Bib Apron Giveaway

A few weeks ago I got a message via Etsy from Sandhya stating she had featured my bib apron on her blog. I must say I was very excited; it feels so good when someone likes your stuff enough to share it with others! Of course it is also one of my favorite items and one of the last ones my daughter modeled for me before leaving for college so I love the photo too!

Anyways, after looking around on her blog and noticing she was in the market for an apron I offered to give her an apron to giveaway and one to keep for herself.

Sanhya has several ways for you to enter the giveaway so head on over to her blog for all the details.

Valentine's Day Gift

If you are looking for a cute Valentines day gift check out the find I posted about on my other blog. It is a darling bracelet!

Looking for a card? Etsy again has you covered. Susan a dear sweet lady I know in real life has a card shop with beautiful cards and other paper crafting items plus she does custom work!


If you have never been to Etsy you are missing some very cool and unique gifts!

Branding part 2

What is branding and should you even bother? First branding is why Starbucks can charge more for a cup of coffee than most places and it is why when you think coffee shop you usually think Starbucks. That in itself should help you understand that every business should consider branding. Also keep in mind that whether you try to brand yourself or not, you will. Your customers will develop an opinion about your business. I for one want to try to control how I am branded.

What does branding do for your company? Branding builds equity and that equity has inherent value. In other words it a well-established brand makes you think up front that it has more value than a lesser known product. Take my skirts for example, you see one of mine and one made by Old Navy, instantly you will assume the Old Navy one is better. Why, because The Old Navy name and label carry equity that Hearts & Home does not.

I want it now! Keep in mind you can build up your name or label but it takes time. Over time an image begins to exist in your customers mind about your product and you decided rather it is positive or negative. Customers will define your product by its quality, reliability, price, durability and many other factors that you may have never thought of. What we want is for customers to choose our product over similar ones in the marketplace. It is important to understand that before you can build your brand you must understand it.

As you come up with your strategy some things to keep in mind are:

1. What do you want customers to associate with you?
Quality
Service
Value

2. What is your brands personality?
Friendly
Easy to work with
Good terms

3. Who is your target audience?
4. Who is your competition?
5. What attributes does it have?
6. How does it compare to similar products on the market?
7. What are your brands strength and weaknesses?
8. How far do you want to take your product?

Branding

What happens when you see golden arches, an apple with a bite out of it, initials hp, or a cow named Elsie? You pretty much instantly know the product. Why is that? It is because of successful branding. These companies spent/spend millions to make sure we know who they are without even reading their names. What mom hasn't been in the car and drove past McDonald's and heard their child cry out "I want McDonald's". Is it because their two year old is a genius and can read, no it is because of branding!

While these companies can afford it what is a small business or a cottage industry to do? While I may not have millions or even thousands to spend on marketing with a little creativity and work I can still brand myself and so can every other home based business.

Hearts & Home has been open for about 6 years but it was only within the last 2.5 years that I began trying to build up our name and develop a repeat customer base. In that time I have found some things that really work and I have found other things that were expensive and offered almost no return.

Monday I will share a little more about getting started on marketing including some quick, simple and almost free ways to get your name out. Wednesday I will share a tutorial that most cottage businesses that have a physical product will want to be sure to stop back by for. Friday I will share some for keeping track of customers and how to encourage repeat business from them.

Homemade Spray Starch

Do you have any idea what spray starch is made of? Well I did not until a week or so ago. It is made from water and cornstarch; basically that is it. I have been out for a few months and just cannot seem to remember to buy it or when I do the cost is crazy and I do not have a coupon on me. Another reason I hate buying it is the aerosol cans always clog up on me. Alas…. what's a girl to do; make her own of course. Which is precisely what I did last week and I have to say I am pretty impressed with the results it is giving me!

Homemade Spray Starch Recipe

Ingredients
1-3 tbsp. corn starch
2 cups of cold water
Plastic spray bottle


1. Pour 1 cup of water into a sauce pan and turn on medium heat

2. Add 1 tbsp. cornstarch to the other cup of water. Stir well and add to the sauce pan. Heat until dissolved but do not allow it to boil!

3. Once it cools completely pour it into a plastic spray bottle. One that sprays with a fine mist works best for this.

4. Shake well before each use. Spray onto clothes and iron. Add more corn starch-up to 3 tablespoons-for a harder starched effect.

New Blog, New Challenge

Well.... I was going to wait until the first of the year to tell you about my other blog but I signed up for a pantry challenge and wanted to keep track of it on my other blog. So head on over there and check it out.

It is new and has very little up but I am excited about all that I have planned for it and the changes that will be happening here on this one!

The Secret Of Getting Ahead

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming task into small manageable task, and then starting the first one

Mark Twain

Homemade Seasonings

I ran out of my taco seasoning mix tonight and thought there may be someone out there in the blogspehere who might like the recipe for it. I think this is better than the store packets and is much cheaper!

Taco Seasoning makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

12 teaspoons chili powder

10 teaspoons paprika

9 teaspoons ground cumin

6 teaspoons onion powder

5 teaspoons garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
In storage container with tight-fitting lid, combine all ingredients; mix well. Seal tightly. Store in cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Another easy mix to make is Italian seasoning

Italian Seasoning

Ingredients
6 tablespoons dried basil
6 tablespoons dried oregano
6 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions
1 Mix all ingredients in a spice grinder.
2 OR put in a small bowl and crush with the back of a spoon.
3 Store in an airtight jar for up to 6 months.

Freebies and Giveaways

Today the Internet is packed with lots of giveaways and freebies!

Add on I found: Gift tags. I plan to make mine this year with my Cricut but I may also print a few of these.


Money saving mom is one of my all time favorite websites and today she is giving away "stuff" all day!

Shop for freebies is a great site to sign up for because daily they send you a reminder to check out that days deals. The great thing about this site is the layout, on the side you can click choose categories for offers you would like.

Become a fan of International Delight coffee creamer on Facebook and they will give you a coupon for a free pint! We use lots of coffee creamer so I was very excited about this one.

Jessica Sprague has lots of digital scrap booking giveaways going including one free class. I have taken a few of her classes and they are very well laid out and easy to understand. Even if you are not a digital scrapbooker she has great ideas that you could use for cards, photo editing and crafts.

You can make this has lots of free patterns and craft ideas on their site as well as some very reasonably priced patterns.

Whataburger is hosting a 12 days of Christmas giveaway and are sending out e-mail coupons good for a free item every other day!

You can sign up here for a free Pillsbury 2010 calendar

Oriental Trading Co also has a free 2010 calendar you can sign up for here We received one from them last year and it was pretty cute.

December Daily Day 3

Catchy title huh? I am sorry not be more creative but right now all my creativity is going into craft stuff. Even my meals are a little boring right now; tonight is hot dogs and Fry's.

Today was another cold day. Tomorrow we have a chance of a light dusting of snow but this is Texas so who knows. The pipes are wrapped, plants brought in and everything is out of the garden for the most part.

For today post I thought I would share of my favorite craft & scrap booking sites and a few noteworthy projects I have found.

The first is one I am planning to make is with/for my Wed. night kids at church. It is a nativity scene from Denise's scrap booking room using Sure cuts a lot and the cricut expression. I plan to enlarge it and put it on one of the walls.

Next is from one of my favorite places for SVG's: SVG Cuts This year I am giving lots of gift cards for Christmas so this gift card holder is perfect!

Last but not least is Bella the pirate from My Scrap chick. Sydney is attending Park University and they are The Pirates so she and I thought this would make a cute dorm door decoration. When you buy a design from My Scrap Chick it comes in several forms so you can print it or cut it out with a variety of programs or on different cutting machines. She even has a Freebie Friday you can sign up for!

Cricut Items

I am so excited! We now have a selection of Provocraft items listed on our website including the new Gypsy!

I have had so much fun with my Expression, the few carts I have and Sure Cuts A Lot. The one big downside is that it can get expensive and sales are few and far between. With that in mind when I did my pricing I tried very hard to keep my prices low and right now shipping is free on all orders over $200.

We do have lots of cartridges, most for under $30 but the page is not working. If you need those send me an e-mail and I will get you a price quote.

So... if you need some Christmas gifts for family, friends or yourself head on over and get your shopping done early.

We also have modest clothing, dress up clothes, kitchen items and American Girl books and crafts.

Black Bean Soup

Tonight we are having one of my favorite soups! Black bean soup with warm tortillas! The recipe comes from one of Rachel Ray's first cook books and although I am not a big fan of most of her stuff this soup is simple, tasty and cheap to make.

The recipe calls for serving it with tortilla chips but we always serve it topped with a little cheese and warm tortillas.

Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 dried bay leaf
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped I use either green chillies or bell peppers
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 celery ribs with greens, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 15 oz cans black beans I use homemade black beans
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper 1 qt chicken stock
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

Directions
Heat pot on medium high and add extra virgin olive oil
Add bay leaf, jalapenos, garlic, celery and onions. Cook 3-4 minutes
Drain 2 cans of black beans and add.
With 3rd can pour in juice and half of beans
Mash up remaining beans then stir into pot.
Season with cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and 2-3 tbsp hot sauce.
Add the chicken stock and tomatoes, then bring to a bubble
Reduce the heat and simmer on low 15 minutes
Top with crushed tortilla chips if desired!

Free Digital Scrapbooking Kit

I was digging around on Creating Keepsakes blog and found this cool kit. You can download it here. It is called echoes of Asia and the papers are very beautiful and could be used in a lot of different ways maybe even for some cute cards or stationary.

While your on the site be sure to look around, they have lots of free downloads!

Kit's Cooking Studio Giveaway

Comments have closed winner will be announced in the morning~

We have added a few of the new fall titles to our website and should have all of them up by the weekend plus I just ordered some of the mini dolls! I love adding stuff to our site and to celebrate I am giving away Kit's Cooking Studio.





Calling all chefs! With this package of recipes and cooking tools, you will discover how much fun it is to make the meals that Kit loved. More than 20 easy-to-follow recipes feature full color photography and step-by-step instructions. There's even a fold-out poster full of cooking hints and kitchen safety tips. When you've mastered these Depression-era dishes, a final chapter provides ideas for Kit themed parties! Also includes a cookie cutter, 20 table talkers, and 10 reusable place cards.





All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with some way to contact you. Also if you have time visit our site and let us know what you think. We should have doll clothes added later this month in the playroom and some mommy and me sets of jumpers in the wardrobe.





The giveaway will last 1 week and if you would like to enter a second time post about our giveaway on your blog and then come back and leave us link for you second entry.





This giveaway is limited to US addresses only.

Button Button Who's Got the Button

Like most people who sew or craft I have a stash of buttons, ones that fell off clothes, came with clothes and many that I bought because they were just to cute and I knew I could use them on something. I still have some little animal shaped ones I bought when Sydney was about 7 or 8. I also have a jar of buttons that is filled with dainty antique buttons that I will probably never use but love looking at.

I got to thinking about all these button a few days ago when I was at Joann's picking up some fabric. While at the cutting counter a lady was discussing how she wished making buttonholes was not so hard, then maybe she would actually sew more and wear the things she made. She said her machine had a setting for it but no matter what she did they came out just awful. As she spoke I thought back to the many times I thought the same thing. When Sydney was little I made her a dress, I think it was her 6th birthday, I got so frustrated trying to do buttonholes by hand, my machine did not do them, I sewed on snaps then placed a button on top to hide it. I am so ashamed to admit that but that's where I was.

My current machine does have a buttonhole feature and after some practice I learnt how to use it and now days I hardly think twice about making them. They do not always come out perfect but I am not ashamed to have someone look closely at them either. One of the best resources I found on making them was this pdf from You Can Make This. It is a free e-book from their site that includes lots of tips and some practice sheets and lots of pictures.

Don't let something as small as a buttonhole keep you from creating beautiful clothing!

Free Sewing Patterns

I enjoy sewing but it can get expensive especially when it comes to patterns. My rule of thumb is to only buy them when the are on sale but even better is to find them for free.

Simplicity has a section of their website with free projects and patterns. You do have to sign up to access it but even that is free. They also have a classroom section with tips and a few videos. Remember they will be using Simplicity brand everything but usually what holds true for one brand is the same for others.

Another site I shared with you last year has added a few new patterns and still has last years cute fall and Christmas patterns available. You can find them here on the McCall's website. They do not have as many as Simplicity but most of what they have it cute and the directions for the ones I looked at and used were pretty straight forward.

You Can Make This is another great site with free patterns and tutorials. They also have a huge selection of patterns for sale at pretty reasonable prices.

Happy sewing!

Repair Your Sewing Machine Yourself

If you have ever had to take your machine in for repairs you know it can be costly. A few years back I was sewing 2 layers of heavy denim on my serger, missed a pin and threw my timing off. A $150 mistake, the garment I was making did not come close to covering the cost of the repair.

Often times after paying for repairs or maintenance I have wished that I knew how to make them myself, that was until finding this e-book. In it you learn machine repair and maintenance. I rarely promoted things like this on my blog but the normal cost of this e-book is $69.00 and right now it is on sale for $39.95 and includes a bonus bundle of other e-books for FREE and comes with a money back guarantee. Since I have three machines and have paid $60-$75 per machine for yearly maintenance even at the normal cost this book pays for itself!

So if you are interested in learning to fix your own machine or know someone who would head on over to his site and get this before the price goes back up.

Keeping Your Sewing Machine Going

I have heard so many people say they have a love hate relationship with their sewing machine and to be honest I have even said it.

There you are sewing along, all is right in the world and then all of a sudden you have a mess. The sewing machine is eating your fabric or you find a big wad of thread on the underside of your beautiful dress.

Screaming is what first comes to mind then you contemplate seeing if your machine can fly. I can defiantly feel your pain. I feel so bad when I here Syd sewing along and then I hear a rrrrr come form her room followed by mommmm, my machine has died....again.

Most of the time the problems we face with our beloved machines can be avoided with some basic preventive measures.

1. Keep your needles changed and use quality needles.
2. Keep your machine clean, inside and out. For the outside I use a cloth that has been lightly sprayed with Lysol. The easiest way I have found to clean the inside is with a lint brush and vacuum. I have an attachment kit that sucks away the lint build up. Be sure to also keep under your needle plate clean. Usually you just have to unscrew two screws, lift up the plate and vacuum but check your manual first.
3. Use quality thread. Cheap thread breaks and produces LOTS of lint over time.
4. Wind your bobbin carefully and correctly.
5. Check your owner's manual to see if your machine needs oiled. My old serger did but my new one does not. If in doubt check with a dealer. They often times can tell you over the phone.
6. Keep your machine covered when not in use. You can purchase machine covers at Joann's or you can make one :)
7. Avoid sewing over needles. It can mess with the timing.
8. Avoid overworking your machine. Most home machines were not made to sew three to four layers of denim, no matter how bad you want it to.
9. Get your machine checked at least every two years. You will be surprised how much better it runs after a tune-up. After all you would not consider driving your car for years without an oil change or tune up; your machine should be no different.

Digital Scrapbooking

I may have just found a new addiction... digital scrap booking. For months now I have been collecting layouts and embellishments with the hope of playing around with it.

So this morning I finally had a few minutes and did a couple of pictures. Not an actual full page but I had fun and got to try out a few things.

I became interested in it when we were working on Sydney's graduation invitations; I had so much fun with the layers and thought it would be cool to play with some pictures before printing them to put in her scrapbook. The coolest thing I think so far is the idea of being able to do a page and then print it off three times, one for each of the kids.

Often times while I was buying paper and embellishments for Syds I would go ahead and buy three of each thing if it also pertained to the boys. It got fairly expensive quickly! With digital scrapbooking I buy the set and can use it over and over for FREE plus I have found lots of sites with "freebies". The only problem I foresee is that Scott may have to give me a little more space on our server for files.

Laurel took this picture of Sydney last week at VBS and the instant I saw it I fell in love with it. Sydney has the biggest smile naturally and I love it!

Laurel does beautiful work so if you are in need of a great photographer in the DFW area stop by her site, view her work and then I am sure you will want to contact her.

So if you are wondering how I plan to spend the holiday, aside from Friday when we work on Sydney's car, I will be indoors, under the AC, playing on my computer.

Car Wreck Equals SALE

Well Sydney got her car a few weeks ago and last night on the way home she was in a wreck. She is fine and so is the gentleman who hit her however he was in a fairly big pick-up so as you can imagine her car is not ok.

Since Syd is working hard towards college and staying out of debt I want to try to help her and you at the same time so I am having a sale. I have listed lots of new items in my Etsy shop and on e-bay and for the next week if you purchase two items and mention this post in the payment section I will give you FREE shipping. If you buy three items I will give you free shipping and a free gift. I have given Sydney permission to use any and all of my fabric and trims so what she makes will be total profit towards her car. All together Sydney needs to raise about $1,500; I feel confident with some hard work she can do it. She is a great seamstress and knitter and as I type this she is hard at work making some darling pinafore and mop cap sets for toddlers so you will want to be sure to check out our shops over the next few days. Here is a link to her Etsy Shop. You can also see a preview of her work in my sidebar.

Also we would appreciate your prayers as we try to get everything handled that goes along with a wreck. This is her first one and she is a bit shaken so if you have time stop by her blog and leave her some encouragement!

Store Sale: Bosch Mixer and Nutrimill Grain Mill

I usually do not mention our online store on my blog but this sale is too good not to.

Through July 4th you can get a Universal Plus mixer, the new MX3 blender, and a copy of the Sensible Cooking cookbook for only $429.98.

The Bosh mixer is wonderful for mixing large batches of bread dough or simply mixing a cake.

We also have the Nutrimill grain mill on sale for $239.99

Coupon Giveaway #2

Giveaway Over

As I started organizing my coupons last night it did not take me long to realize I had a lot that I would never use before they expire and many for items that we do not use. I hate to waste so I am giving them away.

The Give Away will last through next Wednesday, 6/17/09 at noon. The winner will be selected at random and will be mailed the coupons.

You may enter once by leaving a comment and then again if you mention it on you blog come back and leave a link for you second entry.

Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win

Also if you or someone you know is in need of coupons for baby items be sure to enter my other coupon giveaway.

Coupon Giveaway #1

Giveaway Over

I have found myself with several coupons for baby things including formula and I don't have a baby anymore, my youngest is 13.

The Give Away will last through next Wednesday, 6/17/09 at noon. The winner will be selected at random and will be mailed the coupons.

You may enter once by leaving a comment and then again if you mention it on you blog come back and leave a link for you second entry.

Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win.

If you are in need of coupons for other items be sure to check out my other coupon giveaway.

Coupon Giveaway

I have been so busy the last few weeks that I have gotten waaaaay behind in organizing my coupons and since I usually get three papers when the coupons are good I have a lot to go through.

So as I spent the evening going through them I realized I have a lot I will never get to use before they expire and decided to have another coupon giveaway starting in the morning.

I will list two separate giveaways:
1. General coupons including baby items

2. One just for baby items including some formula checks

Be sure to check back by in the morning to sign up, the giveaway will last 1 week and I will have ways for you to enter multiple times.

Buyer's Remorse No More

Don't you just hate it when you buy an item and then the following week you find it on sale? I use to, but not any more. One of the things I have had to come to terms with is the fact that sometimes I will miss a good deal for one reason or another. I use to get so upset because I would get to CVS with my list and find they were out of everything I "needed". You know what though, we have never gone without toothpaste or toilet paper, God has always supplied all our needs.

I am very thankful for His provision and try not to take it for granted, part of that thankfulness means being a good steward. So... that takes me back to my first question. Don't you just hate it when you buy an item and then the following week you find it on sale? Despite watching sales, keeping a price book and comparison shopping it is bound to happen to all of us at some point. However in some instances you can fix it.

Last year Scott and I went to Target to buy him some clothes, this man hates to buy clothes so I was more than excited to go with him. We found a few deals in the clearance racks but most of what we got was normal price. Then the following week I was looking through the ads and noticed that the pants and shirts we had bought were now on sale. Since I had to make a trip by there anyways I stopped in to see if there was anything thing they could do, to my surprise they gave me the difference. It was close to $30, enough to pick up some groceries we needed.

Then last week was Scott's birthday; the kids bought him The Dark Knight on DVD and split the cost. This week it is on sale for $10 so tonight when I take Syd to work since Target is right down the road I am going to go in and have them adjust the receipt. The kids were very excited when I told them and it gave me one more practical way to show them how to be a good steward now and in the future.

Homemade Body Scrubs

The winter weather seems to be unmerciful on my skin. One thing I have found that leaves my skin soft and removes dead cells wonderfully are scrubs. I have used some of the ones from bath shops and love they way my skin feels afterwards but I hate the way they leave my wallet.

We have a wonderful herb garden in our back yard and several herb shops near by so I thought I would try making some myself. There are several advantages to taking this approach.

1. you can save a lot of money
2. you control the ingredients
3. you control the intensity of the scent or if you even want it to be scented.

Here are some easy recipes that use ingredients that most of us already have around the house or are easily found at the grocery store:

Almond Exfoliating Body Scrub

1/4 cup coarse sea salt
1/4 cup baby oil or olive oil
1/2 tsp of almond, vanilla or other lightly scented perfume oil/extract

1. In a small bowl mix the salt and oil together until the oil is thoroughly incorporated into the salt. Add the extract and stir well.

2. Us in the shower after you are thoroughly wet. You can apply this with a body scrubber, your hard, or a wash cloth. Massage well and then rinse off.


Sugar Scrub ( great for dry skin) makes enough for 3-4 uses

1 cup of brown sugar, white sugar, or a mixture of the two
1/2 cup olive, grapeseed or other oil
2 drops or vanilla or almond extract (optional)

1. In a medium bowl combine the sugar and oil. Mix until you achieve a paste like mixture. Add the extract if desired and stir until mixed well.

2. Place in a clean airtight glass jar to slow the breakdown of the oil.

3. In the shower, massage mixture gently over damp skin. It will exfoliate and moisturize at the same time.

4. Store mixture in the refrigerator for 6 months to a year.


Cranberry Sugar Scrub


1/2 cup frozen cranberries
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 drops orange essential oil
2 tablespoons (+ more if needed) oat powder

1. In the container of a food processor Combine cranberries, glycerin and almond oil for about 30 seconds, just long enough to blend the ingredients you do not want your berries too mushy. The mixture should be thick.


2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the sugar. Stir in the essential oil. Add only enough of the oat powder to create a cohesive mixture that you can apply to your skin.


3. Use this in the bath or shower to refresh and revive dull skin.

With all of these you may notice a slight tingly feeling on your hands and skin, this is because the circulation is increased (stimulating blood circulation is beneficial for your immune system) by the course texture and rubbing.
Scrubs are very good for your skin but be sure not to overuse any body scrub, which can damage or irritate healthy layers of skin and avoid areas of your skin which may have preexisting irritations such as rashes, wounds, or other skin integrity issues.

Always avoid the eyes.

Free Pattern

McCall's has a new free pattern! You can find it here

I have been looking for a spring wreath for the front door but I think I am going to make this instead.

You can find many other free crafty patterns here

Crock-Pot Chicken Stew

Keep in mind with any stew you can add what ever veggies you have on hand. I keep a gallon size freezer bag in the freezer and when ever we have just a few spoonfuls of a veggie left over I dump it in; once the bag gets full I make stew or soup with it. It is cheap, easy, and reduces waist.


Crock-Pot Chicken Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, quartered and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup baby carrots, or 2 large carrots cut into 1-inch slices
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper or seasoned pepper mix
salt to taste
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients, except peas, in the slow cooker/Crock Pot; stir well. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours, until chicken is done and vegetables are tender; stir in peas the last 30 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.

Menu Plan Monday

This week I plan to get some extra stuff done around the house so many of my meals will be quick, easy and use the crock-pot. Thank goodness for Reynolds crock-pot liners!

Monday Lunch Eating out between shopping trips to CVS, Target, Walgreen's and Kroger
Dinner Roasted Lemon Chicken with scalloped potatoes, green beans and rolls

Tuesday Sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Black Bean Chili

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner Turkey meatball subs (these will be made in the crock-pot also)

Thursday Lunch grilled cheese with ham
Dinner Crock-pot Chicken Stew and French bread

Friday Lunch left overs
Dinner Parmesan Drumsticks, corn, and salad

Saturday Lunch Greek Salad
Dinner Fajitas and Spanish rice (I have the chicken cooked and sliced already in the freezer along with a separate bag of sliced raw onions and peppers)

Sunday
Dinner Crock-pot Pull Apart Chicken on fresh kaiser rolls, salad and fruit


Lemon Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken
1 dash Salt
1 dash Pepper
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 Cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Water
3 tablespoons Lemon juice

Wash chicken, pat dry, season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle 1/2 oregano and garlic inside cavity. Melt butter in large frying pan. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer to crock-pot. Sprinkle with oregano and
garlic. Add water to fry pan, stir to loosen brown bits. Pour into crock-pot. Cover. Cook on LOW 8 hours. Add lemon juice in the last hour of
cooking. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Skim fat. Pour juice into
sauce bowl. Carve bird. Serve with some juice spooned over chicken




Pull Apart Chicken

3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C water
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp celery salt

1.Mix up all the ingredients except the chicken in the crock-pot. After mixed, add the chicken in. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
During the last two hours of cooking, use a fork to break apart the chicken into strands The longer it cooks the easier this becomes.

2.Spoon this onto hamburger buns and serve.


Be sure to visit Organizing Junkie for more meal ideas

Being Frugal Can Come Back to Haunt You

Yes, sad but true... being frugal can come back to haunt you and when it does it is not pretty. Remember those cute little kittens I told you about us finding? Well we only have two left and one will be living her permanently. Yes, as in this is its new home.

I was very clear from the beginning we would care for them until a home could be found, I NEVER intended it to be our home. So I know you are asking what does this have to do with being frugal? Everything!!!! You see my daughter has learned to thoroughly investigate everything prior to even thinking about asking us for it or to do it and these kittens would be no different.

She started in with how cute they are, how soft they are, how cuddly they are, and how much fun they would be; I smiled and nodded trying not to even touch the subject; this went on for about two weeks. Then last week she smiled tilted her head while snuggling one and asked what the chances of keeping one were. I gave her a sympathetic grin and said listen honey mommy likes them too but we have a dog, a really big dog and well dogs and cats do not mix. Oh, but she had found that indeed they can with gently persuasion and patience. Next is where the frugalness comes in... I said besides you know pets are expensive. You have food, toys, treats, vet bills, and shots the list just goes on and on. I should have known she would have an answer to that too. She smiles inocently and proceeds to say $500; the average cost is $500 a year to care for a cat she spouts out.

I laugh... Sydney dear, mom and dad are not spending that kind of money on another pet and I am sure you do not want to either, remember your car and college fund? Then its her turn to laugh.. I won't have to really spend that much, I will coupon it. (That's our term around her for anything we will use coupons on.) She had been scanning cat food prices and coupons and determined it will be very feasible to stock up on sales combined with coupons to get free food. Ok, food under control what about the vet? She had decided to use the low cost clinics that set up at the feed store for vaccinations and am area clinic does low cost spaying and neutering. That still leaves toys for the darlings. I should have know my frugal zealot would have that figured out too, her room now has an empty cracker box, empty thread spools and material balls strewn about it. I guess she is well on her way to caring for her baby and maintaining her family tradition of being frugal.


In all seriousness, I am very proud of her. We did not intend to keep one but they have won our hearts. Izzy will be staying and Gus will be going to live in the country with a friend of Sydney's from work as soon as he is about 8 weeks old.

Sydney has managed to stock up 4 bags of kitten food totaling 15 pounds for free thanks to the great deals last week at Petco, thanks to Kroger's triple coupons she received 8 cans of moist food for free and a cute litter box with a lid, liners and scoop cost her $10 on sale after her coupon. All in all she has done great and seeing her compare deals, read labels and put all that economics/financial math to work makes homeschool parents proud, proud enough to even let a kitten live here :)

It doesn't hurt that she looks pretty cute with them all snuggled up on her lap.

Menu Plan Monday

Last week went by so fast and meal wise was a flop, it seemed like every dinner was awful. They were edible but nothing came out like it normally does. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed.

Hopefully this week things will go better.

Monday salad and soup
Dinner Greek Chicken and rice. We had this planned a few weeks back but never made it

Tuesday Sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Stir Fry, egg rolls, and egg drop soup

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner Shepard's pie

Thursday Lunch grilled cheese and mixed fruit
Dinner Linguine with fresh tomato sauce recipe below

Friday Lunch left overs
Dinner Pizza and salad

Saturday Lunch Hot Dogs and baked fries
Dinner Creamed chicken and rice

Sunday
Dinner Crock pot pulled pork sandwiches, salad, and baked beans



Linguine with fresh tomato sauce

12 ounces linguine
4 each large tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 can ripe olives, sliced
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain

2. Meanwhile, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients. Drain pasta, and place in a large serving bowl.

3. Top with tomato mixture, and sprinkle with olives and cheese

Be sure to visit Organizing Junkie for more meal ideas

Sense and Sensablity E-patterns

Jennie Chancey owner of Sense and Sensibility patterns has just converted most of her patterns into ePatterns. If you have never been to her site you have got to get over there.

Her patterns are beautiful, elegant and best of all modest.

Cheap Date and Lots of Fun!

Scott has had this past week off and for the most part we have spent it working on the house... but not today! Today we took a cheap almost free date. It could have been free but we stopped and ate lunch out.

Armed with our cameras we started off our date with a stop at our local library. They offer passes for a few museums and the log cabin village that can be checked out for a week. The pass gives you unlimited visits during that week to participating museums for you and up to five people. I heart free!!!

Next we went to the botanical gardens and spent about two hours walking around talking and taking pictures.


These turtles looked as if they were really enjoying their sunbathing. No matter how close I got they stayed on their perch.


By the time we finished at the Botanical Gardens we were both ready for lunch. So off to Whataburger it was. Not the healthiest meal but it was GOOD!

Our last stop was The Log Cabin Village

This is a picture leading into the old water mill. The mill actually still runs and they grind flour there for use by the docents. I could not have timed things any better if I had tried, as we were leaving two school buses were unloading to go into the village! Scott and I both looked at each other, smiled and said "just in time".

I know my pictures are not great but I had fun with my hubby!

Menu Plan Monday

Right now I have a sick daughter, a son who getting better and we are in the middle of some pretty major home renevating so my menu is pretty simple and most of it will be made in the crockpot.

Fine Print: subject to change without notice

Monday Lunch Chicken noodle soup, grapes and wheat thins
Dinner Three pepper pork chops, mixed vegetables, roasted taters and rolls Recipe Below These pork chops are deliciouse and easy

Tuesday Lunch grilled cheese sandwiches and fruit
Dinner French toast, strawberries and scrambled eggs

Wednesday Lunch Chicken salad and mixed fruit
Dinner Black Bean Soup served with warm tortillas Recipe Below

Thursday Lunch quesadillas and left over black bean soup
Dinner Spaghetti, french bread and tossed salad

Friday Lunch Fend for yourself, AKA clean out the fridge
Dinner Sticky Chicken, Scalloped potatoes and peas

Saturday Lunch we have more work to do on the house so I am not sure what we will do for lunch. Maybe chicken strips or something of the sort that is quick and easy
Dinner Pizza and salad

Sunday Lunch Subs and salad
Dinner Bean burritos and Spanish rice

Three Pepper Pork Cutlets

1 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons paprika, sweet Hungarian
1 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large garlic cloves

1.Trim fat from pork. Cut pork crosswise into 8 slices. Place between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten each slice to 1/4" thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Combine paprika and next 9 ingredients; stir well. Rub pork with paprika mixture. Place on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a shallow roasting pan. Broil 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Turn pork over, and broil and additional 4 minutes or until done.

2.Yield 4 servings.


Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 fresh bay leaf or 1 large dried bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cans black beans (15-ounce) I make my own
2 tablespoons ground cumin, a couple of palm fulls
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/3 palm full
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons hot sauce, divided (2 to 3)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 can diced tomatoes (15-ounce) diced tomatoes with peppers and onions, or stewed tomatoes

Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the hot pot, then onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add red peppers and continue to cook. Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. Use a fork to mash up the beans in the remaining can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot and season with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce. Add stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. Add the lime juice. Remove and discard the bay leaf


Be sure to head over to the host of Menu Plan Monday organizing junkie

Coupons, Coupons, and More Coupons

Over the last few months I have seen several people mention finding certain coupons in the magazine All You on their blogs, I kept thinking there is no way I am going to buy a magazine for a couple of coupons. Boy was I wrong!

In the check out lane a few weeks ago I noticed a copy of the magazine and decided to take a peak at it. Imagine my surprise when I found that almost every other page had a coupon on it. I noticed that few of the coupons were for free items and the cost of the magazine was $1.97 but rang up for $1.77.

At home I attacked the magazine with my scissors. All together I cut out 39 coupons; many valued at $1.00 and several for free Kraft items.

So... today while I was out I ran by the store and picked up 10 more copies. I know it may sound crazy but I like to stock up when items are on sale so having multiple coupons is a must for me!

Moral of this post... check out those magazines and watch for new sources for coupons. The Internet and newspaper are just the beginning.

Free Sewing Patterns

One of the expensive things about sewing can be acquiring good patterns. I often try to get mine for $1.00 or less. I stock up when they go one sale and watch the Internet for free ones. Well, tonight I was in search of some crafty fall patterns and came across these.

Right now if you visit McCall's Pattern Co site you can receive 10 free patterns just for visiting and entering your e-mail address. Click on link above and then enter your e-mail address; once you do the page will refresh from images only to including the patterns as pdf's. The patterns include easy to understand directions and pictures that guide you step by step .

I am planning on making the pumpkin and gourds for either a dinning room table center piece or to put on our fireplace hearth.

I bought Sydney some nice Gingher scissors for Christmas so I think I will make her this case to keep them in.

Butterick has some free patterns here I like the winter wreath idea.

So, how do you aquire your craft stock pile? When do you start your holiday crafts?

Organized Coupons...Finally!

I have been using coupons for at least 13 years and in that time I have saved many thousands of dollars and as many of you do I take full advantage of CVS, Walgreens, Target and Kroger. I send in rebates and send off for samples. I am not an expert but I spend very little on groceries and toiletries thanks to coupons; yet I have never been happy with how they were organized. I dreaded clipping and putting them away, in fact I would sometimes miss out on deals because of how they were set up or because I had not cut them out and put them away. Then came trying to find the ones I needed,that was almost as bad. That is until now.

About two weeks ago I decided to give using a binder a try. After all I had used shoe boxes, clear sterlite containers, recipe boxes, coupon holders and my most recent prior to the binder was two accordion check filers. I am a visual person so the binder idea has appealed to me for some time just for some reason I never tried it. I think some of it was cost, I had in my mind that the inserts would be outrageous and that I would need hundreds, the binder would be heavy, it would take too long to set up yada yada,yada you know how it goes.

First I pulled out an old binder that I had and wiped it off and cleaned it out, then I went by Hobby Lobby with two 40% off coupons and picked up two packs of baseball card sleeves for less that $10. My kids got such a hoot out of the fact that I was buying coupon stuff with coupons. Not sure why they found that sooo funny but they did.

Armed with a clean table and big glass of ice tea I announced that I was going to be organizing coupons, all three kids ran faster that I have ever seen them run. My daughter did come back and snap a picture of me when I was done but for a few hours the dinning room was empty except for me and my coupons.

I went slowly, and to make things easier as I got rid of expired ones I made piles on the table with my same categories. My table quickly filled up and once I had most of them cleared out of the accordion holders I started putting them in the sleeves, that way if it took too long the table would still be usable for breakfast. The stack of papers on the right is two weeks worth of inserts that I had grazed through but never fully clipped. I saved those for the next day.

I must say I am very happy with how it came out! In addition to the sleeves my binder has accordion type pouches for me to keep circulars in, a note pad and a pencil pouch that includes: calculator, pens, pencil and some small scissors.



I can quickly flip through the pages and see exactly what I have, no more guessing and no more flipping through stacks in the store! As you can see in the top picture I even set up a sleeve for CVS! ECB'S right at my finger tips, folded so I can see when they expire.

The binder has been so easy to use that last Friday while grocery shopping I was able to give away coupons I had extra of! It was such a great feeling to be able to bless others! So much so that I am going to give some away on my blog Monday so be sure to stop back by then! They will include formula checks, baby items and lots of toiletries ones!

Meal Plan Monday

I have to say that the best meal this past week was a toss up between the Pizza Margherita and the pasta milano. My husband really devoured the pizza and everyone loved the pasta! What more could you want? This week we again are avoiding red meat and limiting other meats because of my husbands gall bladder, this is week three and it is getting hard to come up with new things! Any help would be appreciated!We are having some meat at lunch since he is at work otherwise my oldest son says he will die! Dramatic maybe but he is a meat and potato guy. One plus is that we are saving some money by not buying meat. If you are looking for ways to cut your grocery cost check out this post I wrote.

Monday Lunch Chicken and Rice soup and fruit
Dinner Chicken Marsala served with pasta and french bread my husband will have the noodles, sauce and maybe a few slices of chicken

Tuesday Lunch Chicken Salad and pickle spears
Dinner Vegetable pitas with fresh sprouts we are growing. Need to know how? Check out this post

Wednesday Lunch Grill Cheese sandwiches and baked chips
Dinner Black bean soup served with baked nacho chips
I will probably make this in the crock pot and we'll eat after church and choir practice.

Thursday Lunch
Dinner Egg drop soup, stir fry veggies and fried rice

Friday Lunch
Dinner Cheese enchiladas served with Spanish rice and re fried beans made without fat. Recipe below

Saturday Lunch
Dinner Vegetarian Pot Stickers I have never tried this recipe but it got 5 stars

Sunday Mother's Day- We are having my mom over but I am still undecided on what to serve. My mom is diabetic and my husband is currently not tolerating meat.

Enchiladas Recipe

A note about the tortillas. The corn tortillas must be softened before they are rolled and baked in the casserole. Frying them gently in a little oil greatly enhances the flavor of the tortillas, or you can wrap them in a moist towel and microwave them for 2 minutes.

Ingredients
Grapeseed oil (or another high smoke-point oil such as peanut or canola oil)
12 corn tortillas
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup of salsa (Mild prepared salsa or make your own using cooked or canned tomatoes, roasted green chiles, onions, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Do not use salsa made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes for this dish.)
3 Tbsp of tomato paste
1 cup water
1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
Olive oil
1 lb of jack cheese, mild cheddar or longhorn or any mild yellow cheese, grated
A handful of cilantro
1 cup of sour cream
Half a head of iceberg lettuce
Method
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 In a large fry pan at high heat add 3 Tbsp of grapeseed oil. Add a tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift up the tortilla with a spatula, add another tortilla underneath. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift again, both tortillas, and add another tortilla underneath. Repeat the process with all the tortillas, adding a little more oil if needed. This way you can brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat. You do this process to develop the flavor of the tortillas. As the tortillas brown a little, remove from the pan one by one to rest on a paper towel, which absorbs any excess fat.

2 Sauté up the chopped onion and garlic, then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup of salsa. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of tomato paste into 1 cup of water, add to pan. Add 1 cup of crushed fire roasted canned tomatoes. Taste. If the sauce tastes too vinegary, add a teaspoon of sugar.

3 Put some olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole pan. Take a tortilla, cover 2/3 of it lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll up the tortilla and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the the casserole pan. Make sure all are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

4 Garnish with cilantro and sour cream. Serve with sliced iceberg lettuce that has been dressed only with vinegar and salt. See Perfect Guacamole for a great guacamole avocado side dish.

Be sure to check out more meal plans at organizing Junkie

Saving Money At The Grocery Store

Do you remember when you were little and played store? You could fill your cart with everything you wanted without a care in the world. After all you had a kagillion dollars and nothing made you gain weight or raised your cholesterol. Boy those were the days!

Now you're all grown up, You have to plan your meals, make a grocery list, the store is no longer in your play room, what you eat does matter, and did I mention you have to pay using REAL money. So how can you ensure you are getting your moneys worth at the grocery store? Two words, price book!

The first time I heard the idea I thought there is no way I am going to write down everything I buy, calculate the cost and then keep up with it just to save a few cents. Then came the wake up call. I was so excited, my local grocery store had ketchup on sale. Yeah, at the time this was our kids all time favorite condiment for EVERYTHING! I should have bought stock in it. Anyways, I pulled out my coupon and proceeded to buy 4 bottles. After all it was on sale, the sign said so! In case you didn't know stores have what is called phantom sales. They raise the price of an item leave it there a few weeks and then put it on "sale" which is actually the normal price. Later when I was cleaning out my receipts I looked at an old one just to see just how much I had saved by stocking up. Imagine my shock when I found out I had actually lost money. It happens everyday to people on hundreds of items. Stores know most people do not track prices or keep up with how often items go on sale, and trust me you can not do it in your head and you can not trust the stores to tell you when something is on sale. You need a price book.

I wish I had created one sooner, it is easy and will save you hundreds of dollars a year. Now when I look at ads or run into an item with a sale sign I can look in my book and see if it is real and if it usually runs even lower later. Example: Kroger sometimes has Old Elpaso shells on sale for $1.29, sounds great right, not really, they also run a 10 for $10 almost weekly however they only include Old Elpaso taco shells about every 6-8 weeks. Knowing that I save my taco shell coupons for then and stock up buying enough until they go on sale again. My goal is to keep my pantry stocked well enough that I only buy items when they are at their best price. I am sure my shopping cart looks funny with 8 boxes of taco shells or 5 canisters of coffee but I am saving money and that's what counts to me. The other great thing about a price book is that they are useful for everyone not just couponers. I keep track of all the items I buy even produce and toiletries.

Making your own price book is cheap and easy. I started off with a small spiral notebook that fit in my purse and a pencil. You will also need a calculator to convert prices but do not let that scare you. It takes very basic math to do. Next you will need to set up your book. I currently use a small three ring binder with A-Z divider tabs. I have mine set up alphabetically by item name such as m-milk but others use categories such as m-meat or d-dairy. Each page in your price book should contain the date, name of the store, item name and the brand of the item, the size of the item, the price of the item, and then the unit price of the item. This is where the math comes in; the unit price can be discovered by dividing size/price. Some stores include this information on the shelf label but the often times will use different measurements so you have to convert to compare like items. An example is cheese, one brand may be listed by the ounce while the one next to it is listed by the pound.

Now that you have your format picked and pages made you can start filling in your book. If you have any receipts start with those. Fill in a page for each item you bought and then calculate your unit cost. Then the next time you head out to the store grab your book and start comparing prices and list some of the ones that you routinely buy even if you are not buying them right now. You can also use the grocery store ads. Be sure to check out all the stores in your area. It pays not to be store loyal. I shop at Sav A Lot, Alberstons, Kroger and Sam's. I live in the city and all these stores are located around my home of near where we have regular activities.

At first this may seem very tedious, however you will soon begin to discover the best deals emerging before your eyes and you will also see each stores pattern in the timing of sales, such as in my taco shell example.

Do not try to fill in every item you use your next trip to the store, you will overwhelm yourself and give up. Overtime you will find that your entries will slow down and your price book will now be a great reference to you. Armed with your price book you can now know when you are getting a great deal and stock your pantry and freezer accordingly. If you keep up with your book you should always get a great deal on toilet paper and you will never hear "we're out of toilet paper" crying from under the bathroom door.

Feeding My Addiction.....Patterns

I am freely admitting to all of blogdom that I have an addiction... I am addicted to fabric and patterns! Joann's knows my weakness and every so often they run great sales that I am unable to resist. This week-end Simplicity patterns are .99 each with a limit of 10. I know what you are thinking... can she even find 10 she needs or likes? I could probably find 20 or more despite the fact that I have 6 plastic storage boxes full of them. In my defense they are neatly organized on a shelf and yes, I still need more!

I think the only thing that keeps my husband from seeking professional help is that I am able to make money from it and keep daughter and myself clothed in some pretty cute stuff most of the time.

Seriously though, I do love patterns but only buy them when they are on sale;the frugal woman in me just can not spend full price on a pattern. The image in the top corner is one of the patterns I bought today. I hope to get it made up next week and listed on Etsy and e-bay and also make Sydney one with a higher neck line. She loves dresses like this and they have such a feminine look to them!

This is another pattern I bought today, I love making baby clothes! I bought some floral fabric and ribbon a few weeks ago in the clearance section that I think is going to make an adorable set.

All together I bought 6 patterns all on sale for .99 each, 10 yards of elastic that I had a 40% off coupon for, 2 yards of denim weavers cloth with 40% off coupon and one cone of thread that I also had a 40% off coupon for. My total was $19.19, a great deal in my opinion considering each pattern will be used over and over, the outfit made from the weavers cloth has already sold for $15.00 and finally my addiction has been satisfied at least until they run another pattern sale.

I will try to get some pictures posted when I finish these.

How about you, got anything that makes you weak in the knees when it goes on sale?

Looking to see who else got great deals this week while shopping? Visit Money Saving Mom