Charles Wysocki Puzzles

 This one I worked on yesterday

This one I worked on Saturday

Both of these puzzles are Charles Wysocki Puzzles

Wednesday Deals

Walmart, I price matched Festival Foods Ad: Gallon Chocolate milk $1.88, Ruffles chips (my favorite I'm glad these don't go on sale often) for $1.98 from the Menards ad.  Pick n Save has Goldfish crackers $.98.  Walmart has lettuce for $.50 each this is the second week.  They also had green grapes for $.75 a pound so I made the Grape Cream  Cheese salad that I made for Christmas.  OM carving board chicken $2.26 and I had $1 off coupon from the Sunday inserts. 

I stopped by the Piggly Wiggly again because they have their new ad out.  Scored some good deals there.  Campbells Chunky soap $.99 limit 4 I used $1/4 coupon from the Sunday inserts.  Doritos are $1.99.  Hunts pudding, Indian Summer applesauce, Pillsbury brownies and cake and Tony's personal pizzas for $1 each however their deal is if you buy 11 of these items mix or match you will get them for $10.  To thats $.90 plus I had coupons for the Tony's and Pillsbury brownies from the Sunday inserts.  So I got even more off.  Old Orchard juice $.99 and I used $1/1 coupons that were from a in store coupon booklet... so free!!  I spent $22 but saved $33.

Pick n Save I made 3 trips.  Trip one Starkist Tuna pouches $1and used $1/2 coupons doubled that I found in a in store coupon book before Christmas.  Starbucks frappuccino $5.49 and I used $1/1 doubled from the Sunday inserts.  Sour cream $.88 with in store coupons.   Pedigree 17 lb of dog food $8.68 on clearance and there was a $3 off coupon on the bag..  Great deal 5 bucks for 17 pounds of dog food. I spend $13 and saved $26.
Trip 2 Hot Pockets were $1.98 and I used $1/3 coupons doubled from a in store coupon booklet I found before Christmas.  Log Cabin Syrup $3.29 and I used $1/1 coupon doubled from coupons.com  Starbucks Frappuccino $5.49 and used $1/1 coupon from the Sunday inserts doubled.  Another sour cream for $.88.  Gold Fish $.99 with in ad coupon.  Oh and the best deal.  I wish I would have had more coupons.  Cover Girl foundation regular price $13.99 was on clearance 75% off so it was $3.50 each and lipstick for $1.35.  I had $1/1 and $2.50/2 coupons.  Very great deal.  Spent $18 and saved $42.
Trip 3 Starkist tuna again and more goldfish. Ken's dressing on sale $1.50 used $1/1 coupon doubled from the Sunday inserts. New York Croutons $1/1 and I used $.50 coupon doubled form the Sunday inserts. 
Then they had a great bulk pork sale.  I bought 18 pounds of pork chops for $1.19 a pound or $20!  When I go them home I divided them up into packages of 6 and I got 5 packages.  Great deal!!!!

Thats it for this week shopping.

Piggly Wiggly Deals

Today is the last day for these deals.  To get these prices you must purchase 10 of these items.  Mix or match..  Pillsbury Crescents, pizza dough etc... $.99 each.  I used $.75/3 coupons I picked up at PnS last week, these were on the shelf.  Then I bought Progresso soup $.89 and I used $1/4 coupons from the Sunday inserts.  No limits.  There were other items in on this must 10 to get the price ad but I only these items.  On Sunday there was a one page ad with coupons for $.99 milk, #3 chicken breasts $3.99 and $.19# banana's.  So I picked those up too.  I spent $19 and saved $31. 

And guess who is visiting today?

Ford!!

Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers are going to the Super Bowl!!  They just won the NFC match up with the Chicago Bears!  Now lets see who they will have to meet and beat at the Super Bowl!

Go Pack Go!!

Flash Mob Wedding 2010

I love this!!  Love the song, love the wedding, love the location and the flash mob .  Love Love Luv!!!

This is the best use of social media!!!  What will people think of next??

Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews

Oooh I just read this book... 

Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews.  It's a good book.  This is about a young woman in her 20's that was a lawyer working as a lobbyist in DC.  She works for a man that is much older then her who takes advantage of her ( and not in the usually way).  In turn her career is over, broke, can't find a job and the FBI want to talk to her.  She turns to her father who sends her to a small town in Georgia to fix up and sell a family mansion.  However the mansion hasn't been taken care of in about 50 years and needs a total make over.  She takes over the make over and learns of a lot of DIY projects she never would have thought of doing when she had her career in DC.  She finds confidence no one would have thought she had in her and falls in love with more then this little town.  Good read.

I have never read a book by Mary Kay Andrews before, but I will be requesting more titles from  her at the library!

Cricut and a Empty Jar

I found old jar with a extra large mouth in my basement.  I had rings and lids from other jars in it.  The cover was white and looks awful (forgot to take a photo).  So I painted it Oil Rubbed Bronze. Washed the jar and pulled out my cricut

I wanted to put my Oxy Clean in a different container.  So I printed out Oxy Clean..  isn't it cute!

Amercian Idol 2011 Premier

Tonight American Idol premiers..  It will be the first season without




Even when he acted like that he was right.  He had no tact and he said what he thought, which shocked me that he would say that to their face and on TV.  But you know that's what made it a success.  Will I miss him..

Will these two be able to pull this off..

I usually don't watch the first few shows when they are doing the search in cities, but I might just tune in tonight and see how they do.  Will there be 3 nicey nicey Paula types at the table now??  Lets hope in the end there will be a true American Idol.  I would love to have another Chris Daughtry on the show and actually win!!

 

 

 

 

Sharper Image Ereader Literati

This week Kohls has the Sharper Image  Literati Ereader on sale for $69.99!!  This is a deal!  Plus if you buy online you can use LOVE2SAVE30 and you will get 30% if you use your Kohl's charge card.  If you spend $75 you can get free shipping.  Here is the link kohls.com   I have not bought one of these.  But I was very tempted.  I just don't read enough to justify having one of these.  When or if I get the time to read more I will be buying an ereader for sure. 


The reviews I have read is when using the wifi it will eat the batteries.. only 2 hour battery life, but if you turn the wifi off the batteries will last for 6 hours.  There was talk about the colors being off a little, most didn't seem that bothered by it.  There is no instructions that come with it, but easily found online.  However the biggest thing you must buy or get the books from Kobo.  I really don't like that part.  I have been downloading free books off of Amazon.  You can download them so I can read them off my PC.  I don't know if moving the books from my PC to a memory card then put in the Literati would work??  If it did then I would consider it.  I would love to be able to swap ebook downloads with friends and be able to get ebooks from the library.  So what type of ereader would work best for me?  Another draw back with the Literati is the screen is only 7 inches and it's not a touch screen.  So I'm thinking this is not for me.  I wonder if a ipad would be better for me??

Chrome Wire Shelving

On Friday Menards had 5 tiered chrome wire shelving on a special 3 day sale $29.99.  I bought 4.  Saturday I put them together.  Early fall I had bought 3 of these from Aldis for $39.99 the shelves were that about the same size (smaller by 3 inches deep).  But the shelves I bought at Aldis are much heavier, they can hold more weight. 

So I knew how to put them together and it really didn't take a lot of time.  About 20 minutes per unit.

Bought 4 of them!

It looks more difficult then what it really is.  No tools needed.

This is the part that scared him..

Cowardly!!  Those metal pipes make scary sounds.

Finished.  The shelves are adjustable.  I love these!!  These 4 units hold my inventory for my store.  The other 3 that I bought in fall hold my ebay stuff. 

Piggly Wiggly Deals

Yesterday I stopped at Piggly Wiggly to pick up their ad deals.  This is what I got.  They have 2 liter bottle of Coke for $1 each.  I had $1/4 coupons that expired yesterday.  So that made them $.75 each.  Deans chocolate milk in half gallon $1 I had $1/2 coupon from last weekends Sunday inserts.  That makes them $.50 each.  Store brand frozen peas were buy one get one free (saved $1.29.  Hunts ketchup was also buy one get one free (saved $1.59) Deli pizza $2.49 after on package coupon.  Pillsbury Grands $1 each and used $.75/3 coupon from shelf display.  Store brand bread $.67 and they also had Ziploc bags buy one get one free.  I had $1/2 Sunday insert coupons and they were $.54 each each box.  This ad is good until Tuesday.  I spent $17 and saved $24. 

Christmas Flowers

Look at these flowers they are still going strong!!

Take a look at the right side of the photo below

Do you see the branches that I used in the arrangement is sprouting leaves??  I cut these branches from a bush in my one of my flower beds.  The bush has red bark, but I didn't want the red in my arrangement so I spray painted them white.  Well that didn't stop them from sprouting in the arrangement!! These flowers are 24 days old!!  Amazing!!

Wednesday Deals

Pick n Save Coffee Mate Caramel Apple and Sugar & Spice were clearanced for $1.07 and I used $1/2 from the Sunday inserts. (I had bought many extra coupons from couponkutters weeks ago knowing that these would be discounted greatly after Christmas)  Yoplait whips $.50 and used $.40/6 coupon from the Sunday inserts.  Finish Dishwasher Cleaner $3.74 and used $1/1 coupon that I received when I bought the dishwasher.  Campbells Chunky Soup $1.25 and I used $1/2 catalina coupon from a few weeks ago.  Prego Sauce $1.50 and used $.50/2.  All the high value coupons were doubled.  I spent $14 and saved $32.

Walmart priced matched Festival Foods milk $1.48.  I need tin foil and baby carrots.

And you can read about my Menards trip below.  Thats all the shopping I did yesterday because I have a terrible stiff neck and shoulder.  I have not been doing much except reading my book and blogs with my heating pad.  It's finally better today.  I will be shopping again tomorrow...

Cricut Cartridges Cheap

Yesterday I was at Menards to pick these up

BUUUTTT  I also found these

on clearance for $9.98 each!!!!!!!  Thats 78% off!!!  I was completely stunned to find these so cheap. 

Valentine Wreath, Makeover & Shelby

Yes I spent some time with my glue gun, first time this new year.  I made over a Valentines Wreath and made a new one. 

This is the Wreath I made about 15 years ago

It was very pretty at the time, but the ribbon is wearing out and I really wanted to make a Christmas bulb Valentine wreath. so here is it

I took the old flowers and ribbons off and added white garland, pink and red balls.  I like it, however I think it lost the heart shape.  Oh well.

Shelby was watching everything I was doing.  

I had Valentine garland so I took a small foam wreath shape and I wrapped the garland around the wreath.  When I wrapped the garland a bunch of the hearts fell off so I took those glue them to 3 white balls.  Then I took the small white Christmas balls and tied them to some ribbon and then tied that to the wreath.  Isn't is cute.  I like it better then the other one that I made today. 

 

Shelby agrees

5 hours of Thrifting!

Today Mom and I went thrifting.  We went for 5 hours.  It was great bought alot of stuff.  3 months without rummage saling I really needed to shop. 

This is what I got.

Barney Wilton cake pan-sell, clear glass jar-keep, 2 wood candles stick-keep. tan pitcher-keep, 2 PamperedChef steamers-sell, milk glass pitcher-keep, Wilton cake decorator set(vintage)-sell, vegomatic-sell, Wii tennis racket-keep, corn cutter-keep, whisk=keep, Pampered Chef cheese cutter-sell, silver star-keep, wood decoration-keep, black yarn-keep

this is just a small example of what we got

3 white frames-keep, fall/xmas flowers 10 cents a bunch at Goodwill-keep, 2 clear glass jars-keep, 2 crystal candle holders-keep, red candle holder-keep, jello egg mold-sell, 2 "green" coffee cups-keep, fabric-keep, apron patter-sell, black and white plates-keep, battery operated candle-keep and pink night shirt-keep

duster for under appliances-keep

Floor lamp-keep.. really love it, I needed one so bad for by the lounge

Large wood apple bowl-keep for awhile and then sell

It was a really fun day.  We didn't have to be back for anything so we could take our time.  Can't wait to have another day like this.

This Weeks Coupon Deals & Purina Carvers Review

Walmart have these on Christmas clearance

Yummy soft (like dinner mints) Candy Canes $.22 each.  My daughter made the card on left for me.  The photo of the Christmas Balls in a basket was part of our Christmas Decor this year.  She took the photo and make the card in Photography class she is taking this semester.  Talent.

Anyhoo.  I also picked up M&M's for $.62.  Walmart has nothing but candy left for their Christmas clearance.  Olay 2 bars are regular price of $2.48 and I used a $2 coupon that was in the P&G Sunday inserts a few weekends ago. 

Festival Foods had their Christmas candy on clearance.  Rolo's for $1.50 no coupon.  Store brand chili beans $.48 each, store brand spaghetti noodles $.48, store brand pasta sauce $.68, bag of chicken breasts $3.98, half gallon of chocolate milk $.88 and store brand wheat bread $.49 with in ad coupons.  They also had bakery bread $.99 on sale.  Spent $15 saved $18

Pick N Save 10 Knorr side dishes $1 each and used a in ad coupon for $5 off a deli chicken when you bought the 10 side dishes.  So $.99 for a deli chicken.  6 Breadsticks on sale for $.99.  They had these

on clearance for $1.49 each.  I had 3 coupons for $1.50 off one page of Purina Carvers that were expiring that DAY!! Yeah!!  I could use them to get 3 packages free!!  O...K... your saying... you get free things all the time.  Yeah I do, but these are the dogs VERY favorite treat of all time.  They love these.  When you open the bag they actually smell like human food!!  My dogs would lay down and die for these!!  OK..  they would lay down and play dead!!  LOL!  I hope they are not discontinuing these because my dogs will be heart broken.  Hope it's just Pick N Save that will just stop carrying them.

Anyhoo...  I also bought Freshlike frozen vegetables on sale for $1 on sale and used $1/2 doubled so free.  Store brand cheese on sale for $.99.  Ronzoni pasta $1 each and used a coupon I printed from either coupons.com or smartsource can't remember which site.  But the coupon was for $1/2 and it was doubled so free.  Palermo Pizza's are $6.99 each is regular price but they are buy one and get one free this week.  Plus they have $1/1 coupons on the shelf for these so I used 2 and they were doubled.  So I got both pizza's for $2.99... nice!!  Spent $22 saved $38.

Then  I stopped at Office Max.  I needed colored ink and they had a paper bag in the Sunday paper for 20% anything you can fit into the bag (however they don't use the bag, they recycle them.. very strange idea not to actually use them) but any way I bought my ink and did a run through the store for clearance.  Check out what I found on clearance..

No not the clock or the metal leaf.  Its the Mustang computer mouse!!  I loved it.  I had to have it.  I rarely do an impulse purchase like this.  It was on clearance for $20, down from $29.99.  I put it in the bag so I got 20% off.  I had a gift card from a Max Reward a few months ago on ink.  Plus I had some Max Rewards from turning in ink cartridges and points.  So the ink and the car didn't cost me anything out of pocket!  Now I have to take the computer apart to hook up my new Ford Mustang GT!!!  So excited! 

So that's it for this week!

American Pickers Season One

This is what we have been watching on TV

My family can really relate to this show.  As we go to swap meets, flea markets and rummage sales every chance we get.  Plus we have collector cars and go to many car shows.    Everyone in the house is watching and commenting on what they are doing wrong as they travel the US picking other people stuff.  I keep reminding everyone that this show is edited for entertainment and is far from reality.  It's cute even my 14 year old daughter has opinions on this show.

I borrowed this DVD set from the library.

Christmas Flowers

I has been 13 days and my Christmas flowers still look like this

Still very pretty.

Deer Drive Wii Game

I bought this game for my husband after Christmas last year, as a gift for this year.  It was 50% off then.  I gave it to him on Christmas eve.  We play it right away. We had so much fun trying to figure it out to play and then it was a challenge to shoot one single animal!!  We laughed so loud that we had  Ford and Henry barking which got Shelby in the garage barking and howling.  We were so loud, we are so lucky we live in the country and don't have close neighbors because I think they would have had issues with how loud we were.  There was only 7 people but you'd think there was a much larger crowd. 

It's been  10 days and I'm the only one still playing it.  They all gave up before they even got to the 20th round.  I'm on 29th round, man is that level hard.  I can't get past it.  I have been working on it for 2 day.  It's so addicting.  I'll let you know when I've mastered the game! 

Useful Dog Tricks Performed by Jesse

Reminder to Clean Out Your Coupon Binder

Yesterday I cleaned out my coupon binder....  Every nook and cranny of the binder was cleaned out.  All the coupons were removed and the expiration date checked.  If the coupon was expired it ended up here

So many great coupons that went unused and expired!  Sales and the coupons just didn't match up for these coupons.  Just can't use them all!  Hate that!  Oh well, there will be more coupons to print from coupons.com and smartsource and redplum and of course from the Sunday inserts.  

In the front of my binder I have an accordion type folder which looks like this

This area is where I keep and organized coupons from restaurants.  There were tons of coupons in there that were expired.  See how clean it is.  However the only place I can eat that I have a coupon for is Pizza Hut!!  LOL.  I also keep in this area coupons that I print from Gordmans, Mall store and Kohls coupons and codes. 

I removed about 20 pages from my binder that were empty, so now my binder is half it's size and much lighter.  Thats a love hate thing too because it's so empty I don't have many coupons to shop with!

So many years I had a small coupon accordion envelope to keep my coupons in.  It just didn't work as well as my binder.  With the binder I can see every coupon clearly.  No coupons get "lost" like in the envelope.  I would be so upset when I cleaned out my envelope to find coupons expired that I had forgotten about.  I would go to so much trouble collecting and trying to file these coupons only to have the envelope so full that it was hard to locate the coupon.  So many miss filed.  The envelope file thing just doesn't work as well for me as the binder method.

I also keep all my receipts through the year, basket looked like this

Today the basket has 6 receipts in it.  Years ago when refunds were popular and everywhere I got in the habit to save my receipts.  Well I still have that habit.  I think if I would keep my receipts for a month instead of a year when be fine.  Ok my first resolution to not keep my receipts for longer then a month, just in case there is a refund or I have to return an item.    Lets see if I can keep it.  Maybe 6 months would be more realistic LOL!

My First Shopping Trip of 2011

Today was the first chance I had to go shopping.  The only items I bought at 75% was Karo syrup $.74 and I used $.75 coupons, so free.  The coupons were from the Sunday inserts.  And I bought Jet Marshmallow fluff $.39 each.  No coupons for those and these deals were at Walgreens.  Also at Walgreens they have Finish 20 pack of dishwasher tabs for $3.49 and I used $2.25 coupon from the paper yesterday plus I got a $1.50 Register Reward. 

I stopped at Target, their Christmas stuff was 75% off but there was nothing I wanted.  Mostly candy (lots and lots of candy canes..  didn't think there were that many to start with..LOL), stockings, dog clothes, bows and a few ornaments.    I did buy 2 more towels.  They were $2.09 the last time I was there and now they are $1.48 each.  These towels are not that thick nor big, but they are great extra towels.    Anyway there was nothing worth coming back for the 90% off Christmas.

Walmart didn't have much left either for Christmas clearance.  Only candy and a few dog clothes.  That's it!!  I guess I was just to late.  Which is fine.  I just don't need any more Christmas stuff.  I took down the Christmas tree and decor..  my storage area is full.  Did buy a gallon of milk for $.99 with a price match from Piggly Wiggly.  Also bought lettuce, tomatoes and carrots. No big sales, just needed those items.

I stopped at Piggly Wiggly picked up a $.99 gallon of milk with their in ad coupon.  Also bought frozen deli pizza for $2 after on item coupon.  Brown and Serve $.69 limit of 2, Food Club buns $.79 each, Food Club cheese $.99 Limit of 4 and Capri Sun 10 package $.99 after web coupon.

I stopped at the library to pick up American Pickers season one that I had on hold.  I can't wait to watch it.

Also stopped at Verizon. I was not happy about my bill, Nicci's phone has 400 texts for $7.99 but she went over in a big way again...  So I had unlimited texting on her phone.  She needs to get a job to start paying for her phone.  It's funny how she can check to see how many she was using but she didn't.  We have 10 My Circle numbers and she wasn't keeping it up dated.  It was a very unhappy day yesterday when I saw the online bill!!!