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Nicole

Free Last Minute Holiday Decorating Ideas!

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Hello again, savvy savers! With the Holiday season right around the corner, it’s time to discuss ways to save for the upcoming holiday decorating season! You may be thinking, Winter already? Yes, already! With only 8 weeks until Christmas, now is the time to start saving things around the home for the decorations you will want to make this coming holiday season. I suggest this list, as I will be starting a craft-a-day project series for the month of December, and for those who collect these items now, you will be able to follow along with my series as well. What’s going to be the best part of this series? I am trying to create projects that are free, upcycled, or can be purchased at the Dollar Tree.

So, here are a few suggestions for free, last minute holiday decorations:

  • Glass bottles; various shapes and sizes.
  • Empty, clean milk jugs.
  • Pine cones.
  • Plastic grocery store bags.
  • Small, broken sticks from yard; 1-2 feet in length.
  • Scrap black paper.
  • Glass and Plastic Lidded Jars, cleaned and dried.
  • Small paper lunch  sacks.
  • Wine bottles; empty, clean, and dried out.
  • Save wax melts, stored back in original cartons in red, orange, green, black, or brown shades.
  • Large and small metal cans; cleaned, dried, and with their labels soaked and removed.
  • Truvia boxes,

I hope this list gets you inspired for this Winter season!

Here’s to saving,

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DIY Doll Hair Detangler Spray!

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Calling all parents with adorable, cute little girls? If your child was anything like myself as a kid, then the quality of their dolls hair may not be the best on occasion, and to this I have a great, simple, affordable solution, doll hairspray!

  1. Just take a spray bottle, add two tablespoons fabric softener to three cups cold water, shake well, and voila, doll hairspray!
  2. This is a tried-and-true method for fixing any dolls hair. Please note, use a comb for most dolls hair, as I have found that many brushes, including the small plastic brushes that come with most toys, will pull doll hair loose from its track cap!

Enjoy!

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Organizational Ideas: Holiday Greeting Card Organizer

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Hello again, savvy savers! For this weeks Organizational Tips, I wanted to share the way I organize greeting cards.

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I store my greeting cards in an accordion file folder! I label them according to use; family-themed cards, fall holiday cards, winter holiday cards, patriotic holiday cards, get well cards, condolence cards, and spiritually themed cards. I also reserve the last tab of the file for address labels, foil stamps, and the like. In addition, I purchase good quality accordion folders right after Labor Day annually at Office Depot, where various brands are drops upwards of 80% off; the file I have shown above was purchased for only $0.75!

I also find that throughout the year I can purchase cards for a song generally, and one of my favorite places to purchase cards is at General Dollar, where I can match Hallmark and American Greeting cards, everyday pierced at 2/$1.00 with manufacturer coupons. I try not to spend over $$0.25 a card; my stock-up pricing for greeting cards is $0.15 or less, per card.

 Also note, that some greeting cards, with inserts or musical functions, tend to be thicker cards, so I double the elastic strap over my accordion file to ensure they stay properly closed as well.

This is a quick, easy way to organize your cards, in such a way that you can easily locate them, and fit their container neatly in most desk drawers!

Here’s to organizing!

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Making More Out Of Monday Meals: DIY Brown Sugar!

Making More Out Of Monday Meals
Serves 12
With the holidays vast approaching, many of us will be in wanting need of brown sugar! With this in mind, here is a quick DIY version! Enjoy!
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Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
7 min
Prep Time
2 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
7 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  2. 1 Tablespoon Molasses
Instructions
  1. To make brown sugar you need one cup of white sugar and one tablespoon of molasses.
  2. Cream the two together
  3. This can be done faster with an electric mixer.
  4. With the mixture completely incorporated, its completely ready for use!
  5. Store in a sealed, air tight container, or frozen in snack baggies for up to a year!
Notes
  1. I use a hinged jar from the dollar tree for storage! Enjoy!
The LadyPrefers2Save https://theladyprefers2save.com/
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Weekly Reflections: Goals For The Week Ahead!

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Hello again, savvy savers! I wanted to end my weekly posts by bring the week to a close with a post about the reflections on this past week.

Goals For The Coming Week:

  • Walk 1/2 mile daily.
  • Finish my Motivated Moms Planner Chores daily.
  • Read for 1 hour nightly; this week will be filled with Dickens, the Gospel of Luke, and the Gift of the Magi.
  • Prepare homemade cookies for my husband Daniel, AKA, Santa.
  • Listen to holiday music.
  • Give out “You’ve Been Jingled” Gifts to neighbors. 
  • Face-time with family and friends!
  • See local lights as a family.
  • Watch a holiday movie daily.
  • Clean out my coupon binder, and start moving to my new method for organizing coupons and blog/videotape my progress for the blog; this will be done today as their are no coupon inserts nationally this weekend.
  • Sleep eight hours a night.
  • TTC; take vitamins, continue with yoga, etc.

Reflections For This Week:

This has been a very trying week for me personally, from family members being hospitalized, to co-workers leaving their work for me to finish, I have had to re-learn what it means to be a gracious steward this holiday season!

Though this is a work in progress, here are a few things I am personally working on:

  1. Realizing that people will fall short of my expectations, and that this is okay! This is such a hard concept for me. I grew up with the idea of seeking to find good in others, hoping that if you care for others they will care for you, and then later realizing that this may not always be the case, is so hard! 
  2. Understanding that the opinions held by family members, in terms of myself, is not a true reflection of my truth;, understanding that everyone is seeking that sweet spot in life, a niche where they can flourish is an amazing concept, but should not come at the expense of others. 
  3. Being aware that selfish, communally awkward behavior in others is just icky; sometimes even holiday cards and gifts can come dripping with slights and issues, and should still be taken in stride!
  4. Coming to terms with the idea that the disdain that others project on yourself, is a reflection on how they perceive themselves; recently a family member carelessly mentioned to me that “they did not sign-up for…this or that,”  without thinking that in my world, I had not either. Understanding that its okay to emotionally say no and walk away from toxic family members is a work in progress for me.
  5. Being Gracious. I am working on being able to be distant, yet gracious and graceful with others; its a work in progress.
  6. Lastly, knowing that its still okay to send thank you cards for gifts received, even when friends and family refer to this act as passe and antiquated! 

So, there’s a little bit of a peek into my semi-charmed little world this past week.

How have you all spent your week? How much have you accomplished? Where did you fall short? What areas of your life could have used a photoshopping glaze, instead of a keepin’ it real exterior? I’d love to hear about it! 

Here’s to the holidays,

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What are your goals for the week, I’d love to hear them below in a comment!

Happy Sunday!

 

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Battle of the Bulge, Budget-Style: Holiday Eating Tips!

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Hello again, savvy savers! For this weeks Battle of the Bulge, budget-Style, I wanted to share a few of the ways I plan to stick to my diet this Christmas!

Whether you love or dread the holidays, one thing for sure is: it’s hard to stick to your diet. A plate, or three, lovingly heaped with turkey, gravy, buttery mashed potatoes and all the trimmings can blow any progress you’ve made in the previous months. Couple this with the various request of my baking skills… get togethers, church fairs, work banquets, and the like! Treats are everywhere! 

Before your grumpy cat face overtakes your entire mood, fear not for there are many things you can do to stick to your diet and still enjoy a Thanksgiving meal! 

Here are some “ho ho ho” help to get you through the holidays as an Eater:

  • You know the old wives tale, to never to go food shopping on an empty stomach, right? The same applies to the holidays! Never sit down to a holiday meal on an empty stomach. Eat a high protein snack beforehand, such as a 1/2 cup of almonds and a piece of string cheese, or a small apple, and drink a full glass of water to alleviate overeating at the table.
  • If you’re invited over to someone’s home, bring along a tray of veggies, and low fat dip, so that you’ll have something healthy to snack on; low fat cream cheese and two teaspoons of Greek vinaigrette make an awesome option.
  • If you are a turkey day traditionalist, and feel Thanksgiving cannot go on if the substitution of any family favorites commences, foods,then commit to limiting how much you eat, plan to eat one plate and that’s it.
  • The Golden Rule: Portion control is key here. A serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards; mashed potatoes (1/2 cup) about the size of 1/2 a baseball; use a spoon to measure out gravy instead of pouring it on, etc.
  • Commit to 20 minutes of exercise, even on Thanksgiving. Take a twenty minute walk with family members or friends in between courses. If the weather permits, play a game of touch football in the backyard. Just stay active!
  • Try to avoid empty calories. Stay clear of sugary sodas, punches, and mixed drinks or even better, water.

If You’re Doing the Cooking

  • Serve twice the number of non-starchy vegetables dishes as you will gravy, turkey, or calorie-laden dishes; think salads, crudites, butternut squash soup,etc. 
  • Limit the amount of courses you serve this year. By limiting the number of dishes, you will stress less, and spend more time enjoying the holiday, food-free! 
  • Make your mashed potatoes low fat by using skim or almond milk, think sour cream over butter. Also; consider making creamed cauliflower instead! 
  • Instead of the array of desserts, pies,tarts, and the traditionally fair served every year, why not make an angel food cake and top it with berries and low fat whipped cream, or perhaps a low-fat, budget-friendly berry trifle instead.

I hope these tips help to keep you, and your waste, on the thin and narrow this Thanksgiving!

Love and best wishes, 

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December Gardening Tips

 

Winter. It’s right around the corner. With so many of us living in the midst of cold, blustery weather, the need for keeping our favorite, festive holiday plants in top shape is soon to be a pressing need for many of us in the northern hemisphere. With this in mind, here are a few of my favorite December Gardening Tips!

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Tips for caring for the living, cut, or bulged Christmas tree varieties:

  • Be sure to select trees with firm needles; individual needles should bend rather than snap. Also, inspect the stump; the cut end of a fresher tree should remain moist and have sticky sap.
  • When you get the tree home, cut 2 inches off the base of the trunk.
  • Always be sure to submerge a freshly cut tree stump into a bucket of water; trees can absorb 1 gallon of water in the first 24 hours.
  • Check the water level in your tree stand twice a day for the first week. Add water as needed. Each day, trees can drink roughly 1 quart of water for every inch of trunk diameter.
  • If your tree dries out, the wound likely healed over and stopped absorbing water. Make a fresh cut on the stump and it can absorb water again.
  • When decorating fresh cut trees indoors, avoid placing fresh evergreens on wood surfaces; sap from branches can damage the finish. 
  • When Christmas is over, recycle your tree yourself; cut off branches, and use as insulation over perennials. 
  • For those with enclosed, bulged trees, such are one of our four-holiday trees, as seen above, be sure to keep in an enclosed bucket, which can be encased in a decorative tin or basket, and watered 1 gallon weekly.  I chose a shorter, Aspen Pine, which will be planted after the holidays outdoors! 

Additional Gardening Tips for December:

  • Amaryllis bulbs. Place amaryllis bulbs in pots for blooms for two weeks prior to blooming. Leave the bulb shoulders protruding above the soil; planting too deeply can rot the bulb. Water when the soil is dry weekly, and stake with a bamboo skewer when blooms become weighted. 
  • Poinsettias. If you are anything like myself, then each year on Black Friday when I purchase these potted beauties, my main objective is to keep them alive! To ensure your plants stay vibrant, always display poinsettias away from heat sources or cold drafts; keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy. When poinsettias end their bloom, cut back all leaves, and allow to remain dormant, watering weekly, and these plants will bloom again come the following fall!
  • Ice: When ice forms on tree and shrub branches, don’t try to break it off and instead let the ice melt naturally.
  • Vegetable Gardens: Be sure to cover all bare soil in vegetable beds before the new year; affordable, green ways to do so use pine needles or leaf mulch. 
  • Fruit Trees: Be sure to gather any remaining fruits or nuts on trees or the ground beneath them, composting this debris; this cleaning will help to reduce pests and diseases next year.

Friends, I hope these tips would be of aid to all of my fellow gardeners this month. And if you have tips for keeping winter favorites thriving, I’d love to hear all about them below!

 

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