Couponing Update - April & May

 

Here's what I got free this month:

• 4 packages of Reach floss
• 2 packages of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
• Clif Energy Bar
• 1 - 2 Liter Dr. Pepper 10
• 4 packages of Yakisoba Noodles (like Ramen noodles)
• 4 Good 'n' Natural granola bars

I also ventured to Aldi again and got another heap of produce for $12.58. For $12.58, I was able to purchase the following:

• 1 package vine tomatoes - $0.89
• 1 cucumber - $0.49
• 5 lb. bag of baking potatoes - $0.99
• 2 lbs. bananas - $0.84
• 1 lb. baby carrots - $0.99
• 1 bag of spinach - $1.69
• 1 bag of mixed salad - $0.99
• 2 lb. bag of Fuji apples - $2.89
• 2 lb. bag of red pears - $1.49

Projects for April & May

April started off a little busy and May was even busier, 

so a combined blog post it is! 

We were invited over for Easter lunch at our friends house, S & R. In the South, it's most hospitable that when invited over, you take a small gift/thank you. I made S a little Easter pillow with 3 little bunnies. Making pillows is pretty easy, but sewing up the final product is the worst part. You have to hide your stitches while trying to keep all the filling in - it's quite complicated, but still turned out cute.

[I forgot to take a picture - oops!]

My friend A is in charge of the Girls in Action (GA's) group at my church. She was having a mother-daughter tea and I offered to help. The whole tea was themed on rainbows and A reminded the girls about the promise that God gave us through the rainbow. Here are a few pictures from the event -

I made rainbow cupcakes,
both a rainbow on top and rainbow cupcake batter. 

We served fruit tea and had delicious snacks!

My quilting homework for the month of April was a bit more difficult. I really love quilting and the idea that I've learned how to do it in such a short amount of time. However, this month both blocks required hand-stitching and I've decided I love quilting but machine quilting NOT hand-quilting.

Hexi-Stripe Block Pattern using English paper piecing

"Sunny with a chance of hex" Block Pattern using English paper piecing

My quilting homework for the month of May was a bit easier. However, the project required using scraps of material. Since I haven't been quilting that long, I didn't have a lot of scraps so I had to make my own.

 Modern Log Cabin Block Pattern

Wonky 5-Sided Log Cabin Block Pattern

The end.

Projects for March

I'm continuing with my online quilting class. Here is square #5 and #6. I'm not a huge fan of either of these blocks because I'm type A and OCD. They're quite chaotic and scrappy - you use your scraps which is good but nonetheless too random. I like order. :)

String Block

Broken Spider Web

I also had the opportunity to speak to our Stephen Ministry group at church this month. I made each of them a Scripture memory card holder along with a few Scripture memory cards that we discussed.

J bought me a cake pop maker for Christmas and I really haven't had the time or an event where I needed to make them. I made some for a St. Patrick's Day dinner we went to. They were delicious!

Do you have one spot in your home that seems to collect everything? For us it is our dining room table. It's our landing pad so to speak. My purse usually lands here as soon as we hit the door, the mail seems to collect there, as well as other random objects that come along. I'm trying to keep my dining room table decorated or "set" so to speak so it looks too pretty to collect all this stuff..that doesn't mean that I won't find a new spot for it all to go. :)  To help my cause, I made some Easter placemats and cloth napkins and threw together a few things for a centerpiece for the center of the table. The placemats and napkins are reversible and complimentary so two of the four seats are one side and the other two are the opposite side. They were fairly easy to make and I got to practice my "reverse applique" technique I learned a few months back.

Side 1

Side 2

A few plastic Easter eggs and some paper shreds.

Couponing Update - March

Here's what I got free this month:

• 5 envelopes of soup mix
• 6 packages of gum
• 1 bottle of nail polish (free courtesy of points I earned at Ulta this quarter)
• 2 tubs of butter
• 2 bottles of hair product
• 1 bottle of yellow mustard
• 2 bottles of spicy yellow mustard

Here are some extraordinary deals I got this month:

• I finally went and shopped at Aldi. If you're not familiar with this store, it's very basic. You put a quarter in to "rent" a cart - when you return your cart you get your quarter back. You either bring your own shopping bags or are charged per bag if you use theirs. They do not carry brand names, but you can see how their brand is similar to the name brand you might be used to. You check out and go over to a different counter and bag your own groceries. With this method, they are able to keep costs very low. They were having a MEGA sale on produce (who says you don't buy produce when you coupon...) ! It was a great experience and I will definitely go back. Here's what I got for a little less than $24 - 
• 6 green peppers - $2.98 for all 6
• 3 tomatoes - $1.49 for all 3 
• 3 heads of cabbage, $0.59 each - $1.77 for all 3
• 3 packages of broccoli crowns (2 crowns per package), $0.89 each - $2.67 for all 3
• 3 avocados, $0.69 each - $2.07 for all 3
• 3 lbs. of lemons - $0.99 for all 3 pounds
• 1 head of cauliflower - $0.89
• 1 lb. strawberries - $0.49
• 3 lbs. white onions - $1.49
• 3 - 5 lb. packages of red potatoes, $0.99 each - $2.97 for all 3 (15 total pounds)
• 1 package of white tortilla chips - $0.99
• 1 box of saltines - $0.89
• 1 package of 250 count napkins - $0.89
•  The Fresh Market is a grocery store I typically stay aware from. It's pricey and one of those healthier grocery stores where everything is extremely fresh and weighed - all I see is dollar signs every time I go there. However, for the month of March on Tuesdays, they ran a deal. Each Tuesday they offered pork tenderloin, fresh bacon, and cage-free eggs all BOGO (buy one get one free). On one particular Tuesday, I went and spent $23.45 and got 4 lbs. of fresh bacon and 4 lbs. of pork tenderloin. I was able to break it all into smaller packages and freeze what we weren't using right away. I didn't have to use any coupons and got  A TON of meat for a great price!

With all my shopping trips combined this month,

I saved over $250

which averaged about 54% savings!

2012 - 1st Quarter

Our lives aren't really that exciting, so giving an update on what we do each month, would be quite boring! But here are some things that I want to remember that happened in January, February, and March...not necessarily in this order...

• I was sick for about 5 days and was miserable. I don't know how women do it when they're sick and have children they still have to care for. I was able to stop everything and my precious J took care of me. I was so sick I went to the doctor and got a Z-pac, steroid shot, antibiotic shot, and Mucinex, but even that didn't really make me feel better. It wasn't until about 2 weeks later when I really started to feel like myself. Thank goodness for couponing - I went through at least 4 boxes of tissues, but I had plenty (and still have plenty) in my stockpile. 

• My Aunt Carolyn died unexpectedly. My dad's siblings aren't super close, so I think the last time I saw her I was still in high school. My dad is quite a bit younger than his siblings - he was starting high school when his brother and 2 sisters were already married and had children. I didn't attend the funeral, but my dad did and was able to have some quality time with his brother and sister and for that I am thankful.

• I have a mole on my nose. I've had it since I was at least 4. I don't have it in my baby pictures, but it's in my pre-K picture. Anyway, I went to the doctor because I was sick and he didn't like what it looked like (he said it had changed, but I look at it every day and I don't think it's changed). I had a bit of it removed and sent off for testing, it came back normal. Praise the Lord! Now I have to decide do I want to keep it and have testing done ever so often, or do I want to have plastic surgery and have it removed. Hmmm....

• We hosted a Mardi Gras party for the young adults in our church. J and I did all the cooking and decorating. It was really fun but made us miss New Orleans A LOT! Good thing we're going to visit in June!

 

• J and I went finishing with a friend that is in the FF band with us. He stocked his pond with trout and apparently they die in warm water, so they needed to come out before Spring really hits. J caught 3 and I caught 1. However, I made up for catching less by cleaning most of them. We've already eaten some of them and they were delicious! 

     

• We celebrated St. Patrick's day with a delicious meal prepared by the Irish man himself! It was delicious. Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. Yum!  

Couponing Update - February

Here's what I got free this month:

• 3 boxes Market Pantry (Target brand) macaroni and cheese
• 1 dozen large eggs 
•  9 cans of Hunt's tomatoes
• 3 bags of Halls cough drops

One week in February, I was sick for about a week and lived on the couch. I had made my shopping list out and cut the coupons, so instead of my hard work going to waste, J suggested that he go shopping for me. He did a great job and only splurged a little. :) 

With all my shopping trips combined this month,

I saved a little under $250  

which averaged about 63% savings!

Projects for February

I'm continuing with my online quilting class. Here is square #3 and #4.

Balkan Puzzle Block

Chunky Chevron Block

I also made an apron from one of my dad's old shirts. It's not the best picture, but you get the idea.

I wasn't all that crafty this month. I must confess that my craft room looks like someone picked up the room, shook it up, and put it back down. It is in desperate need of a spring cleaning!!