SEE: REALLY Look at Others

In American culture, it is quite the "thing" to be busy.

In fact, the whole "American Dream" idea is built on the premise that you work (and work and work and work) hard and you are "rewarded" with the materialistic things that are going to make you happy. (It's more complex than that, but you get the drift.)

But, in this age of all work and no play we've become a culture of pridefully busy humans who cannot see beyond the blinders of our own selves to really look at what's going on around us.

So...

The question becomes...

Do you really SEE other people?

Photo Credit:  Mike Chai

Put yourself in this scenario:

Think of the last place you were today where there were many people.

Maybe it was the grocery store, shopping mall, restaurant, concert - you know what I'm talking about.

Now...

Can you describe at least 5 people with enough details to separate them from others in the scene?

Could you describe them for a sketch artist or give any type of worthwhile details to a police officer?

Would you be able to pinpoint where you were in the setting when you noticed these people?

Okay, if you couldn't describe 5, what about 4, or 3 or 2?

One?

Photo Credit:  Kaique Rocha

There are people all around us, every day, day in and day out.

They are experiencing many of the same things you are - concern about our environment, paying the bills, getting your kid(s) into a good college, taking out the trash, caring for aging parents, getting to the doctor on time, saving for retirement.

How do I know this?

Photo Credit:  Malcolm Garret

Because, for all the ways we differ from one another, we have so many similarities.

WE ARE ALL HUMANS!

We cry, laugh, anger, grow, run, walk, swim, and fly.

We hate, love, criticize, intimidate, hear, see, and like.

We're born.

We die.

We may not look the same - even multiples are different, but we are all still the same collection of living matter and energy that co-exist on the same planet in the same universe.

Photo Credit:  Follow Alice

Our differences stem from WHERE we were born and raised, WHO developed our early understandings, WHAT cultural norms were given to us, and HOW we've navigated the world around us up to now.

Photo Credit:  Genaro Servin

Cultures different than our own can look, feel, and sound confusing, scary, and in opposition to our individual belief system.

Most of us were raised on the premise that different means "not one of us, so, therefore, they want to hurt or change us."

This is not a new concept.

In fact, throughout the history of the world, wars and conquests have been fought on this very premise.  It doesn't make it right, it just makes it fact.

Photo Credit:  Bess Hamiti

Let's use the hijab as an example.

Head coverings have been worn and can be found in recorded histories for thousands of years.

In fact, many Christian based religions today still require it for their members.

(Amish, Mennonite, and Hutterites are just a few modern-day examples)

If you are Catholic and meeting the pope, you MUST wear a head covering.  1 Corinthians 11:15 is just one interpretation of the Bible directing women to cover their heads as a sign of respect and modesty.  Over the centuries, that was relaxed for most Christian women, although many women of color still wear hats to church.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is always depicted as wearing a head covering.

Head coverings from the middle ages appear in most of their texts and documents, including those on fashions of the day.

The Hajib is the veil that Muslim women wear to cover their hair, neck, and chest (and sometimes their nose and mouth) when in the presence of men who are NOT their husband or immediate male family members.

It is based on Islamic standards of modesty - sound familiar?

Now, I don't want to give you a theology lesson here, because I'd be woefully ill-equipped.

But, when you SEE someone wearing a hajib, do you have the slightest fear or insecurity?

Photo Credit:  Caique Silva

What about someone who doesn't look like you?

Do you hesitate to make eye contact or look away so you don't have to engage with that person in any way?

Here's the thing...

Photo Credit:  Daniel Reche

What we see on the outside, be it clothing, physical features, alterations, skin color, religious choices, or whatever.

On the inside, we are all the same.

Just like an egg, the shell may be a different color, but the yolk and egg white look almost identical.  

Photo Credit:  Lisa Fotis

Think about how you SEE people and then take the time to slow down and REALLY SEE people.

"There are none so blind as those who will not see.  The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know."

John Heywood (1546)

 or

Jeremiah 5:21

"Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not: which have ears, and hear not."

Dollar Tree Finds: Part 2

Last Saturday I did Part 1 of my Dollar Tree must-haves.

This week it's Part 2 of those items that Dollar Tree carries that I find are great as well as useful purchases.

Let's get started!

HOME IMPROVEMENT AISLE

If you are not aware, there is a great section on one aisle where there are some quality home improvement supplies.

While there are so many options in this section, here are my recommendations:

Buy, buy, buy these amazing little storage containers.

They are not very large which makes them perfect for so many things.

Beyond storing a few picture nails and screws, you can use these to organize jewelry for traveling, hair ties and bands for little girls, small lego pieces that have a tendency to get lost or underfoot, crafting supplies, etc...

The dividers are removable so you can adjust the sizes of the compartments.

TIP:  Using this for jewelry when traveling?  But a sheet of felt and cut it to fit in the little compartments.  This can help keep the jewelry from getting scratched during travel.  If you are concerned about the lid popping open, use a large rubber band to secure it for travel as well.

We all need superglues for repairs, but I find that the larger sizes tend to glue themselves "unusable" after only a few uses.    When I can get 2 for the price of $1 I'm excited.  I'm not out anything IF I can only use it once - although I've NOT had any problems with mine so far.

Check out the 4 pack single-use at the top of the photo...that's 25 cents per use!!!

Oh, and foam mounting tape is perfect for card making projects.

These felt pads are a DEFINITE great purchase!

I use the sticky side to place on all the decor pieces that touch my wood furniture.  They are also great for putting on the bottom of chair legs to keep your floors from getting scratched.

Another great option?  Stick two of the same size back to back.  Add a few drops of essential oil to one side and place it into stinky shoes, gym bags, linen closets, or the car.  Now you have a safe, economical, and reusable homemade deodorizer for literal pennies on the dollar.

You know how sometimes you just need a little bit of caulk?  This caulk is GREAT!!!

It's paintable, can be used indoors or outdoors, and doesn't require a caulk gun.  Plus, it has a cap that can keep it for quite a while between uses.

(Also notice in the background that DT carries plastic drop cloths and small handled paint containers.)

As a crafter and small home-improver, I love these foam brushes.

The 8-pack is a great buy.  

Don't need those larger sizes?  Cut them down so they are skinnier!

The 6-foot extension cords have a 3 outlet option.  This can be a hard and expensive find in the larger box stores.  

One of my favorite finds is this light-weight bright white spackle.

I've used this all over my house to repair nail holes.  

The spackle is a mousse-like, airy texture so it's easy to work with.  It's perfect for filling nails holes in apartments as well - if you know someone moving out who wants their deposit back.

Their jute twine comes in a pack of 3 rolls.

I use this often when I make cards, but it's just as great in the garden for tying up large plantings.

I used it as well to make my DT Faux Succulent Napkin Rings.

It's a great craft project items to have on hand.  I think it would be awesome for creating these handles or buckets.

Google and Pinterest all the ideas you can make with simple jute twine!

We literally have about 9 of these utility knives around our house.  They are perfect for opening all the Amazon packages that are delivered each week!

I keep them in different rooms in the house because they are so versatile.

A recent find was this Pocket Tool!  I bought one for each of our cars.  

It's perfect for a wallet or purse since it's super light and easy.  At $1 it would also make a great gift.

I think they would be super fun to give as a take-away at a baby shower, wedding shower, birthday of a person who is known to be "handy" or as part of a groomsman/bridesmaid gift.

Last but not least, look in that same aisle for these Sunbeam LED flashlights.  They are super bright and we have a few in my father-in-law's room at his retirement facility. (He's 102 years young!)

Put one in each car, nightstand drawer, and emergency bag you own.

TIP:  Know or love a young person who is moving into their first apartment or home?  Grab a DT bucket and fill it with all these home-repair/improvement items as a great house-warming gift!

SELF CARE AISLES

These items are EXPENSIVE in other stores, so I always check DT to see if they have what I need before looking elsewhere.

ALWAYS check the hair-care items, especially if you have young ladies or men that need multiple tools and ties.

While I do not need lots of elastic bands for my hair, I DO like to buy the coated bands to use instead of typical rubber bands.

Why?

They are attractive, easier on my hands and the items I band together, and they don't get dirty like the rubber ones do... you know what I'm talking about!

There are also packs of disposable plastic hair bonnets in this aisle!  

Grab a few bags of these.  Why?  When you have workmen in your home (HVAC, plumbers, etc.) have them place those bags over their work shoes to keep dirt, grease, and grime at bay on your floors. 

Another use?  Place them over the tops of food in bowls that have no lid.  Perfect if you are eating outside and you want to keep the critters at bay, or if you need to store them in the frig for a bit until serving.  You're not wasting plastic wrap!

Toothbrushes are a great buy!  

You can fund brand name brushes in all types of styles and colors, including multi-packs.

Sending a kid to camp?  Put a new toothbrush and smaller sized paste inside their duffle bag.  This works well if you are traveling yourself.

Buy the DT brand brush for use in your crafting endeavors or cleaning endeavors.  You can even have a few in the garage for detailing your car or truck.

Look for the regular-sized brand named tubes of toothpaste as well.

Have a picky toothpaste user?  Try some of these smaller sizes to see which one they like without the waste of buying the bigger size!

TIP:  Toothpaste combined with a soft toothbrush makes a GREAT jewelry cleaner.  Buy each and set aside for a quick scrub each week!  The combination will not hurt real metal or stones as it's not overly abrasive for your quality jewelry.

A little bit further down the aisle, you will find brand name lip balms, dental floss, and dental picks.

The floss is perfect for crafting as well.

Keep a few of these dental flossers in your purse to remove any food that may get caught in your teeth at mealtime while you're away from home.

TIP: Need to remove a sticker from an item?  Use the floss part to "saw" under the sticker and give yourself a substantial part to pull...saves on your manicure and nails!

FOOD STORAGE

I prefer glass storage whenever possible, but there are times when I use plastic, especially on the RV when we are traveling.

This pair of 1.2 cup storage containers are perfect for lunchboxes, small bits of leftovers that you want to keep, or for sending food items to loved ones.

They are also great for craft storage, garage and workshop storage, small toy item storage, and office supplies storage (think paperclips and rubber bands).

Gifting your homemade fudge?  Pack a decent amount in these, add a DT bow and tag and you have a great sweet gift for anyone!

I LOVE these small 2.3 fluid oz lidded containers.

I use them to prepare our protein shake powders for easy use.  

Here's what I do:  I pull out the protein powder, supplement powders, flax seeds, and added spices once a week.  With the containers laid out and opened, I fill them with each powder and spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, whatever you like) and place the lid on.  When we make a shake we simply grab one or two of the containers, depending on how many shakes we're making, and then add the fresh ingredients like milk, fruit, and ice.  It's much quicker than taking out the multiple containers and spices to make them the other way.  After each use, I rinse them out and let them dry and use them over and over again.

These would be perfect for salad dressings in lunches, condiment cups for ketchup on plates for little ones, and craft storage.

TIP:  Have an elder who needs to take medications?  Label the white lids with a Sharpie marker.  Monday, Tuesday, morning, lunch, dinner, etc...  Each week, place the needed medications in the appropriately marked container.  This can help a senior keep track of and have some independence in taking their own medications.  Make the words as large as needed to help them with vision restrictions.

This can also work with little people needing to take a daily vitamin as well.

As you come to the plate section, look for these glass condiment mini bowls that have lids.

These are great for leftover storage and reheating in the microwave, just remember to remove the plastic lid and cover with a paper towel before using them in the microwave.

I only buy my aluminum at the DT.

Beyond the obvious use of these pans, they are great for crafting and tool-bench uses.

Check out the variety of sizes and lidded options.  If you are one of those sweet people who make and gift others with meals, these are a great option for you - especially since this type of stuff is recyclable once washed.

DINNERWARE

I will say that DT had upped their game when it comes to dinnerware.

The quality is great, especially if you are looking to have a variety of plate options without the hit to your budget.

I especially love the squared white plates and clear glass options.

With the exception of their plates that have a gold or silver rim, all their dinnerware is dishwasher safe.  

TIP:  Did you know that you can order DT items online?  This is great if you are looking for their seasonal dinnerware that tends to sell out quickly in the brick and mortar stores.  

Don't need 12 of one set (required to order online)?  Split it with a friend or family member.  I loved the lemon plates they had in the spring but didn't need a service for 12.  My mom and I split the set and the cost so we each have 6 bowls and 6 plates.  If I need more or she needs more we can borrow from each other.

I used to not be a fan of their glassware because I thought it was to thin and broke easily.

Well...

That is no longer the case.

Their glasses are great!  Much heavier quality and some of the colors are perfect for those of you who love to add color and style to what you already have.

They have a huge selection of wine glasses - both stemmed and not stemmed.  I've also found that some of those glasses have cute sayings on them that can be used for showers and parties.

They have a line of "smoke" colored glasses (bottom shelf on the left in this photo) that are a smoky gray color for those of you who are into the gray color schemes.  There are water glasses as well.

TIP:  I've seen wine glasses used as votive holders on elegant tables.  Pinterest ideas and then get your glasses at the DT.

KITCHEN SUPPLIES

I cannot say enough about the different kitchen tool options they offer at DT.

These wooden utensils are the best, especially if you are a crafter.  I've got an upcoming DIY with these exact tools in a future post, so look out for that one.

One of my all-time favs is this Betty Crocker dual spatula.  The actual paddles of the spatula are removable so you can get this really clean in the dishwasher.

Oh, and that small end is great for getting the last little bit a food out of small jars and cans.

TIP:  Grad one of these, a box of brownie mix and a kitchen towel to make a great hostess gift.

If the red Betty Crocker colors are not your thing, check out the plastic and silver metal options.

I bought all my RV utensils at the DT.  They've continued to last through 2 RV's and loads of traveling.

This set of 4 plastic spoons is also a great buy.  If you are one of those people who make covered dishes for church or community functions, throw one of these in with your dish.  If you don't get it back it's only a cost of 25 cents.

TIP:  The smaller spoon is a great toy kitchen spoon for a little person in your life.

I always make sure that I check out their current season on linen kitchen towel designs.  They are so adorable and make great gift items.

I don't know about your house but in our house, we have kitchen towels we can use and kitchen towels that are purely decorative.  (LOL).  These are the purely decorative option.  Hubby knows not to wipe his hands using these.

Looking for precut foil papers?  DT has Reynold's brand which is great for picnics and BBQs.

Shew...we're almost done!

GENERAL HOME ORGANIZATION

DT is great when looking for drawers and cupboard organizers.  

I love the ones that have a "locking" connection like these gray and white options.  These allow you to connect them in a drawer so they don't move around on you when you open or close the drawer.

Many come in two or three-piece options.

Of course, you can't go wrong with these options for organizing closets.

I used the green in my Hall Closet post and it still looks like this today!

The baskets that have a handle are perfect to purchase and assign to each child in your household.  At the end of the day have the child take their basket through the house and collect their items to teach them tidying and cleaning skills.

Going to the beach or pool?  Make each child carry their water toys and towel in a basket.  Mom or Dad should not have to bear that burden alone!

TIP:  Pick different colors for different closets and have fun making those spaces colorful!  Just because they are behind a door doesn't mean they can't be spunky!

These fabric bins, while not quite as thick as say an IKEA equivalent, they are still great in a closet or toy area.

Sometimes they are specialty bins that might work well with your current decor options too!

Make sure you check out the vacuum storage bags as well.  I've used both the DT and the Glad brand and cannot find a difference between either, so I'll always revert to the cheaper one on these!

Last but not least...

CLEANING SUPPLIES

Don't buy your brushes for cleaning anywhere else!

These are great quality and there are many different types and styles to choose from.

I put dish soap in the loadable handled dish sponges (top middle of pic) and keep one in my shower.  I can quickly give my shower walls and floor a quick scrub in between my weekly cleaning sessions.

I often pull it out of the shower to swipe through the sink grime weekly as well.

These multi-purpose cloths are nice too.  They can be laundered so if you are looking for a greener way to save the planet, every little reusable option is great!

You will find a pair of these in each package.

I keep a pack of these in our cars and around my sink area in the bathroom.

I notice that my hairspray makes my countertop a bit gritty.  These wipes take care of that in one swoop.  Plus, for germs season I can wipe down my faucet and handles in the bathroom as well.

Viva are expensive towels!  The DT has HALF ROLLS for $1.00!

I keep a roll of these in each of our cars.  You neven know when you will need a paper towel for quick cleanups in the car but who wants to have a whole roll of them stashed in their car?

TIP:  Place a roll of these in each bathroom or kids room to have in the event of a quick cleanup.

Don't forget to check out the full-sized Arm-n-Hammer baking soda options.  While they may be 2 cents cheaper in other stores if you are already in DT grab a few.  It will cost you 2 cents in gas and a lot more in frustration to get them elsewhere.

And finally...

last but never least...

Try out this LA's Totally Awesome Concentrated Cleaner.

We started using this to clean the black streaks off of our RV on recommendation from other RV owners.

This stuff is AWESOME!  (No pun intended.)

Pinterest it and see all the amazing things you can do with this stuff!

Stop by your DT and see what you can find...there's so many things I did not mention here.

DT does not sponsor me, but I still love them!