A Little Behind

OK - so I haven't "got around" to much of anything crafty lately!! (Well, nothing finished anyway!!) My "Money Matters Monday" post has been delayed a few days, being that it is now Wednesday!! However, with that said, here are just a couple of my deals for the week:

1. Super cute shoes for Ladybug - Target of course!! ;) Only $3.24!!


2. Pamela's gluten-free chocolate chip cookies - usually between $4-$5 . . . got 'em for $0.50 @ Wal-Mart!!! (Of course I had to buy FOUR boxes!!! - And NO, they weren't expired!!) ;)


3. OK - - so you ready for the deal of a lifetime???? (Drum roll please!!!) At Wal-Mart, I got a Cricut Create foooooorrrrrrrrrr. . . . $45!!!! It was $149 (and $199 @ Target!!!)!!

Can you believe it??? I've got it on Craigslist right now, (being that I already have one), for only $100 - which is still super cheap, so hopefully I can make a little $ off of it!!! ;) Anyone out there interested??????? ;)

4. Cute cupcake stand (Wal-Mart again), for only $2.50!! It holds 24 cupcakes, comes with 24 liners & little crown picks!!! Can't wait to use it - and with 2 girls, we'll use it lots!!:)

Money Matters Monday

Been a busy week - seems like it was just Monday!!!

Well, here are my great deals since last time - of course, all were at Target - don't ask how many times I went there though!! :) - -

1. A cute pink desk lamp for only $1.48:

2. A backpack for $3.74, a lunch bag for $1.75 (and another one for $2.48 that's not pictured), and a 3-ring binder for $0.98:

3. Not pictured: a bag (12 oz.) of M & M's for $1; a (9.5 oz.) bag of Wonka chocolate for $1; Skintimate shaving cream for $0.49; Reach dental floss for FREE!!!; about 4 packs of Cynthia Rowley (26 count) diapers - normally $12.99 each, on clearance for $6.48 - with coupons I paid between $2.48 - $4 each!!!! (actually the diapers were a couple weeks ago, just forgot to post them last time!!) ;)

The items in #3 were all bought using AWESOME coupons!!! Did you know that you can stack (combine) coupons at Target???? I didn't until just recently, and now I do it every time I go!! Here's a few tricks:
a. Go here and scroll to the very bottom & click on "coupons". Browse through the coupons & print the ones you like! Take these Target coupons & match them up with manufacturer's coupons & head to Target for great savings!! :)
b. If you print Target coupons that say "Target Coupon" on the top, or if you receive Target coupons in the mail, you're fine - just stack them with a similar manufacturer's coupon! However, if you print a Target coupon that says "Manufacturer's Coupon", then as long as it has a Target logo on it, they should still accept it as a Target coupon!! (Sometimes, if you have a grumpy employee, they might say otherwise, but just inform them that it has a Target logo & you printed it from the website!!) :) . . .and that I said so! ;)
c. If you don't get Target coupons in the mail, you can go to the link above & register your email address & (I think) your mailing address to receive coupons, etc.!!!
d. If you haven't been there lately, every time you buy certain items, coupons automatically print out at the register - usually GREAT ones!!

Now go out & find some great deals!!!

Sassy Lunch Bag

I was so excited when I found a lunch bag (well, actually it's a lunch purse) at Wal-Mart the other day for only $1!!! It was cute, but nothing fancy. I added some "bling", ribbon & a flower & now it's a sassy lunch bag!! :)

Super easy - grab your hot glue gun & go to town with what ever embelishments you want to add & you're done!! ;)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Madelyn can't wait to take her lunch to school tomorrow!! :)

Money Matters Monday

Here it is - my first "theme" day!! :) If you know me at all, you know I'm always looking for a bargain!! Well, what better place to show off my finds, than right here!!! So, every Monday, I'll be posting a great deal I found (or two, or three)!!! With that said. . .

Here are today's great deals:

1. Went to Target (of course) & found these cute baby shower invites for only $0.36!! (No, not giving a shower, but I LOVE buying invites because you can always use the envelopes & card parts to make new cards!!) I got 16 envelopes, invites, & little pink bows all for $0.72!!

2. Also at Target - found 3 super cute shirts for my Ladybug for only $1.74 each!! Just a hint about Target - if there's a bunch of something on clearance, it will get marked down even further - just be patient & wait it out!! Don't forget to check back often!! I have my eye on a few items at a few different stores!! (But don't tell - that's my secret!! ;)
Love, love these shirts!!
Also found one for Madelyn - only $1.98!!

3. For today's last great deal - I went to Fresh & Easy!! I got all of the following for a total of exactly $5.00:

That's one avocado, 6 tomatoes, a bag of potatoes & a bag of salad!! NO, they weren't rotten or about to rot!! All the items except for the salad were part of their $0.98 produce!! The salad was $1.99 - the most expensive item!!

Bathroom Clock

I'm getting there!! Almost done with the bathroom - woo hoo!! :) I finished the clock that has taken me forever!! It was super simple - -once I figured out what I wanted to do with it!! I tried a few different paints, a few different lettering styles, and a few different ways to hang the clock!! I finally settled on Rust-Oleum's "Hammered" spray paint, white Contact paper letters, and hanging the clock with a tack!! :) Let me explain. . .

I found this frame

& being that it was only $1.41 - at none other than Fry's- I just HAD to buy it!! (I knew I'd find something to do with it!! :) Then, I found this clock:

a whopping $1.98 @ Target!!! (Not my color, but for the price, I knew I could make it my color!!) Sooooo. . . I decided to combine the two!! At our house, we have a little issue with taking long showers!! (Well, kind of one child in particular - - but I won't say HER name!! ;) Anywho - we're always putting a little clock on the counter so she can check the time & get out within 10 minutes!! I figured a big clock on the wall would be much better!!

For the clock: First, I carefully took the clear cover off the clock, (not as easy as I'd hoped!), removed the hands & then placed a piece of paper I cut, on top of the clock numbers. Then I sprayed it with Wal-Mart's red spray paint! :)


For the frame: after realizing that the frame was actually plastic, (boo!), I tried some paints I had, but they just wiped right off!! :( Then, I used some Rust-Oleum primer (don't know if I needed it, but used it anyway!), then followed with some Rust-Oleum "Hammered" spray paint! (Used this brand because my mom gave them to me to try & FREE is always nice!!) :) After the paint was dry, & got out the fabulous Cricut machine & cut some letters out of white Contact paper & stuck 'em on!! After trying for a while to screw the clock on, I tried to put one screw at the top & slide the clock over the screw!!

Well, I had to start the hole with a tack & then couldn't get the tack out!! .... hence the lovely tack-clock-hanger idea!!! :) What ever works - right!!??

Easy Bathroom Art

This was definitely a no-brainer project. . . yet again!! :) I found some cute red frames at none other than the dollar store, and thought they'd be perfect for my hall bathroom! I used some subtle scrapbook paper as a background & then cut some cute silhouettes with the Cricut - - that's it - - told ya it was a no-brainer!!! :) I'm still working on a few other bathroom projects, so hopefully all will be done soon!!!

Use What You've Got!!

Scary, isn't it!!?? Sadly, this is my ribbon! I've been wanting to organize it for some time, and finally attempted to do so the other day & this is what I came up with: using paper towel rolls & a scrapbook organizer!!! Sounds crazy, I know, but it worked for me!! I just love my sparkly pink organizer, but it just wasn't working for me, as a paper holder! :(

I knew that ribbon does best on something round (so you don't get bumpy ribbon), so the paper towel roll came to mind!! Coincidentally, I had just bought a 6-pack of paper towels, so I kinda sneakily removed all the rolls from inside the paper towels!! (Super easy - just grab on to the roll of towels with one hand & pull (& twist) the roll out!!) .... and yes, you can still stick the roll on your towel holder - if you have the kind that stands on the counter! :)

After my P.T. rolls (no, didn't use T.P. - only P.T!! :) were all ready, I separated my ribbon by color. Then I got to work wrapping it around the rolls & taping/pinning it in place! It was quite time consuming, but a little therapeutic!! I was able to fit 7 rolls in the organizer, but I may end up squishing in another one, being that I have soooo much ribbon!! (For pieces smaller than a foot, I'm just going to keep them in in a baggie.) This was clearly a no-brainer, but just wanted to share my "Use What You've Got" idea!!

Isn't it so neat & organized???!! Just loving it!! :)

** Just sitting in my closet, with my little helper at my side & my other helper wanting to take a picture of me while I wrapped my ribbon!! :)