Grab Bag Salt Shaker:

Consumer Reports points out that reducing your sodium intake (which most Americans should do, especially those that eat anything from a package, and who doesn’t, really?) is harder than just ruling out the obvious offenders.

Take this quiz to test your salt savvy as to where hidden caches of sodium may be lurking:

Grab Bag Jean Jacker:

You finally find the right pair of jeans, but lo and behold, they were cut long enough to double as slippers when you walk around, and the store wants an arm and a leg to “do the hem right”. What does that mean? It means the  finished “jeans” hem will look the same, not a regular turned hem.

Here’s a GREAT tutorial on how to shorten your jeans yourself and keep the original hem. If you don’t have a machine of your own, lay all the ground work and find a friend who does… it will take about 10-15 minutes on the sewing machine, MAX.

Click the picture for the full, short tutorial:

Grab Bag Leverage Your Levis:

So your old jeans are the right length, but you’re over them. WAIT! Jeans are just too good to get rid of. And denim doesn’t go away too easily in a land fill, so recycle!

Check out these suggestions from WiseBread.com via SavvySugar.com (comments and suggestions, unless specifically indicated, are not mine):

16 Things to Do With Old Jeans

(It was 25, but 9 of them sucked. -LK)

• Pot holders  In my opinion, these look far better out of used denim than the new stuff. And you can incorporate your own style via choice of trim or a patch stitched to the outside. Here’s a link to some tips for making your own.
• Cool quilts. You can do this in many forms. Different shades of denim patchwork options abound and are certainly sturdy and fun.
• Hanging sleeves for storing plastic bags and cleaning rags This is an idea I came up when trying to find a workable solution for giving up paper towels. I needed something convenient to store my cleaning rags in and made several out of the legs of old blue jeans.
• Purses and backpacks. These are tons of fun as beach bags and particularly popular with the younger crowd. Easily jazzed up with pins various bits of clip on “flair”. Here are one and two separate links for various sets of project directions.
• Patches. Note from LK: The best look I have accomplished (back in the day for me, and now for my son) is to patch holes from the inside with fabric you want to show through hole for a design emphasis. My son likes bandanas, but any cotton fabric will do… I just pin a larger-than-necessary patch into place from the inside and sew around the existing hole from the outside, well back from the frayed edge, then trim the excess patching fabric away.
• Pimp the heck out of them. (Note from LK – this is sounding pretty solidly 90’s, but I will give a nod to any bling that still looks good…. just haven’t seen any lately. I’m just sayin’…) Options abound here. Pimp My Jeans is a great site to look for inspiration when jazzing up old jeans. They also have a great idea pictured there for a way hip fabric grocery bag of pieced together old denim. You’ll be strolling to your favorite New York grocery in style with that one. Here is an additional link for airbrushing designs on your denim. My favorite though, is this way cool how to video from Threadbanger that shows you how to get a vintage tint as well as providing some easy fabric distressing techniques.
• Make a 3-pocket electric gadget protector.  I found this set of directions on Instructables.
• Journal, photo album and school book covers.  Say what? I found this neat online project for a jean-covered journal or album held closed with a funky belt. Really fun.
• Coffee cozies.  Love these! As with some of the other projects, you can really put your own spin on them. I found several blog posts on doing your own. This first one is quite similar to the one pictured below. The second? Slightly different with a button closure. Still cute though. If I had my sewing machine out of storage, I’d seriously be looking into making a few of these for Christmas package tuck-ins.
• Custom camera bag.  Here’s a set of directions for a denim camera bag. Personal verdict? Pretty neat idea.
• Unusual covered gift box. I thought this one was particularly out of the norm. Should make a fun package for a teen present, don’t you think? Here’s a link.
• Reusable lunch sacks.  This one  is simply made from a leg that’s been sewn closed.
• This one was decorated with primary colored embellishments because it was designed for children. But I think you could be as individual here as with some of the jazz-up-your-jeans ideas listed above (patches, airbrushing, crystals). It’s made from a pant leg. How cool!
• Blue jean table.  Pretty darned unusual, I must say. This is another item that is shown with more of a children’s room look. But I think you could pull this off with leather accents in a wild west art gallery or with silver studs and tears for a more urban feel. A bit quirky, but if you like that sort of thing . . .
• Christmas stockings.  Here’s a set of directions for making stockings out of old blue jeans(PDF). Use whatever trim and lining ideas you want.
• Knee pads for gardening.  Here’s a set of directions for knee pads. You might need to use an old denim skirt or jumper for this one, but I still think it has merit, if you happen to have the time.
• Beer cozies. Check out this homemade deep pocket cold beverage cozy. There aren’t detailed directions, but there are pictures from several angles. So if you sew, you can probably get the idea.

Grab Bag Grab:

‘Atta girl…..

Grab Bag Brain Game:

OK… I DARE you to dive back into this little knee-deep puddle of an algebra game. It’s good for you…

Grab Bag Funny Stuff:

Jobs in Heaven