This video shows this so well. I know that we all can find ways to serve and help lift those around us as these people did for this one family.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
I Know That We Can Make a Difference
In my life and the life of others, I have seen how service can change lives. I know that there are many opportunities to do good in this world. When we serve with the pure love of Christ, we can create miracles in the lives of others. I can say that I know this because there have been times in my life where my burdens have been lifted because of the goodness of others.
This video shows this so well. I know that we all can find ways to serve and help lift those around us as these people did for this one family.
This video shows this so well. I know that we all can find ways to serve and help lift those around us as these people did for this one family.
Friday, July 27, 2012
The Yummiest Apricot Jam!!! (Recipes Included)
I love apricot jam, but not really any apricot jam. Besides the fact that it's really hard to find JUST apricot jam at the store (usually it's Apricot-Pineapple or something), the jam there can really never compare to my grandma's recipe. So this week I happened to be at my parents' house right as they had apricots on their tree so I got to can some apricot jam! And I'm sharing the process and recipe so that you too can discover how yummy and more-healthy this jam is than the store-bought stuff.
And if you've never made your own jam before, don't be scared. It's easy!
What You'll Need:
8 cups mashed/pureed fruit
4 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup Ultra Gel (more on this below)
A blender
6 pint-sized jars & lids for them OR freezer containers
A waterbath canner (if you're canning the jam)
A Word on Ultra Gel
Ultra Gel is made by a company in Boise, Idaho and used as a starch thickener that you don't have to cook. The reason that my family loves it is because you don't have to use NEAR as much sugar with it as you would with other thickeners like Sure Jell. If you look at the recipe, you use half as much sugar as fruit. In the Sure Jell recipe you use TWICE as much SUGAR as fruit. So really with those homemade jams, you're eating mostly sugar!
If you're in the Boise area, they sell Ultra Gel at some of the local stores. If you're not in the area, you can buy it online for a little more. I wouldn't actually buy it from the company that produces it (Carnet Foods) because their shipping is outrageous! I found it cheaper from a company in Utah that uses it in their jams and sells it as well (so maybe they produce it too?).
If you want to just try it out, you can buy the 16 oz. bag here. That 16 oz. bag should last you for at least 6 batches of my grandma's recipe. Shipping is about $6 though, so if you try it and want to buy more, I would do this option because it's cheaper overall. I'm lucky because my parents live in the Boise area so I bought it locally and didn't have to worry about all this shipping stuff. :)
The Process
Just in case you were wondering, I didn't use that entire box of apricots. But I just had to show that picture because my parents worked hard to save their apricots from the squirrels. They trapped 23 squirrels this year in their live trap and released them miles away. TWENTY-THREE! Oh, and one stupid cat. :)
Anyways, so start out by washing those apricots. I love this sight:
Then cut them open, take out the pit and put them in the blender. Add a little bit of water (enough so that the apricots will blend) and then blend the apricots by pressing the pulse button on and off. If they're not blending, grab a knife and push the apricots down more.
After blending them, it should look like this:
Do this until you have 8 cups of blended fruit in a bowl. Then mix in the sugar and lemon juice. After that is mixed in well, add the Ultra Gel and mix. You'll need to grab a whisk and whisk it because the Ultra Gel tends to clump. In the end, no matter how much whisking you do you'll have some itty bitty clumps, but that's okay. When you process it, it melts anyways. After it's mixed, let the jam sit 10 minutes.
Now at this point, you can spoon that jam into freezer containers and pop in the freezer OR you can can the jam. I like to can it because then I can store it for years. Just a good rule of thumb: use freezer jam within 1 year of making and use homemade canned jam within 5 years.
So if you're going the canning route: Spoon the jam into jars, filling it to the bottom ring. Wipe the lip of the jar with a wet paper towel or rag to make sure it's clean.
At this point you should have your lids ready by warming them in water in a pan. The lids need to be hot so they will seal better. Once they are hot, put them on the jars, securing it with the jar ring.
You should have your water almost-boiling in the water bath canner (shown below in case you don't know what that is) at this point. You'll want to fill it 3/4 way full because you need a few inches of water covering the jars once you put them in. Put the jars in and the lid back on. Once the water is boiling, process the jam for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, pull them out and let them sit (without moving them) for at least 12 hours. By then, if they haven't sealed (which you check by pushing down on the lids. If they pop, they're not sealed), then put it straight in your fridge to use or you can even put them in your freezer and treat it like freezer jam.
And you're done! Don't they look beautiful? Below are some printable recipes for the jam and also a yummy Apricot chicken recipe I make with this jam. It's worth the work to make this jam because the chicken is not nearly as good with store-bought jam! Enjoy!
And if you've never made your own jam before, don't be scared. It's easy!
What You'll Need:
8 cups mashed/pureed fruit
4 cups sugar
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup Ultra Gel (more on this below)
A blender
6 pint-sized jars & lids for them OR freezer containers
A waterbath canner (if you're canning the jam)
A Word on Ultra Gel
Ultra Gel is made by a company in Boise, Idaho and used as a starch thickener that you don't have to cook. The reason that my family loves it is because you don't have to use NEAR as much sugar with it as you would with other thickeners like Sure Jell. If you look at the recipe, you use half as much sugar as fruit. In the Sure Jell recipe you use TWICE as much SUGAR as fruit. So really with those homemade jams, you're eating mostly sugar!If you're in the Boise area, they sell Ultra Gel at some of the local stores. If you're not in the area, you can buy it online for a little more. I wouldn't actually buy it from the company that produces it (Carnet Foods) because their shipping is outrageous! I found it cheaper from a company in Utah that uses it in their jams and sells it as well (so maybe they produce it too?).
If you want to just try it out, you can buy the 16 oz. bag here. That 16 oz. bag should last you for at least 6 batches of my grandma's recipe. Shipping is about $6 though, so if you try it and want to buy more, I would do this option because it's cheaper overall. I'm lucky because my parents live in the Boise area so I bought it locally and didn't have to worry about all this shipping stuff. :)
The Process
Just in case you were wondering, I didn't use that entire box of apricots. But I just had to show that picture because my parents worked hard to save their apricots from the squirrels. They trapped 23 squirrels this year in their live trap and released them miles away. TWENTY-THREE! Oh, and one stupid cat. :)
Anyways, so start out by washing those apricots. I love this sight:
Then cut them open, take out the pit and put them in the blender. Add a little bit of water (enough so that the apricots will blend) and then blend the apricots by pressing the pulse button on and off. If they're not blending, grab a knife and push the apricots down more.
After blending them, it should look like this:
Do this until you have 8 cups of blended fruit in a bowl. Then mix in the sugar and lemon juice. After that is mixed in well, add the Ultra Gel and mix. You'll need to grab a whisk and whisk it because the Ultra Gel tends to clump. In the end, no matter how much whisking you do you'll have some itty bitty clumps, but that's okay. When you process it, it melts anyways. After it's mixed, let the jam sit 10 minutes.
Now at this point, you can spoon that jam into freezer containers and pop in the freezer OR you can can the jam. I like to can it because then I can store it for years. Just a good rule of thumb: use freezer jam within 1 year of making and use homemade canned jam within 5 years.
So if you're going the canning route: Spoon the jam into jars, filling it to the bottom ring. Wipe the lip of the jar with a wet paper towel or rag to make sure it's clean.
At this point you should have your lids ready by warming them in water in a pan. The lids need to be hot so they will seal better. Once they are hot, put them on the jars, securing it with the jar ring.
You should have your water almost-boiling in the water bath canner (shown below in case you don't know what that is) at this point. You'll want to fill it 3/4 way full because you need a few inches of water covering the jars once you put them in. Put the jars in and the lid back on. Once the water is boiling, process the jam for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, pull them out and let them sit (without moving them) for at least 12 hours. By then, if they haven't sealed (which you check by pushing down on the lids. If they pop, they're not sealed), then put it straight in your fridge to use or you can even put them in your freezer and treat it like freezer jam.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Going from a muu-muu to muuuuchhh better.
Last year I bought a dress for $4 which is an amazing price, but when I put it on, it looked like a muu-muu (am I even spelling that right?). So I decided to take my first venture into sewing without a tutorial or pattern and it turned out surprisingly well. Here is a tutorial if you would like to try doing it yourself.
So here was the beginning product:
The dress wasn't quite long enough and really needed a tie to break up the funny design and create some structure to make it more flattering. So my first step was to go buy fabric that coordinated with the dress. Make sure to match the color and type of fabric as closely as possible. I simply took the dress with me when I went to find fabric. Make sure the fabric has the same feel, stretchiness, and color.
THE HEM:
Okay so I don't have good pictures of the process because I didn't take pictures while I did it. But the next thing to do is measure the bottom of your dress (just one side, not the circumference) and add a seam allowance to that number of 1 inch (this number is your width). Then figure out how long you want your hem plus 1/2 inch, then double that number (this number is your height). Hopefully that makes sense.
Take the height and width and cut out two pieces of that width and height.
For both pieces, fold the height down so that you don't have to do a hem, because the fabric will just be folded. Then sew the two pieces together on each side with 1/2 inch seam allowance. My dress kind of flared as it went down, so I sewed the pieces at a slight angle so they flared a little too.
Then iron those seams flat so you can sew over them (look left). Then match the bottoms of your dress and hem (the non-folded side) together and pin really well. Make sure to match the two together at the seams on the side of the dress. Then sew.
Now that I have a serger, I would also serge afterwards. If you don't have a serger, just zig-zag stitch
THE TIE:
Figure out how long you want the tie and how thick, then double that number and add a 1 inch seam allowance. Turn inside out and sew it along the long edge to make a long tube. Flip right-side out.
Iron the tie so that the seam is on the backside of the tie. Then tuck in the edges on both ends and sew over to close up the tie.
So I was really scientific about the placement of the tie (and I'm totally being sarcastic). I tried the dress on, held up the tie, marked with an erasing ink marker where I wanted the top of the tie to be on the side (where the dress seam is). Then I took off the dress, measured down from the bottom of the sleeve seam to where the tie was, then marked that length on the other side. I honestly could have put the tie a little taller on this dress, but who said it was perfect? :)
Now you're going to pin the tie to the dress where you marked (make sure there's a pretty even tie on each side leftover). Also make sure you pull both tight so that your tie isn't too loose. After you've pinned it really well, just sew over the tie starting at the top, making a huge rectangle to do the bottom and sides also. Make sure you separate the two layers of dress before you sew so you you're not sewing the insides of the dress together! And make sure where you're sewing on the sides is right along the dress seam.
And wah-la! You're done! With a dress like mine, when you tie it in the back, the fabric back there will naturally bunch together and look nice. And it gives you a nice silhouette!
If you learn anything from this I hope it's that you can easily alter a dress to give it a fresh look or to make it more modest or stylish. All it takes is a little guts and a sewing machine!
So here was the beginning product:
The dress wasn't quite long enough and really needed a tie to break up the funny design and create some structure to make it more flattering. So my first step was to go buy fabric that coordinated with the dress. Make sure to match the color and type of fabric as closely as possible. I simply took the dress with me when I went to find fabric. Make sure the fabric has the same feel, stretchiness, and color.
Okay so I don't have good pictures of the process because I didn't take pictures while I did it. But the next thing to do is measure the bottom of your dress (just one side, not the circumference) and add a seam allowance to that number of 1 inch (this number is your width). Then figure out how long you want your hem plus 1/2 inch, then double that number (this number is your height). Hopefully that makes sense.
Take the height and width and cut out two pieces of that width and height.
Now that I have a serger, I would also serge afterwards. If you don't have a serger, just zig-zag stitch
Figure out how long you want the tie and how thick, then double that number and add a 1 inch seam allowance. Turn inside out and sew it along the long edge to make a long tube. Flip right-side out.
Iron the tie so that the seam is on the backside of the tie. Then tuck in the edges on both ends and sew over to close up the tie.
Now you're going to pin the tie to the dress where you marked (make sure there's a pretty even tie on each side leftover). Also make sure you pull both tight so that your tie isn't too loose. After you've pinned it really well, just sew over the tie starting at the top, making a huge rectangle to do the bottom and sides also. Make sure you separate the two layers of dress before you sew so you you're not sewing the insides of the dress together! And make sure where you're sewing on the sides is right along the dress seam.
And wah-la! You're done! With a dress like mine, when you tie it in the back, the fabric back there will naturally bunch together and look nice. And it gives you a nice silhouette! If you learn anything from this I hope it's that you can easily alter a dress to give it a fresh look or to make it more modest or stylish. All it takes is a little guts and a sewing machine!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
My husband's 2nd job
My hubby wrote this post for my personal blog a couple of years ago and I just have to share it with all of you. He doesn't do this as actively as he used to, but he still recommends it to everyone. So without further ado, here's my husband for you:
I like feeling like I got a good deal; really I like good deals. Just ask Kadie, I will take quantity over quality anytime. If I eat at a buffet, I EAT at a buffet, I mean I have to get my money's worth! I like to shop at Deseret Industries. I like to go to yard sales and buy things for really cheap that I probably could have lived without. I love Albertson's 10 for $10 sales. I buy things at Amazon and Newegg and I'm not afraid to spend a half hour googling to find rebates for the products I am purchasing at the aforementioned websites.
But what's the cheapest you can pay? F-R-E-E! So here is my hobby that is usually conducted at odd hours Eastern Standard Time (of course! ;)). I was reading at CNN about how to make some extra money. One of the things it talked about was entering instant win games and sweepstakes online. It gave a reference to a website, so I checked it out. Here is the website Sweeties Sweeps. You should really check it out, especially her getting started links. So to sum it up, she is a stay-at-home Mom who needed to earn some extra income so she started to enter companys' sweepstakes. She has done quite well for herself, mainly because she treats it like a job and is VERY gun-ho about it. (I am not as bad as that...) Anyways, she has some good articles about what sweepstakes and instant win games are and how to get started. I followed her advice and have done fairly well. I spend about a half hour to 1 hour (often during lunch breaks) entering sweepstakes and playing instant win games. Between Kadie and I in the last couple of years, we have won more than $700, free movie tickets, lots of jars of salsa, food coupons, and... this is the best: $1500 in free gas. And my siblings (whom I told about this but didn't take me seriously until I really started winning good stuff) have won just as much. You may laugh and say, that is a waste of time--to some of you your time is more valuable than like $3 an hour (which is probably what it comes out to be); but I probably would have wasted that time in other ways that would equal -$5 per hour.
So Wendy (the lady at Sweeties Sweeps) is always posting about new sweepstakes. She is very good at telling you how to enter, the eligibility requirements, win limits, sweepstakes duration, etc. She saves you a lot of time. I would recommend following her blog. For those of you who don't like to give your name, email address (see what Wendy says about creating a new email just for sweepstakes), phone number, and street address, this post isn't for you; but if you think that information is safe..... just spend..... some time.... googling your name..... But really, in the years we've been doing this, we haven't received one solicitor phone call and maybe only 2 pieces of mail.
Other websites you might find interesting are:
Happy Sweeping!
I like feeling like I got a good deal; really I like good deals. Just ask Kadie, I will take quantity over quality anytime. If I eat at a buffet, I EAT at a buffet, I mean I have to get my money's worth! I like to shop at Deseret Industries. I like to go to yard sales and buy things for really cheap that I probably could have lived without. I love Albertson's 10 for $10 sales. I buy things at Amazon and Newegg and I'm not afraid to spend a half hour googling to find rebates for the products I am purchasing at the aforementioned websites.
But what's the cheapest you can pay? F-R-E-E! So here is my hobby that is usually conducted at odd hours Eastern Standard Time (of course! ;)). I was reading at CNN about how to make some extra money. One of the things it talked about was entering instant win games and sweepstakes online. It gave a reference to a website, so I checked it out. Here is the website Sweeties Sweeps. You should really check it out, especially her getting started links. So to sum it up, she is a stay-at-home Mom who needed to earn some extra income so she started to enter companys' sweepstakes. She has done quite well for herself, mainly because she treats it like a job and is VERY gun-ho about it. (I am not as bad as that...) Anyways, she has some good articles about what sweepstakes and instant win games are and how to get started. I followed her advice and have done fairly well. I spend about a half hour to 1 hour (often during lunch breaks) entering sweepstakes and playing instant win games. Between Kadie and I in the last couple of years, we have won more than $700, free movie tickets, lots of jars of salsa, food coupons, and... this is the best: $1500 in free gas. And my siblings (whom I told about this but didn't take me seriously until I really started winning good stuff) have won just as much. You may laugh and say, that is a waste of time--to some of you your time is more valuable than like $3 an hour (which is probably what it comes out to be); but I probably would have wasted that time in other ways that would equal -$5 per hour.
So Wendy (the lady at Sweeties Sweeps) is always posting about new sweepstakes. She is very good at telling you how to enter, the eligibility requirements, win limits, sweepstakes duration, etc. She saves you a lot of time. I would recommend following her blog. For those of you who don't like to give your name, email address (see what Wendy says about creating a new email just for sweepstakes), phone number, and street address, this post isn't for you; but if you think that information is safe..... just spend..... some time.... googling your name..... But really, in the years we've been doing this, we haven't received one solicitor phone call and maybe only 2 pieces of mail.
Other websites you might find interesting are:
- Sweeties Swag - This is another blog by Wendy about free giveaways from companies.
- Freebies 4 Mom - This is another blog about coupons, rebates, samples, sweepstakes, etc.
- Walmart Free Samples - Walmart's free samples page; there are a lot of samples here, especially for you women!
Happy Sweeping!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
FHE Lesson: George the Gingerbread Man
For those of you who are not LDS, in my church we are encouraged to spend one night a week as a family in which we do wholesome activities together and/or learn more about spiritual topics. To learn more about this, go here. Even if you are not of the same faith, I encourage you to start this with your own family. It is a great way to bond and make memories!
One lesson that I remember from family home evening (FHE) when I was a kid was "George the Gingerbread Man". A couple of years ago, I found the lesson in my mom's old FHE box and made copies of it so I could do it with my own family. This lesson teaches your children about service and kindness in a fun way that last all week long. We just did it this last week and my three-year-old son LOVED it.
Our favorite part? After telling the story of George the Gingerbread Man, you explain that George (the big gingerbread man from the last page of the lesson) is going to stay with you for the week doing acts of kindness. Someone starts with said George and does something nice for someone else in the family and leaves George for him/her to find. Then that person does something nice and pass George on. I remember when I was kid I couldn't WAIT to get him so I could pass him on.
My son has been the same. The funny thing about doing it with a three-year-old is that he will come and tell me what he did and that I need to go find George. And when my husband or I have George, my son is constantly asking where he is. He's so funny. But he has surprised me with how good he is at finding his acts of kindness: he's cleaned up his room without us asking and made our bed to name a couple.
So without further ado, here is the lesson. I would suggest shortening the story a little, especially if your kids are younger.
One lesson that I remember from family home evening (FHE) when I was a kid was "George the Gingerbread Man". A couple of years ago, I found the lesson in my mom's old FHE box and made copies of it so I could do it with my own family. This lesson teaches your children about service and kindness in a fun way that last all week long. We just did it this last week and my three-year-old son LOVED it.
Our favorite part? After telling the story of George the Gingerbread Man, you explain that George (the big gingerbread man from the last page of the lesson) is going to stay with you for the week doing acts of kindness. Someone starts with said George and does something nice for someone else in the family and leaves George for him/her to find. Then that person does something nice and pass George on. I remember when I was kid I couldn't WAIT to get him so I could pass him on.
My son has been the same. The funny thing about doing it with a three-year-old is that he will come and tell me what he did and that I need to go find George. And when my husband or I have George, my son is constantly asking where he is. He's so funny. But he has surprised me with how good he is at finding his acts of kindness: he's cleaned up his room without us asking and made our bed to name a couple.
So without further ado, here is the lesson. I would suggest shortening the story a little, especially if your kids are younger.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Frugal Decorating
I like to decorate. I'm not some amazing interior designer or anything, I just enjoy envisioning what I want something to look like and then finding things to go there.
When we first moved into our house 3 years ago, the huge space above my cabinets was calling my name. I couldn't wait to get stuff up there. But, I resisted going out and buying stuff all at once. That is KEY to frugal decorating: DO NOT buy everything all at once because most likely you are going to buy what's there and it may be pricey.
Tip #1: A frugal buyer is a patient one who shops sales, the clearance section, thrift stores, garage sales, and isn't afraid of going several times to each of these places to find exactly what she wants at the right price.
Tip #2: Shop your own house. You'd be surprised what you can do with the stuff you already have. And even if it's not exactly what you want, use it until you can find a cheap (but perfect) replacement.
Tip #3: You'd be surprised what a coat of spray paint can do. I haven't used this so much in my kitchen as other parts of my house and I have seen what a difference this can make from many other decorators. If you're out shopping and you find something that you like, but you hate the color, BUY IT! Spray paint is pretty cheap and can change everything!
Tip #4: Watch for coupons to popular stores and combine them with sales already going on. I've done this with things in other areas of my house.
So without further ado, let me show you some of my good finds from my kitchen that will hopefully give you some idea of how you can decorate for less $$ than you think:
Hmmm this ledge makes me happy because I saved so much money!
Brass flamingo: Free (My hubby already had it from something)
Clock: $10 at Deseret Book with a coupon (originally $60!!!)
Vase: $5 from Ross (It was marked down and to this day I still have no clue because just a few months ago I found another one like it at Ross and it was $12!)
Red plate:
$4 at Wal-Mart. Once upon a time I almost bought a much larger plate
(this is before I realized I wanted the plate in this place) at Target
for $30. Until I realized I was INSANE for thinking about spending that
much money on a plate. Again, the goal was to make this a cheap but
nice-looking project.
Patch of ivy: $7 at Big Lots (this is actually three difference bunches of ivy taped together and spread out)
Patch of ivy: $7 at Big Lots (way cheaper than Porters or Michaels!)
Rooster: Free from my sister and just perfect!
Lantern:
TJ-Max for $13! It was originally over $20, but there was a pane broken
so they discounted it for me and you would never know because the pane
isn't in front.
Candle: TJ-Max for $4.
Grow Old With Me saying: A gift from my hubby (love that man)
Little red vase: A wedding present. It isn't totally perfect, but again, it's free. :)
Bouquet: This
is what I want to replace. It's my wedding bouquet, and I love it, but
it's prettier to look at when it's at eye level. So I'm still in the
process of finding a fake flowering plant to put here. I know it's been 3 years, but I'm being patient until I find the right thing!
Mirror: Clearance at a home decor shop in my area for $22 (which isn't FANTASTIC, but a good deal)
Tile: This is fun; I got the title for free from a Ward Swap where everyone brought stuff they didn't want and then you just took whatever you wanted. This title had some nasty vinyl on it, but I took it home, peeled off the vinyl and then bought vinyl for less than $4 to put on it. In stores, this would sell for at least $15.
Plant: $10 at Ross (love Ross if they have good stuff in!)
Ball of twigs: Free from my sister
Candlestick: $9 from Michaels with my coupon
Candle: Free from my mom
Family: A present from my husband
Christ picture: A wedding present from my fantastic siblings
Vase: $12 at Michaels (not that great of a deal, but the style goes perfect with Christ's era)
Pink Calla Lillies: $10 from Ross
My favorite inexpensive stores to shop at for decor would definitely be Ross, TJ-Max, Deseret Industries, and Michaels (but only when there's a sale and I have a coupon). I hope that has given you some ideas on where to shop and how to do it cheaply. The nice thing about the economy being bad is that frugal decorating is so in! Of course, it has helped that some of this stuff was given to me. But hey, I just stopped asking for new clothes for my birthday and home decor instead!
When we first moved into our house 3 years ago, the huge space above my cabinets was calling my name. I couldn't wait to get stuff up there. But, I resisted going out and buying stuff all at once. That is KEY to frugal decorating: DO NOT buy everything all at once because most likely you are going to buy what's there and it may be pricey.
Tip #1: A frugal buyer is a patient one who shops sales, the clearance section, thrift stores, garage sales, and isn't afraid of going several times to each of these places to find exactly what she wants at the right price.
Tip #2: Shop your own house. You'd be surprised what you can do with the stuff you already have. And even if it's not exactly what you want, use it until you can find a cheap (but perfect) replacement.
Tip #3: You'd be surprised what a coat of spray paint can do. I haven't used this so much in my kitchen as other parts of my house and I have seen what a difference this can make from many other decorators. If you're out shopping and you find something that you like, but you hate the color, BUY IT! Spray paint is pretty cheap and can change everything!
Tip #4: Watch for coupons to popular stores and combine them with sales already going on. I've done this with things in other areas of my house.
So without further ado, let me show you some of my good finds from my kitchen that will hopefully give you some idea of how you can decorate for less $$ than you think:
Hmmm this ledge makes me happy because I saved so much money!
Brass flamingo: Free (My hubby already had it from something)
Clock: $10 at Deseret Book with a coupon (originally $60!!!)
Vase: $5 from Ross (It was marked down and to this day I still have no clue because just a few months ago I found another one like it at Ross and it was $12!)
Red plate:
$4 at Wal-Mart. Once upon a time I almost bought a much larger plate
(this is before I realized I wanted the plate in this place) at Target
for $30. Until I realized I was INSANE for thinking about spending that
much money on a plate. Again, the goal was to make this a cheap but
nice-looking project.Patch of ivy: $7 at Big Lots (this is actually three difference bunches of ivy taped together and spread out)
Patch of ivy: $7 at Big Lots (way cheaper than Porters or Michaels!)
Rooster: Free from my sister and just perfect!
Candle: TJ-Max for $4.
Grow Old With Me saying: A gift from my hubby (love that man)
Little red vase: A wedding present. It isn't totally perfect, but again, it's free. :)
Mirror: Clearance at a home decor shop in my area for $22 (which isn't FANTASTIC, but a good deal)
Tile: This is fun; I got the title for free from a Ward Swap where everyone brought stuff they didn't want and then you just took whatever you wanted. This title had some nasty vinyl on it, but I took it home, peeled off the vinyl and then bought vinyl for less than $4 to put on it. In stores, this would sell for at least $15.
Ball of twigs: Free from my sister
Candlestick: $9 from Michaels with my coupon
Candle: Free from my mom
Family: A present from my husband
Vase: $12 at Michaels (not that great of a deal, but the style goes perfect with Christ's era)
Pink Calla Lillies: $10 from Ross
My favorite inexpensive stores to shop at for decor would definitely be Ross, TJ-Max, Deseret Industries, and Michaels (but only when there's a sale and I have a coupon). I hope that has given you some ideas on where to shop and how to do it cheaply. The nice thing about the economy being bad is that frugal decorating is so in! Of course, it has helped that some of this stuff was given to me. But hey, I just stopped asking for new clothes for my birthday and home decor instead!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Keeping Your Cabinets Nice and Shiny
Are your cabinets looking a little sad? Do they look dull and have crusted food on them from those little hands in your household? Or from just plain cooking? One of my sister-in-laws passed this tip onto me and now I'm passing it to you on how to make your cabinets look nice and shiny again (and any wood for that matter):
The first thing you're going to need is Howard Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish and Conditioner. You can get it right now at Amazon for $8.82 for a 16-oz bottle which should last for at least 2 applications (it all depends on how many cabinets you have in your house). This is basically beeswax and orange oil mixed together which makes for a strong, but pleasant smell while you're cleaning your cabinets.
Before you begin using this, you need to wipe down all your cabinets with a wet rag, trying to get off as much of that food and other grime as possible.
Then taking a rag, pour some of the Feed-N-Wax on the rag and wipe down the cabinet. Continue to all the cabinets. Your rag is going to get really really wet and greasy by the time you're done. After wiping down all the cabinets, let it sit for 20 minutes.
Then go back over the cabinets with a dry rag, wiping off the excess Feed-N-Wax.
And you're done! The result is shiny cabinets like this:
Granted, my cabinets are less than 5 years old, but I've seen this done on older cabinets and the difference is amazing! I can't tell you how many people compliment me on my cabinets after we do this. We do this once a year, but since the Feed-N-Wax uses natural ingredients, you could do it more often and it definitely wouldn't hurt.
What's even best for me is that my wonderful husband is the one who does it every year. So not only have I shared a tip that wasn't mine in the first place, but I've also admitted that I'm not even the one who applies this stuff! Either way, it works and you should try it out!
The first thing you're going to need is Howard Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish and Conditioner. You can get it right now at Amazon for $8.82 for a 16-oz bottle which should last for at least 2 applications (it all depends on how many cabinets you have in your house). This is basically beeswax and orange oil mixed together which makes for a strong, but pleasant smell while you're cleaning your cabinets.
Before you begin using this, you need to wipe down all your cabinets with a wet rag, trying to get off as much of that food and other grime as possible.
Then taking a rag, pour some of the Feed-N-Wax on the rag and wipe down the cabinet. Continue to all the cabinets. Your rag is going to get really really wet and greasy by the time you're done. After wiping down all the cabinets, let it sit for 20 minutes.
Then go back over the cabinets with a dry rag, wiping off the excess Feed-N-Wax.
And you're done! The result is shiny cabinets like this:
What's even best for me is that my wonderful husband is the one who does it every year. So not only have I shared a tip that wasn't mine in the first place, but I've also admitted that I'm not even the one who applies this stuff! Either way, it works and you should try it out!
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