Sampler for Maria

Here is a cross stitch wedding sampler I started. I actually purchased it in August of this year on vacation. It is for my oldest who is getting married in July 2009. Getting it done slow but steady.

Saving money using the intenet

Hello everyone:

I just wanted to share with you three great websites for saving money. I just learned of them so I will be trying them, using them and letting everyone know the pro's and con's.
The sites are www.retailmeknot.com,www.promotionalcodes.com, and www.couponcabin.com. They seem very good. I did have the opportunity to use promotionalcodes.com and it worked well. I purchased a Vera Bradley purse for my mother-in-law for Christmas. I used a promotional code from this site and got 10% off my total order, and the purse was already on sale so... double savings. It worked well.

If you try the sites, please post any information that can help us use them better.

Do you have any internet tips on saving money?

Centerpiece for Halloween/Birthday Party

Hi Everyone:

I just thought I would share with you a centerpiece design that is a great idea for any fall party. It is a small pumpkin cut in half, cleaned out with a candle in the middle. We put the pumpkin on a decorative paper plate and added some of our fall leaves. Boy, we have a bunch of those. When you light the candle it makes a real nice focal point for your table. I don't have a large kitchen table so the size worked also.

Be creative!

Birthdays and the Holidays, lets celebrate the savings.

It was my daughters 19th birthday last night. Having a birthday near Halloween is exciting and the benefit is it usually continues over a long period of time. I love parties as much as the next guy but quite frankly it can get rather expensive. We have a small family party with the immediate family on her “real” birthday and one with the extended family on the weekend. We have a great time but it can get rather expensive so to cut the cost of the birthday cake, rather than buy one for each party, I make the one for the immediate family and buy an ice cream cake for the party over the weekend.






Another thing I do is buy the fall decorations around now. I just picked up two scarecrow decorations at 75% off (check your local Rite Aid, fall decorations are on sale). These fall decorations will be great and can be displayed until after thanksgiving. The savings were outstanding and look great.

It pays to just ask.

Everyone today has to acknowledge that working within a budget is no longer an option, it has becomes a necessity. Anyway you can save in one area allows you to have more resources to save, invest or use somewhere else. Like the title of this post states sometimes just asking can save alot of time, money and open opportunities you may miss when you don't ask. Some examples are:
My cell phone was upgraded within 30 days of purchasing it. I had the option of $100 refund or a free upgrade. Customers who don't ask don't automatically get these benefits. I was only told because I asked.

The eye doctor gives a 30% discount on frames when asked.

A bank reviewed the terms on my business line of credit. Reducing the rate. This is because I asked and I make payments on time. It is important to be careful to make your payments on time.

Also this week I had my business long distance rates reviewed by a different provider. This results in an average of $200 per month savings.

Sometimes we don't ask or consider our options because we are embarressed to ask, we are to busy or we just don't think about it. We should take the time because the best person to watch your budget, investments and financial well being is you.

Berroco® Free Pattern | Alexi Throw

I am thinking of making this project. I think I am crazy.


Berroco® Free Pattern | Alexi Throw

Shared via AddThis

Bags,Bags, Bags

Bags, Bags, Bags

Yesterday I made a beaded bracelet as a gift. I wanted to put the bracelet in a special package to give it to her. Sometimes the delivery of the gift is as important as the gift itself. I had received a small white mesh bag with a white ribbon drawstring and clear beads dangling from the bottom of it at a wedding. It was a favor that had candy in it. I saved it because I knew I could use it someday and it came in handy for the bracelet I made. The point is to keep things like that, such as gift bags, boxes and wrapping paper for re-use. Purchasing the wrapping for a present gets expensive. I would rather make a card and re-use gift bags so I can put that money towards the gift. You can easily drop $10.00 on a card and wrapping. Get creative, the gift looks wonderful and you make the recipient very happy.

When I purchase jewelry making supplies like beads and findings, many times they come in nice closable bags. These bags are usually nice and thick and can be re-used many times. Doing so saves money and the planet. These bags won’t end up in the landfill.

Used sandwich bags can be used for pet treats and food scraps when you are preparing a meal. This is also a good recycling habit. These small things can save our environment as well as some money.

Here is a picture of the bracelet.

Lets not forget what we have learned.

In today’s news I noticed some positive financial news. Although this is very refreshing and helps us to be hopeful for better economic times it is important we stay focused on spending within our budgets and cutting costs and environmental burdens at the same time. It will be interesting to watch what people do when the economy recovers (which we all know it will eventually recover). Well when it does it is so important to remember what we have learned and continue to practice smart financial decisions. Doing this in any economical environment will insure security in the future.

Security from knowledge, savings and good family foundations will be great assets in everyone’s future. There are many benefits from working within a budget. We set limits that allow us to be less stressful, spend more time with family and learn patience. Saving money usually requires delayed gratification instead of instant gratification.

Lets continue to save money and the environment regardless of what the economy is doing.

Memorial Day Weekend camping at a state park

Our family just got home from a wonderful economical Memorial Day weekend trip. We went family camping at a very nice state campground. We enjoyed our weekend at Hickory Run State Campground in PA. The many wonderful activities at this campground but it features boulder field. This field of boulders was formed 20,000 years ago during a deep freeze. About 20,000 years ago, the ice was 1 mile thick. It spanned from Canada to 1 mile north of Boulder field. The climate was very cold and winter lasted 6 months. With the freezing and unfreezing of the ground the boulders were formed. The boulders are 1 mile deep and under them runs a river. The boulder field keeps getting smaller at a very slow pace. As the leaves fall and the trees plant themselves the land is expanding into the boulders.



It was a great trip. They have a campground with running water, flush toilets and real nice shower facilities that provide a lot of privacy. I hate campgrounds that you dress and undress in a common dressing room. I am just to private of a person to like that, I like to dress in privacy. When I got home I was ready to give myself my own manicure and facial. Rather than spend the money for a professional one and I didn’t even want to leave the house to get one done I decided to use some fancy facial cleanser and clay cleaner, then some facial lotion. I also did my nails. I put on my lotion and worked on my cuticles and painted my nails.

Camping in a state campground is fun and stress reduction for the whole family. It is great bonding with friends and family. After spending this time with others, come home and pamper yourself. Painting your nails and doing your own facial saves a lot of money. So take a leisurely bath, paint your fingernails and toenails and take the time to clean and moisturize your face.

Having a great weekend does not always require a lot of money. How did you spend your weekend?

There are many benefits from a slow economy

There are many benefits from a slow economy.

Spending time with family is a benefit from a slow economy. After a walk with my husband around the neighborhood, my daughter and I spent last night around the kitchen table painting. The cost was next to nothing but the quality time was immeasurable. Here is what we created.



This is my stress relieving works of art. I will be putting them in my garden. I have to find a spray that will stop the rain from washing the paint off of them. I think I have some in my workshop but it is old and I don’t know if it will spray or not. That is my project tonight.



This is Amanda’s work of art. She loves art. She wants to pursue a career in it. She will be graduating from high school next month. Then off to college in September to work for her Bachelors in Fine Arts.

I schedule time in my day to spend on things I like to do. We can all learn from the young. Watch a young person, when they get up they immediately start to play or do something they love. We can learn from them to stay young at heart. I try to get up early in the morning, not to complete never ending chores but to spend time doing something I love. Sometimes it is quiet time studying the scriptures or it may be doing my favorite craft. Then I proceed through my day completing necessary chores and tasks. As the day ends, I make sure to spend time with family. When we are done with dinner and some time together we all seem to go about our business in the household. Again, out come my creative projects and I work on them. Sometimes I am blessed with the company of my husband or one of my daughters. My oldest is a teacher and tends to like to work with paper projects. She makes wonderful cards and scrapbooking pages. I often help her get projects done for her classes though out the week.

How do you schedule your day? We would love to hear and learn from you.

I love getting a great deal expecially on Yarn!

I got such a deal today! I am so excited. I was at my great nephews 6th birthday party and my niece comes in with this bag I loved. (I am addicted to bags) She says she got it at a garage sale across the street. The woman who lives there makes them. Well she had a bunch and I bought my great niece one but guess what else she had. A HUGE bag of yarn, real nice yarn, some small amounts but a lot of full skeins. For 5 bucks. I couldn't believe it, only 5 bucks. Well, my sister in law and I are going to share it because I have a huge stash already. Oh, I love to get a deal.

Giving and preserving

Another way to give without costing any money is to give blood if you can. When else can and average person give the gift of life. Unless you are in the medical profession, saving a person’s life is not on your agenda. Giving blood is an opportunity to do so. If you have the health to do such a wonderful thing I would suggest it. I gave blood last night, it makes you feel great. It only took about 45 min, it is not uncomfortable and you even get a snack when you are done. What could be better?

Saving tip – Saving water has many benefits. Your water bill is less, your sewer/septic bills are less and you save the environment. Water is a limited resource. Many people throughout the world live without a good water supply. Here in America we are fortunate enough to have a good clean supply of water. We can take such a blessing for granted. Conserve the environment and water by using common sense solutions like:
Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth.
When rinsing dishes have the water drain over the basin/sink your dishes are in.
Make sure your dishwasher is full before running it.
Take showers instead of baths.
Take shorter showers.
Only water your lawn/garden when needed using only as much as needed.

Use two cups of water when water painting the first one takes most of the paint off the brush, the second gets any remnants of water.

Be conscious when you are using water, for ways to save it. Does anyone else have a great water saving tips we can share with each other?

Is your time measured monetarily?

As I was reflecting on last weekend and the celebration of Mother’s Day I couldn’t help but observe that human relationships are so important. Time spent developing, nurturing and maturing in our relationships is time well spent. As everyone probably knows by now I don’t necessarily agree with the statement “Time is Money” but I very much agree with the statement “Time is valuable”, because you see I find money not as valuable as many other things in my life. One of those things is my relationships with my beliefs, family, friends and even acquaintances (because without the initial acquaintance we would not have met our friends).

Spending time with the people in our lives usually does not cost much money. The cost is time and the payoff is immeasurable. As we spend time with our child listening, playing, consoling, advising and just having fun is an investment in our future as well as the future of many generations after us. Spending time with older people teaches us history, wisdom, experience and the viewpoints of generations before us. Spending time with other family, friends, co-workers and people in public add to life’s experiences and enrich our outlook and perspective. Some of these experiences are positive, some negative and we experience many in one day but they ultimately help to form who we are and what we are all about.

I know time is valuable, take that time to develop loving relationships. What do you think?

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day - What are all you wonderful Mom's doing out there? Post comments here.

Making a Square Saturday

What a wonderful day, spending it making a square for orphans of South Africa. There is a group who collects 8 x 8 squares and sews them together to make afghans for the many orphans. There is a group on ravelry that supports the cause. You can also get more information from their website.

This is a great way to give to others with the stash and left over yarn you may be collecting. I also make 7” x 9” squares for warm up America that does the same thing here in America. The website is here.

I like trying out new stitches on these squares. I also like to do very simple patterns that I can take anywhere and just knit away and not have to think about it. Great for car rides and times when you may have a little time here or there. Today I needed a break from the wrap I am working on so the simple pattern was a welcome relief. Comment and let me know what you are working on. I would love to hear what everyone is doing.

Have a great weekend!

For the weekend let’s think about inexpensive or free activities we can do with our families. Garage sale and flea market browsing is free and fun. Craft fairs are many times free and you can enjoy the browsing and a little snack. Some schools and townships have family fun days that have games, sales and good food. Face painting is a favorite amount they young folk.

Visiting a local park or state campground is free and there are lots of things to do. Many state campgrounds offer facilities like, play grounds, lakes, pools and picnic areas. This offers families great places to have fun. Pack a lunch with various food, snacks and beverages. Brew up a pot of ice tea, pack some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (my families favorite) and some healthy snacks of off you go to the park. The kids can burn up some energy and you can catch some rays!

Front porch sitting is also a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Spending time at home can be fun, playing games, visiting with family, cooking and baking and preparing for the week ahead at a nice pace instead of rushing around to get ready. As my hubby reminds me often “less is more”.

Our society is so busy that finding ways to do these types of activities is refreshing and helps us slow down and enjoy our blessings. This economy has its benefits. It allows us to realize what is important to us and teaches us how to have fun again.

Remember, “time is valuable”, we only have a short time on this earth to enjoy nature, families and friends. Use every moment to the max.

Check your bank statements

It is important to look over and review your bank statements on a regular basis. Many times there are service charges incurred that can be avoided. If you are receiving a service charge many times you can call your bank to discuss options to avoid such a charge. It happened to our family. My daughter had a checking account that did not have a service charge while she was a student. The statement she received after her graduation had a $6.00 service charge on it. In talking with the bank they explained that was because she was no longer a student but they offered another type of account that would not incur a service charge and also credited the charge. This is easier to do after building a long term relationship with a bank. Try to stay with one bank and give them the majority of your business. They get to know you and will try to work with you. Having most of your business with one bank also gives you leverage.

Shop banks and make sure you are getting the most for your money, try to stay with one financial institution as long as possible and build a relationship with them. Check your statements and talk with a contact at the bank that you know to make sure you pay the least amount of fees. Let’s try to keep as much of our money as possible.

Copyrighted Forgetmeknots 5/7/09

Michaels Coupons

Check out these Michaels coupons.
Click here to print coupons

Box Tops for Education and saving money on pet treats

General Mills offers a program called “Box Tops for education”. Their products have a image printed on their boxes that you can cut off and give to your school. The image looks like THIS

Cut the image from the box, collect them and send to any school that accepts them. The school will earns money towards things they need for the school. You can learn how you can contribute by clicking here

You can make a difference by sending in the image, shopping through the site and reading. What a great way to make a difference at no additional cost to you.

You can also get coupons from General Mills for a lot of their products. Click
here to get the coupons.

To save money when it comes to my pets is rather than purchase doggie or kitty
treats I use my chicken and low fat chopped meat leftovers. I am not saying that it is not important to be careful what we feed our beloved animals and to be sure to feed them a balanced diet of their pet food as advised by your vet, but you can be creative with the treats. Giving chicken and low fat chopped meat leftovers as treats sensibly are a great alternative to the high priced dog/cat treats sold on the market. When you purchase cat treats you pay an average of $2.00 per 3 oz package. That is over $10.00 per pound. Dog treats are sold in 10 oz packages but the cost is higher. You can save money by sharing your healthy chicken and low fat chopped meat leftovers with your pets. I purchase the pet treats and give them both for a balanced diet. I don’t feed the pets while eating dinner. I feed them the leftovers in the same spot that I feed them their pet food and their treats. This helps in not developing bad habits at the dinner table. Of course, please check with you vet before making menu changes for your pet.

Please post any ways you save money with pet costs and other ways to contribute to our schools or churches to benefit our children.

It is in giving that we ultimately receive

This week we will be looking at how we can make a difference in this world in an inexpensive way. We don’t need to spend a lot of time or money to make the world a better place. In these rushed times it is easy to overlook our older family, friends and neighbors. It would brighten an older person’s day if we just took a small amount of time and:

• Smile when we see them



• Make a phone call and talk with them for a little while



• Send a card (insert a picture if possible)



• Send an e-mail (many of our older population have embraced technology, for those that do this is a free way to make a difference)



• Sit by them and say “hello” in church



• Go visit them

There are numerous ways we can volunteer in churches, nursing homes and hospitals.

Let’s all take a little time and make a difference in someone’s day. When you do that it has a ripple effect. The person in receipt of your kindness will pass it along, and it will continue endlessly. Let’s kick all this bad news you see and hear daily and count our many blessings. Being an American is one of the first one that comes to mind.


What are you thankful for? Any more ideas on how to brighten an older persons day?

Happy Sunday Happy Crafting

Happy and blessed Sunday!

For all our scrapbooking fans here is a link to a coupon for scrapbooking supplies from Walgreens. LINK

When shopping for crafts at garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets there is much to watch for, here is a list of things that come to my mind.

• Clothing that can re-use wool and yarn.



• Clothing that can be cut up for quilting.



• Unique jewelry that can be worn as is or taken apart for great jewelry making.



• Tins that can be transformed into charms - I will be posting instructions on how to make charms after I get approval from the creative woman who taught me.



• Cool jems for jewelry



• Cards for scrapbooking



• Buttons for all kinds of crafts



• Ties for purse handles



• Unique purses or bags to re-do and make unique



• Pins to add to purses or other items - I use unique lightweight pins for the end of scarfs.



• Skeleton Keys make great focal points



• Stickers for scrapbooking or just to make the kids happy



• Baskets to decorate



• Ribbons



• Pattern books and craft magazines of any kind



• Stamps and stamp pads (be sure they are still good)



• Barrettes and hair clips to take apart and use the parts



• Unique containers



• Wreaths



• Mason jars - hold supplies, can be filled with gifts and adorned with ribbons



• Artificial flowers, baby's breath or moss



• Beads



• Findings

Most important keep your mind open as you look at the treasures being sold. Think past what it currently is and looks like to what it can be and what it will look like when your done with it.

Please submit any of your great ideas for tips of what to find, where to find it and what to buy from flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales.

Get out there - have fun and craft away. Let's beautfy this world.

Saturday is fun day - it is even more fun when you save!

Saturday is the fun tip day. May I suggest that you visit some flea markets, garage sales and thrift shops to find a great deal? With yesterdays tip in mind, seek out some jewelry you can take apart and customize. A few years ago I found a great deal. A large box of various jewelry some even broken. Rather than discuss individual prices I asked the person selling it if I could just purchase the complete box. She was delighted. We struck a deal we were both happy with. I got so many treasures from that box, some items were very vintage and I was able to make a variety of jewelry. Some of which I used some of which I used for presents. I also used some to spruce up my crochet and knit designs. Get out there, shop the sales and post pictures. I would love to post some of your pictures on my website!

Tip #3 - Make some jewelry, have fun and save money.

What could be better?

Making your own jewelry is not only fun but it also reduces your cost to accessorize. There are many advantages to making your own jewelry. It is less expensive, it is fun, it allows you to be creative and you can make the exact jewelry you want using the colors and bead types you like. You also won’t see everyone else wearing the same piece.

Go out there, shop the sales, check store websites for coupons (A.C. Moore and Michaels usually always have something), and buy some cool beads in your favorite color. I love it having fun while saving money.

Make sure to have beads, wire or stretchy beading line, clasps, crimp beads and a crimping tool. That is all you need to make a beautiful necklace or bracelet.

Money saving tip #2 Lets get through this together and strong! Also an update on my knitting progress on shawl

OK here is tip #2 that you have been waiting for:

Brew ice tea and coffee for an inexpensive refreshing drink. It is less expensive than bottled soda or pre-made drinks. If you do purchase pre-made drinks purchase them in one or two liter bottles rather than individual bottles. Buying cans or plastic bottled drinks are a more expensive way to provide drinks for your family. To lower your cost even more, purchase the tea and coffee on sale and using coupons. Every penny adds up over time. If you save $10.00 per month in beverages it adds up. What could you spend the $120.00 per year on?

Save or invest that money to make the most return on brewing your own cold beverages. Enjoy and stay cool!


Coffee and Tea recipe to follow - check back.

OK now onto the knitting scene. I have been working on a wrap pattern for my 18 year old daughter. It is from the book Divine Accessories, "Anisette" Wrap by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes for French Girl. I got the book from the local library (another way to save money support your local library). I am about 1/3 done. It is my first lace project. It is a little different but enjoyable. I always thought lace would be to difficult, not so much.

I am using Rowan Kidsilk haze. I have never used such a light weight fiber. It got a little getting used to but once you get used to it, it is wonderful. The color is black but I think they called it Wicked. Here is a picture of my progress:



I purchased the yarn online. I found the best price of about $16.00 per skein from
WEBS - America's Yarn Store
75 Service Center Road
Northampton MA 01060
http://www.yarn.com
Phone: 1-800-367-9327
Email: webs@yarn.com

I was pleased with the price, quality and service. This is the first time I have purchased from them, but I will be back!

Hope everyone has a great day! Remember to enjoy what your doing, do what you can to make the planet a better place. It is all about loving one another.

Ways to survive this economy

With every con there is a pro. This bad economy is on everyone’s mind, but there is a silver lining to every cloud. An economy like this does allow us to get back to basics and see clearer what is most important to us. I have always said “time is valuable” rather than “time is money”. There are more valuable things than money and this economy makes that even clearer.

This economy presents many challenges but with those challenges come with opportunities. Having to economize and reduce spending allows us to have more time with family, be greener and perhaps leave a smaller footprint on the planet. We will leave a less contaminated earth for generations to come if we are more conscious about what we use. We can teach our children what budgets are and how to use them, help them to understand what is important by our own actions and teach them not to be selfish and how to use the resources around them. Teaching by example is great.

I will be posting money saving tips daily. I would really appreciate input on how you and your household are saving and making ends meet in these challenging times. Let’s get some discussions going that will benefit us all.

My saving tips revolve around my life experiences which include being a wife, mother, business woman and crafter. My suggestions are biased by the fact that I love my faith, family and work. Many of my money saving tips will include links to how they relate to any of the topics that make me who I am.

OK here goes…

My first money saving tip is:

Buy boxes or bags of healthy snacks and divide into small plastics bags rather than purchasing convenience snack packs.

Try to keep your family healthy by providing healthy snacks. Keep away from the 100 calorie packs and that type of thing. Read the nutrition label and package each snack with the amount to adhere to your individual requirements. Purchase fruits and vegetables on sale and re-pack for on the go snacks.


©Copyrighted by ForgetMeKnots

New Novelty Scarf listed on site.

Hello everyone: Just had to show you a new scarf we listed in our shop today. Check it out!

TKGA - Basic knitting coorespondence course

I have been working on completing the basics, basics, basic correspondence course being offered by The Knitting Guild of America. I completed level one. Wow what an awakening. I learned 5 increase methods and how and when to use them. We did 5 swatches, I submitted them and they were returned within a few days with very helpful, kind tips. I also received lesson 2 which I will start this weekend. I will start on scrap yarn before using the wool I purchased for the actual swatches just to be sure I understand what I have to do. This level is focused on decreases. The picture shows my first lesson swatches.

Doing this course makes you learn, research and critique your work, making you a better knitter. I have always wanted to design my own patterns. The Masters course with prepare you to do that. I have reached out and designed a dishcloth pattern and I kind of like it - I will post that soon.

Working on hubbys socks

I have been working on my hubbies socks for awhile. Every project comes before them. Not sure why just having a hard time focusing. Here is a pic.

I started them a few months ago using a pattern from the book Knitting Rules! They are my second pair of socks. I love knitting them they are very fun.

Hello everyone, here is an example of ocean jasper and silver bracelet I recently made and sold. The jasper is beautiful, it has every color so the bracelet matches everything. Amanda and I sat down the other night and brainstormed and got creative. Very rarely do we use a pattern book, our designs are unique. We never make the same thing twice. We have lot of fun though!

My first post

Wait until I get home and show this blog to Amanda. She is going to love it. Amanda and I started an online spot for all things crafts. We focus on beads and fiber but we are always interested in talking about and kind of craft. Let's do that here. Forget your stresses and responsibilies (only for a short time) and lets get creative.

Time for the fun to begin.