Use What You Have...

Today's post was inspired by my late Great Grandma Milton, or Ma Milton as she preferred to be called. I have such fond memories of her and rarely a day goes by that I don't think of her. She was an amazing woman and resourceful beyond imagination. We are still impressed that we could open her cabinets and they would appear all but bare and then she could somehow whip up a meal fit for a king. Grandma worked hard her entire life and enjoyed the simple things. I miss her so much.

Grandma lived by these words:

Begin where you are, use what you have, and do the best that you can. ~ Irene Milton        

As I was looking for a piece to balance out my mantel (I'm a symmetry girl, what can I say?) I decided to "use what I had and do the best that I could." I gathered up the dried lavender that I had purchased fresh at the beginning of Summer and had hung to dry, a spool of leftover burlap ribbon, a rubber band, and a canning jar. And this is what I came up with...

I put the rubber band around the canning jar and stuck the lavender stems in it. Then, I covered the rubber band with the burlap ribbon and hot glued the ends. That's it. I set it up on a candle holder base to give it the height that I needed.  

I think I'll pick up some lavender oil to refresh the scent a bit but, other than that, the project was completely free.

TIP: Always, always, always shop your home before you decide to purchase something new.  Sometimes just moving something from one location to another gives it a whole new life. Or, maybe change something up--if you don't like it or aren't currently using it as it is use your imagination and make it something you will use. It saves you money and you're not bringing 'more stuff' into your space.