Last minute costumes

The boys decided last night that they wanted to dress up for home school classes today. We had NOTHING. Nada. So, we ran to the thrift store and I bought a black sleeveless shirt and cut the bottom to fit as a vest. I cut the bottom edge in a strip for the belt. Then, we went to Walmart and bought the afro wig. Jacob borrowed his sister's shirt and other sister's glasses. Whew! Saved.

This is what the shirt I bought looked like before. (Notice the joy of wearing a ladies shirt for the camera) I was planning on cutting it and sewing it correctly, but I don't feel all that well, so I cut it and exclaimed with much excitement that it looked fabulous with the jagged edge of being cut. JUST LIKE A PIRATE! (The excitement in your voice is what sells the idea, I promise!)

Messenger Bag

I used this tutorial to make a messenger bag. It didn't have a pattern for the front flap so I drew out the basic shape. I cut rectangles larger than each side of the leaf. I then sewed two different materials together, then cut out the leaf shape. I then pressed the seams open and used an iron on stabilizer. I then ironed on each leaf to the front of the front panel piece. Before sewing it to the liner zig zag stitch the outside of each leaf and create a stem with ribbon or embroidery thread. I used one of my stitches on my machine to make the stems. I also made cording and added it to the front flap. It really adds a lot of color.

The inside pocket is divided to hold cell phones or glasses. I used this green calico print to line the bag.

There is a big outside pocket on the back.

I lined it with the same fabric that I made the cording out of.

Okay, confession time... After sewing the front flap together I had a leaf that was bugging me. It looked like I had not caught the edge of the material well enough. I went back and added some zig zig stitches to fix it but it left the stitches showing on the inside front flap. Now, that would bug me every time I saw it so I had to either come up with a solution or rip it all apart and redo it right. Let's go the easy route.

I pieced together the scraps from the front appliqued leaves. I then cut out leaf shapes and ironed on fusible stabilizer. I then ironed them onto the inside flap and inside pocket front to look like I meant to do that. Ha, I did, you never heard a thing.

See, clever camouflage.

We are THAT family- are you?

Kristen is celebrating her two year blogging anniversary and is collecting stories to celebrate. Join in, she is giving away some awesome prizes.

Back in 1998 my husband had to go to Grayling, Michigan to work. We lived in Florida so it sounded wonderful to be able to tag along and see some snow. We left exactly two weeks after I gave birth to our fourth child. Since I had just given birth I could not ski until I was six weeks postpartum, which was the very end of our trip. So, the day I that my son was six weeks old we hit the slopes. My husband was the only one who had ever skied, so the rest of us didn't even know how to put on a pair of skis, much less walk in them or ski. We went through the commotion of finding a pair of skis that would fit the seven and five year old, my husband, and me. Finally we each had our skis, along with a sled for the 18 month old, a 6 week old in a baby carrier, diaper bag, and video camera the size of a suitcase. Are you picturing this? We get the kids booted and tell them to carry their skis outside to put them on. My husband is working with them teaching them how to lock the boot into the ski and how to take them off. We suddenly realize that we don't have the 18 month old and panic. We run back to the lodge and a lady was holding her. We feel like horrible parents. We are lugging so much stuff it is rediculous. So, I go up the hill for my first ever ski experience, a little scared since I did just give birth. Since we had to wait until the middle of February to go skiing the top layer of snow would melt during the day a little then freeze again at night making it icy instead of powdery. I didn't know you were to zig zag down the hill so I went straight down. I got so scared I just finally sat down and my ski popped off. My husband had it on camera where I picked up my ski and marched off the hill.

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I want to add that as moms we sometimes try to take on too much, just as our family did above. Most people would know you can take a seven and five year old skiing, carry a eighteen month and six week old, and then carry a diaper bag and video camera IN SNOW. Some people would warn you that it is rediculous to try. But, in trying and having many stories like this, our family has been able to experience things that are a lifetime of memories. We ARE that family. Some things happen that make you want to crawl under a rock and die. Some things give you memories that bond you together in laughter. Live life and take those moments- the good with the bad.

Tater Tot Casserole

Join the party at Southern Hospitality!

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb cooked hamburger meat

2 cans cream of celery soup

1 can milk

1 bag frozen french style green beans

1 small pkg tater tots

4 oz cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Put the hamburger meat in the bottom of a 9"X13" baking dish. Pour the package of green beans on top. Mix the soups with the milk in a bowl then pour this over the top. Add the tater tots on top of this. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Add the cheese and put in the oven until it is melted.

Crock Pot Apricot Chicken

Visit Dining With Debbie for more crock pot recipes.

Apricot Chicken

Chicken pieces- I used 6 frozen boneless breasts
1/2 jar apricot preserves
pkg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 small bottle Russian dressing

Dump it all in a crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Good served over rice. This can also be cooked in the oven. When it is cooked in the crock pot it is more tender so is more appealing to serve cut into bite size pieces and served over rice, adding some of the apricot sauce remaining in the crock pot as a glaze.

For more recipes visit:
Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty with Bedlham
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays with Blessed with Grace
Tuesdays at the Table with Cole at All the Small Stuff

WFMW_Frugal Fashions

For today's Works For Me Wednesday I am sharing how being on clothing store mailing lists helps you find bargains. Lane Bryant sent out a pamphlet and it had a coupon for $15 off any $15 item. I was able to buy the two shirts above for $3.22 with tax. Even if you do not wear plus size clothing you can register to be on the mailing lists of stores like this. They usually send out a coupon like this twice a year. They had dress socks for $7.99 and jewelry. I found the shirts on the clearance rack. The white blouse was reduced to $20 and had an additional 40% off- making it $12.00. The green t-shirt was marked down to $9.99 with an additional 40% off- making it $6.00. I then used the $15 coupon. Wow, $3.22 for two tops! Check out more WFMW posts on Kristen's blog.

Groceries for week of 10/19/09

CVS
Glade candle $6.99- $3Q-$4 ECB= $.48 OOP /earned$6.99 ECB

RiteAid-

Nasal Mist $9.99- $2PQ=$.799

Nasal Gel $5.99- $2PQ= $3.99

Paid $13.26 with rebate money/ earned $15.98

Walgreen

2- pack Northern bath tissue $3.99 ea- (2) $1 Q= $2.99 ea

2- Pert shampoo $2.50 ea- (2) $1Q= $1.50 /earned $2 Reg Reward

Halls refresh $1- $.50Q = $.50 /earned $1 RR

Total $10.23- /earned $3 in RRewards

Publix

4-Lenders bagels $1.79/2= $.895 each

4 Hillshire smoked sausage $1.99 ea- $1/2 Q=$1.49 ea

Candy (pictured in wrong group below) $.01

Total $10.31

milk$2.38

2- 18 count eggs $3/2

2- bread $2/2

6- Nature valley bars= $.40 ea

6- chunky soup $1 ea

4- Carnation evaporated milk$.50 ea

3- Muir Glen tomato paste $.09 ea

4 - mozzarella cheese $1.25 ea

2 Tobasco sauce -1Free and one for $.39

5 lb ground chuck $1.79 lb

bananas $.59 lb

bag tater tots- $1.88

2- Nestle chips $$2.50 ea- $.50 doublecoupon ea- $1.50 ea

Total $39.35

Total OOP spent was $46.88/ earned $25.97 in store money or rebates

I could do multiple transactions at Walgreens to reduce my out of pocket expenses but am at the point that it is not worth the amount of time that takes. One is that to work the transactions the store has to have the items available, which they never do. So, for me, it is worth doing fewer transactions and paying more with cash. Don't let this be too much of a hastle. It took me an hour and a half from leaving home until I returned, and I talked with a lady from church in one store.

Boiled Peanuts

Along the southeast boiled peanuts are a summer tradition. The small farm towns north of all the beach areas of Gulf Shores, Destin, and Panama City Beach are home to peanut farmers. Along the road you will find stands or people selling boiled peanuts from the back of their truck. They are so good and juicy. The peanuts are boiled for hours in salted water until the green (raw) peanuts are cooked through and seasoned. You put the shell in your mouth and crack it with your teeth and the juice that is inside the shell runs out into your mouth. You then use your teeth to pick the peanut out of the shell to eat. They are so good either warm from the pot or after refrigerating them. You have to refrigerate them or they will spoil. This is a messy snack, but so worth the mess!

Kyle's birthday party

The kids piped icing on the cupcakes.

We went to Kids Kingdom, a park in our city that is done on a castle theme.

It was 48 degrees but the kids played Capture the Flag for hours. I think they had a lot of fun. Here is a captive now.

Publix 10/16/09

Peter Pan $1.22 - $.50 Oct All You doubled= $.22

Log Cabin syrup $3.49/2- (2) $.50 PQ doubled= $.74 each

Ronzini Pasta $.89- $1/2 PQ= $.39 each

Kellogs Rice Krispies $3.99/2- one free and three $1 coupons from Vocalpoint Mailer= 1free, 3 $.99 each.

BCrocker fruit snack$1.30-$.40 PQ doubled = $.50

Old El Paso taco mix $1.07/2- $.60/2 PQ = $.23 each

Hillshire Farm smoked sausage $1.99 ea - (2) $1/2 Q from Yellow Advantage flyer at front of store = $.99 each

Snuggle fabric softener $3.00- $3.00 RP 10/4= free

Total $11.13

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken Soup or Burrito Mix

The recipe does not make a soup. You are to serve the mixture over rice, noodles, or put in a burrito. I had beans in the freezer that I cooked from dry beans so they had the liquid in with them. I placed that in the crock pot frozen so it made my mixture soupy. I also used two boxes of Green Giant corn instead of a can. Still delicious! Great with tortilla chips. This tastes like King Ranch Casserole in flavor and would be very good baked with corn tortilla layers and cheese.

4-6 boneless chicken breasts

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1- 15 oz jar salsa

8 oz cream cheese

Put the breasts in the crockpot and put the beans, corn and salsa on top. Cook 6 hours. Thirty minutes before serving cut up breasts into bite size pieces. Stir in the cream cheese.

Patchwork scarf made from pillow sham

I had two pillow shams that were in our camper. Since we sold the camper I didn't need the pillow shams anymore. I also picked up a white knubby baby blanket at a garage sale. I used these to make this scarf. All I had to do was cut the pillow sham in 5" strips. I sewed three of the strips together to get the length scarf that I wanted. It was a quilted sham so the scarf is quilted and will be very warm.

I cut the white knubby blanket in strips and sewed it to the quilted piece so it will be reversible.

I love it! All shabby chic and sweet looking.

Below is the quilt that I bought for $1.00.

This is one of the shams that I bought for $7 on the clearance rack at Marshalls. To see them in the camper go here.