Get more free gift cards during November Swago with Spin & Win

The digital rewards site Swagbucks is celebrating Thanksgiving early with another big "Swago" promotion starting Monday, November 6th at 9am PT and running until Monday, November 13th! Swago is just like bingo, but in this case you're filling out squares as you earn points on their site for doing things you already do online. If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster. Here are a few tips: 

• Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, completing a survey, or just visiting one of our popular stores!
   
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
   
• You have until 12pm PT/3pm ET on Monday, November 13th to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
   
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value. Once you’ve achieved a pattern, the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
• Each activity you successfully complete on your Swago Board will give you anywhere from 1-20 spins on the Spin & Win Wheel. PLUS, when you submit your board for a bonus you'll get additional spins. The number of spins will depend on the pattern you complete. The wheel has all sorts of great prizes that you can win, and each spin is a winner!

The Spin & Win Wheel will be available all throughout Swago and you have until 11:59pm PT on Monday, November 16th to use all your spins. 

Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 500 SB bonus, which is enough for a $5 gift card from the retailer of your choice.  

Click here right now and click "Join" to get started! If you don't already have a Swagbucks account, you'll be able to quickly sign up; PLUS, if you earn 300 SB before the first of next month, you'll get a bonus 300 SB!

The 2017 Swagbucks Holiday Sale!

Swagbucks is offering double cash back at dozens of different stores (like Macy's and Target) during their 2017 Holiday Sale. Just go to this page to see all of the deals available and get the jump on your holiday shopping. There are 

In order to take advantage of the cash back, just create your Swagbucks account when prompted (it takes less than 30 seconds) and then you're all set! Your cash back comes in the form of SB points, which you can redeem for gift cards to places like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, or get PayPal cash!

As a special bonus, if you sign up through me you get a 300 SB ($3) bonus when you earn your first 300 SB before December 1st! This site's a great way to extend your shopping budget, especially around the holidays!

Frugal Friday With Marsha -- Church Rummage Sale Finds

I went to a quilt retreat last Friday and Saturday that ended up being real frugal since she changed the place to host and then the retreat was free!!  Because of being there, I missed putting out my Frugal Friday post last week.

In my previous post I wrote about the few things I had bought early from that church rummage sale.  We went back on Saturday for the $2 a sack sale.  I ended up with the items in the picture in 2 sacks, so just $4.

I got several pieces of clothing and socks for Amelia, a few pieces of clothing for myself, a couple of t-shirts to cut up for rugs and rags, misc dishes, hair bands, and even several little things that are now in my gift stash tote.

It's another busy Friday with it being my mom's payday, but I can't leave you without at least a few coupons to print, freebies to send for and sweepstakes to enter!  Good Luck!!

Free 2-Year Subscription to Field & Stream Magazine

LEGO Mini Model Build - Free LEGO Dog

Free Subscription to Diabetic Living Magazine

Free Items with the Kroger 25 Merry Days - Starts 11/24


Sweeps to enter:

Win a Nintendo Prize Pack

Win a Canon EOS Rebel T6 Digital SLR Camera & Lense Kit

Win Holiday Must-Haves from Spanx, Blistex, and Glade worth $85

Win a Country Sampler Holiday Home Prize Pack worth $600

Get $3 when you sign up for Swagbucks during November's "Three for Fall"

If you haven't tried Swagbucks before, you can get a bonus $3 for signing up during November as part of their Three for Fall promotion. Swagbucks is a rewards site where you earn points (called SB) for things you're probably doing online already, like searching, watching videos, discovering deals, and taking surveys. Then you take those points and exchange them for gift cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, or PayPal cash. 

When you sign up through me this month, you can earn a $3 bonus! Here's how: 

1. Sign up using this link 

2. Earn 300 SB total before 12/1/17. You'll get a $3 (300 SB) bonus for it! 

3. If you want even more bonuses, you'll get a $10 (1000 SB rebate) bonus for making your first shop purchase! That's in addition to the SB you earn for every dollar you spend. 

That's it. It's super easy, and Swagbucks is for real. I use it myself, and I've earned over $3,000!  I cash in for PayPal and amazon codes and occasionally choose another gift card such as WalMart.   I use the PayPal to help with bills and to be able to attend my quilt retreats.  I mostly use the amazon I cash in for to keep our many cats in food and litter, but I also have saved for bigger items such as tablets, lamps, shelving, and even a sewing machine!

If you aren't a member of Swagbucks, you really are missing out.

WIP Wednesday-- Quilt Retreat

You know what kind of past week I've had when you see that I've not done a blog post since last Wednesday!

Friday and Saturday was the annual October quilt retreat hosted by the local quilt shop, Cottonwood Quilts.
I swore to the owner of the shop, and to myself, that if I wasn't done with the yo-yo projects that I would work on nothing else at the retreat.

Well.........I couldn't do that.  I did jump back and forth between the yo-yo's and a couple other things.
I soon figured out once again that I didn't have enough yo-yo's made to finish the projects.  I stopped, but only had enough left in green Christmas fabric for 3 more yo-yo's.  This prompted me to stop on the table runner and get started on the 2nd valance.  I figured that way I would know what was left for the table runner, if anything.

Here is a picture of the one finished valance as well as what I have done on the 2nd valance and the table runner.  It's my hope to finish these by this weekend.

In between working on the yo-yo's I worked more on the microwave hotpads.  I do have my sewing machine out and plugged in to hopefully finish those up today so that I can get them listed for sale in my Etsy shop.
The other thing that I did in between was to get several fabrics cut for the composition notebook covers that I am making for gifts this year.

One lady that comes to the retreats always tries to bring things to give us gift giving ideas.  This time around she brought in what she said is originally called a LeCou towel.  I'm going to call it a double towel scarf.  I went home Friday night and got out towels left from when I did the crochet top towels, and I've had 5 yards of the other fabric in my stash forever.
I wanted to make sure that I understood how to make it while she would be there to help me.  I didn't end up needing her help, and I think they will make great gifts and possibly something else that I can make to sell in my Etsy shop.

I found 2 more sites to link up to each week.  I hope you will check out all of the blogs that I link to:



Jo's Country Junction:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/

KatieMae Quilts for BOM weekly linky.  https://www.katiemaequilts.com/blog/

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WIP Wednesday-- Circles and Yo-Yo's

Sewing time has been much shorter than I like as usual.  I'm still trying to figure out how to remedy that.
I've been looking forward to the quilt shops quilt retreat this weekend, but as of right now I don't have the money to pay to go.  I'm still in hopes of getting the money by tomorrow, but it's not looking promising.  I keep trying to figure out how to have pretty much the same sewing time at home as I would at the retreat.  It's pretty impossible and why I feel the need to the retreats and the hours of time that is dedicated just to sewing!

I put more rows on the Christmas yo-yo table runner until once again I ran out of yo-yo's.  I'm still making more with the hope that this time I finally will have enough to finish the table runner and then move on to making the 2nd valance.  Wish me luck!

By my figures I still have 73 more yo-yo's to put on to finish the table runner.

I've had a few down times while waiting to get more circles put together for my penny rug.  I'm hoping the next picture I get to share with you is some of the circles actually sewn on to the blanket for the rug.

I link up with the following blogs, be sure to check them out also.



Jo's Country Junction:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/

KatieMae Quilts for BOM weekly linky.  https://www.katiemaequilts.com/blog/

Learn the Secrets of Drawing Cats With Observational Drawing

In this Classic Sketchbook you will learn the secrets of observational drawing of cats.

The book starts with the usual tools and materials.
Each page that you turn you will see an image of an actual artists painting or drawing of cats.  A large majority of these were drawn or painted in the 1880's.
The author then takes these and writes step-by-step on drawing them.

Now, the book is set into sections of the cats body.  You can see this lay out on the Cats Basics page.
If you are looking specifically on how to observational draw any of the body, the pages where you will find the pages for those instructions listed.  For example:  Ears pages 30-35 and Graceful Spine pages 14 and 50.

I love cats, however, I am not an artist in the genre of drawing.  I've never done any more than just doodle.   I've enjoyed looking through this book over and over to look at the artists images as well as thinking that I would love to know how to draw cats---looking at our own cats and drawing them.

I do not see this book as a starting point for learning how to draw animals, but more of a book you would buy if you already have the drawing basics down.  You would then be able to take this book and take the basics to a whole new level. 

I will continue to look into this book over time and read about the observational drawing and keep giving this drawing a try.

So far I've only tried one of the heads.  A start of one anyway.  Yes, you will notice right away that I am truthful is saying I'm not an artist in drawing.  I did pretty well on the ears and one eye using the book, but need to keep trying the other eye and the mouth area. 

In conclusion I would like to include an excerpt from the back of the book: "Not everyone who wants to draw cats in all their poses has a museum filled with masterworks nearby, and that is the purpose of this book.  We'e brought the masterworks to you, and noted artist, illustrator, and author Patricia J Wynne will help you observe, learn a thing or two about paws and fur, and capture what you see."





You may also want to check out the Classic Sketchbook: Botanicals as well.  It's another secrets of observational drawing book.







Disclosure:  I rec'd a copy of the book for the purpose of review.  I was not compensated in any other way and any opinions are my own.  Post does contain affiliate links.

Frugal Friday With Marsha -- Rummage Sale, Freebies and More

This week has just flown by.  My apologies for not getting a Frugal Friday post up last week.  I was busy at an all day lap quilt day.  We made lap quilts for the Pleasantview Home in Inman, Kansas.  Right when that event was over I headed back to town for the monthly sit n' sew night at the church.

We were served lunch at the lap quilt event and I just ran into the store and bought a $1 Lunchable for my supper at the quilt shop.

I was so busy last Friday that I totally forgot to load up my Friday Freebie from Kroger stores!  Last week it was free m&m's too, so I'm sad missing out on free candy.  This week it's free Idahoan Potato Soup, so don't miss out!

Free Idahoan Potato Soup at Kroger & Affiliates

Yesterday I posted about Daily Break.  I already went in today and played a little.  I hope you all have given it a try.  It's now on my to do daily list.  I can't wait to get enough points to trade in for an amazon gift card.  There are other choices as well as what to do with the points you earn for having fun.  I'm posting the image again that you can click on if you didn't get a chance to check it out yet.



The church where we take the children on Wednesday evenings for classes and activities is having a rummage sale tomorrow.   I love church rummage sales.  There is always so much to choose from, and that sure is the case at this one! 
We got to rummage Wednesday night.  Sure, there were loads of things I would liked to have picked up, but no need to buy things that we really don't need.

I ended up with a pair of Nike's for $1, 4 bags of thread for 50 cents each, a bag of baby bottles for $1, a sippy cup and toddler snack cup and a Pampered Chef sandwich maker.    I think I did well for just $5 total.

We will be going back tomorrow at noon when the clothes go on a sack sale.  We seen plenty of nice clothes, but for us, the prices of $1 and more was just too much to pay.  I'm hoping to find a couple pairs of good jeans for myself and maybe some winter shirts as well as baby clothes.

If you've not signed up for the Dollar Tree email list, I hope you will do that as well.  It's free and you will have the heads up on special products, get recipes and fun ideas, as well as coupons.



Last, but not least, this is a really good coupon that I want to share!  Buy one, get one free on Tum-E Yummies.   Our kids love these and it's great to have the bottles to refill with other drinks later too!
Hurry!!  This expires October 30!

Are You Getting Your Daily Break?

Daily Break is a fun site to visit daily.   
You earn points and spins for having the fun.  Those points can then be used to enter sweepstakes, or buy gift cards, magazine subscriptions, or give to charity in the store!

In addition this time around, SCJohnson has an added special!  Be sure to check it out by clicking the image above!!

Details:

• Purchase four (4) participating SC Johnson products between 10/01/17 – 11/30/17 in a single transaction.
• Earn #vc# and a chance to win a years worth of SC Johnson products by taking an easy Daily Break with a fun SC Johnson Thanksgiving quiz!
• 5 winners every day will receives a year's supply of select SC Johnson products. 300 total Prizes to give away when you opt-in for a chance to win! Take the quiz, watch videos and click on coupons to also get a $5 MasterCard when you upload a receipt for participating SC Johnson products! Must complete all aspects of quiz to receive credit. *certain terms and conditions apply

WIP Wednesday -- Lots To Share This Week

It takes a day away from home sewing for me to really get motivated, and that's what I did last Friday.
My day started in Inman, Kansas where I met with a group of ladies to sew wheelchair quilts for residents of the Pleasantview Home.   What a fun day!!  9 am to 4 pm with fun, food, fellowship and sewing.  Who could ask for a better day than that?

Here are the 2 quilts that I completed that day and I snapped a couple of pictures of others working as well.

That same day was the monthly sit n' sew at the local quilt shop from 6 to 10 pm.  I finally got back to work on the yo-yo projects.   I only put in one more row on the table runner, but from that night until yesterday, I made more yo-yo's.  Hopefully I made enough to actually finish these projects.

I got the next step done on the sets of microwave hotpads that I am making.

I got the Care Bear panels cut and have a nice start on getting those made up for little Amelia's Christmas gifts.

And, last, but not least, the ladies met at church yesterday for our monthly sewing day.  We are working on making quilts for Headstart children.   I did the finishing on one just like this one while the ladies tied this one.  I brought this one home to finish up.

If I can keep up this amount of sewing, I will be overjoyed, and I need to too if I expect to actually get things done!!

Oh yes, I also finished a baby rag quilt that is now listed in my Etsy shop, plus got another drawstring backpack listed for sale.

I link up with the following blogs:


Jo's Country Junction:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/

KatieMae Quilts for BOM weekly linky.  https://www.katiemaequilts.com/blog/