Christmas Cards

As time passes I think my Christmas cards are getting better. Yes, it requires more equipment. The card making isle at Hobby Lobby is a dangerous place for me. I see a lot of equipment I need for next time. This year I bought a star punch card and a punch card for edging.
We plan on buying a house in spring and I WILL HAVE MY CRAFT ROOM. More room equals more items to purchase.

1. The object is to buy seasonal items that are on sale at craft and dollar stores.
2. Save every card you get. You can cut out things from it or reuse the cover by cutting it off and attaching it to a second sheet of card stock. Punch out holes along the outside edge and use fancy ribbon to secure the card. You will see one of those cards I made one year as an example.
3. Organize you crafts it those clear plastic multi drawer containers..
4. Scan the thrift stores and yard sales for paper products or items for cards like buttons.
5. Use wrapping paper for covers or cut out the pics for cards.
6. Check out places like Home Depot's wall paper section. Sometimes they sell the old wall paper books or buy the discounted rolls of wall paper trim.
7. Use old paper towel or toilet paper rolls to wind up your left over lace and string.
8. Scrapbooking supplies on sale are a gold mine.
9. Dried flowers or plastic flowers that are flat are good finds also.

Here are a few examples:



Scrapbooking supplies

Misc supplies on sale in season

Edge punchers

Lo

Cuts the card stock in a straight line




 

Three D tree

The Pelicans we love

My first card...can't you tell



More 3 D artwork

 

My latest. Lots of card punching and 3 D manger and star.

Personal Update

Things seem to be getting better. I am now an employee of the State of Texas. No more working weekends and nights at my dealership job.

The state of Texas provides free health care to all it's employees, thank God. So now I have my own health care and so does hubby. If anything happens to either one of us we are taken care of. Of course we both have dental, and various other additional care added as we see fit.

This weekend we are going on a much needed vacation. We haven't had a vacation for 10 years so this is really nice. Of course, it is our 30th anniversary this year. We are leaving for a curise out of a southern US port to Cozumel, Honduras, and Beliez. Seven days of bliss. I still don't know if 2 books are enough.

I hope to take a lot of pics and will share them with you. Tomorrow, since I have a three day weekend, thanks to the state, I will buy a few last minute things and get a fresh hair cut.

Soooo, we hope to buy a house next year, God willing. That is our next challenge.

Wish us luck. We are on a Princess cruise so hopefully it won't tip over. Hubby was teasing about possible pirates. Oh My God. How funny.

Fall in Texas

I think fall is finally here in SW Houston, Texas. Nights are cooler and it seems with all this rain we might have just come up with the needed 4 inches to end our drought.

Time Seems to Drag

In order to escape our small space we need metals ( our investments) to start climbing. So far they are on the rise. We are so antsy to get a house you would not believe it. hehe

Meanwhile, I am making my list of "Wish I Could Do" projects. I don't have the enthusiasm in a small space. So now I am educating myself on various ideas and saving them.  My fav site lately is "Homestead Survival". They get lots of info from various sites. I post the good ones on my facebook page.

Once we update our living area this page will be my "HOW TO DO THINGS ON YOUR OWN", living without the malls. That topic can get me on my soapbox real fast, but I wont today. I am just thankful my parents and Nana taught me basic skills, along with 4-H, Home Economics, and FHA (future homemakers of America), in high school. I am prepared and take after my father's frugalness. My hubby says I can be a bit over the edge with my frugalness, but I love it. I always try to think how to REUSE an item I am going to throw away...yep my Dad was the same way.

New Outside Space

Our new deck is finished. It took hubby 2 days. Now we have our chairs and tables. Fortunately, it has been fairly cool in the evening with a breeze and the shade from our RV. Yep, we also have the best neighbors around and a prime view. No one in the park has this view. Others have corner views but are subjected to stored RV's or the club house.

 

When there is shade you can find Steve and I out here in our wooden chairs or eating on our table after we BBQ.

6 inches off the ground and stakes in the ground for those gully washers



What a view

Best friends. The donkey follows these two horses

 



Penny Rugs

I have made several penny rugs and it would be hard to put all the pictures on this site. Below is a picture of one I made for my brother and his family. Here is how I do this.

• I buy 100% wool. I try to get thick coat wool. If you can't find different colors, you could buy just plain white or off white wool and dye them. My idea was to dye them in natural colors using such things as beet juice, mustard, blueberries, strawberries, and so on.
• First I felt the wool by boiling it in water separated by color. Yes it smells like wet dogs. This packs the wool and it wont fray as much.
• Dry the wool in a hot dryer. Make sure it's pure wool or you will mess up your dryer.
• Some of the shapes are 3D for effect. The flowers on the tree are two-three flowers from a large shape to a smaller shape blanket stitched on in either contrasting thread or the same color. You could just blanket stitch around the outside of the flower and attach in the middle for a different effect. Now don't use embroidery thread. My thread is a bit thicker. Use size 5 (regular embroidery is size 2)
• Cut out your shapes and pin to a larger piece. I sewed a contrasting wool frame around the main area.
• Blanket stitch your pieces on and add things, if you want, like buttons or different kinds of embellishments.
• I then put a cotton backing on it by sewing it right sides together then invert and iron.

I found a blog that is amazing. She has such unique stitches. These are the kind of stitches you can put on a penny rug.  Paper Napkin Poetry.
Since we still live in a travel trailer making these large items are not possible. Today I am working on a felted cupcake used for a pin cushion. Wish me luck. I saw one on Etsy.
Any craft is soothing. With this economy and the troubles it will bring crafting, sewing, knitting and such could become like yoga, soothing and relaxing.

Two lions under a tree with stars and birds



Keep Your Grocer Honest

I was reading an article about how some smaller grocers are nickel and diming customers at the checkout stands. This isn't new just more apparent now.

This is how I outsmart grocery stores:

1) Buy small plain stickers at the Dollar Stores. The kind you would use for labels. Remember to look for the best deal. You don’t need a lot large or long sticker, just one you can write 4 numbers on.

2) Write the amount per pound on your sticker and put it on the plastic bags you put your produce in and also on frozen items. If they won’t stick mark the price on your shopping list. I hope you brought your shopping list. SEE TinCanCooking.

3) Keep a felt pen with you and mark the price on the top of a can or box.

4) Be aware of what the item scans in at the checkout stand.

5) ALWAYS check your receipt with the items you buy BEFORE you leave the parking if you didn’t see the cashier scan the item.

Sometimes the Dollar General or other discount stores are not the cheapest place to buy certain items. I have been very frugal lately and write down the prices of my favorite items in the discount stores, excluding Wal-Mart, and compare when I am grocery shopping.

One time I compared a large discount store to my local grocery store and found out they were not the lowest over all. Some things were. I compared by item or by ounce whatever it took. I know that sounds silly, but it was useful.

I am a very frugal shopper because I mainly shop at Whole Foods, which is pricey. I shop for the best deal between the discount stores and my local "other" grocery store for some items. Make sure you compare by ounce. More and more items are the same price but have less ounces. Comparing coupons with store brands is a good idea too, unless you are a specific label buyer. I am on a couple items. I definitely don’t buy batteries or electronics at ANY discount store.

I hope this is a good article. As time goes on and our economy really tightens up you will need there tips. Stocking up.