Re-purposing Furniture and Thrift Store Finds
So many of us have items sitting in our garages and closets that we once loved or longer have the space for. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of our taste changing or our boredom with the same decor schemes year after year. Read more
Add Some Chevre

Another great way to add some snap to a sandwich is chevre. Chevre is a tangy, light, soft goat cheese whose flavor and texture make it a great layer on a veggie wrap, for example, loaded with carrots, cukes, sprouts, and whatever other vegetable options are available to you. Chevre cheese is a mid-priced cheese, but at least one big box store I know, offers an 8-oz log at a passing fair price.
If you’ve never had chevre, give it a go. It is not only good on a sandwich, but is good as an appetizer component, too.
Editor’s Note: Those in the lactose interolance camp might want to check out this list of vegan sandwiches.
Photo credit: Belgian Chocolate
Cream Cheese Sandwich Spreads

This isn’t a new idea. Consumers of bagels had this idea long ago. Put cream cheese on a sandwich! I adopted the idea while in college in Cleveland and have never looked back. Cream cheese is a wonderful replacement for aged cheese on any sandwich that includes deli meat. It’s less expensive, less fatty (especially if one uses Neufchatel), and stays on the sandwich.
Then, consider jazzing up that cream cheese. I’ve added fresh garlic and dill; horseradish and bacon; sun dried tomatoes; or roasted peppers as savory options. Cream cheese with cinnamon and honey goes great with banana or apple on a sandwich. The savory cream cheese options are great paired with a nice deli meat, rolled, and sliced for an appetizer, too.
Still, my point is that a sandwich does not need to be just a sandwich. There are many options for jazzing up the sandwiches in your brown-bag lunch. Be the kid in the lunchroom who’s envied by the other kids, add some garlic and dill cream cheese to that canned salmon sandwich!
Editor’s Note: Going dairy free? Check out this list of vegan sandwiches.
Photo stream: kthread
New Uses for Cheap Vinyl Tablecloths
Flickr Photo Credit: Kevin Eldon
Found a few at the dollar store you couldn’t resist and need an idea to put them to use? Read more
Decorating Diva of Recycled Items
Flickr Photo Credit: Normanack
So, I spent some time looking for great recycling resources on ye olde internet. Here’s one super resource that really rose above the rest. Read more
Budget Decorating: Using Old Game Pieces in a New Way
Flickr Photo Credit: ThunderChild5
Got some old game pieces you just can’t bear to part with. The fellow packrat in me feels your pain. Read more
Budget Decorating: The Power of Puzzle Pieces
Flickr Photo Credit: Bludgeoner86
Ever wonder what to do with those puzzle pieces left over after some of the others get lost? Consider using them as a decorating medium. Read more
Creative Curtain Ideas
Flickr Photo Credit: Emdot
Wanting some stylish window treatments but short on cash? Here are a few ideas to help get you started. Read more
Decorating With Flour and Feed Sacks
Flickr Photo Credit: Welsh Karen
I’ve written previously about the burlap coffee sacks we’ll be using as cupboard curtains in the kitchen when we build. But there are other ways to use these unique items as well. Read more
Budget Decorating: Paper Bag Walls and Floors
Flickr Photo Credit: Tanakawho
A few years back, I saw this technique used on an accent wall. It’s been filed away in my mind for future use for some time. Recently, while researching another blog topic, I ran across a reference to using this technique on floors that was supposed to hold up for years. The difference being that instead of a lite decoupage medium used on the walls that peels off more easily when you’re tired of it (great for renters, or if you don’t want to peel off a ton of old wallpaper), the floor technique uses multiple coats of polyurethane. I looked around and found a few links with images that got me really excited about the quality of this type of project. Read more












