Redberrydeals.com

Organization is a never ending battle.  No matter what life throws at you, you will be disorganized at one time or another.  There have been times I have been so organized it felt great, but life does happen and that planner gets left at home, or the monthly to-do list gets misplaced on the kitchen table with the mail.  Now, that I’m a working outside the home Mom, being organized is a dream!  Even in my About Me I mention my struggle with organization – “I hope as time goes by I will have the opportunity to learn to organize my time better and post deals as well as shopping trips.”

I was a Day-Timer fan for years.  I still have a place in my heart for the Day-Timer concept, it has a very nice simple layout and using the binder I could move pages to different sections at will.  The last year I used it I started having more and more problems being able to move pages without getting frustrated with the binder.

A dear friend of ours introduced me to Levenger Circa, which I had never seen before.  Basically think of a Rolodex but in a notebook.  You can carefully pull the pages out and then put them anywhere you want!  The down fall is the Levenger brand paper is a bit expensive and the Circa punch at a silly cost ($58!).   Levenger has a couple stores including one in the Northern Virginia area at Tysons Corner Mall, and you can ask (nicely, of course) for a FREE sample and they will create for you a sample (I prefer junior size) to try it out!  It is wonderful!  What a great concept!

Me being the savvy shopper that I am wanted to find a deal and back in the fall Levenger had a sale on Circa products on their website.  I was able to get some of the items on sale and then I ordered the $40 sampler packet with the $40 gift card I could put that towards the Circa punch.

Now, I have all of the tools to create my very own planner! The best place to check out is DIYPlanner.com, that has lots of templates and even a simple program to create your very own planner.  I can have a daily calendar as well as a monthly calendar exactly as I like it.

Speaking of a great site to learn about planners it also has my next favorite subject -financial planning.  This link has some templates to create envelopes to help you with your financial planning!

Since it is tax time and the beginning of the year what a perfect time to mention this stuff.

What do you think?  Have you heard of DIYPlanner.com or Levenger Circa?

Img Source:  All You

I’m spending the day with my daughter today inside since it is snowing!  We’re trying to relax but that’s not easy when she wants to run around.   Right now she is napping and I’m taking a break!

She wasn’t interested in playing when I was preparing the crockpot for the  Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan,  it took several attempts at distracting her in order to defrost the chicken and get all of the ingredients  into the pot.   I found a great tip on how to defrost chicken without making it rubbery.

Tip: Check it out HERE! This is for one chicken breast.

Put it on a piece of foil while you heat your oven to 200 degrees. When it reaches 200, turn off the heat, throw the chicken and foil in the oven, and wait twenty minutes. This will thaw your chicken without cooking it, or creating those tough, over-cooked bits that you get from microwave defrosting.

I was defrosting 4 very large chicken breasts that were in the original packaging so this is what I did.

1.  Heat the oven to 200 degrees and leave it on.

2. Take a cookie sheet and put foil on it.

3.  Place chicken on the foil and then place another piece of foil on top of that.

4. Put it in the oven on the bottom rack.

5.  Since these were very large chicken breasts I gave them 20 minutes and then flipped them over and gave them another 10 minutes.  There were only a few parts that were still frozen!  I then continued with my recipe.

Pep Boys currently has a new coupon $5 off $35 purchase!  Click HERE.  Expires 1/31/10.

I guess you can say I’ve always been frugal in some way or another.   I might not have used coupons as much as I do now and I didn’t always reach for the lowest out of pocket expense but I loved to make crafts with scrap fabrics.  Did I mention that I like to quilt?   I haven’t had much time since I have a little girl, but I do love to sew.

You may have seen my post on – How to make a Baby Bib? A super easy project that you can make in about 15 minutes as long as all of your supplies are in reach. Today, I’m going to show you how to make a pretty stocking right before you need to set them up for  tomorrow night!  What perfecting timing, if I say so myself.

These are pictures I took last Christmas season when I made my daughter’s stocking.

Supplies Needed:

• 1/4 yard of 1 or 2 matching fabrics
• Matching Thread
• Matching Ribbon to hang the stocking
  
• Needle or Sewing Machine
• Trim (optional)
• Tracing Paper or Fabric pattern material or plain paper

Step 1:  Create a stocking pattern.   You can create one by free hand or by tracing an existing stocking.  Use the tracing paper or fabric pattern material.  Make sure you add at least a 1/2 inch seam allowance.   Layout the fabric you want to make the body of the stocking -  right sides facing each other.  Cut 2.

Step 2:   After cutting 2 stocking pieces together take the pattern off the fabric and make sure the fabric is pinned.

Step 3:  Create the cuff of the Stocking.   Take the second fabric and make a decision as to where you want the stocking cuff to end.

Make sure you include a 1/2 seam allowance.  Pin the pattern to the fabric -  2 sides facing each other.  Cut 2.

Step 4:  Sew the body of the stocking leaving the top open.

Step 5:  Sew one side of the cuff.  See above.

Step 6:  Now for the fun part!  Adding the optional Trim.   Open up the Cuff – right side facing up, and place the trim with the rope trim pointed up and the sewing trim pointed down up against the sewing seam of the Cuff.  See above.

Step 7:  You are welcome to do this by hand but I love using my sewing machine.   This will take you no time at all when you use your zipper foot like I did here.   Move your needle to the far left and sew as close to the rope trim as possible.  If you decided not to add the rope trim just turn the bottom of the cuff up about 1/2 inch and sew.  Simple hem.

Here is the result after sewing the rope trim to the cuff.  Super easy!   Now, sew the side of the cuff to the other side – right sides facing.

Step 8:  Next attaching the Cuff to the Stocking body.  This is a lot easier then you might think.   Take the Cuff and lay it out like I have – right side out.   Take the Stocking and lay it out like I have – wrong side out.    Then place the cuff seam against the top of the Stocking body.   Then pull the Cuff – wrong side showing – over the Stocking body.   Sew the seam together.

Above is a picture of the final seam after it is sewn.

Merry Christmas!

This last year I got Martha Stewart Living
for free!   The magazine has a lot of creative ideas.

This evening I was looking for Christmas labels and I found this creative idea for envelopes. Using the Martha Stewart method and you don’t have to spend any money! Use some of the scrap wrapping paper from gift wrapping.

Unfold a regular envelope. Choose patterned paper larger than the envelope (or stick mismatched pieces together with glue). Trace the envelope onto the paper, fold (use envelope as a guide), and secure with glue stick. If mailing, add a label.

A couple years ago I found Floral Vintage Collection: Cards, Envelopes, Tags and I created cards and envelopes for peoples birthdays and other celebrations.

Image source: MarthaStewart.com

Note: I am an affiliate with Amazon.com

Besides starting Christmas shopping and finishing up Thanksgiving turkey, in the evenings I’ve been working on practicing my Calligraphy for a family member’s wedding invitations.

Here is an example of my Calligraphy version of “Virginia”.  It’s funny how words look odd after you look at them for a long period of time.   As I practice, I’m also writing my addresses for my Christmas cards.  Might as well!  Practice makes perfect.

I found to be really helpful if you are interested in learning Calligraphy to watch the following videos.

Videos:

• Writing Complete Words in Cursive Italic

Image: Discoverahobby.com

I’m a huge fan of Dial complete and other liquid foaming hand wash.  For several years I would buy the refills at Walmart.  Now, I look for good deals everywhere I go.   I’ve tried in the past to make my own but it would come out foaming for a day and then it would stop working.   The best deal I’ve found to buy it at Aldi I believe it is under $2 last time I was there. Then here is the recipe for refilling your container!

1. Find some gel like liquid soap.  I recommend gel form because it needs to dissolve.  The creme version will not dissolve and the pump will not be able to foam it.  You can get the gel form really cheap!  You could even try gel shampoo.

2.  Then right before you have completed the original formula approximately 4 tablespoons left,  I recommend this is the best time to refill it!  If you already finished it that is ok.

3.  Add about 3 to 5 tablespoons of gel liquid soap.

3.  Add hot water to the bottle but don’t fill it all the way.  I suggest leaving a couple inches for room to shake the bottle and fit the pump into the bottle.  Some bottles have a line for refilling.

4.  Shake the bottle so that the gel dissolves.  The soap will foam a lot in the bottle.  Keep shaking until the gel dissolves.

5. Tada!  You have liquid foaming hand wash.  Super cheap!

My daughter LOVES to wash her hands with this soap.  I squirt a small amount on each of her hands and she understands to rub her hands together.

My husband who is the vehicle expert in the household, see his website HERE, mentioned to me that Castrol Edge is currently running a rebate, save up to $15.  Click HERE to see the rebate form.  I haven’t found any good deals but did read that some Walmarts have this oil on discount.  We’ve found in our experience that Walmart and Sam’s Club is the best price for oil.  On occation we can find some good deals at Advance Auto.

Let me know if you find Castrol Edge on sale!

I’m super excited!  I’ve thought about posting this last month and then time flew by.  It dawned on my this evening that I had to post this before I forgot again.

For the last couple years I’ve been going to the Sewing Expo in Chantilly, VA.  It is a blast!  I save up every year to go since I love to take classes.  I learn a lot about sewing. If you are at all interested in sewing or an expert seamstress this event is for you.  There are some frugal things to be had, however, this event has all sorts of expensive goodies to drool at!

If you are interested in attending and haven’t attended before, then I have a deal for you!    Email me at hollys.savings (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject:  “I want to attend the Sewing Expo!” and I can give you a  “Bring-A-Friend” code!  What this means is AFTER you sign-up and give the code, you will receive a voucher for 2 class tickets, one for you and one for me.  It’s that easy!   Click HERE for more information on how this works.

Hurry! Sign-up before 9/22/09 and you can get a discount on registration for classes.

Here is a description from the website!

Welcome to Original Sewing & Quilt Expo! Get ready for your annual treat, the only event each year where it’s all about YOU. Returning just in time to re-charge your creativity, this year’s Expo brings you MORE – MORE about quilts and quiltmaking, MORE on Stage and in the Classroom, MORE workshops, MORE shopping . . . all in all, much more for you to choose from and enjoy.

Whether you spend a day or the entire weekend with us, you’ll find the inspiration and motivation to try something new or take your current passions to a new level of satisfaction. We guarantee it!

How do you make that old ugly 80’s furniture look better?

Yuck!  Most people would say throw-it away!  Or donate it! Or Freecycle it!

I say reuse it! Make it better for about $5-$20 and your time!

About 5 years ago my husband and I were doing our typical Walmart shopping trip which always included looking at clearance items.  This particular day this Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Kit caught my attention it was called Accents by Rust-Oleum Brand – Distressed Antique Black. I bought 2 kits for $5 a piece.   (Note: This was 5+ years ago.)

At the time, we were living in a small townhouse that we had owned for a couple years and I was interested in painting picture frames black and maybe a couple other pieces as well.   I really like black furniture.  I’m a huge fan of Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel style furniture.  My taste is classic clean lines with a french country twist. Read the rest of this entry »