Frugal Creations from the Heart

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!

2010-04-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

No how to do its today.
We have been busy trying to welcome Spring with open arms. I love the warm sun on my face. I loved it so much the other day I got a little wind burned from being outside. Better then freezing!!!!

We have been making Easter candy for the grandbabies baskets.
I bought plastic Easter buckts for each one for $1.50 each. 4 blue and 8 pink. These will be used over and over again and much easier to store then 1 wicker baskets.
Below are pictures of some of the things we have finished. I'm not done yet! A lot to do today.

Have a Happy and Joyous Easter and don't eat all the chocolate in one day. Don't forget to thank the Lord for all your blessings!!!

Flower and Patio Show!!

2010-03-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful day yesterday!

My mother had won four tickets to the Indianapolis Flower and Patio Show. She offered my husband and I two of the tickets and we had a great time! I had wanted to go, but at $12 a ticket I just couldn't see doing it. We got lucky and only had to pay $3 for parking.

The theme this year was books and the gardens were decorated to represent different stories. Warning we are picture heavy today!!!

Above is the Alice In Wonderland garden. Just to cute for words.

Robin Hood was beautiful!

The Wizard of Oz was a big favorite!!

There were just so many themes, to many to show you. If you ever have the chance you must go to this show. The ideas will just run thru your head for your yard!!

They had everything from ponds to yard decorations. Just awsome!!!!!

After the show we went to two of my favorite places and had a wonderful ending to a wonderful day!!

New Job For an Old Item

2010-03-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

A while back my mother asked me if I would like a marble paper towel holder. I accepted it for a couple of reasons.
1.   It use to belong to my grandmother
2.   It is marble
3.   If its free, its for me!!!!!

I wan't sure what to do with it at first. I don't buy paper towels, I'm to frugal. And I didn't want to deface it in anyway.

I got the idea to use it as a holder for extra rolls of toliet paper! The idea came to me the day I was stuck in the bathroom without a spare roll. It seems I am the only one that knows how to replace it.

It sits proudly on a shelf for use in case of emergencies!

Not a new creations but it is frugal!!!

So Happy!!!!

2010-02-20T03:46:00.000-08:00

I am so excited right now!
We finally broke down and got our cable internet hooked up!
Things are much faster and it is such a joy to be able to travel thru the web at lightening speed compared to dial up!!

I know that our dial up and prepaid phone service were cheaper but being on the interent as much as I am, the phone line was always tied up. Picture download was becoming a chore when it came to my ebay selling and school work was sooooooooooo slow it was awful. So with a little belt tightening in other areas we have finally come up in the world!!!!

I just posted this picture of my little Victoria because it is so fast to do now!!!!!

Awsome Blog Found!

2010-02-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

I was reading different blogs today and came acros one that I find to be just totally AWSOME!!!!!! Censationalgirl ..........you can see her from here. http://www.centsationalgirl.com/ I couldn't get her button to transfer to my site but will be trying again later.
This blog is great!
Lots of how to in it. Filled with ways to redo old things to new.
I will be reading it a lot!
Take a minute and check out her site. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

Frugal Afghan

2010-02-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a throw for my friend. And I ran out of white yarn. While searching for more I found all these other colors I had in the closet and it got me to thinking! She is always razzing me about my frugalness! Good naturedly of course! So I decided she could have a frugal throw! I just use what I had to work with. No pattern, no color matching or anything. Just what I had on hand!

I told her what I was planning and showed her the work in progress and she loved it!!!! She said it was truely frugal and definitly ME!!!!

I'm sure it is gonna be pretty unusual but HEY!!, I like it!!!!

Frugal Wedding Favor

2010-02-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

One of my babies got married over the last weekend. Thats their little girl in the background.
A very simple civil ceremony with a reception at their home.

She found these cute favor kits at Good Will for only a couple of dollars each!
I think they are so cute. The reception was wonderful and everyone had a good time!
So make sure you are keeping an eye out at your thrift stores! There are usualy some great finds there!!!

THE NEW LOOK and NEW ATTITUDE!!!!!!!

2010-02-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've kind of been hem hawing around about my blog and it just never felt right!
I came across this wonderful site http://www.thecutestblogontheblock/ ! It offered free backgrounds, buttons and all sorts of goodies!!
I decided that the time had come to start changing things! So we now have a new look!!! I love it! love it! love it! I hope you enjoy it also! Over time, more changes will be happening. I hope this helps to keep me inspired to write!!

Now for the attitude. I was checking out different blogs and discovered that are THOUSANDS of frugal blogs with tips and ideas out there.
I didn't want to get rid of my blog completely so I thought a change was once again in order!
The title of my blog is Frugal Creations From the Heart, but I wasn't doing any real creating! So there is the change!!!

I will probably throw in a frugal hint here and there( I can't help it) but I decided it was time to hit the CREATE part harder!

I hope you like the changes and will be back often to check and see what I have done!!!!!

Oh My!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-27T13:04:00.000-08:00

I was going around visiting another frugal forum and I read a post from a lady that was trying to lower her grocery bill.
She spends $1000.00 a month on groceries! I alsmost fell right out of my chair when I saw that.

With it just being my darling hubby and I at home now I have driven myself to spend less then $100 a week on groceries. I thought I would take a minute and share my tips with you.

1.     Make bread, rolls, biscuits, pancakes, etc..... if I can make it I don't buy it!
2.     Use powdered milk. We are not big milk drinkers so this one is easy. Plus!!!! My son has a grandmother that insist on giving them bags of it. They can't get her to understand they don't want it so they give it to me! I have 6 bags yet to go thru. EXTRA SAVINGS!!!!!!!!!
3.     I DO NOT buy lunch meat. Everygreat now and then I buy sandwich spread (cheap ham salad) and that is because I have two grandsons that would live on it if they could. My daughter moved to Kentucky and can't find anything like it, so when I know they are coming I will get a couple of pounds for the boys. (grandmas are allowed to go unfrugal at times)
4.    I save all left overs and those are lunch the next day, if no leftovers are available we make due with peanut and jelly.
5.    With my Make it Don't Buy it rule, I don't waste money on candy, chips, and other junk food.

I like to make it a game to see just how low I can get the bills. Some times I win and sometimes I lose. But hey!!!!!! It's still fun to try!!!!

Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!!!

Life Gets In the Way

2010-01-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get so aggravaited with myself!!! I make plans, set goals and something comes swooping along and knocks me off my feet!
What I am talking about is depression. I started out my year all gung ho and then it hits me kind of hard! It also ties into a daughter moving out and having the nerve to take my grandchildren with her! lol
I didn't adjust to having an empty nest as well as I thought I would. To help with the problem my daughter came for a visit this weekend and my darling hubby has promised at least once a month trips to Ohio and Kentucky to visit children and grandchildren who are not close by!
Feling some what more in charge of things now, I am able to move ahead and instead of feeling sorry for myself am concentrating more on being thankful for what I have then rather on what I don't.
So,,,,,,,,,starting today, Frugalk Creations will be up and running on a more frequent basis and I will be doing my best to show you folks what I can come up with!!!!!!!!!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!!!!!!

HAPPY FRUGAL NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-01T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, 2009 has come and gone. And we welcome 2010 with hope and dreams of a better year to be had by all.

As I sat down to write I wondered how to begin this year, and I will start by telling my game plan for birthdays and holidays. Yes I am talking holidays already!!! I am going to buy any where from 1 to 3 birthday present a week untill I have everyones bought then I am working on Christmas!!! I figured that I will be starting my Christmas shopping for this year in April. I have a lot of birthdays to cover first. With 5 children and thier partners, 12 grandchildren and then my darling hubby and parents it will take me while to get those done.

I was so proud of daughter today!! She works at Wal Mart in KY. She called me this morning to let me know that she bought her first Christmas present for the year today!!! She bought a V Tech game held system for $15. They are regularly $30 something. She was so excited about it and I just smiled because I am slowly rubbing off on them ( you may insert a happy dance here!)

Keep an eye out here for changes! Some may be subtle and others mite just jump right out at you!! I have also added a link to my debt reduction blog that starts today!!! Annnnnnnnnnnnd.......I will be adding another link for my reviews blog. Just a place where I will review a product and give my own two cents about it. So watch for that one to start soon!

It's going to be a fun year with new blogs, a new attittude and who knows?, maybe a contest and give a way here and there!

So ya all come back now ya hear!!!!!

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!!!!

Promises To Me!!

2009-12-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

I have been so ashamed of myself lately for the lack in posting here.

I have decided not to be so hard on myself and to take a breather. I have a bad habit of putting to many irons in the fire and I get burnt every time. You should see the blisters! lol

So I have decided to make myself some promises, these are not to be confused with resolutions (I never keep them!) But I always keep my promises.

1.     Get it all organized. My blog and my new debt reduction blog that starts January 1, 2010.
                                        My home, my ebay business and my new upcoming Esty shop.

2.     Find some kind of outside, part time employment untill all of the above is off and running. This also goes
                                       will help on the debt reduction.

3.     Make sure that when school starts on the 11th of January, I am ready to go!!! All my books have
                                        arrived and my courses are all online so I am not making several trips a week that
                                        are roughly 1 hour driving there and back. Especially with the nasty weather
                                         getting ready to hit us.

4.     I have always lived for my children and grandchildren,,, never for myself. I will still live for them but
                                          myself will be standing in front of the line a few more times then I use to. No one
                                          lives at home anymore so I think it would be nice to come first just once in a
                                          while.

5.     Last but not least I am not going to list things like cut back on caffene(I would kill someone without
                                           my coffee!). Stop smoking.....I just plan to work on that thru the year and
                                           losing wieght will just have to happen on its own. I am not stressing on that
                                           one at all! Someone has to taste test the cookies to make sure they are
                                            yummy for the grandbabies! lol

Make some promises to yourself! They are easier to keep then those stupid resolutions that never work anyways!!!!!!

Heres hoping you a wonderful New Year and lets get thru 2010 together!!!!!!

See you in January!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've Been Absent!

2009-12-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry for my absence from here for the last few days and that our countdown for Christmas was messed up!
I caught some kind of bug and while I haunted different sites I just didn't feel up to posting here. I am happy to say I am back to my old self and tomorrow we will once again start our countdown!!!!

Remember : Reuse, Reduce and Recycle!!!!!!!!

Day Off on the Countdown

2009-12-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

I thought I should take a minute and think of the wonderful friends and family I have. And also the generousity also.

For example:
My son Jeff---free unusable countertops to use in various projects
My parents--- I needed a new stove. Only one burner worked on top. Gave us one they had stored away
                       and I got to cook on four burners for Thanksgiving!!!!!
My friend Niccole and her hubby----- had a brand new gas heater and just gave it to us along with a new
                  storm door.
Cowboy----heard hubby complain about TV going out.(top 1/4 of picture blacked out) came over with a
                    WORKING floor model TV for nothing!!!!

It is truely wonderful to have great friends and family!!!

Count your blessings and remember your 3 R's....Redue, Reuse and Recycle!!!!!!!!!

22 Frugal Days to Christmas!!

2009-12-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas Stockings!

A tradition in our home is that each granchild gets a Christmas stocking from mawmaw and papa.

With 12 grandchildren this can get pretty expensive after a while. Check out your local thrift store for deals on them. Yes, you can get nice ones for about $1 to $2 at the store but I spend 50 to 99 cents on brand new ones at the thrift store. We then decorate them with glitter glue sticks to personalize each one. We also save them and use them year after year. This year we needed 2 new ones so off to the thrift store I went! I also buy extra when they have them to use as decoration around the house.

As you can see by the picture, our banister is getting pretty full. I don't know where we will put any new ones that come along. I need to replace a couple of them. A few accidently got taken home. These are also kept year after year at our house. I just threw up some old ones so I didn't have empty spots.

Looking at that picture reminds me that I need to get some lights hung up there to liven it up a little. Of course my lights were bought a few years ago on clearance.

Don't forget!!!! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!!!

20 Frugal Days to Christmas!!!!

2009-12-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

I accidently came across what I think is gonna be a neat present for my oldest daughter.

A couple of years ago, while at my parents house going through old photos. I came across a picture of my great grandmother(a wonderful person) in her younger days. The resemblance between her and my daughter were AMAZING!!! It was like looking at an old black and white of my daughter!

I am getting that picture and and an enlarged copy of it made, put it in a frame and she will have what I think is a really cool gift.! And it will cost me under $5.00!!!!

You can come up with all sorts of ideas if you just take the time to think about. I don't know what made me think about it but I'mm glad it did!!

Remember!!!!!!! Reduce, Reuse and Recycyle it!!!!!

21 Frugal Christmas Days to Go!

2009-12-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share a frugal decorating tip that I have used for years.

Wrap your wall hanging pictures up to look like gifts!

If you have been really good and watching thrift shops and yard sales, you have an abundance of wrapping paper! Add some ribbon and a bow and you have very fiestive walls!!! You don't have to do every picture in the house but I do as many as I can. It will really brighten up the wall and the little ones love it!

23 Frugal Days and Counting!!

2009-12-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

Today we are talking about Christmas Trees!!!

The past few years we were lucky enough to have a real tree cut down on my parents farm. Sadly, this year dad announced that there were no trees that could be cut.

I was so excited to decorate that I did a frugal no no. We bought a small tree at the Family Dollar for $30 and decorated it. I wasn't really happy about it but I figured ok, we will settle with it. Only to see ads appear in the next few days with better trees at better cost! Oh, I was not a happy camper with myself. So, lessoned learned there folks, wait a few days. It is well worth the wait.

Decorations are an important part of any tree.

Some people like themes, others only do just so much and call it done. Me? I like the more stuff the better!! I can not stand a naked tree! I love homemade ornaments.

I have ornaments that were mine as a child, ornaments made by the kids and grandchildren, a few small stuffed Christmas animals and oodles of stuff picked up at garage sales and thrift shops. My motto is: The more the better!!!!!

I have one relative that buys new tree ornaments and artifical tree every year. She just throws the old out to the trash and starts over next year. I would love to be able to get to her trash and take it all home with me. She lives to far away to pick it up and it would cost WAY to much to to have her send it to me. I can only shake my head at the waste.

Don't forget!! Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!!!!

As you can tell by my picture, it's a little fellow. But it is nicely covered!

The Frugal Christmas Countdown Starts Today!!!!!!

2009-12-01T05:57:00.000-08:00

24 days to go!!!!!!

Are you getting excited?!?! I am. I love the holiays! The kids coming home, decorations, grandbabies, and lets not forget the food and snacks!!!!

Frugal Tip for Today!

Christmas Cards!!!!
Do you stress out about them? I use to. All the writing and mailing. The long periods of writing bothered my hands. I have carpel tunnel in both wrist so it could get painful at times.

Now I keep a basket by the couch full of cards and envelopes. As I watch Christmas programs, I will sign a few and leave the envy blank. Then as we recieve one I can quickly write out the address on one and send it on its way!
For family friends that are close by I will hand deliver them while I am running errands, sometimes adding a small plate of homemade cookies or candy.

Yes, you can send e-greetings thru email, but I find these very impersonal and would rather suck up the cost of stamps. I do however, hand out as many as I can.

I buy our Christmas cards at Goodwill. (can you tell I love this store!!!) Brand new boxes for a lot less then the store!! If you get them half off, you can store extra boxes with your holiday decorations for the next few years. One less thing to worry about next year!!!

Remember your three R's!!!! Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!!

2009-11-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

I have been a little behind on my posting with the holdiay craze around here.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! We did. And of course it was crazy wonderful with the grandbabies and kids.

I have decided that with Christmas approaching I would let you all know that I will be cutting back a little on my posting . But doing a little better then I am now!!!! ha ha

I will not post again untill the 1st of the December and I hope to get in as many little frugal tips and advice I can while getting things ready for here.
I already have one tip but you will just have to wait!!!!!

Remeber your three R's!!!!!!!!! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!!!!!!!

Frugal Funnies

2009-11-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

Once again it is Monday! So here is one to surely make you smile.

Ravioli is one of my all time favorite comfort foods growing up. And as my granddaughter, Victoria shows you, it has become one of her must haves!

Christmas Decoraing

2009-11-15T03:31:00.000-08:00

I LOVE to decorate for Christmas!! I have things placed in every room in the house.
I can't show you right now because I have a strict no decorating rule till after Thanksgiving!

I very seldom by anything new as decorations. If I di I wait until it is half off after the holidays.
A really great place to buy them is at yard sales. I have found a lot of very nice things.

A really inexpensive idea is to gift wrap your pictures that are all ready hanging in your house!
It makes it look like you have presents hanging everywhere. It's using things you already have!
And if you have been watching ahead of time, you have a nice stock of gift wrap waiting to be used. I always find new rolls of gift wrap at thrift stores and yard sales. Those saved pennies really had up!

Don't forget!!! Reuse! Recycle! Reduce!

Do It Yourself!!!

2009-11-11T04:42:00.000-08:00

One of the most frugal things you can do, is to do home projects yourself.

Our family has grown beyond anything we ever dreamed! With 12 grandchildren we no longer had one room that they could all go play in and there were times I would actually trip over someone.

We had already taken out a wall to make the living room larger for holiday gatherings which made our 4 bedroom house to a 3 bedroom. Still room to play was no where to be found. The only empty room was a very small one and it was scheduled to become an office for me later.

We checked out the attic. The only access we had was a small hole in the ceiling of our closet and you had to be a size 0 to fit in it. We cut into the ceiling in the living room and my darling hubby went to work.

Half of the attic is for storage, the other half is for the play room. Because this is a frugal budget it will be a while before it is done. I refuse to blow the budget!!! So painting and a new floor will come as funds are availale. Actually, the flooring is the lamanate wood in the kitchen. When I get the new floor for that, the old goes upstairs. Same as the window! I want a greenhouse window in the kitchen, then the old goes upstairs!

I will have it play ready by Thanksgiving. Just not decorated or finished. But up there, I won't trip over little ones.

The picture of the stairs is what hubby is working on in the living room, with selves and under the stair entertainment center. This also is work in progress, just remember!!!! Baby steps!! Don't blow that budget!!!!! Take your time....

A lot of the wood is recycled from other projects and the 2 landings are actually free unusable counter tops my son got free from his job for us!

The railing is temporary, the one i have in mind is beautiful!!! With stained woood and iron spindles.

Use your 3 R's folks!!!! Reduce, reuse and recycle!!!!!!

Adding On

2009-11-10T06:25:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed the new things on the site? I was very excited about figuring out how to add things to my blog!!! I know, I don't get out much.
I am looking everyday now to make my blog more attractive to look at. I hope you enjoy this work in progress!
Check back often.....
Remember the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, recycle!!!!!!

Good Morning!!

2009-11-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

Have you started shopping for Thanksgiving yet?
We started last week. I buy a little bit every week so I don't just toss the grocery budget out the window. Last week Walmart had turkeys for 40 cents a pound! I bought two of them. I was going to get one giant Butterball but then came across the other ones. I bought 2 at a cheaper price then the one and came out 5 pounds ahead on meat! With my super large family I will definitly need both of them.
This week I will start buying other things I need.
I will make the noodles and gravy myself. I will buy stuffing though. I love Stove Top more then homemade! So does my entire family. Of course I will buy the cheaper brand but it is just as good to us.
I have one daughter that wants me to use instant potatoes. NOT HAPPENING!!!!!!!! I will make all desserts and rolls from scratch. It's a lot of work but I enjoy it.
One tradition I have is the cranberry sauce. It HAS to come from the can. When my son was little he thought that mommy made the ring marks on it and thought it was so cool of me. He is 24 and all though he knows better now (I hope) he always ask me if I made the rings for him.
I am excited about getting a new stove. I have a flat top one and only have 1 burner that works.
I found a reconditioned gas stove for $20 at an appliance store here and am getting it!!!!! We have been told it is very expensive to replace the burners on the flat top. I would rather have gas anyway.
Have a wonderful day and remember the three R's: reduce, reuse, recycle!!!!!!