Spicy Crate

I wasn't sure what I was going to use the wooden bottle crate (the one I picked up in Mt. Victory) for until I was cooking the other day. My spices are a hot mess. I have tried to organize them in many different ways. Alphabetically, by size, above the stove, next to the stove, etc. The same thing happens every time. They end up shoved together in a jumbled disaster. I don't really like the turn table contraption that sits on your counter either because it only allows for its original size containers and never has enough spaces.  I thought the crate had the perfect about of slots and depth if I could find glass bottles that could hold my spices. Well, I found some. They are actually meant for wedding or party favors, but I think they'll do the job just fine. I am still brainstorming as to how to get the spice name on the lid. Any ideas? I though about the paint sharpies but not sure I'd like it. I'd really like to ring come color into the project. What do you think? Once I get it finished, I'm going to mount it on the wall next to the stove since I don't have a back splash and so that it's not taking up counter space.

On different note, a few of you contacted me with a few questions about the dresses for Haiti. The address you'll mail the dresses to :

Katy Shatto
2148 Adams Court
Springfield, Mo 65803
 

Make sure you send them before June 1st! My recommendation for making them is finding some pillowcases at a thrift/consignment store. That way you can just cut the top seam, use bias tape on the arm holes, make ribbon casing, and thread your ribbon. The bottom seam should already be in tact and you're finished. I chose not to add any embellishment at the bottoms because I was worried how that stuff would hold up over time. Oh, and get this. I found 75 yards of yellow ribbon at one of the stores for $0.50. I know! Crazy. I used it for most of the dresses even though it didn't match perfectly. The breakdown went like this. 

9 pillowcases (I already had 2) @ $0.50 = $4.50

yellow ribbon (and still have a ton left over) = $0.50

3 packages of bias tape (I had a coupon) = $3.00ish

*shipping...(I totally did this the wrong way) = $15.00

grand total = $23.00

That puts each dress just over $2.00 to make. You liked those math skills, eh? I should have just used a medium sized priority box and paid around $8.00, but I though I could use envelopes and get it there cheaper by first class. Nope. Because I shoved 3-4 dresses in each envelope, they were over 3/4 inches thick and had to be mailed as a package...ouch. I had both kids with me and decided to just pay instead of repackaging. Live and learn.  Each dress really only takes about 20 minutes to make, so I felt for the time and money, this was a worth-while rewarding project that will hopefully make a small difference in a little girl's life. If nothing else, I hope she feels pretty in it ;)

Hope you have fun creating for the girls of Haiti! Graham sure did. Doesn't it look like he just got caught? He loves to just rip out all my scraps and sit in them. I don't know why I bother cleaning them up.

 

 I found one tiny pillow case and I think it might just be my favorite.