All posts by achieverbeaver@gmail.com

I am the Achiever Beaver (aka Beaverelli). If you look at my photos, it shouldn’t take you long to figure out why. I have a twisted, rotten sense of humor and I need variety and excitement in my life pretty much all the time, but I need it to appear quickly because I have a short attention span. I’m LAZY, IMPATIENT and CHEAP and I HATE WASTE. My husband of 2 years and I decided, shortly after we were married, that we do not want kids…now what do I do with all this free time? Whatever the hell I want, that’s what! I try to jam as much fun and adventure as possible into my evenings and weekends. (I have an office job.) If you love: - Fun and unique activities and adventures - Eating well - Dressing up even when you don’t have to (or dressing down and still having pizazz) - Doing painfully easy crafts all while saving money whenever beaverly possible, then you’ve come to the right place. Hell, if you like even one of those, you’ll surely find a tip or two. I’m not going to guarantee that you will think this blog is awesome, because let’s face it, not everyone’s going to be right all the time. Each entry will be marked with the Beaver Tail Flags: LAZY, IMPATIENT, CHEAP and a HATER OF WASTE. So if you are any (or all) of those things, the flags will come in handy on finding the right activity, recipe, shopping experience that fits nicely into your world.

No More Wasting Food…Brilliant!

I got inspired. Inspired to get involved and inspired to dig up the ol’ Achiever Beaver.

Mr. Beaverelli forwarded me an article talking about a new app called OLIO that will reduce the waste of food. As you all know, I HATE waste and do everything I can to prevent it.

The company was started by by a woman in England (notice the spelling of some words) and an American woman from Iowa with the following idea in mind:

“OLIO is a free app connecting people with their neighbours and with local shops so surplus food and other items can be shared, not thrown away.

If you love food, hate waste, care about the environment or want to connect with your community, OLIO is for you.”

I immediately signed up to not only be an ambassador, but to also be a Food Waste Hero (FWH). I’m volunteering to spread the word about the app…after all, the more participants, the better…and to be matched up with local food vendors, bakeries, food grocers, restaurants, etc. A FWH then brings these items home and posts them to OLIO to distribute to those in need/want.

ADDED BONUS: It isn’t all about food. You can give away non-food items for free…or even better yet, ask for donations to then give to your favorite charity. I love this idea! How often are you trying to collect donations for that 5k and are struggling to meet your goal? How about those items you haven’t taken to the thrift store yet? Why not post them requesting a donation and meeting your American Cancer Society goal at the same time?

So take a moment to join the revolution…OLIO

Don’t Have A Really, Really Free Market Where You Live? Start One!

You don’t have a Really Really Free Market in your city or town? Then it’s time you took matters into your own hands. You ask, “what the heck is that?” Well, you can read all about the San Diego Really Really Free Market here.

What a great concept! My biggest regret is when I have items I don’t want or need anymore, but I cannot donate them. Here are some ideas for items that you can take to the Really Really Free Market

New or partially used bottles of cleaners
New or partially used toiletries
New or partially burned candles
Cords and cables
Trinkets/knick knacks
Full or partially used paint cans
Wood pieces
Canned or boxed food
Leftover supplies after home repairs
Offer goods and services from your business (baked goods from a bakery, haircuts, put on a little concert)
The possibilities are endless!

Why not pick a day, go to a park (check to see if you need a permit) and advertise to all of your friends? Start with social media, put an ad on Craigslist, start a blog…endless possibilities! Sure, it will be small at first, but make it a goal to do it quarterly. If you build it, they WILL come!

Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette

I won’t even buy dressing in a bottle anymore. For one, they put a lot of preservatives and crap in it…2, I don’t really like the taste anyway. Making your own is the way to go, and it’s not that difficult! I prefer vinaigrette anyway, so they are often pretty easy to throw together. This one is great for a nice summer salad to take to a BBQ.

Total Time: 10 mins

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Ingredients

Servings 6-8

Units US

2 medium oranges
1 medium lemon
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt to taste

1. Click the photo below to learn how to cut that lemon the right way (yes, I said RIGHT way) and squeeze the juice into a small bowl or ramekin.

2. Cut the oranges in half and use a citrus juicer over the bowl/ramekin. My hand held one works just fine.

3. One of my favorite kitchen tools is the grater plate. It turns garlic into a paste. More details about it here and where you can buy it: Kitchen Must-Have: Grater Plate. Add it into the juice mixture.

4. Add olive oil.

5. Add salt to taste.

What Is A Must-See In Every City You Visit?

The local outdoor markets, that’s what. Whether it’s an open market, farmer’s market, flea market or swap meet, it’s the place to go to find some local culture…and usually at a discount! I always find that you can learn a lot about the region by doing this. Not to mention delicious eats from pop-up vendors too. I enjoy going to the swap meets and farmer’s markets in San Diego, so why wouldn’t I want to find them in foreign lands or cities? My main focus is usually food and jewelry.

Here is a market we discovered in Florence, Italy.With plenty of tasty treats. Too bad we had just eaten and the cruise ship doesn’t let us bring food back.

Mmmm, mini crepes…

The produce in Rome, Italy is simply amazing. All of the colors and freshness.

Free Grappa samples…don’t mind if I do…Our new scarves. Unfortunately, I think these were made in China.

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

Lots of these charcuterie counters OUTSIDE. There isn’t a lack of patronage here, that’s for sure.

I purchased several pieces of this volcanic rock jewelry…rock bottom prices!

And right here in the good ol’ US of A, at the Portland Saturday Market.

Skip the shopping malls and get outdoors. The exception, of course, is if you’re traveling during cold winter months, you’re probably not going to find these little spots of heaven.

It’s Time To Purge, Do It NOW

by Spring cleaning. We’ve all heard it, but have you ever put it into action? In my case, it’s not necessarily to clean up and get rid of things I don’t need. Sure, that happens, but I mainly do it so I can justify acquiring more! You should do this with everything, but I’m going to focus on clothing, shoes and accessories.

There are so many ways to keep your wardrobe fresh and make room for more:

Take it to/have a clothing swap! If you happen to have Trendy Trade Clothing Swap show up near you, this is a great one. Read how you can get Free Fashionable Clothing AND Help Women In Need.
Donate your old stuff to a local thrift store.
Post it on Craigslist – give it away free or make a little cash.
Do an online “yard sale” on Facebook to see if your friends and family want it.
Take it to a Really Really Free Market (if you don’t have one near you, start one!).
Download the OLIO app. You can give these items away free, or even better, collect a dollar amount you can donate to your favorite charity!
Get out a box, bin or suitcase just sitting in the garage rafters and put up your fall/winter clothing and take out your spring/summer dresses and skirts.

I have a giant suitcase that sits unused for the majority of the year. Let’s be real, you don’t need your sweater dresses and furry boots hanging around in the closet in the sweltering summer months. They are just taking up valuable closet real estate. The best part? It’s like getting new clothing all over again! I just rediscovered sundresses that I haven’t laid eyes on in 6 months and completely forgot that I had. I don’t even have to go shopping to get my new-to-me fix. Instant money saver. Bam!

Bye bye winter…

Yes, You Can Buy Used Shoes…

by You just have to clean them up…and I suggest you do. Once upon a time, I wouldn’t even consider buying previously owned shoes, because I feared the dreaded athlete’s foot. I needed a pair of sandals for a Halloween costume and went into a thrift store that happened to have the perfect pair in my size! I wear a 5.5, so this is NOT an easy feat. I wore them all night at the country western bar party, and sure enough, I got athlete’s foot. It’s gross to have it anyway, but to think I got it from some grimy idiot that had peeling feet and still thought it was a good idea to donate her old shoes. *shudder* Many, many more years went by (at least 10) before I got smart enough to buy them anyway and then disinfect. Duh.

I do it one of two ways: with rubbing alcohol or Lysol. I prefer rubbing alcohol, because even though I like the smell of Lysol, I don’t really care to walk around with my shoes smelling like it.

I picked these gold wedges up from AmVets for 50% off the ticketed price, so these were $6.50. It looks like they’ve been worn 0-1 times. Not too shabby for next to brand new shoes. I chose rubbing alcohol for this simple job.

If a shoe has a slick insole area, then I douse a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and rub it over all areas that will be touching my hind paws.

I use the Lysol for shoes that do not have a slick inside. Sneakers, for example, will work much better with a spray on disinfectant.

That’s all there is to it…so what’s stopping you now?by

My Sister’s Closet

by Actually, I don’t have a sister, thank goodness. If I did, I probably would have had to share my precious clothes with her.

I do, however, have a close relationship with My Sister’s Closet (MSC) Recycled Designer Apparel. MSC is so much better than having to fight to be daddy’s #1 little girl.

Unfortunately, (for you, not for me) there are only store locations in the Phoenix area and San Diego. The prices are between 70-90% off the retail price on a regular day.

And that’s not all.

Need to get rid of some of your old clothes to make room for the new and exciting? They consign! What that means is that you bring in your tired clothing (tired to you, not tired to the world). It needs to be current, laundered/dry cleaned, and in good shape. Once they sell it, if they sell it, then you get paid or store credit. I don’t even know what they pay out in cash because I always need to buy more.

Their clothing consignment requirements are:

No more than 4-5 years old
A retail value of at least $40
In like-new and clean condition

DSC06871-001 — From the additional 70% off sale.

Probably 2 of the most exciting days of the year, that send me into a euphoric state, are the season changes at MSC. They occur around mid-Febuary and mid-August. I am on their mailing list, so I get a heads up when the change is about to roll around.

They conduct a progressive sale that starts at 20% off and ends at 70% off a couple of weeks later. That is in ADDITION to the already low prices. I actually take a half day off of work for each of these on the first day of the 70% off portion. I try on any dang thing that might possibly fit me. I usually end up with 2 giant bags of clothing. Here are some of my awesome finds on the last day of the sale:

DSC06870-001

This pale yellow dress helped me create one of my favorite photos of myself.

DSC07600-001 — Enjoying some Spanish wine from Palma de Mallorca on our transatlantic cruise.

DSC06868-001 — 2 Michael Kors handbags – one was $8.00, the other was $5.00.

DSC06866-001 — This is a Versace dress that I got for $15.00!

So if you’re my size, forget that I told you about a progressive seasonal sale, please.

Good ‘Til the Last Drop

by No, I’m not talking about coffee here. I don’t need drugs to get me through the day. I’ve got a natural high (or I just tough it out). I’m talking about buckypaste, or better known as toothpaste.

This is a photo of my and Mr Beaverelli’s toothpaste. Our vanity consists of 2 sinks, so each side is stocked with our own personals. I’ll give you one guess on which tube belongs to whom.

You guessed it, the neat one on the left is the Mister’s. Not what you expected?! Yeah, I wouldn’t have guessed it either.

It is now time for me to take a tip from him on the waste front…not to mention the tidy front. I think it’s pretty self explanatory: grab a bobby pin (that is probably already laying at the bottom of a drawer in the bathroom somewhere) and nicely roll up your tube, moving it down as you go.

This is a good representation of just how lazy I am. It really doesn’t take that much effort to make sure the tip is cleaned off. In fact, I probably ultimately work harder because I have to twist and turn the tube to get the paste out.

I will try to be more non-wasting next time.by

Trash or Not? Save ALL Those Plastic Bags You Bring Home

Okay, so yeah, plastic bread bags actually ARE trash when the bread is gone…but they don’t need to be thrown away just yet.

Do you ever have that awful, spoiled food smell in your garbage can in the kitchen? You don’t notice it at first. You go off to work, then you come home to the lodge smelling like a dumpster? There aren’t a whole lot worse smells that I can think of.

I also take the produce bags and save them separately to use for discards when I’m cooking. We normally try to keep bread from entering our front door because Mr. Beaverelli will go through an entire loaf in a sitting if he isn’t monitored. His folks were visiting, so we bought some for them and this is what was left in the end. I filled it up with the Beaverelli’s Healthy Breakfast Cheeseburger Casserole discards, tied it up and threw it away. No more rotten food sitting in the garbage to make us gag!

Don’t Throw Those Wine Bottles Away!

by Why not upcycle instead? What is upcycling, you ask? It’s taking something you’d usually just throw out, and re-purposing it into something usable and fabulous again instead.

Once a month, my creative, fun friend, Mary Katherine, hosts a girl’s crafting night at her place. She makes it desirable for even the laziest of people…she gets all the supplies and tells us what we owe her. This month: wine bottle wind chimes.

I started out with the best of intentions, but cutting glass isn’t nearly as easy as I thought it would be with the special tool we had to use, so my lazy ass decided to skimp corners instead.

What you need:

Kinkajou Bottle Cutter (or another cheaper brand: Bottle Cutter Kit – I have not tried this brand, so I cannot endorse it…but I’m all about cheap! The Kink belonged to my friend)
A glass bottle of your choice
Ribbon
Guinea fowl feathers
Hot glue gun
Glue sticks

This is the Kinkajou…get your mind out of the gutter and follow along here…

Here’s how it works:

Easy, right? Wrong. Okay, when it works, it’s wonderful, but it can be tough to get it perfect. Tips for getting a clean cut:

Choose a bottle with thin glass. How do you know if it’s thin or not? I’m not sure, but the Pellegrino water bottles worked nicely (and they’re a pretty green).
Make sure the cut goes all the way around in a straight line and connects at its ends.

I only cut 1 bottle after 2 of my friends had failed, uneven cuts. Mine just snapped right off where it was supposed to. That’s it, I give up, 1 bottle it is. I made it into a wind chime at first (I’ll show you how to do that below), but ultimately decided on the candle holder instead.

My bag of ribbons is sorry, so this golden mustard color was the only decent choice. Cut about 18 inches of ribbon (you can always cut it down more).

Tie the ribbon around the bottleneck into a bow and play with it until you get it to your desired bow size. Then, cut off any excess ribbon.Pull the bow up over the top of your bottle and get out your glue gun. Add some glue around the bottleneck where you will secure your ribbon back.Add some glue to the middle, inside of the bow so that you can slip your feathers into it.

All done!

As for the windchime, Mr. Beaverelli doesn’t like noises, so this was a no-go for this lodge. I used 3 of these large plastic pearl beads (these came from an old necklace that Mary Katherine acquired, I might add).You have to play around with different ways of tying the beads and how much distance between them. Pulling the cord through the bottle is the best way to eyeball it and then make adjustments accordingly.

She also throws away the key fobs and keeps just the key ring (she’s my hero). You’d think that this old icky thing is not something you’d ever want to keep around, but I like it way more than the shiny, new looking ones.

If only the windchime didn’t make noise…wait? Huh?

You could even use it as both! Try out on the mantle for a while and when you’re tired of looking at it and would rather hear it instead (and let your neighbors have a nice view) put it outside.