Baby boy closet

My cozy cape cod has some crazy closets. Built into the eaves of the house each of the four upstairs closets are huge, but awkward. Slowly, we have been trying to use what we have to make the usable. When we first moved in, my uncle came and helped me install the wire shelves from Home Depot. $200 plus later, the closet was a little more functional. The closet once housed my clothes, shoes, jewelry and purses. Two kids later, I have greatly downsized and now the closet belongs to its rightful owner, my son. These bins really don’t have anything in them. He has a dresser, and there is a closet bar, so I am hoping to use the bins for shoes, hats, toys and other odds and ends as he grows. Each bin/basket was $1 at the Dollar Tree. The bins are not sturdy, so they might be reserved for clothes, shoes. I like to grab bins/baskets full of toys and let the kiddos go to town. These bins won’t stand up to that, the plastic baskets and other plastic bins the dollar store has, will. But, this looks sweet, doesn’t it?

Mission: Organize jewels

That my friends was my idea of jewelry organization when I had to organize and declutter before Ayla was born. Well, since then I've discovered Pinterest and having be pining for a more functional and eye-appealing way to organize my jewelry before baby boy comes. These little containers were a great way to contain the earrings in one locale but definitely not easy to find matches.  And once Ayla found them, forget it. So, I made this:

Just by going through and picking out the pairs to put on the jewelry holder was eye-opening. I found a pair I loved, but never knew I had and have never worn. 

And this fancy little holder cost me 25 cents, actually maybe less.  No kidding. I already had the purple beading wire and white spray paint. The frame was a Rescue Mission find. It's marked 25 cents because it was missing the glass (which I didn't need anyway) and frames were but one get one free that day, seriously. 

To be fair, I didn't know what I was going to use this frame for. It was a candidate for Ayla's gallery wall, but I didn't end up needing it. I pick up inexpensive materials as I find them. It makes my craft corner a cluttered mess, but saves me a trip out when I have a project I'd like to start. This is part one of three parts of mission organize jewels. So there is more to come! 

Ayla's big girl room

 For the longest time, I have been plotting Ayla's big girl room. I scoured Pinterest, came up with some ideas, visited tons of thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets and slowly started assembling the pieces. My goal was to come up with a shabby chic, vintage-looking pretty room for my little lady. It's really a room that I would love to sleep in, but I am sure she will, too. It still has a little work to make it complete, but I think it's ready for her, when I am ready to move her out of her nursery. The plus of this room is that it has a huge closet where we can put all of her toys and clothes and keep the room looking clean and girly. And this room was seriously very, very inexpensive. Really. You know me!

In the first photo, is the reading corner.
1. The tree is a hand-me-down from grandmother.
2. The rocking chair was a gift.
3. My dad is an avid auction goer and gets me the best deals, so I do have an insider. The little wicker shelf beside the rocking chair was probably only a dollar or two at an auction.
4. The window came from Re-Stor in Lancaster for $10. I added the bird decal (Stampin' UP) and the Dream word (A.C. Moore) for only a few dollars. It's hung with a rustic looking chain and hook I found at the Re-Stor in York for less than $1 for both.
5. The dresser was $2. Not kidding. It needed a little TLC and after fixing a few problems, I painted it white and distressed it with sand paper. The new knobs were less than $20 at Home Depot.
6. The shutter was 25 cents at a yard sale, and I added a light coat of acrylic paint.
7. The pictures on the wall were made by my crafty mother.
8. The jars and glasses came from yard sales.

 This photo shows the gallery wall...my new obsession. I love the look of these and they can be done so inexpensively. I eventually may add more, and of course replace the old advertisement in one. I can with all honesty say that this wall cost me less than $10, with most of the cost coming from the Command Strips I had to use to hang some of the frames. Most of the frames were from the York Rescue Mission Thrift Store. They were having a 50% off frame sale (as if they weren't cheap enough), so they came out to be about 25 to 50 cents each. I looked for the old gold and silver metal frames. After I got a stock-pile, I laid them all out and spray painted them in the yard. The silver tray was 50 cents at the same thrift store as well as the two small mirrors. You really can't look at something for its color or material. A coat of spray paint does wonders. I painted the silver tray with chalk board paint. I found the old sheet music at the coolest little store in York New Salem on the square. The little place is full of old books and quirky little things. He is open Fridays and Sundays. The quote and the bird on the sheet music were cut out with my beloved Cricut. The A, is really just a wooden A from the craft store and covered it with decorative paper.  Her bed is under the gallery wall, but for now it's just a mattress on the floor for safety...so I kept it out of the photo.

And the final photo is her vanity/desk/bookshelf. Who knows what she will use this for.
1. The vanity/desk was the most expensive buy ($75) and it's probably the one piece she will take the longest to use. However, I fell in love with it at Restoration Warehouse in York. It is also clear that whomever painted it knows much more about it than I do..because it's gorgeously distressed with silvers and grays.
2. The chair was the perfect color and already distressed, and again, my dad got it at an auction for a steal, I am sure.
3. The magnetic board behind the desk/vanity is my masterpiece. I used an old frame I found in my basement. I think it was part of a box lot at an auction for $1. I covered a piece of sheet metal (aluminum so it's magnetic) with fabric (a few dollars at Joann Fabric). I can't remember what I bought, but a nice gentleman at Home Depot was very helpful in finding me what I needed. It was $10. I cut it with tin snips to fit the frame.Take a magnet with you to make sure. The magnets are actually vintage buttons and old clip-on earrings I found at yard sales. I used metal cutters and glue to assemble them.
4. The bookshelf was $1 at an auction (again my dad). I cleaned it up, removed the ugly legs and distressed it.
5. The mirror above the bookshelf was $1 at a church yard sale. It was gold, and I spray painted it gray. Going with the distressed look is lovely because you don't have to worry about chipping paint or colors showing through because that adds to its charm.
5. The silver frames on the book shelf were 50 cents each at same church yard sale. I added some acrylic white paint. I have to find something cool to put in them.
6. The top shelf has old children's books I've collected over the years.
7. The middle shelf has a large food can I covered with decorative paper, as well as a frame I painted with chalk board paint.
8. The plastic storage bin are from the Dollar Tree. $1 of course.

Overall, I am pleased with the room. Of course, I don't think it looks much like the lovely ideas I had in my head or the dazzling photos on Pinterst, but it's unique and there is no other room like it. I put a lot of love into it and used many items from family that mean a lot.

Baby blog

I have a feeling that before I know it, this blog is going to turn into a baby blog. I am a little worried that I have not learned the art of bargain shopping for diapers yet. I know what a good price is on ground hamburger and boneless, skinless chicken breast, but diapers is not something that I have mastered yet. I am also worried that my baby won't breastfeed, and I will have to spend a fortune on formula. I am worried that even after all of the preparation I did stocking the freezers and cupboards, my husband is still going to resort to ordering take out.

I really want to be frugal about this mommy thing. My eventual goal is to stay home, and that is not going to happen if I can't keep the spending under control. I love my job, but I don't ever want it to interfere with my family.

I think the best advice I can give myself is to stay laid back. That is my mantra in life. The more laid back you are, the less worried you are and the more things seem to work out. Fingers are crossed and prayers are being said!

Roots and Tupperware!

After spending much of the summer taking classes, cleaning, organizing or working at Cracker Barrel, I knew that it was time for fun. I mean, after all, summer is almost over. So, I hooked up with some co-workers and headed to Root's Market in Lancaster for homemade ice cream, whoopie pies, Smitty's Candy, and inexpensive fruit. But surprisingly, I found the pick-a-deli Tupperware container as well. Just like Root's, Pick-A-Deli is a memory from my childhood. We always stored pickles in it so we didn't have to reach our little hands down into the depths of the pickle juice. I love it! For $9, I can store pickles. And look how cute the color is. Much better than the drab 1970s green container from my mom's fridge. Despite the horrible heat, it was a great day!

Black Friday Bonanza continued

So, after my Wal-mart adventure, I drove over to the Target Complex to a parking lot crowded with cars. It looked like the auto auction. People were parking on the grass on top of the hill. Who even knew there was a hill there?
As I walked into the store, I headed for the clothes. There were a few items that I wanted to pick up. I saw people lined up snaking through the store. I assumed it was like Wal-mart and people were waiting for electronics like video game systems, big screen TVs and Blue-ray players. Little did I know that this line was really the line to check out. I took my time browsing the aisles, only to find the items that I wanted were gone or picked over. I grabbed a few items and walked around the store to find the end of the line. It was back in the pet supplies, but snaked through every other department at least once. It lead into lingerie at least twice. There were employees directing "traffic." Thank goodness I ended up in line behind a very pleasant mother and daughter team, who were also out on their first (and last) Black Friday expedition. We had so much fun watching each others carts in line while the other went off on an adventure looking for items. The mom found me two of the items I wanted that I thought were sold out on other racks. They helped me match items together for my gift giving. It was so fun. I even found out the daughter and I are both in grad school at Temple and have classes on the same night. It was a long line, and I probably ended up spending $75 more than I did when I entered the line. That was the strategy of the marketing department, I am sure. People are on a spending high and just keep throwing items in the cart. I saw it happen over and over again! Even items that weren't on sale were flying into carts. I even bought a few regular priced items. I am hoping that the items go on sale soon and I can get a price adjustment. Well, after I finally exited Target with $175 more on my credit card (but a $10 Target gift card for spending $100) I stopped at Boscovs where I picked up three items (two of which I will probably return) and thank goodness for NO lines. That was the end of my shopping. I made it back home before 10 a.m. and my hubby was still in bed. I snuggled up on the couch with the animated movie UP and slept away most of the rest of the day. But, I think it was worth it. Next year, I am not venturing out alone. I need a partner to keep me sane in all the madness!

Black Friday Bonanza

Never have I ever woken up before daylight to fight the crowds until Black Friday. Up until Friday, that would have been me. But alas, I gave in. I don't know if it was the joy and elation of having off work for several days in the a row without having to take a vacation day, or if it was the fact that my dog was up at 4:30 a.m. with a sick belly, but something made me go. I applied no makeup and left the house in a pajama-like outfit. I headed to the East York Wal-mart. There were a few I had in mind that I wanted to buy, but nothing that I was going to camp out for. I arrived at about 5:20 a.m to a parking lot that was overflowing. I parked all the way back behind Panera in the lost cart graveyard. I was smiling. It was a nice day. That is until I walked into Wal-mart and saw that lines a plenty. I was confused. Apparently the digital camera I had in the ad was one of those items that were highly sought after. I had to get a number. After I received number 110 out of 120, I had to wait in line for the camera. That seemed silly, since I already had the number, so I did a little shopping. I didn't find much, so I went back to the line. It had gotten a lot smaller. Yet, it still took me at least 45 minutes to get through. At least I had picked up a magazine before I entered the line again. I left with a $69 camera, an $8 memory card and a new pair of slippers to sooth my aching feet.
Then I went to Target, but more on that tomorrow!

Thirft store treasures

It's really no secret that I love to shop at thrift stores. There is nothing more thrilling than finding a great piece of clothing for a fraction of the cost. It allows me to shop without guilt. I am supporting a wonderful nonprofit as well as my shopping habit without breaking the bank. It's pure bliss.

Up until today, I never shopped there unless it was a Wednesday. It's because regular thrift store prices aren't cheap enough for me anymore, I need to go when it's 50-percent-off day. However, my sister-in-law, Hannah, came to visit me today and we stopped by. I found better deals than on 50-percent-off day. They had shorts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and long-sleeve sweaters for 99 cents. 99 cents!!!! A soda is more expensive than that. And, on top of it, blue tags were 50 percent off. I got the most beautiful purple pea coat from Gap for $3. I found a nice black cardigan for my teacher look for 99 cents and an awesome teal hoodie from Gap for 99 cents. My back-to-school shopping has been CHEAP!

If you are up that way, The Danskin Outlet on State Street in York is going out of business . Everything in the store is marked down. Hannah got a bathing suit for $4. I found great workout clothes for cheap. I am sad, really sad, that it is closing. That is where I purchased my triathlon suit for $15. If I would have ordered it, it would have been closer to $100. Most of my running clothes are from there and I will be sad to see it go. So, of course, I had to stock up a bit!

Don't forget AAA for summer discounts

I just peeked at the list of summer discounts for AAA. Amy and I are taking advantage of the $33 price for Hersheypark tickets through the end of June valid on week days.

You can also go to Six Flags Great Adventure for $30 (that is a steal) or Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown for $30. With tickets more than $50 a pop, families can spend hundreds of dollars on admission. Not to mention souvenirs, food and other incidentals. And did you know you can get tickets to Regal Cinemas for $6.75 all the time? That sure beats the nearly $10 it costs at the door.

Decorating the office

This is some of what I have in the black/white room so far. Nate and I bought this bookshelf at Oak Express for a decent price. It's a little too tall for our low ceiling, but we improvised and turned that nice little accent piece on top upside down so it would fit. I love the look books create in decorating, and of course, I love to read them. I organized them together and tried to make a nice display, stacking some vertical and leaving the others horizontal. I also use a lot of glass bottles to decorate. They are a few bucks a piece at yard sales, auctions and the thrift store and they make great accents to any picture/book/art display. Nate has a penchant for collection coins, so instead of having them scattered throughout the house getting stuck in the washer and dryer, I put them in a jar and used it as a book end. You can see it in the top left corner of the shelf if you look really close. It's full. I am working on getting them wrapped and into the bank.

And as promised, here is the art I made on Saturday morning while waiting for my assignment from Amy. It was free. All it cost was the ink from my mom's Sharpie marker and my time and imagination. I am really into the quilted look. I divided the paper into 4-by-4-inch squares and made each it's own little picture. I tried to mix dark and light. I think it turned out OK. I did it all free hand, except for the bottom right corner, I used a stencil.

What can you get at Salvation Army Thrift store for $27.39?

This having off thing is pretty cool. I got to go to the Salvation Army Thrift Store on half-off day** when I wasn't in a hurry. I got to go early so the lines weren't long and I didn't have to wait for 10 other people to try on items in the dressing room. I intended to go in there to get new pants and shirts for Cracker Barrel that weren't worn thin. Of course, I found mich more. Everything is in practically new condition. This is what I came out with.

A Columbia windbreaker (pictured) $4
An Old Navy Black Pea Coat (for Amy) $4
Bass black shoes $2.00
Anne Klein boots $1.50 (Pictured)
Liz Claiborne dress shoes #1.50 Banana Republic dress pants $2.50
Work shirt $2 Work pants $2
Lerner pants $2 Other dress pants $2
A Gap fleece for nate $2.50


**Wednesdays are family day at all or most Salvation Army Thrift Stores. It's 50 percent off clothes, shoes, linens and purses. There are exceptions, but it's by the color of the tag, so it's really easy to tell. The sign at the front of the store always tells you what is excluded for that day.

Convenience store snacks

I am a Sheetz girl when it comes for grabbing a bite to eat. Turkey subs are $1.99. But Rutter's is giving them a run for their money. A few weeks ago, I popped in for a bite to eat and discovered that they have fried pickle spears.
I immediately sent Nate a text message. "God Bless Rutters, they have fried pickle spears."

I know it seems like something small, but fried pickle spears are like $5.95 for six at sport's bars. I can get three for $1.59 at a moment's notice. I am so excited! And I can tell you they just as good as the expensive sport's bar type. Another place to get them is at the seafood stand at Markets at Shrewsbury.

Do you need Christmas ornaments?

I know some people don't realize that Cracker Barrel has a gift shop. They do, and after Christmas, everything is 70 percent off. You can get adorable ornaments for less than 50 cents. They even have blankets, home decor and candy.
Yesterday, I met a friend there and snagged up about half a dozen ornaments and a Penn State Hoodie for less than $15. That was with my employee discount, but still, what a deal. I am going to stow away the ornaments for next year and use them as package decor.
Today, my mom and I are hiting up Kohl's and Michaels. I can't wait to see what bargains we find. I am really getting back into the jewelry making, (I'll post some photos as soon as I can upload them) so maybe I will fatten my stock of beads.

Coupon codes

Don't buy anything online without googling the store name and "coupon code." Retailmenot is a decent Web site to help you with this. It was in an article in Reader's Digest. I did some Christmas shopping at Kohls.com and googled a code and got 20 percent and free shipping on my order without leaving my house.
The savings is worth the extra second it takes.

After-Christmas sales

It's hard to beat the after Christmas sales.

I rose early this morning (after a long night riding along with Nate in the police cruiser) to head to Bed Bath & Beyond. My sister picked her wedding reception centerpiece from there and I was hoping to find them all 50 percent off. It was with the Christmas stuff before Christmas, so my fingers were crossed.

When I got there, nada. So, I picked up 4 rolls of 100-sq.ft wrapping paper for $1.50 each. I stocked up for the next few years. I asked about the centerpieces. They moved them back to the home decor and they weren't on sale! Thank goodness for 20 percent coupons. I picked up two and paid separately for them so I could use both 20-percent-off coupons. The gal at the register said you can use one coupon per item, no need to ring it up separately (even though the coupon said 1 per visit). Sweet.

I headed to Michaels and stocked up on $25 worth of stuff I probably didn't need, but will probably be thankful that I bought come next Christmas. I stopped at A.C. Moore to try to find the blank red and green cards I use for my recycled cards, but no dice.

I stopped at the Bread Outlet (Fridays are BOGO in December) but they were closed. I have one more Friday to stock up.

My after-Christmas shopping is complete. Oh, until I head to Cracker Barrel tomorrow for cheap ornaments.
But I swear, then I am done.

Back to the blogs

It's so easy to forget you have a blog. I mean, really, isn't life busy enough? I don't feel alone though, because I have read a million and five blogs that started and didn't keep up.

At the suggestion of a co-worker who is going to miss my bargain tips, recipes and ideas at work on a daily basis (**more on that later**), I decided to try really hard to keep the blog updated.

**As of Jan. 2, I will be leaving the York Daily Record/Sunday News, a place I have spend 37.5 hours a week for the past 5.5 years. It's bittersweet. I love this job. I get paid to write about food, fun people and life. It's flexible, laid back and cool. However, I have a larger desire to have a more rewarding job. Summers off won't hurt, either. So, I start classes at Temple Harrisburg in January to get my master's in special education. I will be substitute teaching, mostly for the IU 12. I'll still freelance for the paper to keep my writing sharp and I'll waitress at Cracker Barrel because that's fun, too.

So here is my tip of the day....(sorry Jen, it's one you already know.) The bread outlet behind the West Manchester Mall has a buy-one-get-one-free special on Fridays through the end of the year. That means the already half-price items are now BOGO. I got a pack of two small pizza crusts, rye bread, wheat bread and rolls for $3.50.