Silhouette Mustaches

Do you remember last May when I got a Silhouette Cameo for my birthday?

I am ashamed to admit I haven't really used it much since I got it. Most of that is due to the fact that my laptop crashed last summer and my desktop can't handle the program. But now that I have my new fancy laptop, I've started to figure out how this bad boy works!

First project I worked on is cutting a vinyl phrase to put on the wall at work. It look me a super long time to figure out how to do this and I definitely made some mistakes, but my photo manager got the saying she wanted and she's happy with it.

Super awesome cell phone picture too! The hardest part was cutting out the little Mary Poppins!

Even though that saying didn't work out all nice and perfect, it gave me the motivation (and extra vinyl paid for by my boss) to create something I've been wanting to put in my house for a long time....

I love it! It's right above my closet in the entry hall. We have vaulted ceilings and that huge empty space was screaming for some attention!

And then last weekend, after a little vodka, I felt silly and made these...

I mean really, who doesn't need a mustache on their outlets?!?! I seriously walked around my house and put them on random outlets. They make me giggle every time I see one. I made some for my friend at work and my sister, who's totally obssessed with the stach!

For those of you who have a Silhouette, here's a tip for you....
The mustaches and the fancy scroll thingy besides my last name are both fonts. Go to dafont.com and look under the wingdings section. You can find TONS of cool shapes and things to use on your machine without having to pay for the graphics. Just download and install with your regular fonts and type away!

Now that I'm getting the hang of how this machine works, I might just start putting vinyl on everything! Haha

Hope you are having a great week!

Coupons, Coupons, Coupons!!

So since the start of the year I've been doing some couponing. Not extreme (ok kinda) but just buying things I know we will use when they are at a good price (or free!)

I've watched probably every episode of Extreme Couponing and it just fascinates me. I know some episodes and people they have featured have been cases of coupon fraud....but for those that are legit, it blows me away! I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm cheap, so this works for me.

I learned a little from a friend of mine, and from reading other blogs of couponers. Now I'm teaching a few other friends, and my sister.

Here's a few of the shopping trips I've had this last 5 weeks.....

Do you see on the Walmart receipt where they PAID me $0.18?!?! Yep! You should have seen the confusion on the cashiers face when her register said that hahaha. She was so clueless.

Approximate retail value of all that stuff is $710. I've paid approx $169!!

If you want to see what I do every week, head on over to my facebook page and check it out! Feel free to ask questions too!

What do you do to save money??

T Shirt Quilt

I said I was back to blogging, then I disappeared again! Argh!
There is an explanation.... one that you will see here soon through some posts I WILL write :)

This may be long overdue, and since there is no threat of spoiling my sisters' Christmas present anymore, I'm sharing with you the T Shirt Quilt I made her.

My sister has always been a very skinny person, but in the past year or two she has (sis forgive me) put on some "happy/beer" weight. As a result, she has had to part with all her beloved clothes. She brings bags of clothes to me to go through before we donate them. I gotta admit, she's got some great stuff! She had no clue I had been holding onto all the t shirts she's parted with. She is a yoga pant, t shirt kinda gal, so I know it was hard for her to get rid of her fun shirts. So for Christmas I decided to make her a t shirt quilt.

I've debated on making a quilt before, but just never gave it a go. After doing this quilt, I may have to throw in the towel and never make another one again. SO MUCH WORK! And math too....geez I hate math...

Not the best picture in the world...

She loved it! The back is a soft fleece. It is a black base, with brightly colored flowers all over it. I was actually surprised that the binding was as easy as it was. I expected it to be much harder! I also did NOT use any batting. I figured with the fleece backing, it would be thick enough and warm enough without it. Plus, I'm cheap and batting is not!

In the end I was happy that she was happy! This project definitely put my patience to the test, but I loved out it turned out!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe new year last night! Mine was totally lame. I did the exact same thing I did last year, which was nothing. I sat in bed with the kid and crocheted a baby hat while we watched tv. And to make it worse, I accidentally missed the countdown...I was on the wrong channel. We started hearing fireworks and I checked my phone, it was 12. Oops, sorry kid....happy new year, time for bed. Then I spent another hour and a half watching the Kardashians (my guilty pleasure, shh don't tell).

So here we are in 2013. I don't neccesarily make resolutions, but there are a few things I need to work on personally this year. Also some goals I would like to accomplish. I had some rough times in 2012 and I'm hoping this year turns out to be better.

Since I've been absent from my blog for the last 6 months I thought I would catch you up my life through the eyes of Instagram. Here's what I've been doing....

I took a girls trip with my mom and sister to the lake. It was a really good weekend :)

Yep, I read all these books....and then started the Crossfire novels, which are along the same lines. Loved them all!

We went to more ball games this year than I can count.

 

Us, on the right, with my sis and her boo at a ball game.

And another ball game....told you we went to a lot of games!

I changed my hair color from the navy blue that it was, to this turquoise color.

Spent some time with the family at the water park.

Went to KC Irish Fest in the heaviest downpour ever!

Had some amazing craft beers brewed at my favorite brewery in KC.



Fell in a hole at my bff's house at her bachelorette party. Sprained ankle. Super fun to walk down the aisle in heels at her wedding! Took 2 months for this to heal :(

Enjoyed some blissful nights by the firepit.

These dogs crack me up! She falls asleep sitting up!

Mr. Perfect bought me a gorgeous orchid plant. I usually end up killing them after a few months, but they are so pretty to look at until then.

For 3 years we have not had a working overhead light in the kitchen. Don't ask me why it took us so long to just get a new light, but we finally did! What a difference that has made around here

Enjoyed a Vetereans Day celebration at the kiddo's school. My dad was invited to be honored. It was a special day, and I was happy to be able to go.

Sat through the kiddo's first violin performance of the year.

Raking, ugh, nuff said

My sweet baby in the leaves. I mean seriously, the cuteness!

Little baby got a yellow pea coat to wear in the cold. She has next to no hair and comes from NC.

Christmas!

Played a very competitive game of electronic Monopoly with the family.

Made super cute little tote bags to hold gifts for the nieces for Christmas

Really? Little dog is lucky old dog is so nice...

Had a dinner date with my kiddo. Finally convinced her to get something other than a gross cheeseburger at the mexican place we like to go to. Those tacos are the best!

Thanks to mom and dad for the new laptop for Christmas!!! Now I can blog again ;)

It snowed several inches yesterday. I thought it was just darling that these two were watching it together. Best friend love.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed some of the better things that have happened in the last 6 months. There was also some bad, lots of bad, but I won't get into that here. Hope everyone is enjoying the new year! I will be back very soon to show you some of the projects I have been working on around here :)

 

Happy 2013!