Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Tomatoes are Coming Up!






I have some plants growing and I am excited because they are looking so healthy! I have never grown my very own tomatoes before, and well...they are growing! Here are some photos of my baby garden in planters. I wish I had a real garden, but this will do for now. Someday!

I have cherry tomatoes, rosemary, boxwood basil & oregano.

Food in Real Life





I got on a blog! Haha...for reviewing gross food, but it's still fun!

Read the Food In Real Life post!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Homemade Garlic Dill Pickles...OH yeah!





Thank you My Kitchen Moovement for the recipe!
These were so easy, and so delicious! My friends RAVED about how I am the best pickle-maker in the world. Even though this is the first time I've ever even dreamed of attempting to make pickles. They were definitely garlicky and dill-y. And VERY crisp and tasty. If you are even considering trying to make pickles, this is the recipe to use. YUM

Saturday, February 6, 2010

I am soooo a Krazy Coupon Lady!

I have been following the Krazy Coupon Lady..and this has been my most successful trip yet.


Soooo..I went grocery shopping on Thursday night.

I spent $105.23 and saved $88.36...thats 45% savings!!!

I got so much too....12 lbs of ground beef, 4 boxes of cereal, 3 bottles of bbq sauce, 2 containers of pnuts, 16lbs of cat food, 6 lbs of cheese, 2 jars of spaghetti sauce, 2 loaves of bread, 2 (10pk) flour tortillas, 1 pk hot dogs, jelly, sugar, 3 cans of soup, caesar salad dressing, doritos, 2 can refried beans, 8 pk of paper towels, 12 double rolls of toilet paper, 3 bags of goldfish crackers, 30 pk of freezer bags, 1 can of italian bread crumbs.

I purchased 56 items for 105.23 = average of $1.87 per item (and some of my items like 16lbs Purina Cat Chow Indoor formula was $12.99.

Anyway..just thought I'd share...excited to have a super-stocked pantry. (By the way....don't be concerned about my diet, we already had a bunch of boneless skinless chicken and I buy all of my fresh produce at the local Farmer's Market.)

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Groundhog Day!





Punxsutawney Phil Pudding Pops!! Happy (almost) Groundhog Day!

This is where I found the RECIPE! Thanks Junior Society. Theirs look way better, but they are cute anyway!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Best Coupon Website EVER!

Love love love this website! The Krazy Coupon Lady will help you to find all of the best deals. She tells you where to find the coupons and has an amazing printable coupon database on the site. She will also lead you to great sales at stores like Old Navy, Gap, Target. A GREAT resource. I check it daily!!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Cute Labels! by Ormolu



I ran across these labels when making my vanilla extract. Gorgeous! And inexpensive.....would make home made gifts look so professional!

Buy them HERE.
Check out Ormolu's shop!

Make Your Own Vanilla Extract


Vanilla extract can be very expensive. But we all know the better the vanilla, the better our baked goods taste! So, make your own.

Use about 5-8 whole vanilla beans...add to approx. 32 oz. vodka (Absolut or Skyy is an appropriate quality) into a glass bottle with a lid....wait 6 weeks shaking the bottle a few times a week. Ta-da!
Delicious vanilla extract, and the best part is, when the bottle gets low, just top it off with vodka and give it a few weeks, and it's ready to go again!

Vanilla Bean Sources - Costco (10 beans; approx $10)
Beanilla.com (prices vary)

Bottle - I used the bottle shown above from Ikea. Slom Bottle $2.99

Lonny Magazine!


Lonny Magazine makes its debut! Many people (like me) are missing Domino Magazine so badly. I am not saying it has been replaced...but a delightful new online publication is making a great attempt at filling some big shoes. Be sure to check out Lonny Magazine!


image from Lonny Magazine

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Labor Day Weekend was CHEAP!




So, I had a weekend without my boyfriend and wanted to have some fun!  So, first I painted my toenails, because he hates the smell, and I've needed to do it!  I washed my car at the self service wash..so satisfying, then went to the Farmers Market, which is my fave thing ever.  

I bought all of these beautiful flowers for $5!!  It makes my apartment sooooo much cuter, and just general happiness settles over me.  And it made me want to clean, since everything looks better clean and with flowers.  
I then realized that I had no vases and went to the Goodwill and scored all of these great clear glass pieces to group for $6 for 5 vases....and on top of that, I found a great dress for $9!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Free Event Invites @ Pingg.com




A great alternative to Evite.com, I have discovered the website Pingg.com.  They find great up-and-coming artists and use their art for the invitations.  The invitations are available for free to send as email invitations to all sorts of events, or they also have an option to have them printed and sent to you for a reasonable cost.  Check them out for your next event!


Artists Featured above: Jessica Gonacha, Lenny Williams, & Christina Entcheva

Farmers Market!




We just moved to San Diego, CA (not the cheapest city in the world)...so I am trying to find new ways to save $$.  A great source of entertainment is the Farmer's Market.  We go to the Hillcrest Farmers Market.  It's a great sunday morning event, lots of people watching, good smells and great to talk to the actual people that grow the fruit & veg.  And it all tastes WAY better than the stuff at the grocery store, especially the peaches and cherries!


What we bought:  
8 huge bulbs of garlic $2.00
3 avocados $3.00
1 big bunch of green onions $1.00
Artichoke hummus $5.00 (a little pricey, but it was our farmer's market splurge and we ate it all the day we bought it, totally worth it)
Huge loaf of cheddar & jalapeno bread (from Bread et Cie...delish) $5.00
Bowl full of limes (about 6) $2.00
Bag of lemons $2.00
Bowl full of jalapenos $1.50

And there is so much more to buy...or taste for free!

Next week I want to get plants, herbs to grow at home.  $2.00 per pack!  I can't wait.

Friday, June 12, 2009

More FREE Wallpapers!


Another fantastic site for free computer wallpapers is Kindred.  I love this bunnies one by Fifi Lapin, but there are many more to choose from and they are always updating!  

Nate Williams - Free Computer Wallpapers


Nate Williams is a very very talented artist.  He offers some of his art for FREE as computer wallpaper backgrounds on his website.  Just download!  Thanks Nate!


Check out his website:  www.n8w.com

Free Printables!!




I love finding free printable labels to use on spice jars, or organizing craft thingies.  Creature Comforts has a whole bunch of DIY and free printable labels, cards, and much more.  What great ideas!  I can't wait to re-do my spice cabinet with some of the cute labels.

Recession Meal Specials






Lately I have noticed some of my favorite restaurants are offering Recession Specials.  In Atlanta my favorite place for a burrito, enchilada, taco, nacho, etc is El Myr.  Right now they offer a special burrito and a draft PBR for $5.00.  Unbeatable food and unbeatable deal.  
Look for recession specials in your area of the good ol' USA.

Flowers make everything better.


At the end of a rough week sometimes the best thing to do is sit with good friends.  My lovely friend, Emily, made me a delicious dinner, sipped some cold beers and sat in her sunroom full of plants.  She had a beautiful arrangement of old random bottles with big blue/purple hydrangeas in them.  I wanted some for myself!  She just plucked them off of a big hydrangea bush in front of her apartment complex.  So, I did too.  Free beautiful flowers and spending time with good friends...they make me so happy!

Cheap Jewelry!




One of my guilty little pleasures is to sneak past all of the 13 year old girls in Forever 21 and buy some cheap cute jewelry.  I tend to break everything and change my taste every five minutes, so cheap jewelry is for me!


                  Lacquered Leaf Dangle Earrings $4.80
                  Song Bird Pendant $5.80

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Alive! by Nature's Way


I have been searching for a multi-vitamin that actually seems like it is worth buying/ingesting.  I recently had lunch with a friend who told me an amazing story.  


She has encountered medical issues her entire life.  One of her doctors appointments revealed that she had a polyp (don't quote me on the medical stuff...I'm an interior designer, not a doctor) in her colon an inch or so big.  She began taking Juice Plus pills and two months later when they went in to remove a portion of her intestine, the polyp was nearly GONE!  The surgery was much less invasive and had a much shorter recovery time.    

So, I began doing research on Juice Plus and other similar vitamins.  Juice Plus is pretty expensive (about $40 per month).  I can't afford that, but would LOVE to have these great benefits.  I found a great alternative...Alive! by Nature's Way (about $7 per month).  It contains fruit concentrates and vegetable concentrates just like Juice Plus, but also contains multi-vitamin, mushrooms, Omega 3, and a digestive enzyme.  



Best Bargains!! Pearl River




I thought I would share a favorite website. I love a good bargain, and I love things that you can't just buy anywhere. For years I have been shopping at PearlRiver.com. It's a great place for a fun gift, party decor, kitchenware, and tons of paper lanterns.

There is literally something for everyone, and you will find ten things you want that you never knew you needed!!

Images Top to Bottom: Multi-Color Feather Butterfly Garland ($9.50)
Plastic Cosmetic Bag ($4.25)
Little Tiger Head Shoes for Baby ($9.50)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Visit the NOVA BOUTIQUE




My beautiful friend Sarah makes beautiful earrings!  I have many many pairs of earrings that she has made for me.  Visit her shop on Etsy.  Everything is handmade, and great prices!  


You have to buy these anyway....so buy the cute ones!


As you probably heard, postage has gone up AGAIN, to $0.44.  The only way the have sweetened the deal is to put out the most adorable King & Queen stamps. 

You have to buy them anyway...so buy the cute ones.