Make-Do: 2 Ways to Use Grass Beach Mats Plus Tips

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At Make-Do Mondays we discuss how we’re simplifying, downsizing, repurposing, buying used, and using what we’ve got.

It’s a carnival celebrating creative problem-solving, contentment, patience and ingenuity. To participate, share your own make-do solution in the comments or write up a Make-Do Mondays post at your blog, then return here to link via MckLinky. Enjoy others’ ideas by clicking on their link in the MckLinky list.

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Make-Do Mondays with Shari

I fondly remember my old college days on the beaches of Hawaii.  What an awesome experience!  That was back in the fall of 1983.  By the spring of 1984 I was across the world living in Norway, serving an LDS mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.   But back to the beaches............


I wish I was beaching it now during my new college days ahead, but it is not to be!!!


ANYWAY..............................

I love these mats.  They are inexpensive and practical.  They can be rinsed off with water and kept clean.  They are thick.  They are durable under certain circumstances.  They handle water and sand well.  They fold up for storage and smell like the beach or islands, well I threw that in because they do have a unique smell and it does remind me of home at the beach.


I have several of these mats that I got/get from the Thrift Store/(DI).  They come in handy for many things.  Picnic blanket. Putting on the ground for fixing the car or changing the tire.  Ground cover for sleeping out under the stars, just to name a few things.



Here are a couple of ways that I have used them most recently.  

First is as a bedroom window darkener.  You see when Hubby was working nights, the daylight was very bright in our bedroom.  So I picked up a couple of mats to tuck up over the curtain rod for the bedroom to help darken it a bit.  Hubby didn't have a problem with the lightness, but I felt like it was a nice thing to do for him.  I think he appreciated it.


 The second way was as a picnic table covering.  It was nice on our table.  And it looked good too.  It was easy to clean, even when we got mustard and ketchup on it.  The sticky marshmallow came off too, when I used very hot water.  And I didn't have to throw it in the laundry.  I didn't even hang it up to dry, it dried in place on the table.  

It was really awesome.  I do realize we were blessed with calm, no winds days.  So I did not have to 'make-do' any anchors for it.  But a few rocks would have done it, along with the water jug.

I want to note a few other tips here to remind me of how fun camping for us can be.  

First we must have an Igloo water cooler filled with ice and then ice cold water to make the ice last as long as possible.  

  We keep it under the shade of the Easyup Canopy and even put a nice very wet beach towel over it to keep it cold when needed.  

  Then of course the personal use water bottle.  It is covered with a cotton/blend sock.  I keep it wet and the evaporation cools the water in the bottle.  Can't beat that when you are 'out and about' the mountains!  

  Then you see my fire tongs, I can't live without them.  My bbq/fire oven mitts are also invaluable again the fire's heat.  I also try to have the meat/food thermometer on the table so there is no excuse for not checking the food cooking over the coals and fire.  

   I always have a small basket on the table for odds-n-ends, easy carrying to and from the trailer.

   We have a small container of baby wipes, the wipes have been cut in half to make them last longer.

    Sometimes I keep a washcloth out by the table hanging up for spills, dishes, or anything we need a rag for. 

  I have some kind of bacon grease holder, here- it is a bottle with a tight lid.  

  I also have some firestarters made from empty TP rolls and dryer lint.  And a box of matches of course.  

If you look in the two last photos of the camping table you will see almost everything mentioned here.  I don't see the rag............ must be in use somewhere!

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