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Okio B Designs

A craft, food, fashion, home & shopping blog

 

Are you ready for another great Under $25 Holiday Gift find?  This one will certainly make your feet happy...
Let me introduce you to Cicada* (SRP: $14), "a whimsical, organic cotton sock and lifestyle brand" that is donating $1 to social causes with each purchase.  Who knew socks and giving back could be so cool?
If you're looking to make a statement with your tootsies, or simply want to support a small business that "has partnered with nonprofits that take action and issues people care about" (including COVID-19 relief, global warming and pollution, among others), Cicada has your back, er, feet. 
Current causes the Company supports include: Factory Farming, COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO, Bhejane Trust and WeForest Organization, to name a few.  Sock prices range from $14 per pair to $39 for a collection. 
Each comes quaintly packaged in its own gift box - making it perfect for slipping in a stocking or under the Christmas tree.  It's hard to pick a favorite, but I'm loving their Gone Fishing and Air Pollution styles for men.  Both shown above.  For women, the Pigsty and Cowshed designs are dreamy.
So, if you're looking beyond ho-hum socks and want to support a company doing good things, add Cicada to your holiday gift list!

Jeanine


* Note: I received a review sample from Cicada.  However, all opinions, text, images (except those provided by Cicada), etc. are honest and my own.  This blog does not contain any content that might present a conflict of interest.  Affiliate links and/or monetary compensation will always be disclosed.
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Now that I've got your attention!  

This is the first in a series of Under $25 Holiday Gift posts that I have planned for the coming weeks.  So sit back, relax and get ready for some fun - and affordable! - holiday shopping.

First up is Unprecedented Thyme*.  If you have a foodie on your gift list, this is definitely the gift (or stocking stuffer!) that keeps on giving.  (I mean, how cool is the "Beam me up, Scotty"-themed packaging?)

Brought to you by the team from Fleishigs magazine, Unprecedented Thyme (SRP: $9.99) is a new, certified kosher spice blend that features an "earthy, complex, dynamic blend of the highest quality herbs and spices, including thyme, sumac, coriander, turmeric, Himalayan sea salt, cayenne pepper and cinnamon."  Yum.  Seriously, this stuff smells a.ma.zing!

It's perfect for sprinkling into stews, marinades, on roast chicken and steak.  But wait, there's more!  Ten percent of Unprecedented Thyme sales proceeds will be donated to providing CoVid-19 Emergency Food Relief (via Masbia Soup Kitchen Network) packages to those in need.  Who doesn't love a company that gives back - especially in these unprecedented times?! 

If you're interested in finding out more about Fleishigs magazine, click the link above.

And trust me when I say, you're going to want to get an extra bottle of Unprecedented Thyme for yourself!

Jeanine


* Note: I received a review sample from Unprecedented Thyme.  However, all opinions, text, images (except those provided by Unprecedented Thyme), etc. are honest and my own.  This blog does not contain any content that might present a conflict of interest.  Affiliate links and/or monetary compensation will always be disclosed.

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I voted!  Did you?

Jeanine

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Break out your Scrabble tiles and Glue Dots for this easy DIY.  I used an old, wood bookend for mine.  It's a little time consuming, but it's a cute Christmas project you could do by yourself or with little ones.  I laid out my pieces first and then individually "glued" them to each spot.  I finished up with brown buttons for the "stem." 

And if you're wondering, here are the lyrics to O Christmas Tree:

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Thy leaves are so unchanging
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Thy leaves are so unchanging
Not only green when summer's here
But also when it's cold and drear
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Thy leaves are so unchanging

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Such pleasure do you bring me
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Such pleasure do you bring me
For every year this Christmas tree
Brings to us such joy and glee
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
Such pleasure do you bring me

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
You'll ever be unchanging
A symbol of goodwill and love
You'll ever be unchanging
Each shining light, each silver bell
No one alive spreads cheer so well
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
You'll ever be unchanging


Jeanine

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Recognize this toolbox?  I swear this is probably the third makeover it's gotten.  Over the summer it held fleurs.  Now it's all dressed up for Christmas.  Once again, I had all of the pieces to put this together in a matter of minutes.

It's rusty and chippy, and everything I had envisioned!  I added everything to the front using Glue Dots.  Yes, Glue Dots.  Thankfully, not every project requires hot glue.  I did a quick layout first and then got busy...um...sticking.

I was happy to combine two of my favorite crafting pieces: Scrabble tiles and Bingo cards.  I used an old plaid shirt for my ribbon.  My faux snow is actually Poly-Fil.  I can't wait to use it to display some snowmen or Christmas ornaments in the coming weeks!

Jeanine

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Raise your hand if you're already working on Christmas projects!  I definitely am - starting with this simple joy metal placecard.  All you need are some Scrabble tiles, a hot glue gun and the metal piece of your choice.  Just be careful: hot glue + metal = I may or may not have burned my finger.  Ouch!

I went old school for these next pieces.  I jokingly asked Mr. OkioB if we had any label makers.  A short trip to the garage and my hero came out with these bad boys.  I knew I kept him around for some reason!

Label makers + metal placecards = industrial chic/steampunk "angels."  My hero was even sweet enough to cut out the metal angel "wings" for me.  I added a simple snowflake to the other one, and used hot glue to attach the "halos."

I must admit, these small projects definitely got the creative juices flowing again.  The struggle has been real thanks to Co-Vid and way too much home time.  I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I can't wait for 2020 to be a distant memory...

Jeanine

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I love fashion almost as much as I love crafting!  If you've been following me on Instagram (@okiobdesigns), you've probably seen me post a photo or two (or three, four, fifty, etc.) of some of my favorite outfits.  Just because I'm 49, doesn't mean I want to give up or settle.  I still want to look stylish, and I try to put together outfits that embrace all of the many milestones that make me ME.  

And because you know I'm a frugal mama, everything I share is almost always $50 and under.  This date-night outfit is a perfect example:

  • Snakeskin Pants - JCPenney, $18.75 with coupon;
  • Black Top - Amazon, $16.99;
  • J Initial Necklace - Amazon, $8.99;
  • Fur-lined Mules - Target, $24.99;
  • GG Belt - Amazon, similar $10.99.

How about this cozy look for a chilly autumn night by the fire pit?
  • Leopard Print Cardigan - Target, $34.99;
  • Levi's 711 Jeans - JCPenney, $59.99 (they were $39.99 when I purchased them);
  • Uggs Mules/Slippers - Nordstrom, $119 (I purchased during N Sale for $59).
I'm also pleased to announce you can now find me on the LiketoKnow.It app (also as @okiobdesigns)!  I was finally accepted and I'm dizzy with excitement!

Many more changes will be coming to my blog in the next few weeks.  I hope you'll stay tuned!

Jeanine

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You know that one dinner your Mom would make when you were growing up?  The one that gave you all the feels like Anton Ego in Ratatouille.  For me, it was Mom's Tuna Fish Casserole.  While it's not quite classic comfort food, it was the one meal that made me happy - even after having a rough day at school.  Now that I'm the Mom, I make it every few months for my kids with the same cheerful results.

Today, I'm sharing it with you!  All you need is:

  • A bag of egg noodles;
  • Two cans of tuna fish drained;
  • One can of Cream of Chicken (or Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Celery Soup);
  • A medium-size onion (smaller or larger depending upon your tastes) sliced;
  • One half cup milk;
  • Bread Crumbs;
  • Butter slices.
Start by browning your onion in the frying pan with a little butter.  Add the tuna fish, soup and milk to the pan constantly stirring over low heat.  Cook the noodles separately.  Once the noodles are to your liking, add the mixture to them and spread out in a casserole dish.  Mix bread crumbs with sliced butter and put on top of noodle mixture.  Cook for 15 minutes at 325 degrees.

Enjoy!

Jeanine

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Can you believe Halloween is next week?!  Nevermind that we ate most of our candy already, sigh!  And that I'm kicking myself for not sharing my Ouija phone sooner.

Or my creepy magnifying glass and Jack-'O-Lantern candle. 
I can't blame my absence on Co-Vid.  Or Instagram.  Or social media.
I've just been a bad blogger.  Again.
I guess better late than never...

Jeanine



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This is definitely my most favorite time of year.  The weather is cooler and the creative juices are flowing.  Most of what I'm sharing with you are under 5 (minutes) DIYs.


First up is this cute little crow frame.  I saw something similar on Pinterest, and since I had the frame and faux crow, I decided to make my own version.  The frame was originally red for Christmas, but I gave it a few coats of orange spray paint for Halloween.  I hot glued the crow to the frame and added a soda can tab to the back to be able to hang it.  It's happily residing on the front porch.

Next up is this absinthe prayer candle.  Absinthe is a highly alcoholic beverage that was banned at one point.  I don't dabble in drinking, but I do love the design of this old ad.  It's perfect for Halloween.  I used the candle, image and Mod Podge, and was done in literally 2 minutes.

And speaking of absinthe...how perfect are these sugar cubes in a metal cauldron?!  The cauldron was a thrift store find.  The absinthe sugar cubes are from eBay ($7.95 for 20 packs).  I never realized how perfect green is for Halloween!

Those are just a few of my Halloween touches this year.  Stay tuned for more...

Jeanine

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I'm a day late in wishing everyone an official Happy Fall!  Let's do this!

Jeanine

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You know I love me some affordable DIY projects.  This one cost just $4 to make!  Yes, you read that right: a mere $4.


Run on over to your local Dollar Tree and grab one of their wipe-on/wipe-off boards.  Then head to Target's Dollar Spot for these peel-n-stick pre-cut vinyl packets.  A two-pack is just $3.  The wipe-off board was, of course, $1.

I'm not going to lie: the vinyl was a little tricky to use.  I mumbled a few curse words under my breath while working on this, but I was literally done in 10 minutes.  I added the petite pumpkin and raffia from my stash.

Not bad for $4, eh?

Jeanine

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My favorite local thrift store finally opened last week.  I could hardly contain myself!  The pickings were a little slim, but I did manage to grab a metal tool holder and wood sign/cutting board.
I gave the tool holder quite a few coats of white spray paint (to cover lots of rusty areas).  Once that was dry, I printed out some Frenchy images onto waterslide decal paper.  After coating the decals with clear spray paint, I cut to size and added to the front of the holder.

This piece cost $1!  I had the spray paint, decal paper and everything else I needed.  I'm ecstatic with how it turned out!  I'm working on the wood sign/cutting board as we speak.

Jeanine
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When a friend alerted me that someone was throwing out a vintage Schwinn bike, you better believe I hopped in my car to go and grab it!  Unfortunately, I deleted the before picture.  It was definitely a bit beat up, but nothing I couldn't fix.
After removing the tires and sanding a few rusty spots, I simply gave it a few coats of Ocean Mist spray paint.  I'm loving how it turned out!  In fact, it's one of my most favorite pieces in our yard now.

Total cost: approximately $10 for 2 cans of spray paint.  A true trash to treasure story for the books!

Jeanine
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Who doesn't love a good DIY in Under 5?  If you've got some old bathroom tiles laying around, this project is for you.
You'll also need cork backing, a rubber stamp and ink.  I usually place the cork backing on my tiles before I start stamping.  This prevents them from scratching surfaces and clanking around while you're working with them.
Simply rub the ink on to your stamp and press on to each coaster.  Seriously, that's it!  I like to cover my image with either Mod Podge or clear spray paint to seal the image in - so add on an extra 10 minutes for that. 
In less than 5 minutes (or 15 if using Mod Podge or spray paint), you've got some cute new coasters that you can hopefully use for entertaining when Co-Vid19 is gone.

Cheers!

Jeanine


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We've been following stay-at-home orders since March 13th.  Yes, an entire month has gone by.  Luckily, our friends at Diamond Art Club* are offering the perfect #stayhome activity that has been keeping this family of four pleasantly busy.
Diamond Art Club makes creative and affordable art kits painting with "diamonds" to create beautiful works of art in hours or days, that anyone can do at home.  There is very little learning curve to follow on how to make designs, and it's a fantastic activity that the whole family can get involved in, or do individually as a passive hobby.  
We chose Sunbathing Kitty ($29.99) for our 12 year old cat lover.  Little did we know how addicting and fun this project would be!  The kit contains packets of "diamonds" that you place on the pre-printed adhesive canvas.  Simply locate the symbol and corresponding color to follow the pattern.
Using the magic applicator and wax, you are able to pick up the faceted side of the gems and place them on your canvas.  Here's our progress so far:  
Not only is it a fun activity that we've been taking turns doing, it's been quite calming in a world of Co-Vid chaos.  Stay tuned as I'll be sure to post our finished project.  In the meantime, get your own kit (there are lots to choose from!) by visiting www.diamondartclub.com.

Stay safe and be well!

Jeanine

* Note: I received a review copy from Diamond Art Club.  However, all opinions, text, images (except those provided by Diamond Art Club), etc. are honest and my own.  This blog does not contain any content that might present a conflict of interest.  Affiliate links and/or monetary compensation will always be disclosed.
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These are some strange days.  
I am trying to remain calm and prayerful.
It's not easy.
Every trip to the grocery story is filled with dread and panic.
I have to stay strong for my boys.
And I keep my sanity by doing little projects here and there.

Stay safe, my friends.  Together, we will all get through this.

Hugs!

Jeanine
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About Me

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Okio B Designs
I am a small business owner by day, and mom of two boys and DIY crafter by night. You might remember me from my old blog: One Cheap B*tch. I love sharing my tips and tricks to create affordable home decor, fashion, food, crafts and more! Drop me a line at spam-proof: jeanineb4etsy(at)yahoo(dotcom). Thanks for stopping by! Jeanine
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