Free Stuff We did this Summer

     As I look back on all the things my family and I did this summer, I came to realize most of what we did was free.  (Okay, maybe not the gas to get there!)  We enjoy looking for deals while traveling or on vacation.  And for us, free is the way to go!  Below you'll find a generous sampling of the freebies we enjoyed over the past several months!  Maybe you'll get some ideas for you and your family...

A rainy walk down the French Quarter in New Orleans.  We were taking a break before my husband's doctoral class one morning.  Cost: FREE.  (World famous beignets and cafe au laits were not free, but I still think they are a deal!)

My new favorite place in New Orleans: City Park 

Bird watching in City Park

Did I mention this is free?

Love the "not-so-baby" ducks getting ahead of their Mama!

Beautiful sights at City Park!

Free Admission: Roan Mountain State Park, TN.  What a deal!  Gorgeous wildflowers and fun hiking!  We packed a picnic to save even more $$$.

Great view of the Rhododendron.

Free Admission: Asheville Botanical Gardens, NC.  This was a "date" for just my hubby and I.  I honestly thought it wouldn't be that great because it was "free."  Boy, was I wrong!  It's just my kind of botanical garden.  Very natural.  More like a hike than a formal presentation. 

We took lots of pictures under the bridge.

Our last trip of the summer was to the beach.  On the last day, I asked my son what his favorite part was from the week.  His answer?  A walk on the beach collecting shells and looking at crabs.  (Cost? FREE!)

Hobo Dinners and Cornbread

     I don't share too many recipes, but thought I'd share what we had for dinner tonight.  Hobo Dinners and Cornbread are one of my favorite meals for 3 reasons: 1) Cheers from the boys when they know I'm fixing it, 2) It's very economical and 3) SO easy!
     There are lots of hobo dinner recipes out there.  Ours is pretty basic: ground beef (whatever is on sale!), potatoes (red or russet), carrots (baby or regular), yellow onion, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and just a tad of water.  I cook for about 45 min. at 400 degrees. (All put in individual tin foil packets.) I really don't measure anything or pay particular order to how I put it all in the foil.  It always comes out tasting the same.
     Our hobo dinner meal would just not be complete without cornbread.  I recently found a Paula Deen recipe for moist and easy cornbread that I just love.  After having cornbread made with buttermilk you'll never go back!  My cornmeal is from Nora Mill Granary in Helen, Ga.  (I shared in a post HERE about using their bread flour.) 

Oh, how I wish I lived closer!

Cute Curtains on the Cheap

A while back, one set of the blinds in the dining room bit the dust.  Instead of purchasing expensive blinds again, I opted to just make some simple curtains.  (So much easier to clean!)

This is with no blinds.

I wanted a "linen" look without the linen price...so muslin it was!  About the cheapest fabric one can buy.

I used some leftover white fabric to make the white ruffled pullbacks.  I used some leftover hook and eye fasteners on the back.  (So easy!)  I got the basic idea for the pullbacks from THIS PIN.

I'm really happy with how they turned out!

Be Our Guest~~~8 ideas for the Guestroom

     I'm excited to share with you a LINK to my guest post on the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.

 

A few more posts from the Schoolhouse Review Blog you might enjoy....

Head off the Winter Blues

Christmas Books Round-up

Favorite Family Christmas Traditions

Decoupaged Pumpkins

     Five years ago my children painted plastic pumpkins at an art class.  We enjoyed displaying them  for a season or two.  After that, I just couldn't find a way to incorporate them into my fall decor.  (I know, I should be able to work something out with a brightly striped pumpkin and an FSU pumpkin, right?)  But, like most moms, I just couldn't bear to get rid of them.  Until this year. Well, sort of.  

     The minute I opened the fall container full of all my decorations I saw the pumpkins and thought, "decoupage!"  (I think I've been on Pinterest a little too much. hehe!)  I asked my boys if they were okay with me covering up their art work.  They said, "Oh, sure, mom." 

What I started with: scrapbook paper, Modge Podge, a brush and a pumpkin.  The best part: I had all these things already on hand!  FREE!

I covered sections of the pumpkin with Modge Podge.  I then painted torn piece of the paper on top of the wet sections with glue.  I definitely recommend tearing the paper and not cutting it.  It looks so much better, and lays better.

Ta-Da!  My pumpkin!  I painted the stem to match the green on my fireplace screen. I'll show you my entire mantle decor soon!

This is the other pumpkin.  I gave it to my mom.  This is how she displayed it.  Cute, huh?

     In doing this little project, I discovered something.  I love decoupaging!  I'm wondering what I could decoupage next?  Decoupaging is a great way to take something that has "good bones" and make it look new again! 

Pinned it/Did it! (Dust Ruffle Alternative)

     I pinned THIS IDEA to my "Home Decor" board awhile back.  I was (and still am) in the process of updating the Master Bedroom, and thought I might use this idea from Martha Stewart.  The idea is to use a sheet to cover the box spring.  Martha matched her box spring to her mattress, but I like a little more contrast/interest.

 

 

     As it turned out, my new comforter/new mattress was not working out.   The new box spring was taller than our previous one, and my comforter shorter than the one I had before.  (Sorry...I didn't take a "before" picture.)  You could clearly see the box springs.  It bugged me for weeks. 

 

     I was so excited to find a queen sheet set for just $20 at TJMaxx.  I just love the Damask pattern.  I used the fitted sheet to cover the box springs.  And...wah-lah...no need to make or purchase a dust ruffle!  (I like dust ruffles...I just really didn't want to cover up the pretty wood of our bed.  If I didn't have such pretty wood...using a dust ruffle would probably have been my 1st choice.)



Pinned it/Did it! (Felt Monogrammed Pillow)

 

This was the picture I pinned from Pinterest.  It is from the blog, The Sweet Survival. I just loved the simplicity of it...and it even had my initial!

 

I found the letter "P" I liked from THIS WEBSITE.  I had to enlarge it.  I used very sharp, small scissors to cut it out.  The original "pin" said to sew the letter on by machine after gluing it with felt/fabric glue.  I didn't have any glue and I was afraid my machine sewing would not turn out great, so I opted to sew it by hand.  (Plus I was reading one of my Beverly Lewis Amish books, and was feeling in the mood for doing things the old-fahioned way!)  I was happy with how the hand-sewing turned out.

 

I was making the pillow for this wingback I had recovered.  I first made the pillow with just a white front and the green fabric on the back.  I didn't like it, so I ripped out the seams and added a ruffle to match the fabric on the back (and my curtains, etc. in the living room).  Much better.  I had not made a ruffle in ages, so this was a bit of trial and error. 

 

 

 

I made this monogrammed pillow for about a $1!  The original pinner said she made hers for $18, which beat the Etsy price of $79.  The only thing I had to purchase was the felt. WoooHooo!

 

 



Weekend Project: 1 Corinthians 13:13 Sign

Last weekend I had a fun time making this sign for our home. The lettering came from one of those rub-on kits you get a the craft store. I found this one on clearance months ago for just a few bucks. The letters are designed to go on the wall. I didn't think the letters would show up on mine, so I opted to make a sign instead

 

 

 

 My sweet daddy cut the wood for me. I painted it with acylic white paint, waited 24 hrs. and then put on the lettering. 

 



The fun (and kinda scary) part....pulling off the paper.

 

 

I just LOVE how it turned out!

Winter-themed Mantle

 

When Christmas decorations come down, the house can feel a little "blah", so I like to add a few wintry decorations. 





I use my plate for so many seasons!  I love changing out the verse.

I made my paper snowmen family 10 year ago or so.  They have held together nicely all these years.  I simply tore cardstock, "aged" it a bit with a teabag, then added sticks, carrot nose and a tiny scarf.  I painted a simple terra cotta pot white, then added tiny pinecones inside.  I just love it!

This was my first year to use snowflakes.   An obvious choice, but something I didn't think of until I saw it on Pinterest.  In the past, they've always just been Christmas ornamnets. My grandma made them throughout the years.  (They are "tatted".)


This picture from Pinterest inspired me. 


http://hoosierhomemade.com/decorate-for-winter-hoosier-cabinet/


A similar snowman project...

http://redo101.blogspot.com/2011/10/this-weeks-potpourri.html

12 Tree Trimming Tips

So excited to be featured on the TOS Homeschool Crew Blog today!!

Check out my post there, if you like.  I've got several tree-trimming tips for you...

 

*December is a bit of a different month at the TOS Review Crew.  Lots of fun...Christmas articles, giveaways and more!  Here are a just few you may want to check out (There will be lots more to come!):

Christmas Around the World
Celebrating Advent with a Jesse Tree
Coming Soon 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways

My New Bread Hook

 

Isn't she beautiful!?  So bright and shiny and industrial looking.  I ordered it just the other week, and was sooo excited when my bread hook came in the mail.  It is replacing my white one, which was beginning to chip. (I can't have that, since we have a tiny bread baking cottage industry.) 

 

 

Here are two white loaves I made today.  They are for our church bake sale tomorrow.  I plan to make more bread this week for Thanksgiving and beyond.  I think I'll have warm bread or rolls for Thanksgiving Day.  I'll make extra for grilled cheese sandwiches while family is here.