A Steal of a Deal #7

At Kohl's, it seems I can either get a steal of a deal or I find absolutely nothing in the store. Luckily last week I found a steal of a deal!! I wasn't really trying to buy anything, but rather I was wasting time before an appointment.

The clearance sections of each department within Kohl's are where I typically look first.

In the jewelry department, I found 2 necklaces - 1 for $4.80 and another for $2.60.

In the kitchen department, I found 4 plastic placemats. If you know me, I love flip flops and actually had received the dish towel that matches these placemats as a gift earlier in the summer. They were each $1.19, I bought 4 so $4.76 total. They will be great for next summer - provided I can remember I bought them.

I also got a bra for $6.80 off the clearance section.

My total was $18.96, but then I showed them a coupon on my phone and I got $1.35 off and then I gave them a $10 off coupon. For all the above items, I paid $8.22. I called J to apologize for spending so much money. :)

Summer Vacation

My parents live in Virginia and we hadn't been there since Christmas 2010. My mom came to Huntsville to visit us for my 30th birthday back in May 2011. It was time for us to visit and we needed to get away. I decided we would visit my parents and capture them and head to the beach for a few days. My precious aunt allowed us to stay at her beach cottage and it was wonderful! It's right on the beach so we were able to come and go as we pleased without much effort. Here's the trip in pictures:

I even got to see my brother while in Virginia, but just for a minute!

Projects for August

For my online quilting class, we created the "Ohio Star Block" and the "Double Star Block". I'm continuing to enjoy making various blocks, but I'm really ready to learn how to put all the pieces together. I have 4 more blocks to earn (September and October) and then finally we can learn how to put the whole thing together.

Double Star

Ohio Star

I made a small receiving blanket for a baby gift this month. I used many of my quilting tips and tricks and made it pretty quickly and with ease. The tutorial said it was a 10 minute project. It took me about 45 minutes, but I think the next time I make one, it will be much easier (and there will be a next time).

To complete the project you use two different size flannel pieces and when you sew the pieces together you end up with a cute border on one side.

I had fun looking at all the cute fabrics, but landed with a nursery rhyme themed that had the colors of the nursery in it - pink, blue, green and brown.

In addition, I made a ribbon banner with the child's name on it. I goofed and didn't realize she was going to have a double name, so a week later I made the middle/second name. It all worked out.

Couponing Update - July

Here's what I got free this month:

• 2 packages (3 bars each) of Ivory soap
• 3 packages of feminine productS

Other deals:

• 6 bottles of vinegar for 12 cents each - 72 cents for all 6
• Milky Way candy bars, there was a sale at Kroger where you buy 2 and you get 1 free, plus I had 2 coupons for 75 cents off 2 - $2.06 for 4
• Smart Balance butter - $3.06 for 4 tubs 
• 1 package (3 bars) of Ivory Soap - 30 cents

I haven't excelled in the couponing department this month. I've saved almost 50% on each trip to the grocery store, but that's only average...and I don't like to be average. The reason for all this is because I'm currently during Weight Watchers and trying to watch what and how much I eat. While I'm not ready to share those numbers yet, I have lost weight each week. I figure it's okay to not excel at couponing, when I'm trying to switch out old groceries for new and old fat-filled condiments for the lesser fat and sugar-filled ones. I'll cut myself some slack this time.

Projects for July

Apparently in July I didn't feel like crafting much. I didn't realize that I had been this unproductive. Do I get a little credit because my craft room is the hottest room in our apartment? Here are my blocks for my quilting class:

Modern Dresden Wheel

Traditional Dresden Plate

Couponing Update - June

 

Here's what I got free this month:

• 2 containers of Marie's Glaze for Strawberries  I remember my grandma used to put these on strawberries when I was a kid. I don't think I've had any since then. 
• 4 - 2 liters of Sun Drop soda
• 3 Good 'n Natural Granola Bars
• bottle of ibuprofen, 20 tablets
• Colgate Toothpaste (regular size tube)
• 3 pkgs. Carefree liners 
• 9 Yakisoba Noodles 
• 2 Brut deodorants 
• 1 bag peeled mini carrots 

Other deals:

• hair detangler (full size bottle) - $0.34 
• Country Crock tub - $0.50
• 8 small packages of lunchmeat - $3.30 for all 8
• 8 cans of field peas - $2.40 for all 8
• All liquid detergent - $1.99
• 3 Chi-Chi's salsa - $1.57 for all 3
• 3 packages of tortillas - $1.47 for all 3
• box of frozen Texas Toast - $0.49
• Dial hand soap - $0.30
• 2 boxes Luzianne tea bags - $0.49 for both

2012 - 2nd 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 April, May, and June...not necessarily in this order... 

Welcome the newest member of our family...J and I went to Nashville for him to attend a songwriters conference. While there, he went and got a tattoo. He has talked about it for a long time and he saved his money from teaching guitar lessons. It's on his left forearm and can be completely covered when needed.

Our friends T & C invited us to a benefit that was held to raise money for the new hospital in town. It was dinner followed by a Foreigner concert. I had to have a crash course in who Foreigner was since I was born in '81, but it was great. We had front row seats until a ton of people crowded the front of the stage.

In May, although not able to attend, my brother was honored as a senior athlete at his college, my alma mater, Lynchburg College. Despite his accident two years ago, he has still traveled with the team and been at almost every practice and game. My parents went up because the athletes were honored along with their parents. He was also honored at the year-end sports banquet. He still has another year of studies left so next May we'll celebrate college graduation. 

From 2007 - 2009, J was a Junior High Youth Minister and Student Worship Leader at a church in Biloxi while we finished up our studies in New Orleans. Some of the students that we first started with graduated high school this year. One student in particular was near and dear to our hearts as we stayed with him and his family so we didn't have to commute back and forth from New Orleans. We are SO proud of him and all that he has accomplished. Way to go C! And visiting our friends in Biloxi would not be complete without a little jam session. It sounded so good!

May was my birthday month - 31! We didn't celebrate much but I did manage to snag a free burger from Red Robin and a free cookie at Publix. So yummy!

We planned a quick trip to Memphis and met J's parents there. We visited the outside of Graceland - we only had about an hour to kill and the prices were a bit steep to only spend an hour at Graceland.  

We also visited the Gibson Guitar Factory which I found to be an awesome tour where I learned exactly how a guitar is made. Too bad pictures weren't allowed in the factory, but it was the best $10 we spent in Memphis. I even scored a new guitar pick that I LOVE!


J has this app on his phone that allows him to see restaurants in the area that are featured on TV. We found the Flying Fish Grill and indulged in some crawfish. They were delicious!  

J would have loved to have eaten at this place, but I was his self-control. After all, who really needs to attempt to eat a 7.5 pound burger?!?!

 

I also checked off an item on my bucket list - visiting Beale Street...after all, my maiden name is Beale!

We also visited Sun Studios made famous with the recordings of Elvis and Johnny Cash. 

In June, we ventured down to New Orleans for the Southern Baptist Convention. It was the first time we'd been back since we moved away in January 2010.

I also spent a week in Montgomery for work. No pictures as I was in class for four days. 

We also celebrated the wedding of our friends T and J. T plays drums in our band at church. J originally met him on Craig's List as T had posted an ad saying that he wanted to play drums in a church setting on Sunday mornings. We love how the Lord worked through that Craig's List ad and two years later we're still ministering together.