Late Night Dinner

Hi everyone!

The other night Troy and I had been super busy all day. My parents had the Princess most of the day and when we picked her up and then went home, it was almost 10:00. We got the Princess to bed and I made a nice cozy late night dinner for Troy and I.

I used several recently thrifted things on my table tonight. This is definitely an “eat at the table” table. Not a big tablescape.

Yes, the themed color of the evening was blue.

I started with this denim and white blue cotton tablecloth I just bought for .50 cents. This is one of those linens that just keep looking better after many washes. The whole faded blue jean look.

I used a new set of vivid sky blue napkins that were clearanced at a local grocery store for 2/.25. And I used my silver pig napkin rings….that’s for you Lynn! LOL

I have used these dark blue and white placemats before. They were brand new with tags (Pier Imports) at a thrift store. 2 for $1.00.

Troy actually picked up the two blue and white plates for me at a thrift store.

These three awesome vintage glass creamers and sugar were given to me from my mom last week. She picked them up at a yard sale. I think I use my creamer & sugars more for condiments than cream and sugar. LOL They are just the perfect size for sauces or use for relish tray items. Tonight I had one with extra sauce, one with sweet pickles and one with dill pickles. An assortment of pickles is a main stay on most of our dinner tables. Adding pickled veggies not only adds yummy flavors to dinner but, they are almost calorie free!

I used two of these pretty blue and white floral saucers (bought at a thrift store) to hold the candles.  The candles were clearanced at CTS for .38 cents each. Love that! Even when you are just having a simple easy meal for the two of you, adding candles kind of slows you down and helps you enjoy your dinner a little bit more. Since Troy and I spent the day going a mile a minute, we needed to be forced to slow down for a  moment, enjoy the meal, enjoy each other’s company and talk about the day.

I have three of these wonderful pine branch glass mugs. They were in one of my $1.00 auction boxes.

I have had this set of vintage silver and gold white frosted highball glasses forever.  I have a set of four and bought them at a flea market.

I used this fun Asian feel teapot in the center of the table. I actually used it to hold rice for our meal. Like the creamer and sugar, I like to use things in a different way.

I was excited to find this smaller tureen at Salvation Army store. It was marked $4.99 but, it was half off day!

That was our little late night dinner table. It takes little to no extra effort to add just a few little fun items on your table. You don’t have to go all out and create a masterpiece tablescape or anything like that. Just take a few extra minutes and grab a few fun/pretty items around your home and use them. Remember, nothing fancy schmancy, nothing expensive. That’s not important. Spending a little bit of relaxing time together is what it is all about.

Oh, did you want to know what we had for dinner?

Sweet and Sour Chicken. Yum! This is one of my quick fix meals. Do you keep items on hand for those nights that you just want something fast? I have about 6 regular “quick fix’ dinners that I rely on for nights like this.

Here is how easy it is:

Frozen chicken tenders

Jar of sweet and sour sauce

Red bell peppers (chopped)

Onion (chopped)

Pineapple chunks.

Cooked Rice

Just cook your rice. While that is cooking preheat oven to 475 degrees. Spread out chicken tenders (I chop up to bite size pieces) on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, pull tray out and add your veggies and fruit to the tray. Back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes (depends on how cooked you want the veggies). Remove from oven and pour the chicken and veggies/fruit into a oven proof bowl and stir in sweet and sour sauce. Once completely mixed put the bowl in the oven for 7 minutes.

Serve over rice. Super easy and very yummy!

That was our late night dinner. I hope you enjoyed your visit! Have a great day! Pssst… this coming Friday I will be having another giveaway for another $25.00 gift card to a different store!

I’m joining:

Metamorphosis Monday

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Mosaic Monday

Blue Monday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Table Top Tuesday

Make Your Own Flavored Coffee Creamers

Hi everyone!

Do you like all those different flavored creamers? Do you like the price? Of course not! I don’t really use these commercial creamers very often. I have to have a really good coupon and a sale going. But, I like to have a variety of flavors on hand in case I want a cup of something different.

So, I make my own. One of the best things about making your own is that you can control the sugar. I use Splenda for all my mixes but, you can use the same amount of sugar if you want.

Any of these creamer recipes can be made into an instant flavored coffee mix by adding a 1/2 cup (more or less) instant coffee to the mix. And you can use those leftover frozen coffee cubes to make blended flavored cold coffee treats!

I like to store these mixes in canning jars with labels. But, whatever thrifty airtight containers you find is just fine.

Another yummy thing to do with these flavored creamers is to add to ice cream and milk in a blender for tasty shakes!

Mocha Coffee Creamer
1/2 C Splenda
1 C nonfat dry milk
2 Tb cocoa

Cappuccino Coffee Creamer
1 C hot cocoa mix (I used sugar free cocoa)
3/4 C dry non-dairy creamer
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

A Snowy Night Coffee Creamer
2 C hot cocoa mix
2 C dry non-dairy creamer
1/2 C Splenda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

 
Amaretto Coffee Creamer
3/4 C powdered non-dairy creamer
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 C Splenda

Cinnamon Coffee Creamer
2/3 C Splenda
2/3 C nonfat dry milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Toffee Coffee
1 C powdered non-dairy creamer
1/2 C brown sugar

You can play around with flavors by adding a small drop of different extracts to your coffee.

 

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a $25.00 Kroger gift card! Just click the above picture! Giveaway ends this Sunday!

I am joining:

Foodie Friday

Weekend Cooking

Repurposed into a Necklace Holder

Hi everyone!

Well, I needed more space to hang necklaces so, I decided to make up a wall hanging necklace holder. Like everything else, if I can’t see it, I don’t use it. So, when I have necklaces tucked away in a jewelry box, I have a tendency to forget about them.

I started out with a thrifted picture. I removed the backing, picture and glass. I spray painted the frame pink. I knew I would have to do a couple of coats but, after seeing the light pink with the wood grain popping through, I decided I liked that look and didn’t spray any more coats.

I covered the picture with this pretty pink toile fabric and stuck it back into the frame. 

Not really pretty from the back!

So, I cut a piece of poster board to fit the back and glued it on.

Then I just took some grosgrain ribbon and glued it around the edge of the poster board and frame. 

I had these little pink chipboard pieces in my scrapbook supplies and decided to glue them onto the glass.

I swear I ironed this piece of fabric several times! Grrr. Oh well.

Next I grabbed a bag of unfinished wood knobs and some pink paint.

I glued the knobs onto each of the chipboard pieces and then just because I have a ton of white buttons, I glued a little button to each knob.

I nailed the little hanging thingy back onto the back part of the frame and then just hung it up.

Just a little shabbiness.

Don’t forget to enter my $25.00 Kroger Gift Card Giveaway!

Just click on the above picture! But, hurry, the giveaway ends Sunday!

I’m joining:

Feathered Nest Friday

Home Sweet Home

Vintage Inspired Friday

Show and Tell Friday

Fridays Unfolded

Tickled Pink 

Inspiration Friday

Pink Saturday

Saturday Nite Special

Thrifty Things Friday Party #18! (AND a Giveaway!!)

Hi everyone!

Oh, I am so excited for this week’s party! It took everything I had not to post this earlier in the week. LOL So, today’s thriftiness is grocery shopping! Yup, that’s what I said, grocery shopping.

Isn’t that a place we all need to be a little thrifty?  I am definitely not an “Extreme Couponer” but, I am a very good couponer and have been pretty much my whole life. 

Last year I partnered up with General Mills and MyBlogSpark for the big Kroger Mega Sale. They provided me with a gift card and one for a giveaway.

These two shopping trips were part of my thriftiness at this sale. 

You can see this Kroger shopping trip at this post.

This is what I got:
12 - Boxes of cereal
8 - boxes of Betty Crocker Brownie Mixes
3 - bags of Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes
9 - Hamburger Helpers
2 - Betty Crocker Delights
2 - Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
8 - Pillsbury Crescent rolls
4 - Pillsbury Grands Biscuits
5 - Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls
2 - dozen boxes of Donuts
1 - Package of dinner rolls
My total before sales and coupons was = $131.43
After sales and coupons, my out of pocket was = $38.97

Here was my second Kroger shopping trip. You can read the full post HERE.

Total before sale prices & coupons: $109.99
After Mega Sale discounts and all my coupons: $29.74!!
I was so excited! I must admit, when I was watching everything get rung up, I started to sweat a bit. LOL
This is what I got:
10 - 4 packs of Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt
3 - 4 packs of Yoplait Delights Parfait Yogurts
1 - Yoplait Whipped Yogurt
4 - Pillsbury Grand Biscuits
6 - Boxes of Hamburger Helper
8 - Boxes of Betty Crocker Brownie Mixes
2 - Bags of Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes
2 - Boxes of Quaker True Delights Bars
1 - Bag of Quaker Rice Cake Snacks
2 - SoBe Life Waters
1 - Betty Crocker Warm Delights
2 - Boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal
1 - Box of Trix Cereal
1 - Bag of Baked Lays Chips
I had a total of 44 items and everything but the SoBe water & the single Yoplait yogurt was part of the Mega Sale. So, I was able to get $20.00 ($5.00 for each 10 participating products) off my bill right away.

Was that fun or what!

 

Well, it is time once again to go grocery shopping for free! Yes, FREE! The folks at Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark are providing one of my readers a $25.00 Kroger Gift card!!

We can ALL use free groceries! 

Click on the Kroger logo above to go to the Kroger site for more info. Plus go there to get LOTS of coupons! Click on the General Mills logo above to go to their website and also gets LOTS of coupons!

Here are some details about this awesome Kroger even:

• From July 31st through August 17th save on tons of brands across more than 100 categories from General Mills, PepsiCo, Unilever, Heinz, Mars, Wrigley and Kimberly Clark.
• Look for some of your favorite participating products like, Honey Nut Cheerios, Yoplait , Pillsbury Pepsi, Doritos, Gatorade, Smart Ones, Ore-Ida, Cottonelle, Viva, Breyer´s Ice Cream, Axe , Snickers, Pedigree and Orbit.
• Look for big savings storewide at the Kroger Family of Stores, which includes Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott´s food & Pharmacy.

Don´t let the savings stop there! Make sure to follow the Cartbuster "Deal of the Day" beginning August 3rd and running through August 16th.* Download exclusive offers, on more of your favorite brands, directly to your shopper card, by visiting www.cartbuster.com, beginning Wednesday, August 3rd.
Remember, www.cartbuster.com is your link to all of the details, savings and the special "Deal of the Day" offers for the Cart Buster Savings Event, exclusively at the Kroger Co. Family of Stores. The Cart Buster Savings event beginning July 31st. "Deal of the Day" offers begin August 3rd.
*Please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for participating dates and deals. The Deal of the Day promotion is not valid at: Fred Meyer or Food 4 Less.

I want you to get the very best bang for your free $25.00! So, here are a couple of coupon sites to get even more coupons for your shopping spree!

Cellfire (upload directly to your Kroger card! No clipping!)

Coupon Suzy.com

SmartSource

ShortCuts

RedPlum

Coupons.com

I have used all the above coupon sites for awhile now. Of course, don’t forget your Sunday paper inserts.

How to enter to win a $25.00 Kroger Gift Card?

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me one of your favorite things to stock up on at the grocery store.
2. Be a Follower or sign up as a new follower and leave a comment
3. Follow me on Facebook (see side bar) and leave a comment
4. Follow me on Twitter (see side bar) and leave me a comment
5. Join this weeks “Thrifty Things Friday” party and enter an addition 3 times! (just leave 3 separate comments saying” I linked up #1”, “I linked up #2” and “I linked up #3”)
6. Mention this giveaway on your blog, Twitter or Facebook and come back here and leave a comment with the link.

Unfortunately, this giveaway will only be available to US residents.

Because I want you to be able to take advantage of this awesome Cartbuster sale, this giveaway time frame is going to be short! I want the Sponsor to have enough time to mail you your gift card!

Giveaway ends at Midnight (EST) on Sunday, July 31, 2011

**The winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to respond with their mailing address. I am leaving for vacation on Tuesday and will be gone almost two weeks and will probably not have internet access. So, I have to have this info before I leave!

For more info on this awesome sale, check out:

Kroger Website http://bit.ly/cartbustersavings

Kroger Facebook Page http://on.fb.me/krogercartfbook

Kroger Twitter Page http://bit.ly/krogertwitter

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark. they provided me with a gift card as well as offering one for a giveaway. all opinions are my own.

**Just a little tease, next week I have another $25.00 store gift card giveaway! Lots of fun coming up!**

Okay, since this post is so long with lots of info, I will not be doing “featured posts” this week. Sorry :(

Let's see all your awesome thriftiness!

Our Freebie Flowers

Hi everyone!

This little guy has been hanging out on our dill.

I have mentioned before that we have filled our flower bed with free perennials. All of these flowers were either bartered or traded with other folks at plant swaps.

This one is the herb Bee Balm. Isn’t a pretty flowering herb?~!

I love the fact that I have not bought a flower plant in 2 years! This flower bed is just full and bursting with different flowers and colors!   

Thanks for visiting with me and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

I’m joining:

Outdoor Wednesday

Fertilizer Friday

Pink Saturday