Thursday, June 30, 2011

Have you traveled to the Gawkerverse?

If you have tried Pinterest, you know it is a nifty place to find great pics, awesome tutorials, and just pretty neat stuff.  Gawkerverse is along those similar lines, but with a site devoted specifically to certain categories:

If you are looking for something crafty:


House/Design/dwelling ideas?

How about an idea for food?
 Wedding planning? 

Oh the joy you can find on these pages in the Gawkerverse!  Happy traveling!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Free $2 Amazon mp3 credit

Visit the Amazon redemption page and use code: CLOUDMP3 to get a free $2 MP3 download credit!  Use it to score two free songs of your choice!

Another code for Pampers Gifts to Grow!


If you have been adding to your Pampers Gifts to Grow codes, here is another to add to your points.

WELLCABABYEMAIL

Right now you can sign into your Gifts to Grow account and enter the code WELLCABABYEMAIL to get 10 more FREE points!

Free Pantene full size coupon

Free Pantene Full Sized COUPON Facebook Offer
Pantene North America

Get your full size Pantene coupon (while it lasts) by liking the Pantene on their facebook page.

I signed up for mine already!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Adding to our household

This week, THE GIRL is spending her very first week at church camp.  She is super excited.  She was ready to start packing last weekend! 

I am excited for her, a little sad that she will be gone all week.....(my little girl is growing up) but I am mostly excited for her. 
SAGMOUNT BAPTIST CAMP 
In her absence, and to be a help to the family that is going with the campers as counselors, we have gained 3 little girls and a dog. (The 3rd little girl is still napping in the bedroom, so she is not in the picture.)
The dogs are still unsure of each other.  Chloe, rambunctious, full of energy, is just too much for poor little Noelle.  I'm pretty sure by Friday they will love each other.  For now, Chloe is not sure of the boundaries and is slowly trying to figure them out.

I can't wait to see how much fun we will have this week.  Day 1 is off and running!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

HomeMade Funnel Cake

During our family night the other night, we saw a funnel cake at the baseball game.  Yum, right?  I know.

Friday, THE HUSBAND looked up the recipe online, and while I was out helping with the demo at our new church space, THE GIRL and THE HUSBAND made some funnel cake. 

Funnel Cake Recipe
1 C. Flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 C. milk/1 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. sugar

Combine dry ingredients of flour, baking powder, salt.  Iin a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk and sugar.  Beat the ingredients together.  Put approximately 1" of oil into a drying pan.  Set at medium-high heat.  (We let it heat for 10 minutes before adding mix)

Use a funnel to pour in ingredients into the oil.  When golden brown, flip.  When both sides are golden brown, remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar.   

Tuesday, we made some more funnel cakes. 

Delicious!

Take me out to the ball game....

We had a "family night out" last Thursday night.  We went to a baseball game and watched the Iowa Cubs versus Omaha Stormchasers. 
It was a cool night.  The weather was in our favor.
Me and THE GIRL
THE BOY and THE HUSBAND
Can't forget some cotton candy.
Then we got a good view of some rolling clouds right before we left. 
 
 Omaha was in the lead when we left around 10pm in the 8th inning.  Good job Stormchasers!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Camera Strap

Another item on my To Do list was to finish the Camera Strap for pal Jaime #5 of the To Do list. 

I used this tutorial at Make It Do in order to make this. 
(I added some padding for the neck area, so I inserted another layer on the inside)

I haven't actually had pal Jaime try it on her strap, so I really really hope it fits.
 (It doesn't look like much now, wait til it's around the strap)
  If not, I will be ripping it out and starting over.  **That's okay though.  I love her enough to do it.**
 
AND....#5 Complete some of my TO DO items (Camera strap for wonderful pal Jaime, organize coupons organized last night, find great deal for raised garden bed, finish shirt I alluded to many posts ago)

Who's that Girl?

On my list of things to do this week was.....
10.  Beautify myself. 

In between typing files, I took the 30 minutes or so to try the new John Frieda Color Foam (6N Light brown) on my hair.  **As a side note, I got a FREE coupon for this.  AND I bought it at Walgreens when it was on sale with a $2 RR, so I actually made $2 on this FREE purchase...SCORE!

I was kinda wary, as 1 box normally doesn't cover my long tresses, BUT I was pleasantly surprised that I had enough to be foamy like the instructions said.
I really look like my mom and grandma in this pic.  (I'm amazed at the scary pics I will post)

The instructions said to leave it on for 20 minutes, 10 more for gray coverage.

Then I rinsed, conditioned with the included conditioner and dried my hair.

VOILA!

 From dull, and root exposed to beautiful brown with a hue of red (since my "warm" tones always come out in a new color.)

I have to say that I really like this color in a box. 

It's quick.....

It's easy.....

It has a low odor (at least less of an odor than my usual mix of peroxide and color.)

Now to see how long the color lasts.

The best part is....10.  Beautify myself.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Full Steam Ahead.......

This will EASILY be a busy week.

1. Regular job auditing/typing medical transcription.
2. Covering from 7-4pm for another transcription group.
3. Squeezing in some evening time (tonight or tomorrow & Thursday) to help a family at church move/get move in ready--new house.
4. Attend Family Life Conference at church Wednesday-Saturday nights at 7pm/-Sat 6pm.
5. Complete some of my TO DO items (Camera strap for wonderful pal Jaime, organize coupons, find great deal for raised garden bed, finish shirt I alluded to may posts ago)
6. Pack THE GIRL for camp next week (including buying sunscreen and snackies)
7. Meal plan and grocery shop.
8. Talk THE HUSBAND into sanding his woodwork that he wants me to stain/poly. (Soooo close to being done!)
9. Practice new song for Wed. 6/29. 
10. Cover my almost 1 1/2 inch roots of my hair....Beautify myself.

I will update any pics of my wonderful week. 

HAPPY MONDAY!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Entry Coat Rack Organization

We have a split level house. 
When you enter the door, you either go upstairs or downstairs, and the landing is not very large.
There is no room to set a coat-rack or a cubby/stool for shoes, etc. 

At the top of the stairs is a coat closet. 

HOWEVER, I decided to take it over and repurpose it as a homeschool/activity closet and remove the coats. 
(I know, it's messy right now)

--Now what am I going to do with all of the coats my company brings (especially in Nebraska winter)???

How B-E-A-U-tiful!  I wanted it.  I dreamed about it.  I started planning for it---
----UNTIL I realized that with the small areas and the stair configuration, making the board/batten look good would be a MAJOR issue.

Back to the drawing board. 

Then, (and it's been about a year now since this project so I don't have it)
I saw an idea in a Lowe's magazine and borrowed inspiration from them. 


I had Lowe's cut 3 pieces of wood 7 feet tall.  Then I painted these boards a rich chocolate brown that I had onhand.  
I tried the first one myself and just made a mess.  Bent the screw and everything. This is one area I can't just "guess" for the right measurement.
So.... I had the THE HUSBAND create a template for predrilling the screw holes for the hooks.  Then I added the hooks to the boards and THE HUSBAND and I attached these to the walls.
  I love the hooks.

THE DOG, Chloe, thought she needed in on this attention as well.


It's been quite useful over the last 9 months (Since my dated photos show it was September when this was done!)

Father's Day Freebie: Walgreens free photo collage thru 6/18


Through Saturday, June 18, receive a Free 8x10 Collage Print (a $3.99 value) from Walgreen's photo. Select in-store pick up and pay $0 for the collage print. Use code 1FREEBIE during checkout to redeem this offer. This is perfect timing for a personalized father's day gift.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Up to $5 off in Coupons from Right at Home

Celebrate summer and save up to $5 on Ziploc, Off and Shout products from Right at Home.

Get your coupons.

Fun Popsicles to make at home

Pretty, tasty popsicles! (Courtesy of VocalPoint)

Pretty, tasty popsicles!
If you haven't joined Vocalpoint yet, I suggest you do it today!  They offer AWESOME ideas, great freebies and coupons.  What's not to love????
Who doesn't love a good popsicle? 

I always enjoy making yogurt smoothies and freezing them in Tupperware cups, but the downside is that you have to wait a little bit for them to thaw in order to spoon out that berry goodness.

Here is an INSTANT fix!

Very Berry Yogurt Pops
Berries are finally in season, making them less expensive and more delicious. Here we recommend blueberries and strawberries, but any berry would work—raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry—whatever you have around. If you’re lactose intolerant, try substituting a fruity sherbet for the yogurt.

1 and 1/2 cups mixed strawberries (chopped) and blueberries
1 ½ cup of vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon of honey (optional)

If used, pour honey over berries. Mash the berries with a fork or pulse a few times in the food processor to lightly puree. If using a free-standing mould, it may be helpful to arrange them on a baking sheet so you can transport them all at the same time. Spoon yogurt into the bottom of each popsicle mould, about 1/3 of the way up, then add a layer of berries to each mould. They should now be 2/3 full. Add another layer of yogurt, then insert popsicle sticks.

Place in freezer until set, about 4+ hours. Remove from moulds by running the mould briefly under warm water on all sides and gently tugging popsicle sticks. For a less work-intensive popsicles, just stir the pureed berries into the yogurt and then pour into the moulds!

Nutritional info for 1 of 6 servings: 77 calories, .9 g fat, 3.3 mg cholesterol, 34.8 g sodium, 162.4 mg potassium, 15 carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 14.2 g sugar, 2.6 g protein. 24% DV of Vitamin C.

Chocolate Coffee Pops
This recipe is a bit more decadent, and will seriously satisfy that sweet tooth!

1 ½ cups coffee-flavored yogurt
About 10 Oreos
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee (optional)

Pulse Oreos, cocoa powder, and instant coffee (if using) in a food processor or blender until they resemble coarse crumbs. Empty the coffee yogurt into a medium-to-large bowl, then add the Oreo mixture and stir until incorporated. Resist eating it all right there long enough to pour into popsicle moulds and then freeze until set, about 4 hours. Run moulds under warm water briefly to remove.

Nutritional info for 1 of 6 servings: 143 calories, 6.4 g fat, 3.3 mg cholesterol, 142 mg sodium, 161 mg potassium, 23.7 carbohydrates, .6 g fiber, 8.3 g sugar, 3.6 g protein.

***I am looking forward to try both of these recipes!  I will let you know how they turn out!**

Monday, June 13, 2011

Free Sharpie Highlighters from OfficeMax

Now through the 18th you can get FREE Sharpie Highlighters from Office Max!


They are regularly priced $4.29 and are on sale for $2.99, but there is also a coupon for $2.99 off, making them FREE!

Enter  your zip code here to print your coupon!

Sewing Zippers

I have a problem sewing zippers. 

(Hi.  I'm Wendy.  I have a problem sewing zippers.)

I have made several skirts or articles of clothing requiring zippers and about 1/2 of the time the zipper doesn't lay right.


She has other tutorials for sewing as well.  Thanks Kate!

Friday, June 10, 2011

Free Tub O Towels

Sign up for your free sample of Tub O Towels today!


(I love that their sample page repeats what I love:  The best things in life are FREE!)

$10 off $25 JCP coupon (thru 6/11)

Print this coupon for $10/$25 at JCP good through tomorrow.



I think I will take THE HUSBAND on a date tonight and maybe stop by to shop at JCP!

Free $10 Coupon book by mail from P&G


Get a Free $10 coupon Book from P&G by mail!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

About Me....

I'm a 30-something year old work from home mom (who also homeschools), am active in my local church and strives to be frugal in all areas of my life.

My biggest concerns these days are:
1. Ensuring that my children receive a good education.
2. Keeping our cost-of-living down through freebies, deals, savings and crafting.
3. Budgeting my time wisely.  (This is my biggest, most difficult area I need to focus on)
4. Creating.remaking from start to finish (and actually finishing) projects.

I hope that through my new adventure in Remaking It Mine, that I might inspire you, share a new idea with you, save you some money or just bring a smile to your face.

Half Recycled Compost Bin

I have been seeing many posts on other blogger sites using wood pallets for many different projects.  Since most of the people who know me will agree that I am cheap, frugal, sometimes overboard in ways to save money  and just plain strange sometimes, it should not surprise you that I made my own compost bin from wood pallets. (Actually, THE HUSBAND made the bin from the wood that I used my brute strength to tear up some of the wood pallets)

I knew I would need something to line the inside of the bin, as the gaping wide holes in the wood slats weren't really able to hold in compost.  So while at Menard's (Save BIG money at Menard's!) I found a leaf bag for $5.99 that I snatched up and used as the inside liner.  I poked holes in the bottom and the sides for air and drainage and VOILA!

Compost Bin a la pallet:


To make it even better....while out garage saling, I made a fantastic purchase of a $2 pitchfork!  Now I can mix/turn my compost!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Sweater Remade

So I forgot to take some before pics (way to go Wendy)

But a friend was getting rid of some clothes, sending them off to the wonderful land of Goodwill, and I took what I thought I could remake. 

This is the FIRST of several items that will be remade. 
I thought it looked a little plain, so i added a belt.

 I shortened the sleeves (they were 3/4 sleeves) and I took about an inch off of the length of the waist. 
I used the extra from the shortened waist for the ruffles along the middle. 
 
And then I said to the photographer (hubby) to take another pic and this is what he caught:

I know, right.  But the goofiness goes along with the fun clothes!

Father's Day



Need some ideas for Father's Day gifts?

1. Homegrown salsa. 
2. Framing a map of a personal location for Dad.
3. Basket of his favorite snacks
4. Menards has a great deal on bits and drivers right now!

5. Father's Day card 
6. Clean his car.
7. Take him out to eat.


What are YOUR plans for Father's Day?

HomeMade Simple- Repurposed Organizers: Jars


Have you subscribed to the HomeMade Simple email?   If not, its a valuable resource for many great ideas!

My favorite recent idea is how to reuse jars....

For some crazy strange reason I have been saving my jars.  My original intent was to can some veggies from my garden, but i think that MAYBE a few jars would work, not the gargantuan amount of jars I have been hoarding saving. 

Here are a few ideas from HomeMade Simple.

Yarn dispensers
Wall attached organizers
Labeled lids
Sorted Strip of Jars on the wall
Hardware holder
Portable organizer
Under the Shelf storage (my personal fave)

Uses for Coffee Filters

Coffee filters....
Who knew!   And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing even the large ones.


1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the  microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome...  Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.

3.  Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4.  Filter broken cork from wine.  If you break the cork when opening a wine  bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5.  Protect a cast-iron skillet.  Place a coffee filter in the  skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6.  Apply shoe polish.  Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7.  Recycle frying oil.  After frying, strain oil through a sieve  lined with a coffee filter.

8.  Weigh chopped foods.  Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a  kitchen scale.

9.  Hold tacos.  Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10.  Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot.  Line a plant  pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through  the drainage holes.

11.  Prevent a Popsicle from dripping.  Poke one or two holes as  needed in a coffee filter.

12.  Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows?  Use  strips of coffee filters..

13.  Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken  fingers, etc on them..  It soaks out all the grease.

14.  Keep in the bathroom..  They make great "razor nick  fixers."

15.   As a sewing backing.  Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliquéing soft fabrics.

16.  Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17.  Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18.  Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car..

19.  Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20.  Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies..  Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21.  Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22.  Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23.  Use them to sprout seeds.  Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers.  Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in  phone book..

25.  Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

26. Use to strain jewelry cleaner to make it look like new

Monday, June 6, 2011

Creative Ways to ReUse From GCC

I found another great blog with FANTASTIC ReUsing ideas:


 
Gayle from GCC lists some awesome ways to reuse all sorts of things from spray bottles, paper bags, phone books, etc....
 
Here are a few of her ways to reUse Phone Books:
  1. Make a Book Safe. Cut out a square of pages in the middle of the book under the cover and you now have a secret hidey hole.
  2. Shipping. I regularly sell stuff on e-bay. Phone book pages are great packing material because they are thin and the pages crinkle up really well.
  3. Booster Seat. Duct tape a few phone books together and you've got a FREE booster seat for that kiddo that doesn't quite reach the table. If you want to, you could sew a cover and wrap the books in quilt batting first for a little extra padding and decoration.
  4. Make Seed Pots. I've done this with newspaper but phone book pages work just as well. Go HERE for directions.
  5. Unique Gift Bows. Use THESE instructions and make yellow (or white) gift bows for your packages.
Or clever ways to reUse Wax milk cartons:
  1. Seed Starters. Rinse out and cut off the bottom to use as seed starters or containers for your window herb garden.
  2. Indoor Bowling. Clean them good and then stack them like bowling pins for the kids. Give them a rubber bowl and teach them to bowl. It's a great rainy day game.
  3. Ice Blocks. Having a party with a punch bowl? Freeze ice blocks in the containers to make a long lasting rectangle ice cube.
  4. Guard your garden plants. We live in the land of slugs so every year when my tomatoes are still young and tender I cut off a ring of the milk carton and place it in the dirt around my tomatoes. This keeps the slugs and bugs from getting to my plants.
  5. Paint Holder. I just finished painting my front door and the trim around it. While hubby used the bucket for window trim, we poured a small amount of paint in a waxy milk carton for the trim around my front door. When I was done I just tossed it...no clean up.
Check out her Works For Me Wednesdays section for more ways to save!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Free Summertime E-book!

Download the we teach: summertime learning eBook -- grab some ideas and invite your friends to do the same!


I downloaded this and look forward to making the Solar Smores.....yum!

Free $35 P&G Coupon booklet


Use one of the links below to sign up for a free $35 P&G coupon booklet. You can sign up for one every 30 days.
Thanks, Sample Stuff!

Today is National Doughnut Day! 6/3/11

Today, June 3, 2011, is National Doughnut Day:


Head to Krispy Kreme to get a free doughnut of your choice.
Offer valid at participating locations, so I’d recommend calling your store ahead of time to verify they are participating.