January 2017

Teeny Tiny Tip: Taxes

For several years now I’ve used Super Bowl Sunday as my time for getting my taxes together.

It certainly is impossible to miss, with all the shouting on TV, and endless posts on social media. Even the crafting blogs get into it (guilty!)

The game doesn’t start until evening, but the TV coverage starts early. You have plenty of time to do this task and get it off your list way before it is time to start eating chip and dip.

Instead of waiting until the last second, using Super Bowl Sunday is an easy trick. Most, if not all, federal tax forms (W-2, 1099, etc.) are due to you by January 31st. And the IRS begins processing returns right around the first week of February as well.

If your taxes are easy and/or you are really a DIY-er, then this Sunday is a great day to get everything together and file online. If your taxes are more complicated, Sunday is a great time to find all the papers and get them into that envelope to send off to your tax preparer.

An extra bonus of filing earlier? If you going to receive a refund, it usually comes earlier, too!

 

Sunday Scrolling: January 29, 2017

  • Craft room envy big time, but there are pieces here that could be incorporated into any spot big or small.
  • I’ve been reading Smitten Kitchen for years. So I’m happy for her about her big announcement. And fearful she’ll jump the shark and become another plasticized Food Network celeb that makes things no one would cook.
  • Little notepads are my thing. And this one features a free printable for weekly planning.
  • We don’t really eat sweets,  but this quick idea was so cute I could resist sharing it.

 

Football Garland

Football garland using Silhouette Studio Print and Cut

I’m not sure if you know this, but a big football game is coming up next weekend.

And I don’t need much prodding to produce a garland, so an over-hyped sporting event will definitely serve as an excuse!

For this one, I decided I wanted to hang the garland vertically (which might technically be a streamer and not a garland). And that meant the image needed to be visible on both sides since the footballs were going to move a bit in the air.

I’ve harnessed the power of Silhouette Studio’s Print and Cut feature and  added a twist – I double side printed the image.

How SuzerSpace created this

VW Bus Inspired Tissue Box Cover

A VW bus inspired tissue box cover

So you are probably wondering why I’d want a VW Bus inspired Tissue Box Cover.

Because I saw a Whale Tissue Box cover, of course!

Seriously, I don’t even know how my mind works. And the Internet makes it much, much worse (better?). I saw a link for an Etsy listing of a tissue box cover shaped like a whale. (not an affiliate link).

It was super cute, but super pricey.

So I figured someone on the Internet would have made one from paper or cardboard, right?

So I set up to make one. And then got super distracted by the world that is tissue box cover crafts. One click led to another, until I saw this. (also not an affiliate link).  And my heart exploded.

And then sank. I can crochet, but not like that.

And then I went full circle and realized I could make something like that out of paper.

How SuzerSpace created this

Baked Tofu

Quick easy method to bake tofu - no special gadgets required.

Tofu is kind of like the opposite of Fight Club.

EVERYONE talks about tofu. I read so much about making tofu that it scared me.

I will confess it took me a few tries to nail down a solid system. My general cooking technique for most food involves skipping any steps I don’t want to do or don’t have a gadget to do it with.

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