FUN FALL WREATH FOR $4

It all started on a quick stop into the good ole Dollar Tree.  Is there such a thing as a quick stop into that place?  I mean, I get completely lost in there and find far too many treasures every single time I go.  Today, on a mission to buy one foil pan, I thought, "Hmmm...maybe I'll just glance at the crafting aisle".  Aren't those some famous last words!  The picture above shows you what happened next.  I decided to just see what I could do with the six items in that photo. How cute is that lacy burlap ribbon?! Well done, Dollar Tree.

Since I was winging it, the first thing I did was pull apart the rafia.  I love rafia.  It is organic looking to me, and I love mixing it with other textures.  I love using it as ribbon on packages, tying little pieces around really all of the things.  I love it.  Once I got it all unraveled, I decided to make a bow for my wreath.  I follow a blog called Re-fabbed and I love her post on making a simple bow.  I used it to make this one out of the rafia, the burlap and the orange meshy glittery ribbon.  So simple and really easy to do.

Then I loosely wrapped the wreath with strips of rafia, being careful to tuck the ends back into the wreath.  Somehow, I did this without using any glue.  It wasn't handy, and I was on a mission.  When you're on a mission to do a impromptu crafting project, who has time to go find the glue?  Once it was all wrapped and tucked and secure, I tied the bow on and it was finished!  That's it, folks.  I ditched the flowers for this project, because they kind of looked way too fake for me.  That took my total spent on this down to $4!

There's the final product.  It's fun and adds a little something to our home.  I'm on the fence about whether that bow is too big or not, but I think it's okay. Go check out Dollar Tree and see what inspiration you find!  Happy Crafting!

DISCOUNTED PEACHES AND SLOW COOKER JAM

I think this is the first post I've written for the blog in FOUR years.  So much has happened in our lives as a family in that time.  I'll probably share in dribs and drabs in future posts, but writing is one of my favorite things to do.  I knew I'd be back sooner or later.  So, without further ado.....

Let's talk discounted produce.  Shall we?  The Money Saving Mom, Crystal Paine, is one of my favorite bloggers to follow (but I'll get to that another time) and has shared so much on her site about how to save money at the grocery store.  One of my favorite tips from her is the marked down produce shelf tucked away in every Kroger grocery store.  It's just a tiny wooden bookshelf, really.  It varies from store to store, and I've scouted out the "good one" in our town.  Usually, you can depend on finding very ready-to-freeze bananas for an even lower price, but I'm looking for the $.99 red mesh bags. Each bag, no matter what is inside costs the same $.99!  I mean....AWESOME! Sometimes they are chock full of jalepeno peppers, in which case, I move on.  Other times, like this week, I stumble upon a real find!  I found three mesh bags on that little bookshelf FULL of pretty good looking peaches! Did they have a few bruises? Absolutely, but I saw potential.  I had big plans for these discounted peaches.  Jars and jars of jam to gift and share with loved ones this holiday season would soon be underway!

I quickly googled and found this simple slow cooker recipe for Peach Jam.  I gathered the few ingredients and got to peeling, chopping and removing all of the bruised bits. In no time, everything was in the slow cooker and the smell in my kitchen was increasingly becoming more delicious as the minutes passed by.  It took about 5 hours before it was ready to jar.  That gave me time to sterilize the jars and lids, and have everything ready to go for finishing up this project. I borrowed some canning tools, and they helped tons! The magnetic lid lifter was a huge help when the lids, deep in boiling water wanted to hang out at the bottom of the pot.

Voila!  Just like that, under $3 of peaches turned into six yummy gifts for the friends and family who make up our outstanding village of loved ones.  The recipe was so easy to put together and very momma friendly on a Sunday full of laundry, errands and getting ready for the week ahead.  I highly recommend you keeping an eye on the discounted produce at your local grocery store!  You just might happen on some peaches!