Fun Friday Finds

It's time for some more Fun Friday Finds!  Here are a few of my favorite blog finds from this past week...

This Shibafu Table by Emmanuelle Moureaux makes me think of a game of pick up sticks, frozen in time with a piece of heavy, clear acrylic on top. (via BabyGadget)

This handmade travel tic-tac-toe set is just so sweet...available for $30 at Evgie's Etsy shop. (via Inhabitots)

I love watches and clocks, and this cool arrangement of retro clocks really caught my eye as a fun design idea. (via DesignSponge)

This is just the most awesome sweater on the planet for little boys!! They do sell funny arm/elbow sweaters for the whole family if you really want to freak out your neighbors.  (via LikeCool)

Here's a super cute idea for your little girl's wall, especially if she likes to pick out her own clothes or change them often...paint a clothesline and hang knobs for clothes! (via Family Fun)

ID Mommy Bargains: Garage Sale Finds of the Week

It's Thursday, and in my world, that means GARAGE SALE DAY!  Although it was rainy, I still managed to hit 3 great sales this morning before I had to pick my hubby up from the airport, and found some great deals.

 First, I must give kudos to one of my favorite apps on my iPhone, "iGarageSale."  It automatically zones in on your area (or whatever area you tell it to), pulls the garage sale ads off of CraigsList, and maps them out for you.  It's awesome and worth the newly lowered price of $1.99 if you are a garage saler with an iPhone like myself! Just tap on the "pin" on the map for each sale and it'll pop up with the ad and details.  Sure makes it easier to pick and choose the closest and best sales...I used to do this on Wednesday nights at my computer...sifting through the ads, writing down the addresses, then mapping them all out on Google Maps.  This is SO MUCH EASIER!!!

So here are a few of my favorite finds of the day...

First off, I got this little pop-up baby beach tent.  It was $8 which is still a bit pricey for me for a garage sale, but it looked like brand new and great condition.  Brand new they cost $35.00 so still a steal!  The whole thing folds down into a maybe 18" circle and slides into a zipper pouch with shoulder straps on it.  Great for the beach, and hopefully if we move into the house we're trying to get into soon, we'll be able to use it this summer on our new lake shore!

Next up is an item I thought would look nice for our upcoming open house, and also could be used in our new house since one of it's two fireplaces is non-functioning.  While I couldn't find one exactly like this available online, I did find some similar ones, and they seem to run in the $70-$80 range. Of course, this is outrageous and I would not pay that for a candle holder...I paid $4 and all the candles were included.  It inspired me to clean out all the ash and logs from our fireplace this afternoon, and I think this will look much better for showings! 

Alright, back to some more kid stuff!  I found this "MULA" push toy, which by the sound of it's name you can probably guess is made by Ikea.  It's only $7.99 new, which is not bad at all.  I paid a buck.  It looks like new, and I'm such a sucker for wood toys, and toys that do not require batteries for that matter.  These little pegs with cute faces on them pop in and out as your child rolls it across the floor.  Sammy loved this, and to justify buying another big toy while trying to de-clutter our house, I am probably going to donate his other plastic, battery-powered, not-as-cool push toy to charity.

This is something I've been watching for at garage sales...a puzzle rack.  I found this Melissa & Doug rack for $4.  They sell for around $35 or so new.  It matches perfectly with Sammy's primary colored desk and his Melissa & Doug piano (also picked up at a garage sale of course), and now his puzzles have a place to live.  I usually pick up Melissa & Doug toys when I see them...again, the whole wood toy obsession, but they are also very well made toys.

And last but not least, this is probably the best deal because they were FREE...a cute pair of plaid canvas Converse All Stars.  Too cute to pass up and you just can't beat that price! Similar ones on Amazon run for about $35.00.

So, all in all, the total cost of all these items new: $188.00
What I paid: $17.00

Total savings: $171.00!

Not bad for an hour's shopping trip...especially considering I made $50 selling crap out of my garage this week on Craig's List that my husband just wanted me to throw in the trash!!  ;-)

More proof of my theory that garage sales are awesome!

Craigslist Scam Alert: "Is it the same one in this online video?"

I love a deal, therefore, I love CraigsList. I know many of you are also big CraigsList shoppers, and probably sellers too, so I thought I'd share the latest scam to watch out for.

I recently posted an ad on CraigsList for a piece of antique exercise equipment I have...one of those old "belt massagers" that claims to jiggle away your body fat.  It's a pretty fun conversation piece, but we don't have our 1950's themed basement for it anymore and needed to find it a new home.

I received two emails today in response to my ad.  Once I received the second one with virtually the same wording, I knew it was a scam.  So, I Googled it to see if others have come across the same thing.  Here is what the email said:

"Thank you for getting back with me Gretchen

I'm very interested in this but before I buy it I need to know if its
the same one I'm looking for because I can't afford another mistake
Please check out this video here I uploaded

[insert their video link here]

If its the same one I will be there today to buy it

Many thanks"

This blogger posted a very similar warning about video links with the same basic email request to watch a video.  I can't seem to find what these links would end up leading you to, or how it would harm you, but it is safe to say that this is NOT an interested buyer!

I was stupid enough to click the link, which took me to a video site that wanted me to download some software to make the video play.  This is where it was going too far and I finally got suspicious enough to stop. Luckily I'm on a Mac, and since most viruses are designed for PC's, it did not work.  I'm embarrassed that I even clicked it in the first place, as I am extremely cautious of fishy emails, especially from CraigsList ads.  But, if I had a PC, I'm sure they would have somehow hacked my computer or something through this.  I really should have listened to my instincts in the first place, which were telling me that "I can't afford another mistake" doesn't make sense...I wouldn't obviously force them to buy it if they came out to see if it was "the same one" they are looking for.

So, enjoy finding awesome deals and selling your stuff on CraigsList...it's like virtual garage sale-ing!  However, watch out for anything suspicious and follow your instincts!  If it smells fishy...it's probably fishy!

Cool Music Website: Choose a Playlist Based On Your Mood

I've been a fan of Pandora for a long time...a website that plays music for you for free, and tailors what is played based on what you like.  (You tell it whether you liked or disliked the song they just played, and you gradually get your own customized "stations" to listen to)

So, when I heard about this other free music website I had to check it out.  It's called "Stereo Mood." This site plays music based on how you're feeling (ie. happy) , what you're doing (ie. spring cleaning) , or even what the weather is like outside (ie. it's raining or sunny).  You can select from a list of popular "moods" on the home page, or search for your own current mood.

I love using these kinds of websites as they always help me find some cool new song I've never heard or obscure artist, and then I can add it to my list of music to buy next time I'm on iTunes!

So next time you're stuck on the computer and are looking for something new to pump into your headphones, check it out!  You just might find a new favorite artist or song!

ID Mommy Projects: Patch your Jeans!

I'd be willing to bet most of us have a favorite pair of jeans.  I know I do, and when I got a tear in one of the knees of my favorite jeans, I was pretty bummed.  But yesterday when I went to put on these jeans, caught my toe in the hole, and made it bigger, I was REALLY bummed.  I wasn't quite ready to toss them out and definitely did not want to turn them into a pair of cut-offs.

Rather than go buy a new pair, I thought I'd actually try to patch these up this time.  Here's what I did...no sewing involved.

My husband had some jeans that needed patching anyway so I made a morning of it.  I picked up some bondex iron-on patches at the fabric store yesterday, and a cool decorative patch for my torn knee.  (Of course, you can just patch the hole and be done there, but I wanted to take it up a notch and make them even cuter the second time around!)

The iron-on patch stuff makes things really easy. Basically it's just a piece of fabric with some sticky stuff on one side, which adheres to your clothes under the heat and pressure of an iron.  They have denim ones to match your jeans, but I was doing this on the inside so it didn't matter, so I got some cheaper white ones. 

First I trimmed off the little loose threads around the tear.
Next, I turned the leg inside out and ironed it flat, warming up the denim where it would be patched.
Then, just cut the patch to cover the spot, lay it shiny side down, and press the iron down (while moving it) firmly for 20-30 seconds.  (read your package instructions)

Now that the hole is patched, turn them right-side-out again.  Position your cool decorative patch over the tear, and follow instructions to iron that one on too.

Done!  Now in less than the time it takes me to try on a new pair of jeans, and MUCH less cost, my favorite jeans have a second life sporting some funky florals.

The patch I got was about $6, and came with another smaller flower, which I put up by the pocket:

This would be cute on a back pocket too, but these jeans already have some cute embroidery on the back pockets.  I thought it fit nicely here though.  So, next time your jeans get a little hole, have some fun with them! Even if you only wear them around the house, at least you'll be saving some money and get some more quality time in your comfy, favorite jeans!

Fun Friday Finds

Okay, I got to this a little late this week but have some more fun Friday finds for you!  Today's finds are especially colorful, which will hopefully cheer up my fellow Twin-Citians on this dreary, rainy day!  Enjoy!

This super cute crocheted baby hat from born 2 impress makes me almost want to try a third time for a girl.  Almost.  (via MomFinds)  Their little flower clips are just adorable.

Check out this cool water bottle filtering system from Bobble. Each bottle comes with it's own carbon filtering system, giving you the equivalent of 300 bottles of expensive bottled water..  (via green mommy review)

I just love these cute bears from Bubs Bears, made from recycled baby clothes...not just any baby clothes, but YOUR baby's clothes.  Send them your old baby clothes and they'll turn them into a beautiful keepsake.  You can also have them made from other fabrics of sentimental value...your old wedding dress, your grandpa's flannel shirts...whatever you just can't bear to throw away (pardon the pun) or don't feel up to sewing into something else yourself. I thought this was a pretty neat idea and a unique variation of the memory quilts we've all heard of! (via Baby Gadget)

Yesterday I painted over the bold, bright, cobalt blue walls in my kitchen with...drumroll please...BEIGE.  Ugh.  It's SO not me, but then that's the idea...to make it more appealing to more buyers, now that our house is on the market.  I'm still debating whether I paint over Toby's bug nursery.  So, it was really fun to see this cool nursery online, and see that there are other people out there who like things bold and unique!

In addition to painting things neutral, with a house on the market, I'm also finding myself sweeping even more than I already do.  So, this fun product design idea caught my eye. I totally agree with the Core 77 blogger's skepticism of the chunky lip picking up anything other than uniformly crumpled pieces of clean, white paper.  But, the idea behind something that can double as a dustpan and a trash can via a simple 90 degree rotation is pretty neat. The only problem I see here though, besides the chunky lip, is if you already have garbage in the can and then want to sweep up some more, tipping it over would spill things back on the floor. It's pretty obvious (to my Photoshop user's eye anyway) that these are 3D computer models dropped into real background photos, so I'm guessing it hasn't been tested in the real world.  But, like I said, the concept behind it is very cool, and that's what "conceptual design" is for!   (via Core77)

I do love the "leaf ties," by the same company.  Such a cool, simple way to blend something so utilitarian with something beautiful and organic, and the proceeds go to benefit causes for ecology.

ID Mommy Bargains: Garage Sale Finds of the Week

My friends and family know that I am a big bargain hunter.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for spending the big bucks on quality items that will last you a while, like a really solid pair of shoes, pretty jewelry, and of course power tools.  (yes, I am that rare breed they call a "female industrial designer," and I love both pretty jewelry and power tools.)  But, I've never ever been one to pay for a brand name for the brand name's sake...only if the brand truly is synonymous with quality...like Craftsman, All-Clad, and Birkenstock.  I find it much more thrilling to let someone else blow their money on a big name, then sell it to me later for pocket change.

Garage sales are the best place to get deals on kids stuff.  One minute your kid fits on the length of your forearm, the next their shoes are as long as your forearm.  What I'm trying to say is that kids grow so fast, that especially for babies, it's hard to actually wear anything out before they grow out of it.  This is why I so often find things that look just like new, and often times even ARE brand new with the tags still on.  I got pregnant with my first baby in the summer, and found just about everything I could need at sales, from the bedroom furniture to a complete year's wardrobe. Each summer I look for clothes that will fit my kids through until the next garage sale season hits.  And the best thing about it...I can later hold my own garage sale and get all of my money back, if not more on many of the items I found that they've grown out of!

It's garage sale time of year, so you may find me bragging about my great finds this summer.  I am merely posting these things to solidify my viewpoint that garage sales are awesome. ;-)

This morning I came across a block sale with 6 sales within walking distance, which I like now that I have two kids to get in and out of the car.  It was a great chance to take a little walk and bargain hunt.  I didn't pick up as many things as I would have liked, being that we're hoping to move soon and I don't want to accumulate any more big stuff.  But, I did spend a whopping $2.00 on these great finds:

On the left: Trumpette baby socks.  As I've mentioned in a previous post of baby registry must-have's, these are my favorite baby socks.  They seem to stay on better than any other brand I've tried.  They run about $20-$25 or so for a set of 6 new...I got these for 10 cents a pair.  They look so new, there's not even a pill on them and the white grips on the bottom are as white as ever.  No surprise really...babies' feet grow fast, and they don't walk, so you'd be hard pressed to find baby socks with holes in the heels.

On the right: a brand new Kipiis bib clip, still in the package.  You may remember these from one of my previous posts.  Here's where holding out to buy something new and cool paid off for me, because I picked it up for a buck.  The price tag on the back says $12.00. 

So, while I only found a couple small things (not to leave out the cool blow-up airplane Sammy got from a free box), they were great finds...about $50 worth of stuff if I had bought it in the store, for $2.  All this money saving is exhausting...think I'll go take a nap now.