Birthday Part 2: Gnome Forest Terrariums

For Charlotte's 2nd birthday party, continuing in the Gnome Forest theme, I made terrariums as party favors. Everyone was able to keep a little piece of gnome magic by bringing home a tiny perfect world of their own.

Parts: I used gnome, deer and mushroom cupcake toppers from this etsy shop. The glass containers were found at Ikea. (I tried to thrift some, but came up empty handed.) The soil, rocks and baby tears were found at my local Lowe's. Activated charcoal - or carbon - was available at the pet store.
Assembly: First layer, at the bottom, is pebbles for drainage. Next comes the charcoal (for enclosed terrariums to filter water and air). Thirdly, spaghum moss keeps the soil from slipping. Now your soil, and finally, your plants. This site has a wonderful plant list, but I found most items were out of season. We settled on a flat of baby tears.

Care: The baby tears have already grown and are easy to pinch back. The terrariums are pretty much self-sustaining. They require only a little watering every 2-4 weeks. If there is too much condensation, just pop open the lid. When the soil starts to look dry or cracked, add some water. That's it!

For a wonderfully visual step-by-step tutorial on terrariums, you'll want to visit Pretty Little Things.

Thanks to my dear friend, Julie, for her wonderful photography. It is well worth hiring a professional to take all the candid shots while you enjoy your child's party. If you're local in northern California, I highly recommend Julie (contact me for her email address.) Here's her much better shot of my gnome army of cupcakes...

Welcome to the Gnome Forest: A 2nd Birthday Party

My Charlotte turned 2 years old today. She celebrated with all of her family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. at a Gnome Forest birthday party. I made cupcakes for the very first time...
with a recipe from my birthday cookbook for angel food cupcakes. After two attempts at the frosting, I deviated from the recipe and made my own cream cheese frosting with 8 oz. of cream cheese, 4 tblsp. of butter, 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar, lemon zest and 1 tsp of vanilla.

Martha helped with the red polka dot and brown cupcake wrappers.

The little gnome cupcake toppers were made from photos from this handy book. I found my copy at the local library. And while the pictures were helpful, most of the crafts are a blast back to the 80's. (I really don't feel the need to go back to that era unless I'm listening to music.) I resized the photos and printed out enough for the fronts and backs of our little gnome friend, then glued them onto toothpicks. There were more than 2 cupcakes to start the day, but this is all that remained at the end of it.

Also new, my woodsy cake stand placed upon the red-with-white-polka-dots-simulated-giant-mushroom tablecloth. Stay tuned for more crafty details...

As mothers always say, "I can't belive my baby is (insert unbelievable age here)!" In my case, it's 2. I'm afraid to blink because she'll then be 35. Happy Birthday, Charlotte. You'll always be my baby girl.

A Bunch Of Sickos

This is a picture of my kitchen counter. Well, actually, it's all the homeopathic remedies I have on my counter because my husband and daughter are sick. You think I'd remember by now, but noooo, every year I forget to invest in Kleenex before the cold/flu season starts.

We avoid taking traditional medications due to the numerous side effects and generally just being disappointed with the results. We have found great success with homeopathic and herbal remedies. Plus, the tablets are yummy.

There was the time last year when Charlotte got her first ear infection and I took her to the pediatrician. He wrote a script for antibiotics. Ummmm, I think I'll try the mullein garlic eardrops and some G.S.E. first. Guess what? In two days time, she was back to normal. The doc said, "Wow! That antibiotic really worked! Usually, I have to see kids back in 2-3 weeks and there's still residual infection, but her ears look perfect." I had to break the news about my remedies and he said, "Well, it certainly worked!"

My dear H has to avoid cold medications due to his high blood pressure tendencies. (Who wants their heart to race from medication anyway?) So, he takes kali bichromicum, elderberry cough syrup and Yogi tea which work even better.

If you're at all interested in a more natural approach to healing, then I highly recommend this book by Andrew Lockie.Hope you and yours are feeling well this Christmas season!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

No, I didn't win this Martha Stewart Crafts Stocking Kit in Vegas, but over at Rebecca's blog Thrifty Goodness. She hosted a giveaway when posting about her crafty day making Christmas banners. (Check 'em out.) I correctly guessed which banner was hers, and jackpot! Thanks Rebecca!

Lately, Charlotte has been pulling down the dog's Christmas stocking and trying to wear it like a thigh-high boot. I should hang this Martha stocking near Silly's stocking so C's not stomping through the kitchen monostockularly. Did you like that made up word?? I can hold my own at Balderdash :)

We're Really Not Rednecks

This does not work on Christmas tree branches.
This only sort of works. Yes, it's duct tape. On our Christmas tree.

We bought the biggest Christmas tree this year. It was impossible to pass up - only $10! Our tree is 8 feet tall - twice the size of our usual tree, but only one quarter of the price. We didn't have to traipse through the woods to get it. Nope, it was on an actual lot where all the trees were the $10 flat rate.

Our tree is full, lush and green. But, as we were lifting it into place, a branch snapped. Not just any branch, but one in a prime location... eye level, down front. It would leave a huge empty spot, so I pulled out the super glue. It failed. At last resort, we pulled out some duct tape and, well, stepped into redneck territory for a few minutes.

I keep worrying that someone will blink near the tree and down the branch will tumble. So far, so good. But please, nobody sneeze!


(with and without flash)

Last Minute Gifts

This screenshot is from my latest inclusion in a treasury, put together by leahkl . I'm very honored when an item is chosen to be mixed and matched for a collection of goodies. Thanks Leah!

It may appear that I've abandoned ship here, but I have not. I've been reeeeally busy making things for the shop. Many sellers are still shipping in time for Christmas delivery, so if you're still shopping - you might try browsing Etsy. You may search by color, items, theme, person, new, vintage, etc. The possbilities are endless.

Here's a peek at my last treasury (expired):

Hope this helps a few of you stumped gift-givers. Merry Christmas!

Frosty's Friends

Lera's done it again. She always has fun ideas. I saw her button snowmen hand towels and ran with it. She had a tough time deciding between white thread or black, so I used both. I also practiced my french knots for the eyes.

A local thrift has a big bowl of buttons for a dime a piece. I found exactly what I was looking for to make my snowmen. The dollar store had perfectly red striped hand towels. The thrift + dollar store = low cost crafting. One big note to self: digging through buttons is addicting.

On a completely random tangent... I have such a difficult time coming up with things for my Christmas list. There are plenty of things that could go on my list, I just don't think much about what I need. I've put myself on the back burner... it's official: I'm a mom!

Case in point: my husband has been sick and the air is quite cold. To prevent him from getting pneumonia, I've been taking our Scotty dog, Silhouette, for all her walks and potty breaks. Silly (as she's affectionately known) likes to run occasionally. This was the case a couple of nights ago. So, after she did her business, I picked up the pace and ran for home - watching Silly smile the whole time. Once home, I realized, something doesn't feel quite right. Yup, the elastic in my underwear is so shot, that my undies had slipped down over my hips, inside my pants. Actually, the only thing holding them up was the fact that I was wearing pants.

I guess now there is one thing I can add to my Christmas list: new underwear.

Needles In A Crimson Forest

It all sounds so mysterious... but it's actually just a needle book. I've been needing/wanting a needle book for quite some time. All my needles have been in disarray (no joke). Picking up my dumb ol' tomato pin cushion to constantly examine which needle I need, only to find the particular needle in question still stuck in some small piece of fabric somewhere, just wasn't working for me.

I've been working non-stop to fill orders and to keep my shop well stocked. While making more dolls, I saw a perfect little leftover piece of fabric for my needle book. Stop the presses! I am making something just for me!My book is made from a thrifted pajama top, from American Eagle Outfitters, with little, red, leaping deer. I inserted four pages of white wool felt, added a grosgrain ribbon loop and the sweetest little green tree button - voila!

I liked it so much that I made another one for the shop. The second one is better. It has a pocket.

No more searching for needles in a haystack... now I just look in the forest :)

Grocery List

We just went grocery shopping (early) to beat the Black Friday and Christmas crowds. Boy, did we stockpile the food. With the recent addition of Whole Foods to our neighborhood, we had no trouble making a sizable dent in the grocery budget.

We try to eat healthy foods. Superfoods. (Great book!) Rarely do we eat out and fast food never sounds appealing. We feel better when we eat well. High fructose corn syrup is the enemy - as is enriched anything. Many people falsely believe that healthy food doesn't taste very well. Au contraire! So, I decided to pass along my current top 5 favorite healthy food products.

First up, Stonyfield Farm Organic Lowfat Strawberry Yogurt. I've never been a fan of fruit yogurt, but this is reeeally close to dessert. Very creamy. Yum. And no HFCS or artificial sweeteners. This was purchased from Whole Foods.

Next is a new find from WF, it's R.W. Knudsen Organic Goji Berry Juice. This juice is heavenly and it incorporates a Superfood.

Another good snack is Kashi T.L.C. 7 Grain Crackers found at Walmart. If you need more fiber and whole grains, these delicious crackers make it easy.

My favorite cereal is Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola Cereal. Again, it's the best granola I've come across (even Charlotte asks for this for breakfast!) It's available at Walmart, Trader Joe's and WF.

Lastly, Triple Leaf Tea Cold and Flu Time. This tea is a little tougher to find (also available online here). At the first sign of feeling a little under the weather, we drink a cup or two and start to feel better right away. Continue drinking the tea as directed and it definitely shortens the duration of your cold. I give this as gifts to family and friends. It even tastes good!

Do you have favorite health foods? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Falling (tea) Leaves Swap Received!

Look at all the wonderful goodness that was sent to me by Angelena over at Little Mountain House!

She was my swap partner for the Falling (tea) Leaves swap. It's incredible, but she managed to send my very favorite tea AND my husband's favorite tea... Celestial Seasonings chamomile and true blueberry. How did she do that??! Also sent, a variety of other teas, wild cherry hard candies, two mini doilies, decorative fall leaves, a blueberry scone recipe and a delightful cranberry toile tea cup and saucer. Unfortunately, the Post Office was unkind to the package and the tea cup handle broke in 4 places, while the saucer broke cleanly in half. But that's what superglue is for :) Everything is wonderful. Thank you Angelena!

Here's what I sent to Little Mountain House:a vintage tea towl, a tea sandwich plate and cup set, a box of delicious gingerbread tea and a brown and white polka dot apron that I made just for her.

I had this vision of an apron (mom, stop rolling your eyes) that I wanted to make for her. That's how it is with me, I come up with something in my mind and then have to find it or make it happen. Without a pattern, I started cutting... and created my first half apron. And my first ruffle! I put two running stitches (starting in the middle and working out) to create the ruffle without breaking the thread.

What really set in my mind was to create a removable, decorative (thrifted) lace panel on the front of the apron.
I wanted to create a hostess-type apron. She can wear it while working, then attach the pretty lace panel via the hooks and eyes to dress it up a bit when the guests arrive. The apron turned out as I envisioned, so it was difficult to part with! It was a joy to make, and I hope that she enjoys wearing it.

Be sure to check out Rebecca and Danielle's swap too. They exchanged a vast amount of goodies. Well done, ladies!

Dutch Treats

It's time, once again, for a yard sale report. This sweet little bavarian house is also... a musical jewelry box. Charlotte has already enjoyed dancing along with the ballerina to "Edelweiss". It cost me 25 cents. The music box sits atop a brand new, red felt Christmas tree skirt. I plan to embellish it with some type of embroidery. That was purchased for 50 cents.
Next up, four children's book at 20 cents each. (C is a book hound since she doesn't watch tv.) The red velvet vintage child's Christmas apron was scooped up for $1. (They're never too young to start the apron obsession, are they??) This pretty blue floral tea cup was a steal at 25 cents. (I bought that for my neighbor who has been under the weather.) Lastly, you'll notice the icky fake wood grain on my little dutch girl. She has a secret though...
the front plate swings away to reveal some type of hiding place. Well, I don't actually know what it is, but it will be a secret hiding place. It needs a coat of paint first. Grand total = $3.30.

Also purchased, more aprons for my shop, shipping supplies and an umbrella stroller. Our dog recently broke C's stroller, so I bought an identical replacement - in a different color - for $2.

Many folks were feeling generous this weekend. I tried to buy a wiffle ball for C to play with, but the man insisted on giving it to me. Also, the woman holding the yard sale with shipping supplies chit chatted with me about children and foot surgery. Before I left, she gave me an art set for my daughter, two Christmas placemats and a Christmas doormat - all brand new! Now that's a thrifty weekend :)

Dad on Veterans Day

(photo by http://www.auburnjournal.com/)

For Veterans Day this year, my father decided to attend a nearby parade. He put on his camo jacket, his army hat and headed out to honor other vets. While waiting for the parade to begin, some folks approached him and asked if he had been in the army. Why yes, he had. Would he like to help lead the parade by carrying the flag and representing the United States Army? Of course he would. That's my father - on the far left - with the long legs, camo jacket and American pride.

He was given a medal of thanks. School children made him sweet thank you cards. He deserves each one. For all those cold nights outside on the ground, for the train ride to the Czech border wondering if WW III awaited him, for time and self-sacrifice, he deserves to lead a parade.

Whenever I meet a vet, I thank them. Every day should be Veterans Day. They truly know what it means to serve.

Thank you, Dad. I'm so proud of you.

Bunnies Need Pillows Too

My daughter has been climbing on top of our bed, sinking back into our pillows and staying there. Sometimes for minutes at a time. This is truly a feat of mammoth proportions when you're talking about a toddler. She acted like she wanted her own pillow. So, I purchased a super soft travel sized pillow, then I dug out some thrifted supplies. Using 20 cents worth of $1 thrifted fabric and 25 cent thrifted iron on velcro, I got to work.
After measuring the pillow, I cut the fabric to size with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, plus 3/4 of an inch in the length for the no-sew velcro. 20 minutes later... Bunny got to try out a pillow.

Then another bunny tried out the pillow. She now carries it everywhere. For less than 50 cents, I made a pillowcase that matches Charlotte's bedding. And her size :)

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Mail It!

It's Vintage Thingies Thursday again. Please visit our hostess, The Apron Queen, for plenty more blogworthy vintage finds.

This vintage metal file box recently caught my eye. It was a great brick red color, had sweet, white carrier pigeons swooping down with the mail and was useful to boot!

I snatched it up. I don't know it's vintage time frame, but the woman who sold it to me was, well, vintage. You may have noticed that I've been using the past tense... that's because my address box went up for sale in my new vintage etsy shop Acorn Pudding. It has already sold. Parting with our vintage goodies is truly bittersweet. We just can't keep everything - even if we want to keep stashing it all away. Plus, it actually brings me hope because now I'm looking forward to the next find!

Acorn Pudding

As I've eluded to previously, I've had something big in the works. It's my new etsy shop for all the vintage good stuff I've come across. It's called: Acorn Pudding. Just like a squirrel storing away nuts, I bring vintage goodies to my shop. Even before I could tell you about my newest shop, I've already made a few sales. Yay! And there is much more to be added...

Last week was also our wedding anniversary. We had our annual dinner out, just the two of us. It's so foreign after having a baby! We also took in a movie. In the theater. It was very enjoyable to get out with just my dear H. (Btw, we saw Fireproof. Highly recommended. Tip toe past a little corny acting to hopscotch into a wonderful message.)

Like I said, busy, busy, from one tree to the next!

No Poo

This is my shampoo and conditioner. Yes, for my hair.

For years I have struggled with oily hair, daily shampooing and switching shampoo to keep my hair "confused". Turns out that I was the confused one. Shampoo and conditioner were the problem. I went no-poo. I'm never going back.

Honestly, I didn't think it would really work. I enjoyed my hair smelling like a pina colada. But, I was willing to try going no-poo for two weeks. There was trial and error involved (I needed more baking soda per washing and acv every other day.) Without harsh chemicals, my hair is no longer being stripped. My hair actually stays clean longer. Here's the bonus: I'm saving money too!

How do you go no-poo? I've found a couple of links for you here and here.

There is no lather with baking soda, but that's a good thing. When the acv is rinsed out, the strong smell goes away. My hair is actually soft without a store-bought conditioner! It's a better, natural alternative for my daughter (whose former baby shampoo had anesthetic to make it "no tears".) I use a parmesan cheese shaker for the baking soda and a squeeze bottle to mix my acv conditioner with warm shower water.

It's easier than you think. I'm going on 10 months strong!

Thrifty Goodness Giveaway/Swap Partners

My friend Rebecca, over at Thrifty Goodness, is having a giveaway! She's surprising one lucky blog reader with this Knitpickers Yarn Holder next monday. Be sure to fly on over and leave her a comment to be entered for the drawing! While you're there, peruse through her free patterns and all around thrifty goodness :)

edit:

Swap partners have been matched up! Chosen at random, they are as follows:

Danielle/Rebecca

Caroline/Me

Lauren/Karla/Jenn (Lauren to Karla, Karla to Jenn and Jenn to Lauren)

All swap participants should look for an email/comment from me with details. Thanks and have fun swapping!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

Christmas! It may not even be Thanksgiving yet, but I couldn't wait any longer. Yup, I go straight from candy corn to candy canes. These little bobbies are just screaming to be eaten, er... worn. I hope to start putting my Christmas clippies and all around hair goodies in the shop soon.

There is so much more that I'd like to share, but it's all part of another big surprise on the horizon. Since you're at my mercy, you'll be forced to practice the virtue of patience.

Have you started down the path towards Christmas preparation? Have you scheduled your family photos? Have you purchased a few gifts to stash away? Are there any decorations out yet?? Do share!

DIY: New Window HTML Code

Hang in here with me for a minute.... HTML code to me, is like trying to learn the russian language combined with math, while wearing a blindfold. I'm probably not gonna get it. However, sometimes I need it to do things.

If you have a blog, this should prove useful to you. If you link to another site, from yours, readers can accidentally wander away on the net. They usually want to finish reading what you have written, therefore, they would appreciate a new window opening for that link. To create one, here's what you need to do:

Copy the following code somewhere easily accessible: target="blank"

Type your post as usual, set up your link, then enter the dreaded "Edit HTML" area of your post editor. Find your link. It will look similar to this:

href=http://www.thisisyourlink.com">website

Insert your new code between the end quotation marks (") of your link and the end bracket (>).

It should now look like this:

href=http://www.thisisyourlink.com" target="blank">website

Your readers will thank you. Well, subconsciously anyway. If you mess up, your computer will not explode. Just delete the link/sentence/paragraph and start over. Be sure to test it. Be sure to save it. You can do this.

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Delicate Aprons

Is it a crime to forget that you own vintage aprons?? Well, I did. I've had these sheer aprons for about 10 years. I don't really remember when or where I bought them, except that it was an antique store. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted an apron collection. (I wanted to start with my mother's apron.) I guess that I picked these up in hopes that my dream would start to become a reality.

A white background doesn't do this apron justice, but that's the color of my laundry room. Picture, if you will, a light blue background.... ahhh, much better. These aprons have little wear, and the lace is very soft.

A close up of this pocket makes it seem quite bridal. I have no idea what era they're from, but they're definitely part of my budding collection.

To see many more vintage thingies, please visit The Apron Queen.

Camoflage Hat

I just finished my first crocheted hat. It's snuggly warm, has a cute flower and is considered camoflage because it's the exact same color as my hair. I guess my hair will now just look nubby and like I wove part of it into a flower...

The pattern was purchased from JJCrochet via etsy. It's a versatile hat pattern because one can make a beanie with or without a flower. Or one can make a beanie with a brim or without. For yarn, I used Patons Shetland Chunky Tweed in Earthy Brown. I'm really all about the speckles.

For me, this was a challenge because I'm new-ish to crocheting. You'll see that I'm beaming because I only had to rip out rows of stitches 7 different times. That was after completing 1/4 of the hat incorrectly and starting over from scratch. The flower within the pattern was a total failure for moi, and searching for another flower in the perfect size was fruitless. I just made one up.

Special thanks to my aunt for coming out from Pennsylvania to show me how to properly hold my crochet hook. (Now it makes sense!) I'm looking forward to having "hat hair" from keeping warm in my chunky, tweedy, speckley crocheted hat.

Falling (tea) Leaves Swap

I've decided to host my very first swap. If you're new to swaps, here's the lowdown: A swap involves signing up, putting items together that fall within the theme, then shipping the goodies to your swap buddy. You will, in turn, receive a package from your swap buddy. It's very easy.

The theme is autumn/fall and tea.

Guidelines:

1. Sign up by leaving me a comment that you would like to participate. (Be sure that I can contact you via email. I promise not to sell your address :)

2. Be creative with the theme.

3. Spend $10 or less! Swap packages should consist of at least 3 items. Thrifted items work well. Making an item adds a personal touch.

Consider autumnal colors, items or recipes. Think of anything to do with tea, tea cups or tea parties. Your imagination is the limit.

Sign ups end November 4, 2008 - election day!

You'll be notified of your swap partner on November 5th.

Packages should be mailed by November 17, 2008.

For now, we are limiting this to U.S. participants only.

** If you sign up, PLEASE follow through with your swap. It's unfair to be flakey for a swap.

Let the swap begin!

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Found It!

Thanks to Lisa, The Apron Queen, for hosting another week of Vintage Thingies Thursday. Be sure to check out all the other great items by visiting her blog.

What does a dollar buy you anymore? Well, three vintage books, if you're at the right yard sale. That's right, these were only 33 cents each. Did you notice Bambi in the middle? It wasn't long ago that I saw a vintage copy of Bambi through a vtt posting (can't remember who!) I drooled. "Wouldn't it be great to have a copy of such a classic?" I thought. Why yes, it would. Just several weeks later, there in a box at a lonely yard sale sat an item from my wish list.

This copy of Bambi is from 1929. The books are well worn - some pages even have a little water damage. It only adds to the charm.

Unleavened Bread by Robert Grant is from 1900. The Shadow of Ashlydyat by Mrs. Henry Wood is from 1908. This glorious artwork was covered with a tissue page.

Thanks to the mystery blogger who inspired me to hunt down my own copy of the beloved classic.

Butternut Squash Bisque

This looks like a fried egg, doesn't it? I assure you that it tastes nothing like an egg. A recipe for my butternut squash was found here at allrecipes.com yesterday. It was delicious. Unfortunately, my daughter decided not to eat the bisque (even though it strongly resembles the butternut squash baby food she used to frequently eat) and opted, instead, for eggs.

Here's the recipe as I made it:

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
4 cups peeled butternut squash
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and ground black pepper to taste
ground nutmeg to taste (go easy)

Directions:
First, quarter the squash.

Bake quarters at 375 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion in the butter and oil until tender.
When the squash is fully cooked, cut away from peel. Mix the carrots and squash into the pot. Pour in vegetable stock, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender.
In a blender, puree the soup mixture until smooth.

Serve warm with a dash of nutmeg.

For me, this was a full meal. For many others, it may require a salad first and possibly some bread. It's light, but filling. Best news: leftovers!

Springtime in October

These petite fleur bobby pins are just what a gal needs as she heads towards winter. Happy. Little. Flowers. I whipped these up from some buttons that I found irresistible.

I'll be keeping myself busy as H has gone fishing with the guys. A few things have been added to my shop. The latest text bangles just made it into another treasury! Yay! You can view it here until wednesday about noon. Thanks to my sister-in-law for the inspiration.

More elf hats have appeared and may go in the shop too. Whew. Is everyone up to their knees in projects right now?

The weather here in California is in the 80's. You call this October?! Now I'm off to find a recipe for the butternut squash I just purchased. Maybe we're in fall afterall...

Fall Favor

Fall decor? Sort of. This is part of my kitchen landscape year-round. I reeeeally like pumpkins. Especially white ones. The smaller white pumpkin was a gift. The large clear pumpkin was a thrift store find for $3. Lastly, the small orange pumpkin was only 40 cents at the thrift. It's instant pumpkin happiness every morning when I work around these ceramic and glass gourds.

One of my recent prize finds at a yard sale was this water jug. H and I had been wanting a large glass container to store our drinking water, but at Sur La Table this was $70! Never. gonna. happen. So, with a 19 liter water jug on my mind, the Lord brought me right to it for only $5. Perfect condition. The exact one we wanted. Only 12 times less!

Lastly, I found a much needed platter in our every day dish pattern (Mikasa Italian Countryside) for only 50 cents. It's currently on sale at Macy's for $69.99. For all you statistics junkies, that's 1/140 of the new price! Just in time for the holidays.

It's fairly simple to be thrifty, especially with God on your side. "...And He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4