Super Easy, Super Cute tote

Since I am not one to reinvent the wheel (who am I kidding I do it all the time!).  I decided I need a new purse to replace my ragged torn up and frankly gross diaper bag that I have been using for the last 2 years.  Can we say cookie crumbs, torn liner, unwrapped candy....  Tell me you've been there too....

I know I need a new diaper bag, should maybe even go back to a purse.  Except for two problems, I don't want to spend the money, and I just have not had one scream out at me when shopping or browsing.  I have looked, really looked.  Between Christmas, my birthday, anniversary, and up coming Mother's Day I would have loved to point to a purse, tote, or bag and say hey I'm worth the splurge someone get me that.  Nothing not one.  But I saw this fabric on the clearance rack, and I wanted it for my next purse.  I had a vision in my head of what I wanted.  Then I decided to be lazy and let someone else do the work, I searched the web for a tutorial of what I wanted, and found it!

sample tote I made first

My new purse!

Over at Poppyseed fabrics!  Super simple measurements, super simple construction.  Well of course I changed a few things, I don't think I am capable of not changing things.  So here is mine and here are the things I did differently.  First I wanted a zipper  I've tried purse's, tote's, diaper bag's, you name it... without zippers and they just don't work for me.
I made this sample tote, practicing the top zipper close.  I'll be giving this tote to Timmie for Christmas, so not wasted and testing my pattern and additions just makes sense to me.  I found that just as a thought this tote is to small for me.
 Okay, so again I searched the web instead of reinventing and found this.  I also wanted an inside zipper pocket, found here.

 

 

 

Now I wanted my bag bigger so I first made one from fabric I had no plans for, before making the bigger one for me using this super cute fabric I found on the clearance rack at Hobby Lobby.  For my kids tote I used some left over ribbon that just happened to match the fibric, and a zipper that also matched, well matched in my eyes.  I need something more heavy duty for my tote, Hopefully I will find a color I like.

Here are the construction pictures I took of the larger bag.

 

Frugal Challenge Week #5

Getting Back to Normal.

Okay after two weeks of things being a little crazy, I got back to normal and started getting ready for the summer.

 

-Used a gift card combined with some coupons to treat myself and the kids to a lunch out(surprise bonus there was more on the card than I thought, so enough for another treat in the future)
-cut off jeans I bought at good will a few weeks ago, making shorts and capri's for the summer.
-took the decorative legs that I cut off and made a tote.
-took left over's from other projects and made a child's tote.  I put this up for Christmas for Timmie.  I've had this bit of fabric hanging out for about 5 yrs now.  I wanted to practice my zipper installation, and see the size of the bag before tackling one for myself.

-read a free book on my nook.
-took my girls for a walk to an activity for my oldest, we walked their and back, and one more time for pick up, was good exercise and saved gas!
-signed up for a $10 free music credit on emusic, also got a free audio book!  Also got a bunch of points for this on swagbucks
-made napkins from a sheet that was worn thru.  It was a nice 800 thread count sheet and we wore holes in the middle of the fitted sheet, the sides where not worn so I cut off the good sides and made napkins, will make more napkins out of the top sheet.  These are our first cloth napkins, so less paper towels!
-got two more uses out of my conditioner by adding water when I could get no more out.  Since I water down my hand soap, and dish soap, will start thinning conditioner.  I feel like my hair gets coated better with the thinned conditioner.
-Got some free groceries.- made fresh butter with some free heavy whipping cream.

-took a free workshop at a big box store and came home with a free pint of paint in the color I am painting our house.(Not naming the store because this is not a normal give away, I just happen to be the only one to show up for the workshop.)

 

We did eat out 3x this week, twice for lunch and once for dinner, This is pretty normal for us, I'd like to get those numbers down to not eating out more than 2x a month, but after the two previous weeks with being out of town etc...  I am glad to have controlled myself, we had several more opportunities that I chose to cook when it would have been much easier to pick up dinner.

I'm pretty happy with this week, even managed to work in giving food to others in need.  One family of many is struggling with a new born and a husband who just had surgery and will be out of work and off his feet for a few weeks.  One family just suffered a miscarriage.  Being frugal doesn't mean not helping those in need.  It wasn't even the food as much as the time to make and the load of one less meal for each of those mothers, hopefully allowing them some time in their full days.

I'm hopeful this next week will see some more improvements.

Frugal Challenge Week #4

 

Frugal Curveballs:

 

After week #3's family gatherings for the funeral, and this week's trip, I'd say we had a few curveballs in my adventure to be identify and put into action things to be more frugal.  I'm starting to get the idea that every week will have it's unique challenges.

-Enjoyed a nice hotel in Fort Worth, no extra cost for us to join him from a sleeping point of view.
-No refrigerator in the hotel:( Used free ice in a plastic bag to keep our milk cold.
-Visited the Fort Worth water garden -free
-Road the Molly Trolley-free, used this to get to the water garden
-Packed milk and fruit and other snacks for Timmie(new nickname for my youngest daughter)

-Our Waco Zoo membership that I bought 6 weeks ago paid for itself in out visit to the Dallas Zoo.  Yes we spent a little more in gas to get from Fort Worth to the Dallas Zoo, but we got half of our admission, plus discounts on our purchases, including food, and a free mug!
-We got really lucky and got free parking at the zoo too!
-Read some more  free books on my nook.   So glad I pre-read things before approving them for my daughter, lots of questionable content under sci-fi and fantasy for teen readers, anything younger than that and my girls have long moved past.
-left Fort Worth before the worst commuter traffic, making it home in time to cook dinner, good thing after 2.5 days of eating out.
-husband ate at the conference so eating expenses where just me and the girls.

-We got home and went on a field trip!  LOL okay well all of Fort Worth was a field trip too.  This one was to the Blue Baker in Austin.  It was free(just gas to get there)  At the end each kid got a ball of dough and got to shape some Challa bread, we picked it up later in the day, so we where up 3 loaves of Challa bread for the cost of gas.  It was so yummy!
-accepted some free whipping cream, will make homemade butter
-found a 36ct tortilla package marked down to $1.50 and bought that, looked for more but that was the only one.
-We part time clothe diaper and part time disposable diaper, this was a week with way more disposables.

So now I've identified that part of my journey is to deal with these curveballs better, and see how I might handle them better in the future.  How about you is life dealing you some curve balls throwing you off your frugal week?  Share and let me know.

{Pretty, happy, funny, real}

   

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~    Pretty This week was a hard choice.  My husband took us with him on a conference trip to Fort Worth.

   
Happy The girls and I had a blast checking out down town Fort Worth.  We rode the Molly Trolley, that was free.  Went to the Dallas Zoo, and really enjoyed ourselves, no real fighting or ageing it made me very happy to see my girls enjoy each other and be in the now.

  Funny

Okay, so last time I posted in this series I found that other participants where talking about nick names, well I don't normally jump on the band wagon late no less, but Littlest has changed her name, and there fore I'll be changing it here.  She started informing us that her name is Timmie.  I don't know where she picked up that name since she is not allowed to watch my husbands cartoon's, and we have no friends with that name, but she is kinda insistent, I think I am the lone hold out using her real name.  It is funny when she introduces herself that way.

Say hi "Timmie"

 

Real

Well  real is we almost did not go to Fort Worth, the girls where fighting so much and I just can't allow with disrespect.  But they got their acts together and I am so glad we went!  Real is also that we broke our budget, but hey we can't take it with us!  I only have these girls for a limited amount of time.  I plan to enjoy it!

Frugal Challenge Week #3

Well this week was delayed because we did a few non frugal things that simply got in the way of writing and posting on my blog.

I justified these things to myself but that is what they are justifications and no more.  Part of doing better is identifying what these excuses are and well

pictures from what kept me from posting

more on them in my next post!

First thing, last Sunday we got news of a death in the family.  One of my dear husbands uncles had passed away.  It was a sad event, made sadder by the fact that my children only had a vague memory of this man.  Derail from budgeting number one was renting a minivan so that we could host my SIL and all ride in one car together.  This is the first time my SIL has been in Texas in the last 30 years.  All the funeral events and visiting family congregated in Georgetown, about 45 miles from our place.  Long days and long nights meant eating out.  I wouldn't change any of it, except that it took a death to bring us all together.

 

What we did right

-accepted some free groceries, including some milk!  We go threw a lot of milk.

-ate left overs when possible.

-pre-bought some riding lessons for the girls, we bought 6 lessons giving us a discount of $150!

-set up my timers for watering my plants and trees

-accepted 2 pepper plants, 1 tomato plant, and one cucumber plant from my husbands aunt.  These are plants they are trying to rescue from the house she was providing to her brother, he was a big gardener, but no one will be their to care for the plants now that he is gone.

 -waited to fill up my rental car in Bastrop for some reason they are 17 cents cheaper than anywhere really close to us. This was not out of our way because we had riding lessons there just when the tank was getting really low. 

-we also buy and use HEB gift cards, right now this gives us 12 cent per gallon savings when we fill up.

-signed up for my summer gift cards purchases thru our old private school.  By committing to a minimum purchase both the school and my family benefits, they split the kick back with us.

 -read some free books on my nook, and approved one for my daughter to read:D

 

 Are you needing or wanting to be more frugal?  Challenge yourself by making a list each week.  You can write it down as you go and keep it posted on the fridge, or blog about it and share. I'd love to here if you are taking up a similar challenge.

Frugal Challenge Week #2

Last week I challenged myself to write up a post on my frugal accomplishments this week.  Every week will have it's challenges with built in excuses to not be as frugal as I could otherwise be.  Part of the challenge for me is to identify where I could be doing better so that even these distractions become less of a problem to keeping my budget.

my new pear tree, all leafed out

Excuse's this last week, took a car into to find an electrical problem and hopefully fix it.  I had to drive in twice , the second time they gave us a loaner car and I stayed in town till 5 thinking I'd get my car back, we have had the loaner for the weekend.  This meant eating out 2 times for lunch with hubby, a great treat for the kids but a budget buster.

My little lemon tree

     -We had some rain so I did not need to water my sad garden or my trees.
     -found 5 pairs of super cute embroidered jeans at good will for my girls, some will stay as long jeans as the pairs they have now fit at the waist but arte two short, we will cut them off and make shorts, capri's for the summer.
     -made it to Sam's club this week, I have been needing to go for the last month.  I get the #10 cans of tomato sauce, our stores don't have the paste, I'd get that if I could.  For us frugal is buying the General Tso frozen Chinese chicken, I add some vegetables and get dinner for under $13, eating out, which I am prone to do as Chinese food  is a favorite costs us $30-$50
     -ate left overs for lunch
     -accepted some free food
     -made meals with what I have in my pantry, resisting the urge to just run to the store for one item, or to order out.
     -saving gas money by getting gas using the store gift card, right now our grocer is offering .12 off per gallon.
     -Bought a big box of mashed potato flakes because I can't keep potatoes from getting soft or sprouting(to humid here), this is new I used to just buy the small 2 meal boxes or one meal pouches.
     -split some more of my onions in my garden.
     -downloaded and read some free books and magazines for my nook.

 

 

 Are you needing or wanting to be more frugal?  Challenge yourself by making a list each week.  You can write it down as you go and keep it posted on the fridge, or blog about it and share. I'd love to here if you are taking up a similar challenge.

Frugal Challenges

This year I am making a frugal challenge to myself.  To blog weekly what I am doing that is frugal.  This serves as both holding myself accountable and giving me encouragement.  Even if my list is the same from week to week I think if I am going to improve overall I need to see it in writing.  My inspiration for this, all the frugal blogs I read each week.  It seems to me that they do help themselves and us by sharing.  Please don't read this expecting to duplicate everything I do, but you may get some idea's that would work for you.

This past week I was sick along with my husband and two of my kids.  We did not run a fever but felt really miserable.  The frugal side of this is we stayed home, saving gas.  Prior to getting sick I made up 4 dozen muffins, my kids eat these for breakfast, I leave out 1 dozen in a sealed container and freeze the rest, then they can simply defrost the number and type they want. 
So here is the list:
-Saved gas
-made muffins
-ate lunch and dinner at home all but one day.  So 6 lunches and 6 dinners.
-I got some free groceries this week.
-I downloaded some free books from Barnes and Nobles for my nook.
-I got some baby food puree pouches on clearance this week. .68 cents for some and .31 cents for the rest.  My 2 year old is a very stubborn eater.  She eats with us and then I give her a pouch to help her get a better variety of fruits and vegetables.

-cloth diapered every day this week.  Using disposables only for night time.-we are moving to pull up style, these also double as swim diapers.
-watered down dish soap and hand soap to refill my foam dispensers.
-split and replanted some onions in my garden.
-used swag bucks to buy amazon gift cards
-used amazon gift cards to buy some toys on amazon.

My husband wanted some stylus's because he had trouble with the touch screens on my computer and the Nook's we have, so for about $7 out of pocket on amazon I got a bunch of these stylus's a lego dublo sorter, and a leapfrog wipe off book.  Much more frugal than the $20 for the Nook brand stylus.
-planted a lemon tree, not immediately frugal but hopeful for next year.