Thrifty Shopping Sunday 1/17

So no CVS this Sunday, nothing too exciting going on there that I could see. However, there is finally a new CVS that just opened it's doors in St. Louis!! We have been waiting for another store to open within driving distance to our usual store. Can't wait to get lots of deal there!

Walgreens

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4x Quaker Quakes: $.99 each

-4x $.75 coupons

2x Neosporin Lip Health: 2/$8.00

-2x $3.00 IP coupons

2x Wet Ones: 2/$4.00

-2x $1.50 coupons

2x Noodle Cups: 2/$1.00

(filler items)

Used: $2.50 RR

Total OOP: $2.49

Earned: $4.00 RR

Total Saved: $24.26 - 91% Savings!

Bargain Shopping 1/15

I hit about up a few stores today for some end of the week bargain hunting.

This trip included:

Target

2x Travel size Tide to Go's = Free

Aldi

bananas, apple, organges, lettuce, pickles = $5.59

Kmart

4x boxes of cereal = $3.10

Walgreens

2x Quaker Oats, ThermaCare, Cottonelle wipes = $1.51 (earned $2.49 RR)

Grocery Store

4x Star Kist tuna = Free with $1.00 vocal point coupons!!

*** Grand Total: $10.20 ***

Thrify Shopping Sunday 1/10

CVS

1/10/2010

Transaction #1: Mine

2x Pantene: 2/$6.97

-$3 off 2 coupon

2x GE Lightbulbs: 2/$6.00

-2 x $1.00 coupons

1 Green Tag & 1 Green Bag: $.99 each

Used: $6.00 ecb

Total OOP: $4.92

Earned: $5.00 ecb

Transaction #2: Hubbies

2x Pantene: 2/$6.97

- $3.00/2 coupon

Soyjoy Box of 6: $6.00

Used: $8.00 ecb

Total OOP: $1.97

Earned: $8.00ecb

Total OOP for both transactions: $7.40

Total ecb earned: $14.00 ecb

(Total Saved: $32.89 - 82%)

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Walgreens

1/10/2010

3 Transactions in all:

Used: $15.00 RR

Total OOP: $4.51

Earned: $9.50

(Total saved: $45.35 - 91%)

I used: http://www.stlmommy.com/ & http://www.hip2save.com/ for all my coupon match ups

"Overwhelmed"

My blog title is my word of the day. Not to pity myself, but don't we all feel this way some times?

Between couponing, making my newest additions to my online boutique, my daughter being out of school 18 out of the last 21 days, the holidays, gift making, and 80% of my family and friends having birthdays all at the same time, etc. etc. etc.

I'm OVERWHELMED!

So the repercussions of this is are one crabby mama.

I sit here today after an interrupted attempt at a bubble bath, with a cup of hot tea and a gaint stack of magazine that need to be read, trying to calm down, wondering... how do you prioritize?

At this point I'm adding to my new years resolution (it's never to later, right?):

Simplify

Thrify Shopping Sunday 1/3/10

So this was another thing that got away from me the second half of 2009:

My weekly Sunday couponing at Walgreens and CVS

(I'll admit it... I haven't set foot in CVS for at least 2 months...)

I got so overwhelmed with so many things, that couponing actually started to become a chore and I actually really enjoy the thrill of getting a good deal. So I did get out and go to Walgreens when I could, but it was never well planned and I'd just grab and go.

It's a new year, so I'm giving myself a do-over!

Today I went Walgreens AND CVS

and I plan to keep it a weekly routine if I can help it

Walgreens

2x Frizz Ease: 2/$10 = $5.00 RR

Electrasol: $3.49 = $1.00 RR
-$2.50 coupon

Cortaid: $5.99
-$2.00 coupon
-$2.00 ad coupon

2x Children's Tylenol: $4.99 ea. =$3.00 RR (wyb 2)
-$3.00 off 2

2x Neosporin Lip Health: 2/$8.00 = $3.00 RR
-2x $3.00 IP coupons

Christmas Sucker: $.50 not pictured (filler item)

RR Used: $14.00
Total OOP: $10.03

Earned RR: $11.00
Total Saved: $45.75

CVSI did 3 transactions for CVS (I did one, hubby did one, I went and got another coupon, came back and did a 3rd) Since I hadn't been to CVS in so long I had to start fresh, NO ECB's

2x GE Lightbulbs: $2.99 = $2.00 ecb each

-2x $1.0o IP coupons

4x Oust Air Santizer: $3.99 each = $3.00 ecb each

-2x BOGO Free coupon

Used $2.00 ecb from one of my 1st 2 transactions

Total OOP: $11.38

Total ecb earned: $14.00

New Years Resolution

So I wasn't going to do one this year... and thought, why not??

This year we are hoping to start fresh and we've learned a lot in 2009

My 2010 New Years Resolution is...

to have pride in things that we have and to want less.

I've taken more pride in the things that I've created and designed, then anything that's I've bought in a store. We are no longer trying to "keep up with the Jone's" I want to repurpose, recycle, and make things my own.

These types of things are special items we will have around for years to come, many items bought at stores are mass produced, not original, and OVER PRICED! I'm thrifty and I think I have a creative eye, I can make this work!

So this year, I hope to share some of my creativeness while still being thrifty.

My Newest Toy!

This was a sweet gift from my grandmother. She bought it brand new, used it once, and then it sat for about 3ish years. She lives aways a way from us, but when we would visit I tried to mess around with it to see if I could figure it out and possibly at some point make my daughter a little something with it. The beginning of December she asked if I'd like to have it on an "forever loan." Meaning, you can barrow it for forever. I was just THRILLED!!

It took me about 3 weeks of trial and error to get it to do anything. I joined a yahoo group and took advice from a creative friend that knew far more about these things then I did.

And here is my first official wearable creation!

I made the pants awhile back, and I guess my daughter has had a growth spurt since then! (Before she ever got to wear them...)

This is an appliqued monogram and I'm in love with this style!

And you must accessorize!! I made this shabby flower with the same material from the applique and jeans with a monogram bottlecap center and attached it all to a crochet kufi hat

(Find the hats here at my online store: www.CrossinMyHeart.com)

I'm so excited about all the boutique style items that will be coming out of my craft room soon!

Handmade Christmas Creations Part 2

Here are a few more Christmas gifts I made for the holidays

Holiday Potpourri

I found the cute little felt bags in the $1 bins at Target

I printed the directions from the computer using a photo editing program to dress it up a bit.

Then I put the potpourri in cello bags from the $1 store

and tied the top of the bags with some Christmas ribbon

Here's a link to the recipe HERE

I gave these as little hostess gifts and to those people you just want to give a little something to

Organza Flower Necklace and Hair Pin

These are two more accessories I made for my sister.

Here is a link to the necklace tutorial HERE

I get a lot out of joy hand making gifts

It's nice to know that they are also one-of-a-kind and can not be purchased in stores so there's no worrying about someone getting the same gift multiple time.

The countdown to Christmas 2010 begins!

(It's never to early to start... right? right??)