Vanilla Ice: Part I Bottles

 

This year John and I decided to make everyone vanilla extract! Inspired by our love of makin' stuff and limited funds. After researching recipes and beans and vodka I started researching bottles. The thing that takes up most of our budget. I found tons of sites with crazy cheap bottles, but the shipping was as much as the bottles. 

One day as we perused the 99 Cents Only store for Halloween decorations, I found these:

That's right, $1 bottles of wine. 8 ounces. Exactly what I wanted. Except the chintzy caps, those would have to go. I found corks at Michaels. Which I measured for with the wine I kept in my purse. I was lookin' classy that day, unscrewing a bottle of wine in Aisle 10 of the Michaels. 

Once that was settled, I had to clean the bottles:

And clip off the annoying safety seal:

 And then I had 24 lovely clean bottles! And all I had to do was look like a lush on the go at the 99 Cents only store...and the Michaels.

Weird Morning

After being asked if I was pregnant and punched in the arm by a renegade jogger, it would be nice to come home to a glorious garden and relax in the shade of a free peach tree.
But, alas, we are still pretty far from that dream.
I've transplanted some succulents and found others at the 99 cent store. The tree was free and the other stuff was super cheap. Eventually there will be grass on the right of the treated lumber edging. And in the center of the yard, off to the right of the photo, will be an olive tree. Olive-less, of course.
Right now I'm off to ask my garden goddess neighbor her advice on what plants I can add to the mix to complete the "look." There will be one soon, I promise.