Envelopes

As summer is here and June is my slow time of the work year I have a lot more time to work on some re-purposed crafts. So yesterday as I was sorting through some of the items I have had for an extended period of time I came across a Road Trip Calendar. I recall when I first got it that I thought I would cut out the pictures and transform them to coasters. As I began thinking I knew I didn't have a supply of coasters on hand and was reminded of a wonderful letter I received  from a friend a few years ago that came in a unique envelope. After I read the letter I took apart the envelope and realized that it was a calendar! It was awesome and so my calendar has now become 11 envelopes. 

Jungle Babies

About two weeks ago I purchased a wonderful jungle fabric that brings smiles to my face every time I look at the adorable little animals. When I went to Hobby Lobby I had intended to purchase some blue fabric for boys but this one caught my eye and non of their blues could compete so i went for this instead. I still think this is a wonderful boy fabric more than a girl so ultimately it my original goal was met just in a different way than I assumed it would be. 

I guess that's how life is we often make a plan for ourselves and God steps in and says "I know the plans I have for you." (Jer. 29:11) and ultimately he changes our plan and at times when we can't understand we hold on for the ride and realize later that it was really what was best for us. So if you were hoping for blue items in the Baby Shop they haven't come yet but they will. My next project is the wonderful pink flannels that I found complete with cute dragonflies. Stay tuned to the Baby Shop to see what you can buy! 

Graduation

Today is the end of an era for me, my last former student graduated from high school. It is bitter sweet for me to have that chapter of my life see a full closure. Yes, that chapter has been closed for 5 years but in many ways this is the final sentence. I have always enjoyed giving practical gifts of any kind and this graduation gift was the same. But due to my new found love of sewing and the special place this student holds in my heart for multiple reasons I wanted to make this gift practical and special. So I went for practical, white bath towels, (ok maybe white isn't practical but towels are) and then I added some fabric for them. It was an easy project but definitely give the towels a little something that remind me of my former student. Below are the before and after pictures that show you just how simple of a project this was. 

Homemaker Day

I often joke with my husband that I should be a stay at home wife and his answer is always a resounding no. Stay at home mom is fine but stay at home wife won't work so I guess I will continue working. However, today is a day off and I must say that in the past 5 hours, yes, I got up at 5 am today, I have been incredibly productive.
Barry had to go to Albuquerque for work today so we were up early. I dropped him at the airport and was at the gym by 6 (don't get too excited I haven't been to the gym in a few weeks) but I got a good walk with a little running in, then I came home, threw in some wash (fabric for my afternoon sewing), and starting my baking and freezer jam. I must say I am quite pleased with the fruits of my labor thus far and below is a little teaser for you. I am going to do my best not to eat the entire rhubarb crisp before Barry returns Thursday night and to accomplish that I may just have to keep the desert in the fridge, out of site, out of mind right. 

I have the feeling that if this became habit along with making a lunch and having a warm dinner on the table every night I may be able to convince my husband that I could be a stay at home wife and then you could call me June Cleaver. What do you think? 


Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

4 cups Rhubarb
3 cups Strawberries
2 cups Sugar
2 3-oz boxes Strawberry Jello


Boil rhubarb and sugar for 8 minutes. Add strawberries and boil for 2-3 minutes more. If using fresh strawberries boil longer. (I used frozen so they were already pretty soft.) Take off stove and add both boxes of Jello. Put in jars and cool. May be frozen or keep in refrigerator. 


Rhubarb Crisp

I used the recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook but I tripled the crisp. I grew up in a double crisp family because we would eat the crisp before it was cooked so that's our tradition. Doubling and still snacking allows for a layer of crisp on the bottom and crisp on the top, yum! 

Free Samples

Since I was a young child I have enjoyed getting the mail. If I was in the house I would watch out our living room window for the mailman so that the instant I saw his truck round the corner I could dart out the door in hopes of beating my little brother to the mail box. If we were outside the footrace was on! Once in a great while the mail was for me but even then most often it was bills for my parents. Now that I’m an adult well, the mail is often for me but continuous credit card offers are not that exciting. Yet I get excited to open the mail box each day and am delighted that my husband does not share my love for getting the mail. I have the feeling he would beat me in a foot race any day! Yesterday was an exceptionally exciting day as there was a small box in the mail from Target, who doesn’t love Target? I picked up the box that was quite heavy in relation to its size and wondered what they had sent me. Upon opening the box I realized it was the free sample I had requested and was filled with wonderful little gifts. 

My biggest excitement is over the face wipes that came in a quantity of 7, a whole weeks worth, that's awesome! And to make them last longer I will cut them in half so now I have 14 days of face washes, wonderful. I also love coupons so those were the second most exciting item for me to find. I must admit that I am a Redken girl when it comes to shampoo and conditioner but the Pantene will be a wonderful body wash and will be much cheaper than other options since it's FREE! 

Free Money

Everyone loves free money or at least they should because it really is amazing. Benjamin Franklin once said, "A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned" and I definitely adhere to this principal, plus many of the pennies are save are pennies I find on the sidewalk and thus they were "free money". A few years ago I came across a website that gives "free money" to non-profits based off of every web search that is generated. In the past year this site: GoodSearch.com has become my favorite free money site!
Goodsearch is powered by Yahoo so the search results are just as good as Google and I love that every time I search I am giving  back to the community. If you have never used Goodsearch before you can create a log-in or use Facebook as your log-in. Then you select the charity of your choosing from a list of 105,974 that are currently participating. My charity of choice is a local school, Zion Lutheran School and Preschool, and in 2012 to date with 21 supporters we have raised $31.96 through searching and shopping. Yes, $31.96 may not seem like much money to many people but to me every little bit counts. The Goodsearch fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 - Sept. 30th so thus far in the fiscal year the school has earned $69.60! Wow, from searching and shopping, none of this money actually had to come out of people's piggy banks and now the school can purchase whatever they need, art supplies, new soccer balls, whatever! 
The other side of Goodsearch is Goodshop which has thousands of stores listed for your online shopping. I am addicted to The Limited and since the nearest one to my house is over 300 miles away online shopping is the route I go. The best part about this online shopping is that with each purchase they donate 1.5% to Zion's school. This makes me feel better about my frequent purchases because they benefit someone else! The percent back has a wide range from the 1.5% to 37% from Match.com if you know anyone looking for their services. So if you're looking to send flowers for Mothers Day check out Goodshop where FTD, my mother's day florist, will give 6% back or 1800Flowers will give 8.5% back, Mom's Happy and you're happy!