29Dec 2011 by holly

Sign Up for FREE Craftsy Crafting Daily Deals – Love crafting Start saving

crafts, DIY, Uncategorized
Just recently I signed up for FREE the Craftsy Crafting Daily Deals.   I'm so impressed with all of the amazing classes and deals on crafting supplies.  If you are at all interested in learning a new hobby or like to improve on one you already know.  In addition there are some FREE patterns on Craftsy website.  Click HERE to sign up for Craftsy Crafting Daily Deals. Craftsy is the fastest growing online community for Crafters - with over 500,000 monthly unique visitors, having just launched in May 2011. This rapid growth results from two primary offerings which Craftsy users love: 1) Terrific online classes from amazing instructors for beginning, intermediate and advanced quilters, knitters, crocheters, sewists, jewelry makers, and other crafters. 2) Astonishingly good deals on crafting supplies: organic yarn,…
Read More
17Dec 2011 by holly

Our Christmas Tree 2011 – Making our own decorations

Activities, DIY, Uncategorized
This year is my first year as a stay-at-home working Mom.  Since my daughter is a bit older and the twins are still infants I thought it would be best to make ornaments for the tree. We made stars, and snowflakes from paper.  Doodle had a great time cutting out different shapes and we talked about each of them.  We cut out diamonds, triangles,squares and circles.   We hung up some plastic icicles and wooden red garland that I had from our Christmas stash. For years I've wanted to make an Avent Calender that we could use every year.  The chocolate ones are yummy and the germany ones are so sweet but the last couple of years we kept forgetting the days.  Plus Doodle would tear the paper.  Oops!  Instead I…
Read More
14Sep 2011 by holly

Chantilly, VA – Sewing Expo – Thursday, 9/29/11- Saturday, 10/1/11

Activities, DIY, Sewing, Uncategorized
Do you like to sew?  Do you like to create crafts?   Have you heard of the Sewing Expo? If you haven't read my posts about this before I wanted to share with you that on Thursday, September 29 - Saturday,  October 1, 2011 is the Chantilly Original Sewing and Quilt Expo located at the Chantilly Expo Center. I just recently signed up for my classes and I can't wait to go this year.  Last year I attended the expo feeling bad due to my pregnancy but got a super gift from my hubby a new embroidery machine!  Saving does pay off!  I plan to share some of my creative pieces soon. If you are interested in attending to see the merchants or to take classes I highly recommend signing up…
Read More
30Apr 2010 by holly

Harbor Freight Coupons

Coupons, DIY, Freebies, Harbor Freight, Uncategorized
Did you see the Harbor Freight coupons in the 4/18/10 SS? There is a coupon for a FREE LED flashlight without a purchase! My hubby likes to go to to Harbor Freight to pick up tools at great prices and we always make sure we have a 20% off coupon or a FREE flashlight coupon. We really like these flashlights to have around the house, and in the cars. In the Washington Metro area the locations of Harbor Freight are: GAITHERSBURG MD #177 9649 LOST KNIFE RD GAITHERSBURG, MD 20877 WOODBRIDGE VA #161 14250 SMOKETOWN RD WOODBRIDGE, VA 22192 LAUREL MD #175 338 DOMER AVE LAUREL, MD 20707 BALTIMORE SO. MD #181 6320 RITCHIE HWY STE 3 GLEN BURNIE, MD 21061 FREDERICKSBURG VA #322 2011 PLANK RD FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22401…
Read More
21Apr 2010 by holly

The Season for House Projects – How to do House projects on a tight budget?

DIY, Uncategorized
[caption id="attachment_2945" align="aligncenter" width="288" caption="Flooring Project 2006"][/caption] When my husband and I married almost 8 years ago we bought our first house that year.  It was so exciting and we knew right off the bat that we wanted to do some updates to it.  We were so excited to jump into them too.  Before we sold the house almost 3 years later we had updated the kitchen, bathrooms, and backyard.  It was a lot of fun and we did it on a very tight budget. How did we do all of that on a tight budget you might ask? Here are my tips that I've told all of my friends and family. 1.  Do it yourself Doing most of the labor yourself will save you thousands of dollars.  Thankfully my…
Read More
19Apr 2010 by holly

Ways to Save on 1.5 volt Batteries – Hacking Video

DIY, Uncategorized
Battery Hack on YouTube.  Have you seen this video? My hubby who loves to tinker with electronics sent me this as a frugal way to save money.  Hmmm...don't think we need 1.5 volt batteries right now but if we do we might think about doing this. Click HERE - 12 volt Energizer Batteries = 8 - 1.5 volt batteries
Read More
19Apr 2010 by holly

Getting things done

DIY, general, Sewing, Uncategorized
This weekend has been a busy weekend.  After buying lots of fabric on Friday and even Saturday!  Yes, I went back and bought more.  I went WAY over my budget, but I have fabric to last me years and years.  Just like everything else I try not to ever buy my fabric at retail prices.  I bought loads of fabric a couple years ago when Hancock fabrics closed several of their stores in the area. That inspired me to work on some of my UFOs = Un-Finished Objects on Sunday.  My husband watched my daughter while I did some of them.  Then we all worked on organizing our office.  Perfect spring cleaning. Getting Things Done My goal for this year is to list out all the things that need to…
Read More
16Apr 2010 by holly

Wow! Lots of Fabric I purchased at Joann Fabric Closing Burke VA

DIY, Shopping deals, Shopping Trips, Uncategorized
Have I mentioned that I really like fabric?   Well, I really do.  It's crazy I know.  I have a very good stockpile of all sorts of fabrics in particular quilting cottons. My hubby called me to tell me about the Burke Joann Store was closing in order to move to a bigger store in Fairfax.  He said most of the fabrics were 50% to 75% and in addition they still did the sale price from the circular.   In some cases that makes it 85% to 95% off!   When I got there he had 30+ bolts of fabric ready to purchase.  I then purchase 12 more! When it rang up it was $280+ and after the discounts it came to $80+!  I can't believe it.  Of course I don't know exactly…
Read More
10Apr 2010 by holly

Gardening 2010 – The Box, the Dirt, and the Seeds

DIY, Gardening 2010, Uncategorized
Last Saturday we put together "The Dirt" for my Square Foot Garden.   See my first post HERE. My hubby created the box a couple weekends ago.  He decided to use pre-treated wood for this project.  There is some controversy of using it because of the chemicals that are used such as extra copper so its up to you if you want to use it. It will last for many years which is a big benefit.  See more information HERE from Home Depot which is where we purchased it. Seed Starter Kit at Home Depot: $15.98 Strongly suggest stopping at Walmart and picking some up.  I saw them discounted down to $6!  I might pick up 2 for next year just to have the peat moss starters.  Not a bad price.…
Read More
02Apr 2010 by holly

Gardening 2010 – Our first Garden

DIY, Gardening 2010, Uncategorized
[caption id="attachment_2824" align="aligncenter" width="291" caption="Lowes Trip 4/2/2010"][/caption] Gardening 2010.  I can't believe it.  I'm going to garden this year. This year my hubby and I have decided to try and grow a vegetable garden.   This is not only frugal but also healthy and educational too.   We live in the woods where the deer are plentiful, so that has caused us some doubt so we aren't getting our hopes up.    We decided a couple months ago to create a small garden in our front yard where it would be easy to maintain with our toddler daughter. Then earlier last month I was looking at my favorite organizer site DIYplanner.com and saw this Garden Planting List which is based on the Square Foot Gardening method, so I had to check it out. …
Read More