Pretty Princess Dress

Recently I got the idea to make a princess dress for Ariana. I wanted it to be a tutu dress, but didn't want to use the crochet top that so many others have (something about them is too revealing for me). So I set off to the store to buy my supplies and after a few hours worth of work, here it is.

Can you tell who it is? Yep, Snow White!

It's not perfect, but a great start. I actually bought material to make a Belle one as well, but it will have to wait (for now). After that I want to do Rapunzel.

To make the top I bought some elastic thread. All I can say is LOVE. After this project I'm addicted.

 

I'll be back again once I get the others done, but for now I'm entering this project into a crafting challenge.

 

 

Saturday Savings 2/16/13

*Wow! I cannot believe I completely forgot to post last weeks totals. In order to keep up with my yearly total, I'm going to add them to the end of this post.*

Here's what this past week looked like. It's a very short list because time got away from me and I never made my second trip I had planned.

Publix

Glad Trash Bags x1= $3.99

Sparkle Paper Towels x1= $4.49

Nature's Own Bread x2= $2.85

Dove Ice Cream x2= $6.00

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables x12= $7.94

Gorton Fish Fillets x2= $5.50

Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal x2= $4.11

 

Total Paid: $29.87

Total Saved: $47.37

That was all from this past week.

Now for the previous week.

Publix

Kraft Cheese x2= $3.44

Half Gallon Publix Sweet tea x4= 3.18

Nabisco Wheat Thins x2= $2.49

Ocean Spray 100% Grapefruit Juice x2= Free +$1.01

Grapefruit 5lb x1= Free +$2.00

Johnsonville Brats x2= $5.98

Breakstone Sour Cream x2= $2.59

Publix Large Eggs x1= 2.09

 

Total Paid: $12.76

Total Saved: $35.69

 

Hitchcock's

8pk Diet Pepsi x4= $6.00

Hot Dog Buns x2= $1.89

Tyson Boneless Wings x2= $7.00

Cube Steak (lb) x1.64= $4.90

Chicken Drumsticks (lb) x4.51= $4.01

Cucumbers x2= $1.00

Celery x1= $.99

Baby Carrots x2= $2.50

 

Total paid: $24.03

Total Saved: $39.13

 

 

Year to Date

Total Paid: $296.47

Total Saved: $428.07

Saturday Savings 2/2/2013

This week I decided to do a new diet for my breakfast, lunch, and snacks, so these totals will be higher than I usually spend because I bought a lot of stuff that wasn't on sale. Also, I picked up a few things for the upcoming Super Bowl.

Hitchcock's

Flavorite Skim Milk x1= $3.75

Large Eggs x1= $2.19

Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt x1= $5.75

Frozen Blueberries x1= $3.89

Frozen Strawberries x1= $2.50

Tostito's Multigrain Chips x2= $3.00

Tostito's Queso Dip x1= $0

Popcorn x1= $2.09

Honey x1= $2.99

Hidden Valley Ranch Mix x1= $1.79

Pork Loin Roast x4.93(lb)= $4.88

Whole Fryer Chicken x5.66(lb)= $5.60

Cabbage x2.21(lb)= $.86

Corn x10= $4.00

Jalapeno Peppers x1.1(lb)= $1.42

Baking Potatoes x4.52(lb)= $1.76

Tomatoes x4.79(lb)= $4.74

 

Total Paid: $46.21

Total Saved: $38.29

 

Year to Date

Total Paid: $229.81

Total Saved: $305.88

Finally, a craft project!

I know it's been forever since I've done an art project and blogged about it. Actually, I've done a few little things here and there around the house, especially with the holidays of the past few months, but without a camera I haven't been able to blog about them. Oh, and speaking of my camera (and how I'm able to blog with photos now), it was found last week as we were getting ready to go to the zoo as a family. Apparently the camera somehow got into the stroller and put into the closet back in November.

Anyways, back to the project for today.

I stumbled upon this craft challenge while scanning Facebook and knew I had a super cute idea for a super simple project. Yes, I had to say super two times. For this challenge, all items must be purchased from a dollar store and completed in less than 30 minutes.

Here's a photo of my supplies.


Any size frame and foam board

That's all. Well, except for a computer, printer, tape, and scissors. I also added some wrapping paper to the project that I had left over, which was purchased at the dollar store a while ago.

First thing you need to do is open up your word processing program on your computer. Then open "Page Settings" and adjust your page size to match the size frame you purchased (8x10, 5x7, 4x6, etc.). I would suggest selecting the "borderless" option for the size you choose. Then type what letter you want your monogram to be, adjust the font and size (mine was 700pt) and try to get a good fit on your page. Since your page will be the same size as your frame, you'll have a good idea of how it will fit once printed.

This next step is optional, but, I like to open the font settings tab and select "outline" which will turn your letter white with just a thin line around it. This saves a ton of ink, and since you will only use the letter you print to trace, I'd hate to waste so much ink. Now print.

Once printed, I like to trace around the outline with a marker so it's easier to see. This, too, is optional, but again something I prefer to do. Once traced, cut it out and lay it face down onto the foam board and trace around it. With an Exacto knife (or scissors) cut out your traced letter. Set it aside.

Now, take your frame and remove the back. Lay the back piece down onto the wrapping paper (hanging side up) and cut around it leaving about 1/4". Use some tape to "wrap" the paper around the back piece. 

Now, lay the frame facing up and attach (with tape) the cut out letter onto the glass, making sure it's centered.

Now, you're done. Hang it and admire your work.

 

Total cost for project: $3.00 ($1.00 frame, $1.00 foam board, $1.00 wrapping paper)

Saturday Savings 1/26/13

Publix

Bird's Eye Voila x2= $1.49

Hungryman Entree x6= $11.07

Publix String Cheese x2= $7.00

Publix Gallon Milk x1= $3.75

Cool Whip x4= $3.90

Starkist Tuna Pouch x10= $6.90

Swanson Broth x6= $7.00

Ocean Spray Craisins x2= $2.35

Smucker's Jelly x4= $3.18

Lucky Charms x4= $5.98

Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice x2= $3.99

Publix Large Dozen Eggs x1= $1.99

Publix Wheat Bread x2= $3.70

 Total Paid: $58.20

Total Saved: $74.08

 

 

Hitchcock's

Huggies Jumbo Diapers x1= $7.99

Huggies Pull-ups x2= $11.98

Total Paid: $14.97

Total Saved: $21.00

 

Year to Date

Total Paid: $183.60

Total Saved: $267.59

Little Girl is Growing Up!

So, since this blog is about our daily life, I feel it's necessary to update everyone on what's happening around here.

For the past few days, Ariana has been potty training.

It all started on Saturday when she refused to put on a diaper after her morning change. I gave in and let her run around without the diaper just to see what she would do. In a matter of 30 minutes, she had two accidents and refused to sit on the potty after each one. At that point I decided the diaper was going back on. She wasn't ready and I didn't want to force her.

Then on Sunday we had the same issue once her morning diaper change came around. At that point I decided to up the ante to see if I could entice her to sit on the potty. I went through my stash of left over candy and found a few lollipops, I showed them to her and explained that if she went potty, she could have one. Well, that didn't go over so well and 20 minutes of screaming followed. But, after those 20 minutes were over, she walked into the room, sat on the potty, and made her first pee. All by herself. I only knew she had gone when I heard her laughing and went to check on her. She was so excited when she got to have her lollipop.

Since then, she has gone on the potty all but one time (last night we were outside playing and after we came in she had an accident). Each time she has gone, it has been unprompted. We leave the bathroom door open so she can go in whenever she needs to to go.

The only issue we are having right now is the fact that she is clueless when she wears underwear. She hasn't yet learned that she needs to take them off before she goes, so she has been holding it in. Each time I try to teach her, a huge fit ensues (we're in that stage, oh joy). So, for now, she just runs around the house naked and goes as she pleases. I'm hopeful that in the next few weeks she'll have everything down and we can call this a success.

Saturday Savings 1/19/13

So, I decided to bring back my Saturday Savings posts. My goal is to use them to keep better track of my spending throughout the year. Last year I kept every receipt, from every store, but that has become a nightmare to keep track of. So this is my solution. Blog about it, then throw the receipt away.

As I mentioned in my last post, I made a goal to eat better in 2013. I plan to do this while still sticking to a budget. However, the cost of the healthy food far exceeds the cost of the junk so my budget will be a little higher this year than last (I managed to stay at $50 per week for 2012).

So here are this weeks totals....

Publix

100% Whole Wheat Bread x2= $3.70

Large Eggs x1= $1.99

Gallon Skim Milk x1= $3.75

Jennie-o Turkey Bacon x4= $1.98

Fresh Express Spinach x4= $7.98

Coffee Mate Creamer 32oz x4= $6.00

Sundown Vitamins x2= $-1.22

Centrum Multivitamins x2= $3.23

Valley Fresh Chicken Breast x6= $10.47

 

Total Paid: $32.88

Total Saved: $64.34

 

And since I forgot to start this last week, here are those totals too. Saturday Savings 1/12/13

 

Publix

Quaker Cereal x2= $4.89

Special K Cereal x2= $3.60

Cantaloupe x2= $4.00

Weight Watcher's String Cheese x2= 4.59

Ronzoni Wheat Egg Noodles x2= $1.69

Quaker Stilla Bars x4= $.98

Low fat Cottage Cheese x2= $5.00

Kraft Freshtake x2= $.98

Kraft Shredded Cheese x2= $3.99

Flatout Bread x4= $6.38

Stevia in the Raw x2= $11.98

Gallon Skim Milk x1= $3.75

New England Coffee x2= $7.69

Crunchmaster Crackers x2= $1.19

Peter Pan Peanut Butter x2= $3.59

Quaker Rolled Oats x2= $2.83

Florida Oranges 3lb x1= $2.50

Ragu Pasta Sauce x4= $2.18

Sundown Vitamins x4= $-1.24

 

Total Paid: $59.58

Total Saved: $97.92

 

Hitchcock's

Garlic Powder x1= $.99

Bacon Bits x1= $1.00

Cucumbers x2= $1.00

Green Bell Peppers (lb) x5.08= $5.08

Vine Ripe Tomatoes (lb) x1.86= $3.70

Roma Tomatoes (lb) x.71= $1.20

Strawberries x2= $5.00

 

Total Paid: $17.97

Total Saved: $10.25

 

 

Year to Date

Total Paid: $110.43 

Total Saved: $172.51