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Spring Craft Blog Hop & Valentine’s Day Porch Reveal! #SCBH2015

Spring Craft Blog Hop

Welcome to the first spring craft blog hop challenge for the spring season! We’re challenging you to create and share a Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, or Mardi Gras craft tutorial. This hop will run from January 20 – February 17 and you can share your creations in the link-up at the bottom of the post.

Meet all 18 hosts!

*Please follow your hosts on at least one or more social media platforms of your choice. Let us know you’re following from #SCBH2015*

Grab a button and help us spread the word!

My Pinterventures

Today’s Project: My Valentine’s Day Front Porch Reveal!  

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Hello again, savvy savers! I am so excited to share with all you my Valentine’s Day Porch Reveal! One of my favorite parts of our home is the fun porch, and I have been more than excited to decorate it seasonally!  As my family is back at school for the spring semester, its time to got life back into a normal routine, and part of that for me is porch decor! So, when I was asked to be apart of the Spring Craft Blog Hop, I totally jumped all over it!  

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A few months ago I found this awesome red chair in a recess of our basement, and with the help of a can of School House Red spray paint, I had a new porch stand!  Please note, I didn’t bother making sure I got perfect coverage on either coats, because I knew I was going to do some sanding and wanted a lot of layers to show through. To finish it I sprayed it with a Polyurethane to finish up my colored layers.  

And, although the chair was cute by itself, I knew I wanted to use several new finds I picked up after the holidays in town to use in conjunction with a few Dollar Tree crafts I made from last year.

For this project I used the following materials:

  • 1 Rattan Wreath Form, $1.00 from the Dollar Tree.
  • 2 Wreath Stands (on hand, but purchased from JoAnn Fabric’s, with coupon, for $5.99 in 2012).
  • 2 Mini Grapevine Wreaths JoAnn Fabrics $0.59 each with app coupon savings.
  • 2 packs covered hearts from the Dollar Tree, $0.25 each (picked up after the Valentine’s Day holiday in 2014).
  • 2 packs foam letters from the Dollar Tree, $0.25 each (picked up after the Valentine’s Day holiday in 2014).
  • 2 Valentine’s Day Ribbon Spools, $0.10 at Walmart (picked up after the Valentine’s Day holiday in 2014)
  • 2 Red lanterns from CVS Pharmacy (purchased after the Christmas holidays in 2014, used Quarterly ExtraCare Bucks, and paid nothing out of pocket).
  • 1 Burlap Sign, JoAnn Fabrics $1.89 (picked up after the Valentine’s Day holiday in 2014).
  • Hot Glue Sticks (on hand).
  • Red Spray Paint (on hand).
  • Polyurethane (on hand).
  • Chair (on hand).
  • Hanging Heart Decoration, JoAnn Fabrics $0.89 (picked up after the Valentine’s Day holiday in 2014).
  • Door Mat, Amazon (used Amazon Gift Card, earned from survey points for purchase).

Total Cost: $6.16

I loved putting this porch together, and with the use of three simple wreaths, a hanging heart and banner, as well as vintage chair and lantern pair, really makes this porch pop! I also love the use of my new door mat. The door mat reads, “Ask not for whom the dog barks, it barks for thee.” This is a joke for my UPS driver, who always asks, whom my pups, a Westie, Shih-Tzu, and Great Pyrenees are barking at, and now, there’s no question…pun intended! 

I just love how simple, clean, and inexpensive this project was. With the cleaner lines and empty spaces spring holidays give us, its almost a breath of fresh air! I tend to decorate my porch for most holidays, and my inspiration, my Uncle Danny, who himself was a Valentine’s Day baby, always reminded me to “put love out in the world,” and though he is no longer with us, I hope my porch is representative of his great words. Love begets love. 

So, seriously guys, how fun did this turn out?  I am so beyond happy with it! I am so happy with how my porch turned out!  

Be sure to stay turned for next few weeks, to see my bedroom and back patio reveals, and new Mardi Gras crafts (inspired by my husband a Who Dat/ True Dat and NOLA fan), too! 

Here’s to creating on a budget,

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Spring Craft Blog Hop – Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, & Mardi Gras

RULES

  1. Link-up your craft or DIY tutorial that fit the themes of the Spring Craft Blog Hop. Links that do not fit the themes will be deleted.
  2. DO NOT link-up food or recipes.
  3. DO NOT link-up round-ups unless all the craft posts are yours.
  4. Link directly to your post and not your blog.

Show us what you’ve created and be seen on 18 blogs!

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LeapFrogTv Review! #LeapTV

 (This post contains information about a sponsored review product.)

 

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Hello again, savvy savers! Today finds us with another great product review, and this time the #LeapTv by #LeapFrog! Please note, this post brought to you by LeapFrog.

Recently, I had the opportunity to review LeapFrog’s new LeapTV gaming system. LeapFrog’s LeapTV Gaming System for Kids, its an all new gaming system designed to get small, precious minds, bodies, and spirits up and moving; although this system was it was created for kids ages 4 to 7, older kids would enjoy this system as well! 

What makes LeapTV special?

There are 3 ways to play:

  1. Body motion: the camera catches them and they can see themselves on the TV!
  2. Classic control: it can tilt and shake for gaming fun.
  3. Pointer play: the control transforms into a pointer!

Other points of interest in the product:

  • Designed specifically for young children with age-appropriate games
  • Reinforces learning through movement 
  • Games adapt to your child; the games automatically level as your child’s progress in proficiency

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One aspect I really liked about #LeapTV, was that the initial set-up only took a couple of minutes, and the use the controls themselves, took moments to master, making this system one of the more functional kids gaming systems I have tried! Our system came loaded with Kart Racing, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Sofia the First, and some others. Please note, while out systems were pre-loaded for review purposes, #LeapFrog does affordably sell a large library of 125 plus game cartridges, all nationally approved by primary and secondary education associations for every education level; games are also available online for download.

What’s even nicer? The system has WiFi standard, so you can download games with our account without having to be at your laptop. Everyone in our home seemed to enjoy this game, from the family to my husband, even out fur-babies, our three overgrown fuzzy dog babies, looked interested in the motion being created in the participatory function of these games! 

Why did I love LeapTV? As a tech-savvy, budget-conscious gal,  I cheer whenever I see educational elements, promoting both educational and physical fun for children in a healthy, engaging, wholesome capacity! While our family made the conscious decision to limit each of our expose to television the internet, when unwarranted, I like that when we have #LeapTV time, we are exercising, learning, and sharing in quality family time together! 

Also worth noting, this system would make a great Christmas purchase, as this new gaming system would make an excellent addition to a Christmas wish list for kids 4 to 7.

What’s the top toy on your kiddos’ wish list this year?

Well done, LeapFrog! 

misty1

 

 

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Organizational Ideas: DVD Binders!

 

dvd collection

Hello again, savvy savers! Today finds us with another great organizational idea, one that I recently spent some time adding to this past weekend, that of how to organize and de-clutter our families home DVD collection!

When my husband and I moved in together, he came with a huge movie collection. You name it, classic sci-fi, 80’s anything, and of course classics such as Office Space. Of course, this was coupled with my personal collection of over a thousand movies, documentaries, and sitcoms; the rows of Sex and the City, Melrose Place, and Ken Burns Documentaries, still bring a tear to my eye!

So, with a combined collection of over 2,500 discs, I loved having access to hundreds of films and TV shows on DVD, but I did not like the idea of  seemingly trying to camouflage displaying all the jewel cases, old school paper cases, and DVD jackets in my living room, den, and man cave. So, this year we finally got around to ridding our collection of their cases, recycling all of the jewel cases in favor of a simple, streamlined system of DVD binders.

Here are a few trick that I have used to organize our home DVD collection:

  • Use different colored binders to separate television shows on DVD from movie DVDs. This saves time when I’m searching for something specific.
  • Using Binder Tabs, place  washi tape  to label what’s inside the binder; TV shows, films, documentaries, etc.
  • I keep my Blu-Rays, PS4, and Xbox games in their original jackets, stored in my den cabinet, as these items are still viable for home use, are not collectible, and when unneeded can be re-sold or exchanged.
  • For dvds which are not collectible, and to be held in binder, I sub-divide movies by series, sitcom, or genre, and use tab dividers as needed.
  • Did you know, you can request free shipping labels and materials from Greendisk, an electronics recycling service, that takes your techno-trash, and disposes of it in an environmentally responsible manner. 

I went from 11 shelves to seven 300-count binders, which are all stored in the top of my den closet!, saving my home nearly 30 square feet of space! Moreover, I was able look over movies that I did not even remember owning, and since hubby and I have spent several nights at home, re-watching some of out favorite blasts from the past!

What better way to spend the holiday season that re-watching your own DVD collection!

Here’s to organizing,

Misty

 
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Tutorial Tuesday: How To Organize Your Electronic Supply Drawer!

Tutorial Tuesday

 

Hello again, savvy savers! Today finds us with another great tutorial! For this weeks Tutorial Tuesday, I want to show you the quickest and easiest way I have found to organize on the massive amounts of electronic accessories, cords, do-dads, and the like in my home.  If your stash is anything like mine, it is the archeological record of the past half decade of trends, fads, and all things techy, and without a proper means to store them, many simply end up in a drawer! Well no longer! I tackled my drawer last night, and here’s how:

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First, I sought to disassemble this pile into groups; things that can be used in one area, things that can be donated via Freecycle to another pile, and things that can be recycled (things without lithium batteries) to another area. Also consider, used phones can be donated to drop boxes at local military bases for troops, or re-sold at boxes and stations in malls across the country.

 

Next, I amassed my tools. I used plastic bins on hand from the Dollar Tree and cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels, removed of paper remnants and trimmed to the size of the boxes; trimming can be recycled. I then take each set of cards, headphones, and cables, and place them into their own tube slot.  Rubber keyboards can also be rolled into tubes. Remotes can be placed in separate tubes as well. There will be a small area of room at the end of each bin which can be used for cd-rom storage as well. I also used a separate bin to store bulky headphones; the ends of headphones can be secured with breadties.

 

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And there you have it! Voila, organized electronic storage that now takes up less than 1/3 the amount of room as before! Pretty nifty in my book! If you have an electronics organization idea you would like to share, I would love to hear about it below in the comment section of this post!

Here’s to a de-cluttered home!

Misty

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Argan Oil: Quick Guide to Best Uses of Argan Oil for Hair, Skin and Nails, Kindle Edition, by Ana Valeri

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Hello again, savvy savers! Today finds us with another great book review, and this time its, Argan Oil: Quick Guide to Best Uses of Argan Oil for Hair, Skin and Nails, Kindle Edition, by Ana Valeri. This book is an easy-to-read, all-inclusive, educational, volume illustrating all of the medicinal and home uses for Argon Oil. This concise book, also carefully outlines the ancient and modern uses for this miracle oil as well, in such a way to  for the amazing all-natural, organic oil. What I like most about this edition is the no-thrill, anti-hype examples of how this oil can help common skin ailments, scalp treatments, as well as awesome home spa techniques as well. This natural oil is unlike any other in my medicine cabinet or kitchen pantry–it has a rare ability to repair, restore, renew, prevent and heal skin, hair and nails! You owe it to yourself to at least try this product. However, I highly recommend reading this book first to fully appreciate the value of it.

To find out more about this book, click here. 

What’s even better is that you now have a chance to win a free copy of this book and full-sized bottle of argon oil! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter entry bocx below! This giveaway will end on 6/27/14 at 11:59pm CST! Good luck, everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Homemade Wall Putty!

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Attention savvy savers! As Spring has sprung, as has the itech to clean and remodel our homes and spaces! Today I have a great way to do just that, homemade wall putty! This is my go-to, non-toxic, pulled right from the cupboard recipe:

1) Mix 2 tbsp. of table salt and 2 tbsp. of cornstarch in a small bowl.

2 Add 5 tbsp. of cold tap water, a tablespoon at a time. Stir as you add the water until the mixture is a thick paste. If the mixture is runny, add 1 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of cornstarch and stir until the mixture has thickened without bubbles.

3 Use the paste to fill small holes in a wall. Apply it to the holes with a putty knife. Use the knife to smooth the homemade spackle so it is level with the wall. Allow the spackle to dry for one hour.

4 Sand the spackled area lightly with 100-grit sandpaper.

5 Paint the wall if desired, including the area that has been spackled.

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