New Projects

So I'm busy with school and packing and yardwork, which means I'm suddenly in the mood to get seriously crafty. Here are some new projects on the horizon. Interested? Let me know, we can make them together!


A toddler neck pillow, since his poor head flops around in his forward-facing car seat!



A toddler bag, so Scotty can carry his own gear and diapers instead of commandeering my purse!


Looking for something different? Check out this great site for easy step by step tutorials.

Freesale Saturday

I've been meaning to post this all week but the time has gotten away from me. Don't forget about the freesale this Saturday!

Saturday, May 30th
10am-12pm
on the lawn at 500 N 100 E

Women's clothes, men's clothes, baby clothes, sweaters, coats, movies, home decor, yard care supplies, etc. Bring anything you have to give away! Anything left will be taken to Deseret Industries. Please invite your friends and I'll see you there!

Summer Reading Program

Summer Reading Program at the Provo City Library is just around the corner. For those of you who like to read, this is a great way to win prizes! The children's program is great for infants on up--get rewarded for feeling like a good mom and reading to your kid(s)!

The kickoff is this Saturday, May 30, from 9am-6pm in the Provo City Library Ballroom. If you want a free T-shirt for your kid come to the kickoff party! Registration continues through June 27. Bring your library card.

Other summer library activities:

CANOPY CAPERS
every Tuesday and Thursday in June and July at 12:00-12:30 pm under the canopy on the south side of the library. Storytelling for families. Bring your lunch, pillows and blankets!

SUMMER STORY TIME
every Wednesday in June and July from 9:30-10:00 am and 10:30-11:00 am for toddlers and their caregivers in the Story Circle.

SUMMER BOOK BABIES
every Wednesday in June and July at 11:30 am-12:00 noon. Age-appropriate stories, songs, and finger plays for babies (0-12 months) and their parents/caregivers in the Story Circle.

Freecycle Swap

Provo Freecycle (like Craigslist but all free) is hosting a yard sale swap tomorrow!

Saturday, May 2
10am-12pm
547 E. 600 N. Provo, UT
(if it rains it will be under the covered parking garage)

Everything is free--please bring someone of your own to exchange. Have stuff you were going to take to the DI? Bring it here first! They'll take whatever is left over to the DI for you, assuming it's easily transportable.

Right now there are a few bags of stuff we'll be putting on the front lawn...
stuffed animals
random plates, bowls, kitchen utensils
men's clothes (average size is M)
women's clothes (average size is S/M)
a few baskets, kids toys
coolers
cd/radio
large desk
blinds
double stroller (one of the brakes isn't working I was told)
computer (this will go by free raffle to someone who could really use it-- its a
mac all-in-one that has the capability of hooking up to the internet and works
great to type on for reports, etc.)

plus everything everyone else brings!

Provo's Hidden Gems: Part I

Ok, it's April, but still gray and cold outside. I personally spend hours wandering around outside every week to keep my son entertained, and in so doing, have stumbled upon some less well-known places. For those of you who live in or around Provo, enjoy!

Part 1: Food and Clothing for Less

Smith's Food and Drug (350 N Freedom) has a student fresh values card that takes 5% off every shopping order. Essentially, all of your food is tax free! Smith's also has 2 Redbox rental stations. Their weekly ad comes out every Wednesday and they participate in the Shortcuts electronic coupon program.

Walmart (1355 Sandhill Rd, Orem). Never fails. Not the best shopping experience but the deals don't get any better. Bring store ads for all the local grocery and retail stores and Walmart will price match (if it's the exact brand and size). If you have the time and energy to spare, it's worth the haggle.

Honk's Dollar Store (650 N Freedom) offers good deals on basic cleansers, office supplies, stationary, gift bags, etc. Every Tuesday every dollar deal is reduced to 88 cents! My favorite buys: scented diaper disposal bags (a life saver for that between breastfeeding and pottytraining stage!) and knock-off teddy grahams.

Habitat for Humanity Re-Store (626 N Freedom--right next to Honk's). This place is amazing for several reasons.
1) You can drop off almost any extra building materials you don't want to store or dispose of.
2) You can buy supplies for a quick fix at insanely low prices--a gallon of oil based paint is only $1. Great for paintbrushes, wood stain, nails and screws, or odds and ends.
3) They offer monthly home maintenance classes for free.
4) They offer a tool-rental system just like a public library that lends tools for personal use free of cost.
5) This place keeps any kid entertained for at least 20 minutes because it is full of gadgets, gizmos, and interesting people!

Kid to Kid (2250 N University Pky, #26--next to Cafe Rio in the Movies 8 complex). Kids grow way too fast to pay full price for clothes, shoes, socks, toys, strollers, etc. The provo store has a great selection of kids clothes in all sizes, as well as two racks of shoes, a variety of toys, and a surprisingly good selection of maternity clothes. All products are gently used, look brand new, and most are name brand. My favorites:
1) 3 pairs of socks for $0.99--and I get to try them on his wriggling feet to know how long they will last!
2) Every Tuesday at the Provo location is grandparent's day. Simply show off a picture of your adorable grandchild and get 10% off your entire purchase. (I love to shop Tuesdays when my mom is in town visiting!)
3) A walled in kids zone full of toys to keep my monkey occupied while I browse.
4) If you really need to stock up, pick up a frequent shopper card to earn a free purchase. These cards are now accepted at any location.

Deseret Industries (1415 N State St) In addition to accepting donations and helping you recycle your used stuff, the DI has some great bargains. My favorites: cheap games (I've bought Racko for $1 and Scene It for $1.50) and kids shoes ($2-$3!)

Plato's Closet (592 E University Pkwy, Orem--just across from University Mall) Kid to Kid for moms :o) If you don't mind gently used clothing or want to spice up your wardrobe with something trendy, this is a great place to pick up fashion ideas or that perfect pair of jeans or shoes on the cheap. Also, if your wardrobe is "classy and trendy" enough, you can sell your gently used clothing and accessories for some easy cash.

Ross Dress for Less (222 W 1300 S, Orem). No shopping list of mine would be complete without Ross--I owe almost my entire wardrobe to this store, including my amazing red heels and all my favorite pairs of jeans. The Ross in Orem isn't the best ever, though their petite section is expanding and offers some great options for walking the fine line between forever teenaged and frumpy mom. If you ever need help finding something great, call me--I never fail.

Free Cottonelle Sample

Walmart is offering a free mini-roll of Cottonelle toilet paper. It's something we all have to buy anyway--why not get some for free?

Walmart is also offering free samples of Gain detergent, poise pads, Parent's Choice baby formula, and Crest whitestrips!

A preview...

I'm crafting again. Thanks to Linds for passing this great idea on to me....and congrats to my friends with adorable little girls and to my husband's genetic programming for letting me make dresses for your cute girls as I have none of my own :o)

Here is the pattern/instruction link and her cute little girl showing off her new look.

If you are interested in learning how to sew this is a great starter project! You use the back part of the shirt for a pre-made bodice, the front part for pre-sewn buttons, and elastic in a simple casing for ruffled sleeves. All it requires you to sew are a few hems. You can get as fancy or as basic as you want by adding trim!

Here are the BEFORE shots of my handiwork:

Marian

Olivia

Callie


Ok, I wasn't going to post this yet (surprise!) but they're just too cute.
So, here are the two I've finished.

Am I amazing, or what? (trust me--they're just THAT easy.)

Household Cleaning Tips

I have a great book called "Mary Ellen's Helpful Hints" that covers everything from stain removal to food preparation and everything in between. Check out 5 Things Cooking for her tips on keeping food fresher for longer!

Here are some great cleaning tips for removing tough stains or making your own cheaper and more environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Save time and money by using the cheapest brand of dishwashing detergent available, but add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the dishwater. The vinegar will cut the grease and leave your dishes sparkling clean.

To quickly remove food that is stuck to a casserole dish, fill with boiling water and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda or salt.

When a drain is clogged with grease, pour a cup of salt and a cup of baking soda into the drain followed by a kettle of boiling water. The grease will usually dissolve immediately and open the drain.

A small nick in the rim of a glass can be smoothed out by using a soft nail file. Scratches on glassware will disappear if polished with toothpaste!

An inexpensive oven cleaner: set oven on warm for about 20 minutes, then turn off. Place a small dish of full strength ammonia on the top shelf. Put a large pan of boiling water on the bottom shelf and let it set overnight. In the morning, open oven and let it air a while before washing off with soap and water. Even the hard baked-on grease willw ash off easily.

To get rid of odors in plastic containers, place crumpled-up newspaper (black and white only) into the container. Cover tightly and leave overnight.

Water spots on stainless steel can easily be removed with rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or club soda.

Club soda is also a great stain remover for carpet!

Need a cheap laundry spot remover? Mix 2 parts water with 1 part rubbing alcohol.

Avoiding the "mom butt"

Anyone who knows me and clothes knows two things:
1) I love to bargain shop and can find anything at Ross
2) I am PICKY about jeans but unwilling to spend big money.

Most of all, I hate the dreaded "mom butt." So I was cracking up and totally enlightened when I stumbled upon this post explaining how it happens and how to avoid it! It's all about pocket placement. I can always pick jeans for myself but hadn't been able to put my finger on exactly why it worked or didn't. So, if you get a minute, check this out and get enlightened!

The same girl ran a test on her own mother, transforming an admitted "mom jean" wearer into totally hip and fabulous! Mom, next time you're here (i.e. TOMORROW!) we're headed to Ross. Trust me.

The final tally

3 tanks for $3 each -- regularly $14.50 each.
Saved $34.50

1 swim top for $3 -- regularly $36.50.
1 swim bottom for $3 -- regularly $22.50
Saved $53.00

1 wrap top in black for $7 --regularly $28.50.
Saved $21.50

1 puff sleeve top for $7 -- regularly $28.50
Saved $21.50

1 Henley tee for $7 -- regularly $28.50
Saved $21.50

1 Tiffany maternity top for $5 -- regularly $30.00
Saved $25.00

Spent: $41.00
Saved: $177.00

Sad you missed the warehouse sale? Shade clothing is hosting a fundraiser sale at Provo High School on President's Day. Everything will be $5.

Shade LOOT.

For those of you who didn't hit up the Shade clothing sale, you missed out! Here's the damage:

3 square neck camisoles (white, brown, black)
1 purple modest tankini! (top and bottom)
1 black wrap shirt
1 tiffani maternity top in pink (for a friend--i'm not pregnant, i promise!)
1 puff sleeve top in a gorgeous blue
1 henley shirt in spruce (i LOVE LOVE this!)


Anyone want to guess how much it cost me?

Shade Clothing

Shade Clothing. I credit them as the saving grace of my wardrobe, for infusing modesty and class into all of my fun shirts that just don't cover everything! I have THREE (yes, THREE) white cap sleeve shirts and could use another one...I also have a pink capsleeve, three cami's (black, brown, light blue), two baby tees, and two shirts.

When it comes to undershirts and layering, these are hands down the best! They always cover everything I need to. They're always long enough but without getting baggy or bulgy. Best of all, the necklace stays flat against my skin when I lean forward--no worries! I even wore my undershirts throughout my entire pregnancy; they stretched to fit all nine months and then shrunk right back to still fit my post-baby bod.

Ready for the great news? Shade Clothing is having a WAREHOUSE sale this weekend! Everything $3, $5, or $7. Sale runs at all store locations (there is a store in the University Mall in Orem, UT--check their website for other locations) as well as their warehouse in Pleasant Grove.

They are also hosting a $5 fundraiser sale at Provo High School (across the street from Zion's Bank on University Avenue in Provo, UT) on President's Day.



P.S. I'm heading to the warehouse sale on Saturday morning with my sis-in-law...see you there!