05 January 2011

Gardens Alive


Yes I am aware that it is only January, but gardening season will be upon us before we know it and Garden’s Alive is currently offering their catalog for spring gardening.  The catalog has traditionally included a $25 off a $25 purchase or more!!!  You can request your catalog here.


CVS Beauty Club


Sign up for the CVS Beauty Club and you’ll get a free $3 ECB on your birthday. Plus, you’ll get $5 ECBs for every $50 in qualifying beauty purchases.


29 December 2010

FREE Downloadable 2011 Savings Tracker

Wouldn't you love to be able to easily keep track of all your savings? At a glance be able to see how much you're really saving using coupons and shopping deals? Easily track your spending and stick to your budget?


Well Angela over at The Coupon Project has developed a wonderful and free downloadable 2011 Savings Tracker HERE (available in both Excel and Google Docs format). Her new and improved savings tracker also has a tab to track your rebates!

I know one of my New Year's resolutions to be more consistently track my spending and savings! Is it one of yours too?




28 December 2010

24 December 2010

It's a wrap!





I've spent all morning wrapping up all our Christmas gifts.
I was able to use up a roll of wrapping paper I picked up at the Goodwill for only $0.25 and everything else was recycled. I used everything from old cards as gift tags, balloons as wrapping paper, as well as brown paper bags, newspaper gift bags, and magazine bows. I also went pretty pom-pom crazy this year since we didn't have any ribbon on hand (Dana over at Made has a great pom-pom tutorial HERE.)!

It's Christmas Eve finally if you haven't finished wrapping up your presents check out a round up of some creative wrapping ideas HERE.

Here's hoping all your wishes come true this Christmas!



20 December 2010

Recycling Balloons





Recently I snagged some balloons from an office party my company held. I liked the bright colors, they kind of cheer up my day! As a week or so passed and the balloons started to deflate and were no longer serving their decorative purpose I wondered what I could do with them other than throw them in the trash. And then I came to me....Gift Wrap of course!
Which is perfect since I just about refuse to buy wrapping paper...and thus is a nice change from the usual newpaper wrapping I do.




  


I poked a small hole in the already mostly deflatted balloons and was left with this flat balloons.

I wasn't able to use the front of the balloons as they had the company logo on them, but the backs were still good. I cut the back away from the front and that was it used it as wrapping paper.

I still have a bunch of leftover pieces of balloons so I cut them into strips and plan to use them as embellishements on other gifts as well. I really liked the shiney effect of the balloon foil. It will really jazz up some of our presents!

19 December 2010

Cupcake Cravings

Those of you who know me well know I eat...A LOT! The bf says I'm like a goat. Always eating. I says if he didn't give me money to go food shopping I would end up eating the couch or a throw blanket. It's probably true.

Today I was seriously craving some sweets. Not unusual. So to appease the bf who also *loves* sweets, especially cupcakes I decided to bake some! Also I have not done any holiday baking yet so I added on some red sprinkles to try and be at least a little bit festive!






Yummy!

13 December 2010

30 for 30 Round Up - And the Things I've Learned

Here is a look back at all 30 of my outfits I made from only 30 pieces!!




Things I've Learned:

1. Despite the copious amounts I own, I don't wear much jewelry.
2. The wider the belt, the more I like it.
3. I don't own enough tights - pulling off skirts in this ever growing colder weather was tough.
4. I need to plan a bit more wisely if I was going to do this again. There are some items that I included just to try and stretch myself that would not include again and other items that didn't even make it into the 30 for 30 that I was tempted by for the entire month!
5. My "wonderful" gray pants are good for walking around, but if you plan on sitting they wrinkle REAL bad!
6. I tried to add splashes of color to my wardrobe during this challenge, but truthfully I prefer neutrals - black, white, navy, brown, camel and blue.
7. My hair is kind of boring. I don't know how to do much of anything exciting with it. I think I need to set up an appointment for a 1:1 tutorial with my hair dresser....oh wait that's right, I don't have a hair dresser! maybe that's my problem.
8. I became intimately familiar with the timer on my camera as I quickly found that my planned photographer (the bf) was not so keen on taking pictures when we got home from work...and taking them in the AM was totally out of the question.
9. Although I like the variety of backgrounds in the first ten outfit posts, I feel like the plainer background in the second half of my 30 for 30 showcases the outfits better.
10. Not shopping is bad for my stress levels. I found that I apparently use shopping as a coping mechanism and ended up spending more time in the grocery and drug stores rather than clothing stores during this challenge. I can't wait to get back to the thrift stores!!!

12 December 2010

FREE Sample: Shout Color Catcher

Free Shout Color Catcher Sample
I love this product. I always throw one in with new clothing being washed for the first time - especially dark wash jeans! Works like a charm!


25% Off Old Navy Online

Still have some Holiday shopping to do?
Old Navy is offerring 25% off online purchases today only!
And remember "Everyday Free Shipping" on orders over $50!
Click HERE to get started saving!

Once you get to Old Navy online, make a purchase. Receive 8 Points per dollar.

Day 30: and...DONE!




Tank Top: Kmart, Sweater: Gap, Jeans: Gap, Shoes: Apt.9 via Kohl's, Necklace: Gifted

Surprise. Surprise. I'm not feeling so hott today. My night out is taking it's toll this morning. So my cure - get up, get dressed (in something more than a hoodie - which I want to live in right now), pull myself together and go visit the parent's!
I know Mom will make me some tea and I've heard Dad's been baking lately! Yummy!