LRV Custom Creations

Jeans, 1.0 are finished and they aren't exactly what I had hoped for

2012-02-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

I will post pictures later on, but suffice it to say, I now have a really cool pair of denim trousers!! Nope, not relaxed fit, straight-leg jeans as most people would picture them, but definitely more the shape of dress slacks....Dockers, maybe. But, I did the bling and finished them up...left off the belt carriers because, at that point, I was annoyed about the fit and everything.

Next up:

Valentine's Day jumper for DD
Flannel shirt for DH
Vest for DH (?)
Red dress for me
Twirly skirts in St. Patrick's Day fabric and Dr. Seuss fabric for DD
Possibly another attempt at jeans for me (this time, non stretch, blue with gold top stitching)

Ok, so later than planned, but here are some pics of the jeans, version 1.0:

Butt

Butt bling, and side pocket bling....looser than planned, but overall, not that bad.

ready for some high-speed sewing

2012-02-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

Ok...if you read the blog, you can see that I'm entered in 4 contests....well, 3 now that the fabric stash reduction thread has ended.

This is, today is the 1st of February, and 2 of the contests started today.....and I'm still not done with the workroom cleanout!!! And one contest ends on 2/15.....well, 2 end on 2/15....argh!!!

So here's my current plan: work on bills tonight, double check tax information and prep it for submission. Tomorrow: drop kids off at school, move some boxes around in the workroom, then get back to work on the first pair of jeans. Get them finished and in the wash and start cutting out the red dress and men's shirt....BUT...have to stop by 1115 to make it to a noon dr. appt. which will hopefully result in a diagnosis as to why my right foot has been extremely painful to walk on since December.

Once done there, back to work on shirt and dress again....I have a goal with these two....to have the dress finished and properly fitted to wear out to dinner with my husband, and to have his shirt done before we actually get into consistently warmer weather...lol. I also want to make him a new vest since the ones I made him a few years ago no longer fit him, but that will happen if I get the other items done.

SO......plans are made, but that doesn't mean that I will meet all those goals...it just helps to have some idea of what I'm supposed to be doing - hopefully I won't have another "diddly-bupkus" day....you know, where you don't get diddly bupkus done for one reason or another.....

pink and black and POLKA DOTS!!!!

2012-01-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so they usually celebrate the 100th day of school at the elementary school. This year, they are also celebrating the 101st day by asking everyone to wear polka dots. This is because the school is doing a spring production of 101 Dalmatians. Oh joy!

SO....I looked through the clothing that my darling girl had and didn't see anything that would qualify for polka dot day, so....out for a shopping trip! Found bright pink fabric with black polka dots....perfect for my darling girl.

Here is the end result:

from top to bottom....goofy grinning child, back showing the black zipper that I used to avoid having to run out again, and finally, the reverse polka dot ribbon with pink button center.

She also has purple tights with Easter egg color dots all over them or white with red dots all over them. Oh, and I made a matching covered headband for her as well.

I really wish they'd give more warning, but at least this is done and she really likes it...yay Mom!!

skirt done...on to polka dots!

2012-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

So, as part of the Pattern Review (fabric) Stash Reduction Contest, I needed to reach 25 yards....well, that was my personal goal. I had a perfect pattern and discovered enough stashed fabric to make a lovely brocade summer skirt (too short to wear in cold weather...lol). It put me at nearly 26 yards, so...I no longer have to push myself to reach my goal.

Here's the skirt:

and a close up of the fabric used:

I am now working on a pink and black polka dot dress for my daughter. The school is doing 101 Dalmatians and they want children to dress in polka dots on the 101st day of school.....lovely. At least they gave me enough warning...lol....all that is currently left is to attach the bodice to the skirt, hem it and put in the zipper. She also wants me to make a matching headband....with attached dog ears {sigh}. I guess we will see if the headband actually gets made or not since between now and then we also have her belt test in karate for her purple belt and various other misc. things that need attention.

Happy sewing everyone!

And for those that love soft kitties and warm kitties and little balls of fur.......

the black one is my old man, Shadow (14+ years old) and the gray and white one is Seymour, the crazy kitten (2 years old)

de-railed and ready to de-stash

2012-01-26T18:32:00.000-08:00

Sewing has been derailed for a couple of days....my fault. I will be finishing up a skirt and working on a dress, then I will be pulling things out to sell as I destash my workroom. I'm not even upset about it, which is interesting.

I'm planning on going through my fabrics, beads, beading supplies, notions, buttons, ribbons, every dang craft supply that I have crammed in my workroom.

I'm hoping that, by de-stashing my room, I will have a little extra money to put into savings, and LOTS more room to work in.

I'm planning on sewing more for the family and for charities but I need the actual space to do the work......will post more tomorrow...skirt only needs a hem and a zipper, then I can move on to DDs polka dot dress for the 101st day of school.

dress is done...on to next project....

2012-01-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

SO....last night, well maybe it was afternoon when I started....it was whenever the Ravens still had a slim chance to pull off a win....so....

ANYWAY....I started cutting out New Look 6935 while the game was on. Got most of it done before bedtime and finished it today. The zipper nearly made me throw in the towel, but mainly because I couldn't get it pinned in place for some reason.

Here is the final product:

and a close up of the fabric (it's blue, turquoise, and purple, with gold accents....didn't come through as nicely as I had hoped):

And finally, the picture of the 15 double-layer fleece scarves I did yesterday morning (and yet, I am *still* tripping over a pile of fleece....curious to know just how much I actually had piled on my floor...hmmm...):

SO...that was yesterday and the dress was finished this morning. Time for lunch, then I will pick out what the next project will be....maybe something for me, maybe something for my daughter (yes, there are numerous projects stashed away for her as well...lol).

football loss leads to sewing progress...

2012-01-22T18:57:00.000-08:00

So, the Ravens screwed up left and right as the game neared the end....missed passes, fumbles, and a field goal attempt that I swear is the result of Cundiff being in the pay of the Patriots to throw the game......so....off I went to sew.

From the previous post, I started working on the New Look dress (the one that is in the first set of picture with the little pink jacket - I'm not making the jacket, though). It's all cut out, skirt is completely assembled, the bodice and bodice lining are prepped (darts and whatnot in place and basted, pieces pinned together at the shoulder). I ignored the giants-49ers game, but will check the score eventually....hoping that the giants had their butts handed to them....but back to sewing....

When the NL dress is finished, it will give me another 3.25 yards of stash out of my workroom. I've got more fleece that I will be cutting up to make double-layer scarves, which will eventually clear up floor space and lead to less tripping when I try to walk into the room...lol.

I finally got the Simplicity pattern (also in the first set of pictures from the previous post) in the correct size and that will be another 3 yards or there about...woohoo!!! So...time to head off here...watching a little bit of BBT before going to bed....will be sewing and hopefully getting projects finished and pictures posted tomorrow....happy sewing!

Since I'm not sewing right now, I thought I'd post what my future plans are...

2012-01-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

SO.....I've entered 4 different contests on Pattern Review and thought I'd post the patterns that I will be attempting to use. You've already seen the jeans pattern that is being used for the jeans contest - 2 different styles.....first one is near completion, but I needed a break from them for a little while.

First up is the "Fabric Stash Reduction" contest (1/1-1/31), during which we try to use up as much of our stashed/stored fabric as we possibly can. HOWEVER, the fabric has to have been in our stash for at LEAST 6 months to be eligible for this contest. I have MORE than enough fabric that qualifies for this contest, including some fabric that is as old as my daughter (8 years!!!), but I ran into roadblocks. The first was that some of the fabric I wanted to use hadn't been pre-washed, so that put a delay on my progress. The next roadblock was that one of the patterns I was planning on using was not the correct size....total suckage there, but I was afraid to make it in the smaller size since it's a lovely little pattern that I want to look perfect when it's finished. I set a personal goal for this contest of 25 yards being used up. As of this writing, I have used 13 yards, with 2 more projects that need to be entered, which *may* push me up to the 25, but I'm not sure....have to sit down and finish some things, enter the pattern reviews, then enter them into the contest tally. There are other items that I want to make....see below.....

Here are the patterns that I want to use between now and the end of the contest:

I don't know if I can get to all 3 of them, but the last one is the one that I have almost ready to go - fabric washed and pattern pieces cut out.

You've already seen the pattern that I'm using for the "Jeans" contest, which runs from 1/15-2/15....yes, overlapping with the fabric stash contest.

Next up is the "Red Dress" contest, which runs from 2/1-2/28. I thought I had a pattern that I liked, but of course, I didn't have any red fabric...or at least not enough. Fortunately, I was able to run to JoAnn Fabrics today after my daughter was finished with her Gifted and Talented class at UVA, which is where I found both the pattern I intend on using AND the fabric (and notions) for this contest. It is NOT my typical style of dress, but sometimes we need something new to get our creative juices flowing.

Here is the pattern that will be used for the contest:

No, I don't normally like any of the patterns that come with the "Project Runway" branding......simply because I find it hard to believe that any of the contestants are actually capable of making clothing that can transfer to daily wear...and no, I don't watch the show anymore...too snarky, too many silly limited item contests, and WAY too many prima donnas for me.

Finally, there is the "Challenge" contest (2/1-2/15), which in this case is a "Menswear" contest. Now, part of the rules states that it must be for an ADULT male, which is no problem since I've got one of those in my household (love you honey!), but another one states that it can NOT be an accessory....which led to the question of a vest....does it count as clothing or is it considered an accessory?? Got the ruling back that it counts as clothing. So NOW, I have 2 different things that I can make for my darling hubby. The first is a third version of the flannel shirt that we have both found MUCH more acceptable than store bought (seriously, tell me how only the sleeves of a shirt can shrink and not the rest of the shirt)....this is the pattern that I've used for the previous shirts and will use for the next one:

I may be making the vest from this pattern as well, but not 100% decided on this as I have another pattern that I've used in the past.

I have one more pattern that may or may not get used for the stash reduction contest:

We shall see how much progress I can make between now and the end of the fabric stash contest....though I'm not going to try and push myself because I've decided to spend some of my sewing time doing sewing for charities that I work with.

Well....that's enough for now....happy sewing everyone!

jeans - status report

2012-01-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

Sorry, no pictures yet. I've decided to go with the "basic bling" and just use clear crystals, simplistic design. HOWEVER.....I decided to add edge stitching and top stitching to the outside leg seams, so it's taking a bit longer than planned.

The description on the pattern said these were supposed to be "relaxed fit" and I'm REALLY hoping they shrink a little when I'm done and throw them in for a wash because....well, relaxed is one thing, loose enough to fit 1.5 of me in them is a totally different thing!!! And yes, I *did* go my my measurements and I *did* use the 1" seam allowances that the pattern called for. At this point, I'm too far along to go back a re-do all of the seaming, so I'll just keep plugging right along and pray for a positive outcome.

The one good thing about this experience is that, for the second pair, I know I can go down a size...lol. Will have pictures up once more progress has been made (outside seam stitching done, waistband attached, etc.)

Jeans, part 2 - Butt Bling

2012-01-19T05:45:00.000-08:00

SO....cruising right along here with my silver top-stitching...and that's going well. HOWEVER....butt bling....how much sparkle should there be...lol.

Here is the way it is RIGHT NOW:

small clear/white diamond crystal attached where the stitching lines cross.
Here are the options (other than just leaving it the way it is):

From top to bottom:

Small clear crystals where the stitching meets the sides of the pockets
small purple crystals where the stitching meets the sides of the pockets
medium green crystals where the stitching meets the sides of the pockets and finally,
the "mega butt bling": medium green crystals on the side and large turquoise crystal in the center of the "loop"....this is NOT my favorite, but still an option (I can just imagine how uncomfortable it would be sitting on that, so no, while not really an option, it was fun to see what it looked like).

Now for the front:

Top to bottom: medium green square, small purple square, small clear square, medium clear square - these are all at the corner of the "quarter pocket".

Finally, at the top of the front pockets:

top to bottom: large turquoise, large clear

I have yet to be able to find rivets, so I've given up on them and am going to use the "crystals" instead.

Oh, one last detail...the pocket lining fabric:

SO.....tell me what you think about the various "blingy" things and which you would opt for

Jeans, can i make a pair that fits better than store bought

2012-01-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we've established that I visit www.patternreview.com quite a bit and even enter contests on the site. I'm still trying to get more stash out the door by the end of the month, HOWEVER....now there's a jeans contest going on.

I tried to make a pair of jeans a year or so ago, but missed on piece that I needed, then discovered that I didn't have enough fabric to cut it out, so...out the door it went.
Here's what I'm working with:

I am starting with view D (upper right) out of black stretch denim with silver top-stitching.

I think it's going well so far....you tell me.....:

back pocket detail. Will be adding a little sparkly where the lines cross each other - that will be in the next post if I can get it done.

right front pocket with the little "quarter pocket"...all top stitching done with silver metallic thread

zipper stitched in...yes, marking are on both side...easier for me to just smack the tracing paper while pattern is still somewhat pinned in place....and yes, it wipes/washes right off.

plain left front pocket

I now basically have the front of the jeans done. I will take a picture of the fabric used for the front pocket linings and get them in the next post....good thing is that progress is being made, even though I'm taking more time to read and re-read through all of the directions...more to come at a later date

Next up....JEANS!!

2012-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the dress counted as part of a fabric stash reduction contest, and now there is a jeans contest going on. I have grand plans to actually make 2 pairs!! The first pair up is black, slightly stretchy jeans with silver top-stitching and a little bit of bling. The second pair is planned to be a boot-cut navy pair.

Of course, I also have to figure out how to decrease even more stash fabric between now and the end of the month....hopefully cutting back on the pile of fleece that I keep tripping over.

Onward and upward.......................

@!#%* embroidered linen dress is DONE

2012-01-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, the swearing is at myself (see previous post), but I think that, in the end, the dress turned out quite nice (though you can see my cutting issues where I didn't have everything lined up properly...oops).

This is the front view...LOVE how it fits and give the illusion of a waist...lol

close up of the bodice with the gathering and the pointed yoke...definitely emphasizes the bust while giving a waist, need the second part of that more than the first, but it's all good.

back view...also has the point, which I didn't do such a great job on, but which still looks nice. Liking the collar detail as well...not a straight, high collar, but a little notched bit...just another cute little detail.

Total used from fabric stash: 4 freaking yards!!! well, that's something anyway, right??

read the directions COMPLETELY you dolt!!

2012-01-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

No, that isn't directed any any of my followers. I was cruising right along on my lovely little dress and got ahead of myself. Read how to stitch together the right sides of the dress (has a side zipper, left side, obviously) and I kept on going and stitched the left side together as well.

Hmmmmmm

Didn't think anything of it until I went to try on the bodice for fit....yeah, um, there were obstacles in the way, and unfortunately, their size is determined by genetics, so they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. {sigh} Fought with the bodice and manage to pull it down, and it looks quite nice. Then came the struggle to get it back off again (took twice as long as getting it on), and a sit-down with my lovely purple seam ripper. The left side has been separated and a zipper located, so I will attempt to get it finished tonight, though there will probably be quite a bit of cursing going on.

Then the hem, which (I hope) won't take long at all. Pics WILL be posted shortly....if I don't make myself sick trying to finish this....sometimes I just need to slow the heck down and read everything completely and numerous times before starting off on a new venture....sheesh

Trials of working with linen

2012-01-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

Ok...first off, no pictures. Second, this is a short post.

I'm working on my lovely little dress and of course, there's gathering to be done on the bodice. WELL...linen does NOT like to gather nicely, no matter how it's been treated prior to cutting.

I foresee that this is going to take me right up to the start of the jeans contest, and I may have to rotate projects to get both the dress and my jeans finished by the end of the month {sigh}. I'm hoping that tomorrow I will be able to focus on the dress for most of the day as hubby will be at his eye doc in the morning and his nephrologist in the afternoon, with the time in between being spent on building a game table that we purchased and have kept hidden (it was supposed to be a Christmas present, but we completely forgot about it in the aftermath of our family vacation).

I will try to get pictures throughout the construction process, but I can't guarantee anything as there are a lot of ideas floating around in my head right now....later all

First project for "ME" of 2012

2012-01-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

So I am participating in a "fabric stash reduction" contest over at Pattern Review and decided I needed to work on some things that have been aging nicely in my storage closet. Well, the first choice was a no-go because the fabric hadn't been pre-washed...same for the second choice. That meant I had to pull things out and see what patterns were matched with fabric that was actually ready to be cut.

I ended up pulling out one of the options that I had for my 20th HS reunion (June 2010). It is a "retro" style pattern from Butterick, and I had bought some yummy light turquoise linen with darker turquoise embroidery. Yes, I simply bought a little extra fabric, then tossed the whole mess into the washer....then never got around to making the dress.

As you can tell from this picture, I am NOT making the halter version, but am making the version that has the cap sleeves. Sorry, but until I get back to a fit and healthy shape/weight, halters and I will NOT agree. What I really like about this pattern is the v neckline as well as the midriff panel...it gives it a nice shape that I hope will translate well with the fabric that I chose. And speaking of fabric, here is what I will be using:

Isn't it pretty?? I know, I don't usually do such girly things, but this was just too nice to pass up. Now, I've already made some changes to this dress, even though I've only gotten as far as getting the needed pieces cut out. The dress is supposed to be self-lined, but seriously, who wants embroidered linen right against their skin?? Instead, I rummaged through my lining fabric stash (sometimes the stash threatens to take over) and found one that I can use. Now that the dress and the lining bits are all cut out, I'm ready to sew.

I will probably start on this tonight or tomorrow because I have laundry to do (pre-washing the denim that just arrived for the jeans contest!) and household bills to take care of. Rest assured...this time I'll take pictures as I go along.

progress

2012-01-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't made as much progress in my sewing as I had hoped. HOWEVER.....I am almost back to my normal routine, which should make getting back to sewing a bit easier.

Bills have been paid as much as I can until the next payday, groceries have been bought and meals have been planned. Kids are getting back to their normal routine, though we did have an issue with our son this week and his poor decision making.

So far, I've made 6 sets of burp cloths in girly prints and am starting on the boy prints and the neutral sets. Next up I have fleece to get through....lots and lots of fleece. Some will be turned into blankets, and some will be turned into hats and matching scarves. With any luck, this will deplete the piles that have taken over my workroom floor.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm a day late...what else is new? Going to try to update more regularly, though I don't know exactly what that means since I've been hit or miss with just about everything.

One of my favorite sites is having a "fabric stash reduction" contest that started yesterday - I haven't cut a single thing yet because I'm still trying to get things back to normal after the family Christmas Vacation (Disney, first time for 3 of the 4 of us). My modest goal is 25 yards of stashed fabric turned into useful items. I'm hoping to make some burp cloths for Soldiers Angels - Operation TopKnot as well as some fleece chemo caps for my friend to take when her little one has to have his treatment(s) - not exactly for him, but for some of the other children that are in there long-term. That should deplete my fleece and flannel stashes, which will make my room look bigger and empty....but I also need to work on sewing down some of the continually growing apparel projects (for me, the growing children, the husband, gifts....). I will also be attempting to make some decent jeans this month (another contest, but it doesn't start until 1/15 and the fabric isn't even here yet, so it can't be counted as stash).

I am working on new items for my business and playing around with ideas for other items but haven't gotten the fine details for those yet. Pricing is difficult because of the cost of the items I am finding and the equation to find what I should charge. While I know I need to make a little money off my products, pricing them so that I can makes it seem a bit expensive, given the economy. However, I have figured out how to make "basic" versions as well as "deluxe" versions, so that will give more options and different prices....details to come later on.

Anyway, this is just a rambling way of saying I have plans! But we ALL know about what happens with plans...right??

May you have a wonderful and productive year!

Sewing and......not

2011-07-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

I had planned on having pictures of finished items to post....yeah, we all know the sayings about plans and good intentions....

Ah well. I was able to get in to see a dear friend (whom I haven't seen in WAY too long, but have kept in contact with)....after an hour massage with the most delicious lavender oil, I felt more at peace with things....more able to focus on what needs to be done, not just for everybody else in the freaking world (so it seems lately), but specifically for ME.

As a result of all this, I've pared down the items I will be making for the fall craft fair. I figure, if I'm not excited about making the items, nobody will be excited about buying them. SO....the things that have been cut out since last year will sit for another year. If they still don't excite me, then I will put the cut bits of fabric into a scrap bag to take to the elementary school, where either the art teacher or music teacher will use them.

I made some progress on one of the new items - hanging dish towels - and have figured out that I really do NOT like making aprons, but DO like making the little kitchen things like the dish towels, oven mitts, etc. That's what I will be working on for the next few days. I've also got some microwave steamers for ears of corn, potatoes, and tortillas, though I think I'm only going to make 3 or 4 of each of them. After that, I will re-evaluate again to see what needs to get done.

It may seem odd worrying about and working on things for a fall craft fair, but Ken's cousin is coming for a visit, and I would like to be able to let her stay in a reasonably cleaned up room...it's not a pride thing, more of a "don't move my piles, I know exactly what's in them" kind of thing. By reducing the piles, I'm less likely to have anything misplaced...lol.

I'm pretty sure that I'm done with both bath items and jewelry because they aren't selling....but we shall see this year....

baby steps of progress.....

2011-07-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

SO....Brady now has his drain out, but still has to wear his collar and custom t-shirts. He isn't allowed stairs until the staples come out next Monday, so I'll be sleeping downstairs all week.

On the hanging dish towel front, I was able to find single towels in different colors - at a reasonable price!! So, in addition to the white towels with the single color stripe, I now have red, green, beige, blue, and black towels that I can work with. I just need to decide on the fabric to make the hanging parts and all will be well.

But of course, as is typical in my life, I've already moved on to a different project...lol. This one is really one that can wait a bit, so once I finish the strip cutting, I will bundle it up and set it aside - it's going to be a quilt for DD. Now that I've decided on how I want the blocks to be and have made 2 already, I just need to cut the sashing strips and then I can bundle it all up - want to try and keep it a surprise for her for as long as possible.

I also need to get my butt out of the recliner in the evenings and either get back to walking again or get back to working at night. Got sucked into TV with hubby once again....it's not a completely bad thing, but when there's work to be done....well, it kind of undermines everything to be in a different room, away from all of my projects...lol.

Off to get dinner prep work done....light meal tonight since it's so dang hot....then paperwork to handle, then sewing to get done...oh, but Warehouse 13 premiere is tonight....dang......maybe I'll have him record it for me.....

pulling my hair out.....

2011-07-10T17:41:00.000-07:00

So, I was working right along on the items that I need to get replenished for the upcoming craft fair....the hanging dishtowels....when hubby asked me if I was only going to use white towels because they'd get dirty rather quickly....to clarify, I have white towels with single stripes of different colors (tan, blue, red, or green) and I was using different fabrics for the part that you use to hang it over the oven door bar. So....while I thought that I was making progress, I'm now in a holding pattern because my business brain took over from my creative brain as I try to figure out if the ones I already have planned will sell or if I need to bag these and find colored dishtowels to use.

Crap and double crap......so, I decided to take a break and start cutting strips and squares for the quilt that DD requested I make her. I have 2 squares done and enough cut out that I should be able to get most of the quilt top pieced. When asked what her favorite color was (purple, pink, or turquoise), she had difficulty deciding between pink and purple....finally she decided that pink was her favorite. So....the blocks have large squares of the floral print that we found, with small squares of turquoise, and strips of purple, and the sashing will be pink. Hoping that I have enough of the pink for the backing, but if not....I can always piece together the backing...lol. Not sure if I will tie it or take it to someone who can do long-arm quilting on it...not there yet since I just started piecing the blocks today.

I really shouldn't be taking this break, but until I can work out the issues between the business brain and the creative brain, I need to be working on something a bit simpler.....eventually it will all work out and I will get back on track - hoping no later than tomorrow because I've got quite a bit that I need to finish off....blah...

Chaos....and Inventory

2011-07-09T17:04:00.001-07:00

So....In preparation for the fall craft fair (yes, FALL, as in NOVEMBER), I decided to take inventory to see what I needed to focus my energies on. This is part of what the room looked like when I was in the middle of tallying everything.

Scary, huh?? And that's only 4 boxes of various items that I needed to go through!! I think, once I consolidated everything, I got it from 10 boxes down to 8....not a huge reduction, but it *does* free up a little more space in the storage closet.

Hard to believe, but it took me 1.5 days to go through all of the boxes, count everything, and figure out what I had enough of and what needed replenishing...phew!!

This is one of the piles of fabric that I had to go through...in front of the closet door are 2 more boxes - they have fabrics that I need for some of my projects, projects that are all cut out and just need to be sewn together, and patterns for even more projects....maybe I have too much fabric.....naaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Oh, also in the picture (the bright, glowing stripe to the left side) are the kiddos' backpacks for the upcoming school year - already loaded with everything that was on their supply lists! Yes, I know, it's only the beginning of July, but hey...one less thing for me to worry about, right??

Yet even more inventory that I had to go through! However...the white box was actually filled with packaging supplies (boxes, bags, tags, etc.), and the little Christmas tree box really DOES have a 2' tall Christmas tree in it!!

The other boxes on the futon are holding all the Christmas ornaments that i would REALLY like to sell this year - various sizes of "cupcake" ornaments as well as "stained glass" looking ornaments with scenes from the nativity on them, and some with script lettering on them. I think the prices were too high for a local craft fair, so I will be adjusting them a bit for this year. Hopefully, having a tree to display them on will help with the sales, though I *did* sell some last year - just not as many as I was hoping to sell.

Finally....this was a box of "baby sock cupcakes." I really don't need to make any more of these, but I *did* need to change the packaging and tidy them up a bit. I also made a few more "washcloth/spoon lollipops" (rolled baby washcloth with a plastic feeding spoon) and repacked the box. Phew.....this was actually not too taxing, so I was able to relax a little bit while I cahnged up the boxes....the clear ones just didn't look good to me anymore, and since Michael's carries boxes designed to hold 4 cupcakes...well, I just swapped everything over (with a little tidying up of the sock "cupcakes" to make the look a little nicer).

Now, the room is mostly back in order. I had really wanted to get some sewing done, but this was MUCH more important. See....now I know how many and which items I need to make between now and November, so I can plan it out, and mix in the kids' clothes as well as my clothes....it DOES all have a purpose...even if some people may think that starting in July for a November craft fair is a little ridiculous....trust me...if you knew me, you'd understand completely!!

resolution check-up....had to see how I was doing...how are YOU doing?

2011-07-07T05:59:00.000-07:00

So, back in December, I made these resolutions for 2011:

1-get back to daily workouts

2-learn more frugal recipes and cook double batches of meals so that we have them ready for nights when things are really crazy

3-work through the stashed fabric and actually finish outfits for myself and the children (DS just wants more cargo pants, but DD and I have enough outfits for whole new wardrobes....but all still in the flat-fold fabric stage...lol)

4-learn how to do more than make pickles

and from another group (still my responses):

1- to do better at planning so that we don't get caught between paychecks with little money in the bank

2-to spend less on spur-of-the-moment purchases

3-to go to the store without the children when I can

4-to make the clothes that I bought supplies for (mostly me and DD) instead of purchasing cheaply made things from mass-market stores

5-to learn how to make pet treats because store-bought ones are WAY too expensive

6-to learn how to can more things (though apparently the pickles are a HUGE hit) and how to do other preserving

7-to make double batches of certain meals so that we have them ready for those nights when things are just too crazy

8-to NOT have fast food in the house more than once a month

Now that it's July 2011, I thought I should do a little check-in with myself to see what still needs improving....

Part A, #1...daily workouts....yes, I'm getting back to them, even if it's mostly just cardio and Wii fit since my wrists are still sore and I still have no explanation for the pain.

#2 have tested probably a dozen or so new recipes.....1 was a total bomb, the others weren't too bad, and are getting added to the meal rotation list

#3 yeah, *SO* not there yet and #4 just waiting on the tomatoes to start making sauce....have 2 batches of pickles already done for the next year...might make more, depends on the verdict of the main pickle eaters in the house.

Part B, #1 have done pretty well with this one...only one time did things get really tight, but that was due more to unexpected issues that arose than my poor planning

#2 definitely doing better on this. It was hard when it was business-related purchases, so now I take the time to research the supplies and prices, figure out what I could actually charge for the finished product, then decicde if I can actually afford to do it....definitely saving $$ and stress this way

#3 so-so on this goal. When I have to do my *major* shopping trips, I tend to do them on the weekends or at night when my husband can be home with the kids. For quick trips, I take them with me, but we have the talk about WHAT we are going to the store for and that NO, they can't get toys/candy/etc. since we are ONLY going for specific items....it's working fairly well so far

#4 working on this...she's getting pickier about her clothing, so it might be that she needs her sewing lessons SOON so that she can see the time and such it takes to get things done properly.

#5-7 not so much...just haven't taken the time

#8 This is probably the hardest one.....we ALL have those days when we just don't want to cook, everybody is tired, but crochety about what they want to eat...blah blah blah.....I think we are down to no more than twice a month...and that has to be when things are really rough....it's working...kids aren't exactly happy about it, but it IS a money saver (not having fast food all the time).

So.....where are YOU in your resolutions???

sleep?? what's that???

2011-07-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

So, Brady is home, and we are all happy. Got grossed out when they showed us the lump they removed...he should be about 2 lbs lighter now.

I didn't get any sewing done because of the high stress in the house and trying to keep the children from going at each other....but I'm hopeful that maybe today I will at least get some things cut out.

Hopeful because...well...there wasn't a lot of sleep happening last night. DD is extremely upset at the vet for what was done to Brady (she says they made him ugly), DS only wants to love on him, but we won't let him because we don't want Brady getting too excited and such. DH slept downstairs with Brady last night, using the couch cushions as his mattress. Apparently, Brady decided to lay down in the kitchen, and when he woke up from a dream, couldn't figure out where he was and started howling until DH called him back into the living room. Alarm went off at 5am, so downstairs I went....to wake DH up so he could get ready for work, and to take over his place on the couch cushions......2 hours later I was awakened by a big dog head pushing into my side.

Not a lot of sleep.....even though I started upstairs, in my own bed, I was tossing and turning....waking up every few minutes it seemed....who'd have thought a dog would cause this much worry....odd, isn't it?

So....we are only going out of the house for the kids' swim lessons, then will be back home for the rest of the day - means no karate at all this week, but better no karate then a stressed out pup who might injure himself.

PROMISE to get some pictures of the current and upcoming projects so that this blog can go back to what it's original purpose is....after I take a nap.

Surgery day for Brady

2011-07-06T05:42:00.000-07:00

Took my goofy pup (he's only 7 so yes, he gets referred to as a puppy) to the Vet yesterday on the way to DSs appointment. At some point this morning, he will be having surgery to remove a lump on his chest......it had started as a loose fatty lump in the middle of his chest and over the past year or so, has migrated to under his left front leg AND it has gotten larger and harder....so.....yeah.

It was very quiet in the house last night, and both DH and I almost called Brady to go outside before remembering that he was spending the night at the vet's office....argh, we are so used to the big dope being right behind us whenever we go outside.

So.....as of an hour ago, he was happily wagging his tail and looking around at everyone, but the surgery schedule hadn't been decided yet. I verified that they would call me if they needed to and reminded them that there was only 1 hour or so that I wouldn't be at home, and to PLEASE try the cell phone if there was no answer at home...they said no problem.

I'm going to be moving all of Brady's toys and bedding downstairs because we don't want him to go up and down the stairs for a while....definitely not while wearing a big plastic cone around his neck. Now I'm thinking that I should make him a little lovey...yeah, I know spoiled dog...lol.

But, there you have it....that's my morning so far.....time to go be domestic. With any luck, I can get some more postings done since it's summer time....will have lots of patterns and such to review, I hope....and since the kiddos want to do Home Ec lessons, I will probably use their lessons as blog posts as well....have a great day....it's rainy here, but we still have swim lessons to go to

summertime

2011-07-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

So, it's July 5th....kids got out of school practically a month ago and will go back to school on August 23rd. What to do with ALL that time......well....to make it productive and prepare them for the next school year, here's what we do in our house:

Using "Summer Bridges" (since our local education supply store closed, I order them from Amazon.com), the kids do a page or 2 a day....not that long at all, to review what they should have learned during the school year they just finished, and to prepare them for the upcoming school year. They also have requested that we start with Home Ec lessons.....they are learning how to cook with minimal supervision and are having a blast. So far, their favorites are the cinnamon toast and scrambled eggs....lol. They are really looking forward to the sewing lessons because they have been BEGGING to use my sewing machine for months. Of course, we will be starting with simple straight stitches.....most likely making napkins for the first projects. DD wants to make skirts...DS isn't sure what he wants to make, but he wants to use the machine.

We also do weekly Bible study, particularly since we seem to be unable to make it to our church due to some behavior issues associated with having a child on the Autism Spectrum.

All total, this work should take no more than 30 minutes - an hour if they are having trouble with the work they are supposed to do. So....that leaves basically the entire day for them.....we have done exercises and weight training, they have been taking swim lessons, and we are learning about SHARING RESPONSIBILITY....something you would think that a 7yo and 11yo would have already figured out. Oy!! So far, we have covered folding clothes and putting them away properly....lol.....they have also figured out how to work together to get their chores done faster....yes, they both have chores that they are responsible for.

No real vacation planned during the summer because we have bigger family plans later in the year. However, they seem to be having a blast swinging in the hammock or playing in the backyard pool (temporary one that we set up every year). The progress that they are making in swimming is astounding.....can't wait to see what the end result is from these lessons.

SO....what do you do with your kids during the summer??? Do you work with them to prepare them for the upcoming school year?? Do you send them to camp? relatives?? just let them goof off??? Would really like some feedback on this.....

The ultimate in meal planning

2010-12-31T17:48:00.000-08:00

I had to share what I just discovered tonight. I did meal planning yesterday and got to Jan. 22nd...but I wanted more....so I did some grocery shopping for things that we use and that were on sale and/or that I had a coupon for.

Here's what I wrote on another site:

So, I sat back down to go through the food once again (I think last time I had planned through the 24th or 25th of December). Well....I think I might have actually gotten through January....not quite sure how it happened.....this will be SO awesome if it's true.....just need to verify meals with inventory to make sure I didn't schedule something that we didn't have supplies for (had help, and not sure they crossed off things as I mentioned them....limited attention span...lol).

So, once I figure this all out, you'll probably see a HUGE happy dance SweetPea on here.

Hubby decided we needed to go to Disney to celebrate his finishing his BA degree, we need to replace a sleeper sofa, I have to pay the $100 fee for him to receive his diploma....those are the major "long term" expenses that I'm working with right now, not to mention trying to build our savings back up a bit. So......now you can understand why I'm freaking out a little....this would be better than I have ever done before and I might just have a major mental freak out if this is correct.....the chance to actually put money AWAY.....too awesome

*followed by this update:*
Having done all of my dancing...lol...I have to tell you this....I have dinners planned through February 4th!!! Not sure exactly how I did this....guess I gave up planning when I got Christmas, but apparently there was a bit more in stock than I had thought.

NO grocery shopping in January other than for milk, bread, meds.....this should allow for saving up and for paying towards the family vacation....and for paying off the home equity loan (which is HUGE because once that's paid off, I can start looking for a replacement minivan....should have it paid off in a few months!!)

Phew....brain hurts...not sure how I did this, but wow

Just figured it out....since 11/4, I've spent a total of $571.61, but have gotten food for 13 weeks, which works out to $43.97 per week for a family of 4, plus 2 cats and a dog....WOW!!! I have managed to impress myself

Now THAT'S how you do it ladies!!

End of year round up

2010-12-31T11:58:00.000-08:00

Well, it's the last day of 2010 and I thought I'd look back over the blog. I've gotten a couple of new followers, missed SEVERAL months due to general distractions or personal antipathy, and have posted numerous recipes, both from my personal family cookbooks, or from some generous, kind-hearted friends.

So....the questions, as I've asked before is....does anybody actually read this thing, or is it just being written as a catharsis for me to deal with my crazy-busy-hectic life??

Whatever

So....There was Black Friday (I laughed because I haven't shopped on BF in years....and the most recent was an accident - I actually forgot it was BF and ran out to get shelving for DSs bedroom...crazy!). Did you find any bargains?? Was it *really* worth it to rush out early, stand in line with all those other people?? Eh, I prefer my method...get a cup of coffee, sit in the main part of the mall, and chuckle at all the people running around like crazy.

Then there was "the last shopping weekend before Christmas" where stores saw yet another boom in sales as those who had postponed their shopping tried to get gifts for all those people that they felt obligated to give gifts to. Please note the word "obligated" That is NOT what Christmas is about, yet it seems that is what society has turned it into....just another mass-market commercialized day in the year. {sigh}

Finally, there is the Day After Christmas.....HUGE discounts....what can I say, that one is harder for me to break that BF because that's when I buy the clothing for the children for next year. This year was NOT fun as I couldn't find the lined cargo pants and jeans that my sensory-sensitive son likes to wear. Managed to find them online - and still on sale! But it was still crazy trying to find them - apparently they aren't carried anywhere other than Old Navy...if anybody else knows where I can get them, PLEASE tell me!!!

However, thanks to a productive morning (up at 5am, out by 545am, not back home until noon...and I was out with my Mother doing her shopping and my shopping!!), I don't have to buy birthday or Christmas presents for either child!! I even found a few things for my husband....didn't look for things for myself this year as I'm determined to MAKE my clothes (have had some fabrics sitting in my storage for nearly 7 years...it's time to turn them into clothing). Once DSs pants arrive, my shopping (for presents anyway) will be 95% for 2011...how awesome is that??!!???

Now....groceries...oy! I thought I only had groceries to get me through 12/25....last major shopping trip was back in November....early November at that...lol. Well, I sat down yesterday and played with more meal plans, and it looks like I have most of January taken care of as well!! I *did* do some shopping yesterday due to sales and having coupons that matched with what was on sale. If I did as well as I think I did, I may not have to do a major shopping trip until sometime in February!!! WooHoo!!!! This is more than awesome....this is freaking mindblowing!!.......er....fudging mindblowing...lol

DS has discovered Sci-Fi novels, and was upset at the language used in just the first paragraph of the one he bought (gift card from grandparents...both kids thought it was awesome that they got to spend their own "money" for their books). So....we started substituting new words....

@ss=apple
b!tch=banana
sh!t=sugar
d@mn=donut

You get the idea.....but sometimes it's too funny...like when discussing our DDs behavior and it ends up being: she needs to stop acting like a spoiled banana....argh....it rapidly dissolves into laughter...yup, some interesting changes going on in the house

Well, I hope that you've enjoyed 2010...I will do my best to post more regularly in 2011...

New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

We all make them, some of us keep them....so what are some of YOUR resolutions for 2011??

In a couple of groups that I belong to, this question was raised, and since I responded there, I thought I'd post them here....feel free to add your own.....:

1-get back to daily workouts

2-learn more frugal recipes and cook double batches of meals so that we have them ready for nights when things are really crazy

3-work through the stashed fabric and actually finish outfits for myself and the children (DS just wants more cargo pants, but DD and I have enough outfits for whole new wardrobes....but all still in the flat-fold fabric stage...lol)

4-learn how to do more than make pickles

and from another group (still my responses):

1- to do better at planning so that we don't get caught between paychecks with little money in the bank

2-to spend less on spur-of-the-moment purchases

3-to go to the store without the children when I can

4-to make the clothes that I bought supplies for (mostly me and DD) instead of purchasing cheaply made things from mass-market stores

5-to learn how to make pet treats because store-bought ones are WAY too expensive

6-to learn how to can more things (though apparently the pickles are a HUGE hit) and how to do other preserving

7-to make double batches of certain meals so that we have them ready for those nights when things are just too crazy

8-to NOT have fast food in the house more than once a month

I probably should add in...become a better manager of my time. SO much of my time seems to be spent on things that, in the long run, are trivial....and not enough time is spent with my family or getting the things done that I need to do (to further save money)......ah, well....would be nice if we had just a 28 hour day every now and then, but.....

Spirit of Christmas

2010-12-18T15:56:00.000-08:00

So, it's Christmas time again....and the question is...what is Christmas all about. Yes, it celebrates the birth of Jesus. Given that we live in a materialistic society, it seems that Christmas has become nothing more than a retailers dream.....buy buy buy....with the children shouting gimme gimme gimme.

We should remember that it's about GIVING, not about GETTING.....God GAVE us His Son...what's so hard about that?

I'm not saying that we shouldn't have presents under the tree or anything like that, but we need to remember what Christmas is really about.

Oh, and since this is where I give frugal tips and hints and such...if you feel the need to give presents, why not do something that costs less, but means more. Give of yourself, give some of your time, make things by hand ......cut back on your list of who you "must" give presents to. And most importantly, give to those less fortunate than yourself. Keep in mind that, no matter how bad things might seem for you, there are always others that have less than you.

Christmas prep

2010-11-26T18:45:00.000-08:00

So, being as it's Black Friday...the biggest sales day of the year, supposedly, I thought I'd jump back online for a brief post.

When shopping for Christmas gifts:
-carry a list of the people you are buying for, their favorite colors, sizes, interests
-make sure you have noted which stores have what on sale and try to "cluster shop" meaning try to get to all the stores that are close together before venturing out to further locations.

If you cluster shop, you may be able to find things more inexpensive at one of the cluster stores than at one of the ones farther away (remember to take into account driving time, gas used, etc. when figuring this out)...yes, Store X might have that perfect sweater on sale for $10 cheaper than store B, but it's another 20 miles away, across a mountain, using a good amount of gas and then the time to drive there, find a parking space....just to get 1 sweater....really??!!???

Pre-plan for the next year!!

If you run into some "can't pass up sales" and have the money available, take advantage of them. Case in point: Target had long-sleeve sweaters for girls on sale for $10, they also had baby cord pants on sale for $10. I bought DD a sweater and pair of pants that she can wear this year, and another sweater and pants (different colors) for next year. Since she tends to grow slowly, they ones for next year might even be a little too big when next Christmas rolls around. I did the same for DS and pajamas....he grows in spurts and is already wearing 10s that will be too short by the spring (most likely)...so I bought him 12s for this year, and 14s for next Christmas (also on sale for $10).

Just remember to monitor your spending....you don't want to end up with a huge credit card bill just because you fond some great deals....they'll still be there, and don't forget the day after Christmas sales are only a month away!!

brief break

2010-10-25T04:18:00.000-07:00

I am in the middle of filling out my inventory needs for the upcoming craft fair, so I won't be able to post any recipes or whatnot for a few weeks. Please bear with me. If I can get caught up, I will post before the craft fair, but if not, those of you that are local to me, please stop by ExpoLand in Fishersville, VA on November 13th and 14th!!

And I'm still looking for more inexpensive recipes as well as feedback from those of you who have tried some of the recipes I posted!!

Yummy Soup!!!

2010-10-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

So, with the beginning of fall temps around here, it's kind of kicked me into "warm, filling food" mode...which means soups, stews, chili, and LOTS of baking (not really good for me since I taste as I go).

Last night, according to my family, the Loaded Baked Potato Soup was a grand slam, out of the park, why bother running the bases when you could just walk, kind of meal...yes, THAT good!.

Here is the recipe in it's original form, from the Diabetes & Heart Healthy Cookbook:

1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (russet preferred)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons imitation bacon bits
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup fat-free half and half
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sliced green onions (green part only)
1/3 cup shredded fat-free or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup fat-free or light sour cream

1-preheat oven to 350 F

2-pierce each potato several times with a fork. Put potatoes on a baking sheet.

3-Bake for 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a fork or knife.

4-Let potatoes cool for at least 10 minutes. Peel the potatoes or cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh. Put the potatoes or scooped-out flesh in a medium saucepan. Mash with potato masher until slightly chunky.

5-Stir in the broth, bacon bits, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 6-8 minutes, or until the flavors have blended, stirring occasionally.

6-In a medium bowl, whisk together the half-and-half and flour. Whisk into the potato mixture along with the green onions. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened.

7-To serve, ladle into bowls. Top each serving with cheese and sour cream.

Now.....for my version:

potatoes - any kind, as many as you want
3-6 cups of water (and 3-6 chicken boullion cubes....3 of each if you want a single batch, 6 if you want a double batch)
bacon bits
diced ham
onion powder
garlic powder
salt
pepper
1-2 cups half-and-half (again, depending on if you are making single or double batch)
3-6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (single or double batch)

Notice....not too many measurements here because, honestly, it is to YOUR family's personal taste. The version I made last night had NO accurate measurements for the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, or pepper....basically what I thought "looked right".

ALL the steps are exactly the same. I add the ham in step 5 and I do *not* add in the green onions, nor do I top with cheese or sour cream....nobody in the family thinks it needs these things.

Last night, hubby added pinto beans to his serving....I guess there's room for more improvement, alterations, but once again, it all depends on your own family.

Cheers! Larisa

as promised....more recipes

2010-10-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

So, I asked some friends for their favorite, easy, inexpensive and filling recipes, and here they are:

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti
1 box of spaghetti
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 small cans of Chicken Breasts ( believe the name is Swanson's)
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
1 pound of Velvetta cheese

Cook spaghetti and drain. While that is cooking, add all remaining ingredients to roasting pan or oven safe dish. Cut Velvetta into cubes. Add spaghetti and stir well. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Stir well when done.

Hamburger Tator Tot Cas.

HB Meat( or turkey)

1 small can of cream soup( I use cream of chicken but you use what you like)

tator tots

cheese

Brown your meat and add in soup( sometimes I also add corn here too). In a 9x 13 pan layer HB mix, tator tots, cheese.( Repeat layers until your pan is full or you run out) cook in oven on what ever your tator tot bag says to bake on. ( all your doing is cooking your tator tots)

Otherwise I do Beef Broccoli with left over beef (from the pot roast or grilled meats)

1 lb thinly sliced meat cooked to medium rare or so otherwise it dries out, c. of broccoli fresh or frozen, 1 c. carrot slices, 1 small onion sliced, 1 c mushrooms (optional for kids who hate them), 1 can beef broth, 1 1/2 TBSP Corn Starch, garlic, red pepper flakes, soy sauce

to 1 c. beef broth add corn starch and 2-3 Tbsp soy sauce and mix in, set aside. unless already cooked cook your meat set aside

to a wok or skillet, add 1-2 TBSP oil and heat to medium, add 1 clove of garlic (or 1 tsp of the already minced stuff in a jar) 1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes and cook until garlic starts to turn slightly brown. Add carrots and broccoli (if fresh) and cook 3 minutes, if using frozed broccoli add now with onions cook 2 minutes more, add mushrooms cook until softened. Add the beef back in and heat through. Add beef broth and cook until slightly thickened. serve with white rice.

We eat this alot because it's great for leftovers, is fast and easy.

I love to use my crockpot, especially when I'm running all day.

I throw a chicken, potatoes and carrots in the pot with some water, whatever seasoning and it's ready at dinner time.

Chili! Very easy! Get the packet of chili seasoning at the store and follow the back. I will add sausage to it sometimes too.

Pot roast in the crockpot too.

All these I spend maybe 20 min in the morning. Then I will usually make a salad and have dinner rolls with them

tacos and spaghetti are quick and easy enough....you can also get pre-cooked fajita meat.....slice some onion and bell pepper and saute til tender.....takes about 10 minutes!

2lb hamburger 4c mozzerella 2 loaves french bread

slice loaves lengthwise and hollow out......brown hamburger (season to your liking...can also put in spaghetti sauce or maranara sauce)....mix in cheese.....put in hollowed out bread.....brush top of bread with garlic butter....wrap in foil and bake 10 minutes at 350*.....open foil and allow to brown....pair with chips or a salad depending on how you season it....serves 6.....we tried this the other night....i only used 1 loaf....fed 5 of us with one big slice left over!

super quick and easy! ranch bean casserole

3 cans ranch beans (if you're not in the south you will have to use chili beans)

1 bag fritos

1lb grated cheddar

mix beans and chips til chips are well coated....put in greased 9x13 pan......top with cheese....bake at 350* til cheese is melted......serve with sour cream and salsa

easy chicken parmesan

1 chicken breast per person

1 jar maranara sauce

1lb grated mozzerella

bake chicken til almost done......top each piece with maranara sauce......bake for 10 - 15 minutes....top each piece with mozzerella....bake til cheese is melted....serve with green beans or a salad

buy the premade meatballs......place in 9x13 pan.....bake according to pkg directions.....during last 15 minutes of baking time top with maranara sauce.....during last 5 minutes add cheese.....bake til cheese is melted......again....serve with green beans or salad (we eat a lot of green beans and salad!....lol)......the left overs are great for making meatball subs

my fav easy (vegetarian) dinner is baked ziti....cook a box of pasta, add a jar of sauce, sprinkle with cheese, put in the oven at 250 until cheese is melted....and voila! yummy goodness! (I usually heat up the sauce before putting it in the oven, and add some veggies if I have them on hand, and italian seasoning....)

1lb smoked sausage (ekrich's sp?)

2 cans green beans (i know....there she goes with the green beans again!....lol)

2 cans new potatoes

slice sausage into a sauce pot.....add green beans and potatoes (with liquid)....heat to boiling....serve

veggie/beef casserole

1lb hamburger

1lb grated cheddar

1 can each.....cream of chicken, cream of mushroom and cheddar cheese soups

1 lg bag frozen veggies

brown hamburger and drain.....add remaining ingredients except for shredded cheddar.....mix well.....top with shredded cheddar.....bake at 350* til cheese is melted....you can also substitute tuna for the hamburger and also add two cups rice

something we came up with....."mixed up mommy" and mixed up daddy"....lol....dd named them....lol

1lb hamburger

1 onion chopped

1lg potato chopped

for mixed up mommy you need one pkg taco seasoning....for mixed up daddy you need one pkg chili seasoning

brown hambruger.....add potatoes and onions.....cook til tender.....add seasoning mix and mix well.....top with a layer of shredded cheddar (yea...i know....we eat a lot of cheese too....lol)....serve as is or put in a 9x13 dish....cover with cornbread mix and bake til cornbread is golden

upside cornbread....similar to mixed up daddy....omit the potatoes and onions....put in a 9x13 dish.....cover with shredded cheddar......top with cornbread mix....bake til cornbread is golden

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb of ground beef (turkey would be fine as well)

flour tortillas (taco or burrito size, doesn't matter)

1 can cream of mushroom

1 can cream of chicken

1 can enchilada sauce

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: preheat oven to about 460, brown and drain grease from ground beef and put it back into the frying pan, put the cream of mushroom and chicken and the can of enchilada sauce in with the beef and mix all together until there are no lumps. Line a 9x13 non stick baking pan with torn up pieces of torillas, then top with a thin layer of the beef mixure, then a thin layer of cheese. Repeat (torn up torillas, beef mix, cheese). Then bake in oven until top of cheese just begins to brown.

Let it cool before serving and enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1bag- frozen meatballs

1jar frame jelly

1 jar Chilli sauce (usually found by the ketchup)

There is no exact measuring in this. Put the desired amount of meatballs in the crockpot. In a sauce pan on the stove add to tasted the grape jelly and chilli sauce. Simmer on low until grape jelly is more like a sauce. Poor over meatballs in crockpot. You can serve with mashed potatos and use any extra sauce in the crockpot as a gravy or you can add the meatballs to hoggie buns and have meatball sandwhiches.

Hope some of these work for you!!

fast dessert...only 1 recipe

2010-09-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

Really quick....need a dessert that doesn't take a lot of time?? Here you go:

Chocolate graham cracker pie crust
LARGE package of INSTANT chocolate pudding (do not use the kind you have to cook!)

Mix pudding per directions for pi (2.5 cups of milk instead of 3, I believe), pour into choc. pie crust, cover and chill.

That's it!

Serve with whipped cream if desired....we don't let our kids have the whipped cream since they have enough sugar in the pudding and crust....well....not when they are having it as a snack before bed.....and even our 10yo can make this...7yo probably could too, but she says the bowl is too heavy for her to hold and pour...whatever...lol

how's it going?

2010-09-28T07:01:00.001-07:00

So....I did some quick posting yesterday and will continue to look for recipes in my free time. There are also recipes in my February posts.

I'd love to get some feedback if you use any of the recipes - particularly YOU, Rebecca...lol.

If anybody has any recipes that don't take all day, are yummy, and can boost your image in the kitchen, please go ahead and post them here or in your comments.

Today it's all about catching up with housework, so I will be back later this week or next week.

more easy meals

2010-09-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Crunchy Taco Salad

1 lb ground beef or turkey (buy what is on sale, with the seasoning, you can't tell the difference!)
lettuce
salsa
tomato
tortilla chips (or doritos!)
chili beans in chili sauce OR taco seasoning

Brown beef/turkey and drain. Stir in chili beans or taco seasoning and water and simmer about 10 minutes. Divide lettuce into 4 servings and spoon a portion of the meat on top. Top meat with salsa, tomato (and cheddar cheese, green onion, and sour cream if you prefer), crumble tortilla chips (or doritos) over each salad.

Beef fried rice

Remember that left-over pot roast???

Shred pot roast leftovers. Cook and chill rice (depending on the number of servings you need). Heat beef in skillet lightly coated with oil (olive or vegetable or whatever you prefer), and add soy sauce to taste. Stir in cold rice, and whatever vegetables you h ave on hand (yes, I use leftover veggies in this all the time). If you don't have leftover veggies, grate a carrot and dice a small amount of onion. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Balsamic chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 onion, sliced (or more if you prefer)
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Heat oil in skillet and add chicken breasts and balsamic vinegar. Cook chicken thoroughly. When chicken is done cooking remove from skillet and set aside. Add onions to skillet and saute until tender. Add chicken back to pan and re-heat. Serve with rice or pasta and a veggie.

Turkey-Broccoli Casserole (great for Thanksgiving leftovers!)

2 10oz packages of frozen broccoli
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
grated cheddar cheese

We cook our broccoli before making this because the first time I followed the recipe exactly, the broccoli wasn't cooked all the way...might have been the old oven, but still...ick!

So...cook broccoli (or at least heat thoroughly!). Preheat oven to 375. Layer broccoli in a 12x8 inch baking dish. Spread turkey evenly over broccoli. Mix soup with milk until smooth and pour over turkey. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken with beans and rice

If you have leftover chicken, this will make good use of it! We sometimes have a whole roast chicken as a meal, and this is one way I use the leftovers so that we don't get bored.

Leftover chicken
Zataran's family size red beans and rice or black beans and rice

Cook beans and rice as directed, adding diced, cooked chicken as it is approaching a boil (really, as soon as you have the rice, water, and spices in the pot, start adding the chicken). Once all the chicken is added (use as much as you like), cover and cook as directed on the rice and bean package.

This is a fairly fast and filling meal. My children are fairly picky eaters and both of them love this!

Shrimp and fries

Another fast and easy (and inexpensive) meal....not gourmet, but better than fast food!

Pre-cooked, de-veined, peeled shrimp or easy-peel shrimp
french fries or tater tots

Cook shrimp until pink (or simply re-heat if they are pre-cooked). Meanwhile, cook fries or tots as directed on package. Serve with salad.

*if the shrimp are easy peel, I would suggest thawing them before tossing them into the water...makes it a LOT easier on your hands if you are peeling them cool instead of boiling hot - my kids freak out if they have to peel their shrimp...go figure .

3 Easy and yummy meals

2010-09-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, for my friends who want to actually cook meals instead of microwaving them....or who don't cook at all but want to start, here are some of the ones that I use on our hectic nights:

Ravioli with tomato sauce, salad, bread

Buy store-brand meat ravioli and cook as directed (I say store-brand because it tends to not be as spicy as name brands and costs less....I can't have spicy food)
Buy your favorite tomato/pasta sauce and heat over low while ravioli cooks
Make a fresh salad - or buy the bagged salad mixes which is what I do in the fall/winter months
Use regular bread with butter and a little garlic salt (if you prefer), or have rolls or biscuits (yes, I use the canned most often)

Roast beef/pot roast

If you have a slow cooker, this is a definite plus, but there are several oven-bake options as well (roasting bag and seasonings already packaged together - we've found that these have a lot of salt, however).

I tend to get a 4 pound roast, which yields enough for a pot roast dinner with leftovers to make beef fried rice and maybe a few other meals.

Thaw roast
Place roast in slow cooker with a small amount of water, Worcestershire sauce, onions (quartered) or else use dried minced onions, and whatever seasonings you like
Turn on low cook for 8+ hours, cover, and walk away.

By the time you get done with your workday, your house will smell wonderful and you will have your dinner nearly ready. Nearly because, of course, you need a vegetable or 2 to go with the roast.

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp (either precooked, deveined and peeled, or uncooked will work)
garlic (or dried minced garlic)
olive oil
chicken broth (or white wine)
thin pasta noodles
Parmesan cheese

Heat a small amount of the oil in a skillet and saute the garlic. Add shrimp and cook until done. If using pre-cooked shrimp, heat thoroughly. Meanwhile, cook pasta until tender. Drain pasta, add shrimp (in oil and garlic) and toss. Serve and top with a squirt of lemon (if desired) and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Getting it all together

2010-09-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been nearly 2 months since my last post....I'm going to start making notes on my schedule to post at least every other week.

A friend of mine from our "Mothers of PreSchoolers" days mentioned how she didn't understand how some people could turn out gourmet meals......she doesn't really cook much.....so......yeah, you guessed it...lol.

I will be posting over the next few weeks (I hope) some recipes that don't take a lot of knowledge or time, and don't require any special equipment (I don't consider a slow cooker special equipment, but you might). All of the recipes will be fairly inexpensive, easy to make, filling, and ones that will try to increase your cooking confidence (Seriously...how impressed with yourself will you be if you go from not really cooking to making shrimp scampi and have it taste like it was made in an upscale restaurant??!!).

Please give me your feedback and post any of your favorite recipes as well!

saving on kids and food - part 4, kids and clothing

2010-08-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

So, both of my children are in elementary school (last year for my son...wahhhh!), and clothing is starting to become an issue. Not that they are asking/demanding/throwing a fit, but just that they are noticing more. Personally, I have never been one to bow down under peer pressure to wear only certain brands of clothing, and I am doing my best to raise my children to be the same. Right now, they get most of their clothing from WalMart, KMart, Target, or wherever I find decent, appropriate clothing on sale...most often clearance. As they are still growing, I find it senseless to spend more than $10-$20 on ANY piece of clothing, except for winter coats. Walmart shoes, while inexpensive, are the choice of both children because they have learned that, when they outgrow their current pair, it's not going to break the "mommy bank" to go out and get another in the next larger size. They also know that, if they want a certain label, they will either have to save money from their allowance (more on that in another post), or wait until it goes on sale, at which point, it might not be in their size (but they also might have gotten over the "need" for the item).

If you've been to the stores recently, you will notice that fall/winter clothing is starting to hit the floors, and summer clothing is starting to go on clearance....this is the time to buy for NEXT year. Yes, I know....let's use my daughter as an example....we just did the pre school closet/dresser clean-out (for both children), and she ended up with almost NO summer clothing left. Fortunately, there was a good sale going on and I found her some shorts (in her current size) for less than $4 a pair. I bought her 2 pairs in her current size as well as some in the next size up....seriously...if I waited until next year, instead of $4 a pair, I would have had to pay $8 a pair....nope, not me. Bathing suits are the only thing I hesitate to buy early...simply because they don't always fit correctly, and you can't tell that without trying them on...and DD doesn't like trying a ton of clothes on unless it's something she wants...lol. So...I tend to wait until we need them to get them, and I force her to go with me.....avoids the possibility that the seemingly demure 1-piece is actually a butt-thong, high-leg tramp suit.....don't get offended....I'm talking about a bathing suit for a 1st grader!!!

Keep your child's favorite colors and interests in mind if you aren't taking them shopping with you (safer and cheaper if you don't take them with you) and you can usually get them a good amount of outfits (mix and match if you really work on it) that will last the school year. For my daughter, we have gravitated toward pink, purple, and turquoise/light blue. She can mix and match nearly her entire wardrobe, which actually means less clothing we had to buy, and more outfits because of all the versatility of the pieces. Buying basics can also help save money....a few good pairs of jeans, some plain skirts or jumpers, and some neutral sweaters and shirts and you have the general idea. Of course, if you have a girly-girl, you need to add in a special dress or 2....and that means that besides sneakers, you need some dress shoes....and tights in addition to socks...

For boys, at least if they are like mine, you will need jeans, sweatpants, short-sleeve tshirts, long sleeve tshirts, sweaters or sweatshirts, 2 pairs of slacks (dockers work fine), sneakers, and dress shoes, plus dress socks in addition to regular sport socks.....

ALL of these items go on sale throughout the year, but make sure to ALWAYS check the clearance sections before heading right to the main clothing section (case in point, though about my husband and not my children - he needed new dress shoes and I was hunting for a good pair. All the ones in the main section were $45 or more, but then I stumbled on the clearance section - not clearly marked in the store I was in - and found a pair of dress shoes, in the size he needed and style he wanted, for $13!!!)

Have fun and see shopping as an adventure....think of how much fun you can have while actually SAVING your family money.....make it a game...set a limit (and this also goes for groceries) and see if you can get everything you need for that amount...or less.....

saving on kids and food - part 3, kids and food

2010-08-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

Ok...this is really more for those who have school-age children....let's start with lunches since my children are already begging for all the dyed, sugared, CRAP that they see in the store.

Be smart and read the labels....my children like yogurt, provided it's a "crush cup" or "gogurt"....but not all products are made the same. If your child has a food allergy, please keep that in the forefront as you buy these products. Now, since yogurt is fairly healthy (I say fairly because so many that are marketed towards children have a mess of things that we don't need, but that make it more appealing), I tend to purchase it for my children - but, only if it is on sale or if I have coupons (bonus if I have a coupon AND it's on sale). Don't be afraid of purchasing some if it is near the expiration date. Instead, put it in the freezer! When you pack it in your child's lunchbox, it will stay cold and be edible by the time lunch time comes, and you are actually "extending" the life of the yogurt by freezing it (really just slowing down the decomposition/spoiling, but still, getting more days that it will be good to eat).

When you want to pack fresh fruit (and this will probably draw criticism), opt for the small packages of pre-cut apples. They will stay fresh longer, and you won't have as much getting thrown away because of the apples being "brown" (why children can't get that the apple still tastes the same is beyond me, but if the apple is brown, my children won't touch it). Buying large bags of baby carrots is a better bargain because you can divvy them up into smaller bags for single servings. At some salvage marts, you can even find small containers of peanut butter for rock-bottom prices, and those can also be used as part of the snacks (a place near me was selling them for $0.10 each, and the containers are fairly decent sized - enough to have a small apple with and maybe even have some left over!).

If your children want to purchase lunch from school, like mine do, one thing that might work for you is to have them choose a few days a month, with meals that they REALLY like, with the understanding that they will be packing the rest of the time. When my children bring home the lunch menus, I go through it with each of them (separately works best) and mark which day each child wants to buy (by using their initial). Some days, even if they want to buy, they don't get to - barbecue and corn dogs are days that neither buys because I know the food will just end up getting thrown away, and that's $2 in the trash...not in my house...lol. Set a limit....I've said that $20 per month, per child is the most I will pay for lunches...so that means each child gets no more than 10 school lunches in a month....that's the most...which means half bought and half from home....most often, they choose less because they would rather see what snacks I have packed for them :-)

Be reasonable....don't expect children to want to try new things in their lunch....the old stand-by in our house is PB&J, but of course, if there are allergies, don't use that.... When you send in a thermos, fill it part way with the drink (water, juice, even milk) and put it in the freezer the night before. In the morning, finish filling it and pack it in the lunchbox - it will stay cold until lunch. As with the family dinners, try to make sure you have a variety of foods...proteins, carbs, etc....peanut butter has protein, as does lunchmeat, but sometimes there are additives that our children don't need...be smart, read labels. A typical lunch for my children (from home) will include a sandwich (usually PB&J), either some fresh fruit or veggies, juice, and either cookies or crackers. Before you get indignant, the cookies are most often homemade, which means I control the amount of sugar in them instead of purchasing the processed, additive-filled cookies from the store. On special occasions there might be a small piece of chocolate in their lunch as a surprise (birthdays, most often).

If your children are older, have them help with making purchases for their lunchboxes as well as making their lunches. By the time they are in 3rd grade, they should be able to tell what an acceptable lunch is and pull the items they need to make it. Because I have my children work with me to get their lunches together, they are less likely to ask for junk and more likely to make smarter choices when we are at the store or packing....like meal-planning, it just takes practice and consistency!
.........clothing up next.......

saving on kids and food,-part 2, food cont'd

2010-08-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

Start planning....keep in mind your family schedule...you don't want to plan a meal that takes long to cook when you have activities planned that get you home later than normal....those are the nights for simple meals - soups and sandwiches, a roast that's been cooking all day in a slow cooker, something along those lines (and yes, sometimes our family does chicken nuggets and french fries because they are fast and easy, the kids will eat them, and it gets everybody back on schedule when we have late nights).

If you do a roast and have a good amount leftover, it does NOT have to stay as a roast. You can add the leftovers to a vegetable broth with fresh veggies and have a yummy soup; throw shredded roast in with cooked (and cooled) rice, some soy sauce, veggies and you have a beef stir fry; slap some on some bread, add cheese and heat, and you have a quick and delicious sandwich....there really are LOTS of recipes you can use to turn leftovers into completely different meals. The trick is to go through your cookbooks (or find recipes online or check out some books from the library) and have some ready to go.

Remember to have variety...while you might like red meat several nights a week, most people's bodies can't properly digest a huge amount....alternate with poultry (ground turkey instead of ground beef in spaghetti makes a healthier meal with little to no taste difference), seafood, or even meatless meals (3-cheese tortellini in marinara sauce, for example), and change up the vegetables as well....don't always have broccoli or some other vegetable as you and your family will get sick of it...alternate....have fresh salads every few nights, introduce new veggies every now and then (a big one in our house is the California blends either plain or with cheese - these are broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots..nice and healthy).

Those are the basics.....as you get more confident, you can add salvage stores to your shopping routine - GREAT discounts on the supplemental foods - side dishes, condiments, drinks - but seldom on meats.....now, take a deep breath and get started!.....Next up...basics of saving on the things kids need....

saving when it comes to kids and food - part 1, food

2010-08-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

So, it's almost time for the kids to head back to school...time to get ready to start saving in a pretty big way.

I have been meal-planning for well over a year now (after a brain-fog induced break of about 3 years), and the money I've managed to save has allowed for us to pay off a car, reduce the amount of our home equity loan by a huge amount, and upgrade some thing that we normally stick to the lowest level of (kids shoes, for example). A friend of mine recently asked if I was still working on saving money and then asked if she and i could sit down one day so that I could show her how to get her grocery budget under control. With 4 children, I can see where she's coming from, so I said that once the kids were back in school, we should get together and I'd sit down and show her what *I* do, understanding that it won't be exactly the same for her.

So, here's the basics to get going on meal-planning and saving money.......

Initially, it will require a little bit of time because one of the key components of getting this to work is knowing what you already have available to you. So, a couple of days before you are ready to shop, you should start taking a food inventory. Yes, I said a couple of days....if you try to do it all in one day, you will end up tired, frustrated, annoyed, and ready to trash the whole plan. Start with 1 of the following: pantry, fridge and attached freezer, cabinets, or...if you have one....a separate freezer. Just plan on taking the inventory of 1 of these...if you get to more than one, consider yourself in bonus-land! Since I've been doing this for a while, I can take inventory of all the places we store food in less than an hour. You are NOT taking stock of things like salt, herbs, spices, oil, etc., but instead are looking for the bigger ingredients, side dishes, etc. (soups, pasta, veggies) as well as main ingredients (beef, seafood, poultry).

Plan on your initial inventory day(s) to total about 3 hours of work....you need to be fairly accurate when taking inventory so that you don't find yourself in a jam later in the month. For example, instead of writing ground beef, write "3 lbs ground beef". For me, I tend to purchase the value packs that weight about 5 pounds and divide it into separate ziploc bags of 1 pound each (or thereabout since my small kitchen scale seems to keep hiding from me...just make the amount in each bag close to equal). This way, you can see that, depending on the recipes used, you can make 5 nights of spaghetti, tacos, hamburger stew, or other recipes that call for 1 pound of ground beef/hamburger.

Ok, now that you've gotten an accurate list of what you have (and hopefully you have like things grouped together - makes things MUCH easier! - try putting all beef together, all pork, all poultry, all seafood, all veggies, then misc), it's time to see what you have and what you need to purchase....well, almost......this is where you can take 1 of 2 paths. The first is to start planning meals based on what you already have without seeing what is currently on sale at the local grocery stores. The second path is to set your inventory aside and go through the circulars from the grocery stores, making a list of what they have on sale (which is what you are going to be buying more of than anything else).

I switch back and forth between these 2 steps depending on what we have on hand when I do my inventory (which, after you've done your first month of planning doesn't take anywhere near as long!). Currently, I have meals planned out through 8/23, mainly using what we had on hand, with minimal grocery purchases. Payday is coming up, though, so it's time for me to double-check what we have left and plan as far as I can, then go through the circulars and coupons to prep for the next grocery run.

So, say you want to go the circular route first. You need to have your inventory out as well because, if you have a lot of poultry, you don't really want to buy too much more, especially if your beef inventory is small or non-existent. Go through ALL grocery store circulars, even if they aren't stores you typically go to....if they are stores you pass in your daily travels, even if you haven't shopped there before, make a note of what they have on sale that you will use. That's a BIG thing...a bargain isn't a bargain if the item will just sit and not get used by the family. I tend to have a notebook with me when I go through the circulars and I have a page for each grocery store where I write down everything, including the price, that I'm interested in buying (it also helps if you note the brand...like NVgranola bars for Nature Valley instead of just writing granola bars - makes for easier coupon matching later).

Once you have your potential shopping lists done, do a quick read-through to compare the prices at each store - cross off the ones that are most expensive, but make sure they are identical items....don't cross of steaks at one when another store doesn't have steaks, but has roasts...make sense?? Now you start your planning. You should do your best to have a meat, veggie, and carb at each meal....sometimes it will be difficult (especially if you have picky eaters), but do your best.

By now, some of you are probably ready to give up because this is too hard or takes too long, or you have small kids and no time....baloney! Kids sleep, and you can do this in little chunks of time....or, it mustn't be important enough....Our grocery bills have been cut in half (if not more) since I started doing this on a regular basis....that's a decent amount of money (say, close to $500 a month) that I have been able to put towards paying off debts....your choice.

Ok....try to have a variety of meals during a week - heck, you can even start by just planning for a week to get used to meal planning. Also, remember that leftovers are our friends, not something to wrinkle your nose at, then toss when they go bad. If you have children, try to keep their tastes in mind, but do NOT cater to them. They need to learn to try new things, and in our house, the rule is that you must have at least 2 bites of something. If you don't like it, you are more than welcome to make yourself a PB&J...but nobody will make it for you.

contd...................

Summertime chaos

2010-07-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Wow, sorry to have not posted anything since March. I looked back and that was around the last craft fair, which always leads to craziness, then the end of school, and summer travels, as well as summer school work for the kids, and house repairs for my and hubby....it never seems to end.

Anyway, we are getting tighter with our grocery budget, not really because we are more financially limited but because hubby will be starting a new job and will be "buying back" his prior govt (military) service, which means that we need to have the money ready. By doing this, he'll be applying his military time towards government retirement, which isn't a bad thing.

In the meantime, I'm up to my eyeballs in new craft items and trying to keep the children relatively safe this summer, while taxi-ing them to swim lessons, etc. wow....seems like it wasn't that long ago that summer vacation started, and now it's already almost over.....but before school starts back up, there are: doctors appointments, vet appointments (new kitten), teeth to be extracted (DD again), paperwork to be filled out, lessons to learn, sewing to be taught, recipes to be experimented with.....wow.....

Competitive?? Me????

2010-03-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, I've been told that I'm competitive....ok, I'll own up to it in some respects. However, I find it hard to believe that "competitive" is often the first thing that people think of when they hear my name. Now, of course, I'm entered in a "fabric stash busting contest" on one of my favorite websites - Pattern Review.com. Well, the contest started in February, but I was busy working on business-related projects then, so I couldn't really get to clearing out my stash. It ends on the last day of the month, and I'm trying to figure out how much stash I can actually work with and get cleared out. But competitive??? Nah....see, if I was competitive, I would be furiously working to catch up to the leader, who has over 70 yards of finished projects entered in the contest.

I'm actually having fun and not even worrying about trying to win. It's pretty cool to just sew and clear out fabrics that I've had for a long time (years in some cases). Of course, there is always more fabric and more projects....what I need is more time to complete all that I want to do....lol.

Will be working at the local craft fair/show this weekend, so new sewing until Monday because I'll be too wiped out. Then I have to upload all the new items into my Etsy store....so maybe no sewing until the middle of next week....crap... Of course, I could always just say the heck with the contest and just get to work on the summer items that I have for myself and the ones that DD picked out for herself (too cool having my 6yo pick out her patterns AND her fabric!). I also have fabric to make 2 pairs of cargo pants for DS, but I think I'll wait until closer to the end of summer for those - he tends to really shoot up over summer vacation, probably because I decrease his ADHD meds and increase the food available for him (and allowing him to graze all day probably helps as well!).

So....not sure what the point was to all this....just random brain drain, I suppose. I will be trying to finish off the rest of today's wall (MBR, wallpaper), which really should only be 3 more strips of wallpaper, but a lot of cutting around things (lightswitch, smoke detector, door moulding, etc.), so more labor intensive than it really needs to be. Want to start looking for artwork to put up on the walls because it looks SO huge and empty now that it's lighter, but hubby says we should wait until the room is done before looking at artwork. We've already vetoed Surrat, Dali, and Degas. Cassat isn't high on the list either. I'm thinking Monet, but that might be too light for a room that is already done in light colors....maybe VanGogh.....of course, these would all just be prints.....and there's always the other option of "whatever I find at: Target, Ross, Michael's, TJ Maxx"....lol

night all

Sewing and such

2010-03-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

So...the Spring craft show is this weekend. I spent last week sewing like a demon and wound up sick with a serious head cold, and have now given up on any more business sewing. But, since sewing is also one of my ways to kick back and relax, I've resorted to delving into my fabric stash and am making clothing for both my daughter and myself. It's nice to be able to work at my own pace and not have a deadline that I'm racing to reach.

So far, I've made my daughter's Easter dress as well as a test version of it (she's very petite and I didn't want to make a dress only to have her swimming in it), a dress for myself, and 2 skirts for myself. I will finish a smock dress for her tonight, and will move on to a skirt for her and a button-up top for myself....maybe tomorrow, maybe Thursday.

So, I'm pretty sure this only applies to a few people (the sewing part), but the bottom line is that sometime, you have to take a day or so and just do what you love, so that you can get back to being balanced. There are days when it seems like all you do is give, give, give, or take care of everyone but yourself. When you realize that you are having all your days like that, it is time to take the chance to reset so that you can be a better you. Seriously, if you aren't taking care of yourself how can you expect to take care of anything or anyone else??

My family, I know, appreciate all that I do around the house, even though they don't always say thank you - when I stop doing something, they notice. The same can be said when you stop taking care of yourself. My children and husband noticed that I was no longer enjoying my sewing and that I was getting edgy and upset and were wondering what the problem was....that made me sit back and re-evaluate. Sometimes you need to do that....you NEED to do it for yourself AND for your family.

I'm finding that I am actually enjoying sewing clothing again....it's nice when the stress if lifted. I'm also finding that I'm enjoying relearning who I am and what I enjoy. I have learned that I do NOT really like wallpapering a huge bedroom, but will finish it because I started it. I have learned that I actually like cooking from scratch, but don't mind whipping out a batch of cookies from the fridge section of the grocery store. Another thing that I've learned is that I'm my own worst critic and I'm slowly figuring out how to relax towards myself.....lol. So, I no longer stress out if I can't get all the laundry washed/dried/folded in a day, which is pretty cool...lol.

Take time for you and you never know what new things you might discover!

wondering......

2010-03-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

...if anybody is even bothering to read what I write since there are seldom any comments. It's a little disturbing, but then again, I can always take the view that writing here is cathartic and not really care if anybody reads or not.

Regardless, I have sent off a box of samples to be reviewed by a video blogger who reviews Etsy shops. Now, I sent the box on the 2nd and she still hasn't received it, but then again, she lives in Canada...still, it said 5-10 days...argh. I'll call tomorrow since the only info on the USPS website is that it was accepted on the 2nd..whatever. Also getting ready for the Spring Craft Show at Expoland (Fishersville, VA) on the 20th and 21st. I think I've done all the sewing for that....at least all that I can fit in without making myself totally sick and stressed. I'm hoping that this will be a great show - the fall one was MUCH better than I expected. I have some new items and more of the items that sold out in the fall, so I think it will all work out. Right now I'm debating whether I should price everything separately, or just have my price lists out like I've had at the last couple of shows....will ponder this for a little while (I have small price tags, so that's not the problem....going through EVERYTHING and tagging it might take a while, though).

Dinner was not a home run tonight. Hubby had asked if, should the price be acceptable, I could get swordfish and cook it for dinner. Ok, found some at a decent price and that's what we had tonight, along with Alfredo pasta and peas. Well, first off, DD protested loudly that she did NOT like peas, followed by her stating that the fish smelled funny. No, it wasn't bad, but she's used to tilapia, salmon, or catfish, so yeah, I could see where she was coming from. We have a house rule of "2 bites, then get PB&J" so we reminded both children of that. DD ended up with her sandwich. Having never had swordfish before, I was not sure of what ot expect, but hubby said that with a little lemon juice it is fantastic...therefore, lemon juice was put on before I even tasted it. Ok, so it wasn't too bad...definitely different from the flounder and other fish I grew up eating. However, hubby made the comment that he didn't think it was frozen while at it's freshest, so he wasn't too impressed - not at my cooking, but at the fish in general. Hey, we tried it, but we are now thinking that if we want good seafood, we should wait until we are actually closer to the sea (living in the Shenandoah valley has it's perks, but fresh seafood is NOT one of them!).

So, the discussion about dinner went into a discussion about when I was younger and how I used to go fishing with my Nanny or crabbing off one of the local docks. That then led to a discussion about family vacation and possibly introducing the children to fishing and crabbing the way *I* used to do it....well, not on the Rt 50 bridge because it would be too distracting for a 6yo and a 9yo (one of which deals with ADHD)....but maybe near my mother's house. SO I've called her and she is going to check to see when the rides open up in Ocean City and when the park that she works for opens back up (Easter weekend, I think), she's going to check the fishing/crabbing schedule and we will go from there. Now, we could go up for our DSs birthday or we could wait and go up for hubby's birthday...so we are still trying to figure out the logistics. More than likely, this will be our only family vacation that is more than one night away from home, given the finances and job situation - nothing bad, just things are up in the air right now - so we want to really give it some thought.

And that's pretty much my thought process for tonight....time to head off, get the kids' their snacks and get them to their rooms, then I'm going to play with fabric....for me and the children, not for my business.....

Money Saving Recipes - Goulash

2010-02-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

3/4 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 (10 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 1/2 cups penne pasta (or large elbow macaroni)

1-In large skillet, cook ground beef with onion and carlic until beef is browned and onion is tender. Drain well and add pepper, oregano, soup, green pepper, and undrained tomatoes. Stir well and simmer uncovered, for 10 minutes to blend flavors (feel free to leave out the green pepper if you choose).
2-Cook pasta until almost al dente. Drain and stir pasta into mixture in skillet.
3-Bring mixture to a simmer; simmer, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender and mixture is blended. Serve immediately.

Money saving recipes - Beefy mini pies

2010-02-01T17:35:00.000-08:00

1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated flaky dinner rolls
1/2 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded colby cheese (or cheddar)
2 eggs
1/3 cup light cream
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove rolls from package and divide each roll into 2 or 3 rounds. Place each round into a 3-inch muffin cup, pressing firmly into bottom and up sides.
2-In a heavy skillet, cook ground beef with onion and garlic until beef is done. Drain well. Place 1 Tablespoon beef mixture into each dough0lined muffin cup. Sprinkle cheese over beef mixture. In a small bowl, beat together eggs, light cream, and dill weed. Spoon this mixture over beef in muffin cups, making sure not to overfill cups.
3-Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until filling is puffed and set. Serve immediately, or flash freeze in single layer on baking sheet. When frozen solid, wrap, label, and freeze.
4-To thaw and reheat: thaw pies in single layer in refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until hot.

Money saving recipes - egg rolls

2010-02-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Egg Rolls
1/2 pound ground pork
1 carrot, shredded
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon mustard
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water
1 (12 count) package egg or spring roll wrappers
*to make dipping sauce, mix 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 Tablespoon mustard, and 1 tablespoon vinegar*

1-In a large skillet, brown ground pork until almost done, then add carrot and galric and cook for 4-6 minutes or until pork is cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat, drain well, and add green onions, cabbage, soy sauce, and mustard.
2-Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl and blend well.
3-To form egg rolls, place one wrapper, point-side down, on work surface. Place 3 Tablespoons filling, 1-inch from corner. Brush all edges of the egg roll with cornstarch mixture. Fold point over filling, then fold in sides and roll up egg roll, using cornstarch mixture to seal as needed.
4-Fry the rolls in peanut oil heated to 375 degrees for 2-3 minutes, turning once, or until deep golden brown. Egg rolls may be frozen after frying; flash freeze, then package and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat fried egg rolls: place frozen egg rolls on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and hot.

*note: for the shredded cabbage, you can buy a coleslaw mix, or go even less spicy (my family has 2 who can't do spicy and 2 who love spicy) and use broccoli slaw. Yes, they make broccoli slaw - shredded carrots and broccoli. My children actually ate more of these than they did the ones made with any form of cabbage.

Money Saving Recipes - Master baking mix

2010-02-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

So...I mentioned some recipes that my family uses, and I thought that I'd post them so that others can use them. The first is the mega-mix, which can be used for everything from pancakes to cookies to cakes.

One large batch (roughly 29 cups)
5 pounds of flour (whole-wheat, oat, or all-purpose)
2 1/2 cups dry milk (powdered milk flakes)
3/4 cup double-acting baking powder
3 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
1/2 cup of sugar
2 pounds vegetable shortening (4 2/3 cups) - also known as Crisco

1-Sift dry ingredients together*
2-Cut in shortening so that mix looks like cornmeal
3-Store in refrigerator if using whole-wheat or oat flour. Room temperature storage is ok if using all-purpose white flour.
4-Use the master mix in your favorite recipes that call for a baking mix, or try one of the following recipes:

Biscuits: 3 cups mix, 3/4 cup water, blend and knead for a few strokes. Pat out and cut. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes (makes 1 dozen).

Pancakes/Waffles: 3 cups mix, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups water. Blend. (makes 18 pancakes or 6 waffles - depending on amount of batter used).

Muffins: 3 cups mix, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup water. Mix water and egg, then add to dry ingredients, mix and bake at 400 degrees for 15-25 minutes (depending on the size of the muffins). Makes 1 dozen medium-sized muffins. Try substituting juices for the water. You can also add nuts or raisins. Experimentation is definitely encouraged with these muffins!!

Gingerbread: 2 cups mix, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Beat egg, water, and molasses, then mix with dry ingredients. Pour into greased (or sprayed) 8"x8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Drop cookies: 3 cups mix, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/3 cup water, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup nuts and/or chocolate chips, mix. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes (makes approximately 4 dozen).

Coffee cake: 3 cups mi1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 2/3 cup water, blend. Pour into greased 9" round pan and cover with topping of 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (1/2 cup nuts and/or raisins are optional). Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

Yellow or Chocolate cake: 3 cups mix, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3 eggs, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon vanilla (plus 1/2 cup cocoa for chocolate cake). Blend sugar into mix. Beat eggs and water and add half of mix. Beat for 2 minutes and then add rest of mix and beat again for 2 minutes. (for chocolate cake, mix cocoa with dry ingredients). Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes (2-8" layers).

Cornbread: 1 1/4 cups mix, 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal, 1 egg, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1/2 cup water. Mix and pour into greased 8"x8" pan or cornstick pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

Shortcake: 2 cups mix, 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 Tablespoon sugar. Mix and knead a few strokes. Roll 1/2" thick, cut into 3-3" cakes or bake in 8"x8" greased (or sprayed) pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

* to sift dry ingredients, I use 2 sifters - a large one and a small one to sift all things together before cutting in the shortening. The smaller one is handy in actually breaking down the milk solids into smaller, powdery bits similar to the flour, etc.

part 3 cookbooks and such

2010-01-31T13:08:00.000-08:00

In part 2, I mentioned a cookbook that I use quite a bit....and then forgot to tell you what it is. The cookbook that I use for egg rolls and beefy mini pies is called : The $7 a meal cookbook by Linda Larsen (touted as a Pillsbury Bake-Off Recipe Tester). I got mine from BAM! (formerly known as Books-a-million) and it is well worth the price. The first chapter is all about cooking on a budget and addresses topics such as your spending habits, "The indispensable list" (this would be the inventory of your pantry/cabinets/freezer that I mentioned in previous posts), how to use coupons, etc. She then goes on to present recipes for appetizers and sauces, breads, breakfast on a budget, beef, chicken and turkey, pork, seafood, vegetarian, pasta, sandwiches, soup, chowder, and chili, pies and pizza, vegetables and side dishes, and desserts. All of which can be made for $7 or less!!! How awesome is that?? The last 2 chapters are devoted to an equivalent's chart and a food preparation glossary.

Trust me, I was doubtful about purchasing this cookbook because, in today's society, how likely is it to REALLY be able to feed your family for less than $7?? Well, I'm definitely convinced that it *IS* possible!! The 2 favorite meals for my family - egg rolls and beefy mini pies - are actually in the appetizer section and cost $6.56 and $5.64 respectively. Now, this is following the recipes exactly. My family doesn't have a huge need for shredded cabbage, however, so sometimes the cost of the egg rolls is a little higher due to buying packaged col slaw mix or even broccoli slaw (not as spicy as coleslaw mix, and my family actually ate more of these than of the original ones). We also skip the cream sauce for the beefy mini pies, which cuts the cost of making those (yes, the first time I made them I did the sauce, and hubby and I liked them, but the children didn't....they taste just fine without the sauce).

Ok, so I've given you 2 of the cookbooks that I use when working to cut the family budget, so let's take a look at cookbooks in general. Do *NOT* fall under the belief that you can never have too many cookbooks (even if you are a graduate of culinary school!!). Something that goes hand in hand with cost-cutting and such is clutter control...odd, but really, it does. I will admit, I seldom found a cookbook that I didn't like, and if I didn't get it for myself, it usually found it's way via a family member as a gift. Recently, I began what could very well be a 9 year odyssey of creating a cookbook of family favorites. Really, it isn't for me because *I* have the original cookbooks - well, some of them - but it will be for my children for when they move out on their own. It is part of my plan to raise children who can at least take care of the basics (house repair, clothing repair, car maintenance, at least 7 meals, preferably more), and I decided that since my oldest is in 4th grade, I should probably get started on it. While working on this project, I discovered that a LOT of my cookbooks only had a few recipes that I relied on. I decided it was time to clear out the underused cookbooks and free up some more space (space that can be better used to store cooking supplies bought in bulk!! See, told you they were related!!).

So, I have started the family cookbook and have gotten down to 8 cookbooks that I use regularly, They are: Betty Crocker cookbook: Betty Crocker Microwave cookbook:, The Joy of Cookin:, $7 meals, More With Less; Don't Worry, Dinner's in the Freezer; Eat for Life (I think that's the title - it's from the Body for Life program and has GREAT recipes in it); and Where's Mom Now That I Need Her? (sadly, I have found that this is no longer available....this gets the least amount of use because of the high fat and sodium content in the recipes, but it also addresses clothing repairs, home remedies, etc. and it had a companion book called Where's Dad Now That I Need Him?...also one thatIi haven't been able to find lately).

I will probably clear more of these out as I continue to add to the family cookbook (currently being saved on the computer for those times when I actually have an hour to sit and write). You may be more comfortable having tons of cookbooks, but once you start meal planning and actually keeping in mind the foods that your family likes, you will find that you have the recipes memorized and don't NEED the books to help you out.

I have found that it is best to always have back up meals - macaroni and cheese, tv dinners, etc. I know, you are probably gasping in shock right now, but let's be real here....there are going to be nights when the last thing you want to do is cook a meal that you then have to remind the children that YES, they HAVE had it before and YES they DID like it (sound familiar to anybody out there??). While not the healthiest, it is hard to beat tv dinners for $1 each, or pot pies for $0.69 each, and sometimes you need a little spontaneity in your meals and you KNOW the kids will love you for it...lol. Spontaneity....like tonight...we are supposed to be having balsamic chicken and really, after shoveling the driveway, clearing off the cars (ok, hubby did most of the driveway), and running errands, I really don't feel like dealing with it....so we are having beef stew....from a can....GASP!! with potato rolls and cookies that I baked (with DD) as dessert.

No, I'm not perfect, and sometimes the plans have to get tossed out the window because life throws a curveball (like this past week when my 6yo DD ended up with a broken nose due to a playground accident)....nope, didn't follow plan there....or maybe we did and it was just a quick and easy meal...see, I'm still a little foggy about everything from Thursday afternoon up until this morning. Anyway, the point is not to seek perfection and be a coupon maniac (like the people we hear about getting hundreds of dollars of groceries for $20 or thereabout), the point is to save YOUR family money while cooking mostly healthy foods for them. I don't subscribe to the idea of perfection because there was only ever one perfect person, and that is NOT me. We are all human, we all will have times of failure and success....don't beat yourself up if dinner consists of hungry man dinners and juice boxes...sometimes that's what you need because you get to spend more time with the family.

Take a look at what you have been spending on groceries....for us, it was $1000 every month. Decide how much you want to be able to save every month - it sometimes helps if you decide that you want to save a certain amount so that you have it to put towards paying off a bill (this is how I paid off my van, bought in 11/2004, by 2007...yep, 6 year loan paid off in 3 years). I decided I wanted to cut the groceries in half...down to $500 a month, so that we had more money to put towards my van and the credit card that we had outstanding at the time....so I did the work. Now, I average between $400-$500 a month, with birthday months being a little higher since the children get to choose their meals and desserts.

The one thing that will probably be your biggest block is your disbelief and doubt. You are probably reading and saying that there is no way I have the time to do this, or there is no way this is really worth it and no way it really works....um, yes, it does, yes yes yes....did I mention that the groceries I bought for this month were bought with NO coupons being used??? If I had taken more time, imagine how low the final cost would have been!!

So, the real question is this: is it worth $500 to take 4-6 hours (the first month only) to take inventory, shop the circulars, and hunt the coupons?? If not, enjoy overspending and wasting food. If yes, by all means, leave me a comment or ask me a question and I will keep posting the things that work for me and my family!!

Meal planning contiunued - 2

2010-01-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

So, you have your list of what is on sale at the local stores. By the way, now would be a good time to mention that I typically shop at 3-5 different stores, depending on if the savings is worth the little extra drive (little because 4 of my favorite stores are located right near each other and the 5th is located close to the elementary school my children attend).

There are many meal planning calendars available for free online. The ones that I use (I have a weekly and a monthly that I fill out and keep for referring back to) came from http://organizedhome.com, but there are others out there (MealMakeoverMoms.com has a weekly one for lunch and dinner). Since I only plan our dinners, I use the sections for breakfast and lunch as "buy" or "have" sections - based on what recipes I choose to use for each dinner.

Figure out your schedule and the meat rotation, and then add in vegetables or other sides, making a note of what you already and have what you need to buy. It is easy to plan meals based solely on what the stores have on sale, but you also want to add in your coupons (also found in the Sunday paper and at various online sites, including ones for specific stores - sometimes).

Ok, are you scared yet?? Did I mention that our family was spending in excess of $1000 for groceries and my last run (last night) only totaled $266?? Hopefully, that savings makes your fears go away. Does it take time?? Yes, the initial month takes a good deal of time...but you can do it over a few days....inventory the freezer/fridge one day, the pantry/cabinets the next day, and shop the circulars on day 3...shop on day 4...whatever works best for you. When I restarted shopping like this (last year), my first month took me a total of about 6 hours, including matching coupons up to everything that I had on my list. It now takes me about an hour.

Here's where the savings start. Say you see whole chicken on sale for $0.89/lb. Buy 2 if you have the room. Even if you think there's NO WAY you and your family will eat an entire chicken, go ahead and get one. Now, the first time you have chicken (btw, it takes about 2 days, sometimes more for a frozen chicken to completely thaw out, so be forewarned), you will have a roast chicken - seasoned the way your family likes it. For us, it's an olive oil rub with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper and sometimes a squirt of lemon juice. Cut off as much meat as you can, eat what you want/need. The next step is to boil the carcass for broth (and to remove the little bits of meat still on the bone). Keep all the meat in a storage container in your fridge or freezer and the broth in a pitcher (I add seasonings while cooking the broth, but you don't really have to). With me so far?? You have 1 chicken meal and 1 pitcher of broth. Next, plan to use the leftover chicken in at least 2 different meals. One that goes over well in our house is chicken with red beans and rice. You are probably thinking I'm nuts to do this meal from scratch....I don't. I buy a Zataran's family size box of red beans and rice (less that $2 and it not only feeds my family at dinner, but also gives my husband at least 1 lunch to take to work), and while it is boiling, I shred some of the leftover chicken into the pot - this way the chicken also absorbs some of the seasoning. That makes 2 meals from 1 chicken...not too bad, huh??

Now, since you have the broth, why not make some homemade chicken soup (especially in the winter months!!). Again, you already have the main ingredients - broth and meat - leftover from that one whole chicken you bought. Another option is chicken stir-fry....fast, easy, and filling and will use up a good amount of remaining chicken meat. Just add cooked and cooled rice, whatever vegetables you have on hand (we've used shredded carrots, cabbage, broccoli slaw), soy sauce, and if you choose, 1 egg. Now, remember that whole chicken you bought at $0.89 per pound?? You just got 4 meals from it, with some leftovers for you or your spouse to take to work (cutting down on the expense of eating out). Pretty cool, huh??

The same can go for pot roasts, though not exactly the same recipes. I do our pot roasts in the crockpot and let them cook all day...house smells great and they end up SO tender! One meal is pot roast with whatever sides I chose (usually potatoes and salad), one night we have a simple meal of beef and gravy over either rice or noodles, another night, I make vegetable-beef soup, and the final night could be beef stir fry or beef eggrolls (another great recipe I found in a cookbook...details later). Again, 4 meals from 1 cut of meat. These are actually bargains that are made even better when the store has a "Buy one, Get one free" deal going on (one of mys tores does this regularly).

Value packs...are they really worth it?? Yes and no. If you and your family don't like pork, it makes no sense to save $.20 per pound for a family pack of pork chops when they will just sit there and get freezer burn. However, if you can handle pork chops once a month, it is a good deal when you can find them on sale (my family doesn't really like pork, but after a month of nothing but beef and chicken, I wanted something different). Value packs of hamburger tend to be pretty good deals. Remember, hamburger isn't just for burgers and meatloaf, it can be browned and used in stew instead of stew cubes, spaghetti, lasagna, egg rolls, shepherd's pie, etc. Really, it all depends on your family and your eating habits.

But what about breakfast and lunch???

Well, since both children are in school, they eat breakfast with me every morning, and we have discovered that generic cereals and pop tarts are actually less expensive and taste just the same as the name brand ones - even if we DO have coupons!! So, I make sure to have at least 3 different cereals and 2 different kinds of pop tarts on hand, plus we have store brand pancakes and waffles that can be heated in the toaster or microwave. Ok, not very healthy - well, not as healthy as cooking every single thing from scratch, but hey, we ALL have busy lives, and this is about saving money on food, not anything else.

Lunch is typically PB&J with fruit and a juice box, however, sometimes they want something else. That's when coupons and such come in because both children like to take hot soup in their thermoses when it's cold outside and my son has started taking ramen noodles to school (always VERY cheap). I also make sure we always have lunch meat, cheese, and bread on hand and lots of fresh fruit for them to choose from. Yogurts are bought on sale and with coupons and are a hit with both kids. The key to kid's lunches is to make them both healthy AND fun...and by no means should you completely restrict sweets. Just don't make sweets a regular part of your shopping or lunch-packing routine, and it will all work out. When the holiday candies come out, every now and then, drop one in your child's lunch...you can make a bag last for weeks and weeks by doing this, and it won't really add to your grocery bill, but it may make your child believe that you think they are special (c'mon, we all think our children are special, but kids being kids, they often need tangible proof).

I did forget to mention one important thing...pay your mortgage and any other major bills BEFORE you do your grocery shopping!!! This way, you won't fall behind on payments and you will know exactly what you have available to spend on food and still keep some in the bank for emergencies.

Feedback is always welcome...and if you have tips you'd like to share, by all means, send them to me and I will make sure to mention them and give you credit!!

Am I really that strange??

2010-01-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

So, I went out to do grocery shopping last night - the night before we were supposed to get more snow. Yes, ok, that was a little odd, but WE didn't *need* bread, milk, eggs, toilet paper, *WE* needed the monthly supply of groceries.

Yes, I said "monthly supply" as in, I do one major shopping trip a month, and fill in with swing by stops when we are running out of milk. While I actually like grocery shopping (especially if I can go by myself and actually take my time), I have figured out that shopping once a week, or even every 2 weeks, still makes the groceries a larger par of our budget than they need to be.

At one point, we were spending well over $1000 EVERY month in groceries, and a lot of that was ending up in the trash because nobody wanted to eat leftovers or else we forgot what exactly was in each storage container. So, I started meal planning. I wasn't exactly new at this...back when hubby and I were living in NY with our newborn son (2000) we were living of less money, but still had a mortgage and a car payment to worry about, not to mention the bills for the utilities, medical expenses, etc. How to cut costs....lowest cable service we could get and actually have more than 3 channels, lowest phone service that still gave us long distance since we had no family living nearby, and planning every single meal possible!!!

So, flash forward and we now have 2 children, both in elementary school, I'm still at home taking care of the family and running a small business that really feeds my creative needs. Hubby is still making more money, but as anyone with kids knows....as children get older, they seem to get more expensive as well. Now, besides the mortgage, a car payment, bills for utilities, etc. we also have expenses for each child to have one outside-of-school-activity. Cut down on gas by having them take lessons at the same place (one does boxing and one does karate). Oh, and because we took a rather long break from being conscientious about our spending and the current house needed some serious repairs, we also have a home equity loan hanging over our heads.

It's now 2010 and I have been back to meal planning for about a year now. I am really only planning our dinners, but the cost in expense is astounding! On this most recent trip, I went to 2 stores (the 2 that had the most on my list for the best prices) and completely forgot to take my coupons (whoops!). After the 2 stores, my total for the groceries was $266 - and that's for a family of 4 with 2 cats and a dog!!!! Yes, I still need to pick up some seafood items, but they are at a different store and at 9pm, I was pretty much tired of the people who were freaking out over the storm and acting like morons to everyone else that was shopping, so I came home.

Since the last store is close to the elementary school, I will head there Monday morning and pick up the last few items (including cat food, which means that this weekend, the cats get dry food)...I still don't see going over $300.

Now, the title is because people (friends and family) can't seem to figure out HOW I do this and seem to think I'm rather odd because I do my shopping this way.....am I *really* that strange for wanting to save the family money AND have a good variety of healthy meals??? I don't think so.

How do I do this?? That's the question that *everyone* (and yes, that means family I haven't seen in years as well as friends that I see regularly) keeps asking me. In reality, the first month is the hardest, and each successive month gets easier and easier.

First month of meal planning: TAKE INVENTORY!!!! Of your freezer, your pantry, and your cabinets. Since hubby is totally on board with me shopping like this, our anniversary present to each other was a deep freezer, which is housed in the garage. Now, I know some of you can't do this, but there's a great book available (I bought a copy from amazon.com after I had marked so many pages in the library copy that I wanted....it ended up being cheaper to just buy my own copy. The book is called "Don't worry, dinner's in the freezer" and is by Jill Bond). I say this is the hardest month because of the time you have to put into it. In order to save money, you NEED to know what you already have....and don't be too upset if you find that you have 3 bottles of vegetable oil, 1 of olive oil, or multiples of other items.

Ok, once you have your inventory, it's time to start your shopping list. ALWAYS make your shopping list before you make your meal plans!! Make a note of what is on sale at the grocery store(s) from the Sunday circulars. I usually have a couple of notebook pages: meat, seafood, produce, frozen, misc. and write what is on sale with a notation for which store (M for Martin's, K for Kroger, etc.). That is your main shopping list because that will save you the most money. If you meal plan BEFORE you shop the circulars, you will always spend more money - pork roast isn't on sale this week, but you already planned a meal for it....can increase your total bill significantly.

Ok, so now you have your main list and you know what you already have on hand. In my family, eggs are the big thing these days. My son had a severe egg allergy for years and only recently tested negative, so eggs are always here: omlettes, pancakes, cookies, etc.....they all require eggs. Buy eggs in the 1.5 dozen packs and you don't have to add them to every single list....or whatever your family goes through on a regular basis.

Next step is actually planning the meals. As I said, I only do this for dinners and I use our family schedule to dictate the complexity of the meal and the cooking time. There are 2 nights that we know will be late dinner nights (we typically eat around 5 or 530, late nights mean dinner is at 6 or a little later). You want to have a good variety of foods or else you and your family will get bored, so try to buy red meat, poultry, seafood, pork, even do some vegetarian meals. Oh, and do NOT throw out your leftovers!!

More in the next post..............

2010 - new outlook, etc.

2010-01-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

Etsy shop has been busy since Black Friday, which has been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it means that people actually like my things, and a curse because I've got numerous packages to keep shipping out but I only make runs to the post office twice a week. Of course, there's also the taxes that I need to figure out for the last quarter of 2009...ugh.

However, I'm trying to stay positive and have a better outlook on life and everything that comes my way. I have my creative energy back and will be starting on new projects in the immediate future, some of which will be listed on Etsy, and some which will only be sold locally at the craft fairs. I have gotten several new patterns for more chic, updated wardrobe items for myself, and as much as I would like to be working on them now, I will delay starting them until late spring/early summer with the hope that I will have lost some weight and inches.

I'm working on getting an even tighter grip on the family finances, though the recent fabric purchases undermine that a bit. I'm hoping that we will be able to pay of Ken's car by the end of April as we will probably be looking for a new car for me near the end of the year - it would be nice to have extra money socked away in savings to put towards a down payment in addition to the trade in of my current car.

So, things are going to be more focused around here: focus on better eating, healthier living, more productivity. With any luck, there will be HUGE changes in the family life - more time together as a family, actually doing things together and enjoying the time together instead of bickering and being plugged in to electronic entertainment.

Onward and upward!!

December 23rd update

2009-12-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

Well, the county fair went well (August) and the fall craft fair did well (November). Then December got all crazy. I've had so many hits on the Etsy store since Black Friday that I was starting to lose my mind. Fortunately, I was wise enough to update my shop so that any orders after 12/18 get the message that, due to the holidays, items will not be shipped until 12/28. So, while I still check daily, I'm not killing myself to get everything out to the Post Office - I;ll just make 1 big trip.

Today was amusing...somewhat. Both children had to have teeth pulled and today was the day for that. DS has now learned the value of actually brushing his teeth after seeing the tooth that got pulled. It was a baby tooth and our dentist refused to fill it and charge us for it since it is a tooth that will more than likely come out in the next year or so. Over half of 1 side of the tooth was nearly gone!! Needless to say, DS is grossed out and has promised to brush his teeth twice a day now. DD needed to have 2 teeth pulled out in order to make room for her adult teeth, which had started coming in behind the baby teeth. Tough little chickie that she is, she told the nurse and oral surgeon that they were NOT sticking a needle in her arm for general anesthesia!! Instead, they did the numbing gel followed by novacaine and nitrous oxide....fun, huh? But she did very well with it and wasn't as loopy or unbalanced as DS was (he apparently fell down twice, according to DH - we had to take 2 cars so that we could bring them home as soon as they were done).

Phew!

waaayyy too long

2009-09-12T04:15:00.000-07:00

So, it's been over a month since the last post and that's mainly because I've been working out designs, specifically eye masks and hot/cold therapy packs. I have the basic shapes down that I want to do, but trying to get the sizes to where I want them is a bit more trying. I made the first mock up of the sleep masks last night - didn't get the layers of fabric in the right order, but at least I can see how large the finished product will be. I'm thinking that decreasing the seam allowance from 1/2" to 3/8", while small, might make it look a little better as well as fit better. So, since I have the figured out......

Not sure how I want to do the final therapy packs...with a removable cover?? With aromatherapy oils and such?? How large do I really want to make them??? I did decide to make some using the basic eye mask shape, for those people who suffer from both sinus headaches and migraines (like me!), so that's a start.

Aprons have been ignored, though the one I *did* manage to make got entered into the county fair and took 2nd place!! I just need to make the adult version of that apron then move on to the rest of the aprons...several different styles not to mention the crazy fabrics!!!

I have taken pictures of all the hair clippies and ponytail holders that I have made, but I need to upload all the pictures to Etsy. May make some more ponytail holders, but they aren't my favorite things to make....then again, I'm still playing with how to make them.

I did my first batch of recycled crayons and think they are kind of cute. Of course, the majority of the first batch is bagged and ready to go to DDs kindergarten class since it was her teacher that gave me all the old crayons to melt down. They are chunky, swirly crayons, made in muffin tins, but they are a good start. I may end up using cans and melting them by color, but for now, I need to find new molds.....need the money first.

I'm discontinuing the fleece sleeping bags, toddler bedding, and jewelry simply because there isn't as high a demand for them and it's time to revamp my inventory. Plus, the sleeping bags take up WAY too much room in my workspace.

Oh, almost forgot the flower pens...lol. Thanks to Amy and a tutorial that she pointed me to, I now have an entire flower basket full of everything from roses (including plain black and black with either purple or silver glitter) to mums, to daisies. Not sure how they will sell locally, but can give it a try.

Of course, the BooBoo Bunnies are back, this time with bunnies in different colors instead of just white. I think the colored ones are a bit cuter, but then again, I'm biased...lol. These will also be relisted with new pictures once I have the time to sit down and upload them.

Yes, it sounds like I've been busy, but some of these things don't take that much time to do, so when I have 30 minutes with nothing planned, I just dive in and make as many as I can.

Well, it's 730am on a Saturday, so I need to get dressed and get moving....have 2.5 hours until I have to leave for today's errand run.......

storm then calm...is another storm coming?

2009-07-22T09:39:00.001-07:00

So..Monday and Tuesday, the children basically treated me like paid help, not anyone deserving of their respect...not even listening to me at all and yelling at both me and each other. Today is almost a complete turn-around. Was it because I explained how it made me feel or was it that dad refused to sign off on their allowance papers, therefore they have NO allowance for last week, nor do they have poker chips to exchange for computer time????

And....does today's good behavior mean that tomorrow will be good or do I need to prepare for another storm of crappy attitudes and behavior from them?? I know they are getting excited about our upcoming trip and I know they are getting stressed about the school year that will be starting soon, but c'mon...I didn't make the laws that said they HAD to go to school and I am the one that is helping them get ready...both in practicing their math and in the more mundane things like....making sure they have clothes that fit, all supplies ready to go, etc.

Because of the last 2 days, NOTHING has gotten done around here. I have to finish the 2nd wall in the garage before I can even think about getting my freezer, but I've already be researching various meals that can be made ahead and frozen, how to make freezer jam, and all kinds of cool things (yes, sometimes I get ahead of myself). Sewing is on hold because there is too much other stuff going on, and today, my back is all tight and uncooperative, even though I just saw the chiropractor yesterday morning!!

What the heck is going on and when can I get a dang break???!!????

And THIS is calm???!!????

2009-07-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

So, the last post was about all the chaos that has been going on around here. I'm happy to report that everyone seems to be feeling better and relatively back to normal. So.....that means that I'm back to my hyper, WAY-to-many-activities-going-on self. Here is what has been accomplished....but to me it doesn't look like much:
-1 wall in garage sealed and primed
-1/4 of second wall sealed and primed
-6 loads of laundry washed and dried (will be folded today)
-freezer inventory taken, meals tentatively planned out for the next week
-main body of patchwork jacket finished (lining still needs to be dealt with)

Today is shaping up to be a not-so-great day since both children are "moods" and the dominant theme is "annoy each other and see how mad we can make Mom." Well, at least they have both taken their vitamins and medicines, sigh.

After several hours of research and exploration, I have come up with some new, inexpensive ideas for products that I think (hope) will appeal to the masses and actually sell. I ran the entire list past my accountant (my husband) and we narrowed it down to those that I could actually make using items that I already have stashed away (as opposed to purchasing more supplies). I've put out a plea to other mom-friends, so hopefully I will get some feedback and "donations" for one of the products.

I jokingly told hubby that I would call these new items the "'P31" line (as in Proverbs 31) since they seem to fit..at least some of the verses, not all of them....he was amused. The only thing is that if I get started with that, I will feel challenged to make products that can at least be linked to the numerous verses. How interesting that would be....an entire product line based on the Proverbs 31 woman....daunting, but not impossible.

Ok. Now that I have some direction with the business, I can "relax" a little more and get to work on the house...lol. I *need* to finish the second wall (it's the one that the new freezer will be going up against) and I need to clean a bit inside. I suppose that I could get the laundry and vacuuming finished today, but who really wants to do that kind of work when there are creative ideas just floating around all over the place???

Well, the children have 20 minutes before I drag them in to do their schoolwork (yeah yeah, bad mommy making them do summer school, but at least they will be prepared for the upcoming school year!), then we have to do the weekly dump run, take Bek to the doc (followup from the pneumonia), run to the grocery store, and back home. That makes today a fairly calm day all in all. Of course, then there's trying to get dinner put together and eaten in time to get Tom to karate class tonight.....argh.

And I wonder why I thought this was a calm, typical life.....I suppose, in hindsight, this IS calm when compared to the sick, sick, surgery, sick time period....I want a nice long massage and a nap....

sick, sick, surgery, sick

2009-07-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

That pretty much wraps things up for the last 4 weeks. My son had pneumonia, then I had bronchitis, then my husband had shoulder surgery on Thursday, and now my daughter has pneumonia.

In the middle of all the chaos, there are swimming lessons, school lessons, housework, errands, and brainstorming to come up with new ideas for my Etsy shop. I'm more than likely going to be putting most of my things on sale in the near future because they aren't really selling. I'm going to try and come up with some more small and useful items instead of fancy things. The logic behind this is that, in the given economy, useful things, that are at least cute, would sell better than the rest of the items that I have made.

I don't know yet, what my new items are going to be, but I'm working on it. One thing that I might try are reversible over-all bibs. I may also make some flower pens that will be sold only at the local craft fairs...maybe with a journal or something. Another idea that I'm toying with are mother-daughter apron sets with either hot pads or dishcloths that coordinate...still toying wiht this thought right now.

And in the middle of all this, I'm working on clothing for the children and entries for the county fair.....like I actually have any free time to do this, but still......

tired, mindless ramblings

2009-06-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

So, for a week DS has been sick, and yesterday, they finally said that he has walking pneumonia. Wow!! First, it was nothing but a virus and would go away in a week, and now it's pneumonia!! So, my 9yo is on zithromax, tussinex, and prednisone....wahoo! Needless to say, the past week has not seen much in the way of solid sleeping for me, hubby, or our son. His coughing has finally started calming down a little, so hopefully this stuff is on it's way out of here.

I was supposed to work on the garage again this week and I need to call the insurance company about hubby's surgery, we do schoolwork in the summer and are already behind because of DS being too sick to ge tout of bed. I have to figure out how to install a sheetrock ceiling most likely by myself, though I don't see how that is possible....have gotten word from the neighbor that he would help and a friend said she would help if needed....but don't even know when I'll actually get to it.

I'm supposed to be sewing clothing for myself but haven't been able to focus long enough to even get pattern pieces laid out correctly. I'm also supposed to be helping both children with entries for the county fair (DD has made a wodden frog model, a race car, and a decorated hat, DS has only made a race car, but he has been sick AND he's still deciding what else he wants to do), and I have made progress on that goal.....in fact, I will be helping DD build a birdhouse today.

I'm too dang tired to do any of this, but hey, it's what you do as a mom, right?? I started crying last night and hubby said that it would all be okay....I told him that it wasn't crying about our son (though I was extremely worried when he got to 104.8), but out of total exhaustion and the need for uninterrupted sleep and maybe even a vacation...because the next thing coming up is DHs surgery and I'm not prepared for that either.

Ah well, maybe today I'll actually get something constructive done around here

I'm In The Paper!!! Wahoo!!!!

2009-06-14T04:09:00.000-07:00

http://www.newsleader.com/article/20090614/LIFESTYLE/906140302/1024/LIFESTYLE/Tips-on-Thriving

Yep, that's the article where you can learn how I've cut the family budget! Complete with picture of me right on the main page, and several smaller shots of clothing that I've made for the family.

It's interesting to see how the savings add up, but then you have to subtract our charitable donations, karate classes, gas for the cars, money we put into savings. Really, when you take all that into account, the savings diminish quite a bit. However, we continue to put money aside for the children's college as well as for our retirement. Right now we are saving for our vacation at the end of July, not to mention the work that we want to finish up on the house this year (would be nice to have the garage sealed and insulated and possibly a start on hubby's office now that he's chosen how he wants it done).

I think I can cut even more out, but I'm not sure where......might actually end up destashing a bunch of my craft supplies and fabric because I'm just not using them anymore and that would bring in more money to put towards savings and such.....who knows....but it will be interesting to give it a try!

Sheetrock dust, coughing, and 4 years going away

2009-06-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

So, hubby is going to have surgery on July 2nd to (hopefully) repair his shoulder. His current status is that he can barely lift that arm, and definitely CAN'T do any work in finishing the garage. So.....

For the past few days, I've been pretty much covered in cobwebs, sheetrock dust, and spackling compund! I've moved around several piles to sort through and have actually managed to take a massive load to the dump - including 2 boxes of "stuff" that has been sitting untouched since we moved here back in 2005!!! There is still a lot to do, and an outsider would say that I was going about things sporadically, but there is a method to my madness!! See, when we moved in, the garage had no floor, just a too small dumping of gravel. SO we had the floor poured and then just piled things wherever. Now, it's time to kick it up and get things finished (I'm tired of having a building permit stuck to my garage door). Ok, so I started on the walls easily reached without having to move too much - some already have their second coat of spackling compund and just need to be sanded. Then, in the idst of clearing out boxes of "stuff" I thought that it would be best to get the corner area finished (spackling, primer, maybe even paint if I could be so lucky!) because that area will pretty much stay as the "Christmas storage area" and it makes no sense to me to stack the boxes there, then have to move them again to get the priming and painting done. I should have the second coat of compound up there today and possibly the primer done in that area....if I can get that far, I will go ahead and shove the boxes closer to the corner so that i can reach the other wall.

So...that kind of explains the 4 years going away...we haven't even looked inside some of the boxes shoved in the garage since we moved in! So WHY are we keeping them?? Granted, it IS a good thing I'm going through each one because I found an antique quilt from my Dad's family shoved in the bottom of one, not to mention my Barbie collection (getting passed to my daughter), but also the collection of International dolls that my uncle sent to me when he worked in the travel industry (he passed away in 1995). Outstanding!! I thought these were things that, lilke our large extension ladder, never made the move from NY to VA!!! It was a happy day for me yesterday...lol.

Of course, all this work is helping keep me distracted from the fact that my son has been coughing since Monday night. ALL the docs we've seen or talked to (4 so far, all at the same practice) have said it's nothing more than a virus and they've seen LOTS of children with the same symptoms: high fevers, cough, sore throat. Well, that doesn't actually reassure me, but thanks for the info! Yesterday I called the office and practically begged for something to help with his cough since he has had 15 minutes coughing jags, usually around 1am....he now has Tussinex to take at night, so hopefully we will ALL get some sleep. I suppose I should be happy that it isn't whooping cough or croup or pneumonia, or bronchitis......though they didn'g check for whooping cough or bronchitis...but according to the professionals. it's "just a virus".....if the tussinex doesn't help calm the cough down, he'll be back at the office...which kind of stinks since he's supposed to be in gifted/talented classes next week - Civil War history....perfect for where we live.

Ah well...maybe all this manual labor will help me keep dropping pounds....not as much lost as I would like, but sweating and lifting has GOT to be doing something!!

Guess who is going ot be in the newspaper??!!???

2009-05-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yes! ME!!!! Sunday edition, June 14th. Article should be linked from the newspaper website at: http://www.newsleader.com/

Not sure if it will be a link from the homepage, but it should be.

Ok, so WHY am I going to be in the paper?? Well, the News Leader has a column called "CheepSkates" and on the website, there is a blog that goes along with the column. I have offered some tips, hints, advice on the blog, and the author emailed to see if I was interested in being interviewed for an upcoming article. Well, I wasn't sure until hubby dear came home and told me that he already bragged on me at his office, so there really was no choice for me.

The interview was done over the phone on the 26th - author is supposed to be anonymous, hence the phone interview instead of face-to-face (I know who it is, but promised not to tell...caller ID is a wonderful thing...lol). We spoke for about an hour or so about how I cut my groceries in half (from $1000 a month to roughly $500 a month!), and other ways we save money (one of the big ones is sewing clothing, but I also cut the guys' hair, make meal plans, we've started a garden....etc.). While we were talking about the sewing, I happened to mention my business (hey, it's free promotion as far as I'm concerned) and she was really interested in it and asked what sort of things I make. Well, OF COURSE I told her, starting with the SNuggleBags and working right through the jewelry and bath products, giving her my Etsy site and mentioning the local craft fairs that I am at. It was a fun, sometimes hysterical (try being serious when a 35lb child is tugging a 117lb lab around because he wants his toy but doesn't want to hurt her!), and may even be the start of a cool friendship. At the end of the interview, she asked if I would be available the next day for a photo shoot....um....sure....I guess....

Now, the reason for my hesitation is because I really don't like having my picture taken, despite the yearly family themed pictures and such. But hey, if it helps get my name/face/business out there, then I'll do it. So the next day I was hoping for an email saying if I was to go to the office or if the photographer was coming to the house....no email, until FINALLY, she sent one saying that she had to go into her children's school and would call me when she got back, sometime around 11am (photo shoot was scheduled for 130pm). No problem! On the off chance that they would be coming to the house, I became a cleaning whirlwind....living room free of papers? CHECK, kitchen cabinets and counter scrubbed down?? CHECK.....kids' socks and miscellaneous clothing bits tossed into their rooms?? CHECK!!! Then she calls and says she hasn't heard back from the photographer, so she was going to leave it up to me as to where the pictures were done....um....lol...STUDIO!!!! We chuckled over my response (hey, even if it was clean for me, I was afraid that "something" might have gotten missed), and then she told me what she had in mind for pictures and what she thought I should bring.

4 bags later, and I'm on the road. I took: Elizabethan court gown, DDs Civil War costume, DDs dressy coat, dress and pinafore, DSs 2 favorite shirts that i made for him (Asian print and Star Wars), the very first shirt I made for DH - yes, it's still holding up nicely, 2 blouses for myself and one of my skirts....PLUS....one of the bath gift sets, 2 padded bags, a reusable tote bag, some fabric, patterns, shears, pins, a pin cushion that I made, oh, and of course, I wore some of the jewelry that I've made. I think I covered all the bases, what do you think?? LOL It was pretty funny trying ot get everything organized and choosing my favorites from all the things that I've made...every bedroom was almost torn apart and my workroom was a disaster area, but I got everything together and made it to the studio 30 minutes early.

The only problem was that the photographer got there and really didn't know what the shoot was for - he hadn't checked his email or phone messages and had been gone the previous few days....ARGH!! SO I explained what it was for and what the article was about, and off we went. Suprisingly, it was fun and I was fairly relaxed - in fact the only complaint he seemed to have was that I wasn't smiling enough...which is fairly typical in photos of me. He took some candids while I was setting up the fabric and various little bits, and I was so into it that I didn't even notice until the flash had gone off a couple of times.

So........get the word out.....read all about my oddball lifestyle at: http://www.newsleader.com/ on or after 6/14/2009!!!

Kids, gardens, and water balloons

2009-05-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

So....we now have 4 kids here...at least until tomorrow night. Yep, I went from 1 9yo boy and a 5yo girl up to 2 9yo boys, a 7yo boy, and a 5yo girl....either my heart is too big or I've completely lost my mind. Actually, the boys aren't that bad, but it's obvious that they have had a different up bringing than my children have had - how they speak to my husband, their table manners (or lack of), etc. In the course of the 5 hours that they have been with us, they have managed to understand that children do NOT call either me or my husband by our first names. They call me Mrs Vann and my husband Mr. Ken...which is fine and definitely a LOT better than calling him Krn as if he were one of their buddies.

They were impressed with the garden and everything that is growing, though the carrots leave a lot to be desired. The corn is going crazy as are the radishes and tomato plants....we had to actually purchase pepper plants because the ones we started didn't make it.

Now...water balloons....we had the sprinkler going for a while and they were playing with the water bombs that we had for the pool (which we set up and forgot to turn the hose off before quiet time, so it's a little on the full side) but they couldn't seem to avoid hitting me or hubby....those got taken away. Then I remembered that we had a stash of water balloons from last year!! BINGO!! I loaded up one bucket-full and took it out, but not before some ground rules were laid down. NO throwing at the person at the bucket, no head shots, no throwing when you are right next to the target person. Three buckets later and we are completely out of water balloons and all 4 children had a blast. The only real injury was to my daughter who got hit in the face when the "no throwing at the person at the bucket" rule was forgotten....Mom got revenge for the munchkin, but not in the face....just enough to remind the boys that she is younger than they are and Mom will ALWAYS stick up for the children.

No sewing going on as usual, but.....I may be interviewed for a local paper about frugality and cost cutting measures that I practice at home...how cool is that??

Off to get ready for grill night.........

Entire shop on sale

2009-05-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

So...I'm an only child, and have been trying to deal with my mother potentially losing her house, and most likely moving in with my family. Now, it's not like we don't have enough room, but still...this is MY house, and I don't know how things would work having another "mom" in the house with me, at least not for an extended time. So what does this have to do with the topic??

Well....to try and help her out, I've put the entire shop on sale (25% discount) for the month of May, with the possibility of more discounts in June. Any sales that I make will go towards helping pay this month's mortgage so that she has another month in the house. Of course, that doesn't include shipping costs, but you get the idea.

Hubby and I are trying to get our children to understand about respecting your elders and honoring your mother and father....this is how I'm trying to illustrate those ideals.

I know there has been some interest because Google Analytics shows some activity, but still....activity doesn't always equal sales....so I'm asking my followers to mention my sale to whoever they think might be interested...there is jewelry, crib sheets, SnuggleBags, etc. and I'd really like to move some of them to help my Mother out.

rain, church, dust and critters

2009-05-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

So...it's yet another rainy weekend here, which is great for the garden and flowers, not so great for my sanity or emotional stability (yes, actually diagnosed with S.A.D. and supposed to take antidepressants). It also drives me bonkers that the children can't find something to do that doesn't involve yelling at each other or hitting each other....sheesh...it's not like they don't have any toys to play with......of course, that sort of leads into the next topic...church...which is where we are supposed to be heading in the next 6 minutes. But, again, it's raining...and hubby is trying to finish his college course on time or before the deadline (his exam proctor is going on vacation and he needs to get the test done before then because the proctor will be gone until after the deadline)...so once again it seems as if we will be looking for another church because it is apparent that nobody is actually enthused about the one we started going to.....argh.......

Now, again, tying back to the rainy weekend, the critters in the household are being miserable and moany....dog because, even though he's a lab, he hates rain, and the cats because the rain keeps the birds away which means no "cat TV" for them. Sheesh....

I'm still working on new ideas for the shop, and debating about completely clearing some items out, working on new things for my MOPS group, and trying to refocus on where I want this whole business thing to go...or if I even want it to go anywhere.....would be nice to have some feedback from others......

taking a break from work for a little while

2009-04-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Of course, it's only temporary, but I am not sewing anything new for the shop for a bit. I'm behind in the sewing for the family and HAVE to get a move on! DSs birthday is Saturday and I finally got his shirt cut out and started pinning it together. It will be done tonight before I go to bed. I also cut out the coordinating shirt for hubby (was supposed to be identical, but I didn't have enough fabric). Once I finish with their shirts, I have a nightgown that I promised DD (Power Puff Girls), and *then* I can get to sew some things for myself. I'm looking at a mini wardrobe builder as part of a contest on www.patternreview.com. I have 3 tops, all different colors (deep red, bright turquoise, and a lovely plum) that I don't really have anything to wear with. I'm hoping that I can make bottoms to go with at least one of those tops and be able to incorporate other pieces that I have in my closet. I'm not getting my hopes up too high...right now I haven't even gone through the fabric stash to see what I might be able to use!!!

Of course, there are the various knit tops that are waiting for me to get to, the blankets for the nursery at the local hospital, the overall bibs that I want to finish up...oh wait, that's business stuff...oh yes, the costumes for this year's family picture (Alice in Wonderland theme), and another shirt for DH for *his* birthday next month.....lots of sewing that needs my attention before I get back into work sewing.

I may post pictures here of what I manage to finish up in the next few months....all depends on if anybody give me any feedback

Bragging Rights

2009-04-15T06:32:00.000-07:00

OK, a little history here....I have 2 children, a boy and a girl. My son (oldest) was labeled early on as having ADHD and anxiety disorder, not to mention sensory integration dysfunction....lovely way to go through life, huh?? My youngest was diagnosed last year with ADD combined type, but so far, it's not really getting in the way of her schooling. Back to my son....he has ALWAYS been a deconstruction expert and LOVES science, so it just seems natural that he would try different experiments, right??

In kindergarten, he wanted to do something for the science fair, and that project came about after hearing him whine one too many times, "WHY do I have to brush my teeth????!!!???" Yep, that was his project/experiement. I did a similar project - in 5TH GRADE!!!! SO he came up with different things to soak teeth in, a wonderful oral surgeon in Harrisonburg had teeth we could use (gross), and off he went.....right to first place for his grade (go figure).

In first grade, he decided he didn't want to do a project, and second grade was already filled with enough stress (long and completely separate story), so by the time he finally chose a topic, it was too late to get started. Ok....this year, as SOON as we got notification of the Science Fair, I made he make the decision about entering. He opted to do an experiment, and I told him he had until the end of the week to come up with what he wanted to test/prove.

Ok, so he wanted to do "something" with bacteria, and "something" with cleaners, so those ideas got combined into "What cleaner kills the most common household bacteria?" Off I went to order petri dishes and agar so that we had testing supplies....first round literally got eaten by the dog because we hadn't put them in a place that was safe from his over-active nose and stomach....second order placed and shipped immediately...started all over again. He wanted to test places that the most people touch...the door knob, tv remotes, telephone,toilet in the main bathroom, and then he decided to test his hands as well. The picture in this post is the bacteria that grew from the swabs of his hands....pretty gross, huh??

Well, flash forward to yesterday: EVERYONE is home because they are all feeling sick...lovely. My son's teacher called me last night when she got home to let me know that there was a PTA meeting and they would be announcing the Science Fair winners at the meeting. SHe also said that if my son didn't at least place, there was something wrong with the judges because his project was outstanding!! Talk about making me feel like a proud mom...lol.

So, I go to the meeting, which is really a presentation from the Cougar Chorus (school chorus, cougars being the mascot for the school), and the first thing they do is announce the Science Fair winners. I jokingly told a friend that I needed to sit up front because I knew my son was going to win...JOKINGLY.....well, joke was on me because they announced that he was the first place winner for the entire 3rd grade!!! Whoa!!! Really, I thought his experiment was cool, but there were others there that were good as well. Since he was home sick, I asked if I could get his medal for him...the entire audience "awwwwed" when I told them he was home sick. We had to bring the experiments home last night, and parents were coming up to me telling me how impressed they were with his project and asking how he came up with it.

Everyone thought it was funny that the only place we came up with to store is was my workroom, so I had to work in the stink for several weeks....yeah, real funny...NOT!!

So...he's entered twice and he's won twice....last night he said he wanted to keep entering every year until he had a whole wall of medals from science fairs....gotta love that attitude!!

So, there's my brag on my boy. My daughter, well, she's still sick, but she just blew me away as well - she was reading "The Gingerbread Man" to herself in a different room....she's 5...only 5...still in preschool....and she's also doing addition already!! I think I'm in for a LOT of trouble when they are older...if they are this smart now, .....oy!!

what's a mom to do......

2009-04-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

....when everyone else in the house is sick??

If you are me, you keep busy getting as much done as you can because as soon as one of the sick people sees that you aren't doing anything, they invade your space. Ok, doesn't sound like the nicest thing, but think about it - YOU are the only one *not* sick, and the sick ones are invading YOUR space (if you are lucky enough to have your own work space), now what do you think the result will be...of course, you'll get sick again! SO.....you keep busy, never letting them see you inactive for more than a few minutes (say like when you are eating lunch or in the bathroom).

That's what today has been like. I'm tired, cranky, and I still have WAY too much stuff to get done, but at least I wasn't overly exposed to the sick ones.

But it gave me time to think about other things that I can be making for the Etsy shop and such, which is always a bonus. I'm probably going to introduce more infant items once I get the first few knocked out of the way for a dear friend who is expecting (surprise!) her 3rd child. She's my test subject so I'll use her feedback to determine if I continue to make the items and try to sell them.

Well, the sick ones are otherwise occupied, so I'm thinking now might be a good time to try and sneak in a quick 20 minute nap.........

Life lessons learned over Easter vacation

2009-04-13T19:37:00.001-07:00

So, we went to my mother's house for Easter vacation, planning to help her get things taken care of to get the house on the market. The plan was to take care of some basic repairs - minor wiring, installing new light fixtures, replacing a door for her, etc. Well......life lesson #1: nothing basic is EVER basic so always be prepared for screw ups and such.

life lesson #2: regardless of what anyone says, never take their word that they measured everything and that everything matches up. Doors made for today's houses will not always fit door frames in houses built in the earlier part of the 20th century. Today's doors are roughly 30" wide...mother's door frame is 29 3/4" wide....yet she said that she measured everything and that they fit perfectly. yeah, right

life lesson #3: STOP eating if you discover that the chicken is still pink inside, regardless of how long it was supposedly cooked. Well, this should have been the first since this is what happened to me - supposedly, the chicken was parboiled then baked for 30 minutes with barbecue sauce, yet in the middle of eating it, I discovered that it was still pink inside. Yes, I stopped eating. Now, there may have very well have been something else going on, but regardless, I ended up being sick Friday night through Saturday, meaning that hubby was working on his own and trying to watch the children as well.

life lesson #4: ALWAYS carry some of your business cards with you and be ready to promote your Etsy shop!!! My godmother came over for dinner on Sunday, and since she's still employed in the corporate world, she often purchases gifts for clients, etc. Well, we started talking about my Etsy shop and the various things that I have listed there, then she asked if I had any of the jewelry that I had made....coincidentally enough, I had a bracelet and earrings stashed in the suitcase (forgot about them until after church). SO I showed her those and we started talking about the other things in the shop, which led me to get on mother's computer and bring the shop up so that she could take a look. Well.....she absolutely loved the bath sets and such, so she said that she was going to probably buy a bunch of them from me because she likes them as gifts for the clients. I just have to let her know the different fragrances and such that I have in stock and what all I can make up with them. WooHoo!!!

SO, even though I might have been sick this weekend and working instead of actually having fun with the kiddos, I did still learn stuff!!

Life changes

2009-04-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's spring (or at least it's supposed to be, though we had snow on the ground this morning), so I guess change is just in the air. I didn't expect it to hit me so hard that, at 36, I've actually outgrown one of my "support groups" and it's time for me to move on. See, I've been a member of MOPS (Mothers Of PreSchoolers) since my oldest was a newborn - that means I'm currently in my 9th year of membership. My group now allows moms to stay through the kindergarten year of the youngest - that would be next year, making total years of membership - 10!!! It dawned on me today, as I was spending time with my discussion group and other MOPS members (just a morning get together, and the first I've actually been able to go to) that I am *SO* disconnected from them. Yes, we are all moms, and yes, we are all members of the same MOPS group, but that's pretty much where it ends.

See, they are still in the "breeding years" - there have been a lot of babies born to group members lately, and even more are currently pregnant - and that time is behind me. No, I'm not really too old (at 36), but I have a son and a daughter and I'm good with that. I also have a rather large dog, 2 cats and a tank full of fish (plus 1 snail), not to mention the house, yard, cars, etc. that I take care of. I don't NEED or WANT another child in my life at this point, and I'm happy with my decision. However, it almost seems like I'm the odd one out because of not wanting anymore children. Don't get me wrong, I love the ladies in this group and have some great friendships because of the group, but it's just not me anymore. Why does this have to hit me now....I'm already under enough stress with planning a visit to my Mother's house, I don't need to be hit with the realization that, once again, I'm the odd one out in my group...argh...

Now, to bring this somewhat back to relate to Etsy and my items....why am I consistently drawn to make items for children, especially since mine are growing up and we aren't going to be adding to the family (at least not with 2 leggers that come from my body...4 leggers from the shelter are ALWAYS an option)?? I think I may hold off on the overall bibs for a while as I try to sort everything out in my head. Maybe it's that I fully acknowledge my lack of desire for more children, but still like making things that are useful to other mothers, who knows...definitely not me at this point. sigh

One of the things that I do have in my Etsy shop went over extremely well with my MOPS froends this morning, and I may make more of them based on their interest - the bath sets with the soaps, shower gels, lotions, bath salts, and scrubbies.....the moms that I hung out with this morning went totally nuts over them - not just the available fragrances, but the whole set, how cute they were, and the fact that the price is within range for nearly all of the moms that they could think of. SO maybe they will start selling....hey, as long as they are being bought by somebody, I'm not going to complain if it's the entire MOPS group that is buying them....lol.

In my confusion over my revelation that I no longer belong to this group, I turned to my husband to vent and rant for a bit. He pointed out that, while my daughter is still a preschooler, she goes to school-based preschool, which means she's gone 5 days a week for the same time as our son....basically, it's a year of preparation for when she goes to kindergarten. We talked for a while, and I said it seemed as if God was giving me a tangible sign that it was time for me to move on to different things - in the form of a book called "The 10-Year Nap". It's a book about SAHMs - who have been SAHMs for 10 years.....what really got me was the very last line of the book: "One day you just woke up, and there was somewhere that you needed to be." I guess this is my wakeup call and it's time for me to move on. I'm not making plans, but letting things fall as they will....I'm not going to stand idly by either....I WANT to be on the preschool policy council for another 2 years and I WANT to be active in the PTA at the children's school, so I will take what steps I can to see that I accomplish these things. If it doesn't happen, I won't be overly upset, but will stay open to other possibilities. Maybe it's that my business will take off more and I will have to devote more time to production...who knows.

Whatever it is, change is in the air, and while I'm not 100% comfortable with it, I will go along with it, if for no reason than the fact that I really have no choice.

Possible new item

2009-04-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

So, while I sit here waiting for some sales on Etsy (only 6 since I started..ah well), I've been toying with an idea of a new item, that MAY go over well with the "parents of toddlers" group - or any parent newly introducing foods to their children. The "overall bib" is something that I received as a gift when I had my first child, and while I was originally skeptical, it actually worked. My oldest is now approaching his 9th birthday and I only *just* found a pattern to make these wonderful clothing-savers!!

The picture above is a sample of one I've made. I have 2 completed at this time, both are reversible, amde for different holidays. I was thinking about making ALL of them reversible, and maybe even making some with some ruffles and lace so that they would be more girly. These aren't currently listed in my Etsy shop because I'd like some more feedback - family is nearly ALWAYS supportive, so in this case, their opinions are not really helpful.

Right now, the 2 I have are: 4th of july, which reveres to Christmas, and St. Patrick's Day, which reverses to Valentine's Day. If Y'all like the idea behind these, I'd love to hear it, and any suggestions you might have. They can be made in small, medium, and large, but of course, it's been so long since I've had children this small, that I am unsure as to the exact ages/weights to go with the different sizes. This is something that I will be looking into.

Thanks everyone!!

First Blog, bear with me.....

2009-04-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so people have been after me to get a blog up and running, which only makes sense since I have an Etsy shop and no way to really promote it. SO.....this is where I will be trying to remember to update everything...Etsy, life, etc.

My Etsy shop can be found at: www.lrvcustomcreations.etsy.com There are a bunch of different things there because I can't seem to settle down on any one thing. Granted, sewing is my primary joy and creative outlet, but sometimes I stress-bead, and sometimes I like to play with pretty smelling things....so yes, there are sewn items, beaded jewelry, and bath sets.

I guess that's enough for the time being.....I'll try to be more creative in future posts