Frugal Friday with Marsha 2/13/15

Good thing I'm not suspicious on this Frugal Friday the 13th!  :)

This has been a busier than usual week.
Hubby and I got our state income tax refund in.  This means we took our yearly 'stock up' grocery shopping trip to Aldi.  Yes, it's the ONE time a year that we spend more than our normal $40 a week for groceries (and that's if we are lucky).  We generally spend about $250 on our stock up trip, but this year were only able to spend $168 due to some past due bills.
It's still nice to not have an empty deep freeze.

We did some menu planning before leaving.  Menu plans for having family over for meals. 
Looking back, some of what we did buy, I could have gotten for less money with sales and coupons at other stores.  I can honestly say that I wish I would have had the extra time needed for that planning.

Gasoline is up to $2.19 a gallon here now.  It's not that I can complain compared to gas prices we've seen over the past several years, but under $2 a gallon was extra nice. 
A couple times this week I have had to catch rides with church members to save on the gas in my big van.  Yay for those who are willing to do so!  (funerals at church)

I'm still working on my husband to get bills paid ON TIME to avoid the wasted money of late fees.  It's a battle, but I am standing my ground on it.  I downloaded Dave Ramsey's Guide to Budgeting and I am going to send the file over to his computer.  I'm thankful to the person who share that it was a free download!  Click HERE to download it free.

I'm going to leave you this week with some cute Frugal merchandise that I found over on zazzle.
Use the code BUYNSAVEDEAL to save with the President's Day Sale.
I also recently found out that zazzle offers a deal for free shipping. For $9.95 a year you can get Unlimited FREE Standard Shipping on all orders for qualifying products and access to exclusive sales and discounts. They even allow you a 30 day free trial. Free shipping adds up to big savings!

Frugal Chick Coffee Mugs by chicktees
Browse Frugal Mugs online at Zazzle.com

Countess of Clearance Keychain by bubblegumdesigns
Browse more Countess Keychains at Zazzle

"FRUGAL is the New Black" Bumper Sticker by cowboyannie
Browse Economy Bumper Stickers

Looking forward to what you share this week!

An InLinkz Link-up

Writer's Unite 2/12/15

Can it be Thursday already?  February seems to be flying by.  In a way that's good as that means Spring will seem to get here sooner.

I'm reading this week that people who have cashed in at bubblews this month are already receiving their money.  That's a good thing.  One gal was paid only 4 days after redeeming.
Of course it will take months to get up to $50 again, that's a bad thing.
Several of us are still plugging away.  There are even some who are still writing 10 posts a day...something I never did anyway.  I write 2 or 3 a day at the most, I had a couple of days this past week where I wrote 4 in a day.

I'm busy outside the home as usual, but right now it's a lot of unplanned activity as well.  I'm still keeping up with my blog, which makes me happy.  I'm getting in books again for review.  I will share the link to one of those in the linky in case you missed it, and then one of my bubblews posts.

Can't wait to see what you share with us this week!

An InLinkz Link-up

WIP Wednesday 2/11/15

Not a bad week productive wise.  I finished re-doing the binding on the blue and peach quilt and have it re-listed in my zibbet shop.

I got in some work on the pink hexagons.  Pink is the color of the month for the scrappy challenge with the soscrappy blog.
No connection to the scrappy challenge, but I also finally got out the cone of pink cotton yarn that I bought almost a year ago and got started on making pink washcloths/dishcloths.  I did put one set of 2 up for sale in my etsy shop.
I put both in my photo.

Yesterday was the monthly sewing club at church. I continued working on the 4 patch tops.  This is the 3rd and last one, but it still needs one more row put on to be complete.

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
? sets of doll blanket, pillows and rug
Hexagon flower table runner
Blue hexagon table topper

2015 Finishes:

Locker Hook Rug
re-do binding on blue and peach patchwork

I am linking up with the following blogs:

Featured Coupons for Your Printing Pleasure!

COUPONS.COM

$0.75 off any one KRAFT Natural Cheese
$1.00 off any two KRAFT Natural Cheese
$3.00 off Your Purchase of A Mouse Tale
$3.00 off Laugh & Learn Smart Stages™ Tea Set
$3.00 off Snugapuppy™ Calming Vibrations Soother
$5.00 off 3-in-1 Musical Activity Gym
$5.00 off Laugh & Learn Puppy's Stages™ Speedway
$2.00 off Fisher Price 2-in-1 Activity Chime Ball
$2.00 off Fisher Price Stack & Explore Blocks
$5.00 off Baby Minnie Mouse Musical Touch 'n Crawl
$5.00 off Fisher Price 3-in-1 Musical Mobile
$2.00 off Laugh & Learn Smart Stages™ Puppy
$3.00 off Laugh & Learn Storybook Rhymes
$5.00 off Fisher Price Newborn-to-Toddler Play Gym
Buy PLAY-DOH Playset, get free Play-Doh 4 pack
$5.00 off Laugh & Learn Smart Stages™ Chair
$3.00 off Roller Blocks Whirlin' Train Town
$5.00 off Calming Seas Projection Soother
$5.00 off Fisher Price Poppity-Pop™ Musical Dino
$4.00 off Fisher Price Musical Lion Walker
$5.00 off 3-in-1 Bounce, Stride & Ride Elephant
$5.00 off Fisher Price Roar 'n Ride Lion

All Business Monday -- A Productive Week

If you recall from my post

All Business Monday--Establishing Routines

I have a pretty chaotic life, busy busy away from home a lot.  That does make it harder to have what I would consider to be an online business.

Last week I got to be home ALL day on Thursday.  On occasion I do get a full day at home, but never has it been as productive as last Thursday.

I even wrote a bubblews post about it the following day if you are interested:

I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Yesterday 

I listed a new book in my half.com store and even sold a book from my store.

That day I listed my very first locker hook rug in my etsy shop.

I also started crocheting pink cotton washcloths/dishcloths.  I also have a set of those up in my etsy shop as well.

I even got busy and finally got all of my Box Tops for Education cut.  I put one set up on listia, and have 2 more ready to be listed.  Let the points roll in so I can start buying with my points again!

Hoping to stay at least this productive every week!

What have you been up to with your earning efforts this week?

An InLinkz Link-up

Super Sunday Reviews --Pigments of Your Imagination

Pigments of Your Imagination--Creating with Alcohol Inks is by Cathy Taylor and published by Schiffer.  Published February 3, 2015.

I have seen art such as  what is in this book and have always thought it was so cool and pretty.  I had never heard of alcohol inks until receiving the book.
I immediately thought of my 2 youngest daughters.  One who loves to draw and is good at it.  The other is very craftsy, always finding projects on pinterest to do with her children.

Pigments of Your Imagination is set up into 6 sections:  Simply Start, Special Effects, Ink-Scapes, Flora and Fauna-Scapes, Fabric Effects, and Everything Else.
Also included are dedication, foreward, introduction, finding your muse, materials and tools, about alcohol inks, gallery, glossary, resources, guest artists, acknowledgements, and about the authour sections.

Here is one of the pages from the Flora and Fauna-Scapes section:

Each section is full of vibrant illustrations and well written, clear instructions.

As a quilter, the Fabric Effects section interests me the most.  I look forward to being able to buy the supplies needed and give designing my own fabrics a try!

Enjoy this video by the author, Cathy Taylor.

An InLinkz Link-up

Frugal Friday With Marsha--Week in Review

This week sure seems to have flown by!
Frugal highlights of my week were:

Bare bones grocery shopping and eating from what we already have in the freezer and cabinets.  Unfortunately bare bones shopping is a necessity right now.

We went to the Salvation Army and had the certified IRS tax preparers there do our taxes for free over paying H&R Block over $200 this year!  This was a major accomplishment on my part to finally get hubby to agree to go there and save all of that money.

I haven't had a chance to take advantage of sales with coupons this past week.  I did use 4 Angel Soft TP coupons to stock up a bit on those and I shared my other 2 coupons with my mom so she could get some cheap too.

A code that someone shared on TSU for amazon enabled me to order and receive a pair of socks for .50. They are now added to my gifts stash tote.

Our supper last night was ham slices from the freezer, oven fried potatoes, peas and carrots, and crescent rolls.   I opened the Tightwas Gazette book and used her easy instructions for making the oven fried potatoes.  They were yummy and simple.  There are several other recipes in the book that I look forward to using as well.


Gasoline has jumped up to over $2 a gallon now.  I can't complain about $2.09 compared to over $5 we've seen in the past.  I have been making sure to not just run to one place.  If I am out I make the most of my trip.  It pays to plan the best route for no back tracking and to make sure you get everything done that you need while you are out.

I finished my first locker hook rug.  I love having yet another use for scrap fabrics.  I'm itching to start another rug as I still have 2 bags of strips that were given to me.  Currently I've gotten out the big cone of cotton yarn that I was fortunate to find at a yard sale, and crocheting dishcloths/washcloths.   I feel so blessed with other give me materials to work with or I find them cheaply at thrift stores or yard sales!  That makes my crafting very frugal.

I think that's about it for this week's report.  I look forward to seeing what others have posted this week.

An InLinkz Link-up

Writer's Unite 2/5/15

Good Thursday to all!  How has your week been?  How is the weather in your part of the country?
It's not terribly bad in Kansas.  We've had some bitter cold windy days and there is just a bit of snow on the ground.  I'm reading all over the internet about those of you that are having massive snow.
My week has been hectic.  Nothing new about that, just different stresses this week.

This week I would like to address how you handle PR emails that come to your inbox.  I know over the years I've signed up at several different websites for my blogging.  I just updated my info at 2 of those recently--then dummy me didn't make note of what the websites even were!
I've not kept up with sverve, tomoson, etc where you apply for blog posts.

I consistently am still getting emails from PR companies asking me to post this or that.  A good portion of those offer no compensation.  In the beginning, if it was something that related to the things that I post about on a regular basis, I would try to get it posted.  Anymore I mostly just delete the emails.   Actually I've been deleting those for a long time now.
I don't feel that I should be expected to post without compensation or a product sent to me.
A few times I've braved up and replied that I would love to post it, but would need compensation.
A few times I've gotten a reply "sorry, but we are unable to compensate at this time", but a few times now the reply has been that they are happy to compensate me.
I don't ask near what I read that a lot of bloggers are receiving as far as compensation.

Do you also feel that your time is worth either pay or a product in return for a post?

I need help still.  I can not, for the life of me, get my coding right for my buttons in the side bar.  The space keeps coming up blank where you are supposed to be able to paste the code to add it to your blog.
I also have some redesigning to do as well as removing of pages and side bar items that are no longer needed.

I hope you've had a good writing week.  I look forward to what you share this week.

An InLinkz Link-up

WIP Wednesday 2/4/15

Hopping along from the WIP Wednesday linky's on the other blogs I ran across someone who is participating in the OPAM 2015 challenge.  I decided that is just what I need to push motivate me to actually finish projects.  You can click the button in my sidebar for more information.
I pushed to get the locker hook rug done by the end of the month. 

I worked a little more on the blue hexagon table topper while on a road trip and then while running my mom around town.  I still have a ways before it's done.

Looks like the color for this month with the soscrappy challenge is pink.  I pulled out all of the pink hexagons that I had in my box.  Way too many to ever think of getting them all basted this month, but I will give it my best shot around other projects.
I had a few that were already basted, several sets put together to make flowers, and several singles that I already had papers pinned to.

Then last night I pulled out the peach and blue quilt that I am re-doing the binding on.  I'm not sure if I am on side 2 or 3, but hoping for side 3 so that I can actually get it done over this next week.
I'm not sure about listing it up for sale---it's one of my first quilts made years back--it has quite a few flaws.  How about that it's centered with a mattress pad, and a worn one at that?  One spot where I ironed that mattress pad is now stuck to the top.  How about that I used a sheet set to make the quilt and I didn't even cut off the top edge of the sheet on the back?  Sigh.....   Hubby says he will be more than happy to take the quilt as his own.  I may just let him have it.

Here is my current UFO list and I was able to start my 2015 finishes list too.

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
? sets of doll blanket, pillows and rug
Hexagon flower table runner
re-do binding on blue and peach patchwork
Blue hexagon table topper

2015 Finishes:

Locker Hook Rug


I am linking up with the following blogs:

Orkin's #BedBugFeud and Giveaway

At Orkin, they use the latest technology and unparalleled training to develop an effective treatment that's right for your needs.
To learn more about their pest control based in science or to schedule an inspection, visit orkin.com or call 1-800-800-ORKIN.

Think you have what it takes to make it on the leaderboard? Play Bed Bug Feud and beat the clock to be crowned the Bed Bug Champion!



Also find Orkin around the web:
Orkin on Facebook: facebook.com/OrkinPestControl
Ask The Orkin Man® on Twitter: twitter.com/AskTheOrkinMan
Orkin YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/OrkinVideo



One lucky Marsha's Spot reader will win a CleanRest Pillow Encasement. Enter using the rafflecopter form below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Orkin. Information was sent to me for the purpose of this post. Giveaway is sponsored by Orkin and prize delivery is their responsibility.