The Frugal Mom

LET THEM EAT CAKE

2010-11-07T08:21:00.008-06:00

Well a good frosty Sunday morning to you all! Sorry for the delay but this weekend has been super crazy busy believe it or not! Football games, bike rallies, car shows, coupon shopping, and more! We still have a pizza block party to go to today and a PowWow next weekend! Plus we have football games... well at least 1. Our team made the playoffs for the 4th straight year so its gonna be a week by week thing now.

Remember the young boy who lived with me named Michael who I treated like a son? Well he is somewhat back in our lives now... but not living with me. So Friday was "Senior night" and all the seniors had their parents escort them across the football field. It was a way for the school to "honor" their seniors in the Football, Band, cheer, dance, and drill. Michael had asked me to escort him a while back and I gave my word I would. I keep my word, so no matter what I was gonna be there. I got a little emotional... as I think most people would. However NEXT year when I escort my daughter... I just know I'm gonna cry!

Then of course you have the ongoing saga with the doctors. Last week I went and everything looked really good. My blood cell counts are steady, my BP was back down, I dropped another 4.5 pounds, and my pulse was awesome. She wants to try cutting my BP meds in half... not the actual pill, but the frequency of the med. I currently take one every day in the morning. She wants to try to go every other day to start IF my BP is good at the next visit. So I am trying to eliminate as much stress as possible. I heard from my attorney too! Hopefully sometime after the 20th I go to court and I will be a free woman! YAY! So that's ANOTHER stress factor eliminated!

Ok, so yesterday first thing in the morning the kids and I went and did some coupon shopping. We did assaults on CVS, JCPenny, and Kroger LOL. We started at CVS cause I also had to pick up a prescription for Alex. OK... I picked up a bottle of Arm & Hammer laundry soap, a bottle of the new Gain dish soap (which smells just like my favorite LAUNDRY soap LOL), 2 beef sticks, a jar of peanuts, a box of alcohol swabs, and 4 blue velvet mini stockings. Total was $19.42 and I had lots of coupons... save off a purchase ones, item coupons, and extra bucks. Total AFTER was $7.09! Woohoo!

Then we went to JCPenny where I had one of those lovely $10 off $10 or more coupons. SOOOO I found a very nice Christmas present there for VERY VERY inexpensive courtesy of the coupon and doorbuster savings!

Then off to Kroger! This one was fun! Ok, so they have this "Mega event" where if you buy 10 items then the price is cheaper. I have a load of coupons for most of those items AND others I know are fairly inexpensive! On top of ALL this, they have the Jenny-O turkeys on sale for 39 cents a pound when you buy $20 of additional items. No problem... had that (before coupons anyways LOL). Man did I find the biggest turkey ever!!!!! 25.20 pounds! OMG I started singing and talking to the turkey in a Cartman voice (a character off of the cartoon SouthPark for those who don't know) and people were looking at me funny, but I didn't care! That turkey was like the mother of all turkeys! That is the biggest one I have ever found and you better believe I'da beat down someone who tried to take it from me LOL! Ok so after my moment of madness LOL, we got the rest of the goodies! I even found a butterfly shaped Wilton cake pan on clearance for less than $4! WOOHOO! Total price before was well over $128 and after was $12.37 out of my pocket... so not my personal best, BUT I did save over $115.06 in coupons! WOOHOO! Call us weird, but the kids and I have so much fun doing this... coupon shopping I mean.

OMG I so have to tell you about my cakes! LOL... the other day I got on a baking trip... I wanted to bake cakes. SOOO, since we didn't do anything for Halloween, I baked. The "Betty Crocker Baking Bug" has apparently bitten me quite early! I have baked like 3 cakes in a week! The first one I did was "Jack" the pumpkin cake. It only LOOKED like a pumpkin LOL but it was strawberry with blood red icing in the center, so when you cut the cake, it looked like it was bleeding! I know morbid, but very cool! 2 layers of yummy deliciousness! I was gonna do a sculpted cake, but I did not have enough powdered sugar to make more icing, time to bake more cake, etc... so we stuck with the simple 2 layer decorated version LOL!

THEN we have my Texas cake! I loved this cake! Super cool, right? Too bad nobody got a piece of it but my son! It was a Butter Pecan cake with white icing. I took so much time coloring the icing, sectioning and separating, etc. I was quite proud of this cake! Apparently so was Alex LOL... it started with the Panhandle... ok fine... then west TX disappeared, the Guly Coast, and finally Central Texas and the Hill Country! WTH? Where is my cake?? Then out walks Alex with EVIDENCE! No not an empty plate... but the bluest teeth I have ever seen LMAO! Oh well... guess it was meant to be eaten! LMAO! Just not all by him... which totally threw me off cuz he normally doesn't eat sweets... except pumpkin pie LOL!

So then a couple of days ago was one of my "kids" birthdays. Becky is one of Madison's friends who's been around us for years that calls me mom... okie dokie... She turned 17 and Madison wanted to make her a small cake for her birthday. Ok... so we are rushing around the night before trying to get this cake done and I realize AFTER the cake is made OMG what am I gonna put it in?? LOL. Well the triple chocolate fudge with milk chocolate cake and cream cheese decoration was set enough in the morning to lightly tent a layer of foil, so that's what we did. Becky LOVED it and started to cry!

I think I'm gonna try to go through my recipes today and pick out all the cookie recipes I am gonna do for our Annual cookie party. I have Gator Blue stockings to make as well, and I think I am gonna try to do some crafting this afternoon once we get back from the Pizza Block party. So next week I will try to do more entries and share more recipes, photos, etc... trying to get back to "normalicy" is harder than I thought LOL! OK Until next time... Peace, Love, & lots of HUGS!

OCTOBER A GO-GO

2010-10-30T11:51:00.003-05:00

Good morning all my little gholish girls and boys! How are you doing this chilly end of the month? I had a rude awakening this morning but now all is better LOL! I rolled off the bed and then once I got my mental faculties about me, I noticed my poor little toes were blue! Talk about getting cold feet! LOL!

Ok so I have had 2 doctor visits since I talked to you last... the one that was SUPPOSED to be the last sadly is not the case! So its ANOTHER 6 weeks of annoyances by medical ignoramouses! UGH... ok so at my visit on the 21st, it was well weight wise! I shed those 3.5 pounds of "Marching Band concession evils" PLUS another 2 pounds YAY! ok so I am back on track... BUT my BP was skyrocketed so THAT plus some of my labs is why I have to keep going back for another 6 weeks eval. period YUCK! Needless to say the BP meds stayed too. OK fine UGH... last week only resulted in a half a pound drop but the BP was back to "Lets-try-not-to-stroke-out" levels. However good news is I am down 1 whole pant size! YAY! My goal was 2 by Christmas, so it just may happen. I have set a couple of other goals to try to hit by the new year... keep your fingers crossed! For now they remain a secret LOL until I know whether they are obtainable or not LOL.

OK so on the "June Cleaver" side... sadly we are not doing anything for Halloween. We're just not in the mood. However I have been reviewing cookie recipes for our 2nd annual get together for our friends. Yes kids, the baking bug has fluttered around the house a couple of times. Gonna try to catch him soon LOL! The kids and I have also wanted to do a "Gator Blue" Christmas next year but we don't have the stuff so I might look for freecycle stuff... who knows. Madison found her a blue Santa hat for the Christmas Band parade and that's when it started... there are tons of blue decorations out there, hopefully someone can give us some... hmmm... curious if my kids can ralley and make a Gator Spirit House! Oh and I want to make a gigantic wooden Gator cutout for the yard! LOL! SO I'm gonna get stuff on after Christmas special too! LOL!

Well I'm both happy and sad to report that Marching Band season is coming to a close. They performed at Area competition in Galena Park and made the finals. However that is where it came to a halt. They are NOT going to state competition. And there is one football game left. If the FB team loses, they will NOT go to playoffs and marching season will officially be over. So next Friday, we will know. I am sad because we love band season but hate the hectic chaos we live in temporarily during that time LOL. So I'm happy as things will be slowing down... is that wrong? LOL.

Its a pretty day outside, so I think I'm gonna get off here and maybe prep my containers in the yard for a winter crop! Summer cooked my plants... lets try for a better winter one! I'm also thinking about having a couple of craft sales this coming month! WHO knows... so I'll talk to you all again soon! HUGS!

PEEKABOO LOL

2010-10-15T09:46:00.002-05:00

Hi there my friends! How you doing on this crazy crispy fall Friday? Let me tell ya... mother nature gt me good last night! Went to bed in boxers and my T-shirt woke up with the most horrible cold muscle charlie horses like you could not imagine!

Well, we're gonna start today's wekly wrap-up with the Dr. report... ick! Not happy at all!

10-14-10: I wasn't feeling real well yesterday and really didn't want to go, but off I went for my early morning butt chewing! I got so depressed when I got on that scale! I gained weight! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! BUT I lost almost a whole inch, so dr. says its muscle mass cause she can see rock hard muscles now and more sculpting to my body contour. I don't care! Gaining is a BIG NO-NO! On top of that, my BP and pulse were "a bit" high too! She argued with me and that made it worse. I threatened not to come back anymore. Can you believe she threatened to have security remove me until I could cool off??! SHE wanted me there... I didn't care! Throw me out! Geez... but once I calmed down, she asked me about the additional exercising I was doing to pinpoint how I was building the mass and she altered it a bit for me. So maybe I won't gain as much mass, but will shed more weight. I was also very swollen for some reason. She can't figure out why I am retaining so much fluid, even on my meds to help that... we shall see what the next week has in store!

STATS: + 3.5 pounds, BP- 185/102, P- 108

Then as you all know, its the peak of Marching band Season. Last weekend we had the Katy Invitational. My parents got to go with and Dad got some good pics of the DD! Tonight is a football game til late and then tomorrow we have the Lone Star Preview all the way in Conroe and OMG it plans to be a long day! We probably won't get home til 1am Sat/Sun. am! Luckily the only plans we have on Sunday is my "nephew" Josh is coming over to work on a project and the landlord is having a plumber come over. Then of course I have my DD's PMS! So I am eating everything in sight and grumpy beyond belief LOL! I haven't had to deal with that issue in almost 10 years! And now this! OMG seriously!?Betcha once that is here, I will stop eating and swelling! LOL! Its crazy...

I figure at the end of marching season/this month, I'm gonna get super crafty cause I am already thinking of doing a craft sale or 2 and then making stuff for personal reasons. I am also advertising all my services (catering, personal chef, sewing/crafts, etc) on Facebook too. Trying to get out there! I need to make mucho money and fast.

So anyways, that's about it for right now. Got a couple of small jobs to make some potential change, but other than that this has been kind of an uneventful week. So I will get off here so I can go shower (just finished working out) and get todays preps done. Talk to you soon! HUGS!

HOW PATIENT CAN YOU BE?

2010-10-08T07:24:00.004-05:00

Good morning everyone! I hope this crisp fall morning finds you well. Betcha didn't expect me back, huh? As my dear friend Cindy told me... It's been a great week!! Made it through without needing bail money or having any of those messy "hide the body" episodes... LOL. True I have been MIA but I wanted to come on here and thank everyone for the kind emails and comments and to let you know what's been going on. Yes, I'm choosing to air dirty laundry, vent, spill the beans... whatever you want to call it LOL! I am getting a divorce, got health issues, money woas, and lots more! But I want you to know that whatever you are going through, you CAN get through it... let my story serve as your proof. That's the reason I am sharing all my personal stuff with you now!

6-4-10: The young man I let move into my house and treated like a son decided that drugs, booze, and girls were more important than a loving safe home and a "family" who would help him get a good education and a better life. His attitude and actions became intolerable. Then he cowardly moved out the day I took my mom to the casino without even saying goodbye. I felt very used and "abused" both myself and for my family. My Best Friend Vicki (who is more like my sister) saw him in the store the other day and my "nephew" Josh kept asking why he wasn't at Aunt Nay's house, etc. He fessed up that leaving was the biggest mistake he ever made. GEE, YA THINK? Oh well... young, dumb, and full of... um STUPIDITY LOL!

My brother also breaks off relations with the young lady he was seeing and the baby I was watching quite frequently is no longer in my life now. I got attached yes, but didn't cry. I just hope she realizes how special he is...

8-25-10: Separated from husband... we've been having alot of problems for the past couple of years actually. I decided to "kill" the old me and change my life. Went through my boo-hoo's and why me's and then finally said OK, Bring it on! I am quite proud of myself for not trying to get him to come back home... standing my ground! After what all he did to me over the course of our marriage (I admit I enabled him quite a bit), I realized I could not hold on to the good to get through the bad because things had changed and been damaged too much. It would never be the same. So I used the last way I knew how to show him I love him... I let him go!

Time to work on me and my kids!

9-8-10: Went to the doctor. Got my release and rehab "instructions". SUPPOSED to be exercising 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week. Appointments every week for 6 weeks of what I think feels like "Fat camp". Goal is to lose weight put on by meds and bone disease, steriod meds, shots, and other health issues. Doc also wants to re-evaluate at 6 wks and see if we can lose the BP meds. Personal Weight goal is to lose 100 pounds by my birthday next year (Sept. 7, 2011). Left the doctor and the next day, started... ended up exercising for 3 hours cause it felt so dang good!

** Aside from the exercising, I am implementing alot of other changes. I have already quit smoking (May 27, 2009) and only have the social drinks (except right after kicking out husband LOL). I am not using any salt other than to cook with, I hardly eat sweets unless my blood sugars go too low, I won't eat hardly any red meat, increase my veggies and raw salads (didn't think it was possible as I LOVE fruits and veggies already LOL but I did it), and increasing my water intake (just to name a few LOL). **

9-16-10: First doctor visit. Got lectured a bit... but its ok. I lost 9 pounds, my BP was 171/102 and my pulse was 99. Doc said the first 5-7 pounds of that was probably water weight and I said THAT'S OK! It took 2-4 pounds of its fatty friend with it! LOL! She warned me to be careful and she wanted a goal of like 2 pounds a week... I cock an eyebrow and think "Uh yea ok" LOL.

STATS: -9 pounds, BP- 171/102, P- 99

** Am loving doing 2-3 hours a day of kickboxing! Met with an atty and he is going to do the divorce for me, so that paperwork has been filed! Hopefully I can be saying my thanks over my Thanksgiving turkey saying "Thank you for this divorce and pass the gravy!"**

9-23-10: Second visit to hell-o LOL! Doc starts really fussin' cuz I drop another 4.5 pounds! WOOHOO! I am excited, she's not so much. She asked if I was doing the 30/3's and I had to fess up that no, I'm doing 120-180/5's LOL! She started fussin that she thinks I am over-doing it and doesn't want me adding too much stress to the heart or problemed bones. I say :P LOL! She asked me if I was eating, etc. Fuss Fuss Fuss... gonna do what I want to do so hush LOL!

STATS: -4.5 pounds, BP- 147/93, P- 96

** Am finding that since working out, I have more energy and when I listen to music, I just wanna move LOL so I end up dancing my butt off for another hour or so some nights LMAO! **

9-30-10: What a wonderful way to end September! In fat camp! Ok, doc's getting P-turbed with me now LOL and has the nerve to ask me if A. I'm actually eating, and B. am I taking any kind of drugs because I am losing the weight too fast. I was like seriously offended and the b*tchy side comes out and tells her NO and go ahead and test me if ya want! I stressed to her that when you're doing more than the 30/3's, you're more likely gonna lose it faster DUH! Plus the dancing... but I know my body and I know when to stop or slow down. I feel great about myself and I can actually look in the mirror now and not be so disgusted! After going a couple of rounds (more like an hour or so LOL), all she could really say was "well just be careful PLEASE" LOL! Renee 1, Doc-0! Think I might need to dance and celebrate tonight! LOL

STATS: -6 pounds, BP- 135/94, P- 101

TOTAL LOSS FOR SEPTEMBER: 19.5 lbs.
REMAINING GOAL LOSS: 80.5 lbs.
REMAINING TIME: 11 MONTHS

10-7-10: Today really sucked! I felt a sort of dread yesterday and didn't want to go to the dr. today. Couldn't put my finger on why. But I had an overactive brain yesterday and today, so I had tons of things running through my head. So I grabbed an extra hour almost of kickboxing. Well I had found a picture of my STBX (Soon To Be Ex) in my son's room that I had removed and forgot to put away... still in a frame of course. Got very angry again and OOOPS!

There went some more glass. Got a few cuts on my hand, but it's ok... nothing too deep (Note to audience- do NOT box with pics of STBX around LOL... the adrenaline gets going and soon you think the pic is their face and there ya go! LOL). I woke up today with a really low feeling in my gut, but I went to the doctor anyway. Well she couldn't gripe at me too bad, cuz my numbers were "much safer" to her but very disappointing to me. I have some swelling in my legs for some reason, but other than that she is pleased with my visit. She says I have slimmed but apparently am building up more muscle mass. NOOOOO! I am so upset that I have been working so hard and this is what I end up with... uh no. Think I need to step it up some or change it somehow! We'll see what next week brings!

STATS: -0.5 pounds, BP- 130/92, P-104

So that in a nutshell is what I have been up to with myself. Of course October started DD's Marching Band season in full swing. (LOL Like the pic? Late night football marching followed by early next day marching = Sunday morning Marching Lag! LOL) The competition last weekend was great! They got lots of good pictures of her. We have comp's every weekend this month... plus football, etc. Busy... Busy... Busy. I finally did some more painting in the kitchen- just have 2 cabinet doors on the bottom and then applying the lemons and that project is done. Because of everything going on, the fabric challenge and the Christmas Challenge came to a screeching halt. Christmas will be rough this year because of finances, but also that Frank & I were married December 23rd... so yea... I would say I see some "special" eggnog this year, but I hate eggnog YUCK! LOL!

My little bunny Rescue I got at the flea market passed away. Mom thinks she may have been bred diseased but says I gave her a very good life. I got a new rabbit though... rescued him too in a way. He is a 3 yr old black rabbit named Midnight and he is fixed! YAY! LOL... also my landlord got stupid and said I had too many cats and that some had to go. SOOOO Miracle and Gizmo are now living out at my mom's house. I still have to get rid of 1 more (2 if he learns about the baby in Madison's room). He "graciously" said the bunny can stay since it's in a cage. Gee thanks dillhole! And then DD's friend needs to place 2 gerbils and they decided they should come here. UM NO! Anyone want 2 gerbils and all the goodies? LOL.

We had my little brother's birthday lunch a couple of weeks ago too... wow I feel so old, but I love my family so much! We had a great time, great food, and I even managed to get him to give me a great picture... one he is not shooting the finger in! WOW! LOL Love ya Michael! My other brother Mark is currently in TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) boot camp to start a new career as a Correctional Officer. We were discussing this as a possibility for me too. But I won't even consider applying until I lose at least 50 more pounds! Its just a thought right now... a vague thought. But my brother's doing great and I think this is gonna be a good thing for him! Way to go Mark!

As you can see, lots of things going on right now in my life. When I started this blog it was as a wife, mother, and basically a "June Cleaver" Kinda person. However I'm NOT that person anymore. I am still a mom and I love cooking, sewing, etc. and if you want to still hang around, I will continue to be here... maybe not so much right now (definitely not every day right now) til my life settles into a normal chaos. I will still do crafts, cooking, etc... if you'll have me- the NEW me?

Well I'm outta here. Time for "The Oldies Sweating To Hate Music" LOL! (No offense to anyone- especially the makers of "Sweatin to the Oldies" LMAO!) I want to hear your thoughts and comments, etc... so until next time... HUGS!!!!!!

OPEN FOR POLITE & CIVIL DISCUSSION

2010-08-30T08:15:00.002-05:00

(Edited 9-1-10 7:30am)

Hi there everyone. I am glad you stopped by today. I thought you were going to blow up my email box yesterday LOL. Thank you for all the kind words of encouragement you all sent... witout even knowing my problems. There are still good people in the world. I am going through some very rough times in my personal life and you can probably figure out what that is... at least a little. I have been trying to collect my thoughts. I'm just praying time heals and for strength... the less time the better.

Well I need to discuss with you all that I am toying with the idea of shutting down The Frugal Mom on November 30 (my 1yr. anniversary) in more detail, as some of you are utterly confused. I don't feel I can continue to bring you a wonderful journey like I used to... at least right now. I started this blog as a mother... a family woman... with a happy life and that's what I wanted to share with you all... the fun of my "June Cleaver" life and the knowledge I have acquired over the years. However, those fundamental building blocks have since crumbled into the ground- especially this last week- and I don't feel it fair to present you with "fake" happiness. That would be lying to you all and that is something I cannot tolerate- to or from anybody! Many of you asked if there is something you can help and what have I lost. Without going into details, there is nothing that anyone can do or is resposible for, but thank you so very much. The rapid life changes have left me spinning and now I must tell the ride conductor I want off LOL. Rollercoasters have never been my thing anyway LOL.

Maybe I just need a break, I don't know... nothing is written in stone yet. If I choose to stop the blog, I would leave it up thru the end of the year so you could pull your favorite recipes and crafts off the site. I would go thru each blog entry and put as many labels on each as I could so you could quickly locate the various things. However, I would not be continuing with any new entries, unless something was so profound in that time, that I wanted you to know.

With the help of my family, a few good friends, and the good Lord above, I hope that I will make it through this a better person... stronger even. I have not made a final decision yet, but I will keep you informed of when I do. Please do not send emails of negativity or "bashing" as I call it, as only a few know the entire story. And that only makes matters worse anyway. I thank you all for coming and reading every day and all the wonderful comments and emails you have sent over the past almost year. I appreciate each and every one of you far more than you will ever know. I love you all and until next time... Be smart, Be safe, and Be Frugal! HUGS!

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG

2010-08-28T11:09:00.005-05:00

Hi there everyone. I am so sorry I have been M.I.A. for the last couple of days. I am going through some very rough times in my personal life and have not been the best company to visit with. So I took a couple of days away to regroup, collect my thoughts, and gain my composure. I'm praying that starting today, things will be easier and improve each day there after. SO, it seems that I owe you alot of info, huh? Well never fear, the next couple of posts should have as much stuffing as your Christmas turkey! LOL!

First I want to bring you this article I saved that I saw on Yahoo. Its about reminding women to breathe in stressful or painful, etc. situations. More than ever I have to keep reminded of this right now in my life and I thought for those others who may be out there, this might help you too! Being reminded to breathe is good for your body, have you ever just taken a deep breath (I mean a full and purposefull breathe?). While meditating, breathing is something of a distractor. It allows the mind to relax so people can sleep better and not have as much anxiety. Also Oxygen is a natural drug, when you take a few full deep breaths your brain is almost experencing a natural "high". EMT's say that sometimes for those people that were having anxiety attacks or what they thought was something worse... a little oxygen saved the day. So no matter what we are going through in life, remember to stop for a moment and just BREATHE!

Remind me: why do women need to be reminded to breathe?
by Piper Weiss

There are at least four songs by female pop singers with the title Breathe. Yoga studios across the country bear the name. An entire network for women is devoted to Oxygen and Bliss Spa has created a signature oxygen treatment. Meanwhile, Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus have "Breathe" tattoos. Now Drew Barrymore is the latest to imprint the reminder on her body. Is breathing something we're chronically forgetting to do? If so, I'd like to recommend a portable oxygen tank.

Not that kind of breathing silly! In the world of wellness, breathing is a luxury. You pay $20 bucks to have someone tell you to just focus on your breathing. (Also to remind you to thank yourself for showing up.) The age old practice of meditation gets choked in translation to take the form of a congratulatory reminder that you're already doing something. That thing being the bare minimum to stay alive. You're breathing. Isn't that great?

Shouldn't our self-expectations be a little higher? We are owning the job market, we're bearing children in our 40's and 50's. Back up. We're bearing children. I'm pretty sure the breathing thing under control by comparison.

In Lamaze, breathing techniques are supposed to refocus your attention from the unbearable pain of a human detaching from your organs. So what are Drew or Miley doing that is so painful it requires a ink-stained Lamaze coach at the ready?

The self-help industry has made a killing on the idea of "women who do too much." The common complaint being: "I don't take enough time for myself." And that's true of a lot of women who juggle work, family and relationships. We're nurturers and all that, but we're also highly capable creatures. Multi-tasking is in our DNA. There has never been a time when women haven't been expected to be responsible for keeping alive multiple humans at a time. It's what we do. We also breathe if we're lucky.

The implication is that we're dysfunctional. And like the word "relax" the more you're instructed to do it, the less you're able to. It fosters anxiety and coddles the panic. If anything, I'd rather it be one less thing to think about it. If I'm not aware of it, my body is working fine. The things we've got down, shouldn't be dwelled on. Things like confidence, organization, anger-management wouldn't be bad reminders. Personally, I could use the tattoo "shower". But breathe? I can do that in my sleep.

Not so for Taylor Swift song, who's song Breathe speaks directly to a guy who needs to give her CPR every minute. "I can't breathe with out you," she sings. That right there may be why he left. Talk about pressure. So no wonder we're given applause when we do it on our own. We've really turned a corner with our expectations of what makes an independent woman.

Then there's Michelle Branch (who performed her song Breathe at the Oxygen festival, above. ha). "When life's like an hourglass stuck to a table, just breathe," she advises. I would suggest leaving the Salvador Dali museum, drinking lots of water and never ever letting someone talk you into dropping acid at that high-art funhouse again.

(Just a corrective note- Piper, you're confusing Anna Nalick and Michelle Branch! Anna Nalick's song is "Breathe (2 AM)", which has the lyrics "And life's like an hourglass glued to the table." The Michelle Branch song you linked to is a completely different song, also entitled "Breathe". You might want to fix that last paragraph!)

And my apologies, but it seems the box office was closed for renovations the last couple of days for MEMORABLE MOVIES week. But fear not, the remodeling is done and tickets are now available! So I am gonna bring you some movies that maybe had 1 or 2 memorable foods that really stick in my mind and I thought would be fun to feature. Whether or not you make them is a whole other story LOL!

Fried Green Tomatoes

(Synopsis: 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. It was released in the UK under the novel's full title. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary-Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterson. It tells the story of a Depression-era friendship between two women, Ruth and Idgie, and a 1980s friendship between Evelyn, a middle aged housewife and Ninny, an elderly woman who knew Ruth and Idgie. The centerpiece and parallel story concerns the murder of Ruth's abusive husband and the accusations that follow.)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
5 green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter

Directions

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, salt and pepper. Place the crushed saltine crackers in another bowl, and the beaten eggs in a third bowl.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each tomato slice in the egg to coat, then in the flour mixture. Dip the floured tomato slice back into the egg, and then into the cracker crumbs. Place the coated tomato slices in the hot skillet, and fry until golden brown on each side, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Add more butter to the pan, if necessary. Serve hot!

Armadillo Grooms Cake from Steel Magnolias

(Synopsis: 1989 American comedy-drama film about the bond among a group of women in northwest Louisiana. The movie is based on a 1987 off-Broadway play by Robert Harling, which in turn dealt with the playwright's experience with the death of his sister. The title suggests the female characters are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel. The action centers on Truvy's beauty parlor and some women who regularly gather there. The film begins on the morning of Shelby's wedding to Jackson and covers events over the next three years, including Shelby's decision to have a child despite having Type 1 diabetes and the complications that result from the decision. We also get a glimpse of the unlikely friendship between Clairee and Ouiser; Annelle's transformation from a shy, anxious newcomer in town to a good-time girl and then to a revival-tent Christian; and Truvy's relationships with the men in her family. Although the main storyline involves Shelby, her mother and Shelby's medical battles, the underlying group-friendship among all six women is prominent throughout the drama.)The comedy-drama takes place in Louisiana and stars an incredible cast including Dolly Parton, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, and Julia Roberts, among others. It explores the bonds of women, and the armadillo grooms cake debuts. The armadillo cake is made for the wedding of Jackson (played by Dylan McDermott) and Shelby (played by Julia Roberts) by Jackson's Aunt Fern.
The popularity of the movie, the uniqueness of the cake, and the comedic lines surrounding the cake in the movie have made the armadillo grooms cake popular years after the movie's release.

People choose armadillos as a grooms cake for reasons other than its appearance in the movie, of course. Many Texans embrace the armadillo as a mascot, since it is the state mammal of Texas. Randolph Community College in North Carolina claims this armored creature as a mascot along with other schools across the country. Whatever your reason for coveting an armored gray critter cake, it is sure to be charming.

The Bleeding Armadillo

Since grooms cakes are often fun, quirky, or unique, a bleeding armadillo cake can be a perfect choice. In Steel Magnolias the type of cake makes it appear as if it is "bleeding" when cut into slices. The type of cake used to achieve this affect is a red velvet cake, which is a rich, sweet cake that can be made with or without chocolate flavoring. Instant red velvet cake mixes are widely available in supermarkets, and recipes are also available.

The exterior of the armadillo is often made with a butter cream or cream cheese frosting that is colored to resemble an armadillo. While the cake in the movie was made with grey frosting, frosting can be white, black, brown, or other shades. Fondant frosting is used in some armadillo cakes to lend a smoother appearance, and airbrushing used to add detail. The back of the cake may be detailed with score marks or frosted to resemble an armadillo's scales.

An armadillo cake can be served on top of a sheet cake if necessary to accommodate more people for a large wedding party or if served at the reception. Surrounding details can include frosting or plastic grass, insects, logs, and lizards to evoke an armadillo's natural surroundings. Other cakes are shaped as if the armadillo is lying flat on the ground

Making the Cake

Since an armadillo cake requires a bit more work than a standard sheet or round cake, it may be best reserved for experienced bakers. For those willing to try, the cake can be made using a football cake pan as the base and using a mix or recipe for red velvet cake. The head, arms, legs, and tail, can be made from using sections of a loaf cake or from rolled fondant or butter cream frosting. Petal dusts, available at many bakery suppliers, can be used to add sheen to "scales" of the finished cake.
All in One Bake Shop also offers a recipe and full instructions for an armadillo cake, making it possible for anyone to enjoy this unique type of tribute to the groom.

Shrimp Cocktail from Beetlejuice

(Synopsis: 1988; Thanks to the carelessness of a cute little dog, newlyweds Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin are killed in a freak auto accident. Upon arriving in the outer offices of Heaven, the couple finds that, thanks to a century's worth of bureaucratic red tape, they're on a long celestial waiting list. Before they can earn their wings, Davis and Baldwin must occupy their old house as ghosts for the next fifty years. Alas, the house is now owned by insufferable yuppies Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones. Horrified at the prospect of sharing space with these obnoxious interlopers, Davis and Baldwin do their best to scare O'Hara and Jones away, but their house-haunting skills are pathetic at best. In desperation, the ghostly couple engage the services of a veteran scaremeister: a yellow-haired, snaggle-toothed, profane, flatulent "gonzo" spirit named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). The problem: Beetlejuice cannot be trusted-especially when he falls in love with O'Hara and Jones' gloomy, black-clad teenaged daughter Winona Ryder.)

Tejano Style Shrimp Cocktail

By: Rey Garza
"For those of you unable to make it to south Texas, A shrimp cocktail made Tex Mex style to include cilantro and chile serrano for that authentic flavor that will blow your tastebuds away, without leaving your home! Serve with saltine crackers."

Ingredients

1 pound cooked medium shrimp, chilled
1/2 large cucumber, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 large tomato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1 ounce fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 lime

Directions

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, cucumber, tomato, green onion, cilantro, and serrano pepper. Stir in tomato sauce, and vinegar. Squeeze lime juice over mixture.

** For more kick, add an additional pepper **

Well kids I need to get off of here for awhile. I want to thank everyone for coming. I also want to let you all know that I am toying with the idea of shutting down The Frugal Mom on November 30 (my 1yr. anniversary). I would leave it up thru the end of the year so you could pull your favorite recipes and crafts off the site. I have lost a lot the last few months and I don't feel I can continue to bring you a wonderful journey like I used to. Maybe I just need a break, I don't know... nothing is written in stone yet. Anyways, be safe, be smart, and be frugal. HUGS!

TIME TO DESTRESS

2010-08-25T08:16:00.006-05:00

Good morning my fellow bloggites! How are you this steamy sticky Wednesday morning? I am just dandy. I had a good night's rest, the kids are off to school, and I got a busy schedule ahead of me! Let me be the first to wish you a HAPPY National Second Hand Wardrobe Day! Whether its passed down to you from a relative or bought at a thrift store... today is the day you should put it on and let it shine!

Alright, first on the agenda this morning would be to address something that effcts everyone at one point and time in our lives... it does not discriminate on age, sex, weight, religion, nothing! And it can even kill you if you have too much, can't handle, or don't deal with it. I know this all too well. Boys and girls I am talking about STRESS! Millions of things, both very little and very big, cause us stress all the time. Sometimes when we don't even really realize it. The less stressed you can be, the healthier you can become. I am working on this. I also found an article that gives some tips on some things you can EAT to help with stress. WAIT A MINUTE! You mean to tell me that there can be GOOD stress eating?!?!? OMG tell me more! Ok, I will LOL! Read this article about some stress fighting foods!

7 Best Stress-Fighting Foods
By David Zinczenko

I send out a lot of info on my Twitter feed, from nutrition news to management tips. I get the most passionate reaction—and the most retweets—when I talk about stress. In fact, a friend of mine recently told me that stress was her biggest dietary villain. “I eat when I’m stressed,” she said.

To which I reacted, “Good!” You should eat when you’re stressed—it’s our bodies’ natural reaction to want to store calories to face whatever challenge is causing the stress in the first place. The key, however, is to eat what your body wants—the foods that actually counteract the effects of stress, and make you stronger (and leaner) when the tough times pass. So next time anxiety runs high, be sure to grab one of these seven stress-fighting foods.

(And while you're at it, be sure to follow my Twitter feed for hundreds of instant nutrition and health secrets like these.)

Papaya
Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a magic nutrient that could stop the flow of stress hormones—the very hormones that make your body superefficient at storing fat calories? Wouldn’t you want to gobble that food up like crazy, especially if it tasted great? Half a medium papaya carries nearly 75 percent more vitamin C than an orange, and provides potent protection against stress. Researchers at the University of Alabama found 200 milligrams of vitamin C—about as much as you’ll find in one large papaya—twice a day nearly stopped the flow of stress hormones in rats. It should work for you, too.

Other smart sources of vitamin C: Red bell peppers, broccoli, oranges

Bonus Tip: The closer an ingredient is to its original form, the healthier it is for you. Avoid the worst side of the nutritional spectrum by familiarizing yourself with this shocking list of The 15 Worst Food Creations of 2010.

Peppermint Tea
The mere scent of peppermint helps you focus and boosts performance, according to researchers. Another study discovered that peppermint tea makes drivers more alert and less anxious.

Other smart sources of peppermint: Peppermint candy and peppermint oil

Bonus Tip: Beware of disastrous drinks that only pretend to be healthy. Avoid 2,000-calorie shakes, 1,500-calorie smoothies, and other big offenders in this eye-popping list of The 20 Worst Drinks in America in 2010.

Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are loaded with stress-busting potential thanks to high levels of magnesium. Only about 30 percent of us meet our daily magnesium requirements, placing the rest of us at a higher risk for stress symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, tension, fatigue, insomnia, nervousness and high blood pressure. (Basically we’re frayed wires, and magnesium is the electrical tape that can pull us back together.) A quarter cup of pumpkin seeds gives you half your day’s magnesium requirements.

Other smart sources of magnesium: Spinach, Swiss chard, black beans, soybeans, salmon

Avocados
The healthy fats buried in the avocado’s flesh make it an ideal choice when you’re craving something rich and creamy. The reasons? Monounsaturated (healthy) fatty acids, and potassium--both of which help combat high blood pressure. Avocado fat is 66 percent monounsaturated, and gram-for-gram, the green fruit has about 35 percent more potassium than a banana. Whip up a fresh guacamole or slice a few slivers over toast and top with fresh ground pepper.

Other smart sources of potassium: Squash, papaya, spinach, bananas, lentils

Salmon
Not only does omega-3 fat protect against heart disease and cognitive decline, but according to a study from Diabetes & Metabolism, the wonder fat is also responsible for maintaining healthy levels of cortisol. And what’s the world’s best source of omega-3s? Salmon. But there’s another trick in salmon’s arsenal—a sleep-promoting amino acid called tryptophan. One salmon filet has as much tryptophan as you need in an entire day, and if there’s one remedy for stress, it’s a good night of blissful Zs.

Other smart sources of omega-3 fats: Flaxseeds, walnuts, sardines, halibut

Other smart sources of tryptophan: Chicken, tuna, beef, soybeans

Bonus Tip: The favorite trick of your friendly neighborhood restaurant? Substituting salt for flavor. Studies have linked high-salt foods to increased risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and even heart disease--and experts recommend getting no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium in your diet each day. Keep your salt intake in check by cooking with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients—and by dodging the salty disasters in this list of the 30 Saltiest Foods in America.

Almonds
The almond's first stress-buster is the aforementioned monounsaturated fats, but at risk of belaboring that point, let’s look at another almond-centered, mind-calming nutrient: vitamin E. In one study, Belgium researchers treated pigs with a variety of nutrients just before sticking them in a transportation simulator (basically a vibrating crate). After 2 hours of simulation, only those pigs treated with tryptophan and vitamin E had non-elevated levels of stress hormones. Almonds, thankfully, are loaded with vitamin E. To reach your day’s requirement from almonds alone, you need to eat about 40 to 50 nuts. Or you can mix them with other vitamin-E rich foods to save calories and add more dietary variety.

Other smart sources of vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, olives, spinach, papaya

Oatmeal
A biochemical effect of stress is a depleted stock of serotonin, the hormone that makes you feel cool, calm, and in control. One reliable strategy for boosting serotonin back to healthy levels is to increase your intake of carbohydrates. That said, scarfing down Ding Dongs and doughnuts isn’t a sustainable solution. Rather, to induce a steady flow of serotonin, aim to eat fiber-rich, whole-grain carbohydrates. The slower rate of digestion will keep seratonin production steady and prevent the blood sugar rollar-coaster that leads to mood swings and mindless eating.

Other sources of fiber-rich carbohydrates: Quinoa, barley, whole-wheat bread, Triscuits

Now it's time to talk crafts. Molly over at the Purl Bee has something I absolutely fell in love with! Giant Strawberries! Now you know that there is a huge berry bandit running rampit somewhere in my house that hides from me and I can never seem to catch LOL. But every time I go to the Farmer's Market, it manages to eat my crate of strawberries! LOL! I love them so much that once I saw this craft I have contemplated redo-ing one of my rooms in the house in a strawberry decor! OMG these are just too cute! Make sure to go to the site for the step by step photos and instructions. They are pretty easy to make and cute as a... well a BERRY! LOL!

Craft Idea of the Day: Giant Strawberry Pillows

Materials:

1 1/2-yards of Kiyohara Organic Woven Dots in Pink
1 1/2-yards of Kiyohara Organic Woven Dots in Red
1/2-yard of Organic Cotton Duck in Avocado
Two bags of Stuffing
A spool of light green thread to match the cotton duck, I used color #8975
A spool of neutral thread for sewing the berries
A ball of cotton embroidery floss
A Creative Grids 6.5-inch by 24.5-inch ruler or a protractor
A Strawberry Pillow Stem Template printed and cut out, available for free here

Ok folks, time for another crazy pick for your MEMORABLE MOVIES week. Today in the theme of destressing our lives, I have picked a light-hearted movie full of hope, humor, and the goodness of humankind. The movie is called "Michael" starring John Travolta, Andie McDowell, William Hurt, Bob Hoskins, Robert Pastorelli, Jean Stapleton, and even Teri Garr. (Synopsis: Frank Quinlan and Huey Driscoll, two reporters from a Chicago-based tabloid, along with Dorothy Winters, an 'angel expert', are asked to travel to rural Iowa to investigate a claim from an old woman that she shares her house with a real, live archangel named Michael. Upon arrival, they see that her claims are true - but Michael is not what they expected: he smokes, drinks beer, has a very active libido and has a rather colourful vocabulary. In fact, they would never believe it were it not for the two feathery wings protruding from his back. Michael agrees to travel to Chicago with the threesome, but what they don't realise is that the journey they are about to undertake will change their lives forever.) Ok, so in this movie, they are at a tavern and they order pie... lots and lots of pie! They even make Andie McDowell's character sing a song about pie. OMG I love pie! I can't help but to sing the song everytime I even think about pie! Its a super cute movie, so if you haven't seen it, definitely check it out! And with that, I have picked 5 super yummy pies for you today... although there are literally thousands of types of pies out there! Eat & Enjoy!

Saskatoon Pie

A not-too-sweet and fruity pie. Saskatoon berries are known as serviceberries in the United States. This berry has often been compared with blueberries though it has more of an apple flavor

Ingredients

4 cups fresh serviceberries
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a large saucepan, simmer berries in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice with berries. Combine sugar and flour together in a medium bowl, then stir into berry mixture. Pour mixture into a pastry lined 9 inch pie pan. Dot with butter. Place second crust on top of pie; seal and flute edges.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup whipped topping
10 peanut butter cups, divided
1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until smooth and light. Fold in the whipped topping. Coarsely chop half of the peanut butter cups; stir into cream cheese mixture.

Spoon into crust. Quarter remaining peanut butter cups; arrange over top.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.

Sunshine Pie
By: Cool Whip

"A creamy layer, a fluffy pudding layer, and a topping made with fresh orange zest fill the graham cracker crust of this sweet, no-bake orange pie."

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk, divided
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 (6 ounce) HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 (3.4 ounce) package JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

Directions

Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup condensed milk with mixer until well blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup COOL WHIP. Spread onto bottom of crust.

Whisk orange juice, remaining condensed milk and dry pudding mix in medium bowl 2 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the remaining COOL WHIP. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Stir orange zest into remaining COOL WHIP; spread over pie. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Caramel Pecan Pie

Buttery, nutty, and a touch of caramel, this is a very yummy pie! Full of flavor! Serve hot or cold, with a good size dollop of whipped topping or vanilla ice cream."

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
36 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan halves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) In a saucepan over low heat, combine caramels, butter and milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in the melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool until filling is firm.

Nectarine Pie

Ingredients

2/3 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 nectarines
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place a large pot of water over high heat, and bring to a boil.

Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, heavy cream and almond extract. Set aside.

Place the nectarines in boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds. Immediately place nectarines under cold running water and remove skins. Cut nectarines in half and remove pits. Place halves in the pie shell with the cut side down. Pour the cream mixture around the nectarines.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes. Good served warm or cold.

Well kids, I'm outta here! I am off to clean, freecycle, sew, and whatever else suits my fancy! Thanks for joining me today and I say... let them eat pie! LOL! Be smart, be safe, and be frugal in whatever life leads you to today! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

MEMORABLE MOVIE WEEK

2010-08-24T11:04:00.005-05:00

Morning there guys and gals! How are you doing this morning? Its another hot and humid day here in Texas and I sit here sweating gallons in the early morning hours. But its ok, fall will be here before I know it and there will be a rebirth of spunk and vitality! LOL. So whatcha doing today? I got a tip for you today... never try cooking and eating frozen cheesesticks if you don't know how long they have been in the freezer LOL! You're tummy might not feel so great afterwards!

Alright folks, the New York Times is giving Frugal people, particularly men, a bad name! They are saying that it's not sexy, etc. I don't know about you, but I think I would find it a wee bit awesome if a man I was dating thought the same frugal thoughts I did! Do you agree? Check out this article and let me know what you think!

How to Be Frugal and Still Be Asked on Dates
The New York Times On Saturday August 21, 2010, 1:00 am EDT

Saving may be making a comeback, but it still hasn’t gotten its sexy back, particularly if you’re a man.

Earlier this month, the Commerce Department reported that the personal savings rate in June was a much-improved 6.4 percent and that the number had risen as high as 8.2 percent in the depths of the stock market doldrums in the spring of 2009.

Those who are single may not have been rewarded for their parsimony, though. Now comes some survey data from ING Direct, the people who would like you to save more money in their online savings accounts. In June, the company asked 1,000 people which words would come to mind if someone was fixing them up on a blind date with someone described as frugal.

Just 3.7 percent answered “sexy,” while 15 percent picked “boring” and 27 percent chose “stingy.”

Anyone who urges better money habits on the masses for a living ought to be gravely offended by this, though Ramit Sethi, author of “I Will Teach You to Be Rich,” tried to take it in stride. “The term frugality has been so perverted that it now means ‘No, no, no’ to everyone, whether it’s shoes or lattes or travel,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the right word.”

Yet it is a term that the online dating company eHarmony screens for in its patented compatibility test, asking people to rank themselves on a seven-point scale for frugality (along with things you would expect, like compassion and generosity).

“It makes sense, right?” asks Gian Gonzaga, 40, who has a doctorate in psychology and is eHarmony’s senior research director. “You look at the attractiveness angle, but farther down the road, money and finances are one of the biggest conflict areas couples traditionally face. And a lot of that comes down to having enough or not having enough.”

Well, maybe it makes sense and maybe it doesn’t. If your frugality has the potential to turn off nearly half of the mating pool, it raises a question: How best to broadcast your financial values and seek significant others who share your approach without coming off as a tightwad or a gold digger?

This challenge is a fairly recent one. Several generations back, personal ads could not have been more explicit about finances, since everyone knew that women generally had no income and a marriage involving a man of means was the only way to live comfortably.

This posting, from The New York Herald in 1860, was about par for the course, according to Pam Epstein, an adjunct professor at the Newark campus of Rutgers University, who wrote her history Ph.D. thesis on older ads. “A young lady, rather good looking, and of good address, desires the acquaintance of a gentleman of wealth (none other need apply), with a view to matrimony,” the ad read.

Ads from men from that period seemed custom-built to fit that bill. “The advertiser, a successful young business man of good education, polite manners and agreeable address, having recently amassed a fortune and safely invested the same, wishes to meet with a young lady or widow,” one said.

“There was this idea that men were very frugal,” said Ms. Epstein, 33, who posts copies of some of the ads she’s dug up at advertisingforlove.com. “You were going to work hard and save your money, and then by doing so, you would be able to support a wife in comfort. I do see a lot of ads saying ‘I’ve been wrapped up in business all this time and now I can support a wife comfortably.’ ”

Flash forward to today, however, and things get more complicated. Some people do put down an income range in their online dating profiles, though it’s not as if anyone is auditing the figures for honesty. Many men, meanwhile, pose peacocklike in front of their cars or boats or homes. The message here is less clear, though. Are these meant to be trophies, a sign of a fortune already amassed? Or is it the mark of a spendthrift? Or an indication that he’ll spend all of his time on the water, and you’d better be ready with the Dramamine if the relationship is going to work?
“There’s nothing admirable in frugality, because it’s invisible,” Ms. Epstein notes.
But even if you could transmit that value through an online dating profile, would you want to? It turns out that the answer to that may depend on whether you’re a man or a woman.

The ING Direct survey, which was conducted by phone and has a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, presented one more potential label for that frugal blind date: smart. And in a promising sign for the nation’s solvency, that was the term chosen most often, picked by 49 percent of respondents. EHarmony also crunched the numbers for me on 30 million matches it made in July and found that both men and women were 25 percent more likely to have a potential mate reach out to them if they identified themselves as a saver rather than a spender.

Curiously, however, 56 percent of men in the ING Direct survey gave “smart” as their favorite answer while just 42 percent of women did. (The numbers were similarly flipped on stingy: 33 percent of women labeled the potential mate that way, while just 20 percent of men did.)

What’s going on here? “My suspicion is that the value of frugality depends on whose money will presumably be spent,” said Reuben Strayer, 34, a physician in Manhattan who does not broadcast his profession or true income in online personals. He always pays for the first date and does not object to providing for a wife one day, he adds; he just doesn’t want to attract the kind of woman who is specifically looking for someone who will do so.

But even if many men still make more money than women and are wary of mates who would want them to spend it, they may not want to advertise it. “Frugality may or may not have anything to do with how much he loves you,” said BJ Gallagher, 61, an experienced online dater and author of several self-help books for women. “But for a lot of women, love looks like ‘Take care of me and give me things.’ ”

My jaw dropped listening to some of the dated stereotypes coming out of Ms. Gallagher’s mouth and I told her so. “I try not to get into right and wrong,” she replied. “I’m not a professional finger-wagger. I just hold a mirror to things. I’m descriptive, not prescriptive.” She said she’d been in relationships where she provided most of the income and had seen plenty of gay and lesbian couples where one mate provided the “masculine” energy that kept things in balance.
Fair enough, but what should you do if you want to communicate prudent financial values to a potential mate without dropping the unsexy F word?

Robert Epstein, a psychologist who has studied online dating, said he struggled with this during the seven years it took to produce a beta version of the relationship compatibility test now online at arewegoodtogether.com. He suggests that people who feel strongly about good money habits talk about how they love a great bargain.

Topher Burns, 27, a Manhattan resident who is about to move in with a man he met online, said he realized that he had it a bit easier than heterosexual men who might feel compelled to pay for dates all of the time. But he still took a subtle approach in his online profile by talking about how he loved discovering the newest cheap eats. It shows, he explained, both a love of quality and a respect for value, which seems like a fine message to send no matter who is picking up the check.

The trick, it seems, is to use such subtle codes, the same way people slip in mentions of their jogging habit rather than coming right out and saying that they’re not overweight. So rather than projecting frugality outright, try dropping a classic investing book like “A Random Walk Down Wall Street” by Burton G. Malkiel, into the list of things you’ve read recently, suggested Deborah H. Levenson, a financial planner with Braver Wealth Management in Newton, Mass. ,who recently became engaged to a man she met online.

“That might give someone a sense that you were a Vanguard investor,” she said. “I think Vanguard is sexy.”

All of that said, when reading these profiles, keep in mind that these are advertisements. They will stretch the truth or lie outright and may contain not just delusions of grandeur or wealth but ones of financial prudence, too.

You may be able to tease out any inconsistencies once you get to know a potential mate. But don’t ask about them directly. One thing that everyone I talked to this week agreed on was this: Frugality may or may not be sexy, but few people want to hear about your asset allocation on the first date.

Now if you have some new or soon-to-be mommies on your gift giving list this year, why not make them a neat and roomy diaper bag. Sturdy to handle lots of baby essentials and stylish enough (depending on your fabrics) to be "trendy" if ya know what I mean. This bag is a really long tutorial and it has great step-by-step photos and instructions to help any level crafter make this great bag!

Craft Idea of the Day: Diaper Bag or Tote Bag with center divider

Like the blog said, it was made by a mom who needed a diaper bag, but ya know, as long as you don't use baby fabrics, I think it would be a great tote bag for anyone. The center divider makes it wonderful to hold papers, books, or maybe one of those small notebooks or Ipads, while on the other side could hold makeup bags, wallet, you name it! I am a firm believer that most anything can have another purpose if you just think on it! So if you see something cute, before dismissing it, ask yourself if you can use it in any other way.

Alright folks, its time for another day of MEMORABLE MOVIE WEEK! Today is a classic pick called "The Godfather"! There are approximately 61 scenes in the film that feature people eating/drinking, or just food. "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." is a super quote most people can identify with this movie. There is a scene where Clemenza is showing Michael how to make some gravy, because “you never know when you're gonna need to feed twenty guys”. Here is another famous transcript that even offers a "recipe" of sorts...

“Heh, come over here, kid, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; ya make sure it doesn't stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs; heh?... And a little bit o' wine. An' a little bit o' sugar, and that's my trick.”

So now we are gonna make some of those famous dishes! For more great meals, grab some of your cannolis and rent "The Godfather". Eat & Enjoy!

"Spaghetti Sauce" from The Godfather

Anyone who is familiar with pasta will tell you that once cooked, pasta needs a sauce for flavouring. Otherwise, consuming what is essentially a paste of wheat flour and water tends to taste a little bland.

The following recipe for spaghetti sauce is one of the most famous, having been featured in the 1972 motion picture, The Godfather. It will yield enough sauce for 8-10 servings of pasta. Chefs may assign the resulting dish any of the following names:

Spaghetti Coppola (after the director of the film, Francis Ford Coppola)

Spaghetti Puzo (after the writer of the script, Mario Puzo)

Spaghetti Castellano (after the actor who explained how to cook the sauce, Richard S Castellano)

Spaghetti Coppolapuzo (after both the director and the writer)

Ingredients

2 14oz tins whole tomatoes or 12 Roma or plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped finely
2 small tins or 1 large tin tomato paste
1 teaspoon each basil and oregano (not seen in the movie, but useful nonetheless)
1lb/500g meat, either cooked sausages, sliced, or meatballs
2 tablespoons dry red table wine
1/4 cup sugar

Method

In a large pot or metal casserole dish, heat up the oil over medium heat and cook the garlic.

Add the tomatoes. Cook until soft.

Stir in the tomato paste, basil and oregano.

Add the meat. Stir until the meat is thoroughly coated.

Stir in the wine and sugar.

Reduce heat to low to medium-low and let simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle over large bowls filled with cooked spaghetti, toss in each bowl and serve.
This is a basic sauce which lends itself to a variety of personal tastes. For example, some people prefer adding a tin of chopped anchovies along with the garlic, to add body. Others may use beefsteak tomatoes (which are rounder and more acidic than Romas) and either double the sugar or add a grated carrot to cut the sourness.

Homemade Cannoli

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg white
3/4 cup red wine
1 1/2 quarts oil for deep frying
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Blend in the shortening and egg white. Add the red wine one tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a ball. Knead the dough enough to bring it together. Cover and let rest for half an hour.

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide dough into 2 parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 4 inch long ovals. Place a cannoli tube onto the oval lengthwise and roll up with edges overlapping; seal with a dab of egg white.

Fry cannoli shells 2 or 3 at a time in the hot oil. When golden brown, remove from the oil to drain on paper towels. Remove tubes.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar. Fold in the vanilla, chocolate chips and candied orange peel. Chill for at least half an hour before filling shells. Drain off any excess liquid. Fill cooled shells and smooth off the filling at the edges. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Ok kids that's it. I gotta get off here and tend to some business. Then maybe I can get some sewing in today. But whatever life finds you doing today, be safe, be smart, and above all... be frugal! HUGS!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

2010-08-23T07:40:00.005-05:00

Good morning and welcome to the Wonderful First Day of School! YAY! Listen... listen... can you hear it? That's right... the golden sound of SILENCE! OMG is it great or what?? I just got back from dropping the kids off at school and let me tell ya... I only see that mass quantity of smiling mommy faces on the first day of school LMAO! That makes the drive there and the drive back, so incredibly enjoyable even though it's atrociously humid LOL! Now some of you are probably thinking that I don't love my kids. That is further from the truth! I absolutely adore my children... even more so once I've had a break from them. I may be a mommy, but I still need a little "ME time"! It makes me appreciate them even more once they get home... miss them even LMAO! So refresh that cup o' joe and sit with me for a spell and enjoy the wonderful ramblings I like to call my life LOL!

Ok, so I ran across this article about being frugal the other day and I can so incredibly relate to it! I always try to pay my bills as much as possible but often found myself struggling to keep gas in the car, milk in the fridge, etc. So tips to kids everywhere LOL... being frugal also means being smart!

Living on What’s Left
by Terry Rigg

Are you one of those people that pay your bills no matter what? That is an admirable trait to have when managing your money. You made the bill and you feel you are responsible for paying it. Good for you.

Now let’s talk about how much money you have to cover your household expenses after you pay all of those bills. Your household expenses would include your groceries, car gas, school lunches, and all of the other stuff that it takes to run a household. Do you have enough to pay this bill?

All to often, people tend to pay their bills and try to live on what’s left. This never works unless you have enough money left to cover these at home expenses. The grocery bill will always run about the same, you will always need about the same money for gas, etc. In other words, you need enough to live on.

I have seen this time and time again. Another bill is made and the money comes out of the household budget because there is no money available in any other category. Then what happens?

Many people resort to using their credit cards to cover their regular expenses. Since there is no other money available to pay their increased credit card payments, that also has to come out of their household expenses. This is how many people find themselves in over their heads.

There is only one way to change this cycle. You have to allow enough money in your budget to cover the things you need. You must do this even at the expense of your other bills. That could put you in a position that you can’t make some of your payments, but at least you won’t be increasing your debt, except for possibly late fees. If this is your situation you need to seek help to reduce the payments on your other bills.

Naturally, there are many ways to cut your household expenses that will allow you to pay more toward your other bills. You can save a lot of money on groceries by using coupons, buying generic, not using processed foods, etc. The internet is full of ideas and tips to help you save. I would start by visiting The Frugal Shopper at http://www.thefrugalshopper.com.

When you develop or revise your budget, always put the emphasis on your household needs. Once you have determined how much you need to get by, then you can see what is left for other bills.

Terry Rigg is the author of Living Within Your Means – The Easy Way and editor of The FREE Budget Stretcher Newsletter and Budget Stretcher web site . He has 25 years of experience counseling individuals and families concerning their personal finances

Ok today's craft is another great idea from Elizabeth from Twelve Crafts til Christmas. She published this as a baby toy, which I think is a marvelous idea. But I think it can be multi-purposed. I can see making some of these, stuffing this even, and using it as a multi-gadget collector for... well ANYONE! I think I am gonna make one of these out of some pretty fabric and ribbons and on each of the ribbon loops you can attach something small and cute. Like one loop could have a trial size hand sanitizer (Bath & Body have some great ones and a rubber holder too for super cheap!), one could hold a ring of shopper's key cards (yes I am guilty of this too!), one loop could have a mini flashlight, etc. etc. etc. You get the idea. I think it would be a SUPER gift, especially if you attach the items to the Taggie! The site has great step-by-step photos to go along with the instructions, SEW here ya go LOL... enjoy!

Craft Idea of the Day: Monogram Taggie

Materials:
-fleece, soft fabric or flannel in contrasting or matching patterns/colors
-a variety of ribbons
-a baby link or toy hook

Directions:

1) Use Word, Publisher or whatever to pick a font, make a very large letter using the first letter of the baby's name (first or last name) print out and cut adding about 1/4 inch edge all the way around when cutting.

2) Place fabric wrongs sides together. Pin printed letter to fabric and cut out.

3) Cut strips of ribbon about four inches long. I used 14 ribbons total.

4) Fold ribbons in half and pin around the right side of the thicker of the two fabrics.

5) Place letters right sides together and pin.

6) Sew around outside of letter. If you are doing a letter with an opening in the center of the letter - like A, B, D, etc., don't sew the center openings and sew all around the outside leaving no opening for turning. If you are doing a letter like C, S, N, etc., leave a two inch whole for turning when sewing around the outside of the letter.

7) Unpin, clip corners and turn. I used the opening in the center of the A for turning.

8) Topstitch around outside of letter. If you are doing a C, S, N, etc without a center opening, fold in the turning hole which will be sewn shut in topstitching. If you are doing another letter with a center opening or two, continue to the next step.

9) Trim opening(s) with pinking shears. You could do this earlier, but I waited until this point because the fabric could shift in topstitching the outer edge. I wanted to make sure that the edges were fairly evenly matched in the center. After cutting with pinking shears, topstitch around opening(s).

10) Add a baby link and little toy. Personalized gift . . . done!

Ok, its time for some of our readers (and especially mine) favorite section... FOOD! Yes friends it's time to reveal the Frugal Mom's secret theme of the week which will inspire some culinary genious or guts LOL! You'll get facts and alot of tasty recipes to experiment with in this section. So are you ready?? This week's theme is MEMORABLE MOVIE WEEK! Yes folks, this week I am gonna bring you dishes made famous by some of the most memorable movies of this century. Cartoons to Cult Classics, I'll bring you lots of fun and adventure this week, that's for sure! Thousands of food references are made in the movies.... from a single dish that stands out in a famous scene, to the title of the movie, to the theme of the movie itself!

Today's movie I have picked is one that I used to do an impression of that would crack up my mother every time! FORREST GUMP is today's Monday Matinee Madness! Now everyone knows, whether you have actually seen the movie or not, that 2 things were made famous from this movie... A box of chocolates and SHRIMP! So guess what this Gulf Coast child has in store for you? Yep, a school of delectable crustaceans is swimming your way today! YUMM-A-LICIOUS! (LOL I actually had to stop for a sec and think what a group of shrimp was called LOL... you hear "school of fish" or "pod of whales" all the time... but never shrimp LOL!)

The truth is... All Shrimp Are Not The Same, each type or species of shrimp have their own characteristics as far as flavor, texture, cooking times and a best cooking method for them. You have Gulf Shrimp, Farm Raised Shrimp, Imported Shrimp and Coldwater. You have shrimp with brown, white and pink shells. There are even shrimp with strips on them called Tiger Shrimp and with over 300 species of Shrimp in the world I'm sure you can find many more shell colors and names given to shrimp. The flavor and texture of shrimp are influenced by the waters they come from or are raised in, plus from what they eat or are fed. Wild shrimp feed on seaweed and crustaceans which gives them a more enriched flavor and thicker shells. The ability to swim freely also makes the meat firmer.

Tiger Shrimp
Grown mainly in Asian Countries, (Black tiger shrimp are also caught wild) they get their name because of the black and gray strips on their shells in the raw state. You also have what is called a blue tiger which are a blue shade and have yellow feelers, still a species of black tigers. The reason for the blue shade is that the food they are fed does not contain iron. A cooked black tiger shrimp shell will turn bright red and the meat will be white with a red skin tone. The moisture content in them is much higher than white, brown or pink shrimp, so they will shrink more when cooking them. The flavor is very mild and the texture is less dense. To avoid the shrinking and making them tough, I have learned to slightly under cook them. Because of the mild flavor of tigers, they are best when you use them in a cooking method that adds flavor to them, like grilling or in recipes or dishes that would have a sauce.

Coldwater Shrimp
These shrimp are wild caught from the waters of Greenland, Norway, Iceland and from the coast waters of Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Maine. Some common names for Coldwater shrimp are salad, pink, bay, tiny, cooked/peeled and baby. The shells are bright reddish-pink both in the raw and cooked state. The meat will be white with color tones from pale pink to a dark reddish-pink. Cold water shrimp are small ranging in size from 150 to 500 shrimp per pound. Almost all of them you will find will be cooked and peeled, they have a soft texture and a sweet taste to them.

Farm-Raised White Shrimp
Mexico, Ecuador, China and India produce the majority of the farm raised white shrimp to the U.S. Even though they are called white shrimp their shells are a light grayish-white and turn pink when cooked. The shell can be thinner than wild caught shrimp. Farm-Raised shrimp will have a milder flavor and sometimes a less firm meat texture, due to the environment they are raised in. A thinner shelled shrimp requires less cooking time, if cooking them in the shell.

So now that I have shared some interesting facts about shrimp, I am gonna share some super delish recipes... so EAT & ENJOY! (And remember the TRULY FRUGAL person will KEEP the heads and shells and make a stock out of it!)

New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

Don’t break out your grill for this dish. In New Orleans, barbecued shrimp means sautéed shrimp in Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce. These shrimp are served to patrons with heads and tails on, so you need to dig in to enjoy. I highly recommend a bib. They are famous for their barbecued shrimp, and with reason. The biggest trick to making this taste like theirs is to not hold back on the butter. The three sticks called for are enough to scare you into cholesterol shock, but are key to the flavor and consistency of the sauce. Another tip to keep in mind: to emulsify the sauce, be sure to add a little butter at a time while stirring rapidly. And don’t overcook the shrimp or they’ll become tough and hard to peel.

16 jumbo shrimp (12 per pound, about 1 1/2 pounds), with heads and unpeeled
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
French bread as accompaniment

In a large skillet combine shrimp, Worcestershire, lemon juice, black peppers, Creole seasoning, and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until shrimp turn pink, about 1 minute on each side. Reduce heat to moderate and stir in butter, a few cubes at a time, stirring constantly and adding more only when butter is melted. Remove skillet from heat. Place shrimp in a bowl and pour sauce over top. Serve with French bread for dipping.

Dilled Shrimp (Rejer)

(A wonderful Danish dish tradtionally served during the holidays. No Scandinavian buffet is complete without these!)

Ingredients

2 quarts water
1/8 cup coarse salt
1/3 cup white sugar
5 sprigs dill
2 pounds medium shrimp, with shells (or you can used UNcooked, peeled and deveined but tails on shrimp from your local fish monger)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add salt, sugar, and dill sprigs; stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour in shrimp and cook until the shells turn pink, and the meat is no longer translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain the shrimp through a colander, discard dill sprigs, and chill until cold in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.

Once shrimp have cooled, peel and devein them; discard the shells. Whisk together oil, vinegar, minced dill, salt, and pepper; toss with shrimp meat to coat. Cover, and chill overnight in the refrigerator; serve with sprigs of fresh dill.

Shrimp and Mushroom Linguini with Creamy Cheese Herb Sauce

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package linguini pasta
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup pasta water
1 pound cooked shrimp

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan, melt 1/2 cup butter with the minced garlic. Stir in the cream cheese, breaking it up with a spoon as it melts. Stir in the parsley and basil.

Simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in milk, wine, and water until sauce is smooth. Stir in cooked shrimp and mushrooms, and heat through.

Toss linguini with shrimp sauce, and serve.

Fried Butterflied Shrimp

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined and butterflied
1 cup water or beer
3/4 cups cornstarch
2 eggs
1/4 cup fine corn meal
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
Salt, pepper, and granulated garlic to taste
5 cups oil for deep frying

Directions

Preheat deep fryer or skillet with oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, pour in water and mix in cornstarch and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Dip the shrimp into the mixture allowing them to be completely coated. Then roll the shrimp in the breadcrumbs. Coat the shrimp well with the breadcrumbs.

Drop shrimp, one at a time, into the hot oil and cook shrimp until they are golden brown.

Seafood Stuffed Avocados

Ingredients

1/2 cup flaked cooked crabmeat
1/2 cup cooked small shrimp
2 tablespoons peeled and diced cucumber
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch paprika
1 avocado

Directions

In a bowl, mix the crab, shrimp, cucumber, mayonnaise, and parsley. Season with salt, and pepper. Cover, and chill until serving.
Slice the avocados lengthwise, and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado, leaving about 1/2 inch on the peel. Dice up the avocado meat and add to the seafood mixture.Spoon the seafood mixture into the hollowed centers of the avocado halves. Sprinkle the tops with paprika.

Ok kids, thats it. I am off of here to go dance me a jig and sing Joy to the World for the next 7 hours LOL! Actually I have alot of fun and adventure planned for today, so I hope that you have a super duper cool Monday like I am going to have! Be safe, Be smart, and Be frugal! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

PRE-SCHOOL EXCITEMENT

2010-08-22T09:45:00.004-05:00

Good morning and welcome to this steamy Sunday edition of the Frugal Mom! How are you this super sunny morning? I'm alright... it was my last day to sleep in and believe me, I took FULL advantage of it! Super excited about school tomorrow! YAY! Today is "put the final touches on everything" and cook and sew day! For me, that's exciting! What do you have planned for today?

I must take a moment to address my mom and her comment yesterday LOL! See, sometimes we should leave well enough alone LOL! Dormouses are best left unknown LOL! As for DD not wearing the shirt, she claimed she did not have the proper undergarments to wear with it... I think she just wanted to wear her squad shirt LOL! Its ok, there are other days to be wearing it LOL. And as for the gift recipient... I don't think she will come to see it. ain't gonna elaborate on that one, but you know what I think LOL! remember only 5 years LOL! Man am I old! As for your yarn and stuff... I'm gonna get it for you tomorrow! LOL... I will go in there since DD didn't!

Alright I found a poll online on Shine from Glamour Magazine and I wanted to bring it here, because I think its very interesting and would LOVE to hear your answers!

Are You Happier When Your Calendar Is Packed or Free? Guess Which Is Better for Health
by Sarah Jio, Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine, on Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:42am PDT

Is your life pretty jam-packed these days--running from one meeting or appointment to the next? That's me! Sometimes I long for the days when I had more time, less commitments. Have you ever wondered if being busy is bad for your health? Researchers have answers ...

On a recent evening after I put the kids to bed, I sat at my desk and looked around. All of my deadlines were complete. I'd already gone for a jog. The laundry was done, the errands were too. I'd grocery shopped, called my friends, even brushed and flossed. It was a rare moment when ... I had nothing to do. Guess what? I didn't like it!

Truth be told, I like being one step behind my to-do list. As much as I complain about my crazy schedule, I secretly love it. That's why I found the latest happiness news really interesting: Turns out, we're happier when our schedules are packed, BlissTree reports.

According to a study published in the journal Psychological Science, full schedules give people a "sense of accomplishment"--not to mention the fact that having a lot do do is stimulating, which can flood the brain with energy and endorphins. Is this busy-happy connection true in your life?

Tell me, are you super busy or less so? Are you happier when you're busy or when your calendar is free?

Isn't this such a thought provoking question? I can answer that... kind of. My calender fluctuates from busy starting in August, to rather slow in January, to stagnant during June and July! While it frustrates me to no end that I am "living on the road", etc. I like being busy. The author, I think, is right. You get a sense of accomplishment when you complete things off a list. And I like that! I live by lists, day planners, etc. I have a dry erase board on the wall by the front door so everyone knows where they and everyone else is going to be, for how long, etc. When you manage a house with 2 ADHD teens, an ADD dad, and an ADHD mom... yea writing everything down is almost a requirement! LOL! Ask my mom, when she was over here helping me declutter and I actually got something DONE... I was very happy and somewhat proud too! I also find that when I have really "nothing" to do, I find things to do to busy myself... be it cooking, sewing, cleaning, window shopping, etc. So yea, I guess I like being busy! LOL... what about you?

Ok so in the spirit of SCHOOL (oh how I love that word LOL), I wanted to bring you a craft today that makes a cute little teacher's gift and is fairly easy to make. Its a cute country decoration the kids can make and give to their favorite teacher to say "Glad to be back", "Thanks for all you do", etc. You could also make this craft using colored felt, foam, or fabric as well... all would be super adorable!

Craft Idea of the Day: Class Act Teacher's Apple

Materials:

brown grocery bag
acrylic paint in brown, barnyard red, and buttermilk
toothbrush
paintbrush
fine tip black marker
pinking shears (or other decorative scissors)
gingham material scrap
decorative buttons with classroom motif (ruler, pencil sharpener, pencil, etc.)
barnyard red medium button
cotton batting (Fiberfil)
white craft glue
craft wire
pencil
raffia

Directions:

Here's a fun and easy Teacher Appreciation gift to make with your child. Their teacher will hang this gift in their classroom with pride!

Lay brown paper bag on flat work surface. Cut out two large sections from the front and back of the bag. Stack those sections, one on top of the other, then cut out and trace around the pattern onto the bags. Cut it out with the pinking shears.

Beginning at the bottom of the apple, use tacky glue to connect the two layers at the seams, stuffing the apple as you go with cotton batting (Fiberfil). Work your way around the edges, carefully stuffing (but not too much!) until apple is completely closed.

When the glue is dry, paint the decorative edges and the stem with brown and the apple with barnyard red (see photo). When dry, dip the bristle tips of a toothbrush into the buttermilk paint. Test your splattering ability on a piece of scrap paper before doing this on your apple. Hold toothbrush horizontally and drag your thumb across the bristles, causing the paint to splatter spots wherever you aim it. When you are comfortable with this method, go ahead and splatter some buttermilk paint on your apple.

When the buttermilk paint is dry, use the fine tip craft pen or marker to write the words "CLASS ACT!" in the center of the apple. Using white craft glue, adhere a square of gingham fabric to the upper right hand corner of the apple. Glue a couple of decorative school themed buttons to the lower left and lower center of the apple.

Cut a piece of craft wire long enough to wrap completely around your apple. This should be enough for your hanger. Find the middle of craft wire, wrap the middle section of the wire around a pencil about 6 or 7 times. Pull the pencil out to create the curl at the top of your hanger. Curve the wire into a hanger shape and poke each end carefully through the sides of the apple as shown in the photo. Use the skinny end of a small paintbrush to curl the ends of the wire that you poked through.

Tie a piece of raffia into a bow out onto the craft wire just before where the top curls begin. Hot glue the barnyard red button to the center of the raffia bow.

Note: It is not necessary to paint the back of the apple, though you may if you like.

Primary colors: If you prefer to use primary colors for your apple, use red for the apple, leave the decorative edges plain, use yellow decorative fabric, and primary colored decorative buttons. Use a white craft pen to write "CLASS ACT!" on your apple.

Alright, now its time to wrap up a delicious week of BODACIOUS BANANAS. Now I know that my mother has been raggin on me that I am gonna put her into a coma with all the sugar in this week's recipes. And I know that I have more diabetic readers out there than just my mother, DB's GF, Dad, basically my whole family LMAO. So today, for us, and for all of you I am closing the week out with some recipes aimed specifically at Diabetics! Yes, today is all about sugar substitutes and super flavors! So even if you aren't diabetic, try them out. Lord knows we could all use a little less in our lives after grabbing that syrupy soda with that fast food combo on our lunch break, or those few sugary sweet donuts in the break room first thing in the morning... you get the idea! So try it out... Eat & Enjoy!

DIABETIC BANANA BREAD

1/4 c. shortening
Sugar substitute equivalent to 1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 bananas, mashed

Cream shortening, sugar substitute and egg. Add flour, soda, salt, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add bananas. Mix well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes in lightly sprayed or greased pans.

Diabetic Strawberry/Banana Milkshake

Yield: 2 Servings

1 c Frozen whole strawberries
1 Ripe banana
1 c Milk (skim and low fat work fine)
4 pk Sugar substitute (or more to taste)
1/2 ts Vanilla

Place all ingredients in a blender and run the blender on the highest setting. The shake will take longer in the blender than most people will expect because of the frozen strawberries. However, the frozen berries along with the banana provide the smooth thickness of this drink. Remember, this recipe is not a scientific formula. The quantities of each ingredient are very flexible, experiment until you find your favorite.

Oatmeal-Banana Muffins Recipe

Oatmeal-Banana Muffins Recipe from the diabetic recipe collection at InformationAboutDiabetes.com

Ingredients:

3 cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup Rolled Oats
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 cup Lowfat Milk
1 small Banana, cubed
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds, toasted

Preparation:

Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and blend.

Spoon into oiled muffin tins or paper muffin cups.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 12

One Muffin = Calories: 180 Carbohydrates: 29 Protein: 5 Fat: 5
Sodium: 91 Potassium: 221 Cholesterol: 23

Source: Holiday Cookbook, American Diabetes Association, ISBN 0-13-024894-0, by Betty Wedman, M.S.,R.D.

Diabetic Banana Split Pie

Yield: 1 Pie
Ingredients

1 graham cracker crust
1 (4 oz.) pkg. sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 c. low-fat milk
2 bananas, sliced
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 c. Cool Whip
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Instructions

Mix pudding with milk and beat until thick, pour into crust
Put bananas over pudding
Squeeze pineapple to remove all juice
Sprinkle on top of bananas
Cover with Cool Whip, sprinkle pecans on top
Chill well

Well everybody, that's it. I am so incredibly out of here! I have tons of last minute things to do before the best day of the year (aside from Christmas) LOL gets here tomorrow! Thanks for joining me and I hope you will come back again tomorrow to see what is in store for the first day of school, a new food theme, and lots of more fun and excitement. So until tomorrow... HUGS!

SCRUMPTIOUS SATURDAY

2010-08-21T08:19:00.004-05:00

Good early weekend morning everyone! How are you doing today? I am super excited as I am going out with my mom today! Not sure what kind of adventures she has in store for us today, but I can tell you whether we are sitting at home (either her's or mine) just talking or cooking or whatever, or we are running the roads, etc. we always have a blast! Summer has come and gone, summer band ended last night with a fantastic squad competition and super fun pool party, and I have just 48 hours til the most wonderful time of the year! WOOHOO! LOL...

Remember I said I was gonna get some sewing done yesterday? Well this was the first thing I made. Remember a few days back when I brought you the Heat Halter Top craft made from a men's shirt? Then I said I was decluttering the clothes and grabbed this old shirt of DH's to try the craft? Well I changed it up a bit and made it for my DD! I chopped off the curves at the bottom and added a hem. On that, I added some pretty white and gold lace. I added belt loops on the sides, elastic on the top, as well as a ribbon to act as a drawstring (which I inadvertantly picked a yellow with gold music notes LOL), and straps with lace edging on the top. I think it turned out super cute and am excited for Madison to wear it when we go out today!

Here you see another kitchen set. Yet one more gift done in the Christmas Countdown! Like the other one, it has a specialty cookbook designed for the recipient, 2 embellished towels, 2 pot holders, 2 oven mitts, and a grocery bag holder. It will be gathered with a sparkly black and sheer wired ribbon with silver glitter on it. I think this person will really like it! I have a little bit of the fabric left, and I am thinking of adding some small items like a cell pouch, makeup bag, etc. Or I might stick with the kitchen stuff and make a "patchwork" apron and some other stuff... not sure yet. I'm liking the apron idea, but how many people really wear aprons nowadays? I know I don't, even though I probably should at times LMAO! I dunno yet... what do you think? BTW, how is YOUR Christmas Countdown Challenge coming along?

Then we have the "Booty for Boobies" bag LMAO! It is a Denim jeans purse decorated with breast cancer fabric and colors! I thought it was so cute that I filled it with my junk and plan to use it as we go out today! Woohoo! Can you see the faces of the people wherever mom surprises me and takes us? Betcha you won't find another one like this... that's for sure!

Ok now for your frugal moment of today, I found you yet another set of tips. Its tips to assure you are being super frugal and ways to acheive it if you're not. Everybody needs a friendly reminder from time to time, and if you are new to the whole frugal thing, then its even more helpful! So check it out!

Do You Have These Frugal Living Habits?

Frugal living requires skills and ways of looking at things that help you take advantage of the money-saving opportunities in life. The truly frugal person makes these into habits. Six of these habits are outlined below. These are techniques that can be learned in a matter of a day or two, and made into new habits a few weeks. Then they will save money for you for the rest of your life.

1. Frugal living requires a knowledge of values. How can you get a great deal on a car if you don’t know what a great deal is. Get in the habit of educating yourself on prices, especially before you’re ready to buy anything that costs a lot. It takes a few hours of looking at listings for sale, for example, to know what homes are selling for in an area, but this is knowledge that can save you thousands.

2. Learn from other people. Most of us know someone who always gets the best deal on cars, boats, homes, or even groceries. Why not ask him or her how they do it! One person will tell you that the cheapest coffee in town is $3 per cup, while another will say 50 cents. Ask the latter about coffee shops. People near you are living a good life on half of what you make. Investigate that. See how others do things, and you’ll know your options.

3. Frugal living means always looking for alternatives. You might have just as much fun taking a discount trip to Mexico as you would going to Jamaica. Maybe you happen to enjoy pizza more than fine French dining. If so, why not skip the expensive restaurant and call Dominoes. This isn’t about sacrificing, but about getting even more of what you really enjoy by paying less for cheaper alternatives that work just as well.

4. Pay cash. What happens when everything you buy costs an additional 20% because of the interest you pay over the years? You can’t buy as much! Everything is cheaper when paid for in cash instead of credit. If you want that new patio set, divide the price by the number of weeks you can wait to get it. Set aside that much each week, and buy it for cash when you have the money. Not only do you save on interest, but you’ll often get a better price when you pay cash.

5. Learn to do the math. Did you really save $400 on that car if it costs you $500 more in gas each year? Did you know that some stores are cashing in on shopper’s assumptions that larger is cheaper? It’s true. That gallon of pickles might actually cost more than four quart jars. Make it a habit to do the math if you want to save money.

6. Tell people what you need. Mention it in conversations. Many people get free or cheap things, just because they talk. For example, a neighbor wanted to upgrade her living room debt, and was thrilled that I would take her three-month-old couch off her hands for $30. I sure am glad that I mentioned I was looking for one. You need to make this little trick a part of your frugal living habits.

About the Author – Steve Gillman has studied unusual ways to make money for thirty years.

Well kids, its time to get crafty! And let me tell you, this would make a super cool gift for any doctor or nurse in your life. Make a few of these in just a fractional amount of time and bunch them as a gift! So they always have one on the scope and one to wash, etc. These cool covers will increase the life of their job hardware as well as probably put smiles on the patients faces, depending on the types of fabrics you use. So you might not only be gifting to a selected person, but tons of strangers who need a smile at that time in their lives. How cool is that? Sew, scroll on down and get yourself rockin on some cool covers!

Craft Idea of the Day: Stethoscope Cover

Materials:

34 inch x 6.5 inches (86cm x 16.5 cm) of Fabric
1 inch square of Velcro or a press stud
2.5 inches (6cm)of Elastic

Directions:

Start by taking your length of fabric. Hem the 2 smaller edges for a neat finish.

Fold it in half so that it is inside out ( the print is facing inwards).

Following the steps in the image below, sew along the edge to close the strip to form a tube.

Take the elastic and sew it into place at end "A" by sewing it into place around 1/2 (1.5cm) inch from the edge.

Using glue or sewing machine secure your Velcro into place by stitching one side of the Velcro to each side of the tube. This will stop the fabric from sliding down the stethoscope.

You could also substitute the Velcro for a press stud if you wish it depends on your sewing skills as to how you wish to tackle this project.

Once you have finished turn it the right way around so that the print is facing out then thread it over your stethoscope with the elastic at the bottom and the press stud at the top.

Ok, its time for another installment of BODACIOUS BANANAS week. Today I want to talk about making "Stuffed" foods. It was once thought that foods that were stuffed were for the powerful, royal, rich, etc. (dishes like Chicken Cordon Bleu, etc. gave the distinction of upper class) (BTW Like my Louis Vitton banana LMAO!). But the truth remains that it is not known when stuffings were first used and were probably used by persons of all classes. The earliest documentary evidence is the Roman cookbook, Apicius' "De Re Coquinaria", which contains recipes for stuffed chicken, hare, pig, and dormouse. Most of the stuffings described consist of vegetables, herbs and spices, nuts, and spelt (a type of wheat/grain), and frequently contain chopped liver, brains, and other organ meat. In the Middle Ages, stuffing was known as farce (from the French); the root of the word 'forcemeat'. The term 'stuffing' is first attested in 1538. After about 1880, the term stuffing was replaced by dressing in Victorian English. But today, rest easy... we are not stuffing with any of those things. We are stuffing with our weekly ingredient! You could also top this with yesterday's curry sauce recipe as well! Anyway, here's to the banana! Eat & Enjoy!

Banana Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

4 Boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Small Bananas; peeled and halved
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Minced garlic
1 tablespoon Minced shallots
1 Granny Smith apple; peeled and diced
1 tablespoon Curry powder
3 tablespoons Flour
2 1/2 cups Chicken broth
1/4 cup Flour for dredging
1 Egg, beaten (see note on next line)
2 tablespoons milk (beat with the egg)
1/2 cup Dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1/4 cup Light cream; optional
2 cups Cooked long grain rice
4 Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions:

Cut the chicken breast halves almost in half again and open them up like a book so you form a butterfly shape. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken and, using a heavy skillet or mallet, pound them to even out their thickness and make them thin. Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast. Enclose a piece of banana by folding up the ends and sides around the banana and rolling up the chicken. Wrap each stuffed chicken piece in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or more.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the garlic and shallots for a minute or until soft. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add the apple, curry powder and flour and cook for a minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour, beaten egg and bread crumbs, making sure each chicken piece is entirely coated with bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet and sauté the chicken on all sides to brown. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, puree the sauce in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pass it through a sieve and transfer it to a small saucepan. Add the cream if you wish, and simmer, over low heat until hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mound some cooked rice in the middle of each plate. Slice the chicken into 3/4?inch slices and set the slices around the rice. Ladle the sauce around the chicken. Garnish each plate with a sprig of cilantro.

Ok folks, time for me to get the gang dressed and head on out of here to have a day of adventures with my mommy. LOL... I am so glad you stopped by today and hope that I will see you again tomorrow for more fun, food, and creative crafting! Be safe, have fun, and stay frugal baby! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

FIBER FRIDAY

2010-08-20T07:41:00.005-05:00

Early Friday morning everyone! How are you doing this end of the week? I'm ok... still somewhat unmotivated from yesterday's emotionally draining trauma... but fear not! I shall try to pick myself up by the boot straps and put on a happy face and dance a jig! For you see... SCHOOL STARTS MONDAY!! YAY!!!!!! Bright and early at 7am, my lovely little leeches will be gone and I will have about 7 hours of sheer silent bliss! OMG who could ask for anything more!? Must remember to set the alarm with that lovely Andy Williams song... The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! LMAO! (I really do love my kids but sometimes, you just need a break ya know? Makes you appreciate them more LMAO!)

Ok, the $5 Dinner mom was offering a Kellogg's fiber gift package yesterday as a contest and I entered of course... I like free stuff LOL. And then this morning I find an article about things you can do to add fiber to your diet. Guess fiber focus is a big deal lately. So I thought I would bring you this article about a few things you can do to add fiber to your life.

Start Roughing It
By Matthew Kadey, R.D., Prevention
Tue, Jul 22, 0010

It's no secret that fiber is essential, possibly reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, as well as helping us keep our appetites—and waistlines—in check. The mystery seems to be how to get enough of it. Most women consume only half the recommended 21 to 25 g daily. Try these six options for something jazzier than brown rice.

SPIKE SMOOTHIES WITH CHOCOLATE
A tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder has 2 g of fiber, plus it contains less saturated fat than dark chocolate bars and none of the added sugars.

TOSS MUSHROOMS INTO SOUP
Rehydrate dried shiitakes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then chop and add to your favorite soup for 3 g of fiber per ounce, plus lentinan, a compound that may have anticancer properties.

ADD EDAMAME TO STIR-FRIES
Brimming with folate, a B vitamin that may protect women from pancreatic cancer, and 4 g of fiber per ½ cup, boiled soybeans complement any Asian flavor.

MIX OATS INTO MEAT LOAF
Instead of nutritionally inferior bread crumbs, use 2/3 cup rolled oats per pound of meat as a binding agent. In addition to 5.5 g of fiber, they contain magnesium, a mineral that may slash diabetes risk.

MAKE PUMPKIN-PIE OATMEAL
Combine 1/3 cup canned pumpkin, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and spices of your choice, like cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin adds nearly 2.5 g of fiber and loads of immunity-boosting vitamin A.

SPRINKLE WHEAT GERM INTO PANCAKES
Rich in selenium, which could cut skin cancer incidence by about 60%, ½ cup of wheat germ packs 4 g of fiber. Add it to any batter recipe.

Alright, it's time to talk crafts. Kalleen over at another blogspot page called At Second Street has a great tutorial which I am bringing you today! Its recycling at its finest... clothing tags! Yes, this creative mom of 4 made this super spiffy wallet out of old clothing tags and when I saw it I was just like "Oh that is SO gonna be on the site"! I think this would make a great gift for yourself or anyone you know! Hop on over for great step by step instructionals and photos!

Craft Idea of the Day: Clothing Tag Wallet

What you need:

-4 pieces of 8-1/2 x 11 handmade paper
(the handmade paper looks like paper fiber pressed together, it's stronger and has more flexibility than card stock).
-lots of clothing tags in preferred colors ( I used about 40, but it will vary depending on their size)
- colored ribbon- optional (I didn't have enough tags and wanted to add more green so I used three strips of green ribbon)
-fray check
-a glue stick
-thread (I used 4 different shades)
-a piece of poster board
- a Dritz snap and pliers
- one button

Well here it is... Friday... day 5 of BODACIOUS BANANAS week. Are you going bonkers for bananas yet? LOL I know my mom is! My intent is not to frustrate but educate LOL. I always like showing you how versatile each ingredient can be with just a few ingredients and a lot of imagination! If you are like most people, you probably do not give a second thought to the sweet banana, one of the few fruits available year-round. If you're ever stranded on a desert island, just hope and pray it contains a banana tree bearing the world's most perfect fruit. Although it has a long pedigree, the sweet yellow banana is a mutant strain which developed from original red and green cooking bananas most often called plantains. Although primarily eaten out of hand or in desserts, sweet bananas can also be used as an accent in savory dishes.

Some banana trees continue producing up to one hundred years, although most banana plantations renew their stock every ten to twenty-five years. The tree itself also has uses. The leaves are used as wrappers to steam foods in Latin, Caribbean, and Asian cultures. The banana flower is also edible, but if you eat the flower, you obviously won't get any fruit. The banana is a distant cousin to ginger, turmeric, and cardamom, and is botanically classified as a berry. There are over four hundred varieties of bananas with the yellow Cavendish being the most favored in America.

Americans consume an annual average of twenty-five pounds of bananas per person. Bananas are the world's best-selling fruit, outranking the apple and orange. So to tempt your taste buds today, as I bring a couple of "ethnically enhancing" recipes to the table for you. Eat & Enjoy!

Curried Banana Sauce
(This goes well over fish, chicken, or even rice!)

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 small ripe bananas, quartered
1 shallot, quartered
1 clove garlic, halved
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia®)
1 3/4 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 pinch salt

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bananas, shallot, garlic, and onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken chicken broth and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the curry mixture, rice vinegar, honey, and salt into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the curry moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the curry right in the cooking pot.

Teriyaki Pork Chops with Grilled Bananas

Ingredients

1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless pork chops (3 to 4)
2 large firm DOLE® Bananas, peeled
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups hot cooked rice
2 tablespoons sliced DOLE Green Onion
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed

Directions

Combine sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar and oil in small bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons sherry mixture and brush on pork chops and bananas.

Grill pork 8 to 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Grill bananas 2 to 3 minutes on each side until heated through. Cut each into 1-inch pieces.

Combine remaining sherry mixture and cornstarch in small saucepan; cook, stirring until thickened.

Arrange pork and bananas over rice on serving plate; drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with green onion and sesame seed.

Well folks, that's all for today. I think I am gonna go sit and stitch my little fingers nuts today. And maybe on breaks sit and organize some things from the paperwork in my living room. I am so glad you stopped by to see me this morning and hope you will take a moment to come back by tomorrow for more fun and fabulous times here on The Frugal Mom! Until tomorrow friends... HUGS!

HAPPY ROOT BEER FLOAT DAY

2010-08-19T09:46:00.005-05:00

Good morning everyone and welcome to The Frugal Mom! I'm your host, Renee, and I am elated you could join us this morning! So how are you my friend? I'm doing good... excited to wake up and breathe in a new day! But I am very sad this morning. My little Rescue bunny has passed away during the night. My mom consoled me this morning and she made alot of valid points that are helping me cope. I gave the bunny probably more time than she would have had if I had left her with that bad lady, and I raised as a housepet which most rabbits are outside stuck in a outside cage. I seriously think Rescue thought she was a cat LOL! She snuggled up to you like a cat, she ran around the house and played like a cat, and she even ate constantly... just like my cats LOL! So I can rest well knowing I gave her a good life. DH buried her by my window this morning so she can be close to momma. R.I.P. Rescue... you will be missed.

Now as you see on the title, today is National Root Beer Float Day! YUM! I remember when mom would make us big old glasses of this frothy fave when we were younger and boy was it good. The fizzles in your mouth from the chemical reaction of the ice cream and the soda were just OMG-fun! The ice cream soda, float (United Kingdom, Canada, United States and East Asia), spider (Australia and New Zealand), brown cow (Hong Kong) or black cow (Brazil) is a beverage that consists of one or more scoops of ice cream in either a soft drink or a mixture of flavored syrup and carbonated water. In the United Kingdom cream soda was named that as it was traditionally served with a dollop of ice cream floating in it making ice cream soda. The tiny bubbles of air present in the soda cause the ice cream to float and are nucleation sites for the formation of large bubbles of carbon dioxide. This gives the beverage a "foamy head" similar to a beer head. Also known as a "black cow"or "brown cow", the root beer float is traditionally made with vanilla ice cream and root beer, but can also be made with other flavors.

In the United States and Canada, the chain A&W Restaurants are well known for their root beer floats. The definition of a black cow varies by region. For instance in some localities, a "root beer float" has strictly vanilla ice cream; a float made with root beer and chocolate ice cream is a "chocolate cow" or a "brown cow." In some places a "brown cow" was made with cola instead of root beer.

In 2008, the Dr Pepper Snapple Group introduced its Float beverage line. This includes A&W Root Beer, A&W Cream Soda and Sunkist flavors which attempt to simulate the taste of their respective ice cream float flavors in a creamy, bottled drink.

The origin of the name "black cow" has always been of interest to food and beverage experts and allegedly dates to August 1893 in Cripple Creek, Colorado. The only source of this story is the great-grand-nephew of Frank J. Wisner, who has popularized it through advertising on his soft drink products and website. Wisner, owner of the Cripple Creek Cow Mountain Gold Mining Company, had been producing a line of soda waters for the citizens of the then-booming Cripple Creek gold mining district. He had been trying to create a special drink for the children of Cripple Creek and came up with an idea while staring out at his properties on Cow Mountain on a moonlit night. The full moon's glow on the snow capped Cow Mountain reminded him of a dollop of vanilla ice cream floating on top of his blackened Cow Mountain. As he told the story later, he was inspired by this view to hurry back to his bar and add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to the one soda water he produced that the children of Cripple Creek seemed to like best - Myers Avenue Red root beer - and served it the very next day. The drink was an instant hit. Originally named "Black Cow Mountain", the local children shortened this to "black cow". Wisner was known to say many times in his later years that if he had a nickel for every time someone ordered a black cow, he'd have been a rich man.

Alright, time to be frugal! I found this article and thought to myself "OMG are people really paying for some of these things?" But on the other hand, there are 2 things I am quite guilty of on this list as well... books and pets LOL and I'm NOT willing to change it! LOL! However, many people DO pay for most or all of these and I wanted to show you the waste and lack of frugality in it... so here ya go!

15 Things You Shouldn't Be Paying For
by Phil Taylor

So much money and energy is wasted on things we could get for free. If you're into new, shiny things and collecting stuff, this is not for you. But if you want less clutter in your life and want to keep more of your money, then check out these 15 things you shouldn't be paying for.

Basic Computer Software -- Thinking of purchasing a new computer? Think twice before you fork over the funds for a bunch of extra software. There are some great alternatives to the name brand software programs. The most notable is OpenOffice, the open-source alternative to those other guys. It's completely free and files can be exported in compatible formats.

Your Credit Report -- You don't have to pay for your credit report. You could sign up for one of the free credit monitoring services online to get a quick look at your credit report. You just have to remember to cancel the service before the end of the free trial. Or you could do one better and visit www.annualcreditreport.com, the only truly free place to see all three of your credit reports for free once a year.

Cell Phone -- The service plan may be expensive, but the phone itself doesn't have to cost a thing. Most major carriers will give you a free phone, even a free smart phone, with a two-year contract.

Books -- There's a cool place in your town that's renting out books for free: the library. Remember that place? Stop by and put your favorite book on reserve. And if you don't feel like getting out, visit www.paperbackswap.com and find your books there (small shipping fees apply).

Water -- Besides the monthly utility bill, there's no reason to shell out $1 for every bottle of water you drink. Bottled water is so last decade anyway. We're over it, and into tap, filters, and reusable water bottles. It's cheaper for you and better for the environment.

Credit Card -- With as many credit cards as there are available on the market today, it's easy to avoid a credit card with an annual fee. Unless you're dead set on a particular perk that a fee card brings, skip the annual fee card and pocket that money yourself.

Debt Reduction Help -- Speaking of credit cards, if you're in over your head with credit card help, there are many free sources you can turn to for help with your debt. No one is going to be able to magically wipe away your debts, but there is help out there that will set you up on a debt reduction plan you can handle. Start with a visit to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Basic Tax Preparation -- If your tax situation isn't that complicated, then you should probably be preparing your own tax return using one of the many free online services. It's now common for e-filing to be free as well with many services. You won't even need a stamp.

The News -- Leave it to a blogger to try and kill off traditional print. I'm not anti-newspaper. I just don't find them practical anymore. Skip the daily .50 cents and get your news online. And for you dedicated coupon clippers, you can get most of your Sunday coupons online now too.

Budgeting Tools -- There are many budgeting tools (both online and desktop) that offer up the service for free. Don't ask me how they do this, but who cares. If you're looking to reign in some of your spending, the good news is you can do it for free.

Pets -- This is a controversial one, I know. But there are likely many pets down at your local animal shelter that could use just as much love as the pure-bred types. There may be a small fee due to the shelter for shots and basic care, but you'll have your pet home without paying a mini-fortune.

Shipping -- If you like to buy online, you probably use coupons to get a percentage off of your purchase. Take your skills to the next level and look for coupons or promotion codes that offer free shipping. If in doubt, visit a site like www.freeshipping.org.

Checking Account -- Isn't it nice when a bank takes your money, lends it out to earn money, and then has the audacity to charge you for the service? What a joke. Checking should be free. If yours isn't free then move to one of the many banks that offers a checking account for free. And the same can be said for ATM fees, teller fees, and checks.

DVD Rentals -- Did you know that you can rent DVDs from RedBox locations for $1 a night? And better yet, if you use one of the coupon codes from www.insideredbox.com you can avoid the $1 charge. Free DVD rentals! Most libraries now have free DVD rental as well.

Exercise -- Skip the expensive gym memberships. Visit your local park for a walk or run. Do basic push-up and sit-up programs in your living room. Rent a workout DVD from the library. There are many free workout programs you can download online as well.

And then of course, yesterday was National Cupcake Day, so ya know the Frugal Mom was going all out and celebrating with a kitchen full of cool and crazy creations! This was the first one... instead of the layered clown, I made a hippie cake! French Vanilla cake with a Jamaican Rum frosting. It was really good LOL! I layered the cake colors like you do with the clown cake, but then I took a tooth pick and swirled them around in the cup to make the Tie Dye effect! Super trippy!

Then I made these super yummy BANANA cakes LOL! I made the cake batter and diced up some fresh banana to stir into the cakes. Then they were cooked to a golden brown and iced with 2 different flavors. The first was just a milk chocolate YUM! Then the second set, I cored and filled with molten caramel sauce and iced with a rich caramel icing. I had originally planned on usingi some caramel squares melted into this creation somehow, but it seems the Dh and kids must have found my candies! LOL!

Last but not least... the Butterscotch overload! Now normally I have issues with little butterscotch candies thanks to mom when I was 5 at Walgreens LOL, but today it called for them! I made a butterscotch flavored cake, cored and with a butterscotch filling, cream cheese icing, and a butterscotch syrup drizzle and disc on top for garnish. So if you don't like butterscotch, DON'T eat these! When I was trying to ice these, it was extremely hot in the kitchen (mid-day, oven on, 100 degrees outside, yea LOL) so my icing didn't want to set, but a few minutes in the fridge and we were good to go! Don't they all look just so yummy?!

Ok now for today's craft idea, I sought out something to make an item I saw at the mall this past weekend when the family went for a day out. They were pillow animals. Now these things have been around forever and even my kids used to have some. Well I thought how that would be a cool gift for a small kid, and seeing as some of my readers HAVE small kids, it would make a fairly inexpensive and cute Christmas gift! So I looked and I found one! Elizabeth over at Twelve Crafts Til Christmas blog made an amazing tutorial to make your own pillow buddy! Ya gotta click on over on the link because its a LONG tutorial and it has lots of great pictures too!

Craft Idea of the Day: Pillow Buddies

What you need for the body:

1 - 20 x 20 inch piece of microfleece, regular fleece or chenille
1 - 20 x 20 inch piece of microfleece, regular fleece or chenille with corners cut out in an arch shape
4 - arch-shaped pieces of contrasting fabric (These arches should be slightly bigger than the arches that were cut from the body piece.)
2 - 4 x 10 inch pieces of microfleece, regular fleece or chenille for the strap
2 - 3 inch pieces of hook and loop (Velcro)
extra microfleece, regular fleece or chenille for the tail
Stuffing

So tell me, are you enjoying this week's secret ingredient? BODACIOUS BANANA week is providing us with lots of potassium so our legs don't cramp up while dancing a jig cause we're excited over the great recipes LMAO! And today is no exception! Today I am gonna grill em! Yes... you heard me... GRILL them! WHAT? You've never had a grilled banana? OMG! Well check out this recipe for some Sizzlin' Summer Scrumptiousness!

Island Kabobs with Tropical Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

2 ripe, firm DOLE® Bananas, peeled, each cut into 6 pieces
1 ripe DOLE Banana, peeled and diced
12 chunks DOLE Tropical Gold® Pineapple
16 extra large or jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 DOLE Green Onion, minced
2 to 3 teaspoons minced jalapeño pepper

Directions

Thread banana pieces, pineapple, shrimp and bell pepper pieces equally onto skewers.
Whisk together lime juice, oil and allspice in small bowl. Brush 2 tablespoons over kabobs.

Combine remaining marinade with diced banana, mango, mint, green onion and jalapeño pepper; place in a serving dish.

Grill kabobs over medium high heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or until the shrimp are opaque.

Arrange the kabobs on top of the salsa.

Ok kids, got a couple of things to do this morning, including a phone interview, so I better get off here and get cracking! Then its hopefully some crazy sewing day. I had fun with you this morning and hope you will visit again tomorrow too! Be safe, have fun, and see you then... HUGS!

HAPPY NATIONAL CUPCAKE DAY

2010-08-18T10:22:00.007-05:00

Welcome folks to the wacky Wednesday edition of The Frugal Mom! So how are you doing this morning? I'm good... thanks for asking! Sorry I am a bit tardy this morning. For once, I got to sleep in so I took full advantage of it LMAO! Not to mention I had actually been up at 4:30am and went back to sleep LOL! I want to wish everyone a HAPPY NATIONAL CUPCAKE DAY and I will be celebrating by making the French Vanilla Rainbow Clown Cakes you see here! And probably a few more fun flavors! LOL! I have so many exciting things to share with you, so hurry and go refresh that cup of coffee and have a seat. Hold on for a wild ride! LOL!

Ok folks, first off, I found out about a crafting contest hosted by JoAnn's and am OH SO EXCITED to bring you! Especially since it's for charity!!! It's JoAnn's Craft For a Cause contest and not only couldl you win a $1500 gift card for JoAnn's, but your favorite charity could win big too... up to $50,000!! I will definitely be entering and I think you should too! Check it out here on the JoAnn's site for the rules and regulations!

"Use your creativity, skills & passion to help your favorite worthwhile cause and enter to win prizes yourself!

Contest Dates:

· Crafting contest begins August 15, 2010 and ends October 30, 2010

· Charity voting ends December 4, 2010

Crafters — Enter to Win $1,500 Gift Card

· Using materials purchased from Jo-Ann make and donate useful crafted items to your favorite charitable organization. Experience the satisfaction of giving!

· Submit photo of each donation - crafted items will be judged for prizes!

· The makers of the top five* crafted items will each win a $1,500 Jo-Ann gift card.

*Judged on creativity, quality & functionality for the charitable organization receiving item. Open to legal U.S. residents age 14 or older. Void in Maryland & Vermont.

Jo-Ann Donates a Total of $90,000 to Three Causes

· The three charitable organizations receiving the most donated items become Craft for a Cause finalists.

· Then you can join other crafters and go online to vote for your favorite among these three."

OMG, OMG, OMG! Then I saw an article on Yahoo that I want to tell you all about! No, its not a frugal tip... well it could be though! Its about a young lady named Marisa Lynch who was in a rough spot in her life and watched the movie Julie & Julia (excellent movie BTW! Saw it in the theater with my mommy YAY!) and was inspired to do something similar with her life. She chose clothing to blog about and make a 365 challenge out of! BUT here is the twist. All the outfits cost no more than $1 a day and she recycled by finding things at thrift stores! OMG isn't that great! Read the whole write up about her on the article called Turn ugly dresses into nice ones for $1 on Yahoo. Or better yet, hop on over to her actual Blog and check out some of her creative creations! Her blog is called New Dress A Day and its really awesome to read through. Some of the things she's found I particularly didn't care for, but some are pretty darn cute! Unfortunately I am nowhere near seeing all the posts as I just found this yesterday LOL!

Ok, now I have to show you this... remember all those stockings I told you I was going to make? Well I finally finished the last one and it ended up being motorcycles instead of Classic cars. I showed the recipient (my DB if you haven't guessed already LOL) and he loves it! So... I had to show you! It was the last of the 4 that I had listed to make, so that mini project is complete! YAY! By Monday, I'm going to have LOTS of surprises for you! Monday starts school! YAY!!!

Now my mom & dad came over yesterday to help me with some things around the house. Dad changed out all my light bulbs, fixed my fan, put up these awesome shelves in my master bath, etc. Mom helped me declutter and organize some problem spots that made me just want to scream! Don't I have like the best parents in the world? After they left, I sat and organized the 2 gigantic boxes of things that were to fill the shelves... keeping my mom's voice in my head saying "one piece at a time". Needless to say, the boxes are gone, lots of things were thrown out, and here is what is left! Very neat and tidy if I do say so myself!

And then there is my cat... my Rebel... my special little baby! I rescued him years ago when I lived in some apartments across town. Kids in the parking lot were beating him, hanging him in a tree, and trying to light him on fire. (Believe me, those kids didn't like it when I took them by the collar of their shirt to their parents and threatened them with legal action but I didn't care!) I nursed him back to health and then the DH fell on him, squishing him... I swore he was gonna die BUT I nursed him back AGAIN! He has some problems now... some due to those kids and some due to Frank LOL, but all in all he is pretty healthy. And FAT! LOL! Anyway, I thought this was the cutest thing and I had to take a picture! I guess since I am always calling him my baby, he was gonna get in the baby's walker and ACT like a baby LMAO! Regardless, I think its too cute and I wanted to share!

Now its time to get crafty! I used to get my DS14 these wooden puzzles to teach him alphabets and such. They were special wooden puzzles aimed at special needs kids and he used to have bunches of them. When I ran across this craft on another blogspot site, I was like "Wow I would have loved to have those back then!" LOL. But I want to bring it to you today because I know that those wooden puzzles have become very popular with kids of all ages and types. Thanks to the fellow blogger/crafter Maria for a great project! So here ya go... your

Craft Idea of the Day: The Puzzle Bag

Materials:

puzzle
fabric
a zipper
scissors
a sewing machine with thread
optional ribbon for a handle.

Well here we are again... time for the most tasty part of your visit! Our BODACIOUS BANANA recipes today are gonna be sweet... cause we are cooking some classics! These are recipes our mothers and grandmothers may have made for us when we were younger. Or maybe they symbolize the South for you... ya never know as it means all kinds of things to different people. Bananas were first found in the region of Malaysia. With the help of curious visitors, bananas found their way to India, Buddhist Pali writings dating back to the 6th century B.C. support this fact. It was Alexander the Great who brought the banana back with him to the western world. Bananas were grown in the southern region of China but only became popular with the masses around the 20th century. Americans first tasted the banana almost three hundred and fifty years later. At that time, they were wrapped in tin foil and sold for 10 cents each at the celebration held in Pennsylvania in 1876, to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Instructions on how to eat the banana also appeared in the Domestic Cyclopaedia of Practical Information.

Banana Nutrition Facts

A banana contains Vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber.

Bananas do not contain sodium, fat or cholesterol.

The Vitamin C, which is found in bananas, helps the body to defend and heal against infections. This vitamin also proves valuable in the synthesis of the connective tissue, absorption of iron and the formation of blood.

Not only are bananas rich in vitamin C, they also contain potassium. Potassium is a mineral that helps in the building of muscles and protein synthesis. This is done as potassium stimulates nerve impulses for muscle contraction.

A diet rich in potassium is said to reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. As bananas are free from sodium and very rich in potassium, they can be included in the diet to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

Bananas contain three natural sugars, sucrose, fructose and glucose along with fiber. A banana thus gives an instant and substantial boost of energy.

A banana contains Vitamin B6, which helps in the synthesis of antibodies in the immune system apart from red blood formation, protein metabolism and functioning of the central nervous system.

No other fruit contain more digestible carbohydrates than bananas. This is advantageous because, the body burns off calories from carbohydrate more easily and quickly than calories from fat or protein.

Interesting Facts About Bananas

The word banana is derived from the Arab word "banan," which means finger.

Bananas are harvested green because they keep ripening even after they are picked.

Unlike most other fruits that grow on trees, bananas grow on plants.

An average American is said to consume more than 28 pounds of bananas every year.

Brisbane holds the world record for the longest banana split, which measured 7.3 kilometers.

3 medium bananas would weigh about a pound.

Despite that fact that bananas love a tropical climate, they are grown in Iceland too, by heating the soil with geysers.

So now that you have had your banana education for today, let's dig in to a few old time banana classics! Eat & Enjoy!

Old Fashion Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 medium, ripe DOLE® Bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped almonds

Directions

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Beat in bananas, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Add in flour mixture; beat until just blended. Stir in nuts.

Pour into 9 x 5-inch baking pan sprayed with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 350°F., 55 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Old Fashioned Southern Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup self-rising flour
2 cups milk, low fat or whole
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
vanilla wafer cookies
3 bananas, ripe but firm
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preparation:

Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and the self-rising flour in a bowl.
Slowly stir in milk. Put mixture in top of double boiler over simmering water and cook until mixture begins to thicken. Beat egg yolks then briskly stir a small amount of the hot mixture (about 1/2 cup) into them. Add egg yolk mixture back into the hot mixture in top of double boiler and stir in butter and vanilla. Cook until mixture thickens again.

Place a layer of vanilla wafers in an 11x7-inch baking dish (or other shape 2-quart shallow baking dish). Add half of the sliced bananas. Pour half of pudding mixture over banana layer.

Repeat layers, ending with remaining pudding. In a mixing bowl beat egg whites until foamy; gradually beat in 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cream of tartar.

Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pudding. Bake at 350° until browned completely. Remove from oven. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 6 to 8.

OLD FASHIONED BANANA CREAM PIE

1 pie crust (9 inch), baked
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 2/3 cups water
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 medium bananas
lemon juice
whipped cream

In heavy saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in water; stir in sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Cool slightly. Slice 2 bananas; dip in lemon juice and drain. Arrange on bottom of prepared crust. Pour filling over bananas; cover. Chill 4 hours or until set.

Spread top with whipped cream. Slice remaining banana; dip in lemon juice, drain and garnish top of pie. Refrigerate leftovers.

Serving Size: 6

OLD FASHIONED BANANA NUT MUFFINS

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites slightly. Stir in bananas, sugar, oil, and lemon peel. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in walnuts. Fill muffin pan cups 2/3 full.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Remove muffins from pan.

Well that's all for me folks! I better get off here and go work on some more decluttering and cleaning and crafting and such. I Also plan on making lots of more cupcakes to celebrate this day of days! YUM! SO have an awesome day, make some delish cupcakes, and I will see you tomorrow! HUGS!

THRIFT STORE TUESDAY

2010-08-17T08:11:00.005-05:00

Well good morning everyone! How are you doing this terrific Tuesday? I'm good, thanks. I want to wish everyone a HAPPY NATIONAL THRIFT STORE DAY!! LOL yes you read that right. Today is a day to say thanks to all those bountiful thrift stores which hold treasures galore! So I encourage you all to drop by at least one thrift store and lend them a helping hand by looking around and finding something to help them... even if its just a shirt! LOL.

Yes... I found you yet another article claiming to help with frugality and so I am bringing it to you. Who couldn't use a spare $500? I know I sure could! Now there are a couple I am not agreeing with or doing (like the section about pets... totally kiss my butt there authors I WILL have my animals!) but some could be rather useful. So check them out and you be the judge!

10 easy ways to save $500 or more

From installing a TV antenna to adjusting the thermostat, you'll barely feel the pinch with these smart tips for economizing.

By Bankrate.com

Raises are hard to come by at many jobs, so don't wait for the boss to be struck by the sudden realization that you're valuable. Give yourself a raise by spending less of your hard-earned cash.

Following any one of these tips can save you as much as $500 per year. Some of them can save you more. If you do all 10, you'll save at least $5,000 a year. That's a heck of a lot more than the measly 3 percent increase that your employer is likely to hand out. And the best part about it is that you don't have to smile and say "thank you."

Drive less
With gas hovering around $4 per gallon, you don't have to cut back on much mileage to save $500 in a year. You'll save that much in gas alone if you drive a car that gets 15 miles per gallon just 36 fewer miles per week. When you divide it by 50 weeks, 1,872 miles in a year isn't much. If you have a 40-mile round-trip commute, persuading the boss to allow telecommuting one day a week, or squeezing 40 hours of work into four days, will definitely put you ahead about $500 per year.

If that doesn't work for you, there are other options. The cutback doesn't have to be extreme. Trimming a couple of unnecessary short hops out of your routine is enough to hit the target. Encouraging the kids to take the school bus instead of schlepping them in the car, or consolidating three trips to the grocery store into one weekly excursion may do the trick. Vacationing at the lake instead of driving the family to Florida will certainly hit the goal.

Bring your own stimulant
Stop buying coffee at the chichi coffee joint down the street from work. Either bringing coffee from home in a thermos or brewing it in the break room will actually improve the quality of your morning shot of energy, as well as cut its cost dramatically. You can get 40 cups of coffee from a pound of beans. Even the gourmet ones can be purchased for $4 per pound. If you're spending $2 per day on coffee -- easy to do in most workplaces -- you'll go from spending $500 a year to about $25 by making your own.

Save even more by taking cans of soda or bottled water to work instead of buying them out of the vending machine. Bottled water sells for around 30 cents a bottle at a big-box grocery stores. Compare that to the 75 cents or more that you'll spend at the machine, and it's a no-brainer. You can go even further by cleaning your small plastic water bottles and replenishing them with drinking water from a gallon jug. (It's an environmentally friendly move, too.)

Conserve energy
Dad was right. Turn off the TV when you leave the room. Using less energy is a painless way to save. Heat and air conditioning are the largest home-energy hogs. The U.S. Department of Energy points out that during each 24-hour period, you will save about 3 percent on your energy bill for every 1 degree you lower the thermostat setting (or, conversely, raise it when air conditioning is the big cost).

For example, let's say you normally keep your thermostat set at 73 degrees in summer. If you raise it to 76 degrees, you will save about 9 percent (3 degrees times 3 percent) or 9 cents for every dollar you spend on air conditioning costs. If you're spending $2,000 per year, that small change will save you $180. Buy a programmable thermostat and turn the system up 10 degrees during the day when no one's home and you'll save much more.

Here are some other quick fixes for savings that add up to an additional $400: Switch to U.S. Energy Star-approved light bulbs and save $60 a year. Running a 32-inch TV four hours a day costs $3 per month, but many families use the TV for background noise, letting it play 24/7. You can save more than $200 a year just by turning off the TV when nobody's watching it. Washing clothes in cold water is good for another $60 a year and powering down your computer at night can save $70.

Dig gardening
Gardening doesn't just burn a lot of calories; a nice yard also adds value to the house. If you do it all yourself, it's pure profit. Assuming a modest savings of $300 per summer for mowing your own grass and another $200 for such related expenses as applying your own weed killer and fertilizer, a $500 savings is easily attained.
Bonus idea: Assign jobs like shoveling, raking and car washing to Junior, who's always good for hitting you up for money. While you might shell out $200 for him to do these chores, it's a savings, considering that you were going to give him the money whether he worked for it or not.

Go small or stay pet-free
Fido and Tabby are lovable, but they can cost a bundle. If you're considering a pet, keep the cost of their upkeep in mind. Pawprints and Purrs, an animal adoption agency based in Keithville, La., tells its clients to expect to pay these annual costs of pet ownership: cat, $640; small dog, $780; medium dog, $1,115; large dog, $1,500. Obviously, smaller is cheaper. The difference between a large dog and a small one is $720 per year -- that's a lot of kibble.

Don't flush money down the commode
No-name-brand toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, paper cups, plastic wrap, plastic bags, etc., are all available at half the price of similar name-brand products when you buy them in bulk.

You don't even have to wait for a sale. Such stores as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club offer these items all the time at bulk rates.

For instance, you can buy 15,000 sheets of toilet paper for about $13, compared to the 4,224 sheets of the "squeezably soft" variety that routinely sells for $9 in a 12-pack. Big-name plastic wrap can be 10 times more expensive than the big-box variety.

Of course, bulk buying requires having some cash on hand, transportation to carry large quantities and big enough storage space for these items. If you can manage those basic requirements, buying big can be a tremendous deal and easily cut costs by $500 per year. But remember, putting these purchases on your credit card defeats the purpose.

Limit media
A cost that didn't exist at all for most people a decade ago has morphed into a major expense. The average monthly cable bill, excluding Internet access and other extras, now runs about $52, according to SNL Kagan Research, which monitors the broadcasting industry. Look hard at what you are spending for television, phone and Internet. If you are like the rest of us, cutting $50 a month out of this category is a slam dunk.

Who watches 300 channels anyway? The easiest way to cut costs: Just take a deep breath and cancel everything but the basic plan. Most cable companies have a very limited plan for $10 or $15 per month that offers local channels and a few other networks. If you have satellite, the basic plan, including local channels, will cost you about $30. If you want to watch a movie or an HBO series now and then, rent it -- you'll still come out way ahead.

If you have greater than average do-it-yourself skills, consider installing an antenna and capturing high-definition television signals over the air. An antenna isn't your father's rabbit ears -- you get no snow and reception that's probably clearer than your cable or satellite provides. And best of all, it's free. A page on the National Association of Broadcasters' Web site lists the stations you can expect to receive. In most cities, that's all the networks plus PBS. In rural areas, you might get less, but that's changing quickly. CNET offers a great set of instructions for setting it up and calls it a three-hour project.

Next, examine your phone service -- particularly your cell. What kind of user are you? If your phone's for short calls only -- "I'm on my way home now, dear" -- consider a pay-as-you-go plan like ones offered by Virgin Mobile. It has cool phones, and, for a total of $80 per year, you can make those kinds of calls and have peace of mind. It's a big bargain.

Family plans are another possibility. Four people on the same plan will cost about $25 each. Calls at night and during weekends are usually free, so the small prime-time minute allocation goes a long way. You just can't chat endlessly during regular business hours with these plans.

If you are paying more for home phone service than about $50 per month for both unlimited local and long-distance, you're missing the boat.

For those with high-speed Internet service, the cheapest phone option is probably an Internet-based phone service such as Vonage or others offered by cable or phone companies. These aren't subject to the same taxes that wired phone lines are, so for less than $20 a month, you can get 500 minutes of service with lots of features, including voice mail.

There are drawbacks. One is that if your Internet is down, so is your phone.

Sign up for tax-advantaged plans at work
The possibilities include education, health, transportation and child-care savings accounts. If you're in the 25-percent tax bracket, you'll be $500 ahead once you spend $2,000 in pretax dollars on these necessities. If your company doesn't offer these plans, ask for them to be added. It's a cost-free benefit that even the smallest and most cash-strapped employer can offer.

Eat in
Replace one $20 eat-in restaurant meal per week with a large $7 carryout pizza from any of the billions of cheap pizza places in every city. Better yet, buy pizza at the grocery store.

Don't bank on it
Pay credit card bills in full as soon as possible, and take advantage of free bill pay.

The real savings can be had by avoiding credit card debt and paying off what you've accumulated as quickly as possible. For instance, if you owe $4,000 on a card charging you 18 percent interest, and you pay three times the minimum payment every month, or $300, you'll pay off the card in 15 months and spend about $500 in interest. If you spread the cost out and pay $200 per month -- still twice the minimum payment -- you'll pay off the bill in 24 months and pay out $4,800 in total -- $800 in interest. If you can bite the bullet and pay as much as $400 each month, the debt will be gone in less than a year and you'll save between $100 and $700 in interest over the other options.

Saving money doesn't have to take an ugly bite out of your lifestyle. Once you put these strategies in place, you won't feel pinched, because you're not giving up much at all.

This story was reported and written by Jennie L. Phipps for Bankrate.com.

OK now, one of the things my mother is helping me do is declutter some areas of the house that are an "emotional problem" for me. While I was searching for some creative and inexpensive ways to organize, I found this project and instantly fell in love! I was like OMG SUCH CUTENESS! Its a craft that could be done for any room in the house, any age range, any purpose! It's super wonderful! Destri from The Mother Huddle has the GREAT tutorial on today's craft idea! So jump on over there and get sewing on some lovely little baskets!

Craft Idea of the Day: Fabric Basket Organizers

Supplies:

all your sewing stuff
cafe rod, or curtain rod
brackets to hang rod
three 8 x 10 Plexiglas sheets, I bought mine at Home Depot for about $4 a piece, by the window section

Materials:

each basket takes 1 yard of fabric, so I used three for this project.
each basket needs a yard of interfacing, again I used three yards. I used pellon 809 decor bond, but craft bond would work as well.
Fabric Cuts:

From your fabric cut six 18½ x 28 inch pieces, and three 4 x 10 ½ inch pieces. You will then iron them onto you interfacing per it's instructions, and then cut out. Trust me, it's easier than cutting out the pellon and then ironing! As a side note, the ironing is the longest part of this project...if I had a teenager I would have paid top dollar to have them do it, just sayin'!

Well are you ready to start the day right? I think we need to have some BODACIOUS BANANAS for breakfast! That's right! They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and so why not make it healthier when possible. Whether its a grab & go item or a sit down at the table kind of deal... breakfast is the fuel for your day! Just like putting gas in your car... you are fueling up your body for whatever life holds for you, so make it the high octane fuel! LOL! Ya can't trade in for a new one like you can a car (trust me, if ya could I would SO be on a "new every 2 PLAN LMAO)! So here are some more super fun facts about bananas and some great recipes for you to try! Eat & Enjoy!

Here are some more facts about one of the world's most popular fruits:

India is the #1 banana producer in the world.

The most popular banana cultivar in the world is the Cavendish. This is the banana most often seen in U.S. and European markets.

Before Cavendish, Gros Michel was the main banana cultivar exported on a mass, commercial scale. In the mid-20th century, Gros Michel was ravaged by Panama disease and is no longer sold commercially.

Panama disease, or Fusarium wilt, is a fungus that attacks banana plants. It was reported in Australia in the 19th century.

It is believed that the Cavendish, like the Gros Michel, will be devastated by Panama disease within 20 years and will no longer be able to be produced commercially. This would be a difficult blow to the banana industry.

Scientists are trying to develop a hybrid, disease-resistant banana.

Chiquita was initially called the United Fruit Company. In the 20th century, they played a controversial role in the politics of Central America, where they had vast holdings. The company earned the nickname of "The Octopus" in the region because they had their hands in so many political pots.

The CIA-sponsored 1954 coup that overthrew the democratically-elected Guatemalan government headed by Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán is believed to be a direct result of influence by the United Fruit Company, which had an antagonistic relationship with the Arbenz government.

In Uganda, bananas are such a big part of the diet that the same word, matooke, is used for both "food" and "banana."

The pejorative term "banana republic" was coined by American writer O. Henry. He used it in reference to Honduras, but the term became widely used in reference to any Latin American, Caribbean, or African country that was politically unstable, relied heavily on basic agriculture, and was not technologically advanced.

The banana split was invented in 1904 by 23-year-old David Evans Strickler, an employee at the Tassel Pharmacy soda fountain in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

The song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" was released in 1923 and became a huge hit. It refers to the banana shortage at the time.

In 2001, Britain recorded 300 incidents of injuries related to bananas. The majority of these involved people slipping on banana peels.

Dole Fruity Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients

2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons strawberry jam
2 medium DOLE® Bananas

Directions

Place tortillas on baking sheet. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon evenly over tortillas.
Broil tortillas 1 minute or until hot and lightly browned.
Spread jam down center of tortillas. Place one banana over center of each tortilla; roll up tortillas.

Benefits
Low Fat, Cholesterol Free, Good Source of Fiber, Good Source of Potassium, Good Source of Vitamin C

Dole Banana Raspberry Smoothie

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups DOLE® Pineapple Juice
1 cup vanilla yogurt or frozen yogurt
1 cup DOLE Fresh Raspberries
2 ripe, medium DOLE Bananas, peeled

Directions

Combine pineapple juice, yogurt, raspberries and bananas in blender or food processor. Cover; blend until smooth. Garnish with raspberry and banana slices, if desired. Enjoy!

Benefits
Rich in Fiber, Rich in Potassium, Rich in Vitamin C, Good Source of Calcium

Dole Sunrise Pizza

Ingredients

2 DOLE® Bananas, peeled
4 frozen whole wheat waffles
1/4 cup low fat whipped cream cheese
1 can (11 oz.) DOLE Mandarin Oranges, drained
2 teaspoons honey
Dash ground cinnamon
Fresh raspberries or blueberries (optional)

Directions

Thinly slice bananas on diagonal.

Prepare waffles according to package directions.

Spread waffles with cream cheese. Arrange banana slices on top, overlapping. Arrange mandarin oranges in center of each pizza. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Garnish with raspberries, if desired.

Benefits
Low Cholesterol, Good Source of Fiber, Good Source of Vitamin A, Rich in Vitamin C

Well folks, I have to get off of here and get ready for my parents to come over. They have been kind enough to help with some projects around the house. You know me and my projects LMAO! And I have to check out the DD's foot... she hurt herself real bad at band practice and now she is limping and all bruised up. Never a dull moment in this house, that's for sure. Hopefully after that I can get some sewing in before DP's arrive! So have fun, be safe, and don't do nothin' I wouldn't do! LMAO... until tomorrow... HUGS!

GOING BANANAS

2010-08-16T07:29:00.004-05:00

Good morning everyone! How are you doing this crazy moody Monday morning? I'm good... I got to love on a tiny kitty who came to my porch this early morning for some munchies! She's sooo small! Even smaller than Mittens was when I rescued her! Except for her weight, this little one is in good health though, so she is staying OUTSIDE! LOL! My mommy is coming over this morning so I am super excited about that!

Ok, so you know me and I try to bring you lots of different various frugality tips and hints and I saw this article on Yahoo and HAD to post it. I fully admit, even I used to be guilty of some of these in the past!

Financial Products That Are a Waste of Money
provided by Consumer Reports

You can save big bucks by skipping unnecessary financial products and services.
There are many things that people buy, sometimes repeatedly, that are a waste of money or just a bad value. Often, you don't need them at all or you can opt for less-costly or free alternatives. Take a pass on these financial products and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Skip it: Collision on older vehicles
Save: $300 a year, based on national averages in 2007

If you have an accident, collision coverage reimburses you only up to the value of your car, no matter how severe the damage. So at some point, the cost of the coverage might approach or exceed the maximum the policy would pay on a claim. You might consider dropping collision once its cost equals 10 percent of the car's book value.

Do this instead
Self-insure by putting away a fixed amount each month to cover unexpected losses. Decide whether you should keep comprehensive coverage. Typically less costly than collision, it reimburses you for theft and nonaccident damage, for example, if a rock cracks your windshield or a falling tree limb dents your hood. But like collision, it won't pay more than the vehicle's worth, so weigh the cost.

Skip it: Load mutual funds
Save: About $200 to $300 on an initial investment of $5,000

Load funds siphon off 4 to 6 percent of your investment for sales commissions. No-load funds generally perform as well or even better.

Do this instead
Skip the load and put your entire investment to work for you. Compare funds by type and rating at www.morningstar.com.

Skip it: Extended warranties
Save: $30 to a few thousand dollars

Some products, such as cars, have become more reliable, and others, including electronics, aren't likely to break down during the extended service contract period. Service plans often cost more than you'll recover, and many have fine-print terms that can limit or disqualify your claim.

Do this instead
Buy reliable brands and models, and follow the manufacturer's usage and maintenance recommendations. If possible, make purchases with a credit card that extends the warranty. And if a product fails after the warranty has expired, try negotiating with the retailer and manufacturer for compensation.

Skip it: Fee-based checking
Save: $36 to $600, plus any per-check fees each month

There are many no-fee checking accounts that don't require you to maintain a minimum monthly balance. Some even pay interest, such as FNBO Direct (www.fnbodirect.com), which pays 1.25 percent.

Do this instead
Check local and national banks and credit unions for the best deals. If you regularly use your debit card for purchases and can set up direct deposit or automatic billing, consider a high-yield checking account. To find one, go to www.checkingfinder.com or www.kasasa.com.

Skip it: Credit-card insurance
Save: 18 cents to $1.35 for every $100 of your balance each month

Also known as payment protection and credit safeguard, this coverage promises to make your minimum payments for a certain period or erase your entire credit-card debt in case of unemployment, injury, disability, or death.

Do this instead
Check for coverage you already have in other policies, such as life and disability. Or set up a fund to cover your bills if you lose your income.

Skip it: Cancer insurance
Save: $200 to $3,000

Like any disease-specific coverage (including those for strokes or heart attacks), cancer insurance might duplicate or even negate coverage you already have under your basic health insurance. Some cancer policies exclude certain types of cancer, or they might not pay at all unless you're hospitalized. And they're certainly no substitute for comprehensive medical coverage.

Do this instead
Check to see what your health policy covers. If you're on Medicare and want more coverage, consider buying a Medicare supplemental policy. Medicaid recipients don't need additional coverage.

Skip it: Identity-theft protection
Save: $120 to $240 a year

These services might do less than they claim. In May, Lifelock, a leading vendor, agreed to pay $12 million to settle charges by the Federal Trade Commission and 35 state attorneys general that "the protection it actually provided left enough holes that you could drive a truck through it," said Jon Leibowitz, the FTC's chairman.

Do this instead
Take steps to protect your identity. For example, you can place a security freeze on your credit reports at all three major credit-reporting bureaus (Experian, Equifax (NYSE: EFX - News), and TransUnion). That will deny access to your credit report to prospective creditors and prevent a scammer from setting up an account in your name.

Skip it: Cell-phone insurance
Save: $48 to $96 a year

Between the cost of the coverage and the deductible, typically $25 to $100 or more, this insurance might not save you anything if you need to replace your phone because there might be fine-print exemptions. And if the policy does replace your phone, you might get a different or refurbished model.

Do this instead
Check your home and auto insurance policies to determine if your phone is (or can be) covered. When you get a new phone, don't chuck your old one if it still works. If the new one is lost, stolen, or breaks down, you might be able to use the old one for the duration of your contract. Another option is to buy a less-costly "unlocked" replacement.

Ok folks, I am super stoked to announce that as of today, there is one week until school starts! Ahhh precious school! Ya know, I never understood why my mother was so very happy and broke out in song on the first day of school and then was in tears, sobbing, and depressed the last day of school LMAO! Now I know! So in the spirit of peace of mind and lovely educational opportunities in only 8 days, I found it appropriate to find a couple of back-to-school crafts to share with all the moms who will be running around in our PJ's, nekkid, or whatever you feel worthy, sing and/or yelling JOY TO THE WORLD! LOL!

Craft Ideas of the Day: Cool things for School

Pencil shaped Pencil case

This crafty blogger named Lia made a cute little case for pencils and pens that LOOKS like a pencil! She posts a great link on the page to the step-by-step instructions and photos as well as printable patterns to make this cute craft! I think the kids would get a kick out of it! I am gonna make some of these, but I think making it look like a real pencil would make it that much cooler LOL! Of course, each crafter can make it out of whatever suits their fancy... you don't have to be a nerd like me LMAO!

Insulated Lunch Kit

Here is another crafty person who had a problem and found a solution through crafts. Many parents choose to send their kids to school with a premade lunch for many different reasons, be it allergies, finances, or whatnot. So instead of buying one of those cheaply made mass produced items, take time to make a strong, durable, sturdy, and long lasting kit that you can make special to the user by just a simple piece of fabric!

Ok kids, its that time again. Time for the section that is NOT for the calorie counting or the weak at heart LOL! This week I have picked a theme with an ingredient as bright as sunshine and delicious as a diner dessert. Yes folks, it's the banana! I was reading a finance article on Yahoo about the "world's most popular items" and bananas were on there. The facts staggered even my little mind!

The Popularity Issue
by Business Week

Popularity is not a state of grace. In business, it is treasure hard-won on the battlefields of product development and marketing, then leveraged or squandered or stolen back. Most of the products and ideas showcased here—the stuff we buy, sell, and otherwise consume the most—owe their status in part to aggressive sales tactics, from knocking on doors to strong-arming grocers to gain the best shelf space. In its most potent and permanent form, however, popularity transcends sales pitches, advertising, fads, and maybe even conscious choice. One rarely reads or talks or thinks about peanut butter, yet Jif has eaten Skippy's lunch for 20 years, a sustained level of popularity that the iPhone can only dream about. While Jif rolls on, the iPhone—the most buzzworthy product of the last decade—will probably take its place amid the Palm and the Walkman in the great closeout bin in the sky. In short, if we have to think about a purchase, it's in a precarious position. The things we rarely pause to consider are the ones that stay on top. Read more...

Well something in this article sparked my idea for this weeks new theme! "Item at Walmart: Banana: Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT - News), which registered $405 billion in sales last year and is the largest retailer in the world, sold more bananas than any other single item." WOW I guess I am not the only one buying bunches of these beautiful bounties of bananaliciousness! Do you realize, that at only around 49 cents a pound... that's tons of bananas! LOL! So if ya haven't already guessed LMAO, this week is BODACIOUS BANANAS week! We love bananas and they are so good for you. So let's educate and accentuate the lovely fingers of yumminess! Eat & Enjoy!

Here are some facts about one of the world's most popular fruits:

The banana "tree" is not really a tree, but a giant herb. The banana is the fruit of this herb.

The cluster of bananas sold in supermarkets is a "hand" of bananas, while the individual bananas on the hand are called fingers.

The strings that go up and down the length of bananas are called Phloem Bundles. They help distribute nutrients to every part of the growing bananas.

The yellow bananas that are most often sold in supermarkets are sometimes called "dessert bananas" because they are soft and sweet.

Plantains are a type of banana that are not as sweet and are usually cooked. While not as commonly eaten in North America, plantains are a dietary staple in many tropical regions.

It is believed by many experts that bananas were the first fruit cultivated by humans.

Alexander the Great first came across bananas in India in 327 B.C.

Bananas were introduced to the United States at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Celebration, where they were sold wrapped in foil for 10 cents each.

Worldwide, bananas are the fourth largest fruit crop.

The average American consumes 28 pounds of bananas per year.

The banana peel is edible, though perhaps not very palatable unless cooked.

About 50 percent of people who are allergic to latex are often also allergic to bananas.

Dole Chicken Coconut Columbo

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1/2 cup chopped DOLE® Onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can (14 oz.) lite coconut milk
1 pound butternut or acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2-1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 small green or red bell pepper, cut into short strips
2 medium, firm DOLE Bananas, sliced
2 tablespoons lime juice
Hot cooked rice

Directions

Cook and stir chicken and onion in hot oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until chicken is browned. Stir in coconut milk, squash, curry and cloves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until squash is tender.

Stir in bell pepper; cook 2 minutes or until pepper is tender-crisp. Stir in bananas and lime juice. Serve over rice.

Benefits
Rich in Potassium, Low Sodium, Rich in Vitamin A, Rich in Vitamin C

Alright folks, time to go collect some freecycles, do some chores, and sew on some projects! I hope you are as excited as I am about this creamy dreamy week ahead and will come back tomorrow for more coffee chat and creative brainstorming! Be safe, be happy, and until tomorrow... HUGS!

BLAZING BRUNCH

2010-08-15T10:55:00.004-05:00

Good Sunday morning everyone! How are you doing this beautiful Sunday morning? I am doing well... quite tired and somewhat sore but excited to wake up to the sun shining and the fresh air in my lungs! The DN left this morning and its time for cleaning, organinzing, and some super cool craftiness! Why don't ya grab yourself a cup of coffee and have a seat and let's chat!

First off, its time for more frugal advise and today is a topic very close to my heart... AIR CONDITIONING LOL! Living in Texas where it seems a constant heat advisory, the air conditioners running can be heard and felt everywhere you go. I know I am in love with my AC units LOL! To the tune of some skyrocket electric bills... but I don't care! I must remain cool! LOL. Well I found some tips and frugal advise to try to control those expensive bills and I thought I would share with you!

How to Reduce Air-Conditioning Costs With These Money-Saving Tips

There are ways that you can reduce your electric bills quite significantly if you have central air conditioning or a window unit. This article will attempt to show how to reduce air-conditioning costs, even in very warm climates during the summer months.

Consider the size of the room and base your air conditioning on that when buying a unit as more does not mean better in every case. Other factors to consider are in respect of what will affect the room temperature such as number of windows, direction it faces etc. If you buy a unit that is too large for the room, it will need to work much harder and end up costing you more money.

When in the market for a central air conditioning system, always check that the SEER number (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is above thirteen (fourteen for warmer climates). Less efficient systems’ running costs will be more and so for room air conditioners, look for an energy efficiency ratio of eleven or above. High efficiency units will cost you more on the initial purchase but, particularly if you live in a hot climate, the extra cost will more than be recovered over a few years from lower electricity bills.

Make sure that you maintain your air conditioning unit and regularly check and replace the filter (every month) during the cooling season and have it professionally serviced every year at the start of the cooling season.

Cooling systems are renowned for being the largest consumers of energy in the home. Depending on your location, it will probably only be outdone in the energy sapping stakes by your heating system. If your system is aged with a SEER rating below eight, it may be worth consideration to replace it with a more energy efficient system.

You may also want to consider installing a thermostat that you can program in order to vary the temperature according to the times when you are actually at home. A setting around seventy eight degrees Fahrenheit is okay for when you are present. If you are away from your home for more than a few hours, it may be apt to set the temperature higher (around eighty five degrees) for the time that you are away.

The location of your condenser is another important consideration. Make sure that it is in the shade and has enough room to dispose of the hot air that it removes from your home. Do not place shrubs or plants around it – enable it to breathe. You can, however, plant shade trees and plants around the house to assist in reducing the heat from the sun, particularly on western and southern sides to your home. This could result in a reduction of up to thirty per cent on your cooling costs.

Close all curtains and blinds on the sunniest side of your house to prevent the heat coming into your home and wherever possible, install awnings on the windows. Sealing any air leaks in your home will reduce costs of your air conditioning as well as your heating costs and remember to check that all seals around drying vents, plumbing are closed. Fill in any gaps that there may be around places like chimneys and weather tape any doors or windows that cause drafts.

You may wish to consider putting in ceiling fans into rooms and running them on hot days. If it is too warm for you, use the fan without air conditioning but if t is hot enough for it, using both together will allow the temperature to rise by five degrees, therefore reducing costs. Only use ceiling fans when you are in the room as running it alone doe not actually lower temperatures – it is the movement of air increasing skin evaporation that causes coolness.

The colour of the exterior of your home will also make a difference. The darker it is, the more heat it will take in so bear this in mind when building, repainting, buying property in the future. Choose light colours for the outside of your home.

Did you know that thirty per cent of heat in homes is absorbed through the roof? Ensure that any attics are ventilated sufficiently. Vents in the eaves will allow for cooler air to enter. A ridge vent or even an attic fan can reduce cooling costs significantly.

Any heat that is generated within the home will need to be removed by your system of cooling so avoid it whenever you can. Try grilling or barbecuing food outdoors or if you have to cook inside use the microwave or a crock-pot.

Following just some of these tips on how to reduce air conditioning costs will help your wallet and also make your life that little more comfortable during those long summer seasons.

• Turning down the thermostat even a few degrees helps a lot.

• Moist air feels warmer. Make sure you maintain adequate humidity during the more dry winter months. Open the dishwasher to dry dishes and release steam and hanging clothes to dry will not only cut down on your electric bill but also add humidity.

• Wash laundry in cold water only. This is very cost effective and most clothes wash just fine in cold water only.

• Do you have naturally warm areas in your home? Make them work for you. My warm rooms are the kitchen and the furnace room. I keep the furnace room door open with a small fan blowing out into my family room. The heat gleaned just from that is enough to keep the family room warm. When I do a big baking day, I also run a fan that blow the warm air out into the remainder of the home.

• On a good blustery day, get down on your hands and knees and feel around. A stick of burning incense helps to find drafty areas, but even just feeling for cold areas with your hands will help. Cutting down on those drafts will go a long way in cutting down on your heating bill! A trip to the local hardware store will help you find a bevy of cost cutting products, but simple, inexpensive things like homemade draft dodgers, towels, and window quilts will be effective as well.

• Turn down your hot water.

• Do you have a fireplace? Most people don’t realize that modern fireplaces with deeper fire boxes, are not effective heat sources and the reality is, they suck air from your home. You actually LOSE heat when you run your fire place unless you have fireplace doors that you keep closed (basically going just for the ambience) or you can close off that room and minimize the flue draft. If you really want your fireplace to work for you, consider fireplace inserts, inset stoves and that sort of thing.

• Put on an extra layer of clothes if you’re always cold. Adding a layer on top such as a sweater or sweatshirt OR a layer underneath, like silk long underwear help a lot.

• Wear a hat to bed. The human body loses a huge amount of heat through the top of the head. Keep your head warm and you’ll be warmer. If you’re a bit chilled crawling into bed, make a microwave cozie to warm it up first!

• Keep a lap quilt for those times when you’re sitting down and reading a good book and getting cold versus turning up the heat. Sticking that microwave cozie under the quilt with you is pretty nice, too.

• Consider major home improvements. We have our garage under one end of our home and that end of the house was always cold. The old wooden doors had almost no insulation value (R-value), let in snow and cold air from underneath and barely kept the garage above freezing. We invested about $1800 to have modern, well insulated doors installed and the results were amazing! The average garage temp is now about 45 degrees, that end of the house is much warmer and we have averaged about $400 LESS in heating expenses per year. Major things like new windows and doors can be a bit more costly and take more planning and saving, but will be worth it in the long run.

Tammy Paquin is the owner and publisher of frugal-families.com. You can reprint this article with an active link back to Frugal-Families.com

And now its time to craft... sewing, which also uses some electricity LOL, to me is a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby. Now when my mother was helping me declutter the other day, one thing we did is went through clothing and bagged it up for donating, freecycling, etc. I had my DH join in on the fun LMAO! Well he was going to get rid of some button down shirts he no longer fits and I snagged one out of his hands to put in the "sewing and crafts" pile. And I did that because I recently ran across another crafter's ingenious idea for making summer clothing for women by upcycling/recycling MENS button down shirts! I want to try this, so since I wear my DH's shirts ANYWAY, I figured it was worth a shot! And I bring this idea to you because I think its a wonderful project and wanted to spread the word! Make sure to go to the website for beautiful step-by-step instructions and photos!

Craft Idea of the Day: Heat Wave Halter

Materials Needed:

upcycled man's shirt (short-sleeved is fine...I used a size XL.) Note: this size fit me perfectly when I was done, and I have a small frame. If you think you might need a larger size when you're done, start with a 2XL or 3XL. There are plenty of those out there, too, and it's better to guestimate on the larger side from the get go, rather than go through all of your steps and find out that your final product is too small)
1/4" elastic, in a length 3" smaller than your upper bust measurement (the measurement right above your breasts, almost around your torso under your underarms, where a halter top would rest)
cording, long t-shirt scrap or crocheted chain, to use as a tie
safety pin
coordinating thread
elastic thread
sewing machine
serger (optional, but nice)

Alright... Welcome to the final day of HOPPIN JALAPENO WEEK and to finalize this heat wave, I am providing you with a virtual buffet of happy hotness LOL! From start to finish... appetizer to dessert. Cocktails included! I'm glad to hear that all of you had fun with this week and got lots of inspiration. You can search the internet for thousands of recipes that involve jalapenos. Here is one that I brought you many of this weeks recipes... its called Jalapeno Madness and you really need to check it out for more great hoppin jalapeno dishes! So here's your Sunday Supper... Eat & Enjoy!

Jalapeño Rolls

6 Fresh jalapeño peppers
Stick Cheese
6 corn tortillas

Stuff fresh jalapeños with stick cheese (works good cause you can just stuff it in).

Heat corn tortillas till soft ( use toothpicks to hold them together).

Wrap around jalapeño.

Freeze for about an hour.

Deep fry until crispy. Tastes great when dipped in Jalapeño Toad

Jalapeño Toad

1 pound jalapeño peppers
2 cans cocount milk
2 tbsp lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Take about a pound of green jalapeños and remove the stems. Puree in a processor until smooth. Add coconut milk, lime juice, and cilantro. Blend. Simmer over low heat for however for 10-12 minutes (or so.) Chill. Tastes great on anything. Really!!

Cream of Jalapeno Pepper Soup

This Cream of Jalapeno Pepper Soup recipe is sure to kick start an evening of pure jalapeno bliss. For a stronger pepper flavor, include more peppers. For more heat, keep the seeds in the recipe. Serve as an appetizer, or in a bread bowl with a side salad as a lighter main course

.Ingredients:

6-8 jalapeno peppers, minced
8 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoons butter
1 cup white onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 small avocado, peeled and diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

Heat butter over medium heat in a large saucepan

Add minced jalapenos, onion and garlic. Sauté until soft.

Set sautéed vegetables aside and stir in avocado, tomatoes, and heavy cream.

Return mixture to the saucepan and reduce heat to simmer.

Simmer approximately 15 minutes.

Stir slowly and frequently.

Stir in fresh basil, then simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve.

Serves 6-8.

Jalapeno Flank Steak Sandwiches

This recipe makes a delious dinner. The jalapeno pepper spiciness complements the deep flavor of the flank steak. Don't forget the fresh jalapeno spears at the end for the additional kick.

Ingredients

4 jalapeño peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced into long spears
1 1/2 lb. beef flank steak
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons brown mustard
12 slices white bread, toasted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 small onion, sliced
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt to taste

Cooking Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine together garlic, jalapeño peppers, olive oil, lime juice, mustard, and salt. Whisk firmly. This is your marinade.

Trim fat from steak and tenderize with a meat tenderizer. If you don't have a tenderizer, score the steaks with a knife on each side.

Marinate steaks in refrigerator with above marinade 6-12 hours, or overnight if you wish

Drain meat and cook 12-16 minutes over medium heat cooking to medium doneness, or as desired.

Slice steak into thin slices.

Spread toasted white bread mayo and sprinkle with chili powder.

Add sliced steak, onion, and cheese.

Top with remaining toast and serve with jalapeno spears.

Jalapeno Cornbread

Cornbread is typically served as a side dish and can often be a little dry if not prepared properly. This recipe turned out extremely moist and deliciously flakey. And absolutely nice and spicy! We made this up for a little dessert, but it's perfect as a side dish as well.

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 small jalapeno peppers, diced

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lightly spray a baking pan

In a large bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder and mix

In a separate bowl combine egg, milk and olive oil and beat

Combine both bowls and mix well

Add jalapeno peppers and mix well

Pour into baking dish

Bake 20-30 minutes (depending on how thick your pour) or until cornbread is done in the middle

JALAPENO CHOCOLATE DESSERT COOKIES

If you love chocolate for dessert and jalapeno peppers, this is the recipe for you!
Recipes galore!

Ingredients:

1 large jalapeno pepper, minced
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons cocoa
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oatmeal

Instructions:

Bring sugar, milk, and cocoa to a rolling boil. Stir contantly.

Addn butter and peanut butter. Stir until melted.

Remove from heat.

Stir in oatmeal and jalapeno peppers. Mix well.

Spoon mixture onto an oiled cookie sheet in small globs.

Refrigerate and let sit until firm, about 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake cookies 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
Serve warm!

Three-Alarm Midnight Madness - A Spicy Drink Recipe

Your lips will feel this drink for a while after you drink it. Of course the heat level will vary depending on the hot sauce chosen, but do not forget to include the spicy jalapeno peppers, which will happily include the extra kick you need for your midnight drink. Yes, we do recommend you drink this at midnight, chinging glasses with your friends. See who backs down first! It does have a distinctive tequila flavor, and works great as a marinade.

Ingredients

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 ounces Effen Vodka
2 ounces Patron Silver Tequila
8 ounces light beer of choice
5 splashes hot sauce of choice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Ice cubes!

Mixing Directions

To a beer glass, add jalapeno peppers, soy sauce, hot sauce and 3 ice cubes.
Add vodka, tequila and beer.

Stir with a large spoon and serve!

Comments: You can use a martini shaker to strain out the seeds and serve it in a martini glass. Or, lose the soy sauce to lighten the color.

Alright folks, I'm wrapping it up for the day. DN is on the way to church with his mom, so I am baby free for the next 3 days. I got lots of cleaning to do and "recon" if you will. Plus I am gonna get a major amount of sewing done I hope... got some more mending to do and some projects from rescued clothing to do! Keeping my word and killing some clutter! I wish you fun and happiness today and remember to smile... its good exercise LMAO! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

STUPENDOUS SATURDAY

2010-08-14T08:22:00.003-05:00

Good Saturday morning everyone! How are you doing this super start to the weekend? I'm doing good really. I want to publically thank my mother for A. cutting all my hair off yesterday, and B. helping me in the room to declutter! So did you eat the salmon or the shrimp last night? LOL! Yes folks, she got her seafood and such I had in my freezer for her LOL! And to Tabitha, the "Renee-ism" LOL... I like that term!

Ok kids, for our frugal moment of the day, I am talking celebrities. Now before you get all bunched up, I know that 99% of celebrities are FAR from frugal, but I was logging into Yahoo and I saw this article about a girl many of us (including me) grew up with... at least watching her grow up at the same time I did LOL! Drew Barrymore is known around the world... ya know the Covergirl/actress/director/etc. who was the cute little girl playing with Aliens in E.T. or setting things a blaze in Firestarter? Yep she embodied frugal (literally LOL) and made news and I want to share it with you cause I think it's super cool!

Drew Barrymore's $25 Red Carpet Hit

by Ariel Kaiser, The Thread Stylist, on Thu Aug 12, 2010 4:47pm PDT

Talk about mixing high and low fashion! What did the adorable Drew Barrymore choose to wear to host the Nylon magazine/Express party this week in Los Angeles?

This gorgeous $25 metallic-printed 3/4-sleeve shift dress from a thrift store paired with $760 Yves Saint Laurent "Tribute" pumps, of course! I love the 1960's vibe she's got going on; the psychedelic print, the cut, and the pumped-up voluminous feel of her hair is a total win.

It's so refreshing to see someone mix it up and have fun with fashion. Just last month she made an appearance in an Oscar de la Renta runway dress--a far cry, financially, from an Austin, TX thrift-store find.

Don't you love it when vintage Drew -- the irreverent, quirky, girl power praising, throw-a-daisy-in-her-hair Drew that we all idolized in the 90's--steps out on the red carpet?

Alright, today's craft idea is an item that you can keep for personal use or fill and give as a gift for the frequent traveler on your gift giving list. Personalizing this for a man or woman simply depends on the fabric you choose to use. It could also be used for holding craft stuff, young ladies personal items in school lockers, you name it! Make sure you visit the site because the crafter has the greatest step-by-step photos and instructions! I think you will have fun with this one! Enjoy!

Craft Idea of the Day: Zippered Dopp Kit

Materials:

3/4-yards of Far Far Away 2 Yellow Roses (or any other upholstery weight fabric)
A 12-inch separating zipper in Fuchsia or any other bright color.
2-yards of Polka Dot Bias Tape

Now... Time to eat my faithful compadres! Today is day 6 of HOPPIN JALAPENO week and I grow sad as its almost over... but I've had fun, have you? Today we are spotlighting the wonderful pepper in chicken meals! Chicken is extremely healthy for you -- high in protein, low in fat and calories -- yet it can often be quite boring. But not when you bring in the jalapenos! You'll never want to prepare chicken without jalapeno peppers again.

Jalapenos and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

16 ounces ground chicken
3 ounces cream cheese
3 jalapeno peppers, 1 sliced into rings, 2 diced
2 teaspoon Cajun seasonings
1 ½ cups bread crumbs
1 egg
jalapeno pepper jelly for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, egg, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasonings and 1 cup bread crumbs

Mix well

Form 4 4-ounce patties with the chicken mixture

In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasonings and 2 diced jalapeno peppers

Mix well

Add ½ of your jalapeno cream cheese mixture onto one chicken patty

Top the cream cheese with another chicken patty and mold the patties together to surround the cream cheese

Repeat with other 2 patties and remaining cream cheese

Set stuffed chicken onto a lightly oiled baking dish

Top with remaining bread crumbs

Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

Remove from oven

Top with jalapeno jelly and jalapeno slices

Serve

Jalapeno Guacamole Chicken

Ingredients

2 jalapeno peppers
2 chicken breasts
4 slices cheddar cheese
1 avocado
1 tomato
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cilantro
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Here are all the ingredients, pre meal. Slice the chicken breasts into thin halves and season with the taco seasoning, as shown.

First, prepare the guacamole by peeling and chopping the avocado. Mash it with a fork.

Chop 1 jalapeno pepper and the tomato and add to the avocado mash. Add cilantro, garlic, and lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Heat a frying to pan to high heat. Add seasoned chicken breasts and sear each side, about 1-2 minutes each. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, about 5-6 minutes each.

Slice remaining jalapeno pepper into rings and cover chicken breasts, as shown.
Top jalapeno peppers with cheddar cheese and cover. Heat until cheese is melted.
Serve!

Alright everyone... I gotta get off here and see what we want to do today... could be sewing, could be shopping, could be cooking, you never know! All I know is that I am gonna find out something to do to have some family fun today. I hope that you get out and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones too! I'll see you again tomorrow for another excited blog from the Frugal Mom! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

CRAZY CUPCAKE CREATIONS

2010-08-13T07:27:00.007-05:00

Good morning to you all! How are you doing this fantastic Friday? I'm good really... a bit sore but good. So how has your week been for you? Mine... very busy as you have seen! DN went home last night and I got a couple of things done... not much really LOL as I was kinda in "baby recoup" mode LMAO! Oh Mom, yes I have actually tried the Jalapeno Margarita and it is quite tasty... for a margarita anyway LOL. However, the beer was a recommendation from someone, as I don't drink beer. I have issues with beer LOL! The closest it comes to these lips is in a beer batter... fried up all golden yummy LOL!

Folks, I have done it again LOL! I found a frugal news article (in a way anyway) LOL that I was like "Wow" and HAD to share it with you. Now I know that alot of my readers aren't into sports, and of those that are... alot of people despise Floyd Landis. MY purpose on bringing you the article is because it involves garage saling and a reminder to keep your eyes and ears open! If I could turn a $5 find into a $6000 investment... shoot yea! So check out this article!

Bike bought for $5 at yard sale belonged to Floyd Landis
By Chris Chase

The bicycle at a Kentucky yard sale had two flat tires, broken pedals and carried a $5 price tag. That didn't stop Greg Estes from buying the bike in hopes of flipping it for a small profit. He should get his wish, to the tune of a few thousand dollars.

It turns out the broken-down bicycle was originally owned by Floyd Landis, who rode it in a race in 2007. The bike was built especially for Landis, complete with custom pedals that look foreign to those unfamiliar with professional cycling (hence the original seller's belief that the pedals were broken). It retailed for $8,000.

Landis rode the bike in a mountain-bike race one year after winning the Tour de France. That title, of course, was later stripped after the American cyclist tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Landis is currently banned from the sport, but has stayed in the spotlight with his accusations against Lance Armstrong and other athletes.

Estes told the Owenton News-Herald that the bike was found abandoned on an interstate and nobody ever reported it lost or stolen. He says he'll return the bike if someone claims it. For now though, authorities say it belongs to him.

I can understand someone thinking the bike wasn't worth a few thousand dollars. After all, how many abandoned bikes are custom-built jobs for Tour de France winners? But five dollars? That seems a little low. If I were having a yard sale I'd have probably put a $5 tag on the bike's water bottle. Even if the bike were an actual piece of junk, wouldn't, say, $25 be a more appropriate asking price?

Anyway, just like he said, the Owenton, Ky., resident showcased his new bike at his own yard sale. Estes' asking price? Six-thousand dollars.

I have to show you something... something super scrump-diddly-umptious that I made last night! Its the beginning of my many cupcake creations for a business plan I am working on. Well I made these and OMG... if you absolutely LOVE peanut butter, these are for you! I clipped that rose from my garden/bed to enhance the picture LOL. Anyway, this is a peanut butter cupcake with a Celeste Fig Jam filling in the center. Then there is a whipped peanut butter frost on top. I finished it off with a super spiffy chocolate drizzle! OMG yum! I have to get to the store today because I need a tiny bottle of tequilla for my next creations! Can't tell ya... you gotta wait! LOL but doesn't this one look devilishly decadent?? They were! LOL!

Ok today's craft is inspired by the numerous amount of trips I am always making to the store and all the couponing, etc. that I do. I found this great craft for an organizer on another site to make who was inspired by the same problem! So thanks to Becca at Blue Cricket Designs! Make sure to go check out the tutorial, as she has some wonderful step-by-step photos as well as the following instructionals!

Craft Idea of the Day: Shopping Cart Organizer

Materials:

Two complimentary pieces of Fabric. I used FAT QUARTERS.
Stiff interfacing
Coordinating Double Folded Bias Tape
Pins or stapler
Ruler

Directions:

STEP ONE: Measure and cut your fabric and Interfacing 18" x 18". I found that by stacking them and then cutting them made the process faster and easier. Lay it out just how it will be sewn....a fabric with RIGHT side facing down, then interfacing, then fabric with RIGHT side facing up.

STEP TWO: Now we will be cutting out a section of your 18" square to create the Caddy straps. Using a ruler and pen mark off the following measurements and cut through all three layers creating straps that measure 7" long x 3" wide.

STEP THREE: Use straight pins to secure the three layers together. I prefer using a stapler . It lays flatter and the staples are easy to remove.

STEP FOUR: Adding the bias Tape. You will first need to sew an 18" strip of Bias tape to the bottom section of the caddy.

STEP FIVE: Fold the bottom section in half leaving about a 1 1/2" gap. This is creating your pocket. be sure to be aware of the fabrics. You will determine what fabric shows most so chose wisely which way you fold. Secure with pins or staples.

STEP SIX: Now it's time to add the Bias Tape around the edges. Start at a top of a strap in it's middle. Pin it on if that will help you keep it straight. Sew it on using a straight stitch. Corners Can be pinned or stapled to help them line up right. The inside corners are tricky. Sew around it completely being sure to fold your tape at the very end so you don't have a raw edge.

STEP SEVEN: Sew a straight stitch line in your pocket making a second section in your pocket. You can determine how big you want each section. Also you may want to add another stitched line to make a pen pocket.

STEP EIGHT: Lastly we will be adding Velcro
Cut two 1 3/4" strips of Velcro. Separate the pieces and sew them onto the straps. Sew one on the top of the strap and the other at the bottom of the strap where it meets the pocket section.

And that will do it!!!!

Your very own Cart Caddy ready to make your life that much easier!!!!!

As easy as this looks it takes about an hour to sew. The bias tape can be tricky. I must have bough a pack that was ironed weird becasue mine was hard to get it to keep straight. Just take your time!

And now it's time for some more HOPPIN JALAPENO recipes! Being I am from the Gulf Coast, you should have known some seafood was gonna sneak in SOMEWHERE right? Well, if you love fish and seafood, you'll love the addition of jalapeno peppers to your meals. Whether you're cooking up a flaky whitefish, a meaty swordfish filet, grilling up lobster or whipping up any seafood recipe combination, make sure you've got plenty of jalapeno peppers on hand. Today I am bringing you a wide variety of seafood splendor! Lobster, oysters, crab, shrimp, and scallops to tantalize your taste buds. Eat & Enjoy!

Lobster Tails in Jalapeno Marinade

This marinade does not overpower the distinctive flavor of the lobster tails, but brings a spicy tang that makes this meal different from any lobster tail you'll get in a restaurant. Gone are the days of lobster served solely with a stick of butter. We like to bring on the jalapeno spice.

Ingredients

2 five-ounce lobster tails, thawed
1 large jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh dill

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the shells from the lobster tails. Set tails aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine jalapeno, olive oil, garlic, dill, and Creole seasonings.

Process until smooth.

Coat lobster tails with jalapeno mixture and set on a baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until lobster tails are opaque and cooked through.

Serve!

Jalapenos Rockefeller

This recipe is quite fun for the adventurous seafood lover. You can probably use more jalapeno peppers and spread the mixture out a bit, or include more oysters for a meatier dish. Also, try a variation with crabmeat instead of oysters. The flavor is different, but certainly delicious and spicy!

Ingredients

12 jalapeno peppers, sliced lengthwise
12 oysters, off the shell, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs and seasonings.

Stir in eggs and chopped oysters. Mix well.

Stuff the jalapeno slices with your Rockefeller mixture.

Heat oven to 350 degrees, and bake on a sheet approximately 1 hour.

Serve warm.

Jalapeno Shrimp Bake

Ingredients

1 pound prawns, peeled and deveined
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped into rings
12 stalks asparagus
1 large orange, zested and sliced
1 teaspoon Cajun seasonings
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, add prawns, olive oil, Cajun seasonings, cinnamon, ground black pepper and half the orange zest. Toss to coat the shrimp.

To a medium sized baking dish, add in this order; asparagus, jalapeno slices, coated prawns, then top with about half of the orange slices.

Bake about 20 minutes, or until the prawns are cooked through – pink and opaque.

Transfer meal to 2 dishes. Top with remaining orange zest and orange slices.
Serve!

Jalapeno Crab Cakes

Ingredients

2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 small onion, chopped
16 ounces cooked crab meat
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1 egg
½ teaspoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Creole seasonings
½ cup breadcrumbs
6 teaspoons parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Heat a sauté pan to medium and add 1 tablespoon butter with onion and jalapeno pepper

Sauté until vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes.

Add cream, mustard, 1 egg, parsley, chili powder, Creole seasoning and the breadcrumbs and mix well.

Fold in the crab meat.

Transfer crab mixture to a mixing bowl and allow to cool.

Form into 6 patties.

Press 1 teaspoon parmesan cheese onto the top of each patty.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Serve with your favorite seafood sauce.

Mini Jalapeno Scallop Kabobs

Ingredients

12 large scallops
2 large jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon chili powder
Fresh garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Light spray oil

Directions

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Slice each scallop in half lengthwise. Season scallops with chili powder and garlic, then salt and pepper to taste.

Slice each jalapeno pepper into long spears, 6 slices per pepper.

Using toothpicks as skewers, pierce one jalapeno spear between two scallop slices.
Repeat until you have 12 mini kabobs. Spray lightly with spray oil.

Grill about 6-8 minutes or until scallops are cooked throughout.

NOTE: Do not overcook as scallops can become tough. It is usually a good idea to cook over tinfoil so the scallops to not fall through the grate.

Well that's it folks. Its time for me to sign off and get some sewing or something done before the DN gets here LOL. Of course, I got some serious stiffness going on this morning, so I think a nice hot shower is in order first. Loosen up this old decrepid body LMAO! Who knows, maybe I will dye my hair this weekend too! Ok, you have a terrific end of the work week day and be safe out there in the concrete jungle! HUGS!

CHAOS AND CRAZINESS

2010-08-12T11:37:00.006-05:00

Hello everyone. How are you doing this crazy Thursday morning? Please excuse my tardiness as its been a crazy day in our house! Had to go on a rescue mission this morning and then of course kids and cats and all kinds of chaos. 'Tis my world, this land of commotion LOL!

Today I found some super spiffy frugal information for you about saving water. Why do I bring this to you? For the simple fact that I was staring at an outragous water bill in yesterday's mail and said OMG there has GOT to be a better way to save! So without further ado...

Frugal Tips to Water Conservation

There are lots of simple things you can do to cut your household water use. It all starts with awareness. If you know some of the ways people tend to waste water, you’ll be better positioned to conserve.

The bathroom

Here are some common ways in which people waste water – hot or cold – in the bathroom.

Leaving the tap running the whole time you brush your teeth. Try putting the plug in the bathroom sink while you do this, and notice how quickly the sink fills up. Shutting off the water until you’re ready to rinse can easily cut 2-3 gallons a day of water use per person.

Using hot water to brush your teeth. Some people don’t like having really cold tap water in their mouth during the final rinse. In cold climates or in water supply systems fed from the bottoms of lakes (such as parts of the Great Lakes Region in the US and Canada), the water supply can be pretty chilly for the cooler months, and sometimes even in the summer. Instead of running the hot water so you don’t have to rinse your mouth out in freezing cold water, always fill your bathroom water cup when you’re done brushing, so the water has time to warm up for the next time you brush.

Using a flush toilet as a waste disposal device. I’ve seen people who blow their nose with a tissue, then throw it in the toilet and flush it down. This is not a very good use of 2-5 gallons of water! Using a toilet as a waste disposal may be convenient but it’s extremely wasteful.

Using a regular toilet instead of a low-flush or dual-flush toilet. Decades ago, toilets typically had 5 gallon tanks. More than a decade ago standards in North America changed and 3 gallon (13 liter) tanks were the new standard. Recently manufacturers have come out with 1.5 gallon (6 liter) tanks, sometimes in response to tightened building code standards. And there are dual-flush toilets that can flush liquids and toilet tissue with as little as 1 liter or quart of water, while solids still take 4-6 liters (1 to 1.5 gallons). If you have an old toilet, you can replace it with a low-flush model, or simply install a conversion kit; see the resources section for details. Another free way to save water on your toilet is to avoid flushing it when it’s not strictly necessary. For example, in my house when the alarm clock goes on, everyone gets up and has their morning visit to the bathroom; only the last person flushes.

Leaving the shower running when you’re not in it. Sometimes you want the shower to warm up before you hop in. So you might turn on the shower, close the curtain or shower door, and work on some other grooming (brush your hair or teeth, shave…) while you wait for the shower water to heat up. Unfortunately people often lose track of the time, and a minute or more of hot water may wind up just pouring down the drain. One easy solution to this is a water-saving shower valve, which cuts the flow of water to a trickle as soon as the water reaches 95F or 35F. You hop into the shower and pull a cord or flip a lever, and the hot water comes out full force. This keeps the water hot for you without wasting much water while you’re doing other things in the bathroom.

Taking a really long shower. This is a favorite teenager move: drain the hot water tank right before Mom has her shower. There’s really no good reason to spend 10 or 15 or 20 minutes in the shower. A shower is said to use less water than a bath, but that’s not the case when you’re in there 20 minutes. I’ve heard some people say they keep their house cool to save on heating, and so they have to take a long hot shower to get warm. Don’t forget it takes a lot more energy to heat a liter of water than a liter of air – and when that hot water goes down the drain, the heat is basically lost!

If you’re serious about saving water in the bathroom, try putting the plug in your bathroom sink when you brush your teeth, just to see how much water one person’s tooth brushing takes. Or put a plug in the shower or bathtub when you shower, to see how much water a shower uses. Or try filling the toilet tank with a measuring cup, one cup at a time, and then track how many times the toilet gets flushed in a day. You might be surprised to see how much water you use.

The kitchen

You might think the biggest water waster in the kitchen is the dishwasher. In fact, modern dishwashers are far better at conserving water and energy than all but the most diligent, energy-conscious human dish washer. And the worst of us are extremely wasteful. Common practices that waste a lot of water are:

Not putting the plug in the sink when you do dishes – just running the water continuously. This typically requires you to add more dish soap to your scrub brush or sponge after every few dishes, because you keep washing the soap down the sink. Try putting the plug in the sink the next time you try to do dishes this way. You’ll discover the sink fills up pretty quickly – it might even overflow! You can almost always do an entire set of dishes with just a half sink of water, and remember, your dishwasher can do even better.

Prerinsing dishes that go in the dishwasher. Remember, modern dishwashers are designed to wash dirty, unrinsed dishes. There should be no need to prerinse. If you find that your dishes don’t come clean unless you prerinse, you either have a dishwasher that is 10+ years old, or there’s something malfunctioning. The pump may be weak, the filter may be blocked with leftovers (we found about 30 olive pits in ours a couple of years ago), or one of the connections to the rotating arms may be blocked or leaking. If you do have to prerinse, an easy way to do so without wasting water is to leave water in the sink after you wash the pots and pans or after rinsing produce, and just scrub the dishes in that water.

Using a sink waste disposal unit. It’s much better to compost your kitchen food scraps than to grind them up and send them down the drain. For one thing, it takes water to wash all that food down the sink. For another, you’re wasting a precious commodity that can be turned into great garden soil. Waste disposal units have been banned in some municipalities because they overload the sewage system and increase water usage.

Not using a faucet aerator. Most modern kitchen faucets come with an aerator installed in the end of the faucet, that draws air in and fills the water with tiny bubbles. These aerators save water by allowing a smaller amount of water to do the job of rinsing dishes or washing hands or fruits and vegetables. Aerators can get clogged up – especially if you have hard water – so if you find you’re not getting a good volume of air in your water, try unscrewing the end of the tap, removing the wire mesh aerator, and cleaning it out. Once you reassemble the faucet you’ll use far less water to wash and rinse.

The laundry

The top loading washing machine is one of the most water-wasting devices in your home. There have been front-loading washers for decades that use as little as a third the water of a typical top loader. But for some reason North Americans are still using top-loaders, and even still buying them. There are a number of very good reasons for switching to a front-loading washer:

* They use half to a third the water of a front loader
* They use half to a third the detergent of a front loader (and you don’t actually need to buy the “HE” detergent – just buy regular detergent and use a lot less)
* They adjust the volume of water based on how much laundry they detect in the drum. For a small load they use much less than for a large load.
* They are more gentle on your clothes, so your clothes last longer
* Their spin cycle is much faster than a top loader spin cycle. Your clothes come out with less water, so you use less energy in the dryer (if you use one), or the clothes take less time to dry on the line or drying rack.

The other ways in which people waste water on laundry are:

Washing clothes that aren’t actually dirty. You don’t have to throw things in the laundry just because you wore them for one day – especially pants and shirts, which will wear out sooner if you wash them too often.

Washing instead of putting away – using the laundry hamper as a way to avoid putting your clothes away. Kids are especially prone to this. My son would sooner throw his clothes in the laundry than fold them and put them in his dresser, because it’s less work for him. Make your kids do the laundry folding and they’ll be less prone to pull this trick.

Separating whites, lights, and colors. Most clothes are color-fast. Of course it pays to check individual garments when new, but chances are almost all your clothes can be washed together in cold water. If you currently do three loads of different colors, try splitting the brights between the darks and whites and cut back to two.

The first step to saving water

Once you understand the ways in which water is commonly wasted in North American homes, it becomes easier to identify where you yourself might be using more water than necessary, and to cut waste. Remember that keeping a weekly measure of your water usage, by writing down the reading on your water meter, will help you stay on task. When you know how much you’re using, you’ll be more conscious of waste, and more motivated to save. In some areas you’ll realize big financial savings by cutting back; in others, where water is still quite cheap, the savings may seem irrelevant from a financial point of view, but you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you are helping conserve a precious natural resource.

Robin Green runs Green Energy Efficient Homes, a website dedicated to efficient use of natural resources, especially relating to household energy use. For some specific water saving tips see his articles on shower head valves, dual flush toilet kits, and energy saving washers.

Today in talking about the Christmas Challenge, I want to aim the craft ideas for today at us mom's with little kids and crafts you can do with them. For some odd reason, nobody I have ever met has ever had anything negative to say about a handmade gift from a child. What I don't get is why some adults change when it comes to gifts like this from other adults. But anyway, doing crafts with your kids is a great way to stimulate creativity, keep them occupied so they don't get "bored", and create wonderful memories. My mom did it with us, and I did/do it with my kids, and hopefully one day (a LONGGGG time from now LOL) my kids will do the same with their kids! So today's crafts are some cute and somewhat simple crafts for you and your kids.

Craft Stick Trinket Box

Materials
Glue
Some craft sticks
Trinkets or seasonal decorations to personalize the box with

This is how you make the craft stick trinket box

First take 2 craft sticks and set them about 3 inches apart. Then glue 10 sticks across them.

Now flip over the base and begin gluing on craft sticks for the walls, alternating between the sides. Continue this till the walls are as high as you like.

To make the removable lid, set 2 sticks alongside the last 2 wall sticks and add a line of glue along each one.

Now lay 10 craft sticks across them.

To personalize it, glue a small toy, a seasonal decoration or a trinket to the top.

Emoticon Magnets

Materials

A computer and a printer
Different colored markers
A pair of scissors
Clear and flat decorative gems
Some glue
A few small, round self-adhesive magnets

This is how you make the emoticon magnets

Create a variety of emoticons slightly smaller than the gems using a computer.
After taking a printout of the emoticons, use colored markers to decorate and color the faces.

Now cut out the faces, trimming them neatly into circles or ovals slightly smaller than the gems.

Glue each cutout to the back of the pebble glass and then fix a magnet to it.

Wrap up the gifts only after the glue dries completely.

Printed Memo Blocks

Materials

Some colored duct tape
A pair of scissors
A memo pad, memo filler sheets or scrap paper that has been cut into small squares
Foamies craft foam or ink stamps
Double-sided tape and plastic bottle caps
An inkpad

This is how you make the printed memo blocks

First cut a strip of duct tape measuring 2 inches longer that the height of the stack of papers you plan to use.

Then lay the tape sticky side up on the table.

Now grasp the stack and tap the sides against a flat surface. Then hold on its end and press one edge down onto the center of the tape.

Neatly wrap the tape ends over the top and the bottom of the stack, all the while pressing firmly down to bind the paper. If required, use more tape.

Once that is done, lift the top sheet of paper and cut the tape just above the second sheet so that the binding is level with the top of the pad.

Use an ink stamp or a fun shape cut out of foamies craft foam to print a design on the three untapped sides of the block. Use double tape to stick the craft foam to a bottle cap.

CD Coasters

Materials

A few CD’s (preferably plain gold or silver in color)
Some white cotton lace
Some glue

This is how you make CD coasters

Take the CD and spread some glue all along its periphery.

Next take one end of the lace and start sticking it onto the edge, making pleats all the while.

When you have finished doing that, cut the lace and your CD coaster is ready! (you can use any other material you like to personalize the coaster too)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Handprint

Materials

A pencil
Brown craft foam or card stock
A black marker
Red glitter glue
Some gold sequins
Glue
Googly eyes
A red pompom
A brown pipe cleaner
A few paper clips or clothespins

This is how you make a Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer handprint

First use a pencil to trace your child’s hand onto a piece of brown craft foam or card stock.

Then cut out the shape and add black marker hooves to the fingertips.

Now add red glitter glue collar using the gold sequins for bells. That done, glue on the googly eye and a red pompom for the nose. For the tail, use one cut out from brown craft foam or card stock.

Cut a brown pipe cleaner in half for the reindeer antlers. Curl the ends and bend each pipe cleaner in two. Glue the pipe cleaners together, holding them in place with a clothespin or a paper clip until the glue dries.

Using glue put the antlers in place on the reindeer.

Today for thirsty Thursday, we are doing drinks. DRINKS? Yes I said drinks! LOL There are quite a few interesting jalapeno drinks out there and I am gonna bring you a few today to wet your whistle. The last one is kinda complicated for those of you who may engage in the habit of home brewing. Jalapenos are known for providing that ‘kick’ in food. The ‘kick’ comes from the seeds and the rib of the skin so many people remove both these parts if they want just the flavour and not the heat!! The heat or spice comes from a group of 5 chemicals that are called Capsaicinoids. Each chemical in the family has a slightly different affect. The hottest one out of the five is the capsaicin which produces the fire sensation or burning in the mouth.

Capsaicin has no taste or smell and is produced by the glands in the placenta of the jalapeno which is located at the top of the pepper just below the stem. It is interesting that the placenta creates sixteen times more heat than the rest of the pepper. Despite the heat, jalapenos are extremely popular, probably due to their versatility. They can be added to almost anything and everything from soups to drinks to pasta to meats. They are most often eaten with nachos, potato chips, hot sauce, lemonade, vodka and many people actually make cookies, bagels and jams out of them.

It is interesting that the word for Chili in the Mexican Indian language is Nahuatl which actually means chilli In terms of variety, it is Mexico that produces the largest variety of chilli peppers in the region of about 140. Many people make the mistake of drinking water when they find the pepper too hot. This actually exacerbates the problem further as the capsaicin is not soluble in water, hence it encourages the water to spread around the mouth and therefore, spread the heat. The best solution for eradicating the burning sensation in the mouth, is to take a little sugar or milk.

Nutritional Values of a Jalapeno Pepper

Serving size 1 pepper (45g)
Calories 20
Total Fat 0g
Sodium 10mg
Total Carbohydrate 3g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Protein 1g

The Jalapeno pepper is also low in fat (actually there is none in it!!) as well as in Carbs and Protein. Therefore it is suitable for people on all the different diets that exist in the market, be it Low Fat or Low Carb!!

Interesting Facts

The following is a hotness ranking of peppers from mild to hottest.

El Paso (Very mild)
Anaheim
Jalapeno
Hidalgo
Serrano
Cayenne
Tabasco
Red Chile
Chiltecpin
Tabiche
Bahamian
Kumataka
Habanero (30 to 50 times hotter than a jalapeno)

Watermelon Jalapeno Caipirinha

Here’s a spicy drink you’re sure to love. Caipirinha is the national drink of Brazil. Get a taste of South America with this wonderful jalapeno drink.

Ingredients

2 small jalapeno peppers, sliced into spears
2 ounces Leblon Cachaca
1 ounce lime juice
Dash of simple syrup
1 cup chopped watermelon
1 stem of cilantro
Cooking Directions
Mix 1 jalapeno pepper, cilantro, watermelon and simple syrup.
Shake hard with Leblon and remaining ingredients.
Strain over ice into a highball glass.
Garnish with a stem of cilantro, jalapeno spears, and two watermelon balls.

Jalapeno Passion Margarita

Ingredients
1 ounce jalapeño syrup (see below)
2 ounces tequila
1 ounce passion fruit juice
1 ounce fresh lime juice
Sugar and salt the rim of a cocktail glass.

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Shake and strain into your favorite glass.
Garnish with lime.

Jalapeno Syrup

You'll need 1 jalapeno pepper, diced, 1/4 cup suger, and 1/4 cup water.
In a small pan, combine the jalapenos, sugar, and water. Boil, then reduce heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Strain the syrup.
Only 186 calories

Here's a nice, spicy drink! Enjoy a cocktail with some jalapeno kick. You can't go wrong with jalapeno peppers. Ever.

Jalapeno Beer: Jalapeno Wheat 50
Shout out to Ted on Facebook for this recipe! Thanks, Ted!

Ingredients/Brewing Instructions
9 pounds Monton DME Wheat Extract (3 – 3lb. bags)
4.5 oz. Malto-Dextrin
2 oz. Hallertau Mittlefrueh hop pellets 2.8% AA/oz. (any low alpha hops will do or use less hops for higher alpha hops)
Bring 6 gallons of filtered water to a boil, add all of above. Boil for 45 minutes, then add:
1 tsp. Irish Moss
Continue boiling for 10 minutes, then add:
50 split jalapenos (or any amount, at least 20)
Continue boiling for final 5 minutes, then turn off heat and let sit for additional 5 minutes.
Chill to about 70F.
Stir vigorously and then pour into plastic fermentor bucket, get the peppers in the fermentor too.
Pour into bucket to provide additional aeration.
Pitch a tube of Wyeast 1056 American ale yeast. Set up blow off tube.
O.G. 1.070
F.G. 1.016
Yield 1 quart and approx 42 bottles various sizes

Ok kids, I am gonna get off here and find something to do. I have tons of things I NEED to do and even more that I WANT to do but I just don't have any idea on what to do LOL! Maybe I will get inspired on one specific path if I just stand there for a bit. Either way, DN goes home tonight so I think we should maybe play with him today too. Oh so many choices LOL. Either way, I wish you well and safety wherever life takes you today and I will see you back here tomorrow. HUGS!

PLAYPENS & PICKLING

2010-08-10T08:38:00.004-05:00

Well a big HI there and hello this Tuesday morning! How are you doing today? I'm good... a bit tired but once I shake the cobwebs out, it will be ok LOL. I have lots of things planned today so I have to get motivated somewhat quick like LOL! I got a couple of freecycles to pick up this morning and some errands to run and of course there is my sewing, etc. Now to my mother and her comment yesterday... I don't know how I come up with the themes... its just whatever hits me at the moment I guess. Like this weeks theme... you know how I love peppers and when I went to the store last, I found these ginormous beautiful jalapenos and thought of all the different things I do with them and how it might be fun for everyone else. So basically they just normally start with something I like, or see, or think about. And I won't lie, there have been a couple that came to me that I immediately 86'ed cause once I sat and thought about it, it didn't excite me. So there ya'll go... the method behind my madness LMAO!

I want to tell everyone this... which you already know but I will say anyways LOL... I LOVE SECOND-HAND STORES! OMG... so you know how I am watching my DN now right and have been looking for baby stuff to make it easier to care for him. Well yesterday, we went out and was looking for bigger things like playpens, strollers, etc. cause we plan to have him overnight quite a bit very soon. Well we went to this one store specifically for kids called Small Changes Kids in League City and they had some really great stuff. BUT you know what makes them an even BETTER store?? I was able to rpint off a $5 coupon off their website!!!!!! TOO COOL! Resale AND Coupons?? OMG I am so going back for more things whenever I need them LOL! If you are in my area and have little ones, be SURE to visit the site and then go to the store and check them out! You won't be disappointed... I wasn't! We found a like new Graco Pack 'N Play for less than half the normal selling price!

Alright, time to stretch your brain a bit! I was reading an article on Yahoo finance about how the rich rule the economy basically (DUH) and then I was following some links and stumbled across a page showing yahoo's top 5 questions and answers. One of them particularly caught my eye... and I want to show you... shoot ASK you the same thing! It really makes you think about life and what is important to you.

OP was ID of "sandhaw" asked: What could I buy today that would greatly enhance my life if the dollar became worthless?

Best Answer by "kricket" said: Not exactly sure what you mean by "greatly enhance my life", but Ill try to help. Seeds for edible plants. MRE's or other preserved food. Possibly a book or two on edible plants that grow in the area where you live. Bow and arrows. Water purification kit. In my opinion, if you can eat and have water to drink, you should consider your life as being "greatly enhanced". Hope this helps

I think its an extraordinary question actually... can you answer it? First off, how would you want to "enhance your life"? Are you the kind of person who wants the "name brands"... BMW's and big houses, etc. or do you want middle class luxuries or what? I think to answer this question, one must do alot of soul searching and maybe find out what is really important to them if they don't already know. Did the author maybe mean to "sustain" his life? In that event, you have to think about the bare necessities to survive. Changes outlooks and answers completely! Either way, I wanted to bring this little thought provoking gem to the table this morning. Come on folks, exercising the brain is good for you! So gnaw on this one for a while!

OMG while exercising my brain LOL and thinking about some crafts to do, I just realized how close homecoming is and that I need to get started on mums for the girls! Wow, I have about a month and I still haven't even looked to see what I need, etc... man I am seriously far behind LOL! Guess maybe I should add that to my list of challenges? LOL! Homecoming for us is September 24th I believe... and each year at MINIMUM I have to make 2-3 full-size mums... I am talking ribbons, mums, trinkets, trappings, bells and whistles, etc.! Crazy I know, but the BFF's are so happy to have matching mums... and as the "cool mom" I can't let them down LOL!

Ok now for your crafty visions today, I found this idea at Allfrecrafts.com and thought OMG that is too cute! Then I can see them for locker magnets for school which starts soon YAY! LOL... and I am always recycling old jeans and such, so why not? So I bring it to you today!

Craft Idea of the Day: Denim Pocket Magnets

Supplies:

denim jean pockets cut from old jeans

fabric paint

lace trim

ribbon flowers (optional)

fridge magnet

hot glue or craft glue

Instructions:

1. Carefully cut the pockets from the jeans.

2. Beginning and ending at the back, glue lace trim around the top of the pocket.

3. If desired, glue a small ribbon rose to each top corner.

4. Write "Coupons" or "Notes" or whatever you wish on the front in fabric paint, following the manufacturer's directions.

5. Glue a magnet to the back of each denim pocket and stick the fridge. Enjoy!

Ok so for today's choice for HOPPIN JALAPENO WEEK, I am going to preserve these royal lovelies! I must savor them all year long and there is no better ways to have a taste of summer abundance than canning and pickling and jellies! Jalapeno pepper plants put forth a high yield over a long growing season and can in all but the worst years easily produce more peppers than a single person or family can use as they come. Many hot peppers-cayenne, ancho, and pasilla, to name a few-can simply be dried, but the thick flesh of the jalapeno limits its usefulness as a dried pepper.

Pickling is a common alternative, and known as "jalapenos en escabeche" it is traditional. Pickled jalapenos are a common condiment-the jalapeno pepper rings often served with ballpark nachos are pickled-and can be used in place of fresh jalapenos to add heat and pepper flavor to a dish as long as the recipe is adjusted to account for the vinegar.

The simplest way to prepare pickled jalapenos is in the refrigerator, but for long keeping, pickled jalapenos can also be canned in a hot water bath. One refrigerator pickle recipe and two canned pickle recipes (based on current USDA guidelines) follow:

REFRIGERATOR JALAPENO PICKLES

Ingredients:

Jalapeno peppers
garlic (optional)
onion (optional)
vinegar
sea salt or canning salt

Method:

1. Peppers can be either left whole, cut into rings with the slicing disk of a food processor, or have their tops removed. If leaving whole, cut slits into the pepper lengthwise to allow vinegar to enter.

2. Pack the peppers into a Mason jar or swingtop jar, layering with garlic cloves and chopped onion if desired.

3. Mix one teaspoon of salt with each cup of vinegar being used. The total amount will depend on the size of the jar and how tight the peppers are packed. Heat salt-vinegar solution to a simmer and pour over peppers. Close the jar and store in the refrigerator.

CANNED WHOLE PICKLED JALAPENOS

The USDA recipe, but with jalapenos only, and with an extra teaspoon of salt in place of the sugar. Scale it downward in size by keeping the brine proportions the same. This can also be turned into a mixed-pickle recipe by adding garlic, onion, carrot, and bell pepper; a hot carrots mix is especially good if seasoned with a bit of cilantro.

Ingredients:

7 lbs jalapeno peppers
5 cups vinegar (5% acidity)
1 cup water
5 tsp canning, sea, or kosher salt

Procedure:

(1) Either cut the jalapenos in half, remove their tops, or slit them deeply, three or four times per pepper, so vinegar can penetrate to the inside of the fruit.
(2) Pack the peppers into pint jars. Add garlic or other seasonings if you like.
(3) Mix the vinegar, water, and salt and heat to a boil.
(4) Pour the brine over the peppers

Jalapeno Jelly

Ingredients

1 large green bell pepper
12 jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 pinch salt
4 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces liquid pectin
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
A few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Directions

Combine the green bell pepper and 12 jalapeno peppers in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. This can be done in batches, if the peppers do not fit.

Transfer the peppers to a large saucepan, and stir in the cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least 2 layers of cheesecloth, and discard pulp. You should have about 1 cup of liquid.

Return the liquid to the saucepan, and stir in the salt and sugar until dissolved.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down), boil for one minute, then stir in the liquid pectin.

Stir in the food coloring and remaining jalapeno peppers, and ladle into sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars in a hot water bath. Refrigerate jelly after seal is broken.

(**NOTE the more seeds you leave in, the hotter your jelly will be!**)

Well everyone, that's it... a little bit of spice in your life courtesy of the jalapeno! I hope you have enjoyed today's visit and will come back tomorrow for more crazy fun and adventures. As for me today? Time to take it easy... I have GOT to get my back working right again so its resting and easy crafts and such. I might even put the back brace on today LOL! I'm off "Aunt Duty" so I am gonna use this time to catch up on household things... unless of course something better comes up (anything is better than cleaning LMAO!). SO be safe in wherever life takes you today and everyday and until next time... HUGS!

HOPPIN JALAPENO WEEK

2010-08-09T09:30:00.005-05:00

Good morning everyone. How are you doing this cloudy Monday morning? I was watching the sprinkles fall here outside my window but they have gave way to a hot humid morning. The DN is asleep taking a nap and the DD is at band practice. I was going to go out this morning, but plans have changed, so I sit here contemplating things like crafts, food, etc. Perhaps I will go later on today. Not sure yet...

So I wanna talk about a frugal topic that I absolutely love... garage sales! When I was younger, my grandmother, mom, and I would go "garage sale hopping" on the weekends to see what we could find. Sometimes we would get lucky and sometimes... well not so much. I ran across this article which made me think back to those fun times, and I decided to share it with you. Maybe you can find something useful from it.

The Garage Sale Lady shares bargain-hunting tips
12:33 PM CST on Thursday, November 13, 2008
McClatchy-Tribune

ORLANDO, Fla. – Shelley Kincaid digs three objects out of a canvas tote bag – a slightly dented plain lampshade, the sleeve of an old stretch-lace T-shirt and a crocheted scrunchie.

She slides the lacy sleeve over the shade, securing it with the scrunchie.

Voila! She has created a pretty new lampshade from throwaway items purchased for pennies at garage sales.

Kincaid – better known to her many DIY fans as the Garage Sale Lady – was a headliner at the Southern Women's Show in Orlando, Fla., recently. During her twice-daily presentations, she transformed bargain-rack blouses into gift bags, cast-off jewelry into candelabra, and created a tuffet (Think Little Miss Muffet.) from salvaged chair legs and old curtain fabric.

"None of these things started out beautiful," Kincaid said. "You've got to mix and match, fix and patch, screw and glue."

Shelley Kincaid

Considering the dire state of the economy, there is no better time than now to catch garage-sale fever, Kincaid said.

Want to make a little extra cash? Hold a garage sale, she said.

Need to save money? Become a garage-sale shopper.

Kincaid has been doing both for more than a decade. As a result, she has made more than a little money and saved a great deal. Almost everything in her house was once someone else's throwaway – from furniture to bedsheets, towels and tools.

It was a "nightmare move" from Kansas City to her present home in Denver that sparked her passion for garage sales.

"The movers destroyed everything," she said. "My dishes were pulverized. There was all kinds of water damage. My wood furniture was buckled, my sofas were moldy."

And after the insurance claim was settled, "The insurance company took everything."
"That's when I went to my first garage sale. I started finding old things and fixing them up. I'm a designer with an engineering background. Fixing things really got my creative juices flowing," she said.

MCT Shelley Kincaid makes lampshades from a variety of materials including this one made with old lingerie.

"People admired my stuff. They wanted to know how to do it. I wrote down instructions, which eventually became a book."

Kincaid's "The Garage Sale Decorator's Bible," first published in 1997, is now in its fifth edition. It is available on her Web site, garagesalelady.com, from amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble stores.

"Then out of the blue, I got a call from a Denver TV station to do a show, "Trash to Treasures." I've been on the air for 10 years," said Kincaid, who also is a frequent guest on HGTV, the Discovery Channel and DIY Network.

It is a myth that you only find junk at garage sales, she said.

"In reality, I often find brand-new things selling for a few pennies on the dollar, she said. "Clothes people buy then never wear. Wedding gifts. Christmas gifts. Birthday presents they don't like," she said.

But it's the gently worn and even totally trashed items she treasures most. The antique china and vintage fabrics, the wonky chairs and battered jewelry, the fringe on old drapes and appliques on worn T-shirts. Things she can mix and match, fix and patch, screw and glue.

"I'm saving money. I'm creating something unique. And best of all, I'm recycling throwaways," she said. "And that's good for the planet."

TIPS FOR SELLERS

Most garage sales are on Friday and Saturday. Get a jump on the competition and hold yours on Thursday.

If most sales in your neighborhood begin at 8 a.m., start yours an hour earlier.
Advertise in newspapers, online and with neighborhood signs.

Post easy-to-read directional signs. Bright paper plates with bold arrows are inexpensive and eye-catching. Your sale is only as good as your signs, Kincaid says.

Wear your money. Keep cash close in a fanny pack for speedy transactions and to discourage theft.

For the convenience of shoppers, keep a tape measure and extension cord handy.

To entice shoppers to linger and buy, merchandise should be clean, clearly priced and attractively displayed.

Have a toy box to keep kids amused while adults shop.

Position large items out front. Dealers and people in need always want furniture.

TIPS FOR BUYERS

Shop early on the first day of the sale for the best bargains. Shop toward the end of the sale for rock-bottom prices.

Plan your route carefully.

Make a list of items you need.

Before leaving home, jot down measurements for window treatments, mirrors and furniture.

Bring a tape measure, magnifying glass and extension cord.

Stock up on small change.

If you don't see the items you're looking for, ask. You might get lucky.

Pretty interesting huh? And some of those things you find at garage sales, you can use for crafting! Now speaking of crafts... today I offer you a wood working craft that can be used for lots of things... special celebrations to hold gifts of giftcards, cash, etc. or use it as a planter, or whatever you like! That's the fun thing about making your own things. You can do basically whatever you want with them! Now there are alot of steps to the process of today's craft, so instead of post them ALL here, I will link you to the site to find this extraordinary idea!

Craft Idea of the Day: Wooden Wishing Well

You'll need the following supplies:
Two 1/8" thick balsa wood panels 4" by 2 1/2" .
Two 1/8" thick balsa wood triangles 2 3/4" on each short side.
Five 1/4" thick balsa wood squares, 2 3/4" on a side.
Four 1/4" square posts of 2 3/4" length.
Two 1/4" square posts of 6" length.
Two 1/4" square posts of 3 3/8" length.
One piece of 1/4" or 3/8" square stock of 4" length.
One piece of 1/8" dowel cut to 4 1/4" length.
Some dollhouse shingles.
Wood glue, paint, decorations

Ok gang, its that time again... time to munch on some superb sustainance! Now I have done some themes based on music, some on fruits, some on methods, etc. but I am really loving the theme I have picked this week. You see, its something I eat just about everyday with at least 1 meal! I know my dad eats alot of these too, and so did my mom back in the day! My dear friends... in honor of the scorching summer heat, I figured I would heat up the recipes this week with some HOPPIN' JALAPENOS!! Those little green pieces of fiery heaven... yes the jalapeno! So delish... OMG gonna go throw some in some omelets when I am done here LOL! I love them about as much as I love garlic! YUM! LOL... ok so this week I will bring you jalapeno facts as well as some sizzling recipes!

Some Interesting Facts about Jalapenos:

The Jalapeno was the first pepper to be taken into space.

Dried and smoked jalapenos are chipotles, generally known in a class of their own.

The generic Chili plant interestingly enough is classified as a fruit, and not a vegetable and came from either Peru or Bolivia sometime around 7000 BC. The seeds of the plant were carried by birds across to other parts of America; Central, South and Southern North America. The Jalapeno (Chili or Chile) pepper got its name from a village by the name of Jalapa in the area of Veracruz, Mexico where it is said to have originated. It is by far the most popular form of chilli eaten especially in the US and Europe!!

Jalapeno peppers come from the capsicum family and are dark green in colour but turn red when mature. Their shape is long and like a cone and they normally reach a length of approximately 2 inches when fully grown. They are rich in Vitamin C, A and E, potassium and folic acid, so are rich in nutrients.

There are at least two varieties of Jalapeno peppers, the North American variety, and the Mexican variety. They are the two locations where they are grown the most. The North American type needs dry air with lots of water where as Mexican variety does well in the heat and humidity. Hence there is a decline in production of the North American Jalapeno during the hot summer. In general, it takes about 2.5 – 3 months for the pepper to grow and each plant will yield about 30 pods.

Jalapenos are known for providing that ‘kick’ in food. The ‘kick’ comes from the seeds and the rib of the skin so many people remove both these parts if they want just the flavour and not the heat!! The heat or spice comes from a group of 5 chemicals that are called Capsaicinoids. Each chemical in the family has a slightly different affect. The hottest one out of the five is the capsaicin which produces the fire sensation or burning in the mouth.

So now its time to eat these little Southern beauties! Today I am stuffing them! I know you have heard of classic cheddar cheese and cream cheese stuffed peppers, but check out some of the other stuffings you can put into these hot little "poppers" LOL! Eat & Enjoy!

Stuffed Jalapenos with Smoked Gouda and Pineapple

Ingredients

12 fresh jalapeno peppers
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
6 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon real bacon bits
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cut a slice off the stem end of each pepper, and use a sharp paring knife or pepper corer to scoop out the veins and seeds from the peppers (wear rubber gloves and avoid touching your eyes or nose).

Mix together the cream cheese, Gouda cheese, bacon bits, pineapple, and about 1 teaspoon of reserved pineapple juice, or as needed to make a workable filling, in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Using a small spoon, stuff the hollow peppers with the cheese mixture.

Place a rack or several disposable foil bread pans upside down onto a baking sheet. (See notes for how to make a pepper rack from a foil pan.) Stand the peppers, stem sides up, into the rack, and bake in the preheated oven until the peppers are softened and the filling is hot and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes.

Firehouse Jalapenos

Ingredients

30 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
60 small smoked sausages (such as Lit'l Smokies®)
1 (1 pound) package thin-sliced bacon, cut in half
60 toothpicks
1/2 cup barbeque sauce

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Fill the jalapeno pepper halves with softened cream cheese, then place a smoked sausage into each pepper on top of the cheese. Wrap each piece with a half strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place the peppers onto a baking sheet and brush with the barbeque sauce.

Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is crispy, about 30 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Peanut Butter Jalapenos

Ingredients

8 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/2 cup peanut butter
8 slices bacon, cut in half

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Fill each jalapeno half with peanut butter and with a piece of bacon; secure the bacon with a toothpick. Arrange the wrapped jalapenos on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is dark brown, about 25 minutes.

Crawfish-Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients

8 ounces bacon
8 ounces bulk lean breakfast sausage
24 large jalapeno peppers
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Muenster cheese
1 pound cooked and peeled crawfish tails, coarsely chopped
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 cups beer, or as needed

Directions

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Stir the breakfast sausage into the skillet, and cook until crumbly and no longer pink. Meanwhile, place the Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Muenster, and cream cheeses in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir in the crumbled bacon, breakfast sausage, and chopped crawfish tails. Set aside.

Remove the stems from the jalapenos, and cut a slit lengthwise down one side. Wear gloves while handling the jalapenos (trust me, I learned the hard way). Remove the seeds through the slit. Hold the seeded jalapenos lengthwise between your thumb and forefinger, and stuff with the meat and cheese mixture (you remembered the gloves, right?). Place the stuffed jalapenos onto a dish, and freeze overnight or until solid.

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Whisk together the flour, paprika, white pepper, and garlic salt in a bowl until combined, then quickly whisk in the beer until a batter has formed.

Use a skewer to stab a frozen jalapeno, then dip it into the batter until coated. Place the jalapeno in the hot oil, and hold for a few seconds just below the surface, before twisting out the skewer. This will help keep the jalapeno from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until golden brown all over, then remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining jalapenos.

Ok kids, that's a wrap... a bacon wrap LOL... for today! I hope you are excited for a new week, a new theme, and new fun and adventures! I think I AM gonna take the DN, DS, and myself and go out for the day. We are gonna make a baby hunting adventure! Hunting for furniture LOL! And who knows what else! Of course, I still might just stay home and cook and sew LOL! I never know. Thanks for coming in and sitting with me this morning and be safe today in your travels and your own adventures! Until tomorrow my friend... HUGS!

HAPPY 250TH POST

2010-08-08T09:58:00.006-05:00

Good morning everyone! How are you doing this crazy Sunday? I am really good today. The super sewing bug has bit and life is infectious right now... a good infection to have! I want to say HAPPY 250th! Yes folks, this is my 250th blog entry and let me tell you that I have had the best time and so much fun with you all! Thank you for a wonderful trip so far and I hope you will continue to stay with me until I am old and gray... oh poo, I am already partly gray LMAO! How about until I can blog no more LMAO! Yesterday was quite an eventful day and I have so much to fill you in on! So grab your cup of coffee, and sit back and let's dish some dirt, shall we?

We started the day off on a good note... the landlord called and said he was on the way with a new stove! YAY! Only took him 3 months LOL. So he gets here and then there is the bad news. He did not strap the stove down and on the way home, the stove fell and broke off 2 of the burner knobs. So now do I take another broken stove... hmmm. I can have a stove with just 2 working burners (and one of those on the fritz) or a stove with 2 working burners AND an oven to bake and cook. GEE... care to guess what I did?? Yep I can BAKE NOW! YAY! So I made pizzas for lunch and sausage and stuff for dinner! OMG was it wonderful!!!! LMAO... I am gonna see if I can get new knobs for the other 2 burners and if so, just fix those and have a completely functioning stove again!

Then I decided to go boogy and I took the family for a trip to JoAnn's cause they had some sales and guess who had a coupon! YEP... ME! Plus I needed some velcro. I found the perfect fabric for one of my gifts I want to do and then some of the cutest monkey fabric for the DN to make a stocking and a Boppy pillow cover. Of course, I was super annoyed to see they had the pillow already made at JoAnn's and I could've used a coupon AND the bag had a pattern on the back, but oh well... it was still cheaper to make mine!

After JoAnn's, we went to Wal-Mart (yes AGAIN LOL) to get some more alfalfa cause I was out for the rabbit, baby juice, and a few other things. Well when we pulled into the parking lot, I saw local police had "jimmied" a lock open on a car. Parked next to the police was Animal Control! Someone had left a dog in the scorching heat in the car with the windows up. I guess someone walking by saw this and called. The A.C. took the dog and the Police waited for the people to come out with tickets, metal bracelets, etc. Score one for the helpless little animals! YAY! I told the A.C. officer thank you for helping, etc. She was very nice. Serves those people right! You don't do that to little animals... you might as well lock up a KID in the heat!

Ok, so they had samples out yesterday, so we walked around Wal-Mart shopping and trying all kinds of things and filling up on bits and bites LOL. However, I did walk out buying one of the items I tried. It had a good flavor and thought it would make a good thing to have in the freezer in the event I was too tired or in too much pain to cook. They were Lean Cuisine steamer bags. Individual portion steamer microwave bags. I thought these would be great for the DD for like after a Football game or late night band practice. Well last night, I got hungry late, so I heated it up and was severely dissapointed... so much that I will be writing them and letting them know. The portion in the bag was NOT a full size adult portion in my opinion and it was mainly asparagus stalk as a veggie instead of the carrots and broccoli they picture as well... I got maybe 1 or 2 pieces of each! I can make a much better and BIGGER pot of something similiar at home and freeze it in normal human portions! LOL.

SO do you see this baby Monkey stocking? Tell me that's not the cutest thing in the whole entire world! Its a cool powder blue with baby monkeys, bars of soap, rubber duckies, etc. I wouldn't mind going back and getting more of this fabric to do more baby things with as it was just too cute! I also made a boppy case out of it (had some technical difficulties with it, so it doesn't quite fit like I would like) and I decorated some bright blue "burp towels" with it too! I have maybe a foot or so left, so I am not sure what else to make but I am sure I will figure out something LOL!

Ok, so yesterday I talked about the Ronald McDonald Challenge of the crayon totes and such. Mom asked to be a little more specific about what was needed, etc. So let me break this down for you. Total cost to fill all 30 crayon totes will be roughly about $105 plus tax (which I always take care of) IF I can get all the supplies bought while the school supplies are on sale at places like Wal-mart, where crayons right now are 25 cents per box! The markers and the map pencils are $1 each. Spiral Notebooks of lined paper are 15 cents and coloring books are $1 each. So example... $7.50 will buy all the boxes of crayons we need for the tote bags. If my readers want to mail actual items like coloring books, etc. that would be great. Or they can make a monetary donation via paypal or postal mail and I will go get the items locally. I think that would be best for things that might have the potential to be destroyed in the heat... like crayons, markers, etc. Can't really use melted crayons ya know. If you need more info, shoot me an email and lets talk. I would love to see my readers become a part of something great... like giving a seriously needed smile and a whole lot of hope to a little kids' life! I have also decided I am going to make some burp clothes for the little babies in the McDonalds fabric for the parents too... provided I have enough material left. But that is not priority like the bags are.

Now let's talk more about crafts. Are you enjoying the things I am bringing to you? I try to get a wide variety of crafts for you because I know that not everybody can sew, or crochet, or cross stitch, etc. I try to cover crafts for every age range, gender, etc. I even try to bring pet crafts, because I know, if you are like me and mom, your pets are just like your children too! Today I caught myself thinking about my mom's little crocheted animals and people and thought of all the cool ones she has. Then I thought about the holidays. Mom... I know you are reading this and you need some holiday creatures... I mean characters LMAO... so today I have brought you one for Christmas... SANTA CLAUS! I want to share this with all the knitters and crochet crafters out there! These would be cool toys as gifts or even donations to your local children's hospitals or other organizations. Have fun!

Craft Idea of the Day: Santa Shelf Sitter

Materials:

8ply/DK/(USA - WW/4ply) Courtelle, allow 25grms(1 oz) of Red and oddments of flesh, white and black.
No.11 (3mm)(USA2) knitting needle
Toy stuffing

Directions:

This is a knitting pattern for a Santa Shelf Sitter.

Tension & Size:

Worked at a tension of 26 stitches and 36 rows to 10 x 10cm over stocking stitch, using No.11(3mm) needles throughout.

Height: From base to top of hat 17.5cms (6.5/8") not including legs.
Head: 17cms (6.5/8") around centre;
Waist: 21cms (8.1/4") around centre

Abbreviations:
K, knit;
p, purl;
st(sts), stitch, stitches;
sl, slip;
tog, together;
inc, increase (by working twice into same st);
dec, decrease (by taking 2 sts tog);
ss, stocking stitch (k on right side and p on wrong side);
psso, pass slipped stitch over;
skpo, (slip1, knit1, pass slipped stitch over);
ytb, yarn to back of work;
NR: next row;

Coloured marker:

Use a small length of yarn that is a different colour to the yarn you are using at the moment; Cast off: bind off.

PLEASE NOTE: Sew up all seams in back stitch and stuff Santa firmly unless stated otherwise.

BODY: (make 1 piece) Starting at base edge and using red yarn, cast on 40sts. Placing a coloured marker in 18th and 23rd sts in the first row, ss8 rows. Break off red and join in black yarn and ss4 rows. Break off black and join in red yarn and ss10 rows.

Shape for shoulders: K4, (k2tog) six times, k8, (k2tog) six times, k4 (28sts). NR: P4, (p2tog) three times, p8, (p2tog) three times, P4 (22sts). Ss2 rows. Cast off all sts.

HEAD: (make 1 piece) Using flesh yarn and starting at neck edge, cast on 22sts and ss2 rows. NR: K2, inc, in each st to last two sts, k2 (40sts). Ss17 rows.

Shape for top of head:
1st dec, row: (K3, k2tog) to end of row (32sts). Purl every alternate row.
2nd dec, row: (K2, k2tog) to end of row (24sts).
3rd dec, row: (K1, k2tog) to end of row (16sts).
4th dec, row: (K2tog) to end of row (8sts).

Leaving a long end, break off yarn and thread through sts and put aside.

BASE: (make 1 piece) Using red yarn, cast on 18sts and ss12 rows. Cast off all sts.

ARMS: (make 2 pieces) Using red yarn and starting at top of sleeve cast on 12sts and ss7 rows.

NR: Inc, one st each end of row (14sts). Ss8 rows. Break off red and join in white yarn and knit four rows.

Break off white and join in flesh yarn and ss4 rows. NR: K1, (k1, k2tog) to last st, k1 (10sts). NR: P. NR: K2tog, to end of row (5sts). Break off yarn and thread through sts and put aside.

LEGS: (make 2 pieces) Using black yarn and starting at the foot, cast on 12sts and purl one row. NR: K1, (inc) in next 10sts, k1 (22sts).

Starting with a purl row, ss7 rows. NR: K5, (k2tog) six times, K5 (16sts). NR: P. NR: K5, (k2tog) three times, K5 (13sts). Ss6 rows.
Knit 3 rows.

Break off black and join in red yarn and starting with a knit row, ss20 rows. Cast off all sts.

HAT: (make 1 piece) Using white yarn, cast on 42sts and knit 10 rows. Break off white and join in red yarn and ss10 rows. 1st dec row: K1, (k3,k2tog) to last st, k1 (34sts). NR:P. 2nd dec row: K1, (k2,k2tog) to last st, k1 (26sts). NR:P. 3rd dec row: K1, (k1,k2tog) to last st, k1 (18sts). NR:P. 4th dec row: K1, (k2tog) to last st, k1 (10sts). 5th dec row: (P2tog) to end of row (5sts).

Bobble:
Break off red and join in white yarn and knit one row. NR: (Inc) in every st knitwise (10sts). Knit 7 rows. Leaving a long end, break off yarn and thread through sts, and set piece aside.

COLLAR:
(make 1 piece) Using red yarn, cast on 31sts and knit 3 rows. NR: (k1, inc) to last st, k1 (46sts). Knit 6 rows and cast off all sts knitwise.

BEARD: (make 1 piece) Using white yarn, cast on 20sts and knit 4 rows. Dec 1st each end of row until 2sts remain. K2tog, thread yarn through sts and pull up tightly and sew in.

MOUSTACHE: (make 1 piece) Using white yarn, cast on 9sts and knit one row. Cast off all sts.

MAKING UP:

Legs: Sew row ends together. Sew foot seams together. Turn leg to right side. Stuff foot firmly, stuff boot lightly and leave rest of leg empty.
Body: Sew row ends together. Turn so that right side of work is facing you. Pin the legs to base either side of markers, leaving a 4st gap in the middle and the front of legs facing the body.

Boots should be facing the neck line with the back seam of legs now facing outwards. (See photo 2 for placement)

Pin cast on edge of base to legs with one st overhanging each side of legs. Turn body and legs to wrong side and continue to pin base to cast on edge of body. Sew base to body. Turn body right side out and stuff firmly (see measurements for correct waist size).

Head:
Pull up sts tightly and sew row ends together. Stuff head (see measurements for correct size) and attach to body at neck opening.

Arms:
Pull stitches up tightly and sew side seams together. Stuff hands and 2cms(1") of arm, leaving the rest of arm empty. Fold arm so that side seam is in the centre and facing body. Sew arm to body on first row of shoulder decreasing through the first cast on row of arm.

Collar:
Place the collar on neck and attach the row ends of cast on edges together with a couple of overstitches. Lift the collar up towards the face and attach collar to neck with a row of sts through the first row of cast on edge of collar. Pull the collar down.

Hat:
Sew row ends together. Turn piece to right side and stuff bobble. Pull up sts tightly and sew in ends. Place hat on head (see photo 1 for placement) and attach hat to head by working a row of sts through the 10th row from cast on edge of the white band. Turn Band up.

Facial features:

Eyes: Leaving a gap of 3sts between eyes and using black yarn work a daisy st in one st and work a second daisy st around the first st.

Nose: Using red yarn, work the same as eyes.

Beard: Sew beard to face through the cast on row, attaching ends of beard to hat.

Moustache: Sew to the centre of beard and through the centre sts of moustache, leaving the 4 sts either side loose.

Buckle: Using black yarn, work a square of chain sts, 5sts wide and 6 rows deep.

This pattern is Copyright (c) Jean Woods 2001, all rights reserved. This pattern may be printed for your personal use only and not copied or resold without the permission of the author. This copyright notice must be kept intact.

Now let's talk about food! Its the last day here on WACKY WATERMELON WEEK and today we are cooking outdoors! Let's get the coals fired up (or for those of you who have to do it inside... your pans and plates) and let's get grilling!! I have had so much fun bringing you new and different ideas for this summer favorite! I hope the wide variety of ideas has inspired you to try something unique this week. So for today... Eat & Enjoy!

Maple Citrus Watermelon Glazed Chicken

Watermelon Glaze

Ingredients:

2 cups watermelon puree
Juice from 3 fresh lemons
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Simmer ingredients together in a heavy saucepan for 20 minutes or until sauce is thick

Servings: Makes 2 cups. Keep warm.

Chicken

Ingredients:

Skinless boneless chicken breast splits
2 cups pineapple juice
½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves minced fresh garlic

Instructions:

Place the chicken in a large zipper lock bag with rest of the ingredients and seal tightly. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours or up to 12. Grill until cooked and arrange on a warm platter. Pour the glaze over the chicken and serve immediately.
Servings: Serves 8.

Grilled Scallop and Watermelon Kebabs

12 sea scallops
4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken broth
24 1" x 1" watermelon cubes
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

Cut the scallops into halves across the diameter to create half-moon shapes. Place them in a heatproof casserole dish in a single layer. Pour the boiling clear broth over the scallops and let them poach for 5 minutes. Drain and cool the scallops. On each skewer alternate 1 half-moon scallop, then 2 watermelon cubes, then another half-moon scallop. Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and brush the kebabs as they are grilled over a medium hot grill for about 90 seconds per side turning once. Serve warm. Serves 12 as an appetizer.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Watermelon Lemongrass Glaze

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass or 1 teaspoon dry shredded
1/4 cup extra dry vermouth
2 teaspoons soy sauce or to taste
1 cup watermelon puree
1/2 cup sugar
2 lbs. skewered grilled shrimp

Instructions:

Make the glaze by heating the oil in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan over medium high heat and in it sauté the garlic, ginger and lemongrass for a few minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the remaining ingredients. Divide the mixture in two, setting aside one half for serving as glaze/drizzle. Use the other half for basting or marinating the raw shrimp. Note: do not mix liquid from the two halves to avoid contaminating the glaze/drizzle.

Grilled Spicy Watermelon

Transform watermelon from sweet to savoury with this mouth watering Thai-inspired sauce. Watermelon wedges are grilled until caramelized, drizzled with garlic chili sauce and garnished with cilantro. Serve as a side dish along with ribs, chicken or shrimp.

1 tbsp Lime Zest
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1/4 cup honey, divided
2 tsp. Garlic Chili Sauce
pinch of salt
1 medium watermelon
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Preheat grill to high. In bowl, whisk together, lime zest, juice, 3 tbsp (45 mL) of the honey, garlic chili sauce and salt.

Cut watermelon into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick wedges. Lightly drizzle each side with remaining honey and place on grill. Grill until just browned, about 2 minutes per side. Place watermelon slices on a plate and drizzle with lime dressing. Garnish with cilantro.

Makes 8 to10 servings.
Tip: Garlic chili sauce makes a great marinade for ribs, chicken and shrimp.

Well folks, thats everything to wrap up an incredible week. I hope you have had a blast and will come back tomorrow to start another amazing week! I think the DN and I are gonna go bake something yummy LOL! See you tomorrow! HUGS!

WE HAVE BOPPY!!

2010-08-07T09:50:00.007-05:00

Good Saturday morning everyone! How are you this bright and sunny day? I am good... woke up feeling like a pretzel LOL but good. Had a busy busy day yesterday, but it was fun. So come on in, grab your java, and have a seat so we can chat a while, eh?

Well yesterday started out with Band as normal... dropped her off for practice and then pictures. They release early after pictures, so I waited for the call to pick her up. Then my DN (nephew) was dropped off and we started our day! We ate, played, and had fun. Aunt Nay sewed a bit during the morning nap. Let me show you a couple of things I snapped a picture of from the last few days I haven't shown you.

This first thing is that Boppy Pillow I told you I was going to try to make. Its just the pillow, no case yet, but isn't it cute! It seems a little smaller than the one they have for the DN but I think its spiffy! The material is a stiff blue material that looks like denim but isn't. Its a pretty shade of blue though. I cut the pattern and sewed the 2 sides together and stuffed it up firm but flexible. Now they said on the site I found not to make it too firm, but my pillow will be used strictly for aiding DN in sitting while he eats, etc. so I think its ok! And I would know... I'm a mom, right? LOL!

The second thing I made is an extra large diaper changing pad. Now... this is kinda funny LOL. A multitude of things brought this on... the fact DN is a "boogie baby" going everywhere with us, those filthy diaper chaging stations you see in the restrooms out in public, and my mother and her germophobeness LOL! I made this extra large so that DN is completely covered when I put him on one of those stations... not just his back and butt, but ALL of him- I'm talkin' head, arms, legs, etc! It's double sided, so I can put either side I want out. One side is a pretty yellow snuggle fabric with baby stuff printed all over it, and the other side is more of that denim looking fabric like the pillow! Velcro closure and a batting lining makes this thing 100% machine washable as well! So you ALWAYS know its sanitary! Pretty cool I think!

Then I couldn't remember if I showed you the stocking with the music stuff on it, so just in case... here it is! Its a beautiful fabric of white with black music note staff and notes all over it as well as red ribbons and pine cones, etc. Very Christmas-y looking and I made the inside lining with red fleece. (I will work on getting a better picture soon!) I think its a beautiful fabric actually and I hope the recipient likes it! I have a purse I made for the holidays out of this fabric too. Its awesome and I will have a bittersweet moment when all the fabric is used LOL! I'm not sure if the fabric has been discontinued... might have to check on that if I can remember where I got it LOL!

Sew... there ya go LOL. A few things I have been working on. I have to take pictures of all of the rest of stuff still after I clear out my phone LOL. now as for today's craft, well I think I am gonna work on some things for some of the "band kids" that are like family. I'm not sure yet. I may work on some crayon wraps for the Ronald Mc Donald donation... ah thought I forgot about that huh? LOL nope! Oh BTW people... I have figured it out. We are gonna need 30 bags, as our local Ronald McDonald House houses 30 families at any 1 given time. So I figure 30 bags, stocked with crayons, etc.Seeing as I have most of the fabrics, etc, this will be rather inexpensive to do. I just need the filling for each bag. That's where you can help! I have looked and right now with the school supplies on sale, it will cost me about $3.50 to fill each bag! That's crayons and pencils or washable markers, paper, etc! I am looking for some kind souls to help me out here. Your name will go on a tag attached to each donation unless you choose to be "anonymous". Sadly, after school starts the prices will skyrocket, so I am trying to get it all now. Just think, for the price of one trip to Starbucks, or a pack of cigarettes, or even that one can of afterwork beer, you can bring hours of fun and smiles to a young person's face who 99% of the time doesn't even own a smile because of the pain that they go through everyday battling their illnesses. Don't they deserve just a little bit of happiness and time where they can forget they are even sick and just be a kid? So if you want to help, please make a donation via the paypal button or email me with other ways to help. Thank you...

Now, let's talk about sewing some more happiness shall we? Like I said, I'm not quite sure what I want to accomplish but I'm sure as I sit and stitch, I'll figure it out LOL. I thought of some scented sachets for dresser drawers, closets, etc. and think that those would be a cute idea for today. Sachets are fabric bags that are filled with potpourri and tied off with ribbons. They can be placed in clothing drawers, hung in closets or given as gifts. Fill them with potpourri you buy at the store or potpourri that you make yourself.

Craft Idea of the Day: Scented Fabric Sachets

Materials:

Narrow Ribbons
Fabric Chalks
Fabric-marking Pens
Fabrics
Ironing Boards
Irons
Potpourri
Sewing Machine
Threads
Decorative Charms
Scissors
Scissors
Heavy Paper Or Cardboard
Ruler Or Yardsticks

Directions:

Step 1: Decide what size your sachet will be and what fabric you will use.

Step 2: Choose a ribbon that coordinates with the fabric. A ribbon that is 1/4 inch wide or narrower works best. You'll need approximately 1/4 yard of ribbon for each sachet.

Step 3: Make or purchase potpourri. Many different blends are readily available. Choose your favorite.

Step 4: Use a yardstick or ruler to measure out a strip of fabric 10 1/2 inches by 3 1/4 inches. Cut out the strip.

Step 5: Fold in the raw short edges, toward the wrong side of the fabric, approximately 1/4 inch.

Step 6: Iron to hold the edges in place. Use a sewing machine to stitch turned-under edges into place. Repeat, turning the short edges in 1/4 inch more.

Step 7: Fold the fabric strip in half, right sides together. Stitch a seam on each side of the bag, 1/4 inch from the raw edges.

Step 8: Turn the bag right side out and fill it one-half to three-quarters full with potpourri.

Step 9: Tie the bag closed with ribbon. Avoid knotting the ribbon. These bags are made to be opened and refilled when necessary.

Now for today's edition of WACKY WATERMELON WEEK I wanted to find something with a little asian persuasion! And boy did I! I figure since a large amount of watermelons are produced in Asia, that there were bound to be some interesting cultural recipes. I love Asian foods and that motivated me to find something I thought would be FOOD-nomial LOL! So I hope you are pleased with these choices I brought you today... Eat & Enjoy!

Kung Pao Watermelon Shrimp

2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 cup dry roasted and salted peanuts
1 cup prepared Kung Pao sauce
2 cups chopped watermelon

Heat the oil in a large heavy sauté pan or wok over high heat . Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds and then add the shrimp. Stir-fry until the shrimp begin to cook and plump up. Add the peanuts and sauté another 30 seconds. Reduce heat to low and add the sauce. Simmer just until shrimp are cooked. Remove from heat. Stir in watermelon and serve immediately. Serves 6.

General Tsao Watermelon
Recipe By: Joseph K. Poon for the National Watermelon Promotion Board
Serving Size: 2

8 ozs watermelon -- sliced
1 cup cornstarch

BATTER
1 cup flour All purpose
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup water to adjust thickness

SAUCE
1 tbsp soybean oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mushroom soy sauce
1/2 cup Sherry or chardonnay
1 tsp garlic -- minced
1 tsp ginger -- minced
1 tsp hot sauce
cornstarch in water to adjust thickness

1. Dust the sliced watermelon in the cornstarch before dipping into the batter.
2. Deep fry the watermelon until golden brown.
3. Set to the side to cool, then deep fry it again to crisp up.
To make sauce:
1. Heat soybean oil in a hot wok, and add garlic, ginger and hot sauce.
2. Stir for a couple of seconds.
3. Add one cup of the general Tsao sauce to boil, add dissolved cornstarch to thicken sauce. Put the golden watermelon in and coat with the sauce. Serve

Note: After you make the batter, let the batter rest for at least 20 minutes before frying. The end result will have a far better texture.

Well that's all for me today folks. I have to get off here and get ready for my landlord to supposedly FINALLY bring me a new stove! 3 months in the waiting! It's about time! Then I am gonna find some projects to work on and maybe somewhere to take the kids to boogie today LOL. Thanks for joining me this morning and I will see you again tomorrow for more fun and excitement on The Frugal Mom. Until then... HUGS!

FANTASTIC FRIDAY

2010-08-06T08:42:00.003-05:00

Good morning everyone. How are you doing this beautiful end of the week? I'm good... DD has band pictures today, got my little nephew with me, and got the happy bug something fierce. Things are good here. I want to thank you for dropping in and hope you will stay awhile.

The first thing this morning is the article I found that I wanted you to see. Its a way to see where our money is going and if we can delete any unnecessary debts to be a little financial freedom. Check this out.

10 Expenses You Don't Need
by Jeffrey R. Kosnett

Confession: I hate to pay for parking. Unless it's as hot as Iraq or raining cats and dogs, I will do whatever it takes to find a legal space on the street, preferably free. And I'm good at it. It mainly takes faith, patience and experience. Recently, I found a spot on Chicago's North Avenue next to the famous Second City comedy club on a Saturday night, saving the $17 the building's garage demanded -- and the half-hour wait to climb the ramp after the show. I've done these kinds of things for years.

In the spirit of trading personal convenience for cold cash that remains in your wallet, here are nine other everyday expenses you don't need:

Banking Fees of All Sorts
Banking fees are generally small -- a couple dollars here, a couple dollars there -- but they can add up to hundreds throughout the year if you're not careful. Don't pay money just to manage your money. You can take easy steps to avoid these fees:

• Overdraft fees. Sign up for low-balance alerts via e-mail, and link your checking account to your savings account to move money as necessary to avoid $35 fees for insufficient funds.

• Checks and postage. Pay your bills electronically instead. You'll also avoid any late fees and black marks on your record if the postal service loses your payment.

• ATM fees. Know where your own bank's ATMs are located, even in other states, so you can save $3 every time you get cash out of the wall. Or consider switching to a bank that offers free ATM usage regardless of which bank's ATM you tap.

• Coin-counting commissions. Save the 5% it can cost you to cash in your nickels and quarters at the supermarket. Coin counting is gratis at hundreds of TD Bank branches in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Florida, whether or not you have an account. (Just pray the machine, called Penny Arcade, isn't down for service. That seems to happen a lot.)

Basic Investing Advice
There are plenty of wise reasons to engage a financial planner or adviser -- but there are also pointless ones. If all you want is help choosing mutual funds, especially if your choices are basic index funds inside a retirement plan, it's silly to fork over as much as 1.5% of your savings each year for someone to run a common software program to do this for you. You can arrange your money among different investments yourself or build a simple portfolio with little effort. Then rebalance every quarter or six months to restore your weightings.

By all means, get an excellent estate planner or an accountant when it's time to think about taxes and bequests. But you don't need help for everything.

Help Applying for Financial Aid
Commercial sites like FAFSA.com will help you complete and submit the important application for student aid for $79.99. But at the U.S. Department of Education's site, www.fafsa.ed.gov, you can fill out the application for free -- with all sorts of guidance on how to assemble the proper personal information.

Pet Care
Pet-sitting is big business these days, with brand names, franchises, uniforms, logos, and even lobbyists and consultants. But if your little guys are healthy, you can save the $50-a-day boarding fee while you're on vacation by asking a responsible neighbor, friend or family member to feed, walk (if needed) and hang out for a bit with your cats and dogs -- provided you volunteer to do the same when they're away. Make sure your helper knows who your vet is, and, obviously, don't be so informal if your animals have health problems that mean you should board them with the doctor.

Insurance on Rental Cars
The rental-car clerk will offer you a collision-damage waiver (sometimes called a loss-damage waiver), which can cost $10 to $20 per day. The CDW shields you if the rental car is damaged or stolen. But as long as the rental is for personal use and you have collision coverage in your own auto-insurance policy, you're covered without the CDW (with the same deductibles that apply to your own car).

Your credit-card benefits supplement your auto coverage. Most cards will pick up your deductible, and premium cards offer beefier coverage. Keep in mind that credit-card protection doesn't include liability. And if you've dropped comprehensive or collision coverage on your policy, the rental car will not be covered if it is stolen or damaged in an accident.

Credit Reports
Don't fall for sites that offer "free" credit reports, which often end up enrolling you in expensive credit-monitoring programs that you usually don't need. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) once every 12 months at www.annualcreditreport.com. It's a good idea to stagger your reports -- getting a free one from each bureau every four months -- to keep an eye on the status of your credit and spot potential ID theft throughout the year.

Warranties
The other day I bought the snazziest new Samsung smart phone from T-Mobile at the fair price of $249. The sales rep couldn't let me go, however, without asking me to pay $125 more for insurance against me dropping the unit or otherwise ruining it. The cheaper electronics get, the less these warranties make sense. Same's true with appliances. Now, if I could insure the suits I take to the dry cleaners -- or the luggage the airlines throw around -- we might have something to talk about.

Shipping for Online Shopping
At www.FreeShipping.org, you can find coupons and codes to secure free (or deeply discounted) mailing or delivery from hundreds of retailers. Some of these are constant offers as long as you make a minimum order. Others are occasional deals with a limited life. And if there's no cost for mailing, you can't get hit with that mysterious charge for "handling," right?

Water
There are times you'll pay anything for a cold bottle of premium H2O. If you're driving through the desert, riding your bicycle on a hot day or dealing with grimy yellow stuff in your pipes, price is no object. Once while on vacation in Florida, a construction crew accidentally cut the water lines to our residence. Off to Wal-Mart it was -- or we would've been unable to cook, wash or even make coffee for 12 hours. But why pay for bottled water all the time? Is it actually safer? Bottled-water makers aren't required to test their water or make their test results public. And few brands reveal important details about the source of their water and what it contains. Heck, about 25% of bottled water actually comes from the same municipal sources that deliver water to your home.

Ok now, I am not doing a gift today, but rather doing some various crafting like making bags out of the cat food bags and other recyclables, making stockings, pillows, etc. Things I won't necessarily be using as gifts... although I might be. BUT as the Frugal Mom it is almost like my duty to bring you different craft ideas to broaden your craft horizon LOL. So today I am bringing you a craft that is inspired out of need and by my DD. She needed something to put her lunch in during band practice, so I plan on making her one of these today and if you have small kids, this would be great to make for school too!

Craft Idea of the Day: Insulated Lunch Sacks

Please make sure to go there for all the instructions and pictures to help you make a super cool lunch sack for your kids!

Materials:

Approximately 3/8 yard of 45" wide fashion fabric for the exterior of the bag*
Approximately 3/8 yard of 45" wide fabric for the lining" (I used a nylon wind breaker weight so that it could be sponged off)
Batting - a thin but dense batting seems to work best
Fusible Web
3" piece of 3/4 to 1" wide hook and loop tape
Thread

Now its time to talk food! This is WACKY WATERMELON WEEK and I found a recipe for a meal that your salsa from a couple of days might work well with or you can just use the salsa this way. Either way its a delicious summer night treat!

Salmon with Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

2 cups chopped seedless watermelon
1 1/2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets

Directions

For salsa, in a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Sprinkle salmon with remaining salt and pepper. Place on grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn and grill 7-9 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve the salsa with a slotted spoon with salmon.

Ok folks, I have to get off here today and go to the store to get some bananas and things before it gets too hot. So I'm gonna pack the boys and hit the road. Then I am coming back and doing some super sewing! Hope you have a super day and I will see you tomorrow for more fun and excitement (and hopefully alot of good pictures too!) Until then... HUGS!

THIRSTY THURSDAY

2010-08-05T09:33:00.005-05:00

Good morning guys and dolls! How are you doing this bright and sunny day? I am good really. Got the band thing rockin' and my little dude here visiting with me, so everything is cool as a watermelon! LOL! Speaking of watermelons, to answer your question... the orange watermelon has been said to grow in the following regions:

Miami, Florida
Augusta, Georgia
Alexandria, Indiana
Wells, Maine
Austin, Texas
Mckinney, Texas
Riverton, Utah
Troy, Virginia
Kennewick, Washington

I have seen this breed of watermelon down here... I want to say at Farmer's Markets and a couple of grocery stores, so just watch for them. I have heard the larger they are, the sweeter they are too.

Ok as a mom, I saw an article and wanted to bring it to the attention of all the other mom's out there. Its about our kids and what we may feed them when we go out. After reading this article, it's quite disturbing actually to me that while the government is trying to make the meals at school better for the problem of our "obese kids", they have absolutely NO regulations about what they eat at restaurants... read this.

The Worst Kids' Meals in America
By David Zinczenko

My friend Karen came to me a couple of weeks ago worried about her two kids. She's a single mom who works long hours and usually feels too tired to cook when she gets home at night. So she and the kids end up eating fast-food dinners from whatever restaurant they happen to pass on the way home from soccer practice. Now, Karen's no dope—she knows that a fast food diet is often a fast way to poor health. She also loves her kids, and wants them to stay fit and active. So she came to me, pleading: "What can I do to make sure they're eating well, even when I can't cook for them myself?"

Karen's right to be concerned. Childhood obesity rates in America have tripled since 1980: today, 20 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are obese. What's more, a disturbing 70 percent of overweight adolescents end up that way as adults. And since obesity increases your odds of heart attack, stroke, and early death, consider the impact of an entire generation of overweight children on our country's health care system—and our families.

It's a chilling thought. But here's the thing: I told Karen that restaurant food every now and then is perfectly fine. She just needs the nutrition information and recommendations that Eat This, Not That! provides on all of America's popular fast-food and sit-down restaurants. This way she can choose the smart options--and stay away from the worst restaurant kids meals--while eating her favorites foods and losing weight. Below are five of the unhealthiest kids' meals in America--and the healthier (and equally tasty) alternatives that they should choose instead. And remember: Teaching your kids healthy eating habits is only half the equation--passing on healthy fitness habits is just as important. (So this list of The World's Fastest and Easiest Exercise Tips will help keep them, and you, fit and lean for life!)

#5: A BIG 'NOT THAT!' at OLIVE GARDEN!
Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo meal
800 calories
48 g fat (30 g saturated)
810 mg sodium
SATURATED FAT EQUIVALENT: 1.5 full jars of Nutella!

I don’t know who this guy Alfredo is, but I’d like to give him a piece of my mind. This sauce is made with oil, butter, cream, and cheese. It’s always going to be rich, but the saturated fat here is just out of control. The American Heart Association recommends that we don't consume more than 7 percent of our total calories from saturated fat, but this sauce has four times that. It’s true that most kids don’t have to worry about heart attacks, but they do have to worry about obesity. About a third of the calories on this plate are from saturated fat. Another third come from carbohydrates. That leaves very little room for anything even remotely nutritionally redeeming.

Eat This Instead!
Cheese Ravioli
300 calories
8 g fat (4 g saturated)
440 mg sodium

This meal still provides the rich flavor of cheese, but it serves it in a reasonable portion size. The secret here, and you should always look for this when you’re eating Italian, is that it’s served in a low-fat, highly nutritious tomato-based sauce. Try to steer your child away from anything made in a white sauce.
Bonus tip: Something else to keep in mind: One way to cut hundreds of calories from your kids' diets is to watch the sugary drinks. Start with the beverages on this list of The Absolutely Worst Drinks in America. (Some of them have more than a day's worth of calories, fat and sugar!)

#4: A BIG 'NOT THAT!' at APPLEBEES!
Applebee’s Grilled Cheese with French fries
1,020 calories
54 g fat (17 g saturated)
2,170 mg sodium

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 400 Cheddar Goldfish Crackers (that’s 1.3 full bags!)
Here’s the crazy part: You can make a grilled cheese sandwich in your own house—using real cheese and toasting it with real butter—and still manage to slide in at about 300 calories. This one has 620 calories, and the fries account for another 400.

Eat This Instead!
Hot Dog with Applesauce
300 calories
13 g fat (4 g saturated)
860 mg sodium

A hot dog is no nutritional ideal, but as long as it’s not a big stadium brat, it does have the advantage of being relatively low in calories. And kids love them. Swap out the fries for something truly nutritious, like vegetables or applesauce.
Bonus tip: Want to know how many calories you should be eating in a given day? Multiply your ideal body weight by 11. For more of the latest nutrition and health secrets to help you live better right away, follow me here on Twitter.

#3: A BIG 'NOT THAT!' at OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE!
Outback Steakhouse Kookaburra Chicken Fingers meal with Aussie Fries
1,030 calories
60 g fat (21 g saturated)
2,052 mg sodium
FAT EQUIVALENT: 12 Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tarts!

Beige food? Never a good choice. If this is what they’re eating down under, we’re better off staying up here. And here’s something else we don’t talk about enough with kids’ foods: sodium. This meal has almost as much as your child should eat in an entire day. That’s dangerous for two reasons: 1) It puts a strain on a child’s cardiovascular system; and 2) It reinforces a taste preference for sodium-loaded foods, so they’ll have a hard time ever breaking free from the salt shaker.
Bonus tip: For more examples of sodium-stuffed foods to avoid, check out this truly horrifying list of the 30 Saltiest Foods in America!

Eat This Instead!
Joey Sirloin with Fresh Seasonal Veggies
435 calories
28.5 g fat (15 g saturated)
631 mg sodium

If we can get kids eating real food earlier in life, they’ll be primed for staying fit and healthy well into old age. Despite what some people might think about eating red meat, sirloin steak is immensely nutritious. It’s lean, loaded with protein, and rich in vitamins and minerals.

#2: A BIG 'NOT THAT!' at DENNY'S!
Denny’s Slap Shot Sliders (2) meal with Finish Line Fries
1,070 calories
53 g fat (16 g saturated, 2 g trans)
1,180 mg sodium
CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 505 Jujubes (that’s just over 2 full boxes!)

This meal is an assault to children’s health and the world of sports. It uses sports terminology to sell food that turns kids into little sumo wrestlers. Again, there’s more than 1,000 calories in this meal. A 10-year-old kid should be eating only about 1,600 to 1,800 calories over the course of an entire day.

Eat This Instead!
Spaghetti, Set, Go! with Apple Dunkers and Caramel Dip
390 calories
7 g fat (2 g saturated)
325 mg sodium

Again, you’ve got the red marinara sauce, which is very good. You’ve also got slices of apple with caramel dip. This is something we’re seeing on more and more restaurant menus. Kids like it because it has the same finger-food appeal as french fries, and parents like it because it won’t make their kids look like lumpy sacks of potatoes.

Bonus tip: Here's another sneaky source of kid calories: Wayward snacking. Is your child snacking smart? See the good—and bad—chips and dips choices on our list of the Best and Worst Chips and Dips.

#1: THE BIGGEST 'NOT THAT!' at FRIENDLY'S!
Friendly’s Mac & Cheese Quesadilla meal with Friendly Frank, Shirley Temple and Friend-z Peanut Butter Cup
2,270 calories
109 g fat (45 g saturated)
3,320 sodium
CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 45 Glazed Munchkins from Dunkin Donuts!

Friendly? Ha! This restaurant deserves the Phoniest Name of the Decade Award. This meal has an entire day’s worth of calories for a full-grown adult. Plus it has more saturated fat or sodium than you should ever see at one table. Part of the problem here is the pile-on policy: The entrée plus the side plus the drink plus the dessert. All of that comes with the meal. And dessert? Since when did dessert stop being extra? This is just dangerous food that gets a boost from a bad policy.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Cheese With Mandarin Oranges, 1% Milk, and a Double Shot Cone
800 calories
34 g fat (19 g saturated)
1,150 mg sodium

Now, here’s what’s crazy: The same sandwich that had more than 600 calories at Applebee’s—the grilled cheese—has only 290 calories at Friendly’s. That’s good, but it still comes with that obligatory dessert, which keeps this meal in the caloric danger zone. At 270 calories, The Double Shot Cone is the best you can do, but if you tell your server to scrap dessert altogether, your child suddenly has a reasonable 530-calorie entree.

Now, let's talk Christmas! WHAT? It's too early you say? Never! I am always thinking about my favorite holiday and how to make it better each year! I have tons of people I give gifts for and so it requires alot of planning and preparation. So I start early. Plus I like being one of those people who are relaxed and enjoying the holidays while watching others scramble around in a feverish frenzy at the last minute. Trust me, been there too and I don't particularly care for it! Now yesterday I forgot to get my dimensions for a gift that I know is going to take more than 1 day... it might take as much as a whole week for this one. Its something I am creating an original design for and must get the dimensions and fasteners, bibbles and bobbles, etc, etc, etc. JUST RIGHT! I must sketch out a template/pattern, deside on proper materials, write down step by step instructions for sewing assembly, you name it. This truly is going to be an original homemade gift LMAO. We're starting from scratch! And the funny thing is, I bet the recipient won't even understand what it is for until I demonstrate it or tell them! How much more unique does that make it!? My kind of gift! WOOHOO! This will be fun. So this gift IS part of the challenge, but NOT a one day, so I plan on working on 2 gifts at once over a couple of days... ambitious huh? I think so LMAO! So what kind of gifts have you been making?

Now since we got bit with the craft bug, today I will be working on a couple of purses. But not just any purses... they will be gifts. Also if I have time, I will be making a couple of baby items... like toys and changing pads and such. And for you, I am going to bring you another fabulous craft idea! Its baby in nature but would make an excellent gift for a new mom! Have you ever seen those round pillows called "Boppy" pillows? They were originally made for breastfeeding mothers to use to lay their arms on and prop up their child while feeding. However, they also make great aids in helping baby sit up, eat, etc. I use one for the little man whenever he comes to see me. I put it around him and he sits up to eat. Hey it works if you don't have a high chair LOL! So anyway... after seeing this for the first time, I wanted to make one for myself to keep here for him. I found a site online with a mother who felt the same way so she wrote the instructions and shared them. And if it works, maybe I will make a few extra as gifts, to sell, etc. LOL! So here it is ladies and germs... make sure to visit the site for great pics and instructions.

Craft Idea of the Day: The Baby Boppy Pillow

Materials:

1. 1 yard of 45” or 60” fabric for pillow cover. Bright cotton prints or soft baby fabrics work great. You can also use flannel (most have 41” width, but you will be fine using my pattern), but be aware that flannels peel very fast –those little fuzzy beads will form very soon and drive you nuts.
2. 1 yard of 45” or 60” fabric for the actual pillow. Use thicker cotton fabrics, or if you want to save even more money, an old flat sheet will work just fine.
3. 1 lb (apprx.)of 100% polyester fiberfill – you might use a little less.
4. 18” invisible zipper for pillow cover. However, you can use Velcro if messing with zippers is not what you want to do, or simply hand-stitch the closing.

Ok, so today for the WACKY WATERMELON WEEK I want to talk about drinks. Now we all normally consume more beverages during the summer months, and research supports this. The reasoning is that it is natures way of both keeping the body hydrated and our core tempurature at safe levels. I foe one always have a drink of some kind with me... I can't ever get enough to drink. Same with my DS. I send big coolers of gatorade with the DD to band practice too. Diabetics also tend to get an "incurable thirst" as well. SO see, drinks are a big part of everyday life. And sense we rely so much on hydration, why not make it something that is both delicious AND good for us (minus the alcohol and such of course)? So today on this thirsty Thursday, I bring you some tasty treats to please your palate. Drink & Enjoy!

Nobody's Strawberry Watermelon Shakedown

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 1/2 cups frozen diced watermelon
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons orange or lemon juice
1 tablespoon white sugar or Splenda (optional)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Blend the strawberries, watermelon, cream, yogurt, orange juice, sugar, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.

Watermelon and Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients

8 cups cubed seeded watermelon
1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup white sugar
2 cups water

Directions

Combine the watermelon, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and water in a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Watermelon Vodka Slush

4 cups watermelon flesh, seeds removed
2 fluid ounces simple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup vodka
2 fluid ounces melon liqueur
4 twists lemon zest, garnish

Directions

In a food processor, puree the watermelon flesh. Pour the pureed watermelon into empty ice cube trays and freeze for at least 4 hours. Also, freeze 4 martini glasses.

In a blender combine the frozen watermelon cubes, simple syrup, lemon juice, vodka, and melon liqueur; blend until smooth. Pour into 4 frozen martini glasses and garnish each with a lemon twist.

Well that's everything for today. Its time for my llittle buddy and me to get down to some serious eating, play, cartoon watching, and crafting! LOL! I hope that you have an awesome day and be safe in wherever life leads you today and everyday. I will see you again tomorrow in my little cyber-haven I like to call The Frugal Mom's Blog! Until tomorrow... HUGS!

A TRILLION BUCKS

2010-08-04T07:54:00.006-05:00

Good morning everyone! How are you doing this wonderful Wednesday morning? I am good and hope you are too! I think we've gotten into our morning routine again pretty strongly as things have gone quite swimmingly the last couple of days. A couple of good solid weeks of this and then we must change our habits AGAIN! Oh well... so is the life of the Band Mom LOL!

Ok have you ever ran across something on the internet that you find and just make you stop and say... "SERIOUSLY? WHO THINKS OF THIS CRAP?" Well yesterday was one of those days! I ran across this article about money (LOL why do those ALWAYS catch my eye LMAO) and when I got to the end of the article, I found myself slapping my forehead going "Are you kidding me?" Check this out!

13 Ways to Spend $1 Trillion
by Kevin McCormally

Confronting the federal deficit starts with grasping just how colossal that number actually is. So, what would $1 trillion get you?

The figure is almost incomprehensible: $1,000,000,000,000. One trillion dollars. That's a dozen zeros.

The Congressional Budget Office reports that during the first nine months of fiscal 2010 -- which ends September 30 -- the federal government spent $1 trillion more than it took in. That's another $1 trillion added to a total national debt that stood at just over $13 trillion as of the Fourth of July. (On the bright side, the trillion-dollar nine-month deficit was about $80 billion less red ink than flowed during the same period last year.)

Not so long ago, the idea of a "trillion" anything was so farfetched that it evoked a comic response similar to what the use of the word "gazillion" does today. The 1960s comment attributed to then Senate minority leader (and ever-vigilant deficit hawk) Everett Dirksen -- "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money" -- seems downright quaint today. (In 1965, the national debt was a paltry $317 billion.)

But, seriously, how much is $1 trillion? To help you wrap your head around that mind-boggling number, and to try to put deficit spending into perspective, consider what $1 trillion will buy, expressed in terms we can all understand:

$1 Trillion Would Buy ...

40,816,326 New Cars

5,574,136 Typical American Homes

140 Billion Hours of Labor

A Year's Salary for 14.7 Million Teachers

The Annual Salaries of All 535 Members of Congress for the Next 10,742 Years

The Star Power of LeBron James for the Next 50,000 Years

1.33 Trillion Chocolate Bars

1,333 Celebrity Divorce Settlements

A Guaranteed $6.3 Billion Payout for a 65-Year-Old Man Every Month for the Rest of His Life

A One-Year CD Yielding $15.5 Billion in Interest

Annual Base Pay for 59.5 Million U.S. Army Privates

Replace Annual Incomes for 19.2 Million American Families

Pay the Estate Taxes for 2,222 Billionaires

Now I want to ask you... first off who in their right mind wasted time, and probably funding, to research something so outlandishly useless? I mean honestly, who in their NORMAL everyday life is going to ever see a total of a trillion bucks? I know I probably won't... MOST people probably won't! Secondly, some of the things they put on the list are so ridiculous, its not even funny! I mean, come on... who can use a trillion plus chocolate bars??? Why can't people with apparently too much time on their hands spend time and research finding USEFUL things like cures for horrible diseases, helping animals, helping the disabled... ya know THINGS OF IMPORTANCE!!?? I'm sorry but I really don't care about how many celebrity divorces that money would pay... I care about how many American children we could feed! Sorry for me getting on that proverbial soapbox again... I will stop now.

Ok everybody, it's time once again to get crafty! Now this morning for the Christmas Countdown challenge, I have the next 3 gifts at least planned out. Now one of them is going to take more than one day, but I am quite excited about it. Today, however, I am making another kitchen set with a different type of cookbook... a beginner's cookbook. Again, I can't tell you who its for, but mom knows this one too as it was at her suggestion. I will be making the pot holders, oven mitts, grocery bag holder, decorative towels, and specialized cookbook. I have to decide what type of material to use on this one, as I am not sure of all the favorite designs of the recipient. But I'm sure it will turn out great! Now for all of you, I have found something cute but yet very practical. We all have more than likely experienced an injury or cramps or something that the pain was alleviated by a heating pad or a heat pack of some kind, etc. And then of course, there is the frog. Many people like frogs for some reason, so why not combine the two? I think its a cute idea for yourself or to use as a gift, so enjoy!

Craft Idea of the Day: Froggie Heat Pack

Materials:

Corduroy, velvet or a heat resistant fabric
Black felt for eyes
Sewing Machine
Wheat or long grain rice to fill frog
1/2 cup of Dried Lavender

Directions:

This is an adapted pattern to turn our Bean Bag Frog into a heat pack for kids.

Start by printing off the pattern below and enlarging it to the size you would like your frog to be.

cutting 1 piece out for the top and 1 piece out for the bottom of the frog. The pattern is designed to work with a fold down the middle.

With the right sides together sew around your frog either on a sewing machine or over locker, Hand sewing would not be very durable for this pattern as a heat pack. Leave a small section open for turning the right way and filling.

Stitch on the felt eyes, you could use buttons, but it may be a little rough against the skin when the heat pack is in use. (Make sure they are not metal because you will be heating this up in the microwave.)

Turn the frog the right side out using a pen or pencil to push out the arms and legs.

Using a funnel fill the frog with 1/2 a cup of dried lavender flowers and wheat then sew up the opening with strong thread.

To use, place it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Refresh the lavender with oil drops as it begins to wear out

Well it's time to talk WACKY WATERMELON WEEK! I must tell my mother to quit reading my mind LOL because I have brought you super sweet treats today! I wanted to tell you about the different kinds of watermelons today... not all fruits and veggies are created equal I suppose LOL! There are more than 50 varieties of watermelon. Most have red flesh, but there are orange and yellow-fleshed varieties. Of the 50 varieties of watermelon throughout the United States, there are four general categories: Allsweet, Ice-Box, Seedless and Yellow Flesh. SO here is some education followed by some sweet love! Eat & Enjoy!

AllSweet
20–25 pounds
Red Flesh
Oblong
Dark green rind, with or without stripes

Serving suggestion: Surprise your guests by serving a large refreshing wedge of watermelon following a heavy meal. Place the wedge on a plate with a large knife and encourage the entire table to enjoy a slice.

Ice-Box
5–15 pounds
Red or yellow flesh
Round
Dark or light green rind

Serving suggestion: Make your salsa or relish really "cool" by substituting watermelon for tomatoes in your favorite recipe. Serve with grilled chicken, fish or pork. Try watermelon salsa with chips, too.

Seedless
10–25 pounds
Red or yellow flesh
Oval to round
Light green rind with dark green stripes

Serving suggestion: This variety's perfect for sorbets and beverages. Blend cubes of seedless watermelon and use the juice in margaritas, daiquiris or lemonade for a new twist.

Yellow Flesh
10–30 pounds
Yellow to bright orange flesh
Oblong to long
Light green rind with mottled stripes

Serving suggestion: Use for color variety as a garnish or side dish. Create festive fruit kabobs by skewering yellow flesh watermelon with other seasonal fruits, such as kiwis and strawberries.

Watermelon Pie

Ingredients

1 (3 ounce) package watermelon flavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups watermelon
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions

Mix together the watermelon gelatin and water. Fold gelatin mixture into the dessert topping. Add cut watermelon.

Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Cool in refrigerator for about 4 hours or longer.

Juicy Watermelon Sorbet

Ingredients

3 cups water
3 cups white sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
4 cups cubed seeded watermelon

Directions

Heat water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. Place watermelon in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Whisk watermelon, lime juice and 1 cup of syrup (depending on the sweetness of your melon) together in a large bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator.

Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions until it reaches "soft-serve" consistency. Transfer sorbet to a one- or two-quart lidded plastic container; cover surface with plastic wrap and seal. For best results, sorbet should ripen in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Alright folks, that about wraps things up for me today. I hope you have fun and manage to maybe learn a little something each time you drop by. I enjoy our visits, but sadly I must part for the day to get to work on my challenges and my motherly/wifely duties around the home LOL! I will sneak in here tomorrow and tease and excite your mind if you agree not to tell LOL! Kidding folks... but I DO hope to see you again tomorrow! Until then... HUGS!

MANIC MONDAY CHAOS

2010-08-02T08:59:00.005-05:00

Good Monday morning all my little friends out there in PC land! How are you doing this bright and shiny day? It's an early start to a great day. Got my nephew already this morning and today was the first day of band. Got lots of things planned for the day... how about you? I want to start the morning with article I found on frugality.

Frugal Tips: How To Make 10 Ordinary Things Last Longer
by Silicon Valley Blogger

We all want to stretch our bucks as far as we can even as we replenish our grocery supplies every week or replace old items that we need to make our lives function smoothly. It was surprising to me how much money we can save if we just make some everyday things last longer.

Take for instance an84 year old fellow who has driven the same car all his life: a 1929 Ford Model A with 200,000 miles on it. Clarence Cleveland Curtiss bought a used car for $10 during the Depression when he was 15 in the year 1938, and has kept it ever since. And based on these figures, he’s probably saved at least $31,000 by doing so.

So clearly, the bigger the item and the longer you try to preserve its life (within safety guidelines), the less money you’ll have to fork out for replacements. Your high interest savings account and the environment will both be happy.

Frugal Tip: Make stuff last longer!

The biggest savings tip here for anything you own — see if you can consume less than is recommended, just as long as it doesn’t affect the potency of the item or material you’re using. Other tricks involve caring and maintaining your everyday things in a way that lengthens their shelf life.

Here are a few interesting pointers on how to get the most out of some common household items:

Soap

If you’re using a soap pump, then try putting a rubber band around the base of the pump, looping it tightly. This will prevent the pump from going down all the way, but should still cause it to pump out an adequate amount of soap. Expect this to make the soap in your pump last longer.

Scented Candles

Get your candles to last longer by chilling them! This is an old trick that is used by frugal people and the candle companies themselves. Chilling the candles before you use them makes the wax burn more slowly and evenly. Some say that the best way to do this is to freeze the candles for 24 hours before burning them. Others say that just storing them in the refrigerator for eight hours before you burn them is enough to do the trick

Clothes

The biggest culprits to your clothes’ wear and tear are what you’d expect: the acts of drying (even at low heat) and washing. Since fabric does not regenerate, the constant whirl and tumble experienced by clothing in cleaning machines will gradually erode fabric.

If you want to preserve your clothes, then line dry them. This isn’t the most convenient or practical way to dry your clothes, but it will slow down their wear.

Carpet

Cheap carpets will typically last you from 3 to 5 years while good quality carpeting may have a life lasting 10 to 20 years, if you take good care of it. At this time, our own carpets are approaching 9 years old and they still look pretty good! These tips should help add some life to your fabric flooring:

Rearrange your furniture, so that wear becomes better distributed.

Vacuum regularly.

Avoid tracking in dirt.

Shampoo your carpets and rugs.

Snip loose threads.

Treat spills and stains quickly.

Designate eating areas.

Car

You can save several tens of thousands of dollars if you decide to drive your car to the ground. These days, both our cars have logged 100,000 miles each and are still going strong. There’s even a used car market out there for cars that have over 200,000 miles in them! If your car is regularly well-maintained, you’ll most likely extend your car’s lifespan; and these tips should get you there:

Change your air filter yearly.

Rotate your tires.

Change the oil regularly: depending on your vehicle, that’s around 3,000 miles or 3 months to 7,500 miles or 6 months.

Change your transmission fluid generally once every 30 or 60 thousand miles, depending on manufacturer’s recommendations.

Drain the radiator.

Change your spark plugs.

Check your exhaust system.

Clean your car: wax and wash.

Light Bulbs

The trick to longer lasting bulbs is to simply invest in greener, more efficient alternatives. I also covered frugal lighting in my article: “Trim Your Energy Costs”.

When choosing the greenest option for lighting your home or office, look to the new light emitting diode (LED) light bulbs as the next generation green alternative.

Currently, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) get attention as a lower-energy bulb than traditional incandescent bulbs. However, new LED bulbs are on the rise as the green bulbs of the future and the replacement for CFLs.

Food

Statistics show that American families end up throwing out 14% of their food because of spoilage. So here are some tricks to keep your food fresher, longer:

Store fruits and vegetables separately to slow down the “ripening” process.

Store food at proper temperatures.

Vacuum seal food in zip lock bags to better preserve them.

Protect dry goods from insects and pests.

Chill bananas after they ripen. The peel will darken but the fruit will last longer.

Store leftovers in airtight food containers.

Mattress

Mattresses are expensive — I just bought a couple of twin mattresses for my kids, and it ran me several hundred bucks each. I’m hoping I don’t replace them for a really long time. To maintain them well, I’d try this:

Redistribute the mattress wear so you can get the most out of your bedding. You can flip your mattress every other week or month. You can also try rotating it without having to flip it. Also, use a mattress pad to keep the mattress clean and away from stains — a great idea since mattress pads can be laundered.

Flowers

I love fresh flowers and often have them in my home on a regular basis. We get ours from our garden but once in a while we get them from the local stores as well, where they can cost $5.00 and over. Allow frugal displays to brighten up your room longer by doing the following:

Cut off all leaves that will be submerged in the water before putting flowers in a vase. Rotting leaves speeds up the deterioration process.

Cut flower stems at an angle for better water absorption by the plant.

Change out the water in the vase or plant container regularly.

Keep flowers away from direct heat or sunlight.

Add flower preservers to your arrangement.

Razor Blades

Anyone who shaves may want to know how to stretch the use of their razor blades. Here are a few interesting pointers I picked up from a frugal forum:

People try all kinds of tricks to make razor blades last longer, including storing them in oil or even placing them on a prism to channel pyramid power into the blade. However here is a simple technique that seems to work: dry the blade after use.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the concept is this: razor blade dullness stems more from oxidation and microscopic rusting, rather than from contact with whiskers. Water that sits on blades between shaves causes the oxidation. Corrosion can cause metal on the blade to flake off and the edge to become blunted and jagged. That results in blades pulling and tearing hairs instead of cleanly slicing through them.
By blotting his blades on a towel after use, someone extended the use of a blade from ten days to five months.

Or you can also “rinse the razor in water, shake excess droplets, dip it in alcohol, give it a good swirl (it really does clean far more thoroughly than water), then shake out and prop it in its holder. The alcohol drives the water out and then quickly evaporates.”

All sound easy enough? If you’ve got frugal tricks like these up your sleeve, I’d love to hear them!

OK for todays craft I found this incredible blog (another blogspot user) called Paisley Passions. She posted a craft and I think its absolutely adorable! It looks simple to do and I think I so found an idea for one of my gifts... its cute, creative, and could be recycling too!

Craft Idea of the Day: Lap Tray

This was a fun little project. I took an ordinary frame that I got on clearance for a couple of dollars (sorry I don't have a before picture of the frame!). It was deeper than a normal frame, not quite as deep as a shadow box, but deep enough that I was able to add some material and some buttons underneath the glass.

Then I took two extra large unfinished wood letters. I used W's, but I think you could get M's to work depending on the font of the wooden letter.

I covered the letter with scrapbook paper using Mod Podge. LOVE the stuff! :) Then I inked the edges of the letter and applied a couple of coats of mod podge on top of the letters and paper.

I attached the letters to the bottom of the frame using E6000 and then I screwed small screws from the inside back of the frame down into the tops of the wooden letters.

I took a dowel and attached it with screws along the backside of the W's and then covered the screws with buttons.

I painted the dowels and the backside of the letters a cream color to match my frame. Then I ended up with this handy dandy lap tray. It works great for the kids to have a snack on or to draw on while watching tv or in bed or even in the car. Or maybe even for hubby to bring you breakfast in bed? Haha! One can dream.

Now, let's talk food!! August holds tons of great "unusual" celebration days, so I can see us having tons of fun! Now August the 3rd is National Watermelon Day and since its a favorite of mine, my DD, and my mom... guess what this week's theme is?! Yep... its WACKY WATERMELON WEEK! I'm gonna entertain and educate you about this beautifully healthy melon! Watermelon, the fruit that is really a Vegetable. Watermelon can be traced back to Africa and is part of the cucumber and squash family. People can't seem to get enough of the sweet treat, and nutritionists have long appreciated the health benefits watermelon provides. Recently research has shed new light on its potential health benefits. Watermelon contains high concentrations of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases. Watermelon is fat free, nutritionally low in calories and considered an ideal diet food, and is high in energy, making it a great energy boost!
Early watermelons were mainly rind and seeds. Today's varieties are larger, the flesh sweeter, the seeds smaller and the rind thinner. It is perhaps the most refreshing, thirst quenching fruit of all. Watermelon consists of 92% water and 8% sugar, so it is aptly named. Americans eat over 17 lbs of watermelon each year. The largest one on world record (Guinness Book of World Records) weighed 262 pounds.

When to look for them in your grocery store:

Watermelons are available all year. The natural sweetness of watermelon makes it a favorite anytime of the year. It is a perfect addition to a salad, salsa, or cool drink. Top chunks of sweet watermelon with fruit flavored sherbets or sorbets.

Nutritional Facts:

Fat-free
Saturated fat-free
Very low sodium
Cholesterol-free
A good source of vitamin A
High in vitamin C

Selecting
Choose firm, symmetrical, fruit free of cracks, bruises, soft spots or mold. Ripe watermelon will have a healthy sheen, a dull rind, dried stem, and a buttery yellow underside where it touched the ground. There should be a melon like smell or fragrance. Thump if you must, sound should be dull and hollow. Lift them, weight should be heavy for size.

Special Tip
Avoid watermelons that are very hard, white or very pale green in color on the underside, indicating immaturity. An immature watermelon will be slightly acidic.

Storing
Once picked, watermelon will not ripen easily. If unripe, try putting the whole melon in paper bag un-refrigerated. This sometimes works to ripen them. Watermelons can be kept for short periods of time, up to 2 weeks, uncut at room temperature. Wash watermelon with soap and water before cutting. Once cut, package what is not eaten in closed plastic containers or bags and put back in the refrigerator.

Varieties
There are more than 50 varieties of watermelon. Most have red flesh, but there are orange and yellow-fleshed varieties. Of the 50 varieties of watermelon throughout the United States, there are four general categories: Allsweet, Ice-Box, Seedless and Yellow Flesh.

Now we are gonna start this week with a wonderful watermelon cocktail and hors d'oeurves! Eat & Enjoy!

Watermelon Martini

Ingredients:
1 cup watermelon juice (press watermelon through a sieve or cheesecloth)
1/2 cup (4 oz) Vodka
1/4 cup simple syrup (sugar)
juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons salt (optional)
3 tablespoons sugar (optional)
ice
Watermelon slices, for garnish (optional)

Preparation:
Makes 2 servings.

Mix together the sugar and salt if using. Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass with a piece of watermelon. Dip the rim into the sugar and salt mixture. Repeat for other glass.

Place the watermelon juice, vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Top with ice. Shake well.

Pour contents through strainer into martini glasses.

Garnish with a wedge of watermelon if desired.

Watermelon Hors D'Ouevres

This super refreshing appetizer cools you down on a hot day and revs up your appetite. You can leave out the tequila if you wish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup lime or lemon juice
1 tsp. tequila, if desired
4 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
dash white pepper
1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce
4 lbs. watermelon, cut into cubes and seeded
1 cup crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese
1 fresh pineapple, cored and cut into cubes

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients except watermelon in small bowl and stir to dissolve honey.

Taste for seasoning, cover, and chill for 1-2 hours to blend flavors.

To serve, dip watermelon in juice mixture, then sprinkle with blue cheese and eat. Serves 10-12

Well kids, I am gonna get off here and get everyone ready to start the day. DD is off at band today YAY and I got the nephew already this morning. Gotta return rental chairs, get some groceries, and tons of other things. I hope you are excited about this upcoming week and will join me again tomorrow for more fun and excitement! Until then... HUGS!