Thrifty Thursday

I've got another site for you. And all you really have to do is check your mailbox!  http://www.vocalpoint.com/
Have you been? Just sign up and they send you stuff. Free. Then you go back and say yes I liked it no I didn't. I've gotten sample sized items but I've also gotten full sized products (Panteen shampoo for example). Just the other day I got a package (and I say package because they make the products look super cute when they send it to you. Really. Who knew shampoo could look adorable right?) that had a family dinner time game in it. Some questions are what language do you wish you could speak? What family tradition would you like to start? If your family had a theme song what would it be? And so on.

But the real point of the package was the coupons. I got 6 coupons in total. 1 For a free box of Barilla plus pasta. And the other 5 for buy 1 box get 1 box free coupons. {By the way the pasta is good. Easy way to get extra protein, fiber and omega-3's in. Highly reccomend).

So go sign up!

And make sure you check out the new blog -- Today's Top 20 for 20 projects featured each day!

Wednesday - Today's Top 20

So I love blogging so much that I started another one.  It's called Today's Top Twenty.  Each day I feature 20 things that I love.  My to do list is so big I decided to share. :)  Each day there are 5 crafting projects, 5 sewing projects, 5 free printables and 5 recipes to try out.  Come get inspired!

I joined the blog hop over at Crafty Cierra {where I was featured by the way....} :) Thanks Cierra!

Coupon update

I just had to share.

I *love* this drawing of Frosty. Check out the corn cob pipe!

And THIS is my favorite art work he has ever done.  A moose.  And it's good!  The eyes are a little har to see in this picture {of the picture hee hee!} but they are super cute.

 I used my coupon organizers tonight.  For the first time.  Saved me a butt load of time.  And kept everything organized.  No more looking like a crazy woman with my list and coupons all over the place.  :)

And...ready...

Before coupons my total was 140.56
After...48.09

Woo Hoo!  :) I was so excited.  I was talking all about my coupon organizer and how it helped and all this jazz and the high school guy just kind of stared at me.  One day kid you will have to buy your own food.  And you will understand.

See you tomorrow! :)

Tea Wallet Tutorial

Guess what?  I found my original post.  So no nead for me to make a new tutorial right?  {This post is from 2008 ...  I told you I had it saved for a while!}

It is over at Is it Naptime yet?  Click here!  And there is even a PDF file you can download.  Her directions are super clear and this is a great beginner's project. 

Sorry this wasn't up earlier this morning.  One problem we have run into since our move is the computer situation.  Our old house had a HUGE kitchen and living room {and small bedrooms, tiny bathroom and non-existing closets} and our new apartment has a small living room and kitchen {with HUGE closets and big bedrooms}.  Do I mind? Not at all.  BUT our computer has been moved out of the living room and into the extra bedroom.  Which means Hubs can not get onto X-Box Live (oh the horror) without stealing my modem.  Grrr. And dropping $300 on an x-box right before Christmas is silly.  So it will wait til right after Christmas.  And until then I have to deal with him stealing my modem.  {He works 3rd shift so it usually doesn't take long before he falls asleep :) }

Anyone else have husbands who love video games?  Sometimes it really drives me nuts....

Made it Monday 2 - Coupon Organizer

I've debated...to show or not to show....

I need to be a better couponer.  I envy those who go and get $5000 worth of food for a nickle.  How do they do that?  One thing that frustrates me is my envelope of coupons.  I have to sift through it when I go through each aisle.  Grrrrr.....  I needed a way to organize my coupons.  I am making 4 'envelopes' of coupons.  {Cleaning supplies, Food, Personal Items, and Other}  In each envelope are other sub-categories. 

 This is the first one that I whipped up tonight.  {This one holds my cleaning coupons} There are a few minor mistakes {only I notice and of course the super fabulous sewers out there who probably laugh at me anyways!}.  I used all blue fabrics {The outside one is one of my fave fabrics...and most of why my mistakes are here! I was a little short on this fabric but determined to use it!!!} and labeled each sub category envelope.  There are 2 pockets inside too.  The front pocket will hold coupons that I pull out to use.  The back envelope is uh just there.  :) I'm sure something will go in there. 

{pocket one}

{pocket 2}

{the middle 'pages'}

Does anyone want a tutorial on these?  Let me know! Thursday I will have coupon tips coming!!


Linking up here!
Also showing on Homebody! :)

Here are my categories:
Cleaning Envelope
Dishes - {Dish soap, Dishwasher tablets, Dishwasher cleaner and so forth..}
Laundry - {Detergent, Dryer sheets, Stain remover..}
General - {General cleaning products}
Smelly - {All the Febreeze and candles and things.  There always seem to be a ton of coupons for those!}

Food
Meats
Refrigerator items - {Pilsbury, cheese, yogurts..}
Bread
Canned foods
Box items
Other

Personal Items
Hair - {Shampoo, conditioner, styling products, hair dye}
Teeth - {Toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes}
Skin - {Razors, Shaving Cream, Lotion, Deodorant}
Soaps - {Hand soap, Body Wash}
Medications
Other - {Bubble bath}

Other
Paper products - {TP, paper towels}
Batteries
Kitchen Aids - {baggies, wax paper, cupcake liners, Tupperware containers}

I joined Trendy Treehouse's Blog Hop! Hop around!

Made it Monday 1 - Tea Wallet

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  So I'm sharing 2 made its with you this week.  The first is a Christmas gift I made for my step mom.  A tea wallet.  I saw one of these somewhere {blog, book, TV??? I don't remember} probably a year or two ago.  And thought of her.  And it's been on my to do list ever since. 

And then I got this tea fabric by Michael Miller and it's still been sitting there waiting. {Don't you love the tea bag on the back?}   But I finally did it.  And I don't know why it took so long.  It took seriously about 25 minutes.  This would also make a cute business card holder!

{Please ignore the fact that it has ice tea bags in there! I need to go get some yummy teas to stuff inside!} :)

Tutorial will be here tomorrow!!
Linking up here!

P.S. I know these pictures are um fabulous.  And my background...Yea.  But for those of you wondering what the heck that cute little tea wallet is laying on it is an old bath mat.  I got tired of taking my ironing board up and down {well, let's be honest it just stayed up} so I got an old bath mat.  {Just the kind you stand on when you get out.  This one is from target.} That's now what I iron on.  Roll it up.  Store it.  Pull it out.  2 seconds.  Not a lot of room.  Love it. :)

 

 

 

Sweet Saturday - Banana Doughnut Holes

This is the first edition of Sweet Saturday that is not a cupcake.  Sorry if you love cupcakes...I do too...but these are super yummy.

However, I do NOT recommend making these.  They are so good.  And bite size.  And once you stop, you can't stop.  Seriously.  So if you are trying not to eat fried sugary yummy goodness {good for you, and your waist line} then these are not for you.

Rule number 1.  Give credit where credit is due.  This recipe was taken from Food Network Magazine and was submitted by Jacquelin McComas.  The only thing that I changed was I added a tiny ingredient. 

Here it goes.

You need: 2 tbsp veg. oil plus more for frying
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/4 tsp banana extract
1/4 tsp vanilla

1/ Heat about 2 inches veg. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it 375 degrees.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar in bowl.

3. Whisk egg, milk, banana, and 2 tbsp veg oil in bowl.  Add banana extract and vanilla extract.

4.  Combine banana mixture into flour mixture.  Whisk until moistened. 

5. Combine remaining sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in shallow bowl.  Set aside.

6.  Working in small batches, drop rounded tsp of dough into oil.  Fry for about 20 seconds on each side or until golden brown.  Remove and drain oil on paper towel.  Roll in the cinnamon sugar while still warm.

Yum.  Mine came out more as blobs that real donut holes.  :) I also didn't have a thermometer.  So this is what I learned quickly about how to tell if it is done: press the middle.  It should be slightly hard (not rock hard or anything!) if it is mushy its not done! 

When I bite these I don't think of doughnuts.  I think of State Fair.  Like Elephant Ears -- banana style.  :)

Linking up here!