Coupon Deals and Steals

Just My o"PIN"ion on The BEST Macaroni and Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:23:00 +0000

So I asked my readers on Facebook if they would rather me try the "World's Best Macaroni and Cheese or Chocolate Chip Cookie?" I was secretly hoping for the cookie because I have a major sweet tooth, but instead these crazy people chose Macaroni and Cheese! Just kidding. I love my readers (no matter how insane they are). So, I had pinned two pins with the title BEST Macaroni and Cheese in them and decided which one to try. I am going to be completely honest, I chose the easy one from blogs.baggle.com. The one with one kind of cheese and the one I could pronounce. The other one looked divine but I would have to go to the specialty cheese part of the grocery store and find cheese I couldn't pronounce. I'm simple. I'm a mom. I'm busy...get over it and go find your own Gruyere Cheese or whatever it's called!

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni, cooked and drained *This is the only change I made. I used 16 oz. or a whole box*
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Let me take a minute to tell you how mad I get when people don't explain processes of things in order. The directions for this dish were mostly great except when I got to the part of, add your cooked pasta. I paused and under a few harsh words spoken silently in my head, I muttered, "They never told me to cook the pasta." Is that common sense? I don't think so. But then again I thought part of the Star Spangled Banner was "donzerly light" (dawn's early light)...and I won't tell you at what age I realized it but my 6th grade teacher thought I was sure funny!

So, let me first start by saying:
1. Cook Your Pasta!!!
2. Then follow the rest of the directions following the link above. The rest is easy to understand and explained well!

Verdict:

This is my first time making Homemade Macaroni and Cheese. I'm usually a box kind-of-gal. However, it really wasn't that hard. Had I cooked the noodles before I'd started, it would have been much easier! The kids verdict was that they didn't like it and that the box kind was better. My husband and I both agreed it needed MORE cheese. I had looked at the comments for the recipe and most of them said it was way too cheesy even when they used 16 oz. of noodles. That they only used 5 cups of cheese because they couldn't imagine more. Well...I think next time I will use 8 oz. of noodles and perhaps the same amount of cheese. Or if I do use 16 oz., I would at least use 8 cups of cheese. Holy Cheese Batman, but I don't want a dry noodle at all! I want them swimming in a river of cheese. Isn't that the point...gooey, cheesy, yumminess?!

So, would I dub this the BEST Macaroni and Cheese...NO! But I'm not going to make that fancy recipe with the gruyere cheese or however you say and spell it! So, this will go in my recipe file and I'll put it out from time to time. Now, how about we research those cookies!

Here are pictures of the process:

Cooking the Garlic

Halfway Through Making the Cheese Sauce

Out of the Oven

Just My o"PIN"ion on Tranferring Printer Text to Wood

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:49:00 +0000

I love anything vintage. The more distressed the better in my world. I am sooo lucky that my children also love the distressed look and have a way of making everything look vintage around here! Even though one of my favorite hobbies is to mosey around my favorite local antique stores, usually I walk away with little except for my creative juices flowing. You see, antiques are expensive. It seems like the antique look is very popular right now, so vendors have marked up their prices accordingly! So, I take ideas I see and try to recreate it in a more frugal way! I have been wanting to make a sign for my front porch that has our last name along with the year our recent home was established. I remember seeing this idea from Diddle Dumpling on Pinterest where you can transfer printer ink to wood. So, I picked up a cute board for about $5.00 at the antique store and saved it for a moment I had time to work on this.

Diddle Dumpling has more detailed beginning instructions on how to prepare your board and the best paints to use, but I skipped this step since I bought my board ready to go!

Supplies:
*Wood Board that has been painted and distressed how you prefer.
*Printed Words, rotated so they are correct when you transfer them. *Please google how to rotate your words according to your printer properties for the software you create the words in* I used the Paint software that came with my laptop.
*Paint Brush
*Water
*Sharpie Pen
*Paint for touch ups.
*Hardware or twine to hang your sign.

Directions:
I created my words using the Paint software on my computer. I must say this is what took the longest to figure out. I probably tried a dozen times before I got the size I wanted. However, I finally got it just right and was ready for the next step. I placed my wording on the sign like I wanted and somewhat creased the paper to help it stay in place, but you could also tape it to help. Then you take a paintbrush and go over the words with water. You don't need to get it sopping wet, just wet is fine. Then take the lid of your sharpie and press horizontal and vertical on the letters to get them to transfer over to the wood. Like you would for any other transfer type material. After you get it transferred you can go over the lettering with black paint if it is too light for you. Then put hardware to hang on the back.

Verdict:
So everything went great as soon as I figured out how to print the wording the way I wanted. It was a easy, simple process that was really quick. However, when I took the paper off the wood, there was nothing on the wood. The ink hadn't transferred over to the wood. After doing some research, it seems laser jet printers won't work for this project unless you use acetone. Soooo glad they put this in the directions...ugh! So, I found my old ink jet printer, got it hooked up after installing the driver to my computer, dusted off the cobwebs and then realized there was no ink! So the only thing I have to say is...To Be Continued!

Here are some pictures of the experience!


Materials

Use Paintbrush To Get Printing Wet

Go Over Printed Letters With Sharpie Lid to Transfer

FAIL!

$1.00 Wichita Eagle Sunday Subscriptions- CD&S Exclusive Deal!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:25:00 +0000

I am so excited about this opportunity for my local readers in the Wichita area!

Tiffany Smith, from the Wichita Eagle, has given my Coupon Deals and Steals readers an exclusive deal on a Sunday Wichita Eagle subscription! We all love the Sunday paper for one reason...COUPONS! Okay, so maybe there are some great articles and it's nice to see the weather forecast for the week, but if you are a couponer, you will agree!

Here are the details at snagging the $1.00 A Week Sunday Subscription!!!
*Email tsmith@wichitaeagle.com!
*You will have to purchase a minimum 26 Week Subscription!
*You can purchase as many subscriptions as you want- I got a couple!!
*If you are already a subscriber, just paid or renewed, Tiffany will work with you as long as you purchase an additional subscription!
*You MUST mention that Coupon Deals and Steals or Ashlei Matthews, the coupon lady, sent you!

If you have any other questions just ask Tiffany! She is so nice and easy to work with.

Double Swag Bucks For Using Coupon Through May

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:05:00 +0000

Are you printing all your coupons through Swagbucks? If you aren't...you better start!

They are currently doubling the points you earn for each coupon to 20 Swagbucks instead of 10. This will run through the end of May, so go print them off and don't forget to use them while you shop this
month!

New to Swagbucks?? Go learn more here. Two Words- "A-Mazing"...okay, that's one but it's that good!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Homemade Pledge

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:16:00 +0000

I am falling in love with homemade cleaners. They are usually so much cheaper and better for your family and the environment! I have a kitchen table that has a wood top and it is constantly in need of a polished finish. My kids have destroyed it and continue too. There are feet marks all over it (if you know the stories of my baby Parker being a monkey, this makes sense to you). We bought it about a year ago and thank goodness it has a distressed look because we have added to that charm! But keeping the top looking polished is a chore. It usually just looks horrid. I found this pin from Food.com that not only promised a great polish but also that you would only have to dust every other week or so! It only takes two ingredients and it's so simple to use.

Ingredients: 1 tsp. lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil Container to hold it as you probably won't use it all.

Directions: Mix the lemon juice and the olive oil in a container. Mix it. Take a dusting cloth and wipe down your furniture, cabinets, etc. I really rub it in as it does have that oily consistency.

Verdict: Love it! My table is so shiny, even I am tempted to get on top of it and dance a happy dance. I can't wait to see how long the polish lasts. I also dusted a baseboard halfway with this solution to see if it gets as dusty as the other half. It's my evil way of seeing if it's claims of dusting less are true! Who really likes to dust anyway? *silence* Yep, that's what I thought!

Here are some pictures of the experience!

BEFORE

After

Just My o"PIN"ion on Copycat Sonic Cherry Limeades

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:57:00 +0000

It's basically summertime in my neck of the woods...91 glorious degrees outside today! I was wondering what to post this week and as I was driving by Sonic today and the line was seriously out of the driveway onto the street (someone please tell me why you would really wait that long), I remembered that I had pinned this recipe for a Sonic Cherry Limeade.

I do love a good Sonic Cherry or Strawberry Limeade. However, Sonic is a little out of the way for me to hop on over during Happy Hour, so I was hoping this recipe would be the answer to my prayers! My prayer went something like this:

"Dear Lord,

How are you today? It is hot here. There are no Sonic's for miles and there are times that when my children are climbing up the tv stand for the 50th time, the baby has taken all his pajamas out of his dresser and the middle little is putting toothpaste in his hair that I could really just use a Cherry Limeade. I'm sure you understand as you made these children of mine and I know you are chuckling to yourself as you watch their mother scrape peanut butter out of the DVD player. So, please make this recipe taste as good as a margarita, which is what I really want but I'm a lush and if I drink one of those I won't be able to drive to pick up the biggest kid from school! (Hence why I love Summer Break!)

Amen"

The Supplies:

1 can Sprite or Sprite Zero if you are watching the waistline
1/4 cup Cherry Juice (I used Juicy Juice but I would also like to try an Organic Juice next time)
3 Lime Wedges
1 16 oz. cup filled 3/4 full with Ice

The Directions:

Fill your cup with ice. Make sure it is about a 16 oz. cup or it will get too full. Then add the Sprite, juice and the juice of the limes. Add lime wedges or cherries for garnish if you like. Stir and enjoy!

The Verdict:
Was it as good as a margarita, no. Was it as good as Sonic, no. Did it taste kinda like a Diet Cherry Limeade from Sonic, kinda! That is close enough for me! It was good but I don't know if I would say it's the Copycat Recipe. I am going to try it with an organic juice next time and I think that may help with the cherry taste. My oldest liked it and the baby seemed to too. Make sure you tell me what you think if you make one! Would love to hear if there's any difference when you use different pops and juices!

Here are some pics from the experience:

The Ingredients

Does My Face Say It All?

Just My o"PIN"ion on Scratched Disc Cleaner

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:59:00 +0000

Okay, so I feel kinda bad now for locking my children up in the dungeon and feeding them Ritz crackers through the bottom crack as there punishment for ruining yet another DVD! Okay, I'm lying, I feed them cracker crumbs, but still... (Oh Dear Lord, please let everyone know I'm totally kidding!)

But seriously, who doesn't have an endless amount of totally ruined discs that are unusable because of those pesky scratches that totally ruin the whole movie. Some corporate genius is totally smiling at his idea of making those little, silver circles scratchable so that you have to go buy another disc because otherwise your child will scream nonstop because they can't watch their Nemo for the 500,000 time all while holding their chocolate milk sippy, cup with one hand and their other hand holding their blanket in just the perfect spot or it's all wrong!!!!!!!! Whew, sorry about that. It's been a LONG day! But you know what I am talking about and if you don't, then you probably don't have small children or at least small children like mine. However, I am about to give that smiling, corporate guy a cut in his paycheck, because I have found a miracle! It's right up their with Borax, Vinegar and Mascara! It's Crest Kid's Toothpaste...yep. Thank you Crest and thank you The Handmade Dress for this fabulous idea to pin!

Supplies:

You will need a scratched disc. I say this as if you only have one! HA! Just choose the one your kid is being dramatic about at the current minute. You will also need KID'S CREST toothpaste. Yes, it has to be Kid's and it has to be Crest! Also needed are warm water and a soft cloth or towel.

Directions:

After finding the disc, spread a bit of toothpaste all over. Rub with your fingers until it is almost dried and unspreadable. (Is that a word?) This will take about 2 minutes. Make sure and apply pressure and work in circles so that it buffs those pesky scratches out. Take the disc and rinse it off with warm water. Then just dry it off with a cloth and prepare to be amazed!

The Verdict:

Amazing! I chose a disc that was pretty scratched up. So bad in fact, it only made it about 5 seconds in and it was froze. However, after cleaning it, which took about 3 minutes, it just played and played and played when I tried it again. I let it go for awhile and had absolutely no problems. I am going to make this a job for my two older children and they should have these puppies knocked out in about 3 hours. Don't worry, I will take them out of the dungeon AFTER they are done :)

Here are some pictures of the process:


Before- Very Scratched Up!

Rub that Kid's Crest In Good!

After- Trust me, it was better!

I'm watching the movie!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Cinnamon Roll Waffles!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:59:00 +0000

One thing I love are cinnamon rolls...another, waffles! So, when I saw this recipe from Hen
s Nest, I knew I had to try it. Plus, it gave me a great excuse to eat incredibly fattening food while on a diet!! I mean it's all in the name of research, right?!?!

Supplies:
You will need a waffle maker, a tube of cinnamon rolls and some nonstick cooking spray. Plus lots of hungry people to help eat them, or you will eat them all yourself. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Directions:
Spray nonstick cooking spray on your waffle iron and warm that bad boy up. Once it is heated, place a cinnamon rolls or two or how ever many will fit on the plates and click down. These cook extremely fast, so don't wait for a set timer or light to go off. Check them in about a minute. They should fall off nicely and be brown. My waffle maker wasn't cooperating and the top plate kept sticking, but I was a woman on a mission (I'm on a diet remember) so I just peeled those suckers off! After that, frost with the included icing and enjoy!

The Verdict:
Amazing! Not because of it's taste but because of HOW FAST these babies cook! I can have 1000 calories ready in just a few minutes! No heating the oven, making the house hot, and no more waiting for cinnamon rolls! Now in my o"PIN"ion, they taste just like cinnamon rolls, just a little crustier. They shouldn't focus on the waffle part but instead focus on the amazing speed at which you can make them. So, I would like to rename this post...Just my o"PIN"ion on 1 Minute Cinnamon Rolls! Amazing! Did I say that already? So, excuse me while I go work off the 4 cinnamon rolls that I ate. If you need me in the next 3 hours, I'll be at the gym;)

Here are some pictures of the few minutes before the cinnamon rolls were devoured!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Apple Cider Vinegar Pimple Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:49:00 +0000

I went through my teen years with just a few pimples on my face. I was blessed to have good skin and continued on that route until...I started working out everyday. UGH! Trading fat for pimples was not what I had in mind (although I would) and to believe I have to deal with acne at the age of 33 is ridiculous! So I have become a woman on a mission to find something that will take these pimples away! I've tried Proactive, prescription medication, and tons of beauty/over the counter products and nothing has really worked. So, after searching Pinterest one day, I found this home remedy on My Healthy Life Now using just apple cider vinegar and water.

Supplies
Vinegar, Water, Q-Tips and a container to store it in!

Directions
I used my own ratio of 1 part water to 1 part apple cider vinegar. The ratio was different on this blog but I wanted to try it a little stronger! Away With These Pimples Already! So, basically I just measured it out and put it in a little container. Then every morning and every night after I wash my face I hit my forehead and chin areas with this mixture using a Q-Tip. It could be too drying for your face, but mine has handled it just fine.

The Verdict
I started about 5 days ago and I must say for the first 3-4, I wasn't seeing much difference. But finally today I am noticing some improvement! I have been trying to wear as little makeup as possible to possibly help the process too. I'm hoping my face will be flawless in another week! It didn't get the amazing, next day results this post said you would have but we shall see how it does over time! I'll keep you updated!

To spare you any more grossness as you probably were all grossed out enough from my foot post last week, I didn't take any pictures of my zits! YOU ARE WELCOME! However, if my face is flawless in a week, I'll take a picture without makeup! GASP!

Photo Courtesy of MyHealthyLifeNow.com

Just My o"PIN"ion on Cracked Heal Remedy!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:16:00 +0000

There is nothing better than flip-flops in my opinion. Well,unless you are wearing flip-flops while having drinks with Luke Bryan and watching the sunset together. Oh sorry...did I say that out loud?? Silly me! Back to flip-flops! It's starting to get warm here in Kansas and that means I am breaking out my flip-flops for the season. Only one problem...My Feet Are NASTY! They haven't seen one of those pedicure chairs since last summer and I just haven't had time to schedule one in my busy life yet. So, when I ran across this PIN from KSL.com on Pinterest and it basically claimed miracles, I thought I'd give it a try!

Disclaimer: My feet are really nasty. I workout everyday and I my feet show it. I have blisters, calluses and much more to show for the abuse my feet take. So, please know that before you go on! Oh...and if feet make you want to throw up, well, you better just stop here! There's going to be lots of pictures of nasty feet coming up!

Supplies:
You will need Shaving Cream, Listerine, a towel and a bowl or tub. If going the step farther like I did, you will also need a Ped-Egg, lotion and a pair or socks!

Directions:
So it's fairly basic instructions. You find a comfy spot you want to stay for about 30 minutes and bring along all the supplies. You will need to mix a solution of 1 part Listerine to 1 part warm water. I probably used about 1/2 -1 cup of each. Then lay out a towel and start with putting shaving cream on your feet. Take the towel and get it soaked in the water solution. Wrap feet in the towel and really get it around the heel good. I took part of the towel from the floor and just wrapped it around the soaked towel and made like a little cocoon. Now wait 30 minutes for the magic to happen! When the time is up, take the soaked towel and really scrub your feet with it. Then go and rinse off the mixture off your feet. At this point, my feet were really starting to tingle and really smell like mouthwash! Then pat them dry really well. I took a look at the results and wasn't that impressed. So...I went a little farther with this. Please note that you may have better results if your feet aren't starting out as nasty as mine! I got my Ped-Egg out and scrubbed awhile then I put on my favorite Gold Bond lotion and lotion socks. I kept them on about an hour and then took a look. SOOOOO much better!

The Verdict:
While the Listerine mixture may have helped the end result, I'm not so sure it's the miracle fix as some people have been pinning it to be! Do my feet look better? Yes, but it sure doesn't just make the dead skin fall right off! However, if you have about an hour of your life to spare, give it a try and let me know how it works for you! If you have stinky feet...then this is what you have been looking for! I'm pretty sure this I'm going to smell like Listerine for the rest of my life!

Pictures of the Process:

Just My o"PIN"ion on Homemade Foam Soap!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:14:00 +0000

I will admit that I love my foam soap from that big chain that has tons and tons of fabulous smells! I only buy it when they are having their great sale and of course with a coupon, but I am trying to live frugally, so I thought I would give this homemade version a try from GOODEness Gracious.com.

Supplies:
All you need is an old foaming bottle that has been emptied out and any other soap you choose. You could use Dawn, baby soap, or something like the Softsoap I used. I was able to get mine at Dillon's for FREE one week and it's just been sitting around because I have been stocked up on those fancy soaps from that big chain. However, Softsoap or the store brand usually go on sale for $1.00 several times a year! Oh, and you need water!

Directions:
I was using a bottle that was 8.75 ounces. Since the recipe says 1 part soap to 5 parts water, I just took that number and divided it by 6. (If you are a Math teacher and this is wrong, please don't judge me.) I rounded up and needed to put 1.5 ounces of soap in the bottle and then fill it the rest of the way with water. Then I shook it a bit and tried it out!

The Verdict:
It worked great and since I used a yummy smell of Softsoap, it smelled yummy too! I literally paid nothing for the soap and I still have enough Softsoap for about 4 more batches! It would probably average out to maybe $.20 cents a bottle if you got the soap for $1.00! Now that is frugal living!

Here are some pictures of the process:

Just My o"PIN"ion On Homemade Laundry Detergent

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Ever since I announced that I started making my own laundry detergent, I've had tons of people ask for me the recipe and even more people wanting to know what I thought of it. So, I thought this was perfect for this week's Just My o"PIN"ion post!
I went with the simple recipe from DIYNatural.com because it was SO SIMPLE! Just 3 ingredients and a little elbow grease!

Supplies:
Did I say just 3 ingredients? You will need Borax, Arm and Hammer Washing Soda and I chose Fels-Naptha as my bar soap but you can chose between others. You will also need a grater, a container to store it in, a measuring spoon and I use my food processor.

Directions:
Basically you grate your bar soap into a container. Add 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of the washing soda and combine until well blended. What I do next is stick it in my food processor. I wanted mine to be really fine and well blended. The food processor did the trick! Next time I am going to see if I can just cut the bar soap into bigger pieces and then see if it will grate it for me! Then just add 1 tbsp. per load of laundry. I might add a little more if it's a really dirty load but otherwise I've stuck to those measurements.

My Experience:
I LOVE this stuff! It is well worth the elbow grease of grating the bar soap! Mine has lasted me for well over a month and I am just now out. So I think it lasts a little longer than my big $15.00 jug of Tide that I used to use. On average, you will be saving $0.16 per load! That little bit adds up when you use it over time. Think about it! I average 2 loads a day, so that is about $0.32 a day. Over a year, you will save over $100.00 my choosing homemade! Plus, it cleans very well and I would choose it over store brand any day. I still use my stain remover for stains but I am looking into a homemade recipe for that too! I'm hooked. I don't think I'll ever go back. On another note...my children and husband have very sensitive skin and even eczema. This laundry soap doesn't bother anybody. It is extremely gentle that I even clean the babies clothes with it. Have I said I LOVE this stuff?

I hope you give it a shot. There are many other recipes, including liquid soap recipes as well that you can try. You can find more information about HE front load washers in the above DIY link. Please know that I use an older top load washer so I have no experience with the fancier models!

I'm off to go make a double batch now! Tune in next week for another Just My o"PIN"ion!

Just My o"PIN"ion on Fancy Nails Made Easy!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:10:00 +0000

I am sure if you are on Pinterest you have seen all the really cool nail designs people are coming up with. There is everything you can imagine when it comes to nails. I am sure nail salons across the country are very excited about the latest craze! However, I'm cheap and frugal, so I wanted to do a simple, subtle fancy nail on my own. I don't mine going crazy on my feet, but I prefer subtle colors on my fingers, which usually is just a'natural! I ran across this idea from The Beauty Department and knew this was what I wanted to try for one of my posts.

Supplies:
All you need is two colors of nail polish, some hole reinforcements (I found at Target) and I also used some Quick Dry polish too. Simple enough!!

Directions:
Everything was very simple to follow. It's pretty much painting your nails, so if you can do that, you can do this!

My Experience:
This was very easy to do and had pretty good results. I made sure my first color was nice and dry before I started putting the stickers on. Like over an hour dry! When it came to the stickers, the thumb was tricky. One sticker isn't big enough, so you have to use two which created a shape that wasn't perfect, but it's not really that noticeable when done. Make sure your stickers are really pressed on. I didn't mess up anything when I peeled them off, just do it slowly. The end result was pretty good, but I would stick with light colors until you become a pro. If I had hot pink for my tips, you would probably see the flaws much more easily. However, due to the light color, all you see is pretty! I'm won over!! I'll be doing this again!

Here are some pictures of the process:

Just My o"PIN"ion on Ribbon Headbands!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:46:00 +0000

Welcome to my new series where I try something I've pinned on Pinterest and tell you my o"PIN"ion on it. I have probably 100's of pins on my various boards and yet I've completed just a few. There are so many cute things out there but most of them I wonder...is it really that easy, will that really taste good, and is this really worth the time and effort to get all my supplies out? I am going to help answer those question one pin at a time.

So first up...Ribbon Headbands from The Crafty Scientist. I decided to try something easy this week in hopes that if it went well, you can get in the spirit and complete something quick and easy yourself.

So here's the scoop on if these little guys are worth it.

Supplies- Simple enough! Just 2 rubber bands, ribbon, needle, thread and a candle or flame. It says a measuring tape or ruler, but I found no need for that really. I think it's because I'm gifted;) LOL!

Directions- Pretty Clear. The rubber band knot step is easier if you just do it and not look at the directions in my opinion. The pictures confused me for about 20 seconds and so I just did it without looking and got it.

My experience-
First of all, I am not a sewer. I couldn't find my sewing kit so I grabbed my scrapbooking needle which is about 6 inches long so that really made my sewing skills look like that of a 4 year olds, but hey, I'm ok with that.

This project would have been finished in about 5-10 minutes if I didn't have a couple of turds for children that have to make my life hard at times that I'm trying to keep it very easy. See pictures below.

Here are some pictures from my crafty experience:

I told you I wasn't the best sewer! Got things a little tangled at first.

This would be the part of the experience that took the longest. Helping my lovely 3 year old roll up all that ribbon again!

Ta-Da...All Done!

The Verdict- Very easy, very simple, fast craft that is worth the few minutes to make. I would suggest making it tighter than you think you might need it. Mine is a little loose. I think this would be adorable for little girls and what an easy, cheap way to match any outfit they have!

Frugal Friday Tip- Previous Tips Revisited!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:23:00 +0000

Photo Courtesy of Firehow.com

This week we will revisit a few of my previous Frugal Tips!

*After boiling water for pasta, let the water cool down and water your flowers with it!

*To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them!

*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.

*Think of what you can cut in half and still get a full use out of! For example-I had some Disposable Face Wash clothes that I had gotten on sale for very little and cut them in half. I could still wash my entire face with one but now I was getting double the usage!! Other ideas: dryer sheets, cleaning wipes, baby wipes.

Ace Hardware-FREE Quart of Paint Every Saturday In March!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Ace Hardware is giving away FREE quarts of paint every Saturday in March. All you need to do is go like their Facebook Page or go online to their website and print the coupon!

This is great for small projects that you find on Pinterest! I swear I am addicted to that website!

Thanks to my friend Patrick, an ACE Hardware manager, for sharing this deal with me!

Frugal Friday Post- Saving Money in 2012- Homemade Bathroom Cleaner

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:26:00 +0000

I can't tell you how excited I am about the newest homemade cleaner I just made. It is AMAZING! I have never before been excited about cleaning my shower, but I was smiling the
whole time. It is so simple and easy to make and CHEAP!

Recipe:
1 Spray Bottle Container
4 oz. Dawn Dish Soap
Vinegar

Just simply add the Dawn to the container and then top the container off with the vinegar. Yes, it smells like Vinegar but the smell goes away after a day.

So try it, and let me know what you think!

Saving in 2012- Frugal Friday Tip- 2000+ Uses for WD-40!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:59:00 +0000

Just one simple can of WD-40. Hard to believe that one can could possibly take care of over 2000+ jobs around your home or office!

Here are some of my favorite uses for WD-40:

*Cleans muffin tins.
*Removes Kool-Aid stains from carpet and fabric.
*Spray on trash can lids to keep messes from sticking.
*Removes tomato stains from clothes.
*Keeps plant hangers from rusting.
For the entire 2000+ list, click here!

**These uses were submitted by WD-40 users and have not been tested by the company. Exercise common sense when testing this product and make sure to pay attention to warnings on the packaging.

HOT Valentine's Day Classroom Card Deal! $6.00 For 55 Cards Shipped!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:47:00 +0000

WOW! If you are looking for fun, creative and CHEAP Valentine's Day Cards, I have found a great deal!

Mint.com, a site that has high-quality stationary, cards and more is currently running a great promotion. Go here and sign up for a new account and receive $25.00 off your first $30.00 purchase! (Discount is taken off automatically in your cart)

I was able to purchase 55 of the above Valentine's Day Classroom Cards with envelopes for just $6.00 including tax/shipping!

Here's How To Get The Deal:

Sign Up For Your New Mint.com Account.
Find the You Rock Cards, personalize and choose to get 55 cards for $31.00.
When it shows your order, there is a spot for a promotional code. Enter BEMINE35 to get Free Shipping!

I plan on attaching a package of Pop Rocks to each card! I think the kids are going to love these!

Thanks Hip2Save for help with this deal!

Frugal Friday Post- Saving Money In 2012-Homemade Fabric Softener

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Photo Courtesy of: apartmenttherapy.com

As one of my New Year's Resolutions to be more frugal, I am looking for ways to cut costs on home cleaning products. I have shared recipes for Homemade Laundry Detergent and now it's time for DIY Fabric Softener! I just ran out of the store bought softener, so now I am extremely excited to try this out!

Aside from being a natural softener, vinegar also removes soap residue in the washing machine and reduces static in the dryer. You can add vinegar directly to laundry during the rinse cycle or pour vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine.

You can pre-mix your fabric-softening vinegar by using the following recipe:

Homemade Fabric Softener
*1 gallon white vinegar
*20-30 drops essential oil (Lavender, Orange, Lemon and Peppermint(15 drops as it's stronger) are good choices)

Sweet orange brightens and fights stains, lavender offers a calming effect, and peppermint can help fight tough odors on clothing.

Thanks diynatural.com for the recipe and helpful information!

Shopping This Weekend? Retail Roundup!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:35:00 +0000

Before you head out and do a little shopping this weekend, don't forget to print some coupons to some of your favorite stores!

Old Navy: $10 Off $50 Purchase-Facebook Coupon

Aeropostale: $10 Off Purchase of $50 or More

Kohl's: Extra 15% Off Everything

Bloomingdale's: Extra 15% Off Sale and Clearance Items

Payless Shoes: 20% Off

Thanks to MommySavesBig for help in compiling these coupons.

Frugal Friday Tip- Cut Drying Time With A Dry Towel!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Photo Courtesy of ehow.com

I'm sure that there are many people like myself that can't afford one of those fancy washer and dryer sets that are on the market nowadays! They say they can steam, cut drying time, iron and probably make a really great quiche in just a few minutes;) Well that would be great...if I could afford it, but I can't!

So thanks to my mom who gave me this tip that she read and tried out on her own! She doesn't have one of those fancy machines either and she swears this works!

*Add a dry towel to a load of wet clothes when you put them in the dryer. It says it cuts drying time which equals money saved on your electricity bill and more time to make that homemade quiche!

Has anyone tried this before? Try it and let me know if it works for you!

HOT Zales Clearance & 10% Off Event + Free Shipping!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so this deal comes at just the right time! From now until Jan. 16th, Zales is offering 10% off storewide! This discount includes their already clearanced items! I found this adorable heart pendant for just $21.73 after discounts, tax and free shipping!

Here's how the deal works:

Regular Price-$75.00
Clearance Price-$22.50
Extra 10% Off- $20.25

Want Free Shipping? You can choose the Free Ship To Store option on the page after you add it to your bag when you enter your shipping information!

Gordmans- Extra 50% Off-1/12-1/16

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:09:00 +0000

Starting today and running through Monday, Jan. 16th, get an extra 50% off all clearance items at Gordmans! There are sure to be some great deals, so hurry while the selection is best!

Teddy Graham Snack Packs- $.33 at Dillons and Wal-Mart

noreply@blogger.com (Ashlei) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:55:00 +0000

There was a HOT $2/3 coupon in the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert this week! It was for several brands including Teddy Grahams and Wheat Thins. The small canisters (3.25 oz) of Teddy Grahams are only $1.00 at Dillons. Use your $2/3 coupon to get them for 33¢ each. It's also been reported that the Teddy Grahams and 4 oz. Wheat Thins at Wal-Mart are the same price.

Buy (3) Teddy Graham 3.25 Canisters or 4.0 oz Wheat Thins- $3.00
Use (1) $2/3 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource

Final Price: 33¢ each when you buy 3!

This is a great deal and exactly why it pays to buy several copies of the paper. I knew when I saw this coupon it was going to be HOT!

Thanks DealDetectingDiva for the Wal-Mart tip!