Category: Tips and Tools

Gifts · Kitchen gadgets · Tips and Tools

Wedding Gifts I’ve Loved and Love To Give!

RefreshHer4 Comments

It’s an amazing thing that two sinners can fall in love and stay together for 40+ years, isn’t it?! The next amazing thing about a 40 year marriage is to realize that I still have quite a few of my wedding gifts, received at our June 1981 wedding! These are items that I still love and use regularly. I’m linking up with Whitney at Come Home for Comfort today so we can share our favorite gifts received, and also things we like to give as wedding gifts. I’m anxious to see what she’s going to share!

When I started looking through my kitchen at tools I use all the time, I realized that there was quite a list of items! I’m going to start with my wedding gifts that I still use and work my way to new items I’ve gotten in recent years.

  • Pyrex Dishes with lids

Pyrex is so great because it can be put in the oven, and the microwave and is also perfect for setting on the table as a serving dish. I love the glass lids, too. I use this bowl LOTS! It’s my bowl I always use to make my microwave popcorn.

  • Corning Ware – Realizing that this is now considered vintage, I still recommend this type of dish because it can be used on the stove top, the oven and the microwave! The newer dishes have plastic lids, which are nice for storing in the fridge. You can stack them that way, which helps with space.

We’re moving to newer items now that I use frequently...

  • Good kitchen shears – I use these multiple times a day! From cutting twine to cutting a chicken apart, every kitchen needs a good, sharp pair of kitchen shears. It’s worth the investment! These are from Pampered Chef. I’ll be using the scissors this week to cut my chicken pieces when I make this recipe for Chicken Cutlets with Deconstructed Guacamole. It’s so good!
  • Knife & Scissor Sharpener – Though my scissors are old (and look it), they are still in good working order because of this sharpener that I got at Lowe’s years ago, thanks to my dad’s recommendation! I couldn’t get along without this sharpener to keep knives really useful, too. A great gift idea would be either a couple of good knives and a sharpener, or kitchen shears and the sharpener. There are lots of nice looking ones on Amazon!
  • Cutting board/Charcuterie board – With charcuterie boards being all the rage right now, a large cutting board would make a terrific, lasting gift! It’s great to have a large board with the rim. It’s perfect for carving a turkey or chicken.
    I love my collection of boards and truly use them all! The carved board is so pretty on display. A sweet friend gave that to me for Christmas this year and I love it!
  • Decorative measuring spoons and dishes – I’ve found that these kind of measuring spoons are more resilient than the plastic ones, or even the aluminum kind. I have two sets of spoons and keep them in two different spots in my kitchen so I always have a set nearby!
    These ceramic measuring cups are perfect for shortening, peanut butter, coconut oil and stick things like honey or molasses. Perfect gift for someone who loves to bake!
  • Digital Meat Thermometer – I don’t know how I got along without this tool for so many years! My thermometer has a probe that can go in the oven while the meat is cooking. It beeps when it reaches the temperature that I set. What a life-saver!!
  • Crock Pot – This list wouldn’t be complete without a crock pot! I like this one that will move to “warm” when the cooking time is complete. I also love that the crock comes out for easy cleaning.

I could also add things like trays and pitchers! There are just so many pretty and useful things for the kitchen! I hope my list AND Whitney’s suggestions will either inspire you for the gift you need to buy, or will help you make your kitchen more functional as you purchase these items for your own use!

Don’t forget to check Whitney’s post here.

What is something you use in your kitchen on a daily basis that you couldn’t do without? I’d love to hear!

Refresh your kitchen or someone else’s!

Favorites · Tips and Tools

Three Beauty Products I love – $3 or Under!

RefreshHer6 Comments

With prices on the rise, it’s pretty great to find beauty products that are both effective in use AND in price!

One product I’ve been using for a couple of years that I love is the Elf Eyebrow Pencil. I have purchased it most times at Target where it sells for $3. However, I looked on Amazon this week and found it for $2!! I like it better than many others that i tried that were more expensive. It is creamy, but stays in place. The pencil swivels up, so there’s no sharpening needed. The other end has a brow brush. It comes in a variety of shades. My choice is Blonde. This is just a great brown pencil!

The next two items are new hair products I recently picked up after Whitney told me about them. It’s great when you daughters give good suggestions, isn’t it?! I have thick hair that can lay flat without some kind of volumizing help! Herbal Essence has two products – a mousse and a hairspray that give volume.

Herbal Essence Mousse is nice and foamy – a promise of good things to come. It didn’t make my hair sticky, just more full.

The hair spray isn’t sticky, but holds things in place after I style it.

Each of these products were $2.99 at Target. WARNING – it seems, like lots of good things these days, it can be hard to find, and in some cases its price is upwards to $10! I was blessed to find several cans at my local Target store.

Don’t be fooled – good things don’t always have to cost a fortune!

What products do you love that are cost effective? I’d love to hear!

Refresh your look with these $3 products!

Refresh your heart in your church this Sunday! You need your church, and your church needs you!

Home decor · refreshment at home · Tips and Tools

Functional Beauty

RefreshHer1 Comment

There is one design statement that has helped me eliminate extra clutter in my home. I’m sharing it with you today in hopes that it will also inspire you! Ready? Here it is…

When the tools and utensils you use on a daily basis are beautiful, you need less stuff in your home to make it lovely. Those tools will do the work for you.

I have tried to keep this thought in my mind as I seek to add decor to my home. The plus side of using lovely things is that it makes the work more enjoyable!

Let me show a few simple examples…

Continue reading “Functional Beauty” →
organization · refreshment at home · Tips and Tools

Tips You Need to Know!

RefreshHer2 Comments

I love to pick up a book or magazine that has some really good helpful ideas in it that simplify my life. I thought I’d share some of my recent finds with you here. Feel free to share your good ideas; I’d love to hear your helpful hints!

  • Use an embroidery box or a tackle box for your small pieces of jewelry. If you don’t use it at home, this is a great way to pack jewelry for vacation!
  • Place all your shoes in clear shoe boxes rather than shoe racks. They’re shorter and trimmer than standard shoe boxes and stack nicely on the closet shelf. Because they’re in clear boxes they’re easy to find.
  • Put Clear plastic drawers in your closet to store socks and belts.
  • Use a magnetic clip to hold your recipe while you’re cooking. Stick the clip to the stove hood and you’ll be able to see the recipe easily.
  • Wrap a rubber band or two around the ends of a hanger to keep your camisoles and sleeveless tops from sliding off the hanger and into the floor.
  • Pop your medication into a contact case for a handy pill box. This tip is especially good for men who don’t want a “cute” little pill box! My husband keeps a contact case in his pants pocket with his Veritgo meds and a couple Advil.
  • When you get to the bottom of your favorite tube of lipstick, dig out the remains with a Popsicle stick and put it into a clean contact case. Presto! Lip gloss is now at your finger tips!
  • When you’re in the middle of a painting project and it’s time to quit, instead of washing all the paint off your brushes and rollers, simply wrap them in plastic wrap ’til you’re ready to paint later that day or even the next day. This way you’ll only have to clean up the messy brushes once!
  • Keep cilantro fresh by cutting off the bottom of the stems and placing the cilantro in a cup with enough water to cover the stems. Place the cup in the fridge. The cilantro will stay fresh for a couple of weeks.
  • Magic Erasers are great for more than just crayons on the wall! They clean the outside of appliances super well! That grimy covering that can make toasters or microwaves “sticky” is wiped away easily!
  • Lastly, this simple idea came to me recently when I was cooking hot dogs for lunch on the stove top. Spray the hot dog buns with cooking spray, then gently open them just enough to hang them on the sides of a rounded skillet. Brown on one side, then turn them and brown the other side while the hot dogs cook! Nice, crispy buns will be ready when your hot dog is!

Okay, your turn! Tell me your favorite tip!

Refresh your life with simplicity!