? Lids can't be recycled, but you can upcycle them into refrigerator magnets. Glue a large magnet on the top of the jar lid, and paint the inside of the lid with craft paint and add a photo or a scrap of wallpaper. You can make diet motivation (or guilt?) magnets, too, by using pictures of healthy foods on the magnets.

Not into magnets? Make a coaster for a toddler's cup by gluing felt to the top of each metal cover, painting the inside and personalizing the coaster with each child's initial.

The jars themselves can also be upcycled. When you buy condiments and sauces in glass jars instead of plastic, you're reducing the amount of plastic you are using, as well as the amount you need to recycle. The glass jars are easier and better to reuse in your home, and beg to be upcycled.

Your old jars can be upcycled into lid-less candle holders or rustic vases. Fill an old glass jar with natural items for seasonal table centerpieces, Use shells and glass beads in the summer and acorns with dried flowers in the fall. Break out the glue gun and decorate the jars with fabric scraps or broken costume jewelry pieces. If you want to glamorize the jars, decorate them with frosted glass spray paint.

Broken Glass = Mosaic Wall Art
Magically brush away a child's tears over a broken cup (and maybe some spilled milk), by upcycling their favorite ceramic cup or plate into wall art. When the pieces can't be glue back together, you can mend a broken heart by carefully breaking the rest of the ceramic piece into smaller pieces and gluing them into place in a picture frame.

Unused Chopsticks = Bamboo Home Accessories
Does someone in your family (not you, of course), save unused chopsticks from Chinese take out? There are several ways you can save them from heading straight to the landfill. You could take an empty tissue box, cut out the top and glue the chopsticks to the box, giving you a bamboo-style napkin holder. Or, glue the chopsticks upright around the outside of a clean metal coffee can to make a bamboo vase or pencil holder. Add a circle of felt to the inside of the can and a piece of cork to the bottom.

Want bamboo placemats? Find a piece of cardboard approximately 14 by 18 inches in size. Take a hot glue gun and lay a strip of glue down the center of each chopstick before placing the chopsticks side-by-side on the cardboard. Soon, you'll have a chic new placemat for a fraction of the cost of new ones.

Margarine Tubs = Faux Clay Planters
Upcycle plastic margarine tubs to look like a heavier and more expensive material. Paint large margarine tubs with a mix of adobe red colored paint and beach sand to make them look like clay pots. Using dark blue paint, draw geometric patterns resembling primitive line drawings into the faux clay. If you don't have paint, or can't keep a steady hand with the kids running around in the house, using a stamp set will also work.

For a ritzy metallic look, use a metallic spray paint or poster paint, in bronze, copper, silver, or gold. Poke holes in the bottom and use the lids to catch water overflow and to keep your shelves and window sills clean enough to please your mother-in-law. Imagine that!





A surprise tip from a vocalpoint member:

Toilet bowl cleanser works well on rust stains if you have hard water. Make sure to wear gloves to protect your skin. Put a little on the sponge and wipe onto the stain. Wait a few minutes to let the cleaner penetrate the stain, and rinse well with water. No scrubbing necessary!!

By Heather from Pennsylvania    Thanks Heather

Who knew!! 

  As a member you can also send in tips.

 As always,
 Jean
 "Let's save some money"