Thursday Make It Day!

Don't forget to post and comment your contest entry to and add your name blog and link to the post that explains why your friend is the best and win!

Garage Sale finds....

Don't forget to post and comment your contest entry to and add your name blog and link to the post that explains why your friend is the best and win!

Ok

, so I tried to keep this as arts and crafts but I have so many garage sale tips I have to share.
1. if you are really looking for baby stuff, find a NEW community, new built houses in your area and search there. Most people that move into new houses bring everything and it ends up in their basement and BAM garage sale in the spring/fall
2. If you are looking for "antiques" or "vintage" go to the older neighborhoods. These are the people that have lived there forever, the ones that have all the 60's and 70's smurf glasses that they have in their cabinets from when they got them as jelly jars. Great place to find glass items.
3. scrap, crap, vintage, good will and or any resell shop - go there with a grain of salt. Don't expect the best deal. Good will charges like a retail shop, their prices are consistent in each store on a lot of items. Sheets, towels, etc. Resell shops sometimes have good deals if you can buy OUT OF SEASON! this is the best time to get swimming suits, winter coats, most items here are consigned and you can get an ok deal sometimes but know the seller is not getting a lot (i.e. if you are a seller you know what I mean)
Now for basic garage sale tips:
1. be honest, is it a good price? if it's not ASK! Remember, they are trying to get rid of it but they did buy it and they do own it so don't insult them. Brand new baby/kids outfits I won't go over a dollar or two on. That's silly, you can go to the resale shop and spend that. Don't go over 50 cents on socks EVEN IF THEY ARE NEW!
Toys: the best toys to look for are the ones you expect to do something with...
Bath toys, great bath toys are mismatched tubs, buckets, cups, and other solid items. Don't buy peoples old bath toys unless you plan to boil them. Remember what your Dr says about the suction things you use for your kids nose... Bacteria grows in those like MAD... but if you buy them boil them...
mismatched and missing.. don't buy puzzles unless you count the pieces.. I have been to sales where there has honestly been a mom on the ground putting together puzzles, DUA - Count the pieces and LOOK at them.. you are going to know if Barbies head is in your G.I. Joe / backyardigans puzzle!
2. What to wear.. Don't wear super nice clothes to go garage sailing. No one will give you a discount/ deal if you are all dressed up.. they got up at 5. a.m. got breakfast for their kids, the neighbors and their spoiled kid with the special order. Don't go looking like you are mall walking, go and be comfortable. Pony's are great and so are sweats (shorts or pants) and bring a wallet/ money holder with change.
Money - your money should be change... one or two fives - ten in ones and at least five dollars in quarters... (and a few dimes. nothing under that. if it's a nickel you can get buy one get one for it or get a nickel back) bring 2 or 3 twenties if you are looking for something big and keep them HIDDEN in your car.. under the seat or glove box or something.
Don't bring your purse and or crazy items. There is no need.. hide it in your trunk/ backseat if you are bringing it.
If you have your kids, give them their own money holder and money. This is a great way for them to learn how to bargain themselves. I give my niece her own "allowance" when she comes over, cleaning and helping out over here, and every time a chore is done she gets a quarter. We have been known to sew ourselves a purse on the day before to hold our money and some of our bootie, no need for plastic bags, save them for the next guy.
Let your kids get what they want if its their money - Yes, I know somethings are off limits, Chinese stars, the peeing kid into the shot glass, but if they want the Lego guy that they already have and it's 10 cents, give in... maybe they want a three headed guy. Also, for GOSH SAKE let them buy something for grandma, this is a way that they get to pick out their own presents and it's great for birthdays and Christmas and maybe even get something that they really do like. If not, you know where it's going and they get the pride of knowing they did it themselves.
3. Parking - if you need or only have the extended cab SUV with the extra wide everything, park where you can get in and get out, expect to walk, don't break standard rules, cut people off and expect that you are the only one shopping. Also, if there are two sales, park in the middle and walk. Wear your pedometer and make it your exercise for the day. I love neighborhood sales and our stroller, works out GREAT.

Have fun! Bring a camera... tell people that you want to show your husband/wife/mother the item and maybe come back for it... Even if it is a chair shaped like a high heel with pink leopard print.. makes for a great Candid Carrie Phriday Photo Phiesta

Now for some fun!! Look what we found!

We Are Back!! We have Our Own Contest!

Welcome to Camp! What a great way to start the week!
WE ARE GREEN!

We met new friends and got some cleaners that we have fallen in love with. Great great great stuff. My sink was shiny for the whole 5 minutes that it was empty!

Stop by Better life at http://www.cleanhappens.com/ or click the above photo and check it out. Ok, so not only are they super great nice people, they are environmentally healthy and helpful, they are LOCAL and the produts are made in the USA *(and actually some from St. Louis! YA!!)

The Whatever cleaner got the scuff marks off our kitchen floor!
The I can See Clearly WOW cleaned all of our new DVD's!
I love the Even The Kitchen Sink SO MUCH that I poured it in the soap dispenser in the kitchen so I can use the bottle in the bathrooms and don't have to transfer it!
The 2 am Miracle is not going to tell anyone about the cookie dough you ate out of the fridge with a spoon, it won't have any bad commercials and it will get that nasty poop smell out of the trash cans and puke from the carpet when you have one of "THOSE" nights with your kid!

We love it! We Love it so much that we are going to have a contest! We need to boost our viewers and you becoming our friend and being a friend to others can help you win!

Here's how it all works.

1. Of course add a comment (+ one point). Tell us how great we are and what you want to see next (another point) Do this everyday and get a bonus point per day!

2. Linky Link your blog to ours (5 points if in the side bar) and add a post telling people to come here to say hello (another 3) .

3. Most Important!! In your post.. Tell US why YOUR FRIEND should win.. Tell us how great that person is and what they do to help "your environment"( your life, your sanity, your kids, listenting, and or whatever) and you can win for you AND FOR THEM (nope, they don't have to be a blogger, we will even mail to them!)! This is the best way to give back. This is an additional 10 points if you can do this and all of the above.

Once we add up all the points, they will be made into tickets that will go in a bucket to draw, you and your friends could win this great stuff.. thanks to Better Life! Our winners will get to pick what cleaner they want and what cleaner they want for their friend! WOW! We talked to our grannie too and she's going to throw in hand made knit washcloths! These work Awesome with the Even the kitchen Sink! I can't believe how clean mine looks!

Thanks to Carrie for spotting us at Camp this week, she's our friend and is great!

Come back ALL WEEK and then on Friday for a special tribute to Carrie for

Friday Foto Finish Fiestan Fun

Green Week Activities.. What looks like fun?

We went searching around some of our favorite sites to find some fun activities that you can do and STAY GREEN!
This one looks like tons of fun - Stamping / Carving and stamping I think I want to try it with fabric paint on a bag for a Christmas Present!! Kleas did it and it looks like they had a great time!
What a fun Back to School snack from Delight in the Day... I think this one looks like a great lunch!
Now fur super fun that I can't wait to try...
Muffin Tin lunches!!!
Muffin tins at Dreaming Big
Tangled and True also tried it
2 Nuts in a shell did too and talked about sharing...
I never knew how popular this was, even Flickr has a pool of photos

What have you tried? Anything sound good?

GO GREEN!

This week starts our recycle week at work. What do you do to stay green? We love comments!

Halloween Prep! It's in the bag!

Everyone has them, those old tee shirts that you got from someone else went on a great vacation and brought you back the old "all you got" (har de har har) "lousy tee shirt".
Martha did this, and we agree.. Make a bag, toss it in your trunk, backpack, paint it color it, stamp it but use it, reuse it and for the love of Jack Johnson recycle it... it helps us all!
Here's our only tip... Support your weight, yup.. reinforce the bottom. I do this in all my bags just about.. but it makes it even easier, now you don't even have to cut off the bottom of the shirt. Sew it closed then tack up the edges and sew them down, now you have a little extra leak and tear guard... yes, Martha good thing.. bla bla...

My favoite thing to make EVER!! Zap Bags!

I must admit, I love making and using these bags... I keep one with our pack n play with grocery bags in it for dirty diapers, a few in the car and gave some tiny ones as gifts for doggy poop bags. They are so easy to make, all you need is:
a few pins
ribbon or material for the strap
scrap material (a rectangle, whatever size you are trying to make, large or small. the example is 14 x 8)
thin elastic
a safety pin
and of course thread and cutters

First, take your elastic and stretch it around your hand, do this.. do not skimp or you will be upset later when you can't fit your hand in to get the bags out. Cut the elastic (2 pieces) the size of one time around your hand and about a half inch extra (for sewing) lay the elastic down on the fabric and sew it down. This will set your seam for the bag. Give 1/4 inch so you can fold your material over to make the seam and a pocket for the elastic to sit (do this on both sides)

now, lay the elastic across and pin down the material, giving room for the elastic to fit inside (it will go here once sewn down.

Now, take the elastic out of where you pinned, (because there are people like me, that will sew it down on the material then try to call me at 2 am upset!)
Once you have your elastic out, sew a straight line down with room for the elastic to go back under keep your elastic behind the needle so you know where it is. (do this on both sides too)
Now, take the safety pin and pin the elastic. don't get too stingy or you will just fray it, grab a good chunk.
now feed your safety pin into the pocket you just made, and pull it out the other side.

get a good grip on it, and pull a little extra so you have some give in the fabric and it's not bunched at the end
take your pin off.

hold down the material and sew over to secure it.
take your pre-made (yes I forgot this part, I will add it in later this weekend) strap (or ribbon) and sew it down on the TOP side of the bag holder, right under the elastic strip

pin down the last flat side and sew over with a straight and then zig zag stitch
turn inside out and Wha-la!
with a ribbon, and "big kid bag"

sew the two sides of ribbon together so they are straight - follow the elastic instructions above on just the TOP edge of the fabric this will only need 1 cut of elastic.

sew down the ribbon just the same as you would a material strap. Pin down the remaining two sides and sew over. Remembering to pivot at the corner ( I double mine for strength)

extra zig-zag for strength and turn inside out..

Use a handy dandy fancy corner fixer tool... a.k.a. cheep power ranger kids green chopstick or pointy device (pen with ink removed works too) :D

TA DA!!!


Now for a few extras that I love in my sewing stuff...
1. my Creative Memories cup holder trash can combo.. Love this thing, keeps my drink from getting sweat on anything else, theres a tiny trash can for scraps and my big trash can holds the rest.
flat pins, safety pins, cheep ruler, wax paper, cutter thingies, pointie thingies, ya,, I love them all..

to better explain, the rulers and cutters pretty much explain themselves, but the pins, I like the flat ones because you can sew over them easier (but you should never sew over pins, even if I do) the ruler, is great because you alwasy need something to cut against and they are straight and hold up well, and they are like 30 cents at the hardware store. the cork is GREAT, get cork with adhesive and stick it down when you need a straight line to sew against for a smooth seam. It works well short or long, I got a sheet of it from the hobbie shop by us and cut it into thin strips. Wax paper is good for taping anything, it releases well and holds tight when needed. It's also good for odd things like fray check and I have actually used it when embroidering for a light rip backing.