Friday, February 27, 2015

Frugal Friday With Marsha 2/27/15

Just one more day left in February.  In some ways it seems to have flown by.  I can't wait for Spring.

Speaking of Spring, have you started your Spring cleaning yet?  I'm reading online different places that many have.  I keep commenting back to them that when they are done, they can come to my house next.

I went to a meeting Monday morning and on the way gas was still $2.18 a gallon.  When I got out of the meeting at noon, it had jumped to $2.29 :(  It's holding steady there.  When I put gasoline in my mom let me use her Plus card to get 10 cents off a gallon.  That helped.  I never use our gas points because I let hubby use them when he gases up.   I WISH they wouldn't combine our cards just because we live in the same house and are married.  I would much rather know that points on my card are from money that I spent at the store and the points on his card are his.
Sometimes we go together to gas and gas both vehicles on the same pump.  That's not happened for some time though.

I used all of my amazon credit this past week ordering myself 2 slow cookers.  I have several recipes that I want to make and our 6 qt slow cooker is just too large for them.
I LOVE the fact that I can earn amazon through PerkTV (code 860efbf6 will earn you 50 bonus points) and Swagbucks and Checkpoints (use bonus code marsha32 on sign up)!
Here are the ones that I ordered:






Thursday, February 26, 2015

Writer's Unite 2/26/15

February is coming to a close.  It seems this month has flown by.  We've had nice days and we've had days like today where it's 10 degrees outside.  Here in Kansas we've not had the bad snow like so many are seeing around the country.  Every day that passes is one day closer to Spring!

I've been writing more posts per day again on bubblews even though the pay is very low.  They are still messing with finding good advertisers and having some issues with adsense.  I hope they get it right.  Several have come back after at least one other writing platform has closed and a couple of the others are having trouble paying.  I just stick with what I know and what I am comfortable with because I am already trying to do way more than I should be!

How has your writing week been?  I have kept up with my blogging better, but still would like to get to where I am putting in 2 posts a day.

I look forward to what you share with us this week.



Wednesday, February 25, 2015

WIP Wednesday 2/25/15

Oh my.  I believe the only thing I have worked on this past week is the pink hexagon table topper!

 I posted this picture in bubblews yesterday and shared it a few places.  I asked opinions on adding another round and then which of those 3 fabrics I should use for that round and for the backing.
The darker pink gingham was the choice by everyone.
I actually have a start on it, but chose to just go ahead and share this picture.

Even though pink will end for the soscrappy blog color challenge, I will continue to work on this until it's finished!  This is a promise to myself. 

Hopefully next week I have more projects to share in progress!   In the meantime, here is my list of unfinished objects.

 UFO's:

Rectangle quilt
challenge wall hanging
GoodNight Irene quilt/wall hanging
Yo-Yo Table runner
Emerald Island Fusique table runner
Five and Dime quilt
Fractured Pineapple quilt
Charming Stars quilt
Brown half square triangle quilt
5 sets of doll blanket, pillows and rug
Hexagon flower table runner
Blue hexagon table topper
Pink hexagon table topper

And I am linking up with the following blogs:
 WIP Wednesday at Freshly PiecedWIPs on Wednesdays
RSC 15

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Swagbucks Lucky 7 Birthday Code Extravaganza!

Today's your lucky day -- it's a Birthday Extravaganza! Well, maybe not your birthday, but Swagbucks.com turns 7 today & they're celebrating by giving away a bunch of free bonus Swag Bucks!  Wednesday, Feb 25th, they start giving out Swag Codes at 7am PST / 10am EST and the fun doesn't stop until 6pm PST / 9pm EST!  They are giving out 6 Swag Codes throughout the day for a total of 49 SB. What's even better is that they released the Swag Code schedule, so you know exactly when and where to find all the Codes!! (see my image for the Swag Code times)What's a Swag Code? Well, they are fun little codes made of letters and/or numbers & it's how Swagbucks gives out bonus SB.  They are only live for an hour typically, so you have to know where to find them (or hear from other SB members) and enter it on the site or mobile app to get your SB. Occasionally, Swagbucks will throw a big Extravaganza where they give out multiple Swag Codes in one day along with other fun ways to win bonus Bucks. And all those bonus SB come in handy when it's time to redeem for gift cards. So if you haven't joined Swagbucks yet, now is the perfect time! Get caught up in the birthday bonus Swag Bucks and sign up today!


Join in on Swagbucks 7th Birthday!!



Everyone!! Swagbucks turns 7 TODAY! Why does that matter? Well, it's the BIGGEST day of the year for Swagbucks, where they give their members tons of SB and bonuses! In fact, this year for the first time ever, they are giving away an exclusive bonus that's only available to people who join in on the Lucky 7 Birthday Challenge!

Tomorrow only, Feb 25th, starting at 7am PST/10am EST/3pm GMT/2am AEDT (on Feb 26th, for Australia), you can click HERE to join the Birthday Challenge. Not only will you get your exclusive bonus, but you'll join thousands of SB members to unlock the mystery jackpot bonus.  You see, there  are 7 goals that need to be completed. You contribute points toward those goals by earning Swag Bucks in seven different categories. Once a goal has received enough points, it will unlock a special letter on the Swagbucks slot machine. The new mystery jackpot bonus will be revealed when all 7 goals have been completed.

Here’s how to contribute points:
  • Searching The Web - Every time you earn Swagbucks through search made from a defaulted Swagbucks search engine, you’ll contribute 35 Points to the search goal! If you haven’t defaulted your search engine to Swagbucks Search you can do it now by visiting the Default Your Search page.
  • Answer Surveys - Earn Swag Bucks by giving your opinion and every time you do, even for DQs and OQs, you’ll contribute 28 Points to the Answer Goal.
  • Swagstakes - Any and Every Swagstakes you enter starting at 7am on the day of the birthday will contribute 14 Points to the Swagstakes goal.
  • Mobile Offers (US only) - Every time you earn Swag Bucks from a mobile offer you’ll contribute 21 Points to the Mobile Offers goal.
  • Special Offers - Complete any offer on our Birthday and you’ll contribute 21 Points to the Special Offer goal.
  • Encrave - Discover, earn, and contribute 14 Points to the Encrave goal.
  • Swag Codes - Redeem your Swag Codes through the Swag Button (all countries) or Mobile app (US only) and you’ll contribute 7 Points to the Swag Codes goal.
If you haven't signed up for Swagbucks yet, NOW is the best time. With the birthday in full swing, it's the most rewarding time to be a Swagbucks member! So sign up today on the birthday and start getting bonus SB for your very first gift card!

Monday, February 23, 2015

All Business Monday -- Getting On the Right Track

Image: License: CC0 Public Domain / FAQ Free for commercial use / No attribution required


I feel like I am on the right track with my business.  If I can keep it up, things will be awesome.

I did manage to post daily here to my blog after missing a couple of days last week.  Eventually I would like to get to where I am doing 2 posts per day.

I listed 2 more books in my half.com store.  I also sold a book this past week.

I finished making all of the pink cotton crocheted washcloths that I could with the yarn I had.  I listed 2 sets of them up in my Zibbet store.


I listed this set of 4 patchwork hot pads in my Etsy shop.  I also got an order for a set of the coasters this past week.

I've been getting in more items for review again, which is always good.  A lot of what I get in are books, so reading has been upped in my life. 
I'm also still keeping up with my paperwork like I should be!

How has your past week of earning been?




Sunday, February 22, 2015

Super Sunday Reviews -- The Funeral Dress



The Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg Gilmore
ISBN 978-0-307-88621-7
Published by Broadway Books

The Funeral Dress starts in the year 1974. Emmalee has decided to quit school and is hoping to get a job at the local shirt factory. She does get the job.
The next chapter skips to 3 years later. Emmalee is now 19 and has a baby.

The book skips from chapter to chapter going back to the past and then back to the present. At first I didn't like this. I wanted to know what was happening in the present. I soon figured out that the past tied to the present and was important to the story.

See, Emmalee lost her mother years before to sickness. She was raised by her alcoholic father in nothing more than a shack. They had no running water and barely any food. Now she is trying to take care of a baby with little no-how and still no running water, and barely any food....also barely any heat!

I don't want to tell much else about the book or it will give away most of the story, but a lot of the book revolves around Emmalee making the funeral dress. Emmalee just can't seem to catch a break for a better life.
Below is a picture of the copy of the book that I was sent for this review. You will notice that they also sent me a package of tissues as well.
There are definitely tear shed moments throughout the book. You can't help it. You want to scream at the same time and ask why?


Here is what I was sent about the book:

" The Funeral Dress is a deeply touching Southern story filled with struggle and hope. Emmalee Bullard and her new baby are on their own. Or so she thinks, until Leona Lane, the older seamstress who sat by her side at the local shirt factory where both women worked as collar makers, insists Emmalee come and live with her. Just as Emmalee prepares to escape her hardscrabble life in Red Chert holler, Leona dies tragically. Grief-stricken, Emmalee decides she’ll make Leona’s burying dress, but there are plenty of people who don't think the unmarried Emmalee should design a dress for a Christian woman - or care for a child on her own. But with every stitch, Emmalee struggles to do what is right for her daughter and to honor Leona the best way she can, finding unlikely support among an indomitable group of seamstresses and the town’s funeral director. In a moving tale exploring Southern spirit and camaraderie among working women, a young mother will compel a town to become a community."


I don't have the time (or should say take the time) to read books anymore like I should. The majority of my reading is done in bed with my nightstand lamp. This book kept me up rather late for many nights. I wanted to stop reading and get to sleep, but I also wanted more to know what was going to happen next in the book. Very good read! I highly recommend it.

They suggest this to be a good book for your reading club and I do agree. In fact, you can go to SusanGreggGilmore.com for more information and for extra book club materials like a hash brown casserole recipe, a reading group guide, and a Q&A with the author.



Disclosure: I rec'd a copy of The Funeral Dress and further information for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are my own. This post does contain affiliate links.



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