Tuesday's tip

I have never been very talented when it comes to shopping with coupons. I know and understand the idea of stocking up when things are on sale, ( although the idea of hoarding kind of scares me...  I do have a few packrat tendencies) and doubling up coupons with sales, but somehow it just wasn't very profitable for me before. Things have changed. Today I made out my grocery list and checked the sale paper and for some unknown reason, decided I would check out the coupon site. I ended up at Southern Savers and started reading and printing out coupons. I actually used 90 % of those I printed and when all was said and done, I  had shaved $68.00 from my grocery bill by using the coupons and buying what was on sale or a store brand when it was possible. I was almost doing the happy dance right there in the check out line. ( not really the best mental image right?) However, if you don't actively use coupons, or plan your lists according to the sale, check the sight out anyway. You just may get motivated.
I am thinking $ 68. would buy some new flush cutters and round tip pliers, not to mention some wire and beads and all kinds of " toys" to use in my studio.

Happy Savings.

Monday's Madness!

Yikes! School starts on Wednesday, we haven't shopped for supplies, or clothes, or any other necessary item....
I am not ready for it. I am sure I will enjoy being on a normal schedule  after a few weeks though. No more staying up till the wee hours of the morning and sleeping later than ever............

Wednesday, I will return to Bible Study as well. We will be studying the book of Acts this year and I have no clue what ages I will be teaching, but I am really looking forward to it. I guess it will be good to get back to a routine. However, I have to say the whiny child in me doesn't want to get up early or go to bed early, or go shopping for clothes!

This is also the part of the summer that everything needs to be cut and propagated that you wish to grow for next year. I am thinking I will put my aerator together again and start some azalea, camellia, and other hardwood cuttings. The vines I will probably propagate in ziplock bags or the forsyth pots that I talked about in an earlier post. I am collecting and drying this year's seed harvest and today I gathered the last of my daylily seeds

to dry and I am gathering some hibiscus seeds as well.

I tried to hybridize some azaleas this spring, so I cannot wait to see if they will form seeds.
All in all, Today is shaping up to be a madhouse of a day!

Saturday's shopping spree Aka Have you thought about Christmas yet?

Have you thought about Christmas yet? Do you wait until the last minute to shop, hit the stores on the day after Thanksgiving before the sun rises, or do you plan ahead, making lists and determining that this year, most of it will be hand made or at least purchased and mailed by Thanksgiving,  I fall somewhere in the midst of all those categories. I've been thinking about it lately though and because I hate to shop in a crowd and I really would like to make the majority of the gifts I give and yes, I would love to have everything done before Thanksgiving so that I can be free to enjoy as many of the season's festivities as humanly possible. After all, it only happens once a year right?
Brace yourself: Here it comes: Christmas will be here in.....133 days!
Let's Go shopping....

new baby in the family? check out this adorable Sock Monkey Cocoon and Hat by nmelone13 on ETSY, or how about the little ones who love stuffed animals? Check these out....Gordon.
For the avid reader on your list, you can always offer bookmarks like this one  by my favorite folk artist Campbell Jane.


Jewelry is always a plus, and I love this bracelet by sparkle peach with it's simple elegance.
 I've been working on some earrings and bracelets of my own too,

but I have yet to list them.   I have no idea what to do for the guys on my list, but I really need ideas.

So where do you stand? Have you started, do you not want to think about it? Have you thought about it but don't want to deal with it just yet? Once again I seem to fall in the middle of all my categories.