Wow Wow Wubzy

Ever watch with amazement at the joy and wonderment of a toddler? We are at that awesome stage where she thinks that everything is so cool! It's a good reminder to cherish every moment. They are fleeting. Enjoy my amazing little miss!

Sewing fun

I've been spending a lot of time on pinterest. I find so much inspiration there. I've also been clocking my points over at dailyfeats.com , which you should so head over and do if you are not already. I recently earned a $10 Starbucks gift card. I'm halfway to another gift card and I'm going to make it Staples so that I don't have to pay for new inserts for my planner. Anyhow, today I want to share my awesome coin purse that I made last night.

It was lots of fun and a little trying at times. The red line is my bakcstitching. I'm still learning to sew and my hand sewing is very atrocious but I figure I will only get better with practice. You should run over and check out this amazing tute! Talk about step by step instructions to help you create a unique and cute little goodie for you or someone who is special to you. All of my younger littles have requested one, which I knew would happen and planned accordingly. I'm also thinking that I could whip out a few for Christmas.

Maybe I'll do a little step-by-step with the next one I make. You know, so those of us with a LOT less sewing skills than the goddess who originally made this might have a more fighting shot.

Organizing My Coupons

Well, it's been more than a few days, but life is what it is. So, I promised a post on my couponing obsession. I should state that I used to coupon with great regularity but got out of it due to location and all that. (read also:laziness) Anyhow, so in a way I'm a little new to the idea. Plus when I used to coupon I did it on a small scale. It's important to know the coupon policies of all the stores where you plan to use your coupons. For instance, Walmart will only let you use forty without manager permission and I have a store near me (Woods) that will not take internet coupons. This is important to know when you are on a mission and have a handful of coupons and a long list. Better to know before you get in line with a full cart.

I start by buying between four and ten papers a Sunday. I get a preview of the inserts in my email box so I usually know how many I'm going to want. It also depends on how many they have at the store and if I remembered to pick up quarters. Meh. I put like insert pages together and cut them all at once, usually. If I buy a bunch, this doesn't work as well because the pages get wonky during cutting and you can cut off the bar codes. Ask me how I know. Anyhow, it doesn't take that much more time to break them up and do three or four pages at a time.

I spend a lot of time over at MoneySavingMom (and you can follow her on Facebook. Very useful) and looked through all of her coupony goodness. She uses the coupon box. It's cheaper and only costs five dollars to start, so that's where I started. The coupons are kept in alphabetical envelopes with an index cart to state the category. This is fine, but a bit of a pain if you are in the store and you see an unplanned deal and you think you have that coupon, but have to look. Now, do it with a toddler, a five year old and whatever else kid (or husband) that you had to lug out with you. No fun and easy to make a mess. I used this method for about a month. Last week, I changed it.

So now I'm doing the ever popular binder method. I use a zippy trapper-keeper-thingy (although they aren't called that anymore and if you say it within ear distance of anyone in public they look at you like you have eight heads) and those sheets that kids use when collecting baseball cards. Sometimes I have to skim down the sides of my coupons to get them to fit, but it works. Just yesterday I had the perfect chance to use my binder to its full capacity. I was in the store and had to thumb through it, easy peasy. I think I'm in love!

I also bought those stick on label tabs. I love, love, love those deals. Post It is amazing. lol This also feeds my Queen of the Organized side. I'm not a hundred percent done putting my binder together, but here you can see my tabs. The yellow tabs are non-food items, in alphabetical order. Food will be blue and red, although I haven't exactly decided if it will be mix and match or a method to the madness. It's easy to thumb through, easy to carry and very easy to use. I was also using dry erase markers to write the expiration date on the front of the pocket for that coupon, but I'm not a hundred percent on that either.

Well, this is what I have, for now. Later we can talk about using the coupons and other such goodness. For today, there is lots to do here at home so I must go.

Do you......Pin?

Pinterest. Isn't it everyone's new addiction? It is for me. I could spend(waste) hours rummaging through boards. It's great. Full of the most wonderful ideas. I like to think of myself as the creative type, but honestly, I could not have dreamed up half of the wonderfulness I have found on this site. I recommend everyone get an account right.a.way. If you need an invite, let me know.

I found these gems on there. Monkey pizza bread. Oh the yum! Just press pepperoni and a cube of mozzarella into pizza dough ball, close and bake the bunch. Oh.My.Gosh! Wonderful and filling. I didn't have the pizza dough laying around so I had to whip some up, but they were fast and yummy. Try them, today!! lol

I wasn't able to get a pic fresh out of the oven, mostly because they were awesome and everyone dug and and also because I forgot. That is my life. lol

Pinterest has also helped me find my knitting mojo again. Well, that and we are FINALLY having fall weather. It's all yucky and rainy today and I feel like doing a happy dance for it. Bring on the cold!! And the yummy, fibery goodness that is bound to come with it. I have been making cowls for the littles. One for Jay (not pictured, but red) and one for Miss M. She won't wear it, but wouldn't leave Jay's alone. Kids!! I'm working on a hat for Log right now and then on to the Monsteen.

We've moved. Again. It's totally a live altering move. I've had big plans and they have been....rearranged. I'm still me, though, so a lot of it will stay the same with a different location. You should keep your eyes open for what will be happening. So very much going on!

Have you seen that TLC show Extreme Couponing? Well, it has brought back a part of my life that I used to do many years ago. Couponing when you live in the middle of nowhere and you have exactly two stores to choose from and neither one are "down the street" makes it tiring and ridiculous. And not very productive. However, living here we have seven stores to choose from. Seven. This is really helping me to get hubby on board. I'm also learning how to do it right. Lots of work involved. It is important that I mention that how they do it on the show is not impossible, but really, really hard. And rare. And a lot of what happens there is regional based and done for the cameras. Anyone wanting to do this should keep realistic standards which is to save as much as possible and get as much for your money as you can. Don't cry or feel a failure if you don't get your whole cart for free. Here I go: ranting on when I had planned to just mention it. Well, that's enough for today. Within the next day or two I will post more on my methods and where I get my info. Stay tuned because that post will be PACKED with all sorts of goodness. Until then......

New Breakfast Ideas

Well, not my idea, but a Pinterest enabled idea. lol From Health-Bent, I did this wonderful bacon and eggs in the oven deal. In the oven?!? Yes, in the oven. I didn't have Canadian bacon, which is what was called for, but I did have regular bacon. First, I lined my muffin tins with aluminum foil. This was less for mess control and more for the yuck that is my very old muffin tin.

Although, this would be great for easy clean up; maybe even using those tin muffin cups would be good. Next, I cut the bacon slices in half because there

was just TOO much bacon in each with a full slice. Too much? That's right I said it, but don't tell hubby. : ) Now, since in the original recipe she used Canadian bacon, which is fully cooked, I had to add my own bit at this point. I cooked the bacon for about ten minutes first. Then I added the eggs and put it back in for another 8 to 10 minutes.

*What I Learned: Bacon is not round. Duh , right? Next time I'm going to cut the strips into fourths or even thirds. Then layer them in a pattern that makes a little cup. Cook for perhaps fifteen minutes (due to thickness of the bottom) then continue as before. Oh and I did add another five minutes, which made the egg yolks soft but not runny. I wanted them runny, but I get a little wigged out over runny whites so I cooked it longer.

Oh and sorry about the pics. They were so GOOD that no one let me (also read as I forgot to) take a picture before they were gobbled up. Maybe next time.

How did I forget this?!?

Somehow, in all the crazy, I missed put up one of the squares. I just needed to share this gem. It's so lovely. The deep red is really impressive. Enjoy!

And the first one is DONE!

I finally got the first blanket done for our Ravelmama who is having baby #2 on Thursday. I wish I wasn't cutting things so close, but such is life. This one is a 9 square blanket and I think it's lovely. The perfect crib size blanket and sooooooo soft. Miss Miranda has been carrying on about trying to get me to give it to her. I think I might need to make one for her.

Here's another one. I'm hoping that later I can get someone to hold it up for a pic for me. You really MUST see all of the beauty in this blanket. So much love from so many talented hands went into this special blanket. I am so proud to be a part of such a wonderful group of gals.

Here's another pic of one of the squares I received earlier. I just couldn't get a good pic of the beautiful red color of the yarn. It turns out I just needed some good light.
Here's a pic of a square I just received this week. Such a wonderful camel color. I joined the squares with a single crochet. It makes the front of the blanket have a raised edge around each square. It adds a bit of contrast and some nice texture. I finished it with a scalloped edge. I think it looks nice.

We have a lot going on around here and some days I feel like I'm just barely keeping up. This blanket really was such a joy to put together. I felt so honored that these women were sending me these beautiful squares. It was such a joy to open each and every one. I have one more blanket left to make and six squares to do it with. I may receive more. I may make more. We'll see what happens. I'll definitely be posting the finished project and sharing all the love and beauty that comes from being part of such an amazing group of ladies.