From Wild Child to Domestic Diva

Our dining room is starting to take 'form'

2011-01-18T20:11:00.000-05:00

Well, kinda but maybe not really.

But I am trying.

We live in a split level house and recently had a living room and a den. The house is really set up for a formal dining room and a living room. We have gone back to our roots and officially have a living room (where the den was) and our 'living room' will be our dining room!

This is a multi-step project so there will be quite a few posts in regards to this room but I haven't personally had a 'dining room' to call my own and have family dinners at so I am BEYOND excited about this room!

Here are pics of our dining room when it was set up as our living room

This is looking into the kitchen. Front door. You can see the stairs on the left that take you to the bedrooms.

Nice TALL ceilings in here!

Looking from the kitchen to the front door and living room

We did have some beautiful rust colored curtains in here but I never took a pic of the room 100% decorated, I know I know...Bad Raven!

This shows off the structure of the room very nicely

(Sorry, I LOVE me some CSI: Miami LoL)

You can't really see the carpet in this room, I think I only got a snapshot of it in the first pic I posted.

I will post pictures tomorrow of the room without the carpet so you can see what we discovered underneath!!

My CVS Savings for 1/11/11

2011-01-11T17:21:00.000-05:00

I am in no way a professional couponer. But I do try my hardest.

Here is a pic of what all I got today:

(The flat blue thing is a birthday card for my BFF)

This is my receipt for everything:

Total amount worth of stuff: $49.82

Total I spent: $11.36 (before tax) $13.23 (with tax)

Savings: $38.46

YAY!!

I did have two CVS EBC coupons, one for $4.00 and the other for $7.00 so those helped me out!!

Going Green One Step at a Time

2011-01-11T06:20:00.000-05:00

I have always been a frugal person, I love the idea of saving money. I also come from a frugal family and am VERY proud to be able to say that!! My mom was both frugal and environmentally friendly, she has recycled anything and everything for as long as I can remember. Very creatively might I add. From using cloth bags almost 20 years ago to carry groceries home all the way to using rain barrels to collect water to water her ~~hundreds~~ (Ok, if my step dad is reading this let me be correct) her THOUSANDS of house plants. I want to be more like her so I have been doing some of the smaller things that I have always watched her do. I carry a reusable bag in my purse for when I go shopping for odds and ends and then when I go grocery shopping, I carry in my 5 big reusable bags and hope that everything fits in there so I do not need to tote home anymore plastic bags.

Now it is time to add to my list of things I do that are 'Green'.

I want a rain barrel.

Ever seen one? Well this is a few of the looks they have:

They can be decorative and stylish, but prices range from $100 to $400 for decorative and stylish. The frugal part of me doesn't need decorative and stylish THAT bad.

So what is a cheap chick supposed to do?

Why of course!! Make my own!!

I researched prices for a few days and found an article that said that some cities will provide one for free or little money because of the fact that it will save you money and good for the environment. Hampton Roads does not 'provide them to you for free. They instead offer 'Rain Barrel Workshops' that only cost $40. The provide the supplies for the rain barrel and you are just asked to bring the items to help build it (i.e. work gloves, flashlights and a crescent wrench. Sounds great huh?! $40 compared to upward of $400. Bad news is the schedule posted is for 2010, they only offered 6 classes and they are all the way out in Hampton (the other side of the water).

Good news is the website www.HRWet.org provides simple instructions and supply list on how to build your own rain barrel! Here is the link

So the question is now, how soon will I be going to the store to buy everything I need to make this?

Um, today.

Now I am not the most handy person when it comes to building things, quite honestly I prefer to do demolition work more than I like to build things but as part of my 2011 New Years Resolution, I am going to try my hardest to do as much as this as I can......then get my hubby involved!

This is going to be a great addition to our home this Spring and cannot wait to get it set up! I will post pictures of the finished project and keep you updated on my next 'Green' project!!

Now that the gifts have been handed out I can share online!

2011-01-04T19:41:00.000-05:00

My first attempt to be 'crafty' and give things I make as gifts as an adult versus during my childhood years has finally happened! One of the first blogs I ever started reading was this one http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ and I came across her post about ornaments she made for her family and friends (http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2008/11/my-ideal-day.html ) I figured that was something I could do and not screw up THAT bad!

Here is a few pictures of Kelly's ornaments:

And here is few pictures of my ornaments:

I made quite of few of these and gave them out as gifts. My first picture is one I did for my hubby and myself with our monogram. I made monogrammed ones for the married/engaged couples in our lives, single letters for the singles and then entire names of the children. The second picture is the ornaments I made for our kiddies (pets for now, no 2 legged kiddies for us quite yet).

I am really proud of myself, I actually had been planning on these since last Christmas and the fact I followed thru with making them makes me feel very accomplished to know that I MADE gifts!! I have already started looking at a few ideas for Christmas gifts for this year but nothing has jumped out at me so hopefully I will figure it out before October LoL!!

My New Years Resolution for 2011

2010-12-29T21:30:00.000-05:00

I am hoping 2011 will be an unforgettable year for me!

Here are just a few of my resolutions:

1. Take better care of myself. I am 28 years old and need to start taking care of my body & mind. I need to start eating right, take better care of my skin before I regret that in 10 years when my skin looks horrible and I am overweight contemplating weight lose surgery and a face lift. I need to stop stressing over so much stuff and let the petty stuff go without affecting me. I see how worked up my dad gets over little things and I know that is where I get it from and he is at that age where I really worry that he is going to have a heart attack over something as small as a sports game not going the way he wants it to. I need to break this cycle before I have children that pick up that bad habit from me and then carry that horrible trait on to their children.

2. Start being more crafty! Going back to Resolution #1. I need to find a stress reliever that I can do at home, alone to take my mind off of things. I was very proud of myself because I actually thought of a craft idea I found around Christmas time last year and carried thru with it and made ornaments for the ones I love this year as gifts. It gave me a sense of pride to know that I was able to do this and finished this task.

3. Finishing projects. This goes back to both Resolution #1 and #2. I have a horrible habit of starting something, getting aggrevated and then storming off and never finishing what I started. I am determined to finish everything I start.

That is my starter list of resolutions for 2011. I will probably add to this list but I feel that these are the most important to me right now.

How is it that good food and ok service is so hard to come across?

2010-11-24T11:06:00.000-05:00

I will try to spare most details because I know most people love fast food...well not love it but have a love/hate relationship with it. My hubby and I were out running errands last Thursday night and decided to stop by a local fast food place and go thru the drive thru. Now, let me start by saying my husband does not like to complain about anything. I, myself, do not like to complain either (It doesn't stop me from complaining but still, I do not like to complain and think life would be a lot easier if there wasn't so much to complain about). After getting out of the drive thru almost 15 minutes later (not kidding!) and driving to the house to eat, we both discovered that our food was unedible. We both TRIED to eat some of our dinner but after a few bites off of each item we both gave up and threw everything away.

Here is where I will skip a few details because I wouldn't want to screw with your next meal you plan to eat! Needless to say when my husband looks at me and says 'That almost makes me want to call and complain.' I know it is serious!!! I know everybody that knows me knows that I am a (very) opininated person so I made my mind up to skip calling and talking to the teeny bopper manager that gets paid barely minimum wage to actually give a crap and contact the Health Department. I called the next morning (Friday) and left a message for a gentleman that was evidently the inspector for that location. Well around 1pm he called me back. I explained to him how filthy the restuarant was, how horrible the food was and all the other details I promised you guys I wouldn't get into on here! He advised me he would be making a trip there that afternoon and call me back by Monday with any findings.

Skip forward to Monday.

Yep, I was right. He was able to confirm everything I told him was wrong with what the place was doing. He told me he would be going back in a week or so to follow up with everything and make sure the changes have been made.

Well after exploring around this awesome world of internet I came across a website that lists each time any restuarant in Virginia has an inspection that has negative feedback. Since 2004, this one particular location has had 30 inspections (not including the one from last week). Out of those 30 inspections, only 7 of them had ZERO 'critical violations', the rest of the inspections had anywhere from 1 to 11 'critical violations'!!!!

WHY IS THIS PLACE STILL OPEN AND OPERATING!??!?!? I know that most people that work fast food don't do it for the love of the job but they do it for the paycheck but come on people your ONE little slip up could affect other peoples' lives!!!

So much has changed in the past 11 months!

2010-11-24T06:59:00.000-05:00

Well I have been MIA from the blogging world for almost a year. I have come across some great finds and saved a lot of money but was too busy to actually take the pictures and post on here. My fiance and I got MARRIED 10.10.10 so you can only imagine how busy we have been with all the planning that went into our big day. I hope to get back to blogging soon but until then I wanted to share some of our wonderful wedding pictures that our photographers captured!

I had good intentions......

2009-12-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

But never got around to posting a blog!!! A few months ago we started getting our living room's final touches done and that included our curtains. GEESH those things are expensive! Luckily we were able to get them for $15.00 a panel at JCPenny's and I heart them SOO much. Now.....how to hang them.......I like the clip rings as they call them but JCPenny's was selling them for the same price of the curtains for SEVEN, yes SEVEN clips, enough for one panel. $15.00 for 7 clips? No thanks!

I can't get the picture from JCPenny's website on here but they all look the same. This picture is of the ones that Bed, Bath and Beyond sell for $9.99 a set and yes there are only 7 in a set. Ok not bad. Better than $15 a set right?

WELL I went to Wal-Mart even though I dread going there because of the craziness that places keeps in stock and found their sets are $4.96. Ok, so I am down from $15.00 a set to $4.96 a set. Couldn't get better right?! SIKE! Guess what I found at Goodwill......

Yep and you read the sticker right. $2.25 a set. Now my luck gets even better....they had enough for ALL six panels in my living room and even had two extra sets that I plan on using in our spare room!! YAY! Our Goodwill's around here actually get things from Target that don't end up selling and they were all brand new still in the box and not missins a single piece! So to go from $15.00 a set to $2.25 a set made my heart skip a beat! Glad I held out on getting them. I was waiting until the curtains came from the warehouse before I made the purchase and that was the best decision I made.

But my good luck doesn't end there! While repainting the living room we had to take down the curtain rods and when my fiance did that, one of the finials fell off and we never found it! Yep, you got it. I found two sets BRAND NEW still in the box from Target at Goodwill for $6.25 a set, marked down from $20.00 a set (Target price)

This is a before picture of the finial:

This is our new finial <3

I think the new ones look a little more modern and sophisticated!

Tis' the season to be thrifty!

2009-12-15T18:13:00.000-05:00

I did it. I am finally writing an updated post! FINALLY something to write about! Yay for me! Well I can say that Goodwill has been good to be (except the time last weekend that the cashier broke the stem off of a martini glass I had just bought and paid for....yea Michelle laugh it off). I hit up three Goodwill stores and a DAV (Disabled Vets) thrift store. I spent a total of $25.27 for everything (a few things are not in the pics because I had already found them a home) Let me just say that ALL of the Christmas stuff was 50% off of Goodwill's already low prices!

The votive candles in this pic were only $2.62 for all six and were brand new in the box still!

I found this Starbucks coffee mug for a lady I work with, she has been on the hunt for a clear coffee mug. Found it for only $3.25

These boxes will come in handy for my 'homemade Christmas' next year. I bought the first two (2 in a pack) at the first Goodwill I stopped in. They had a price tag of $1.25. When I went to the third Goodwill today, they had the last two sets priced at $2.25 each. I asked the lady if I could get them for the $1.25 that I got the first one from at the other store. I told her I still had it in the car. She said no, she would just give it to me for the $1.25 and then of course the 50% off Christmas decor.

This is by far my favorite thing that I bought today! It is a cookie jar! And it only cost me $.99!!! Nothing broke, no cracks NOTHING! How cute is this?!!? This is the only thing I found at the DAV thrift store.

This is a picture of almost everything I purchased today. The two gift boxes at the left kinda had the same delima as the boxes I told you about earlier. The first Goodwill had one marked at $.75 and the thrid Goodwill had it marked at $2.25. She gave it to me for $.75 and then 50% off. The two Christmas tree decorations are in perfect condition. The white 'twig tree' is going to house these mini Christmas light bulb decorations I got today for $1.13 (pictures to follow). Also if you look at the blue pitcher that is in the back, that is for my tea maker. I had to throw one of mine away because my fiance put it in the dishwasher and it cracked and would not hold tea anymore. Well needless to say this one only cost $2.25 which is great because they have changed styles and the new ones will not fit my tea maker!

Well tomorrow we will see what else can be found. Michelle told me about this new Goodwill that just opened that is 10,000 square feet! It is in a crappy area (quite ghetto if you ask me) but she said the pictures looked nice HA!!! So wish us luck as we venture off there tomorrow. Party in P-Town as she would say!! LOVE YA GIRL!!

Well I TRIED to go thrifting today.....

2009-08-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

But nothing seemed to catch my eye!

This sign will go in our kitchen and I plan on using it to cover up an old house alarm pad that has not been used since my fiance bought this house. Oh and I only paid 75 CENT for this sign!

CHA-CHING!

I plan on using this frame as a craft project for something I saw online. The frame only cost 75 cent and I want to add magnetic strips to the back side so it can be used as a magnetic frame for a fridge! Here is the link I found
http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/tips-techniques/clever-new-uses-picture-frames-10000001642402/

I was trying to help a friend out that is moving into a new place this weekend and her theme for her dining room is going to be an Italian theme. I found a 4 piece placemat and coaster set for $3.98 and it was BEAUTIFUL! I didn't have my camera with my but I took a picture with my phone. I got all the way to the checkout before taking the tape off to make sure all 4 were ok and sure enough the one I took a picture of was the nicest of the bunch. The others were messed up PLUS where I peeled the tape off to look at the others peeled some of it off too. Ugh. I tried Michelle I really did!!

Have a GREAT day!

Harris Teeter Triple Coupon Days!

2009-08-18T19:03:00.000-04:00

Ahhh I love triple coupon days at Harris Teeter!! It's like they pay me to shop there!

Within two days I saved almost 50% on BOTH trips!!!

Some of my 1st Thrift Store finds I actually took pictures of!

2009-08-18T16:01:00.001-04:00

Well yesterday was a GREAT day for thrifting! I found this great Thrift Store in Norfolk on Little Creek Road that has an awesome selection of antique glass that goes great with the collection my fiance already has that was passed on from his father.

This piece was there the other day but it was marked at $8.99. Yesterday, marked down to $4.49. Had to have it! The cork in the top has a sterling silver top. It is dirty but I love the bottle and silver goes with our decor.

I got these two for $8.99 each, I splurged. One side has a rebel flag and the other side has a side profile of Robert E. Lee. Ther reason I splurged was because my fiance already has a bottle kind of like these but it has George Washington on the bottle.

If you look at this picture you can tell they are similiar but different. Alan said he has seen these types of bottles on eBay for around $10.00 so I feel that I paid a fair price.

These are two oversized Mason jars that were priced at $3.99 each. I like to buy things in pairs if and when possible.

I also plan on posting pictures of my receipt from Harris Teeter yesterday! They are having TRIPLE COUPONS up to $.99 until midnight tonight! Wait til you see my savings!! YAY!!

My First Post!

2009-08-18T12:28:00.000-04:00

I guess I should introduce myself here! Well, my name is Raven and I love coupons and a great sale! I am currently living in Norfolk, VA with my fiance Alan and our houseful of pets. I work two jobs right now. At my day job I work as a scale attendant at a recycling company. At my other job I am a Personal Consultant for a company that does in-home parties for women and shows the latest relationship enhancements products. I love both of my jobs but they keep me busy! I love to shop at thrift stores and find some quirky things that I can repurpose. I am a beginner at this so hopefully I can get a little more creative. Thank you for stopping by my blog!