I Love Saving Money!

Guess how much I spent?

First I have to tell you I have just learned the secret to coupon shopping and how to really get a savings using coupons and sales. I was asked to give a short mini class on this subject for our Relief Society (women's church group), but first I had to learn it myself, so I set off on the world wide web and started learning and boy did I learn a lot! And now I'm so excited!

I gave my class last night and so yesterday afternoon I thought hmmm...I think I'll give this a try. The husband went with me and he was impressed too! And I'd say he actually enjoyed it although I'm sure he won't admit to it. ;)

So did you guess? What was your guess? Ok, I'll tell you.....

The total value of these products is 137.00.

I spent.....drum roll please..... 47.00!

For a grand total savings of 90.00! Can you believe it!

In a nut shell what I did was I bought items that were on sale and then combined coupons with them. The non-food items I purchased at K-Mart on a double coupon day.

Here's a few examples of my savings......

The Chex cereal was originally 2.50 on sale for 1.50 if you bought 4. I combined that sale with a coupon for 3.00 off of 3 boxes, which made each box..... .75 cents!!

The Ritz crackers was originally 3.99 a box (you've got to be kidding!). On sale for 1.99 each coupled with a coupon for 2.00 off of 2, which made each box..... .99 cents!

The Cottonelle tissue was originally .99, on sale with an in store coupon of .79 coupled with a .50 off on 2 made them .54 cents each!

The Colgate toothpaste was 3.99 on sale for 1.99 with an in store mfg's. 1.00 off coupon for a total of .99 cents!

The 2 spray cans of Lysol originally 5.29 each. On sale at 2 for 10.00 coupled with my 2.00 off coupon (which I had 2 of--so 1 per can) and they were doubled, so it was the same as 2- 4.00 coupons (8.00off), for a grand total of 2.00 or 1.00 each!!

The 2 bottles of Cascade rinse agent originally 3.79 each, not on sale, but with the coupon (2 actually) they were freeeeeeee!!

Anyway that's just an idea of what some of the deals were. I can't wait to do it again and again and again! If anyone's interested I'll see about posting the tips and tricks that I learned sometime this coming week, but in the meantime I'll be off coupon clipping and searching the sale ads.......................

Simple Blessings, Simple Joys

Simple blessings, simple joys........a bowlful of eggs in various shades of cream, pink and tan and even a pale greeny/blue (good for green eggs and ham!). Provided on a daily basis by Henny Penny, Priscilla, Gladys, Mrytle, Mildred and Jane.

Lots of Stuff!

I have one big huge post today. That's what happens when the blogging piles up! I have lots of treasures and gifts to share with you. We'll see what kind of sense of humor we both have and a little gifty for you at the bottom of the post--but you gotta read it all and promise to laugh as prompted first. hehe!

Remember the little itty bitty inchie Valentine Swap I did with Mrs. Staggs of A Happy Miscellany.....well this is the gorgeous little itty bitty inchie card that she made and I love it! See the teeny little ring detail on it and the envelope is beautiful too! I love how she lamenated it--never even thought to do that and the little wire hanger is a great idea too. Thank you Mrs. Staggs! I love it!

Lana of Honeysuckle Lane sent me this gorgeous card and scrabble tile necklace, both handcrafted by her for participating in a little guessing challenge she had. She bought the most gorgeous couch for only $35 and I had guessed the price right. Thank you Lana! I love this!

Here's a close up of the little tile. Isn't it just beautiful. Amazing what you can do with a scrabble tile. She's a clever gal. And you bet I'm going to wear it!

My crown for the day--for my birthday made for me by my oldest daughter Jennalee. I love it! I love the big fairy on it and the coveted row of rhinestones on the bottom. She bought a spool of these vintage rhinestones at a thrift store a few years ago and I drool over it everytime I look at it!

This darling little knitted cupcake, also made for me by Jennalee for Valentines day. It's adorable and much cuter in person.

Ok, now for what my sister Rhonda of Empty Nest on Mulberry Street sent me for my birthday. She sent a "geneology" of the gifts. Something that our mother started and seems to be our new tradition which is perfect, because in our family we love to receive old things for gifts no matter where they came from. So I'll add her "geneology" for each item in her own words....
(I'm in the parentishis)

"Turkey found at the boutique (code for thrift store) had a mate I broke it bought the set for your ugly turkey collection."

He'll fit in perfectly and I'm sure I have a single hen for him somewhere.

"Quilt was one I bought for Syd (her granddaughter) for a quarter her mom didn't want to keep it so you get it."

Lucky me! I love this little blue log cabin doll quilt! One of the prints has little tiny bluebirds on it.

Ok, here's the test of your sense of humor and before you start--yes I love Annie regardless!

Rhonda's note exactly as written--(this too was Syd's--who now lives in S Korea, because her dad is in the military):

Annie is very special. She has been peed on. So when you open this be prepared she reeks of cat piss! But I kept hearing your name as I walked by the closet and I couldn't figure out why. Now I know. Annie knew her home was going to be with you. She knew you would love her even though the damn cats who are forever gone (not to worry she found homes for the naughty little kitties) even though she is a smellie Annie. Please make her whole again. Thank you.

Oh this just cracked me up! She had warned me she was sending me something that only I would understand--and love. LOL! So I will get Annie all cleaned up and then she can come out of the plastic bag and join the all of my other Annies. I think I need to start an Annie orphanage for unloved and unwanted Annies.

Now maybe you have an insight into the family humor. LOL!

PS--we got it from our mother who got it from her mother and beyond that I don't have a clue!

And then look! She bought me the pink earrings from Etsy that I had mentioned in a blog post awhile back that I wanted. I really do love these and I might just wear them with my pink dress although I had only intended to add them to my vintage jewelry collection.

There's one more thing, but it comes later. Thank you Rhonda!

I finally decided to treat myself, for my birthday, to these fabulous little Putford Scissors I found at Stacy Nash's Primitives. I've wanted these for quite a little while and I just love these itty bitty 2 & 1/2 inch long scissors. Yup, just 2 & 1/12 inches long and great for thread snipping. (She also has a pair of heart shaped handled scissors--on my list of things to buy). You need to make sure and visit Stacy's website. She has the most gorgeous cross stitch patterns that she designs.

I received another darling little Annie too--this one from my friend Linda Tittle. She knows I love Annies! And the book The Quilt That Walked to Golden is from my friend Donna Balfanz. Fantastic book and fantastic friends who really know what I love! Thank you Linda! Thank you Donna!

Ok, now for a little gifty for you all. Rhonda also sent me these beautiful antique postcards. I just love them! I scanned them in, so if you click on the photo they will enlarge by quite a bit. Feel free to right click and save them to you puter and use them however you'd like.

This 1st one is German postcard printed in Dresden, Germany.

This one is a bit of a mystery. It is printed in Berlin in 1904, but has an embossed stamp on the outer edge that reads Uhlefleder, New York. The message on the back is in French and was sent to Miss Caroline Ouelette from A. A. Lacasse--but no cities, states or countries, (unless that's what the embossed mark of NY is)., however it has a .02 US Postage stamp as seen on the front and the date on the ladies shoulder is 07. Which I'm sure must be 1907. No postal markings either, but a beautiful card. I can't make out all of the handwriting on it, but the writer was thanking Miss Caroline for a very nice gift and they were looking forward to seeing her again.

This gorgeous card is postmarked Mount Victory, OH Dec 1907 going to Harrod, OH to Mrs. Sarah M Darby. This one does not say where it was printed, but I'm guessing the US.

Enjoy the postcard images and thanks for reading and letting me ramble.

Presidents Day

In honor of it being President's Day and George Washington's birthday (Feb 22nd) I thought I'd share a neat little link that I found where you can order a free pocket sized copy of The Constitution of the United States, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. All you have to do is send them a self addressed stamped envelope with .59 postage on it.

Click HERE to see how to get one.

Happy Valentines & The PIF Drawing

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! I hope your day is filled with many sweet and wonderful joys, lots of love and of course chocolate!

Thank you to everyone who leaves me such wonderful comments. It's nice to know someone out there is listening to my chatter. I may not always answer back, but I do always, always read them, enjoy them and appreciate them.

And now for the people who I've chosen to PIF..........

......I chose everyone! Well I couldn't help it. I had 8 people to draw 5 names from and I just didn't want to leave anyone out, so since I have 365 days I decided to do everyone! And they are......

Marie of Spun By Me

Mimi of Mimi's Rose Chenille Boutique Blog

Debbie of There's An Angel on My Shoulder

Blondie of Vintage Primitives

Rhonda (my sister) of Empty Nest on Mulberry Street

Alyson Button Stone of A Pilgrim Soul

Angela of The Country Cellar

Linda of Ribbons Roses and More

I will contact each of you by email this weekend for your mailing addys and thank you for participating!

Here's a reminder of how it works.....

I will make and send a little handmade gift to you in the next 365 days. (A PIF's rules say 365 days, but I plan to do so in much shorter time!).

In return you have to post a PIF on your blog linking back to this PIF (You can even use my PIF banner above on your blog). and choose a minimum of 4 people--(more is ok too) to send a little handmade crafty gift to in 365 days from your PIF post. (and then they will do the same and so on and so forth til it travels round the world and involves hundreds of bloggers!). Your gift (the ones you send out) may be in the medium of your choice. Just please make sure it is something that is nice that you would like to receive. You may post and start your PIF now or you may wait until you receive your PIF gift from me. Sound fun! Let's get PIFing!

Happy Birthday To Me! & A Giveaway!

Happy Birthday to me!

You're all invited to a surprise birthday party given to me by my sister Rhonda of Empty Nest on Mulberry Street.

She says if you'll leave me a birthday message you may be in for a chocolatey treat!

I will be announcing the PIF members later today or this evening, so don't forget!

And The Lucky Winners Are.......

Wow! What fun we all had with the big OWOH giveaway. A great big thank you to everyone who participated and who left comments for my giveway. There were 264 total! I wish I could send everyone one, but that would be a bit hard to do. However I did decide that instead of choosing just 2 winners that I would choose 4 winners! Each one will receive one of the sewing caddys and a sewing ephemera CD.

And the lucky winners are........

1. Ladybug of Living in the Light I Find

2. Tallhouse Quilts

3. Corinna Nitschmann of In Filz gefasste Seelenhüpfer / Felt Trapped Spiritbouncers

4. Whispering Poppies

Congratulations everyone! I will be emailing each of the winners here shortly and again a big thank you to everyone who has come and visited and left comments and I hope to see you all again very soon!

Updates and Tidbits

It all started Tuesday of last week. The husband was on the computer and when it came my turn, well it all went downhill from there. Long story short it died! Oh my how sad I was and I mourned my poor computer all week long until the weekend when I got a brand new sparkly one! We are still getting acquainted and it's learning how I like to do things, but I'm so glad to be back online again. It's just awful when you have no link to the big wide world out there. So.....in the meantime this is what I've been up too......

I created a teeny, tiny, little, itty bitty barely over an inch square Valentine for a little one on one swap with Mrs. Staggs of A Happy Miscellany. Gee I hope she's not peeking! This one was quite a challenge trying to fit something on that small of a space, but a very fun challenge that I think I will have to try again. Who knows maybe we'll do one together as a future swap with a different theme. What do ya think?

I also made a big Valentine. This one is 8 inches tall and I made 12 of them for a swap with some of my online friends I've known for many years. However I still don't have my Valentine's tree up! It's just shameful! Valentine's is one of my most favorite holidays and for some reason this year it seems to be passing me by.

I also tried a new recipe for Chicken Pot Pie from Mary Jane at The Beehive Cottage . It was excellent! Not only does Mary Jane have a really cool blog, she's a fantastic cook. You really must give this a try. It's delicious! Thanks Mary Jane!

And for just a couple of reminders...... Don't forget my PIF. You can read more about it HERE. I'll be drawing names for it on my birthday--this Friday--yup Friday the 13th!

And lastly the big OWOH Giveaway. Sign ups end tomorrow--February 11th, so make sure to see more about my giveaway and the other blogs that are participating HERE.

I'm off to work on a new pattern and a new CD--more on those later.................

P.I.F. Pay It Forward

What is a P.I.F you ask? Well it's where you make a crafty gift for someone and in return they do the same for someone else. So would you like to P.I.F.................... Here's how it works.....

A few months ago I was chosen to participate in a P.I.F. though Su at Contemplating My Needle & Thread. And Su made me this beautiful cross stitched heart. Now it's my turn to Pay It Forward.

I will be choosing 5 people at random to send some little handmade gift to in the next 365 days. (A PIF's rules say 365 days, but I plan to do so in much shorter time!).

In return you have to post a PIF on your blog linking back to this PIF (You can even use my PIF banner above on your blog). and choose a minimum of 4 people--(more is ok too) to send a little handmade crafty gift to in 365 days from your PIF post. (and then they will do the same and so on and so forth til it travels round the world and involves hundreds of bloggers!). Your gift may be in the medium of your choice. Just please make sure it is something that is nice that you would like to receive.

If you would like to have a chance at receiving a PIF from me (and in turn PIFing others) within the next 365 days then please leave a comment on this post only between now and February 12th.

On Februrary 13th--my birthday!--I will draw names of 5 people and they will be my PIF members. I will email you to let you know if you have been chosen and I will need your name and snail mail addy,so I can you your PIF at an unknown time--the element of surprise!

You DO need to have an active blog in order to participate.

Please make sure that I can either reach you through your profile or leave me your email addy. Thank you!

Get ready......get set.......PIF!