A Homemade Christmas

At the beginning of November, I approached my children with the idea of homemade gifts for the sibling they chose for the Christmas gift exchange.  Being of the rarely employed variety of children, they liked this idea.

When they chose a name out of the bowl, I wrote it down in case they forgot or in case they needed ideas.  Only two came to me for ideas:  Bun and Pookie.  

Honestly not sure if the littles even did it, but I figured that was up to them.  I offered a couple times for them to run an idea past me.  So we'll see if the younger kids did anything...

Bun had Hammy's name for the exchange.  He decided to make a padded binder. 

Hammy's favorite color is yellow, so that's what Bun went with.  

Gabbers bought an inexpensive plain magenta shirt (Peach's favorite color) and then decorated it for Peach.

Pookie thought that this would be a fun shirt for Biscuit since she likes stars.  I think it looks like it says, "Easter," but he thought she'd like it since her name starts with an "E."

I love seeing my kids' creativity grow!

Making homemade carpet freshener

I learned about a simple homemade carpet freshener today online.  It was 5 drops of essential oil plus baking soda.

I had about half of a quart jar full of baking soda, added 5 drops of On Guard essential oil and mixed it well.  

Hammy, my 8 year old, helped me make a shaker lid for our carpet freshener.

When we had enough nail holes punched, we tried it out.

We shook it on the living room rug and sang, "Let it snow!"

After letting it sit a few minutes, I vacuumed it up.

Ahhh!  Nice and fresh!

I can just hear it now, 

"You have 8 kids, a hamster, and a cat and a dead rat in your walls??  I couldn't tell at all!"

Thankful for a lifetime of lessons and examples

I've been thinking about my mom a lot lately and how grateful I am for everything she taught me.  One of my earliest memories is of her telling someone, "I'm a bargain Betty."  I also have early memories of her sewing all our clothes, baking homemade bread, and making our dolls.

My mom is frugal, she loves a good bargain, and she can make ANYTHING.  She can cook, bake, sew, paint,  reupholster furniture, do stained glass, the list goes on!  What did I learn from this?

I learned that there wasn't anything I couldn't do if I decided to.  And I learned that she's my greatest resource. 

Thanks Mom!  You are my thankful post for the day.  :)

St. Patrick's Day treat

Picture and directions from here.

I successfully purchased and brought home (without anyone noticing) 2 boxes of Lucky Charms cereal-- though I only needed one box.  This afternoon during quiet time I made up nine of these baggies with toppers.  My two little girl Leprechauns helped me make them. Well, one girl helped me make them, the other tested and danced on the cereal bits I gave her.  I chose sandwich bag size (instead of snack bag size) so that each one would be enough for a bowl of cereal. 

The kids are going to be thrilled Saturday morning.  I think Grandma W. will be secretly thrilled too.  ;) 

And I'm hoping I'm not breaking any laws by stuffing one into Danny's deployment bag.

Popping thru with a V-day wish for you!

I had so much fun filling and decorating these Valentine's cans for a few teachers and friends.

 I wish I could make more-- but you can only eat so much pineapple!  From now on, I'm opening all pull-tab fruit cans from the bottom (with the smooth-edge can opener) and washing them out and saving them for future crafts.

My scrapbook paper wasn't all that Valentiny or very pink or red for that matter, but I think the label and ribbons brought the look together.

Have a great Valentine's Day my friends!

Here is the tutorial I followed.  But I used this smooth-edge can opener for a nicer finish on the bottom.  I printed the label from this post.

I filled the cans with an assortment of chocolate candies and used pink tissue paper before closing them so the hot glue wouldn't stick to any candy. So right side up they'll open them and see candy with tissue paper in the bottom. Who doesn't love candy?!

Easy gift for my aspiring artist

Have I told you how much I love Pinterest?  Pinterest is chuck full of talented people for me to glean ideas from.

This framed crayon inital was an easy fast inexpensive project I got from there. 

I estimate it costs me less than a box of candy canes. 

I used two boxes of crayons minus the neutral colors.  The crayons were 40 cents a box at the back-to-school sales.  I bought approximately 27 boxes.  seriously.  The cardstock was probably less than a dime.  The frame I've had for years and years.  But originally it was like $2 at Ikea.  So maybe a nice box of candy canes.  ;)

Here's the original, my inspiration.

I really like that she used a black frame.  And I thought I had a black frame.  But I can't seem to find it.  story of my life.  This deep purple frame actually matches well.

Now to wrap it so the crayons don't fall off . . .

Scratching that creative itch

On Saturday we are having an Under the Sea birthday party for Gabbers.  She's celebrating her EIGHTH birthday!



In preparation something good AND bad has happened.  I have discovered Pinterest.  That octopus was on there.  Oh my.  There are so many wonderful crafts and holiday decorations and goodies and party ideas and presents and organization tips and on and on! 

I have been pinning and having too much fun.  Ah yes, I have been procrastinating my time away. 

I want to make this:

I would LOVE to bake and decorate for Halloween but I need to focus on baking and decorating for Gabbers' birthday party.  This IS the year for her big friend birthday party.  So I have to file away my fun ideas for next year when I don't have a big party to plan. 

However, it hasn't stopped me from making a pumpkin basket craft with the kids (that I cut on my Silhouette) and painting pumpkins (we were given a dozen on Sunday while we waited in the van during Danny's meeting).  Pictures later.

Today I learned how to make these:

Picture and tutorial here.  (and p.s. if you add a half teaspoon of shortening to about 1 1/4 cup candy melts when melting, it makes it smoother and easier to coat the marshmallows.)

Have you seen any cute crafts or goodies lately you couldn't resist adding to your to-do list?

How to get your rain gutters cut

As mentioned in my Mother's Day post, Danny installed rain gutter bookshelves for me as one of my Mother's Day gifts. 

I, however, was the one to do the research, measure, and shop for the right equipment.  I read online (on blogs) that Home Depot would not cut the rain gutters for you. 

So I figured that I'd have to buy a hack saw too.  That's what Kimberly used to make hers.

I loaded up the kids and went to Home Depot. 

I put Peach in the backpack and the twins in the driver's seats of the shopping cart.  Hammy sat in the main basket of the cart.  Gabbers and Bun held onto one side of the cart and Pookie on the other.

And we balanced the 10 ft. rain gutters in the cart precariously trying not to take out anyone's unsuspecting eye when we turned corners down aisles.  We found a spot at Home Depot that looked like they cut things.  I asked the man, "Can you cut these into 4 ft. sections for me?"

He said, "Not here.  But they can in plumbing.  Let me call down there and make sure he's there."

He sent me down to the plumbing department and the man cut them for me.  And it looked like a lot of work!

So if you want to do rain gutter bookshelves yourself, and you don't own a hack saw (or even know what one is), just grab a half dozen kids plus one very smiley baby, and shop at Home Depot. 

And bonus, I just found out our Home Depot offers a 10% military discount!






This is not a paid post.  I just happen to like Home Depot.  This is also where I got my supplies.  However, if Home Depot would like to sponsor a giveaway or some such awesomeness, they are welcome to contact me.  ;)

Can you guess my new hobby?

R.I.P. pet peeve

Sometimes if you've done something a certain way, like your whole life, you don't know there's a better way.  Like in my instance I just learned I could buy diapers from Amazon for way cheaper than I was getting them from the commissary. I could get them even cheaper than Amazon advertises them when I joined their Amazon Mom and also subscribed to getting them delivered to my doorstep. 

Right now, averaging 600 diapers a month, we are using disposables.  I have been thinking about making the switch back to cloth after I get the oldest three well-trained in the washing of laundry.  I mean at least with washing clothes and towels.  BUT NEVER TOGETHER OF COURSE.  Sorry.  I didn't mean to yell.  It's just a pet peeve of mine.

This is not the pet peeve I'm talking about today. 

The pet peeve I'm talking about today is how to measure flour.  I know how to measure flour because I have a gourmet chef for a mom.  She taught me when I was like 8 years old how to measure flour properly.  I also had a home economics teacher in sixth grade reiterate the proper way to sift and measure flour-- which is decidely different than measuring sugar.

My pet peeve is not with you.  Let me make that clear.  My pet peeve is with me for blindly believing (too many times) that you measure flour like I do-- that my mom taught you and Mrs. 6th grade Home-Ec teacher taught you as well.

I love to get new recipes.  I read fantastic recipes online.  I visualize them.  I get excited about what I'm going to bake.  I start baking and then I go, "Argh!  Fizzly stinkin' spiders!   I should've compared this recipe to others before believing the measurements and making it!"

picture from here

So if you're interested in knowing the "proper way to measure flour" here it is.  It may seem foreign to you at first, but in no time at all, it will be automatic. 

I was going to do a How to Measure Flour tutorial, but someone already did it.  They did it well.  And I approve.  There you have it my peeps.  Click on that link on how to measure flour and you too can contribute more accurate recipes to the world wide web and your family.

By the way, if you're feeling sheepish because you just learned, just now, how to properly measure flour, don't.  Follow along with me and see for yourself that I learn new things all the time. 

P.S.  Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

Has she updated yet??

Tired of reading this?  Yeah, me too.  Things are calming down a bit.  I'll be back Monday when Pookieville should be out of the toilet. 

And since it's still Friday, for a few hours more, you can revisit this post on homemade baby wipes.  It's never too late to start living a little more frugal.  And what could be more appropriate after a full week of um... previously mentioned activity? 

No need to "wipe out" your bank account with costly store bought wipes.  har har  These wipes work out to a fraction of the cost of even the cheapest warehouse company store-bought wipes.

Baby Wipes Tutorial

Fleece Diaper Pockets Tutorial

Fleece diaper pockets are a frugal semi-crunchy mama’s dream.  They work much better than just a fleece liner because they won’t bunch up.  The fleece pulls the wetness inside the diaper and the baby feels dry longer. 

When changing the diaper, just pull the diaper and doubler out of the fleece and toss them all in the diaper pail together.  If it’s poopy, pull the diaper and doubler out and all you have to rinse is the fleece pocket.  A lightweight fleece pocket is so much easier to rinse than a big-ole poopy prefold.

Look for remnants of fleece to make these pockets.  I actually bought the fleece for $4.44 a yard at Wal-Mart and got 14 out of each yard.  With tax, it's still less than 30 cents a piece. 

Gather your supplies:  Fleece, measuring tape or ruler, scissors, diaper, cover, and doubler.

Lay your prefolded diaper on the fleece to get an idea of how big to sew the fleece diaper pocket.  Allow for an extra half inch around. 

Cut a piece big enough to fold it in half sideways. ←→ Also make sure your stretch is ←this way→.  Fleece only stretches one direction.  This is very important that you make sure it goes sideways.  It is a hassle to try to stuff a fleece pocket when the stretch is going the other way.  I did that once and ended up chucking that pocket because it was so dang annoying.

Sew a straight stitch along the top and down one side (not the folded side).

Turn right side out.

 

Now stuff it.  mwahaha.  *ahem*

All stuffed.

Place stuffed fleece pocket in cover.  I prefer Proraps. 

Put on Tater, or whatever cute baby you have laying around your house. 

So comfy!  I think I might just . . . ahh! 

Spare fleece pockets and one already stuffed diaper, just in case.

If you like what you read here, follow me on my journey.  I’d love to have you along.  :)

This post is linked at Thrifty Thursdays, Frugal Fridays, My Coupon Teacher’s Thrifty Thursdays, and Frugalicious Friday. and Homemaker Mondays, and A Soft Place to Land.