Behind

Obviously I am behind as I didn't do Weekly Money Checkup this week. We were driving home from a nice little vacation. As glad as I know we were to see people we love September has been a CRAZY month and I am glad to be home.

So I have LOTS of things to catch up on since I haven't been home much for about 2 weeks. I did dreaded laundry all day yesterday and have more today and I deep cleaned our two full bathrooms. Mostly I have lots of cleaning left on my list but I have errands/shopping that needs done as well and frankly that sounds like more fun.

But first on my list this morning is to get orders out in the mail and write up a game plan of new pieces of jewelry to make the next two weeks before my jewelry show. I can't wait for October so I can get my fall decorations out as well. :)

Hope you are having a busy fantastic week too!

:) SMILE! New Ideas in the Works

I am just in a GREAT mood at the moment. Life is good! I have been pretty snappy lately especially if I need a snack...I bought lots of good snacks this week at the grocery store. Check that off my to do list.

I am LOVING my new stove even though I have only been home less than 5 days to use it and we are leaving again. :( The oven works (no exploding cakes), all 4 burners work, and it looks so snazzy! The microwave above the stove also makes a HUGE difference in counter space.

I woke up this morning to some orders in my inbox, that makes my day! Especially since I had to increase the price on Purity Bracelets with the costs of precious metals. I haven't been making much jewelry with sterling because of that. I haven't made the kind of jewelry/beaded items I love to make in a long time due to the target market that comes to my jewelry shows. I am altering that next week, I miss actually loving what I am doing. I like big chunky jewelry and as tired as I am of making beaded ornaments (over 12 years now) they still sell well and I can make them with my eyes closed.

So the next thing on my list is to go back to making things I LOVE! While fitting in making ornaments and bib/burp cloth sets (I can't keep up with the demand). Lately I have been doing a LOT of alterations so I need to do a little advertising and get back into that full time. I make more money using my sewing skills anyways. Even better my sister brought me an old sewing machine my mom gave her and I am going to start doing sewing lessons. Over the years I have had many many people ask me about sewing lessons for themselves and their kids. I have over $1500 invested in my machines and was not comfortable putting beginners on them, now I can give lessons. Thanks Cheryl! As I have a jewelry show coming up in the next 3 weeks I am going to start advertising after that.

I have BIG ideas in the works to increase my profits around my schedule in the next couple of months. The bed in my studio is leaving and a table for customers to stand on for hemming is taking its place. I used to stitch patches on military uniforms in college, do bridesmaid alterations, alterations for several sororities, basic hemming, made costumes within the theater dept. and for a small film (Firecracker), and most recently turned a wedding dress with a train into a cocktail style dress for my sister (apparently the dress stores wont do that). I have been putting off doing alterations for brides since I graduated as they can be CRAZY but I think I need to go for it!

Whew that was a long post! I am so excited that I had to share! Oh and Namine that rug came from Home Decorators, I saved over $300 ordering it from them which kind of made up for the long wait. I am cheap and it was exactly what I wanted at a WAY better price.

Have a WONDERFUL weekend as mine starts today! My husband is even off work :)

Weekly Money Checkup

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on food/alcohol for my sisters wedding. Technically it wasn't my money as I had my mom's checkbook but I sure spent a lot!

Leftover wedding centerpiece, between my camera phone and getting messed up in the car it doesn't look as good :(

2. Today I am thankful I was able to sleep in my own bed last night. I was at my parents for almost a week before the wedding and I REALLY missed our bed and my own home.


3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was have the opportunity to help with my sisters wedding and participate since we finally live closer to where my husband and I grew up.

4. I will consider this week a success if I manage to take my husband shopping for work clothes. He needs several new pairs of pants for work, unfortunately he hates to shop. Because he is also super picky, really hates spending money and can't tell if things match it is not the most enjoyable trip. I can't put it off any longer as one of us threw something oily in the washer last week and ruined one his semi decent pants.

5. If I could have coffee with one (two) bloggers, I would choose Namine from The Clutter Box and my sister Cheryl from A Symbol-Using Animal . I know I could have great conversations with either or just relax and enjoy a good book. Besides I know they both LOVE coffee/Starbucks!


I FINALLY can share some pictures of our updates/upgrades in our house.

Free counter space where the old microwave used to live, I LOVE it! All my baking items are in the cabinet above so I have a baking area :) Jars are from World Market and storage hanging bar is from IKEA, all the utensils hanging were in a drawer that has more room now. 

Shiny new GAS stove and microwave! My AWESOME husband installed it while I was helping with the wedding. It will look even better when I put everything on the counter away! :) I cant wait to use it for dinner tonight!

Dining Room Rug (I can't remember if I shared it or not) It only took over 6 months to get here but it is really helping the room not sound hollow and it is staying cleaner. Now when I walk downstairs this rug is on the left side and the shiny stove is on the right side. It feels SO nice to get the things that you have been saving for. I feel so blessed!

Have a wonderful Week!

Weekly Money Checkup

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on a cabinet at Ikea for our stereo/tv boxes. We still have a HUGE mess from working on hanging our tv up on the wall but I can see the progress. The rest of this month is booked and tight on money, the end of October looks like when it will get finished.

2. Today I am thankful today is a free day. I am doing laundry and relaxing before I have to head up to my parents for my sisters wedding. Today also is the day my new stove arrives!


3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was drive up to the mountains for a day. It rained all day up there but it was so nice and relaxing.

4. I will consider this week a success if I get all of my things together and ready to go for the wedding.

5. My favorite game to play is ? There are SO many! I think I need to implement a game night at our house maybe once a month so we can try different games. Since I can't think of my favorite game the game that gets played the most at my house is giant Jenga. My husband made it out of 3" thick wood blocks and it stands about 3 feet tall before you start playing, everyone loves it. 


Check out My Pretty Pennies to Join in Weekly Money Checkup.


After this week I have a ton of alterations to complete for a few friends/customers and then we are gearing up for a few days of vacation. My husband has a TON of vacation to use up before the end of the year so we have 2 little vacations planned in the next month and a half! Tomorrow is picture day! New Stove!!!!!

Weekly Money Checkup...on Tuesday

Whenever there is a Monday holiday I seem to slack at getting my one frequent post up. Well anytime there is a holiday at all I really don't have time to get on the computer. I miss reading others blogs but it is so refreshing to do other things. So here is my Weekly Money Checkup on a Tuesday.

1. The most I’ve spent this last week was on ? Really I have only been to the grocery store but my husband spent $95 on materials to run a gas line for my stove that arrives next week.


2. Today I am thankful we have great friends and neighbors. We attended BBQ's Saturday, Sunday and Monday night.


3. Money can’t buy happiness. One free thing I did last week that made me happy was that I have a SUPER talented husband and father. Saturday they installed a gas line into my kitchen for my new stove that is arriving the 12th. I kind of wish I had gotten a bid from a professional so I would know how much they saved us. My dad thinks it would have cost us $500-600 to have a professional put it in.

4. I will consider this week a success if I get the main floor mopped and the guest bathtub scrubbed this morning before I pick up a friend at the airport. Instead I am on the computer :)

5. I am willing to splurge on ? Really I try to find the best deal on everything if I can. One thing is I will pay more for higher quality products because in my experience (sheets, most clothing, leather shoes, etc) lasts a lot longer when you buy nicer things. I have a set of nice sheets I bought almost 10 years ago and used them every day for about 6 of those years that still are in better shape than cheaper ones I bought 3 years ago.


I CANT wait to share pictures next week of my stove! My husband not only installed a gas line this weekend he also installed a microwave above the stove area. I have so much more counter space and I LOVE it! We have a house guest this afternoon through tomorrow and then more Thursday evening through Sunday. It is going to be a busy crazy week. Hope you have as much fun this week as we are planning to! Tomorrow we are going to my dad and his brothers cabin to relax in the mountains! Enjoy!

Do you love your kitchen appliances?

Do you?

Well I do not! I have personally lived in 12 different places in the last 10 years. I have gotten to use a LOT of different appliances and different kitchen layouts. Several haven't had dishwashers, one had a stove that was level on the outside but if you baked in it your cakes were lopsided. Some have been very small and some so big they were worse than the small ones. All these moves taught me several things I wanted when we got our own house.

#1-Pantry (I am short and storing food in cabinets means getting my step stool out), and its a place to store dog food which I wouldn't keep in a kitchen cabinet.

#2-Decent layout as in not having to walk 15 feet from the stove to the fridge...

#3-Gas Stove

#4-Microwave above the stove, leaves LOTS more counter space.

#5-Dishwasher

#6-Someday have a fridge with an ice maker

Well we have our own house but you cant have everything you want right away. I started out with #1, #2, and #5. Those were the really important things the house needed anyways. Well yesterday I purchased #3 and #4! I have been price shopping for months and the Labor Day sale at Sears won. I ended up getting 35% off of my stove and 25% of the microwave, I had a $50 gift card as well so I spent under $700 for both! The stove had to be ordered so we can pick it up August 12th :) And the microwave came home with me and my husband is installing it tomorrow! We still have to have a gas line ran to the kitchen for my stove but my dad is doing that.

I cant wait to have a fully functioning oven with 4 burners that work and lots more counter space from the microwave not being there. As soon as my stove comes I definitely will be sharing photos! :)

This week I feel like its Christmas! Have a WONDERFUL Labor Day Weekend!