Learn to Coupon

I have been asked by so many people "How do you coupon and score so many deals?" Well today I though I would put a little tutorial to kinda show you how it works , so you too can save $$.


Ok so first things first. You need to learn and memorize the grocery Lingo or Acronyms, so here is a list I have compiled for you



BOGO - Buy One Get One
ECB - Extra Care Bucks
MIR - Mail In Rebate
OOP - Out of Pocket
P&G - Procter and Gamble
Peelie - On Package
RP - Red Plum
RR - Register Reward
SS - Smart Source
AY - All You Magazine
WYB - when you buy
X - expires
Catalina - these are like coupons that print at the end of your transaction
RC - Rain Check
Peelies - coupons that are on the products themselves that you peel-off
Blinkies - little black boxes by the product that spit out coupons




Next thing is you want to make sure you get the Sunday newspaper so you can get the Sunday newspaper inserts out of them. There are 3 inserts that come in the paper. You get the Red Plum, Smart Source, and P&G keep in mind that P&G is only available once a month and that is usually the 1st week of the month.


Now get your inserts you have collected and mark the date on the front of the insert, make it kind of big so you can see it. For instance if its Sunday June 26Th you want to mark your insert 6/26


DO NOT cut out your coupons !! I can not stress enough, not to do this. The best way to manage your coupons is to leave them in the insert until you need them. Instead figure a way to sort your coupons that work best for you. I use the 9 pocket baseball card page protectors and the 3 pocket page protectors are great for the long coupons. If you can get some single page protectors you can put your whole inserts in those. I purchased through Amazon and you can to right here on my blog., they work wonderfully. Just throw them in a binder to save your loose coupons and full inserts.


You will want to make a trip to Walmart and buy the ALL YOU magazine, it has tons of useful coupons in them,you can get this monthly- but only @ Walmart.


*** Got a printer? NO, then you will want to get one, so you can print Coupons, so you can stack them and score an even better deal!


Okay, Now You are ready to start Couponing !!


Now that you have that done, open your sunday ads from like walgreens, CVS, Target, Dollar General and Walmart. check to see if you have any coupons for what they are offering and if you need them. You only want to use a coupon if your getting a good deal other wise wait until its the best time to use them.

There are a few stores who will allow you to stack coupons. Stacking a coupon is where you can use 1 Manufacturing coupon and one store coupon for the same item. For example; if I printed a coupon from Target on their website for Save $1.00 off any Aveeno item and used a Manufactured coupon for $1.00 off that I had, that would save me $2.00 off that one item. This is how you can score some really great deals at Target, Dollar General, Walgreens, CVS, and so many more. Just make sure where ever you go, you know the rules of their coupon uses, and they change often so keep checking on them. (on thier website usually)


There are a ton of sites out there that will help you figure out where the best place to shop with your coupon are. I will compile a list of my favorite ones. These sites also give you valuable information so check them out and study, memorize and understand and you will go far with couponing.

















www.CouponMom.com
http://savvystudentshopper.com
www.sundaycouponpreview.com
http://savingstar.com/coupons
www.redplum.com
http://smartsource.com
www.4u2coupon.com

Pretty Pillowcases

Have you ever wondered how people make pillowcases so pretty? How do they have the time to make them? Have you always wanted to make one but really don't know how to or know what the best way to make one is? well look no further, I'm going to show you, how, you can make your very own pillowcases and give them away. No more embarrassing handmade gifts, now its time for
looks-like-you-bought-it pillowcase time!

I have tried several options to make pillowcases and have finally came across the best way to make pillowcases, and I have used several different patterns. So if your ready and willing your going to be so ecstatic about this, just as I am !



Ok, so first your going to need to get yourself some fabric

CUTTING
27" inches or 3/4 yard (body fabric)
9" inches (border fabric or cuff)
4" inches (accent trim fabric)

CONSTRUCTION
1. Make sure you trim all the excess salvage from your fabric.
2. Take border and accent trim fabric and press in half with your iron lengh wise with right sides together. It should make the border fabric 4.5 inches wide, and the accent trim fabric 2" inches wide , when done pressing.
3. Take and lay the border fabric down flat with right side facing , then lay the body fabric on top of the border fabric same way,down flat with right side facing. Then take the accent trim fabric and lay that down but have that piece stay pressed in half with right side facing. So all the pieces should lay together with edges matching ("open" sides up)
4. Pin those pieces together
5. Fold or roll the pillowcase fabric UP to the pins, leaving
an inch or so away from the top of the other layered fabrics.
(You now have a tube laying lengthwise.)
6. Fold the border or cuff piece up all the way up to the top and repin
all layers together
7. Stitch the seam lengthwise about an 1/8 of an inch from the edge
8. remove all the pins and begin to pull the fabric out of the tube that you just stitched
9. You now have a pillowcase that just needs finishing.
10. With wrong sides together,stitch a seam about an 1/8 inch or so, if you have a serger , serge it along the bottom edge of the pillowcase and along the other side.
11. All done, now turn your pillowcase right side out and iron.

you now have a full functioning pillowcase!


There are so many options with this pattern,just give it a try to will be happy you did! Enjoy!

Baby Dress

Ok , so I found this blog that had a great idea for a baby dress with only 3 seams or less. This was actually a very cool dress to make. I had all the stuff already except the appliqué. Have a look at her dress and directions and maybe, you too, can make this awesome dress.

http://findingmyaloha.blogspot.com/2010/11/baby-dress-from-antique-tablecloth.html#more

here is her button if you would like to grab it and use it!




here is my version, fits Jourzey as a shirt LOL. If you want a dress for a 2 year old whose taller than most 2 year olds make it more than 15 inches in length more like 20.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies with Almonds - recipe

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Almonds


What you will need

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature or maragarin whatever you have available
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 bag of Reese's peanutbutter and chocolate chips or generic works too
• 1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with wax paper if you have it and set aside.
2.  Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
3.  Mix together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. On medium speed until creamy. Add the egg and continue to mix. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients , just until its combined and you dont see anymore white.
4.  Mix in the Oats, the Chocolate and Peanut butter chips and the Almonds.
5. Use your hands to create little balls of cookie dough on cookie sheet and flatten down a little with a fork. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies start turning lightly brown.
6.  Cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet so make sure you leave the cookies on the cookie sheet until completely cooled! 
7. Enjoy. They were a big hit here. Everyone loved them! Especially with Coffee...

The 4 Carb Dessert

How many of you are sick of being fat? Well me too. I have started a low-carb diet and have been trying to come up with some really neat low carb delicious things to eat. Well I found a fabulous dessert for all of you who crave sweets but have to minimize your intake


Cinnamon Won-tons

1 Package Wontons (usually found in the produce section)

cinnamon and sugar mix

melted butter or margarine

All you have to do is brush melted butter on the won-tons, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar and place on a cookie sheet for about 4 minutes at about 375. Just watch them , and when they start to brown pull them out , let them cool for a few minutes and  you have a quick and easy delicious crunchy desert. Guilt free

Mint Fetishes

How many of you use fresh herbs when you cook? Probably not everyone, its faster to use herbs bought from the store that is already prepared for you , am I right? Well, I love fresh herbs. I love to grow them from the seed. I don't always  have the best luck growing them here in Louisiana, although people seem to think I have a green thumb.  I wanted to share a little secret I found out while experimenting with herbs.

I love Mojitos and Im sure I am not the only one who does. If you don't know what a Mojitos is here is a great recipe that I always use.

The Mojito

For each Mojito, you will need:

1 teaspoon of sugar
1 large sprig of mint
1.5 oz. white rum - 80 proof
1/2 fresh lemon cut up or Lime
Club soda or Sierra Mist
Ice

Place the sugar and mint leaves at the bottom of a tall glass. Smash the mint into the sugar using a Mortar and Pestle or the back of a spoon.  Add white rum, Juice from 1/4 of the lemon, ice, top off with club soda or Sierra Mist and stir well. Garnish with fresh sprig of mint,  I prefer spearmint, and Lemon; serve immediately.

If you don't feel like making your own you can also buy it in a box, its really good that way , just way stronger :)

 I love Mint so much that I buy fresh mint from the produce market to make these yummy drinks. I decided one night while making these yummy drinks,  I would take a sprig of the mint and see if I can make it could make it grow. I thought what a better way to save money and have the mint you really like.

I took the sprig of Mint , placed it in a glass of water and left it to do its thing. And what would you know, It sprung roots. I now have a mint plant and I don't have to buy it anymore!

I went to Colorado to my husbands Mothers house in Boulder this past June. I noticed the next door neighbor had Mint growing ramped in their yard , even in the cracks of the sidewalks. I decided to bring some back with me root and all from Colorado to Louisiana. I couldn't beleive it but it grew, and its really doing well despite the heat has upset it a little. All I did was put it in water and wait for it to sprout more roots and then I planted it.

anything you can want to grow, just cut of a vine of it , throw it in some water until it grows roots, then plant it in some soil and wallah you have a new plant!
 

This big plant is my basil I started from a seed, its crazy growing!
Happy Planting

Making Cards

One of my favorite things to do is make handmade cards. I just love doing this because so many people seem to enjoy the ones I send them. I have sold numerous cards on Ebay and to family members and friends. I thought today I would show you a small collection of the cards I have and show you some of the things you would need if YOU would like to make your own handmade cards.


This is just a small selection of cards I have made. I have made birthday ones, congratulation ones, love ones, sympathy, mothers-day, new baby, you name it I have made them.

The 1st thing you need is a pack of blank cards

The 2nd thing you will want to get is some kind of glue, I prefer this brand

The 3rd thing you will want to pick up is some paper , ribbons, siscors, embelishments ect....

Once you have figured out what kind of card you want to make, set your stuff out and get started. Take your glue and spray it on the back of the paper and seal it to the card. Once dried you can decorate your cards how ever you see fit. Have fun making cards. Remember, a handmade card is much better to receive than a bought one!

Happy Card Making