116 Days Until Christmas!

Hi everyone!

Oh great Diann is bringing up Christmas and we aren’t even out of August yet! That’s what you were thinking huh? That’s okay. I just wanted to share a freebie Christmas tray I recently got.

This heavy tray is made of the tiles. I think it will be so pretty at Christmas for taking coffee/tea/snacks into the living room when guests stop by.

Beautifully painted details. 

Yup, the tray was free. My nephew called me one day and told me his best friends parents were having a yard sale because they are moving. Well, when I got the princess ready to head over there, it started pouring rain and Zack called me back and said they were closing up the yard sale but, they told him to tell me to come over the next day and gather up whatever I wanted for free. Woohoo!

These folks used to own a floral shop so, she had quite a bit of things from that shop plus lots of other things. Yes, I found a lot of treasures. And this tray was one of them. Lots of fun things to share with you in upcoming posts. One of the things I snagged was an entire barrel of brand new, with tags still on, faux greenery. I don’t think I will have to buy any greenery for arrangements, wreaths or other floral projects for years!

Okay, you all may resume your Back to School thoughts now and forget I mentioned Christmas!

Remember, this Saturday is this month’s Thrifty Tablescape Party! I hope you join the fun. It’s all about inexpensive thrifty tablescapes!

(you can click the picture to check out our last TT party!)

And of course Thrifty Things Friday will be up Thursday! 

And one last thing…….

It’s not too late to enter the Yoplait “Pink Lids” Prize Package Giveaway!

Click picture above to enter!

I’m joining:

Rednesday

They are Runnin’ Amuck!

Hi everyone!

Holy cow! Our herbs here at home are going crazy! I need to seriously find a good chunk of time to harvest them soon!

Barrels of Peppermint and Spearmint! I have never harvested the mint flowers. I think I am going to do that and play around with some recipes using them.

Time to cut and dry some dill and dill seeds! And in the background you can see a sage plant ready to be cut back and dried as well.

More dill. Some purple basil and oregano all need harvesting!

The lemon balm is just huge! And it needs to be harvested first because we dry and sell this one. It is a popular dried herb of ours because it is very difficult to find dried lemon balm. Customers are always asking for it.

Lemon Verbena, more purple basil and some thyme are so ready to be cut! 

This is about 1/3 of our herbs here at home. They are all doing amazing!  And I have said it before, but just walking near these herbs, the smells are so wonderful! If for no other reason, planting herbs just for the scent would be something I would do!

All of our plants are completely grown chemical free. We have had such great success growing all of our herbs naturally that I can’t even image using any chemicals! 

We have several neighbors who come over and ask to buy some for our fresh herbs here at home because they are making some recipe right then and there that requires certain herbs. They all know we have a lot of fresh herbs here. We tell them to just pick what they need. Then it never fails, a couple of hours later we end up with a bowl of whatever they just cooked/baked. LOL

I am also posting this on our DTL Herbs Blog .

I am also joining:

Outdoor Wednesday

Fertilizer Friday

Don’t forget you still have time to enter the Yoplait “Pink Lids” Prize Package giveaway!

Just click the picture above!

And don’t forget, this Saturday (9/03) is this month’s Thrifty Tablescape Party!

Just click the above picture to check out August TT party!

A Seashore Table

Hi everyone!

I thought it was high tide er..time that I did a seashore tablescape. Everything on this table was bought new but, on clearance except the napkins, Coffee cups and teapot. They were all 2nd hand thrift finds There are just so many fun items of this theme for your table. Most of the things here are from the Christmas Tree Shops and the rest from TJ Maxx.

As you an see, the sun was not cooperating with me!

A “D”  and…..

A “T”

These are fun plaster letters with sea glass and shells embedded in them. They were clearanced for .50 cents each at CTS.

I started with a quilted stripe table runner (a gift from TJ Maxx folks) and then used a round woven white placemat (CTS $1.00). Then the shimmery green scalloped chargers (CTS .89 cents). The round orbs with glass and shells were also from CTS for .50 cents).

  I love the cool colors in these plates. They too were from CTS for .50 cents each.

The blue seashell votive holder and the orb with the shells and sand were both clearanced for .70 cents at TJ Maxx.

This bottle with rope and shells was on clearance at CTS for .47 cents (the bottom is missing).

The matching platter was .50 cents (CTS). The two large white seashells are salt and pepper shakers (CTS $1.00). The bird was clearance (some breakage on it) for .29 cents at CTS. The shells and glass I had.

The blue tumbler I got on clearance a year ago at CTS and the aqua glasses were from a Dollar Tree.

How cute are these initial flip flop coasters! From CTS.

I bought a set of 4 of these seashell napkin rings from TJ Maxx clearanced for $1.00.

Blue lanterns and blue glass seashell bottles from CTS for under a $1.00. 

I bought the white salad plates at TJ Maxx last year for $1.00.

Well, that as my fun clearanced seashore table.  I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Don’t forget to enter my Yoplait “Pink Lids” Prize Package Giveaway!

   Just click the picture!

Remember, this Saturday is this month’s Thrifty Tablescape Party! I hope you join the fun. It’s all about inexpensive thrifty tablescapes!

 (you can click the picture to check out our last TT party!)

And of course Thrifty Things Friday will be up Thursday! 

 

I’m joining:

Seasonal Sunday

Amaze Me Monday

Masterpiece Monday

Blue Monday

Table Top Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Open House Thursday

Tablescape Thursday

Cook an Extra Meal

Hi everyone!

Do you make up an extra meal when you are making one to eat that night? I try to do this a couple of times a week. Everyone’s lives are so crazy busy and it is so nice to have your very own frozen dinner to just pop in the oven when you don’t have time to cook.

One of my favorite meals to double up on is lasagna. Since lasagna is a little labor intensive,  I always figure I might as well make up an extra to freeze. It is pretty much as easy to make two as one.

(yes, I am all about the cheese!)

We all know single moms who are so busy and would appreciate a dinner being delivered to them from time to time. Well, my brother is a single dad with full custody of 3 teenage sons. He has raised them by himself for 10 years. He works full time, coaches baseball and is very involved with his boys. I know he lives in complete exhaustion on a regular basis. So, making an extra meal from time to time and delivering it to him as a surprise is a small burden off his shoulders. Have I mentioned how proud I am of my brother? He has done an amazing job raising his boys and turning them into wonderful young men.

Even a small bonus one.

Having an extra meal all ready to cook in the freezer is a blessing. It can save you money and time. And aren’t those the two things we all seem to need!

Don’t forget to enter the Yoplait prize package giveaway!

Just click the picture to enter!