September | 2009 | married to a bmw

Saturday Sewing

29. September 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: Quilting, Sewing

Sorry about the lack of posting recently. School has been really busy, which limits my free time to do sewing and crafting. I did get a little in last week for my friend Danielle’s baby shower. She’s having a little baby boy soon, so I sewed up some goodies for her and baby.

My friend Katie pointed me to this denim bib tutorial, and I fell in love. How adorable are these things?

And I love how they are reversible. It’s like having two bibs in one!

Best of all, I’ve found a really great way to use these adorable ribbons I’ve been slowly collecting.

I just KNEW I would find a use for them. (Ok, maybe I just bought them because they were cute. But it paid off, didn’t it?)

I also sewed up a little monkey swaddling blanket. How great is this stitching? I think my favorite part of sewing blankets is the fun stitches you can use for the top-stitching.

Last night I finally cut the strips for my mom’s non-wonky log cabin quilt. It’s going to be a Christmas quilt! Yay! We had bought most of this fabric on clearance last year, so it’s fun to see it made into something.

This is going to be a fun quilt. I can’t wait to start sewing the blocks!

CVS, Week of 9/27

27. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Couponing, CVS

What a good week! I just ran out of laundry detergent this morning, so I’m glad to have a newly-stocked laundry room. I bought:

4 Tide 32-load count liquid laundry detergent, $6 each with four $1 newspaper coupons, along with 1 Puffs box, $1, with $10 ECBs for buying $25 in P&G products = $11
2 Accu-Chek Aviva blood glucose monitors, $14.99 each with two $10 newspaper coupons and $5 ECBS each = free
2 Fruitopia shampoo/conditioners, $1.99 each with two $2 CVS Beauty Book coupons = free
1 Vaseline lotion, $7.99 with one $1.50 internet coupon and $7 ECBs = profit of $0.50
2 Dawn Renew dish soaps, $1 each with two $1 mailer coupons = free
2 Reese’s 8-pack peanut butter cup, $0.88 each with two $0.55 newspaper coupons = $0.66
2 newspapers
1 $5 off a $25 CVS internet coupon for taking a flu quiz
1 $3 CVS birthday coupon

Net cost: $7.80. Pretty good considering all of the Tide! Most of the rest will go to charity, but I’ll save the Reese’s for Halloween. It’s time to start stocking candy; last year I ran out way too early!

YTD OOP: $278.04
YTD Savings: $2955.52
YTD eBay Sales: $111.79

CVS, Week of 9/20

20. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Couponing, CVS

Not the best sales in the world, but we got some stuff we needed. I bought:

4 Mountain Dew 12-packs, 4 for $12 with $3 ECBs = $9
3 Kleenex, $0.96 each with one $0.50 off 3 internet coupon = $2.50
1 Aquafresh Isoactive toothpaste, $3.99 with one $1 internet coupon, one $1.50 CVS CRT coupon, and $2 ECBs = profit of $0.50
2 Dry Idea deodorants, $2.99 each with two $2 internet coupons and $1 ECBs each = free
2 Red Zone deodorants, $4.29 each with one $1 off 2 newspaper coupon = $7.50
2 newspapers
1 $5 off a $30 purchase CVS email coupon

Net cost: $16.74. I might be heading back for some nail polish and fish oil as well. I only paid $0.66 out of pocket. Yay! Now I just need to sit down and list some things on eBay. Hopefully I’ll get to it today!

YTD OOP: $255.75
YTD Savings: $2888.70
YTD eBay sales: $111.79

Free Kiwi and Babytalk subscriptions

18. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Free Magazine Subscriptions

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In addition to yesterday's free subscription to American Baby, go here to get a free subscription to Kiwi, and here to get a free subscription to Babytalk. Thanks, Coupon Cravings!

Free American Baby magazine subscription

17. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Free Magazine Subscriptions

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Go here to sign up for a free subscription to American Baby magazine. Thanks, Keeping the Kingdom First!

Zig-Zag Quilt

16. September 2009 · 5 comments · Categories: Bias Tape Projects, Quilting, Sewing

I finally finished my quilt!

I’m really happy with the result. I like how the back isn’t only a solid this time.

It’s all crinkly after going in the wash.

The binding took a while to get on, but it looks great, even up close.

It’s nice and soft like the rest of the quilt. All in all, I’m not too sure if I’ll work with triangles again (they were a bit fussy), but this quilt is much fluffier since it has less quilting on it than my last one. I can’t wait for winter to get here so that I can use it.

Next up is a Christmas log cabin quilt for my mom for a combined birthday and Christmas present. We picked out fabrics from our stashes over the holiday weekend, and now I’m ready to cut into them and get started. Quilt Dad is running this quilt-along if you’re interested in joining.

Free Redbox Movie at HEB

16. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Couponing

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For those of you in South Texas that have H-E-B, if you buy any H-E-B mop or broom, you'll get a code on your receipt for a free Redbox movie! What a great extra if you happen to need one. Many of my local H-E-B's have Redbox stands in or outside of them, so if yours does too, you could get your broom/mop and movie in one stop. This offer is good from 9/16 through 9/29.

Garden Update

14. September 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: Gardening

Well, there’s good news and bad news. Some of the garden did not like the 68 days of 100°+ weather we had here in Texas. Some of the garden is doing just fine, though! I guess I’m learning what can and can't tolerate the heat.

The basil is growing like crazy, trying to escape the metal fencing around the garden. I’m thinking maybe I need to make some pesto. Does pesto freeze well? And did you know you are supposed to be cut off the flowers on the basil so that it grows more leaves? Oops.

I had planted herbs a long time ago and nothing came up other than some cilantro that promptly fried. But now I have this green plant coming up that smells herb-y. I really should know my herbs better. I’m guessing oregano?

The tomatoes are long gone. These will be pulled out soon.

Along with the zucchini (already gone) and the cucumbers. All dead. But they were lovely while they lasted. I’m definitely going to try for more squash next spring. That was my favorite!

The million green bean plants I planted a while back are green but most of the beans are fried. Guess they don’t like the heat much either.

The peppers, however, are very happy. Definitely a keeper for next year, though I might not grow so many banana peppers.

I recently harvested enough jalapeños for 10 more jars of jelly, and 57 banana peppers for pickling. I left these ones on pretty long, so most were red by the time I got them off. And now there are more red ones already! I can’t keep up!

And the rosemary is very happy. Just a little water every once in a while has been more than enough to keep it going. It hasn’t grown to fill the pot, which worries me slightly, but I’m happy to have it still alive.

So, I introduce to you my Fall Garden Plan. It includes keeping what’s still alive, along with adding carrots, onions, peas, 4 types of lettuce, spinach, and garlic. The temperature is in the 90s here, which means fall has arrived. :) I’ll be seed shopping this week and hopefully plant them this weekend!

CVS, Week of 9/13

13. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Couponing, CVS

I slept in this morning accidentally, and I thought I would have a hard time getting everything at CVS. I was in luck! They had everything I wanted. I got:

3 Listerine Total Care mouthwashes, $3.99 each with $2 ECBs each and three $2 newspaper coupons = free
1 Brawny 6-pack, $5.99
1 Almay Smart Balance foundation, $9.99 with one $3 CVS CRT coupon, one $1 newspaper coupon, and $5 ECBs = $1
1 gallon milk, $2.49 with $1 ECB = $1.49
2 Dynapep Energy stick packs, $4.99 each with $4.99 ECBs each = free
2 newspapers

Net cost: $11.88. More than I would have liked, but we needed everything, and I had earned $10 in ECBs from an online survey from CVS, so I figure it counts as basically free. I'm hoping to post some items on eBay this week to make up for what I've been spending!

YTD OOP: $253.99
YTD Savings: $2834.51
YTD eBay sales: $111.79

Free Shape, Marie Claire, and more!

11. September 2009 · Write a comment · Categories: Free Magazine Subscriptions

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Go to this post from Coupon Cravings to get links to free subscriptions for Marie Claire, Shape, Town & Country, and Metropolitan Home. These ones will go fast, so hurry!

married to a bmw