Life is always "on the rocks" here for someone...
and Roxboro is like it's own planet.
Embrace living here..if you must,
accept that change is well...inevitable,
and enjoy life On The Rox!
Here on the Rox it is mid-winter. Well kinda. It is also FRIDAY {insert insanely large cheer}.
But seriously, is it early spring or what? Hello mid-sixty-degree weather. If you count all those butter cups popping up (which is a huge concern for me right now considering at my wedding reception they ALL stole the show in the SPRING). Will they come back if winter really gets to be winter here? I mean are we coming to the end of the world or what? We will have 70 degrees, then 27, then 65, then 38... I just don't get it. Doesn't it say something in Revelation about the seasons not changing anymore, and so on and so on...(note to self, must study Revelation)?????
Anywho, my main concern for this post is a bit of Fashionista "How-To" advice for some staple items of your winter wardrobe. You know how mid-winter your fave sweater or coat starts looking like this........???????
All knotty and fuzz ball-ish??
Well this lovely lady I spent the afternoon with last Saturday..... reminded me of a little trick that my mama taught me about taking care of the mid-winter sweater blues. She had the most delicious teal cable-knit sweater on (which was the perfect color for her complexion by the way) BUT it had some serious fuzziness and lint ball problem. Then, I magically remembered how my mama once showed me how to fix this.
Here is what you need:
Run the cheapo razor lightly against the sweater in a downward or upward motion. NEVER left to right. This will remove lint balls and that extra "fuzz" that comes from wear and re-wear on your favorite sweater. And it's way better than those sticky lint rollers- and cheap!
It has been coming for quite some time now. Yes, it's a new year, a fresh start, WHATEVER. Remember when I shared my Not-so-Resolutions here? Well, I have not been doing real good so far on some of those "making life better plans." Passout. I blame my attention span.
Anywho, my biggest challenge has been weight loss / exercise etc. Yeah, I know, another passout moment. And by Passout I mean Big Surprise (for you who may not catch my sarcasm). So, it was tonight when I dropped a generous chunk of my red-velvet pudding cupcakes on to the floor, and proceeded to call the 5-second rule (on to perfectly and recently mopped floors) that I realized....what am I doing? Can I not actually miss out on that chunk and spare myslef those few calories??? I think yes. hello reality check.
So here is my dilemma; when I am exercising I feel GrEaT! I even want to eat better. BUT, once I stop for a while it's kinda hard to start back. Kinda like missing church for a few Sundays to sleep in, and then it's so hard to get back in the grove. Same thing for me in exercising. I am off track and unfocused and I have been since October. So, I'm pulling out the reinforcements. Meet Stormie...
CIRCA 1980's
Me and Stormie go waaaaaayyyyyyyy back...Like to my middle school days. I lost like 20 pounds when I met her back-in-the-day. I know. Now, Where has she been? In the attic....chillin!
Now, let's get down to the brass tax. Stormie can come over whenever I want her to. ZUMBA and JAZZERCISE are off limits right now due to Sean working ALL THE TIME and I can't get home and to exercise class and get all my chores done. I know you moms out there are feeling me!
And as an added bonus, her and her spandex-drenched posse, 80's bangs, and leg-warmer friends get their workout on to some Jesus tunes for the perfect blend of aerobic worship. Ahhhhhhh heaven. Only problem is, I gots to go buy a blasted VCR. It is not available on DVD. You will not believe that there are 4 available as "used" on amazon starting at $36. So, you know it is good when the price is inflated!
Wouldn't that be fun with a group of church ladies on the big screen in the fellowship hall? I'm gonna say - YES!
Just for fun I you-tubed it for you- for a little preview. Some idiot added in his own "clips" of some other crap but you get the point when you see Stormie and the girls. In middle school, I always wanted to be the girl in the blue and pink with the banana clip ;) Just sayin......
Just in case you are wondering: Here is how I made those little red velvet babies:
- One Box red velvet Cake Mix
- One box Cook & Serve Jello Instant Pudding (Vanilla) - Sugar FREE and Fat FREE - 2 cups milk for pudding mix
- One small package of chocolate chips
- Whipped Cream Cheese Icing (whipped is the best!)
- Sprinkles :)
By using the pudding you can eliminate the oil and eggs completely from the directions on the cake mix. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Begin by Mixing the 2 cups milk (2%) and the package of pudding mix. Blend well with a whisk and cook in the microwave for 2 minutes (just enough to get warm).
Then add the red velvet cake mix and stir until lumps have dissolved.
Place about 1/8 cup of cake mixture into baking cups / muffin pan. Then add a FEW chocolate chips into the batter in the cups. Then, add more cake mix into the baking cups/muffin pan until they are about 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 19-22 minutes!
Cool completely and then ice and sprinkle! You save calories and fat by using pudding and they are super moist. They are my new fave treat. Good snack for Valentines Day parties! :)
First of all please do not think that I am one of those super-crazy coupon extremists. Quite honestly I think that show will be linked to Hoarders and Intervention very soon. They will have a fun time running that as a marathon don't you think? I simply want to make the most of our hard-working dollars and be able for Sean and I to provide for our family and have money for some extracurriculars too if you know what I mean! We need funds for necessities like NCSU tickets, birthday and Christmas presents, and boots for Fall as seen in the last episode of my blog.
So where do I get the Coupons from?
We all know that my last attempt to get the News and Observer delivered on Sundays was a complete FAIL. However, I am lucky enough to have an early-riser for a husband who doesn't mind going to get one for me on Sundays before 7. If you don't go early, or send your hubby, you probably will not get one. I don't even want to say all the places to get one in Roxboro for my fear that I will have more competition :)
As an added BONUS this past week, the good ole' Courier Times inserted the monthly Proctor and Gamble coupons which was like Christmas at my house. Cha-Ching! After you get your coupons, you must find a way to organize.
I made this trusty little zipper pouch for storage until I can get them filed in my mini filing system. Or, I will paper clip them together after sorting and put back in here for a particular shopping trip. I have also found that for CVS, Rite Aid, and Food Lion it is easy to check out the weekly sales papers online and create a shopping list on each site that you can print out and paperclip your coupons to. Food Lion sometimes adds in extra coupons on your shopping list as an added bonus. Also, some sites will automatically add them to your store rewards card. I don't like that as much as having something tangible. I am the organizational type and out of sight means out of mind. And we all know that we cannot always depend on technology!
When using coupons to SAVE money you have to consider these things:
1. Will I really use this item?
Only clip coupons for things you know you will eat or use in your home. Do not purchase things that will go to waste or will run out of date before you use them. Coupons are a way for retailers to advertise new products. Do not let that entice you in shopping. An easy way to make sure you are not wasting money is to plan meals in advance and definitely take note of all the "sell-by" and "use-by" dates. A large portion of coupons are for processed foods. I am not a huge fan of processed foods so I make a rule that if we eat packaged, processed foods that we only eat them 2-3 times per week. I also pair them with a meat and a vegetable from my garden or freezer. Also, choose the whole grain and baked options when buying chips, rice, and pastas for an even healthier option. I use coupons for a lot of the things that Sean takes to work for lunch everyday. That can get expensive so coupons come in real handy!!
2. Where do I use the coupon?
The major retailers where I use coupons locally is CVS, Rite Aid, Food Lion, and Lowes Foods. I will also hit the Harris Teeter in Durham or Raleigh for triple coupons when they have them. Here is a little breakdown on how I find the best deals:
- research a couponing site such as www.southernsavers.com These sites easily categorize and organize coupons and deals every day based on what is on sale from each retailer. I use that as a starting point but mostly I use each stores online sales ad to create a shopping list as described above. Since Roxboro is limited on shopping venues, it doesn't take long to figure out where to shop based on who has what on sale.
- after organizing my coupons I will check out all the sales ads for who has the best deal on the items I need.
- If a store has BOGO (Buy one get one FREE) on items I need, I will go there first. In most stores you can use 2 coupons for a BOGO free sale which drastically reduces the cost. For example, if Lowes Foods has Tide on Sale, BOGO and it is 4.99 this would be my final cost:
$4.99 (for 1 32 oz. TIDE) + FREE for another Tide + 2 coupons for $.50 off 1 (=$1.00)
$3.99 for 2 bottles of tide. PLUS, the only grocery in Roxboro that doubles coupons is LOWES FOODS. They will double any manufacturers coupon up to $.99. If I had those same coupons it would double to .50 + .50 = $1.00 X 2 = $2.00 Final cost would be $2.99 for 2 bottles of Tide! Easy enough? Totally worth the effort to save a little cash!
That is just one example of how I use grocery coupons. I also use many coupons at Food Lion with their awesome BOGO free sales. You can use 2 of the same coupons there if you are getting 2 items of a BOGO free deal. Also remember that if you don't want two of the BOGO items, the 1 that you purchase will ring up 1/2 price when you only buy 1. Then, you can just use 1 coupon for additional savings.
Last week, I gave a brief run-down on how I out-smart CVS. But seriously, I think CVS is one of the best places to save. Check out the info in my post last week here. At CVS you also get Extra Bucks on certain items each week for future purchases plus you can use the coupon scanner when you enter the store for additional savings!
Remember that the items that go on sale on a regular basis rotate on a 4-6 week cycle. If it's not on sale and you have enough to last, save your coupon until the next week or so when it is on sale. If you have enough space and coupons to buy in bulk, you can save more money by stocking up and waiting for the next sale. Some of the easiest things to stock up and save on are cereal, laundry detergent, bathroom tissue, paper towels, beauty products, and snack items like cereal bars.
Overall, use your weekly sales papers to match up your coupons for the best savings! Also, cruise through the stores for items on clearance and you may be lucky enough to have coupons for those items. I have ended up with some FREE stuff that way! Again, CVS is a great place to make that happen! Most importantly, if you come up with a good system for saving, give yourself a limit for what you will keep in stock. I never stock up on anything in quantities more than 6. I don't want to get crazy like those coupon extremists!
Spend wisely and never pay full price if you don't have to!
I did not purchase and now I am so mad at myself. It just kills me to pay full price for something. Thank You to Target.com for access to those purchases which should have been an impulse buy :)
Exhibit B:
The "Kathy" Van Zeeland Clutch/Mega-Sized Wallet ...completely studded with some bling framework and gold accents!!!!
patent leather, card holders, outside pocket on the back
BAM! Lots of room for all my monetary needs + a zippered coin pouch. Don't you just love the magical gold lining? I do!
Way bigger than my last wallet.....You can't even tell the ginormous size of this thing.
I really love large things and I am completely in heaven with this wallet. The BEST beach purchase EVER!!!!! Even better cause it was about 70% off! Ain't you glad you get to see Kathy's debut? This overly-large wallet is just perfect for all my cards, receipts, store coupons (like VS, Belk, etc.), and maybe even the checkbook if I get permission ;) It can also hold my BlackBerry if needed for a night out with the girlies! Achievement for sure!
See why I have recently taken up the art of couponing???? Not to the extreme I tell you. I'm more of a Couponista if you will. However, I must say that I'm pretty proud of my most recent transactions. Here a few of my last shopping adventures:
Transaction #1
I nearly robbed the CVS last week. I am dead serious. The Rox PD may come a knockin' any moment. I feel I took poor advantage of the young girlie at the counter but I really didn't know I was at the time I promise. If CVS goes out of business it may be because I am exposing ways to shop them out of house and home. Sorry CVS!
First of all, I had a raincheck for some of the Zhu Zhu pets and accessories that were on sale a few weeks ago 5 for $10. That's a pretty sweet deal to stock up on Christmas presents and a little prize for my sweet girl. I've been waiting for them to get some more in. Meanwhile I was in there and I got what I thought were just the accessories. I was tired of waiting for the rest to come in. Boy was I wrong on what I was buying! BUT I racked up a huge bonus!!! Some of those things were $17.99 and they were NOT the ones that were originally on sale. I did not realize until I got home and looked at the receipt. Oooooppps! So, some that were $17.99 I got for $2...Cha-Ching! Note to self: CVS Staff...ummmm not-so-knowledgeable + keep raincheks! I also had a coupon for $4 off a 20 purchase just for signing up my rewards card online. BONUS!!!! Here is what my total order looked like:
5 Zhu Zhu pet "accessory" toy thingys, 1 box of Cascade, 2 lunch plates (for ma man!), 3 air fresheners, 1 bottle brush, 1 pack of batteries, 2 packs of dental floss (for $.99 on clearance - WAS $3.49), 1 mini-conditioner
I only paid $21.44
Transaction #2
Last week CVS was also giving away FREE stuff. Some of the things included a 30 pack of CVS bandaids, Candy bars, and Carefree panty-liners. All you had to do was scan your card upon entering. They were out of stock of some of the FREE items but they gave me the coupon discount anyway when I checked out. If I got a cheaper item, the coupon took $$ off of the other items I bought. Here is what I got for $1.47:
2 boxes of 12pk. sugar free crystal light stuff, band-aids, and a candy bar. I saved over $5.00 just from scanning my card at the scan center.
So, Here are some of my coupon tips for the week regarding CVS:
Pay attention to store Ads for what is actually on sale vs. the coupons in Sunday's paper. You can get additional savings!
Get a Raincheck for items on sale if they are out of stock. At CVS the rainchecks never expire. I lucked up on that one!
Use the scanner in the front of the store to get additional coupons upon entering the store.
Look for name brand items on clearance to use your manufacturers coupons. At the beach, I got a large tube of Crest toothpaste for 18 cent because it was a clearance item and I had a coupon!!
More coupon blogs to come but I just had to share my CVS adventures before I burst!
Three Days of making pickle and I don't even eat the stuff. However, it does make for some bomb diggity chicken salad (or my family lied at the beach). Yes mam...chicken salad. Delish. This is the only form in which I consume mayonnaise.
Last week I had my first session of canning pickles since I was about 10 at my grandmas house. One of my BFF's also just recently blogged about this same here event. Her blog prolly better and I know this. She has got mad blogging skills right? And her hubby can thrown down on helping with some canning procedures.Double Bonus.
Moving on to chapters 1-3 of my canning adventures.
First, I didn't even want anyone to know that I was making pickle in case I some how royally screwed it up. I had my mom and my M.I.L on backup in case mine was a complete BUST. Not at all hard to do considering I had to do a training last week, I was sick, I had to do claims processing, and pack for three to da beach all in the same 3 days I needed to bathe and preserve these babies. So here we are...
Chapter 1- Wash and Soak - this takes foreva....
This strainer is an excellent contraption. It can extend its arms to stretch out over the sink. Way better than the round kind you have to sit in the sink. PERFECT for rinsing.
Use a soft vegetable brush to help get off all the stuck-on dirt. This one was given to me by my fave sister-in-law. :)
Here is the pickling lime I used. The recipe is actually on the back of the package too
This looked weird and the lime can get all over everything if you are not careful.
All the lime sinks to the bottom and I was like, "whatev...I don't even know if it's even doing the job."
After cleaning and cutting up your pickle you have to soak in lime water. I let mine soak over night until the next morning when I got up. The lime makes them crispy and firm. Just right for picklin.'
Moving on to chapter 2:
The next morning, I discarded the lime water and washed the pickles 3-4 times to remove the lime. Afterwards, I covered the pickles with ice in my sink (which was super really clean by the way) all day. I got home at 8:45 that night before I began making the syrup for their little spa day.
super clean sink + ice
That night when I got home I had to make the syrup for their day 2 soak. Fun stuff I tell you. Especially when I had been at work for about 12 straight hours that day. Fun. Fun. Fun.
Vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, + salt. This looks so interesting. You can put the pickling spice in cheesecloth but I didn't have any. So its just floating around in there. You have to bring the mixture to a boil and then add the cucumber to soak overnight.
don't they look so refreshing and crispy?
At this point I thought maybe I didn't have enough syrup for all the cucumber. A foreshadowing here.
I let them soak overnight until about 8:00 pm the next day.
Day 3: Cucumber Spa Day: I started again late on day 3. The pickles are already in thesyrup.They just need to be boiled for 45 minutes in the syrup. Then, I packed the jars 3/4 full with the hot pickle. You have to leave room for the hot syrup plus 1 inch of head-space around the base of the rim. Then, place the lids on and screw the rings on real tight.
I used a can strainer to remove most of the pickling spice when pouring in the syrup. Good Lawd it was messy! Which is why I lost a little extra syrup.
I also used a boiling water bath to make sure that the lids sealed. My canning class totally freaked me out about botulism and bacteria if you don't get the internal temperature hot enough also. I boiled them submersed in water for 10 minutes. Some people skip this step but I don't play when it comes to food. If there is any question, I won't eat it and I don't want to waste my efforts!
I also got to use my mega fabulous Paula Deen stock pot we got for a wedding gift. perfect for canning and so trendy in my kitchen!
The new "bump" must have really helped because all my lids sealed woohoooo. Gives a new meaning to the canning term "head-space" don't ya think???
My only downfall was 4 pint sized jars that didn't have enough syrup to put in the jars. Next time I will not use quite as much cucumber or I will pay closer attention to how much I have. But, I did have enough to make chicken salad for the beach...BONUS. Overall, a first A+ pickling experience for Moi. :)
Ever since I was a little girl I have been fascinated with make-up. From the time I got my first Lisa Frank stationary set and my first Barbie Lip gloss I have been completely obsessed. I always loved playing with my mom's makeup and looking at all the fun bottles, packets, and compacts that she had. Now, the absolute best place on earth for great makeup is none other than...
I mean look how flossy this lady is… An icon for the ladies for sure. Just check out that flawless skin.
If I could have any dream in my life fulfilled, for sure it would be to have my own Merle Norman studio. Maybe I should start saving up? It is such magical place. I love to go and sit and let them try new products on me. They also did my make-up for my wedding and my face was flawless. Here is my local MN where all the magic has happened since I was 13.
Wendy's Merle Norman Cosmetics
See that chair to the right and that lovely little table? That's where the magic happens!
The new owner Wendy is really nice and Misty is a great make-up artist! They are really good at showing you new products as well as having all your standard Merle Norman staple products in stock. I love nothing more than a “Promotion” time (which is right now by the way...get going!). They always give you free samples and new products to try and usually some sort of little make-up bag (I have tons from over the years that I can’t part with). They are always really cute and just the perfect size for all your daily essentials.
Luckily, I have always been blessed with really great skin. I owe it all to Merle and the good Lord. I started using Merle Norman when I was 13 (maybe before if you count all the times I got into mom’s makeup). I always loved to watch my mother (and still do) sit and put on her make-up. YES! She would sit down in front of the mirror at her vanity (which I now have) and apply all of her moisturizers and beauty products. It is also a really great time to sit and talk with her :) So, thanks mom for taking me to Merle Norman. I started out as a make-up diva at a young age so naturally I would LOVE makeup today.
One of the things that aggravate me about makeup on people is that it does not match their skin tone. You must have this done by a professional. Again, MN is the best place for this. They can look at my face and pretty much guess my foundation color. Professionals. Yes they are.
Now, to get started.
First, you must apply the MN Luxiva Daily Moisture Cream. Now, I don’t use this everyday but I should… Sometimes I get started with my makeup routine and I forget because I’m running late or whatever. But, when I do remember it gives you such great moisturizing and a great protective layer against the oils in makeup or daily facial dirt. I get MUCH better results with my makeup when I remember.
Second, MN Total Finish is the ABSOLUTE best product they make. This foundation is so magical that it can cover any flaw, blemish, or scar on your face. It is very similar to a theatrical type makeup. It is heavy but whenever I have this on, I ALWAYS get compliments on my skin and face. It is worth every penny and more! It comes with a large sponge that you can also wet for a matte finish. The most EXCELLENT product ever. If you have blemishes or need heavy covering around the eyes (like me) it is a MUST!
Total Finish....also comes with a large sponge applicator :)
Now, I have had this makeup combo for YEARS because it truly gives me that flawless look and it works so well with my skin. Remember that what works for me may not work for you. It is such a good combination that I actually feel so much better when my face is complete.
Next, you need to apply the MN Luxiva Ultra Powder Foundation. This is a foundation combined with pressed powder. It is more powder than anything and it takes away the oily look of foundation, leaving you with a soft fresh look and feel. It also smells great and can be used alone without the foundation layer underneath. This is a MUST for your purse because it is great for touch ups. I have one in my car, purse, and my desk drawer. See…
They did just recently change the packaging which completely broke my heart. It has been the exact same since I began using it all those years ago. This white compact was a classic and I love the big mirror on the inside. It also looks a tad bit pearly in your makeup bag which you all know I love.
Now it is black. eww :(
They switched it to this which just does not float my boat but hey, still the same great product inside. It went down in size by .5 oz and is now a dollar cheaper. Maybe it will fit in my MN makeup travel bag better? I still cannot justify the change. Me no likey!
Finally, if I’ve been tanning or chillin’ pool side I cover with an amazing product I stumbled upon at Ulta. Smashbox is the next best thing to Merle Norman. However, I only use their accessory type products such as bronzers or eyeshadows. It is not a staple cosmetic company in my opinion.
Use this with a large kubuki brush or large loose powder brush. Do not "dab" it on your face or it will be spotty.
Speaking of lip pencils, nothing finishes my face better than my MN Lip Pencil Plus.
The title really is Gold Amber...Unbelievable I know.
Just looking at it reminds me of another thing I like about Merle Norman. Most of their products are accented with gold which is another classic trait of mine. I love GOLD. Jewelry, shoes, bags, makeup adornment. LOVE LOVE LOVE me some gold anything. A true Diva. You see? This lip pencil is dual action. A lip pencil on one end; the color on the other. And Merle was tricky on this. It only fits in MN sharpeners so you must purchase one of those also. But, the sharpener is so handy and it saves a lot of your pencil by only trimming down the wood part and not the makeup. A smart purchase for sure. This lip pencil is called Gold Amber (Imagine that?) two great things in one :) It is my fave. This is also my final step in fixing my face. This color works best for all year round depending on what gloss you put over it. (See gloss in accessory photo below as #3)
One thing I cannot stand is for my face and my body to be different colors. NO m’am! So, the bronzer really helps with that. I dust a little bronzer on my neck to in order to make it look more natural. Note to self: check out MN’s bronzers. Pile all of this together and you have one amazing, glowing, fresh look. Especially during summer. Have you ever taken a picture with your make-up just perfect and your face comes out really white? I have found that this is due to the SPF in the makeup. Now, Merle does have some SPF in her makeup to rid you of those harmful UV rays. Thank you Merle for looking out for us. But, in order to fix this you must use a bronzer on top of your foundation and pressed powder. Then you will not have the glowing ghost face :)
Finally, some of my accessory products that compliment all that perfect face polishing would be….
#1. New MN Eyeshadow. This came in my latest promotion pack called “An Eye-deal Gift.” It is just the right color for summer. It is shimmery and has those pewter and gold tones that makes your eyes glow. The color is called Desert Shimmer.
#2. Blush. This is a staple I’ve used for a while from MN. Also a find from a promotion. This is why it is so great to experiment with your make-up. You find just the right compliments for your face.The color here is Sugar Melon.
#3. MN Moist Lip Color. Now, I am not a fan of sticky wet lips like most lip glosses. However. This gives you a clean finished look over the dual lip pencil plus gives your lips a little *pop*. Especially in photos. I got this for the wedding and honeymoon and it was PERFECT! The color here is sheer kiss and it compliments many different shades of the dual lip pencil.
#4. Lash Prep. This really is a great product for extending and giving you very full lashes. Cover your entire lashes top and bottom. Then cover with MN Lash Lift for some super scrumptious lashes. You may have to use a lash comb to remove a few clumps. I fell in love with this when I had my bridal portraits done.
My last and final thought for today is do not waste your money on lame products that simply will not do the job. If you have never tried MN you needs to get on that ASAP! Go see Wendy and the girls on N. Main in the Rox.
More beauty tips coming in Vol. 2 of Summer Beauty Regimens. I'll give some info on keeping that skin looking good, facial cleansers and treatments, and some of my other favorite shower must-haves!
