Cute and Crafty Mom

Penny Pinchin' Stitchin': This Week's Auctions at Penny Pinchin Stitchin - a...

2013-08-25T14:47:00.001-07:00

Penny Pinchin' Stitchin': This Week's Auctions at Penny Pinchin Stitchin - a...: Berroco Multi-Color Polyester Eyelash Yarn Approx 13" packaged - Lot of 2 - This lot features two sets of polyester eyelash yarn b...

Penny Pinchin' Stitchin': This Week's Auctions at Penny Pinchin Stitchin - a...

2013-08-06T16:42:00.001-07:00

Penny Pinchin' Stitchin': This Week's Auctions at Penny Pinchin Stitchin - a...: Stencil Decor Decorative Stenciling Patterns Book Volume 1 by Plaid #7653 Used, has a bit of wear, the bottom left corner is ripped ...

Save up to 80% on top kids brands like GAP, Gymboree and Ralph Lauren at threadUP.com!

2013-03-20T06:58:00.001-07:00

thredUP.com is an online kids consignment shop! Save up to 80% on top kids brands like GAP, Gymboree and Ralph Lauren. Then send back outgrown childrens' clothes and earn cash! Good for your family, your wallet and the planet.

Earn cash on your kids' outgrown clothes! Simply order a bag from thredUP.com and earn 20-40% of each item's resale value. Order a bag today!

Join threadUP Today!

Find more coupons at Coupons.com, too, or shop eBates.com to get paid for your shopping!

It's about that time of year - Spring Cleaning is here!

2013-03-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

That's right, Spring Cleaning!!!

So it's getting close to that time of year where us moms want to air out the house to remove the odor of winter, clean everything and get organized! If your house is anything like my house, it just seems like during the winter it's so stuffy and stagnant. Plus, I have 4 boys, two of which are teenagers, and when they are cooped up in the house for much of the winter I feel like there are just germs EVERYWHERE! All of the closets are full of winter clothes and I am soooooo ready to replace them with the nice, lighter clothing for spring.

I would like to share with you the "routine" of my Spring Cleaning frenzy, which I usually do mid to late March (yep - I'll be doing mine soon). First let me tell you - save the dusting for absolutely last! All of the cleaning will stir up dust that will settle on everything so if you dust before that, you'll just have to dust again. So not only will I share my routine, but the order I use, too.

1) Cleaning out the bedroom closets
It's time to go through everyone's clothing and see if it's something they have outgrown, not worn or ready to be thrown out or donated. My rule of thumb is if it hasn't been worn in a year, I can donate it. I also sort through the clothes to see if outgrown clothing can be handed down, and if not I donate it. If it's beyond repairable and is even too trashed to be considered "play clothes" I just toss it. I box up most of the winter clothes, but I do leave a few hoodies and sweatshirts since I live in Wisconsin and even in the summer it can get cool out of the blue and cool at night. I do leave all of the jeans hanging, too, since they can be worn pretty much year round. Then - I hang up the spring clothes that were stored from the previous year and decide what they need more of (usually it's shorts that I end up buying more of and of course, socks, too).

Also in my closet I've got boxes of odds and ends, plus boxes containing business receipts and invoices. I toss out anything that's over 3 years old. I go through my hobby stuff and if I haven't used it in a year, I donate it. If you're planning on organizing a closet, adding shelves or having a closet system installed, spring cleaning is the perfect time to do it. I highly recommend hanging organizers because you can pretty much fit them into any size closet. They're great. There are hanging organizers for your shoes, larger ones that you can put folded clothing into. I also have cloth bind in my closet to hold intimates and swimsuits.

2) The linen closet attack
I do go through the linen closet and wash my table cloths and things like that since they are not used all of the time. Dust build up on them when they are just sitting in the closet and I don't like that. I also use my linen closet to house other things like board games and such. I go through the games and if it's something that hasn't been played in a year, I donate it.

3) Change out filters and get the air conditioner ready
Usually, I'll dust the vents (if you can afford it, I highly recommend having your ducts cleaned), sometimes even taking the vents off and washing them. Even though they get dusted over the winter, they still get pretty crudded up on the inside of the vent cover. Yuck! Check your heating and/or air conditioner filters to make sure there is a fresh, clean filter in there. Do the same to any humidifiers or air purifiers using filters. Another place to change the filters would be your oven vent and the ice maker/water spout of your fridge.

4) The kitchen ... time to change the dishes out
A lot of moms I know have their "winter dishes" and then their normal dishes. Time to pack up the winter dishes, bring your normal dishes out of storage, wash them and put them away. Wipe down the cabinet shelves before putting them away, though. Also go through your pantry, refrigerator and cabinets to throw out anything that has expired, staled or gone bad. I also give the refrigerator and freezer a good cleaning inside and out. I also have a white floor in the kitchen so it gets a good bleaching.

5) Wipe down the walls
You would be surprised how dirty your walls can get over the winter! I know in my house, there's dirty hand prints here and there (especially on doors and the stairs). I usually wipe down the doors and handles during the winter because of germs, but I SCRUB them when I'm doing my spring cleaning.

6) Deep clean the bathroom
My bathrooms get cleaned regularly, but they get SCRUBBED in my spring cleaning. I tell ya, boys are pigs! LOL Being the only female in the house, my boys know to put the seat down, but they don't know how to aim. I bleach the bathroom!

7) Vacuum and clean all the carpets
We vacuum regularly, but I have ServiceMaster come in and clean the carpets for me to make sure they stay nice and fresh. With my health condition, I can't push and pull a cleaner myself, so for me it's worth the expense. I actually prefer to do this in the Spring and then again in the fall. The rest of the year I use a concoction of Arm & Hammer laundry soap (with OxiClean) and water to spot clean and freshen up the carpets.

8) Window washing
I'll be honest, I don't wash my windows all the time, unless I see dirty hand prints on them LOL. So, when I'm spring cleaning I do wash every window, the blinds, the sills. I also spray the screens with Clorox with bleach and wipe them down because they get so nasty with dust and from the snow and stuff. It gives me tennis elbow when I do it, but it's worth it to me.

9) Finally, time to dust
When I say dust, I mean really dust. I use Swiffers all the time to dust, but when I'm spring cleaning I break out the pledge and I dust everything - furniture, TV's, knickknacks, wall hangings .... you name it.

10) Last but not least, let's get organized
Every year I have a new idea to organize something in my home. This year I'm reorganizing my pantry and adding cloth bins to hold things that have packages and come in boxes. It takes up less room and my boys have this bad habit of leaving empty boxes in the pantry so this will stop that LOL

Overall, I give the house a good scrub top to bottom and I feel wonderful about my home when it's all done. It smells so good and it's nice to air out the house. I hope you got some great ideas. I did some searching and found some coupons for cleaning and organizing so be sure to check them out!

Arm & Hammer Coupons (they do make you sign up for their newsletter, but you can opt out right after you get the coupons)

Swiffer Coupons

Clorox Bleach Offers

OxiClean Coupons (they make you sign up for their newsletter, too)

Sign Up for Scrubbing Bubbles offers

Find more coupons at Coupons.com, too, or shop eBates.com to get paid for your cleaning!

metamit's blog: I apologize for the slow blogging - but it will pick up soon!

2012-02-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

metamit's blog: I apologize for the slow blogging - but it will pick up soon!

I'm sorry I've been slow on blog posts, the last few day I've been showing my building for sale and interviewing for office help with 3 Son'. If you are interested in either, feel free to see my Craig' list listings!

Client Care Specialist Needed: http://eauclaire.craigslist.org/csr/2851977766.html

Small Commercial Building for sale in Strum: http://eauclaire.craigslist.org/off/2852487656.html

Thank you for understanding! Now that I'm back to work full time you should start seeing increases soon!

Tam

A Simple & Easy Craft - Leftover Shells Make a Cute Windchime

2012-02-07T07:42:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what to do with left overs from craft ideas? More crafts!

My son and I had some left over broken shells from a basket of shells for our bathroom and decided to make a windchime for our front door. We took some leftover hemp string, tied some wooden beads to it, and at the end we took the remnants of the shells and tied them to the ends of the hemp string.

May not be the most beautiful creation in the world, but we love it. Plus, it was good quality time with my son, Donovan, and it's something I can keep as a reminder of a day when we had nothing to do and turned it into a mommy-Donovan craft time :-)

Happy New Year’s Sale! 20.12% OFF All Products!

2011-12-31T15:43:00.001-08:00

Shop inspirational t-shirts, binders, calendars and more at my IWannaGetWell.com Zazzle shop and save 20.12% when you use code 2012NEWYEARS so be sure to stop by http://www.zazzle.com/metamit and start your New Year with IWannaGetWell.com!

Thanks for your support!
Love, Tam

Look for new posts beginning January 2nd!!!

2011-12-28T12:48:00.001-08:00

I am so sorry for neglecting my FB page and blog, I've been on medical leave. Look for new blog posts and FB activity beginning January 2nd - I am going to make myself stay busy with my blogs beginning with the New Year. Thanks so much for your continued support!

The Bizy Work At Home Mom: Don't pay to become a "mystery shopper"! If they expect you to pay - it's not a real opportunity!

2011-10-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Bizy Work At Home Mom: Don't pay to become a "mystery shopper"! If they expect you to pay - it's not a real opportunity!
I've had friends ask me over time about mystery shopping emails they receive. They're mostly stay at home mom's looking to make a little money. The emails they get usually require them to pay a fee to sign up and receive lists for mystery shopping opportunities.

Cute and Crafty Mom: Cute and Crafty Mom: HUGE SALE at Costume Craze - 50-90% OFF!

2011-09-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

Cute and Crafty Mom: Cute and Crafty Mom: HUGE SALE at Costume Craze - 50-90% OFF!
That's right! Halloween is just around the corner, save big on costumes while you can at Costume Craze! Save now!

Cute and Crafty Mom: HUGE SALE at Costume Craze - 50-90% OFF!

2011-09-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

Cute and Crafty Mom: HUGE SALE at Costume Craze - 50-90% OFF!
That's right! Halloween is just around the corner, save big on costumes while you can at Costume Craze! Save now!

HUGE SALE at Costume Craze - 50-90% OFF!

2011-09-14T07:00:00.001-07:00

HUGE SALE at Costume Craze - 50-90% OFF!

That's right! Halloween is just around the corner, save big on costumes while you can at Costume Craze! Save now!

Candy Cane Fairy Costume - Christmas Fairy CostumesThis Candy Cane Fairy Costume indcludes the bright shiny red hoop dress with black and white striped trim, a v-neck and a striped band and bow on the bodice, and the matching striped armwarmers and leggings. Wings and headband available separately.

Deluxe Harry Potter Costume - Harry Potter CostumesDeluxe Harry Potter Costume Robe for boys and girls - This officially licenced, authentic Deluxe Harry Potter Costume Robe is black and mauve with clasp. The embroidered patch is a Gryffindor coat of arms. Hogwarts School for Witches and Warlocks is divided into four houses. The house of Gryffindor is named for its founder Godric Gryffindor and the students of this house share dormitories and classes. Robe is 100% polyester, exclusive of trim, and has a felt-like feel.

Kids and Toddler Butterfly Fairy Costume - Girls Fairy CostumesThis delicateKids and Toddler Butterfly Fairy costume includes the dress in a delicious shade of mint green with fancy sheer puff shoulders accented in striped of gold braid and teal sequins, fitted sheer sleeves, a sequined bodice, sparkling sheer overskirt and satin underskirt, and the matching iridescent wings.

Girls Gothic Witch Costume - Witch CostumesChild Halloween Costumes - This Gothic Witch Costume includes gothic witch velvet trimmed black witch costume hat with purple band and gold buckle, and the black witch costume dress with purple inset and purple cuffs and with gold cording. 100% Polyester. Exclusive of Trim. Hand wash. Cool water. Line dry. No Bleach. PLEASE NOTE: Size Small is black and purple. Sizes Medium and Large are as pictured (black and orange). PLEASE NOTE: Costume is black and purple, NOT black and orange.

Prince of Darkness Vampire Costume - Kids Vampire CostumesThis Prince of Darkness Vampire Costume includes the black and red bat-motif vest with attached satin sleeves, 1/2 length cape with an attached stand-up collar and the dickey with attached cravat and pin.

Family Fun & Mom Time Now That School is Back In Session!

2011-09-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it's always crazy the first few weeks that the kids go back to school until everyone gets into their schedule and routine. For mom's it's almost like running a business! The scheduling of sports events, parties and plays plus managing class fees and lunch money - it's a full time job on it's own! Then we have to make sure as the school year goes along that we take care of the Halloween costumes, winter gear, haircuts, school pictures - it just goes on and on and on. But - as moms we still want to get that quality family time in, too. That's where your time management, organization and multi-tasking skills really come in handy!

In my own house, I keep three calendars. There's one on my fridge (although right at this moment it's still in a box from the move) that my boys can all keep track of what's going on and add to it if they need to. I write meals on it, their appointments, school stuff - anything they need to keep track of with me. I also carry a student planner that plans out all of the school activities and doctors appointments. Then I have my own personal calendar for just my needs.

For the never ending school notes and papers, each of my boys have a file bin. They put what they bring home into their bins and then I get to look through it, put important notes on the fridge so I don't forget, add dates to calendars, throw away regular school papers and then save their art projects. I've been using this system a couple of years and I've learned I have to check the bins every day because they can fill up fast!
Email is a great and wonderful thing now-a-days. Instead of having to call a dozen different teachers, it's so nice just to be able to email a question here and there. It's great when I lose a note to be able to just ask the teacher about it. I also email for updates when I'm concerned about something.

Winter gear - can you say OMG?? We live up in Wisconsin so it starts getting cold in October usually. I collect winter gear throughout the year, recycling whatever I can. It all gets stored in a bin with gloves taking up most of the space. With four boys always losing gloves we can never have enough! My bin has grown from a little one, to a big big bin since we've been collecting hand-me-down gloves and hats from the older sons for the younger sons.

I also recycle costumes, so we have a bin full of masks, costumes, makeup, accessories and stuff from previous years. I actually still have my youngest son's 1st costume and he's 6 now! I keep saying I'll put it on eBay but I think I just can't let go of it or something because I just never get around to getting it listed LOL

So let's look at some family fun deals for this week, shall we? I know some of you moms have all of your children in school, some still have little ones at home and some home school, but I think it's important to set aside at least one day a week during the school year (besides the weekend) for "family night". Ours is usually Wednesday night, but I'll admit sometimes we don't always get to have our full family night during football season or when my son is working his farm job, but I do try.

Plum DistrictExclusive Daily Deals for Moms and their families! Save 50% - 90% on your favorite products and services.

momAgenda - get organized with style
Get 20% Off a small School Years book with code SCHOOLYEARSMOM
NEW 2011/2012 momAgenda Planners now available!
FACTORY OUTLET SALE at MomAgenda.com! While Supplies last

Sittercity: Find Babysitter, Nanny, Petsitter or Housesitter
Save 20% off memberships this fall with coupon code FALL20 exp 09/30/2011

Amber Alert GPS
Millions of Children Are Lost Everyday! Use Promo Code "Amber" To Get 10% Off New GPS Child Locator Device!

Hooked On Phonics
Save 20% On You HOP Order With Coupon Code SAVE20
New Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read - Normally $239.95, only $159.95
Learn to Read-Pre-K: $44.95, $15 off! Click Here

Labor Day Sale at Hancock Fabrics - 2 Days Only!

2011-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

2 DAYS ONLY - Up to 60% off! Labor Day Sale on September 4th and 5th at HancockFabrics.com

New Ideas For Saving On Back To School And Your Sanity!

2011-08-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

OMG It's Been Forever & A Day Since I've Posted! New Ideas For Saving On Back To School And Your Sanity!

First let me just apologize for not posting since forever. To make a long story short, I had a horrible flare-up of my autoimmune, a separation and divorce, and a major move. But, it's starting to even out and I'm trying to get back on the horse. The timing couldn't be better because up here in Wisconsin, the kids go back to school in September and I am counting the days!

10 years ago when my oldest son started school and I was a work-at-home mom for my then 18 month old, I thought it best that the kids have all brand new clothes for school, it was an easy schedule to balance and really, my sanity was all intact. Then, after two more kids arrived and now all are in school full-time, I've learned that penny-pinching isn't a bad thing and schedules are nothing to be afraid of!

So how do you save money when kids require so much for the start of a new school year? Well, let's talk about clothes. They always need clothes to start the new year with, but do they have to be new?? I learned that no - especially with younger kids, you can get away with thrift shops, hand-me-downs and swap-shops to give your kids a fashionable but affordable back-to-school wardrobe. For me that comes easy since I have all boys and they can hand down clothes. I also shop thrift stores like Savers (my fav!) and consignment shops because you can get some great deals on brand-name and designer labels, and the younger kids don't know the difference. I pick up jeans, shirts, jackets and I also start stocking up on winter-gear little by little so that when the first snowflakes fly I'm prepared.

Now, for older kids, you can't always get away with that. I'm lucky, my oldest is now 15 and the latest styles up here send him and his friends running to thrift shops to get that "vintage" look anyway. Also, this time of year a lot of stores like Pac Sun, Hot Topic, Finish Line, Famous Footwear, Zumiez, the Buckle and other great shops run Buy One Get One 1/2 Off on jeans, shirts, shoes, accessories and more. So for the older crowd, you can save a lot of money.

For shoes, my younger boys are perfectly happy with Payless Shoes and they also run BOGO for back to school. Our schools require two pairs (indoor and outdoor) so it works out really well. And, if there's an odd shoe out, I'll splurge and get a pair 1/2 off if one of the boys can't find something they like :-)

Swap-shops like Thred-Up are also great, because you can get a whole box of what you need while clearing out what you don't need. I also trade with friends and neighbors. Like I said, when their young, they don't have to have everything new - they just know that they like the color or the design or whatever. You would be surprised at some of the great-looking tops I've bought my boys and they still won't part with them from last year! We also recycle anything that can be re-used from the previous school year like hats, belts, sweats, jackets. I get into the habit of buying clearance in larger sizes for the next year, too. If you have the room, buy up clearance, bin it up and store it to save money next year!

So, then, what about school supplies? They make a huge dent in our budget. We do recycle what we can from previous years like backpacks, binders, school boxes and every year I buy extra school supplies at a bargain to try and save a little for the next year. I also buy in bulk since I have 4 boys in school full-time. WalMart will rollback prices on supplies the closer school gets, so I will over buy to have extras on hand for later on in the year. There's also discount stores, dollar stores and the shops where everything is $1 that can save you a lot of money. Discount School Supplies is also a great way to shop for supplies online if you don't feel like getting out and battling crowds for your childs' needs.

Organization - we all make great attempts at it but sometimes no matter what you do you feel like you'll lose your mind keeping track of everything. When my youngest son started school full-time I thought it would be easier on me since no one would be home during the day anymore but boy was I mistaken! It added more events, school functions, plays, sports - you name it! And that's not even counting homework, weekly spelling and all of that. So last year I developed a bin system for the kids. I went to the Dollar Tree and got each of them one of those bins made for filing and put their names on them. When they get home from school - anything that's in the "keep at home" part of their folder went into the bin so that I could see it before it got crammed into their room somewhere. Anything that said "return to school" went onto a clip on my refrigerator so that I could sign notes, mark calendars and such, and also make sure their reading minutes and homework got done.

Then - scheduling - what a nightmare! Keeping track of practices, doctors appointments, plays, class parties, lessons, and so on and so on. I try not to allow my children to get so involved in extracurricular activities that they leave themselves no time to be a kid, but even with just a few between four kids it's a lot to manage! Thank goodness for Google Calendar!! I put everything into my calendar. I even set it up to text me when something needs to be done, kids need to be picked up - anything we do goes into that calendar. Even menus! My ex-husband gets the texts and e-mails, too, so he can keep tabs on things from 2 hours away. I don't know how on Earth I ever survived without Google Calendar!

I also keep a tight scheduling during the week to allow the boys some down-time after school but keep enough structure in it for my ADHD children to have the same routine. They get up at 6:30am to be at the bus stop by 7:30am. Sometimes they eat breakfast at home, sometimes at school. I let them choose. Then they get home about 3:30pm and I allow them 40 minutes to unwind and have an afternoon snack. Then, it's homework time while I fix dinner. I do allow them about 30 minutes of T.V. after homework while I finish up getting their dinner ready. We eat about 6pm, then it's baths, a book and bed. In my house, my boys have to do their chores, homework and reading minutes to earn points that they can spend on T.V., video game or computer time while I'm bathing children and cleaning up from dinner. I do this to limit how much time they spend on T.V. and such before bed. Don't want them too wound up at bed time. My 6 and 8 year old go to bed at 8:30pm, the 12 year old goes down at 9pm and the oldest by 10pm. I found that as long as I stick to this routine everyday, there's less fighting, chaos and insanity in my house. I do keep their bed times on the weekend, too, unless there's something going on where I absolutely have to bend the rule a bit. Now, this year, it may change a little since their Dad moved 2 hours away. The boys will be going to Dad's on the weekends and I just hope he helps me stick to the schedule to make it much easier on all of the children, but especially the two with ADHD (the 6 and 12 yr old).

Anyway - that's just how I run my school year here for the kids. What works for me may not work for everyone, I just found that over the years this seemed to be the best compromise for both me and the kids. And remember what I said about the younger kids not absolutely having to have the brand new clothes. I learned that kids don't really care - they just want to look good. Try some of these sales and see where you can save a buck or two!

Discount School Supply:

Save up to 30% off retail on Crayola®

Shop Clearance Blow Outs and save up to 68% off retail!

BudgetBoosters - Save on Back to School Supplies, now at DiscountSchoolSupply.com! Click Here!

Biblio.com:

Save up to 90% off on new and used textbooks at Biblio.com

Bargain books under $2

thredUP:
Join thredUP's FREE online community to exchange stuff your kids no longer use, for clothing that fits & toys they'll love! thredUP is where families swap kids clothing (and toys!) online.

BetterWorld.com:

Get 3 used books for $10, 4 for $12 and 5 for $15 with the Better World Books Bargain Bin

Fund Literacy, Care for the Environment, and get a Fair Price on the Books you Want.

FergieShoes.com:

Save 15% off sitewide with code FERGIE15 at Fergieshoes.com!

Football Fanatics:

Save an extra 20% on sale items at Fanatics

$4.99 - 3-Day Shipping at FootballFanatics.com

FamousFootwear:

Save an additional 20% sitewide at the FamousFootwear BOGO 1/2 Off Sale, code BTS2011!

Spencer Gifts:

50% Off Messenger Bags & Backpacks!

Buy one Clearance T-Shirt, Get one FREE

Belts & Buckles - Buy One Get One 1/2 Off!

Hot Topic:

Check out all the hottest discounts at HotTopic.com!

$19.99 on Select Converse and Vans at HotTopic.com! While supplies last!

PUMA:

PUMA Online Store - Buy a Pair of Shoes, Get a FREE PUMA Backpack

$19.99 on Select Converse and Vans at HotTopic.com! While supplies last!

Surf Fanatics:

Save 20% on sale merchandise at Surf Fanatics

FREE 3 Day Shipping On Orders Over $50 at SurfFanatics.com

PACSUN:

Extra 30% Off Men's Graphic Tees

Womens Tees and Tanks: Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off

Guys Shorts Starting at $19.99!

Women's Hoodies Starting at $9.99

metamit's blog: Bare with me while I move

2011-08-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

metamit's blog: Bare with me while I move
Please bare with me on my blogging, I'm still getting unpacked and settled in our new home, and am having a bit of a set-back in my remission. I will try to blog and get my ads up-to-date this week and continue with normal blogging next week.

The Bizy Work At Home Mom: Sally Miller is Holding a Window Design Contest - You Could Win a FREE Couture Dress!

2011-06-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

The Bizy Work At Home Mom: Sally Miller is Holding a Window Design Contest - You Could Win a FREE Couture Dress!
I just got a newsletter from one of my favorite clients and she is holding a fabulous contest! Sally Miller is having her first of many contests. We need a fabulous 4th of July window display and we need your help!

Get $5 for Your Used Books at thredUP Kids Clothing Swap!

2011-06-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

Limited Offer from thredUP Kids Clothing Swap - $5 for YOUR used books through June 14th!

What is it?

thredUP.com, where moms swap kids clothes, toys and now BOOKS online, just launched a Summer Book Swap!

Send a box of your used books to another mom who wants them (before June 14) and get a $5 swap credit! Credit can be used towards thousands of boxes full of pre-loved clothes, toys or books listed by other thredUP moms.

When you send a box of pre-loved books to another family, you’ll also receive a Summer Reading Package worth over $40! You’ll get $25 towards book rentals from BookSwim, 30% off an order at Chronicle Books with free shipping and 5 credits (worth $2.99 each) towards eBook rentals at eBookFling.

How does it work?

Sign-up for free and thredUP will send you complimentary empty USPS boxes (if you don’t want to wait, go grab them for free at your local post office).

Gather all the books your child no longer reads, and list them by the boxful on thredUP.

When another mom picks your box of books, thredUP lets you know. thredUP generates the shipping label and scheduldes home pick-up, so you can send books without leaving the house.

It’s even easier than Goodwill and you’ll send your family’s once loved books directly to another child who wants them.

The Best Part?

For every box you send on thredUP, you’ll earn additional ‘picks’ allowing you to select boxes of pre-loved kids clothes, toys or books listed by other moms across the country. Pay only $5 + shipping to pick one and have it delivered to your door!

Stop by thredUP today! FREE to join!

An Unusual Birthday Cake Request But It Worked!

2011-05-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

So this past Sunday was my son, Derik's, 8th birthday. Now for all my boys' birthdays I try to bake their cakes myself if I can because I feel like it means more. So I will ask a few weeks before their birthday what kind of cake they would like. I'll get the usual answers such as "chocolate", "vanilla", etc. And I will add decoration and themes to it.

So I asked Derik what kind of cake he would like and he said "Glazed Doughnut". Hmmm - really? Well, if that's what he wants that's what he gets. I knew I couldn't make a glazed doughnut that big - he wanted the raised, not the cake kind. So - my idea was to get two trays of glazed donuts and "pyramid" them and then get a nice big #8 candle to stick in the center of the top donut. Guess what? It worked! And - it saved a lot of mess because I didn't have to cut cake! This is how it turned out:

So it turned out to be one of the easiest birthday cakes ever - and he was just thrilled that he got the cake he wanted.

So now, this Sunday is my 2nd oldest son's 11th birthday. Luckily, Donovan simply requested a chocolate cake with a "fishing theme" so back to normal I guess. LOL

Tam

Your Hippie Chick: $5.00 Totes Blowout at the Wedding Channel Store!

2011-05-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Your Hippie Chick: $5.00 Totes Blowout at the Wedding Channel Store!
This weekend only, shop an exclusive selection of $5.00 totes at the Wedding Channel Store!

Saving Big

2011-05-04T02:17:00.000-07:00

I just launched my new blog - Saving Big!
We all want to save money, I don't care who you are. We want the best deals on clothes, food, entertainment, baby stuff, business needs. There is nothing shameful in trying to be thrifty and saving as much as you can.

metamit's blog: NEWS FLASH - Since I'm Stuck In Bed I'm Going To Be Redoing Some Blogs

2011-04-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

metamit's blog: NEWS FLASH - Since I'm Stuck In Bed I'm Going To Be Redoing Some Blogs

Your Hippie Chick: The Hip Mom Deserves a Hip Gift This Mother's Day

2011-04-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

Your Hippie Chick: The Hip Mom Deserves a Hip Gift This Mother's Day

Well ... Start the hinting because you know he's not thinking about Mother's Day yet!

2011-04-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

You may be a mom now, but you're still a woman, and it's already up to you to run the house, the kids, the taxi, the cleaners and so on and so forth - why not take the fate of your Mother's Day into your own hands, too? You know he (or she depending on your lifestyle) doesn't have a clue about what you want or what you want to do for Mother's Day, so you'll need to work on him (or her) a little. Get the hinting started, heck - draw him (or her) a picture if you have to! Mother's Day isn't just about getting a gift, it's the celebration of your family and you - and it's your family's chance to show how much they appreciate everything you do. If you don't already have a tradition for the day - start one. I, myself, take half the day off and my kids do something cute for me, and then I spend half the day with them doing something fun. After all - they are the reason that Mother's Day is celebrated in my house at all! LOL

So start planning a day for you and your family. Plan a family outing, or tell your partner to plan one for you (and don't forget the hints about your gift!). I know my boys won't buy a gift, after all they are just kids, but they make me the cutest little cards, beaded necklaces, pictures - those are my favorites. Even though my ex-husband and I aren't together, we still include him because he is the father of my children and like I said, in my house Mother's Day is a family event :-)

Not sure what you want for Mother's Day or have no idea what to do for Mother's Day? Try some of these specials - spark some ideas for picnic places, gifts and more. And don't forget to enjoy your Mother's Day no matter what. Happy Mother's Day from Tamra!!

SnapTotes make wonderful gifts for mom! Personalized photo totes, purses, handbags and wallets - there's no way she'd be disappointed in a gift like that!
Snap Totes

Incredible Savings on the Entire Katarina Collection PLUS Free 2nd Day Shipping April 15th-May 8th
Katrina.com - Sale Ends May 8th, 2011

Exclusive Daily Deals for Moms and their families! Save 50% - 90% on your favorite products and services.
Plum District

Custom gift cards with you in mind. Gift cards for some of your favorite retailers all at discount!
GiftCards.com

20% off any purchase at CandleBay.com using code CB2020.
Candle Bay

FREE SHIPPING on Miche Bags for Mother's Day!
Miche Bags

MomAgenda keeps moms organized in style!
MomAgenda

Play Latte Land - the new moms-only game at CafeMom!
Cafe Mom

FREE Blue Island Necklace and Bracelet with purchase at Yves Rocher - double the gift for Mother's Day!
Yves Rocher Free Gift With Purchase

MamaPedia SWEET Deals Near you - 50% Off Family Fun Near You!
MamaPedia

Mom's always love flowers! Save 10% at USAFlorist.com on an arrangement she'll love for Mother's Day!
USAFlorist.com

The easiest Pot Roast Ever and my kids just LOVE it!

2011-04-08T05:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's hard for busy moms to whip up a really good dinner for their family, whether they work outside the home, are stay at home moms or work at home moms. I have come to rely on my crock-pots like you wouldn't believe!

I have a Pot Roast recipe that is for the crock pot and the first time I made it, my kids ate every single bite. They are picky sometimes and when I make a traditional roast with the potatoes, carrots, onions and all that they do not like it. Give it a try! I use my large crock pot for the roast, then my smaller crock pot for my veggies and then I do cheat and use instant mashed potatoes but you can pre-make your potatoes and put them in a crock-pot, too.

So anyway - here's what you'll need:

1 2-3 pound rump roast (or the roast of your choice)
1/2 cup of flour
2 cans of Beefy Mushroom soup (I only use Campbell's brand)

Coat your roast with the flour and then put the roast into your crock-pot.. Pour the Beefy Mushroom soup over your roast and then fill one of the cans almost to the top with water and pour that on the roast. Put the lid on and cook on low for about 6 hours or cook on high for about 4. Myself, I usually start the roast out on high about noon and then about 3pm I turn it down to low and we eat about 6pm. My kids usually want corn and mashed potatoes with it.

This roast is enough to serve my family of 6 with left overs for hot beef sandwiches for another meal.