5 Days of... Preschooling with Pinterest: Day 5

***Note to self:  Do not schedule your post, then forget to check that it actually showed up on your blog - for two whole days.  That will be the time that you apparently hit "save", rather than "publish".

Here we are, at Day 5 already!  Today I have decided to share with you some Preschool ideas that I really like, but didn't feel fit in a category together - aside from this "miscellaneous" category, that is.  I hope you all have enjoyed this series, and that you have also checked out some of the other great themes being explored on the other participating blogs!  If not, just click the "5 Days of Blogging with the Homeschool Crew" button in the side column, and have fun!

• First up are the science/discovery bottles at Laguna Parent Participation Preschool.  They are made of reused Gatorade bottles, and are filled with all kinds of interesting things to explore!
• Along the same line, have you seen the jelly fish in a bottle?!?  It's at Bhoomplay's Blog, and it looks amazing!  It's hard to believe it's just a bit of plastic grocery sack in there! 
• Oops, here's one more bottle activity!  Pink Pistachio shows how to make sensory bottles.  I just love the Aquapod bottles she used, and already have some of those sparkly pom-poms.
• If your little ones love sidewalk chalk as much as my kids, you may want to check out how to make your own at Minieco.co.uk.
• I think this physical activity cube looks useful - see the details at Little Family Fun.  [Clicking through the link on the pin gets you an error message from Pinterest - but you can still go through the pin, and I promise that it does NOT go to spam or something inappropriate, as of 05/18/2012!]
• Have you introduced your little one to paper dolls?  Polly White's Picasa album has several sets of vintage paper dolls, including a Goldilocks set.
• Need more ideas?  Check out Quirky Mama.  Activities there are sorted by age from baby up to middle school!

That's all I have to share with you right now, but be sure to check out my preschool ideas board on Pinterest.  There are more ideas there, and I will continue to add to it!

Natural Nail Polishes - A Review

Over the years, I've tried a few different "natural" nail polishes.  While painting Little Miss' nails this morning, I decided I'd share my experiences with them!

Piggy Paint in "Sea-quin" - chipping after an hour or two (click to see larger)

• The first one I tried was several years ago, from Honeybee Gardens.  I ordered it through Frontier, and chose the "Whisper" (pale pink) and "Hippie Chick" (lavender) shades for Super Girl, who was about 6 years old at the time.  The colors were true to the color samples on their website, and I was highly impressed with the quality of the polish.  It lasted a long time, and had basically no odor!  The website says it is water-based, and it did remove with rubbing alcohol, as the site said, though I seem to remember it taking a bit of work.  The bottles lasted about 3 years before we tossed them due to thickening.  The current price on Honeybee Garden's website is $9.99 per bottle (I paid less through Frontier).
• The second brand I've tried is Zoya.  I grabbed a few bottles over a year ago when they had a 50% off special.  I chose three shades:  Sunny, Milla, and Erika.  I was a bit disappointed in the color of the "Sunny" shade - it was a bit different than what I saw on their website.  I also found the coverage of the three shades I chose to be a lot more sheer than I expected.  I ended up giving "Sunny" away because I just didn't care for the shade.  Overall, though, after applying several coats, the polish wears well and lasts a long time.  It does have some odor, but is toxin-free (no toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) or camphor).   However, I don't think it's quite as harmless as the other two brands I've tried (I could be wrong - this is just my impression).  I think the biggest appeal is the over 300 shades to choose from - it's mind-boggling!  I have since taken advantage of a second BOGO deal, choosing Eve, Elodie, and Dannii (for Little Miss).  Nail polishes run $8 a bottle. 
• The third natural nail polish I have tried so far is Piggy Paint.  I heard of Piggy Paint a year or two ago, but until recently I had not run across any good deals on it.  I was pleasantly surprised to spot some in my local Walmart in sets of mini-bottles for about $6.50.  I chose a set with 3 shades - Forever Fancy, Girls Rule, and Sea-quin.  As a full-sized bottle is $8.99 on the Piggy Paint site, I thought this was a fairly good deal, even if they are about half the size.  The colors are pretty true to what I see on the site ("Sea-quin" is the color of the sample dot, not the picture of the bottle).  The available shades are vibrant and very appealing to girls (the brand is marketed toward kids).  The scent is reminiscent of tempera paints, in my opinion.  However, it does seem to chip very easily.  It is suggested to dry nails with a blow dryer (on low) for one minute to help lessen chipping.  I haven't tried doing that yet.  I do know that one coat of the shimmer shades seems to wear off in a day or two on Little Miss' fingers.  The cream shade was chipping already after a couple of hours.  I'm actually ok with this, for a 2 year old.  It means I don't have to use remover on her.  Piggy Paint is also water-based (like Honeybee Gardens), but I haven't tried removing it with rubbing alcohol. 

To be honest, I've painted my fingernails once in the past few years.  However, Super Girl paints hers a minimum of once a week.  Unfortunately, all of those are "regular" nail polishes.  I do think it's worth it to think about switching her over to natural ones, even if it means we have to do it gradually.  I will stick with the natural ones from the beginning for Little Miss!

***Note:  I purchased all of these polishes myself.  I have no affiliation with any of these companies, and all opinions are my own.

Christmas Helps For a Busy Season

I don't believe I've said before, but the church we belong to is The Salvation Army.  Mr. Man grew up in it, and my family joined officially when I was 15.  It is the church that Mr. Man and I were pastors in, and are now working on rejoining as pastors.  

If you know anything about The Salvation Army, you know that they do a LOT of social service ministries, especially around the holidays.  With all the planning and work that goes into ministries like bell ringing and angel trees, Christmas really gets going by the beginning of October for many Salvation Army officers.  The most important thing to me during this time is that my children not grow up feeling that the season was "ruined" for them by how busy their parents were and the lack of time spent together.  I know many families see an increase in activities during this time of year, however, whether they are in "the ministry" or not.  I'd like to share some tools that may help cut down on some of the craziness, and even help keep the focus where it should be - Jesus!

Photo Credit:  stock.xchng

• A tool I just discovered last year was The 12-Week Holiday Planner by Sheri Graham and Marilyn Moll.  It starts October 1st (whoops!), and has all kinds of goodies in it like check lists (shopping, cards, gifts, etc), menus, recipes, schedules, gifts to make, and more!  I'm excited to try it out this year!  You can also sign up to be notified of updates to the planner if you choose to buy it!
• On a tight budget?  There are free ones available, too.  The FlyLady has a holiday control journal, which starts before Thanksgiving, that you can print out and pop in a binder.  Organized Home has tips on how to create your own Christmas planner, as well as forms you can print out.
• I haven't tried it, but the Springpad app sounds like a useful thing.  I'm a list-maker (I'm making one right now!), and this seems like just the thing for me - if I had a phone that used apps...  I often have pieces of paper floating around with lists of things I wanted to remember or look into later.  I'm definitely trying Springpad out!
• Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam has a list of quite a few Christmas traditions to try with your family.  I really want to do some of them with mine.  I'd love to try out something she mentions in the "Candy Cane Trail" post - only opening a few presents per hour.  I'd love to slow down the whole morning, and make the kids really focus on what they just opened, rather than flinging off the paper and then moving on to the next present.  It just sounds so peaceful!  And, lastly...
• Do you read A Holy Experience?  If not, YOU SHOULD!  Ann Voskamp has a way of connecting EVERY. LITTLE. THING. to living a more full relationship with God.  One post was about the power going out in their pig barn and her sons working together to keep the pigs from overheating.  Somehow, she found a spiritual application in it!  And, it touched me!  Anyhow, if you sign up for email updates from her blog, there is a link at the bottom of each one for her Jesse Tree Journey, which she wrote with Nancy Rodden.  If I do nothing else this Christmas season, I want to make sure I do this advent series with my family.  We need it.

I hope you've found something in that list to help you out this Christmas season - whether it is a way to stay better organized or an activity to help recenter your family on the true meaning of the season!


**Note:  The link to The 12-Week Holiday Planner is my affiliate link.

What's For Dinner: Tuscan Beans

One of the recipes I like to make for dinner is Tuscan Beans. I came across the recipe while looking for money-saving bean recipes. This recipe can be made inexpensively, or you can spend a little more on it - it all depends on your budget. It is based on a recipe I originally found on Food.com.


Tuscan Beans

Ingredients:

• 4 slices to 1 lb of bacon, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained*
• 1 (15 oz) can chopped tomatoes with juice (I use petite cut w/ some sort of Italian seasoning)
• 1 tsp dried sage
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• parmesan cheese, grated

*or equivalent of dried beans, cooked

Directions:

Saute bacon in a large skillet for 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic, saute until bacon is cooked and veggies are tender. Add beans, tomatoes, sage, salt, and pepper to the bacon/onion mixture in the skillet. Heat through, about 10-15 minutes. Taste, making sure to add seasoning if needed (the beans absorb a lot of it). Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan, serve.

The beans can also be baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated, if you prefer that method.



**Photo credit: stock.xchng

Sewing For Adults - and Fun!

Ok, so I did a list for babies, and I did a list for kids. Now I feel like I need a list for the rest of us!

• I put these headbands at Brown Paper Packages on the kids' list, but I also want to make some for me. I think they'd be great for housework and bad hair days!
• Amy Butler has quite a few free patterns on her website. They include several quilts (if you're into quilting...I haven't attempted that yet), a couple of scarves, a yoga bag, a portfolio, and a cloth necklace.
• There are a bunch of projects to choose from at You Can Make This. Pot holders, oven mitts, table runners, pillows, window coverings, holiday decor, a scarf, and even a mystery quilt!
• Homestead Revival has tutorials for a bread bag, a dinner napkin, and a reversible napkin.
• I originally bookmarked the "Poppy Top in 10" tutorial at Hungry Hippie, but I've just noticed that she has quite a few other tutorials. I really like the mug rugs! I may make mine a little smaller, though.
• I found a large (13"x12"x10") tote bag on All People Quilt. There seem to be a bunch more ideas for the home or gifts, too.
• Have a tunic-style shirt (or just a long t-shirt) that you'd like to add a pocket to? Made By Rae shows you how. Just scroll down the left side of her blog - I believe it's the last tutorial. She also has a couple of quilt tutorials and a purse that you might be interested in, too.
• Love pin cushions? You'll love the list of pin cushion tutorials at Craft Passion. Be sure to also click on the "Free Pattern," "Tutorial", and "Freebies" categories at the top of the page!
• Again, if you like to quilt, Pink Penguin has tutorials down the right side for things such as a wristlet, a lunch bag, placemats, and a tissue box cover. I'm sure you could also use the instructions with solid fabrics, too (rather than piecing them).
• I think the "Sailing on the Lake" blouse at Sewing Princess looks so comfy - and easy! There are also instructions for a couple of other tops and things called a "tailor's ham" and a "seam roll" - apparently these are used in ironing? I'm not sure I know what "ironing" is...
• Need maternity pants? There's a great tutorial at Grosgrain. I'd like to try these, but would probably make the knit panel rise higher.
• Prefer a maternity skirt? How about the one at Pink Picket Fence?
• The Prudent Homemaker has a lovely list of tutorials and free patterns that she's found online.
• Ok, the gal at Make It And Love It just has a great list of tutorials - some of them are for sewing from scratch, and some of them are for repurposing articles of clothing.
• Want reusable grocery bags without the cost? Want ones that are sturdier than those weird it's-not-quite-cloth ones that are often free or $1? Sew 4 Home has instructions to make your own.
• Check out mmmcrafts - there is a cute ruffled pillow sham, a messenger bag, and tutorials on how to repurpose trouser-style jeans into shorts, boot-cut jeans into skinny-leg jeans, and how to tailor the fit of a t-shirt.
• Are you a fan of glass or ceramic bowls? I am, and often find them second-hand, where they are either missing their lids, or "vintage" enough that they never had lids. I am definitely making myself some of the pot-luck bowl covers at The Cottage Home! I'm planning to try it out with PUL fabric, in hopes that it will keep food fresher in the fridge than just cotton. I'm in love with her other projects, too!
• If you are interested in trying your hand at making your own ... ahem ... unmentionables, there is a pattern you can download along with instructions at The L-T Experience (the elastic she uses is fold-over elastic - she doesn't give the name for it). There is also an option for boy-cut briefs.
• Want to make your own custom bias tape? I'd love to try this technique at Stop Staring and Start Sewing!
• Sarah at Welcome to the gOOd life is just too darn cute, and so very talented! She has all kinds of DIY posts on how to make store-bought clothes more modest, and how to knock off more expensive clothes (like Anthropology) for less.
• There are also Anthropology DIYs at Adventures In Dressmaking - you just have to wade through her other DIY posts about her wedding, though some of the things she's doing for it are really cute and creative!
  
• And, last up, there is a tutorial for a pieced shower curtain at Sweeter Than Cupcakes.

I know there are thousands more tutorials out there, and I'm sure some other time I'll do another post. But for now, this clears out my "sewing" category in my bookmarks. Plus, I've been working on this post for a few days, it's getting late, and I'm ready to be done. Kinda like pregnancy, but the labor was a cinch, in comparison!

Sewing For Kids - A List of FREE Tutorials

Last week I shared some tutorials and patterns for things to sew for babies. I've still got sewing on the brain, so I thought I'd do up a list for kids, from toddlers to tweens. Some are practical things, some are things you can help your child make for themselves or a friend. Some are just plain fun!

• I think Super Girl and I need some of the headbands at Brown Paper Packages. I know I have all the stuff for them, and they would make an easy afternoon project for us! She also has a cute Memory game you can make, as well as LOTS of tutorials for little girls dresses.
  
• At Infinite Freedom, you can find a free pattern for an American Girl doll dress, as well as a doll quilt designed for a girl to make herself.
• Ellie Inspired has shared an apron, a couple of dresses, a beret and sailor collar, and a necktie for little boys. I think her Sweet Apple Frock is adorable!
• Find instructions for a capelet, pettiskirts for girls and dolls, another headband, an American Girl doll skirt, and a child's chef's hat at You Can Make This.
• If you look down the left-hand side of Fishsticks Designs, you will see tutorials for a tank top, several bags of different shapes and sizes, a fabric garland, and a pillow case, as well as hints on sewing with knits (something I need to look into!).
• Made By Rae has a fleece hat tutorial, and she also just posted a cute wristlet pattern.
• Make a dress for your little gal out of a men's dress shirt with the instructions at Made. She also has tutorials for several skirts, pants, shorts, and shirts. I think her 90 minute shirt just kept me from buying a pattern!
• Does someone in your house believe in the Tooth Fairy? How about this adorable Tooth Fairy pillow? Mmmcrafts also has a cute monkey doll pattern that is free.
• You can find all kinds of little bags and pouches at Noodlehead, including a boys wallet and a gun sleeve (Wonder Boy would LOVE the gun sleeve!). There is also a bike bucket and cloth sandwich bags to be made!
• Do your kids love to make forts out of the dining table? Then you need the tutorial at Obsessively Stitching! After that, browse through her whole list of other tutorials, including fleece stuffed animals, dresses, a toddler robe out of dish towels!, storage cubes, several other tents of varying shapes and sizes, and a shopping cart seat belt - I need one of these!
• Maybe you know a little girl that just "needs" a petty skirt? There is a tutorial at Make It and Love It! Then check out the rest of her tutorials - under "Making & Altering Clothing", there are several projects for kids such as skirts, t-shirt dresses, flag shirts for the 4th of July, making jeans into shorts, and embellishing t-shirts for both boys and girls. Be sure to also check out her "Re-Purposing" category, to see ideas of how to re-use clothing that might be stained or torn, but still has a lot of life in the fabric. And, even though the category is called "Baby/Toddler", there are quite a few things for kids older than that, like I Spy bags, belts, art smocks, and doll diapers.
• One thing I've been wanting to make for Little Miss is some felt play food. There are instructions for a few different items at One Inch World - farfalle noodles, lettuce, tomato slices, lollipops, and ravioli - just look down the right side of the page. There are also a few other things of interest - little felt doll chairs, candy corn hair clips, and fillable soft eggs (I would love to have had some at Easter!).
• Pink Penguin has several tutorials down the right side of her blog: a wristlet, a lunch bag, placemats, a pencil case, and fabric bins. She likes to quilt and use patchwork - if that's not your thing, I don't see why you couldn't just use solid pieces of cloth of equivalent sizes.
• I like the t-shirt ruffle scarf and ruffle necklace waffle shirt at Ruffles And Stuff. There's even something to make for boys on such a girly site - a hat and scarf from a sweater.

I hope you've enjoyed this list, and found something you just have to make! I know my sewing wish list just got longer! If you have a favorite tutorial that you don't see on this list, feel free to leave it in a comment!

Sewing For Baby - A List of FREE Tutorials

Seeing as I have baby-on-the-brain, with this seemingly all-elbows kid rolling around inside me, I thought I'd make a list of some of the free sewing tutorials and patterns I've bookmarked. Maybe I will manage to actually make a few things in the near future!

• First up, there are tutorials for receiving blankets and burpers at You Can Make This!
• At Just Because I am Me, you can find instructions for a carseat canopy and chenille burp cloths.
• This cute Grow Up Together dress can be found at Bumblebee Grace.
• Need a quick and easy bib? Check out this one at While They Sleep.
• Cicada Daydream has a bib tutorial that is more appropriate for toddlers.
• How about a cute growth chart for a baby shower gift? Kristen @ Unraveled has one!
• Check out the instructions for an easy peasy swaddle sheet (and another burp cloth) at My Longest Year.
• Don't forget the changing pad! There is also a bath mitt pattern at Sew Take a Hike.
• I found a really cute hat at Whip Up. I think it would be even cuter if you tied the corners in knots!
• I can't forget this pattern for baby shoes! You can see my own attempt at them here. I will definitely be making some for this little guy!
• Heather Bailey also has a pattern for cute baby shoes.
• Made By Rae has several free baby tutorials down the left side: newborn pants, tights, a dress, a sun suit, and a bib.
• If there is a preemie in your life, or you like to donate items to the hospital, you might be interested in the preemie swaddler pattern from Ellie Inspired.
• Make It and Love It has WAAAAAY too many tutorials to list! From clothing to toys to recovering your high chair or car seat, you can find so much there to keep you busy!
• Here's a good post about sewing cloth diapers, along with some links to free patterns from Sew, Mama, Sew!
• Want to make cute diapers with patterned fabric - that don't leak? Try the quick and easy instructions at Uber Domestic.
  
• If you have some laminated cotton or iron-on vinyl in your stash, you might be interested in this toddler bib at Oilcloth Addict.
• One of my internet friends recently linked to this baby gown from Running With Scissors. I love gowns on newborns!
• Jan Andrea has all kinds of links to baby carrier patterns and tutorials, as well as other things that are useful when you have a baby (nursing bras, shirts, and pillows, diaper bags, and even a baby-wearing poncho!).
• Lastly, Fishsticks Designs has a tutorial for newborn bloomers. I think these could be made up for a boy or a girl, as they are not frilly, but are basically shorts.

Have I inspired you to make something for a little one? Let me know! Do you have a favorite baby sewing tutorial that you don't see here? Share it in a comment!


I know this was a lot of links - I like to link to the original blog as well as the post I'm directing you to. That way, if there is an error or a post gets moved, you will hopefully still be able to find it through the home page. Also, I like to give credit where bloggy credit is due!

Pamper Some Body!

I have been browsing through my bookmarks, and realized I have quite a few DIY bath and body recipes saved. With Mother's Day coming up, I thought it might be nice to compile some of them into one place. These recipes would be good for any gal in your life (yourself included!), or even just everyday use for your family. I haven't tried any of them yet, but I'm working on gathering the ingredients and can't wait to make some of them and replace some of the conventional products in my bathroom!

• First up are 9 recipes from Total Beauty. Recipes included are: an egg mask, carrot buttermilk mask, lettuce cleansing lotion (this one sounds interesting!), rose toner, body wash, flower petal steam facial, travel facial towels (I plan to make these with witch hazel and cloth wipes, instead of vodka and paper towels), sesame body butter, and gardener's hand cream.
• Make-Stuff has a post with a basic shampoo recipe, variations for oily and dry hair, conditioner, dry shampoo, and even hair gel! I'm not sure I could get Mr. Man to try homemade hair gel. Maybe if I didn't tell him...
• A Sonoma Garden has a lot of homemaking how-tos down the left side of the blog, including homemade deodorant, lotion, and chapstick. There are also printable labels down the right side!
• The gals at Gooseberry Patch have a recipe for vanilla brown sugar scrub, complete with a cute printable label, too!
• I'm really excited about this one! Stacy at Delighting In The Days has a bunch of great bath and body recipes, including belly butter and a homemade vapor rub! I can't wait to make that one!
• Leslie over at Crunchy Betty has a plethora of natural beauty recipes! I'm especially interested in her post about using soap nuts, and cinnamon as an alternative for bronzer. One word of warning, though - the image on her blog header is a 1940s pin-up girl, and I know some of you may not care for that. I thought I'd let you know ahead of time!
• There is another deodorant recipe at Journey to "Green".
• Lastly, have you heard of Made-On hard lotion? Well, they tell you how to make your own on their site! Just scroll down beneath the video for the instructions.

If you have a favorite bath and body recipe, be sure to leave a comment and share it!

Weekly Deals 4-17: Part Two

I made two more trips to CVS so far, another trip to Walgreens, and a trip to Kohls.

I made one trip to CVS, then got home to discover that the new one they've been working on in town has opened, and they sent me a bunch of good coupons that are only good at that location. One of them was a $10 off $20 purchase! These are my purchases combined: 4 boxes of Cinnamon Cheerios, 2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, a box of Huggies, a 2-liter of Pepsi, 2 water bottles and a 2-pack of small sports bottles (for Easter baskets), 2 bottles of Marvel gummy vitamins, John Freida heat protection spray and shine spray, 2 packages of Thermacare back/hip pads, a notebook (for my bloggy endeavors), a bottle of CVS hair detangler, a bag of CVS caramel cremes, a Physician's Formula mascara and blush, a bottle of Advil, a package of birthday candles, and 2 packages of Orbit gum. I also got two more mascaras for a friend of mine who lives overseas. The gum, detangler, caramels and Pepsi were all free with the coupons from the new store.

I paid $56.04 for all of the above, which CVS says was worth $172.42, which means I saved about 68%. I still have $3 ECB left, too, as well as a coupon for free photo prints.

I received a $10 off coupon from Kohls, which is always exciting! There is no minimum purchase requirement, so you can get a $10 item for free! These shirts are for Super Girl's birthday this week. They were on sale, 50% off $18.99, making them about $4 each after the coupon.

My second Walgreens trip was this morning, since I needed more frosting for Super Girl's cake. I picked up 2 more packages of King's Hawaiian rolls, 3 boxes of Betty Crocker brownies and a box of cake mix, 2 tubes of Aquafresh training toothpaste, 2 boxes of Always Infinity pads, 2 packages of Yes To Cucumbers face towellettes, 2 Yes To Carrots lip balms, a Wet 'N' Wild nail polish, and a tub of Betty Crocker frosting.

I got my total down to $20.94 from $54.24, a savings of 62%.

I also made a trip to my local grocery store, and was able to save about 60% there, too.

Do you play the "drugstore game"? I get all my deals from two places: Hip2Save (she has a great customizable, printable list), and MoneySavingMom. These two gals save me a LOT of time! You can go there to check out this week's deals. I hope I inspired you to save some money!

Weekly Deals 4-17: Part One

This is only part one, because there were some deals I need to go back for. After I got to CVS, I realized the new cinnamon Cheerios are included in this week's sale, for which I have a bunch of 75¢ coupons. With the sale and coupons, they will be only $1.25 a box! I also intend to get a few more of the Physician's Formula products (with the $5 coupon I have, it makes the ORGANIC mascara 88¢ each after the sale!), and I'd forgotten my Arizona Tea coupons. This is the reason I really should bring my coupon binder with me every time - something I already know, but have gotten lazy about!

First up, CVS:

From CVS, I ended up with: 4 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, 2 boxes of Chocolate Cheerios, a gallon of whole and a gallon of 2% milk, a bag of paper Easter grass, 4 bottles of kids gummy vitamins, a bottle of Osteo Bi-Flex (for my momma!**), a can of Edge shave gel, 2 tubes of Aquafresh kids toothpaste (for my Operation Christmas Child stash), a Schick Intuition razor, a package of Ivory soap (also for Operation Christmas Child), 2 Reach flosses, and 2 Physician's Formula organic mascaras.

I paid $35.08 for $127.87 worth of goods - 73% savings.

Next up, my bigger challenge, Walgreens:

From Walgreens, I brought home: 2 packages of King's Hawaiian rolls, 2 tubes of Luster toothpaste, 3 rolls of Scotch tape, 2 packages of Yes To Cucumbers towelettes, 1 Betty Crocker cake mix, 1 tub of Betty Crocker frosting, 2 Reach flosses, a tube of Colgate, 1 Colgate toothbrush, 2 Yes To Carrots lip balms, and 5 Wet 'N' Wild nail polishes (fillers). There were several more things I wanted, but I was working with the cash in my wallet and ran out. I'm sure someone else would have been able to get a lot more with the cash and coupons I had, but I did the best I could! I'm hoping that when I go back, they'll have more of the rolls - we like these a lot, and I freeze them when I find them for a good price. I also forgot a few coupons, again - ANOTHER reminder to bring my binder!!!

I ended up spending $14.98 for $67.13 worth of merchandise - 78% savings. Much better than last week!

**I mentioned last week that I got the Flex-A-Min for my mom, and I picked up Osteo Bi-Flex for her this week. My mom has Rheumatoid Arthritis, and takes joint support products to help with it. She does not have a spending plan with her health insurance, and since these products are over-the-counter, they are not covered. If I can help her out by getting these products (which normally run about $20 a bottle) for $5 or less, I'm happy to do it! My parents have helped us out plenty, and a little here and there is not going to hurt us at all. There are often products like this that can be gotten for very little compared to the regular price, or even the generic - when you use a coupon combined with a sale. Do you know someone who would benefit from the gift of herbal supplements or over-the-counter medicines? I encourage you to go ahead and help them out! Whether or not you want them to reimburse you - that's up to you to work out, but I bet you could find a few dollars in your budget for it!

Do you play the "drugstore game"? I get all my deals from two places: Hip2Save (she has a great customizable, printable list), and MoneySavingMom. These two gals save me a LOT of time! You can go there to check out this week's deals. I hope I inspired you to save some money!

The Drugstore Game

Welcome! If you are here from the Ultimate Blog Party, you can find my party post here!


I haven't posted about drugstore deals in a long time, but here's my haul for this week!

First stop, CVS:

I ended up with two boxes of Crispix cereal, two bottles of Crest Pro Health mouth rinse, two Oral-B tooth brushes (for my Operation Christmas Child stash), a bottle of Complete contact solution, a bottle of got2b flat iron spray, two packages of GUM flossers, a Physician's Formula mascara (on raincheck from last week), six bags of Robin Eggs candy, and two bags of M&Ms. I was pretty excited about all of this - the mouth rinse and flossers are for my kids (they actually USE them!!!), the cereal is for making puppy chow and also for this rebate, and I will be seeing if our pastor's wife wants some of the candy.

After all my coupons and ECBs, I spent a total of $7.95 for $86.28 worth of merchandise! And, I still have $5 of ECB left! On a sad note, I have discovered that there are NO CVS stores in our future hometown! The nearest one is an hour away, in the town my parents live in, ironically! So, I guess I will only be doing CVS deals when I happen to go down there for a visit, probably about once a month. This pains me, because I STRONGLY prefer CVS over Walgreens!

Speaking of Walgreens...:

I got two boxes of Rice Krispies (also for the cereal rebate above), a package of shredded cheese, a bottle of bbq sauce, two bottles of Coke (yes, one is missing), three bottles of Purex laundry soap, three tubes of Luster tooth paste, two packages of Always pads, two tubes of Colgate tooth paste, two packages of Olay bar soap, two bags of Brach's jelly beans, two Wonka chocolate bars, four pads of stickers (not pictured), and three bags of Planters almonds. The cheese and bbq sauce was for dinner. The Colgate and Olay are also going in my Operation Christmas Child stash, and the stickers were for a friend. I got the Cokes and Planters nuts because of a coupon I actually picked up at CVS, but used at Walgreens because the nuts were on sale, and since it was a manufacturer's coupon, I didn't have to use it at CVS. I think I can say that with the candy I've picked up in the past few weeks, along with what I got this week, that my kids will have PLENTY of candy on Easter!

I didn't do as well at Walgreens, as far as what I spent. But, then, I rarely feel like I do as well at Walgreens. My total, after coupons and RRs, was $26.83 for $94.53 worth of goodies. I didn't end up with any RRs left over.

Do you play the "drugstore game"? I get all my deals from two places: Hip2Save (she has a great customizable, printable list), and MoneySavingMom. These two gals save me a LOT of time! You can go there to check out this week's deals. I hope I inspired you to save some money!

Christmas Cards by Shutterfly

I confess, I haven't sent out Christmas cards in years. So long, in fact, that I can't remember when the last time was! I don't even give them out in person! Don't get me wrong - I always mean to. I just never get around to it! With a little one that seems to change every day, I find my desire to send some cards out this year to be even stronger! I was excited when I saw an advertisement for Shutterfly's blogger special - in exchange for writing a post about their photo cards, I will receive 50 cards free! I don't know about you, but this fits my budget perfectly!

As I have never ordered from Shutterfly before, I headed over to check out their selection of Christmas cards. I've seen numerous deals for photo cards for free or next-to-nothing, but I never really found any I wanted to pay the shipping for. That changed when I got to Shutterfly's site! They have page after page of card designs! There are options available for one photo, or if a photo collage is your taste, they have quite a few of those, too! It's so easy to customize your design choice with your family's names, and then drop your photo into your card. The cards are printed on cardstock, which appeals to me, as I've received bent photo cards from friends and family more than once. If you prefer photo paper, they have that option, too.


After making six different cards, this is the one I finally chose (except it will have our names and my own children on it, of course!). I liked so many of the designs, it was hard to only pick one! Shutterfly also has many other items you can customize with your photos - what grandparent wouldn't like a mug or calendar featuring their precious grandchildren?

If you haven't gotten started on your cards yet, you can click here and use the code ZP9A-4N4K-TWWZ-EUC5C5 to get 10 cards free - just pay shipping and handling, which starts at $5.99. Hurry, because this code only lasts through December 8th!


* I am receiving photo cards from Snapfish in exchange for writing this post; however, the opinions expressed are all mine.

Made-By-Me Monday

I submit to you today one of the two Roman shades I made for Super Girl's bedroom. I will not tell you what was hanging there before [***cough - black bed sheets - cough***]. We have lived in this house four years now, and I failed the one time I attempted to hang curtain rods in her room. My defense is that I did not have a good enough drill at that time. I plead the Fifth when asked about the time passed since then.

Since I am working on moving Little Miss into Super Girl's room, I needed to put something on the windows that would be safely out of reach of the crib. I began with the Roman shade tutorial at What's New?, and this VERY LARGE set of curtains (this is just one panel - it was as long as the twin bed!).


I bought them (and a matching valance set) at a church sale for $2, just for the yards and yards of crocheted cotton trim attached to them. My thoughts for the fabric was to use it as lining for clothing. I realized there was enough to use for these shades. I removed the ruffles, cut up the fabric, sewed the panels together, and added some panels of printed material. I also added sequined trim along the bottom, which I scored for 10 cents a yard. The end result was this, times two:


Super Girl is thrilled with them, and I think they turned out pretty well, too. I used some variegated purple thread to sew them, and I like the touch it adds. However, I think they still need something - like a valance. I still have enough of the printed fabric to make a valance for each side - I think I'll make a set. And, I still have the ruffles, both really long valances, and all that crocheted cotton trim to use for other projects!

If you have a project you'd like to share, post a link in the comments. Sorry - I haven't set the linky up yet!

Made-By-Me Monday

This week for Made-By-Me Monday, I present to you a pair of pants I made for Little Miss. I wanted some sky blue pants to go with a few of her shirts, but didn't want to pay for them. I rooted around and found a very stretchy maternity shirt I had worn while I was pregnant with her, but didn't actually care for the fit. The color was just what I was looking for!

So, armed with McCall's pattern #3665 and some elastic I salvaged from a fitted sheet, I hacked into the shirt. I came up with these pants, using view F.

Front:
Back:

After ripping out the waist band and making the elastic tighter, I'm pretty pleased with them! This was my first time making ruffles, and I think it would have been easier if I were not working with such a stretchy material - the machine kept flattening out the gathers. After ripping off the first row and pinning it a ton, it came out a lot better!

What about you? Did you find time to be creative this week? Leave a comment with your link to share with others (I'm still working out the Mr. Linky thing).

Made-By-Me Monday

Welcome to the first installment of "Made-By-Me" Monday, wherein I post pictures of things I have made in the previous week. This will serve two purposes: to allow me to brag about my crafting accomplishments, and to encourage you to post photos of your own! Because, if you are anything like me, while my dear daughter oohs and aahs over my endeavors, my husband and son are less enthusiastic in their appreciation, and I don't want to bore them with the details. So, let's begin, shall we?

First up, we have a pair of baby slippers. I used the FREE pattern at Stardust Shoes, along with a second-hand flannel receiving blanket and a remnant of fleece. I didn't get them made until Little Miss was already 6 months old, which meant that they were exactly the right length and they no longer fit her now. I have enlarged the pattern and am going to attempt a larger pair. And, you caught me - I didn't make these this week. But, I wanted to share them, anyhow!


Next is a tote bag. I tend to carry an all-in-one purse/diaper bag combo, but that leaves me in a bind on Sunday mornings when I leave Little Miss in the church nursery. I made this bag, and have a smaller matching zip-up bag cut out to use as a clutch which I can then pull out and carry with me while leaving the larger bag with the baby. I used two fabrics I bought on clearance at JoAnn (while they were on an additional 50% off sale), a bit of brown microsuede, and Simplicity pattern #2551, which I purchased for 99 cents on sale. I made view "A".


Here is a look at the inside. There are 4 pockets inside, 2 outside.


I'm fairly pleased with how the bag turned out, though I could have sewn the curves on the front and back panels better - I made the mistake of stretching them straight as I was sewing, so they don't lay quite right. But, it is functional, and it looks decent, by my own standards.

What have you made lately? If you have pictures of a recent crafting project, post a link in the comments (next week, I hope to have a Mr. Linky set up). Share your creative side!

Building on Family Walks

I wanted to share some of the ways we have built on our family walks to turn them into learning experiences as well as fun family outings. I mentioned in my last post that we had been out of town, visiting family. Our visits tend to last a week or more, and I have found that schoolwork is hit-and-miss when I bring it. This time I tried to take advantage of the weather and some near-by attractions.

On this visit, we found Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island, Illinois. They have a very small (free!) museum on the grounds, which depicts summer and winter homes of the Sauk and Meskwaki (Sac & Fox) Nations. There was also a photo display and video about the park's use as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Depression. On the ride to the park, I read the children some history of the park from the time in between these two periods (which I found through the park's website), when the land was an amusement park. They found the pictures of the rides interesting, especially that of the first log ride.


After browsing the museum and watching the video on the CCC, we headed back outside and enjoyed a walk along a trail to an observation point on the Rock River. We took a lot of pictures of the flowers along the way, and the kids really got a kick out of the rock formations. Thanks to a flier provided by the museum clerk, we were able to identify all but one of the flowers we photographed. I later went over some biographical information on Black Hawk (also from the park's website). Even though the museum features a bust of him, and the park is on the site of his ancestral home, I found there was really little information there about him, specifically.


A couple of days later, inspired in part by a bear claw collar at the museum, my dad helped the kids make necklaces featuring faux bear claws and glass and wooden beads. He also had a few beaver teeth, which were a reminder of a previous excursion to check out a local beaver dam. We discussed materials the Native Americans might have used to make amulets and medicine bags, and the symbolism behind the different items. Later that afternoon, we went on a walk on a local trail and were able to spot flowers we'd identified from our walk at the state park.

Next up in this train of thought: Journals of our walks! I just haven't decided if I want them to be solely of our nature walks, or if I want to include other educational trips we make. Hmmm...

Get Some Air

If you are here from the Ultimate Blog Party, please check out my party post.


One thing I really missed over the winter was the habit of taking a family walk together. There are a lot of trails in our area, covering many different ecosystems. Before Little Miss was born, the four of us really enjoyed getting out and getting some exercise, as well as spending time together and observing nature. It's also a great homeschool activity, as along with science, some of the trails also have historical features. This spring, especially with the unseasonably warm weather we've been experiencing, we have been gathering the water bottles, strapping the baby into the hiking back-pack, and taking the opportunity to check out trails we've never walked before. We have even found trails to explore while visiting family. My dad has gotten a thrill out of discovering that he has this interest in common with his grandchildren, and it's reminded me of family walks we used to take when I was a child.

Something new I'm doing this year is taking pictures of as much of the plants and wildlife as I can. My plan is to help Wonder Boy and Super Girl make nature journals. We'll make a section for each trail, and use prints of the pictures I take. I will help them identify the species, and let them write short descriptions of them. If there is anything historical on the trail, I will have them include that, also.

I encourage all of you to get out with your family, and get some fresh air and exercise. Many areas have trails of some sort within driving distance, and most of them are free to access. You can often find information on local history and wildlife (along with trail maps) online or at the site, if it is a state or national park. Take along a camera, water, and snacks, and spend some time enjoying God's creations - nature and each other!

Here For The Party!

Have you heard of the Ultimate Blog Party? I've checked it out in the past, but quickly got sidetracked, overwhelmed, what-have-you. Since I am trying to grow my readership and be more productive on my blog, I thought I would really give it a go this year! Woo hoo - a party without the mess!

For those of you checking in via the UBP, welcome! I am Jen. I am a 32 year old wife and mother of 3. There may or may not be more children in the future. I have been homeschooling my children for almost 4 years now. I am interested in all things to do with the home, the more natural the better. I am learning to sew, I like to garden and can, baking and cooking are fun, and I really don't mind cleaning, especially if I can use natural products. My baby usually wears home-made cloth diapers, and I am nursing for the first time. I try to be a good steward of what I have been blessed with by re-using things, and I love buying second-hand. I enjoy the thrill of couponing and walking out of the store having spent very little while getting a lot!

Most importantly, I believe God. I don't just believe IN Him. I believe the promises He's given us in His word, and I am striving to trust in Him more every day. Some days are easy. I love being home with my family. Others are harder. My husband has been unemployed since February 1st. However, I know that in all situations, my Savior loves me, has the best plan for me, and will provide all I need and more. I think patience is the hardest part of the equation!

So, thanks for stopping by, and please let me know you were here! I hope you'll come back soon!

Hide The Silver!

I only have a minute, but wanted to share a quick, easy, FREE way to hide grey hairs: try parting your hair differently. I have been, um, "blessed" with a growing amount of silver hair since I was a teen. I am 32 now, and it is beginning to bother me. Especially since I quit coloring my hair a couple of years ago. To add to my frustration, I also have a fair amount of baby hair growing back under my bangs, thanks to post-partum hair loss. Which means I not only have silver hair, mostly congregating near my part, but it is short, spiky, and attention-seeking. Yes, while I do not put on make-up every day, nor do I do anything fancy with my hair, I am vain enough that these little hairs bother me. Out of frustration, I tried parting my hair on the opposite side. TA DA!!! It's like magic! There are hardly any bright, silvery strands on that side, let alone spiky little rebellious baby hairs. And, while I am waiting for those annoying baby hairs to settle down some, I believe I will try one of the home hair color remedies I found on Mother Earth News.

Shopping at Home

Hand-me-downs. Most people have been blessed with hand-me-downs at some point in their life. With a husband who is unemployed, I am trying to be extremely frugal and resourceful. Here are a few examples:

Super Girl needed some new tennis shoes. She had outgrown her old ones over the winter, but she was wearing her snow boots 90% of the time, so it didn't matter. Once it warmed up, and the kids began playing outside again, she needed shoes. I thought we were going to have to wait a week to get them, and then I realized I just might have what she needed in my own closet! I had a pair of cute Converse sneakers which, try as I might, just didn't fit my wide feet well (sob!). I had SG try them on, and voila! She is now the proud owner of some very cute, green and pink, like-new (sniff, sniff!) Converse - which should last through the summer, as long as she doesn't out-grow them! Did I mention they were cute? Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

Wonder Boy has also suffered some recent growth spurts. He is suddenly lacking in the "long-enough pants" department. A funny fact about my children is that though WB is about 16 months older, he is a good 3" shorter than his sister. I have been able to pass a couple of unisex jeans UP to him that are too short on his sister. Since they've been inside all winter, the jeans are not really worn. Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

Lastly, Little Miss has not been spared in this growing epidemic (pardon my pun!). I have patterns which I picked up last summer during a sale at the fabric store. I have some t-shirts which are ill-fitting or stained. I am making her some new clothing out of this "found" material. Currently in the works: pants. Next up: a one-piece outfit. Out-of-pocket cost: $0.

So, let me challenge you to think outside the box when you have a need at home. If you can sew, you can possibly make what you need out of old items of clothing or linens you already have. Scrounge in your own and your childrens' closets for items that can be passed on to another member of the family. Check out Wardrobe Refashion for fun ways to make the old "new".