Price Chopper May Day Sale Alert

Apparently Price Chopper will be having a May Day Sale tomorrow. This page of the flyer was not included in the one that was mailed to my home or to my mother's. I called my store to see if they were participating and was told "Yes, for some reason they did not send us this page, but it is in the Democrat Missourian".

So if you shop Price Choppers in the Kansas City Metro Area, call your store to see if they are participating.

• KC Masterpiece [.69¢ w/ Rewards Card]
- 18-oz BBQ Sauce, Selected Varieties, LIMIT 2

Bakery
• Price Chopper Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns LIMIT 2 [.49¢ 8-ct. w/ Rewards Card]
- LIMIT 2

Center Aisles: Food and Beverages
• 7-Up or A&W 6-packs [$1.99 w/ Rewards Card]
- 1/2-Liter Bottles, Selected Varieties

Cold Deli
• Bar-S Franks 16-oz Selected Varieties [.69¢ w/ Rewards Card]

Dairy
• Jell-O Pudding or Gelatin [$1.49 w/ Rewards Card]
- 6-pack, 19.5 - 24 oz., Selected Varieties

Frozen
• Banquet Dinners Selected Varieties [.69¢ w/ Rewards Card]
- 5 - 10.5 oz., Selected Varieties, LIMIT 6
• Belfonte Ice Cream Assorted 56-oz. Varieites [$1.49 w/ Rewards Card]
• Pork Spareribs [.99¢ w/ Rewards Card]
- Frozen, Sold 2 slabs per CRY-O-VAC, LIMIT 2
• Tombstone Pizza 16 - 29.5-oz. [$1.99 w/ Rewards Card]
- Selected Varieties

Produce
• 12 oz. Dole Classic Salad Mix [.49¢ w/ Rewards Card, LIMIT 2]

.24 Mission Flour Tortillas

Price Chopper has Mission Soft Taco Tortillas 10-ct on sale for .99 each.
A Mission .75/1 Printable coupon can be found here. Select the Direct Link. It is a manufacturer coupon and does not print Kroger out on it. Print limit is 2

Spring Welcome Makeover

I've been trying to "spruce" things up around here since I'm not working and have the time.

One thing that was looking really sad and neglected is my Birdhouse on the porch. This is one of the first things hubby brought home to me from the trash. At that time (years ago) it looked brand new. I love it and can't part with it, so I decided to make it over.



The roof had a piece broke off that needed replacing. The little bird had cracked. The climbing vine had lost more leaves than was left. The original sign was lost years ago and it needed it's paint job freshened up.


Look at it now. Full of Spring!



I decided to dry brush new paint on it so it would still look distressed but yet refreshed and tacked on a new vine.

Then I removed the old roof and replaced it with metal flower bed edging which also came from a dumpster dive excursion. :) {I thought I was pretty ingenious for this idea, BUT check out what Laurie did HERE}. I used furniture tack/nails to give the roof some detail.

One piece of the old roof was painted with chalkboard paint to make the new sign. Now I can change it to say whatever I want! I already changed it. lol It now says "Welcome to Our Nest".



I removed the old cracked bird and wasn't going to put another one on since I didnt have one that small. Then I remembered someone (mother?) had given me these little birdies. I dry brushed them to lighten them up a little and gave them their new home.



Aren't they cute?

Anyone else been doing some spring cleaning and sprucing up?


And if you're here from the Gettin Crafty Party, be sure to let me know so I can visit you.


or from Trash To Treasure

Dollar Tree Bird Makeover

I finally found some of those cute little birds at Dollar Tree for $1 each! Birds sing spring to me and I have spring fever.

The only problem is, my Dollar Tree only had the gold birdie and I really didn't like the color.

So I decided to give her a makeover and dry brushed her with some #320 Jamaican Sea Folk Art paint by Plaid. I LOVE Plaid's Folk Art acrylic paints for this technique.



What a difference paint can make! Now she needs a nest.

Reusable Produce Bags

You all know I LOVE reuseable shopping bags, and for many reasons. I feel I'm doing good by not helping to contribute to the plastic shopping bag problem at landfills. I get a rebate for every one I use at my grocery store. They are SOoOoO much easier to carry heavy loads (canned goods, milk, etc) in, etc.

BUT, did you know I also LOVE mesh bags?



The green ones I use for produce bags. {I stole the idea when I seen them being handmade and sold on etsy} No more plastic produce bags for me! I've been asked several times at the grocery store by other ladies where I got them or they will comment, "That's a great idea!" I keep them in one of my reuseable shopping bags in my car. If they get dirty, I throw them in the washer.

The white ones I use for sock bags. My son has one hanging by his dirty laundry basket and throws his worn socks into it. When I do laundry, I grab it, zip it, and throw it in the washer, then to the dryer and finally gets dumped into his sock drawer. EASY!

I bought these mesh bags at Dollar Tree and Dollar General, so they are really cheap and last a long time.

Do you use mesh bags? Do you use them for other purposes? I would love to hear how, leave me comments!

FINALLY! I did it... Edible Biscuits

After many many many attempts, I finally made some {edible} excellent biscuits today.

I feel I had some help from my late aunt, using her sifter and biscuit cutter. :)

Hubby and boy wonder thought they were "excellent" also. Take a look at these pics. What do you think?

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder {BE SURE YOUR BAKING POWDER ISN'T EXPIRED}
2/3 cup milk {ICE COLD}
1/3 cup vegetable shortening {PLACE MEASURED SHORTENING INTO FREEZER FOR APPROX. 20 MINUTES}

Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into mixing bowl.
Make a well in the flour mix and add the milk.
Chip hard shortening into flour & milk; cut in using a knife and fork the until thoroughly mixed. Mix will be sticky.
Turn onto floured board, and knead gently 6 to 8 times.
Pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness. MAKE SURE IT IS 1/2"
Cut into biscuits. DO NOT TWIST CUTTER!
Place on baking sheet and brown in oven 10-13 minutes.
Makes about 9 biscuits.

To view the original recipe go to:
© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com

Type 85057 in the Search box at the top of Recipezaar, to get back to this recipe easily.

1870-1890 Aqua Ink Bottle

For The Single Nester's Tuesday Turquoise Party #7 {girl you gotta get a button!} I decided to share my turquoise vignette on my writing desk.

There's something so vintage about aqua/turquoise for me. I never pass a piece up that's in my price range.

The dark vase was a gift from my baby sister. My miniature iris' are blooming their heads off!

The square tea light holder and the flowered pillar holder was thrift store finds for .39 each. {does anyone have suggestions for getting all the china marker off the little flower? usually a damp cloth removes it, but all it wants to do is smear!}



The ink bottle was found in the rubble of a burned out farm house. On the side it is embossed/molded in the glass the name L H THOMAS. On the bottom it is stamped 6. L.H. Thomas was an ink manufacturer from the 1870s-1920s. My research suggests this bottle was made 1870-1890 due to the color.

Giveaway From A Guest Post: Time To Pay It Forward

I have a guest poster for you today. Please help me welcome to my blog a friend & coupon buddy of mine, Rhonda.



When Lisa posted her Pay It Forward, I jumped at the chance to join the Pay it Forward Challenge.

I recently received my gift from her, which was a lovely pair of earrings & a wallet pouch which I'm already using. This was the first time I ever won a prize of any kind! Unfortunately, it never occurred to me that I didn't have a blog of my own to run my own Pay It Forward post, so Lisa has graciously agreed to run it for me on her blog.

It's now time for me to Pay It Forward...here's how it works:

The first three people that would like to join the Pay It Forward Challenge, leave a comment on this post (and this post only) WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. Please include an email address so I can email you for your address & details to "personalize" your gift.

You will receive a handmade item from myself within three months, completely free of charge to you. Its just my way of giving. I also promise you I will put the same heart and soul in it as anything else I create. You don't get a set date, just know that some day in the next three months the postman may have something other than bills for you.

The Catch (isn't there always one)

You have to Pay it Forward and commit to doing the same thing. Place a Pay It Forward post on your blog, facebook account, etc.

Send something handmade to three people within three months. The items should be handmade by YOU. It can be anything. (Please don’t be intimidated by the whole handmade thing. No one is expecting you to make a quilt or knit a sweater. How about some handmade soap, marble magnets, or a mixed music cd?)

So who's in on spreading a little Pay It Forward Handmade love?



History of this Pay It Forward:
Lisa at Easy Frugal Living who joined
Annie at Real Life Living who joined
Leanne at See The Woods And The Trees who joined
Hip Chicks Home

New Kroger & Affiliates Choice Reward Program

There’s a great new deal this month from Kroger!

Shoppers can get coupons for free movies, music downloads and ringtones when they shop at Kroger-affiliated supermarkets.

The coupons are available at more than 2,500 Kroger, Jay-C, Ruler, Dillon, Baker's, King Soopers, City Market, Fry's Foods, Fred Meyer, Ralph’s, Food 4 Less, Quality Foods and Smith’s stores.

You get a coupon automatically at the checkstand when you buy 10 items from 20 participating brands, with dozens of qualifying items for each brand.

Each coupon is good for one free movie ticket, 15 music downloads, or 15 ringtones. That's about a $10 to $15 value. If you buy 20 items, you can get 2 movie tickets, or 15 song, and so on. The coupons are redeemed online, at a special web address printed on the coupons.

Here's a link with more specific info: Kroger Choice Rewards

Why I Use Coupons...

This week has been a great example of why I use coupons.



CVS:
my new card
2 rolls of CVS tp 2/$1.00
1 Dove conditioner $4.49
1 Essence of Beauty Body Butter on clearance $1.50

minus:
1 CVS crt printed coupon $1 off any CVS paper products
1 CVS crt printed coupon $1 off any CVS skin care product
1 Dove $1.50/1 daily conditioner coupon

Total OOP $3.75
Received $4.49 extra care bucks back

son's card
2 rolls of CVS tp 2/$1.00
2 Essence of Beauty Body Butters on clearance .60 each at this store
1 Doritos snack bag .99
1 Mt Dew 20 oz $1.59

minus
1 CVS crt printed coupon $1 off any CVS paper products
1 CVS crt printed coupon $1 off any CVS skin care product

Total OOP $2.97
Received $1 extra care buck back




Walgreens
NEVER BEEN SO CONFUSED IN MY LIFE!

#1
2 Tylenol severe cold 4.99 each
minus $5 off 2 (RP 4/11)
OOP $5.40
AND RECVD NO RR!

Manager was called over and she told me it wouldn't print the RR when I used a manufacturer coupon. GIVE ME A BREAK! I told her to cancel it out then. She told me ok, canceled it out, re-rung it without the coupon on it and the RR printed out. She handed me the RR and the new receipt. wth? oh well.

On to #2
2 Skippy Peanut Butter $1.50 each
2 Snuggle Fabric Softener $3.99 each
1 Rice Krispies treats $2.50
1 Soft Batch cookies $2.50

Minus:
2 Skippy Pnt Butter coupons .50 each (RP 3.28)
2 Snuggle coupons $3 each (RP 3/28)
$5 rr from #1
AND the $2 coupon in the monthly book for the cookies & rice treats.

She was talking to me about the first transaction and how Monday the shampoo RR's were rolling while I was trying to hand her the coupon and money, and she didnt scan the coupon, handed me my receipt and change.

OOP was $4.09
once I got home I seen she didn't scan the coupon and gave me back $4 change too much. So I ended up making $2 on this deal. geez what a mess!

#3
Schick shave gel $2.99

OOP $3.24

Received a $3.00 RR back

Yesterday
#1
10 Mighty Dog .80 each
2 Mighty Dog .99 each
2 Kleenex .99 each
1 Cottonelle TP $5.00
1 Jelly beans .62
2 Chocolate eggs .24 each
1 Reeses Bunny .62
1 Dove choc eggs .99
1 Reeses eggs .62

minus
2 Mighty Dog coupon for a free can -.99 each
2 Mighty Dog $3 off 5 cans
1 Mighty Dog crt coupon from wags $1 off 10 cans
2 $4 Wags rr's from last weeks Dove shampoo

OOP $2.93 for all that dog food, toilet paper, kleenex and candy. LOVE IT!


All this for right at $20 out of pocket and I still have $5.49 in extra care bucks for CVS and $3 in register rewards for Walgreens.

I love auctions!

With spring comes city wide cleanups, garage sales and auctions. City wide cleanups are my favorite, lots of stuff for FREE. Who doesn't love FREE?

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to go to an auction. There is something about bidding against someone else for and item. I guess it's the competitiveness within me. Here's what came home with me:

Lot #1: This was my steal for the day. The office chair is in perfect condition and is one of those old chairs that is heaaavvvvyyyyy. I needed another office chair in my studio.








They grouped the chair with this vintage hard side suitcase. The inside of it is in great condition. Can't wait to redo it! But that's not all!

PLUS this brand new 5 piece set of Jordache luggage. It may be an older set, but it's only been used once. There is also a hanging garment bag. The two largest cases have wheels on the bottom and locks with the keys.





All this for.... drum roll please..... $1! The office chair alone would cost me more than that at a garage sale! I've been looking for a couple of those hard sided suitcases for a project I have in mind and the cheapest I have seen them (in good condition) is $20 at the antique flea markets.

Lot #2 These two lamps. I love this white glass lamp. Look at the little white ball finial on top. It will go wonderful in my bedroom and I can get rid of the ugly lamp in there now. The shade will get a make-over.

The other lamp is, well let's just say it will no longer be a lamp. I will save the harp in case I need one for another lamp. The wood base will be repurposed, the shade will be saved in case I need it and I'm not sure what will happen to that eagle. lol

This lot of two lamps was $3. It's hard to find lamp shades in thrift stores for $3.


Lot #3 A clothes basket full of material. Also there was 2 burlap bags! I paid $5 for the basket. {forgot to take pic}

So my total at the auction was $9 and a lot of fresh country air. Made for a great Saturday afternoon.

When I stopped by my mothers her neighbor had left this baker's rack for me when he moved out. I love FREE. And the little white enamel cabinet that the lamps are sitting on, hubby brought home to me out of the trash.



Be sure to check out these sites for other great thrifting.

Second Time Around Tuesday
and Coastal Charm

How to Frugally Antique a Mirror

I found a mirror in the trash that had a pretty frame. The mirror's frame was this color:


(I forgot to take a pic)

I used black spray paint and sprayed it:



For me, it was too flat and plain. It needed to be softened and all the detail on the frame needed to stand out more.

I decided to "antique" it. There are many ways to antique things and just as many products on the market now. I used a technique I used in ceramics years ago using what I already had on hand....Watered down paint.



The most common ratio to use is a 1:1. Half water/half paint. For this project I used a 1:2 ratio, or 1/2 cup water to 1 cup paint. You sponge, rag or brush on your mix and then rub off with a lint free rag.

Easy peasy! And it didn't cost me anything for a glaze. I used white house paint I had on hand.

For other great projects head over to Transformation Thursdays hosted by The Shabby Chic Cottage.

A Turquoise Table

I have always loved and am drawn to the color turquoise. Jewelry, clothes and anything for my home.

A couple years ago I found this little bistro set in the trash where I worked. I thought it was the perfect size for the corner in the man cave for extra sitting.



In January when I was hauling Christmas decorations back downstairs I notice my bistro set had been moved from the man cave's pool room to my holiday closet! Apparently it wasn't manly enough with the heart shaped chairs. lol I thought to myself "Well poohey on him, if he doesn’t want my bistro set in his 'man cave', I want it upstairs in my parlor!"

I went to my stash closet and started pulling material out. I decided on these turquoise pieces I found over time at my thrift store for the tablecloth. They sell material as "panels" for $1.49 each.

A couple weeks ago I found these awesome dessert plates for .49 each. And the little 4 piece porcelain espresso set at another thrift store for $3. It was still brand new in the package.



The rescued little table dressed up in turquoise makes me happy. Why would anyone want to throw it away?

What color makes you happy?

Join the Single Nester for Turquoise Tuesday!

and dont miss the party at Cottage Dreamers!

Making a Spring Cloche

The parts: a candlestick bought from Goodwill for $1.99, a cheese dome I've had for years, a dome bought from Old Time Pottery for $2.99, a nightlight found in a box of my aunt's junk and a piece of a lamp.


I popped the plug part out of the night light. I sprayed the candlestick and wood base to the cheese keeper/server. Seriously, what are these things called? Anybody?

I stacked it all up. Then I took a little mini grape vine wreath (.10 at thrift store) and a straw decoration off another wreath; curling it around the grape vine to make the nest. I glued it to a stick cut from my yard. The two little blue eggs are candy. lol I printed off some sheet music from the internet.
I didnt glue anything together but the wreath, nest, twig and eggs. That way I can change my cloche around to get different looks whenever I want. ~Yes, I have a problem committing~


I love it. So simple, so clean looking. So what do you think? Does it work for you?

Now head over to Thrifty Decor Chick's Party for more before & afters!

and check out Reinvented: Trash To Tuesday!

Spring Mantel

Decorating my mantel is always a challenge for me. spelling it is another challenge... haha I don't decorate it for any of the holidays other than Christmas because it takes me too long to get it to where I like it. By the time I like it, the holiday is over. Decorating it for the seasons gives me 3 months! I've had all of February and March to get it ready for Spring.

Here is how my mantel currently looks. It's close, but still not satisfied!
The heart shaped rock my husband found and presented to me as a token of his love for me.



I found this at the thrift store Thursday for $1.99! I wiped it off with a damp cloth and that's all.



The cloche I made myself, total cost $2.99.





So what do you think? Too much?

Be sure to visit others for: