An eye for pretty

We've linked up to The Shabby Nest. Wendy has a special touch to create spaces that are both livable and beautiful. Click on her site name or the link above. She would love to have you visit....you're in for a treat!

Road Trip Inspiration.........

Hello All! We apologize for the lack of posts here but down south we've been dealing with about 6 inches of snow and all of our normal daily lives seized for a while. We haven't had snow accumulation like this since 1989! It was nice to see it come and nice to see it go...

Marie's daughters, Alexis & Courtney and  best friends, Rascal and Rock enjoying the snow.

 Lately, we've been searching for inspiration. To get our minds away from this  miserably frigid beautiful wonder of nature, we thought we would share some past picks with you. All of these items have been sold.  We must say that we have mixed feelings on selling our finds. First of all, we have to love it to buy it and once you love something, it's hard to set it free.... that is until someone pulls out some cashola and things start getting a lil' easier to let go of.  A lot of these pieces needed some special TLC. Here are pics before these piggies were taken to the market.

Loved this table! We lucked up with it while cleaning out someone's garage.

Another garage find! This was a worth while day! What personality and character.

Both needed a little love. It's amazing what a coat of paint and fabric can do!

The drawer in this piece would slide out both sides. The buyer was so lucky to find this!

 



straight from craigslist! {love} {love} {love}



picked up at yardsale. added a coat of paint, shabby a little and waalaa!



We hope you enjoyed  strolling  down memory lane with us....

There are many picks to share from the past but this gives you a glimpse of what we brake for.

Stay warm and think sunny thoughts...........  ;)

Connie and Marie

Couponing 101 for 2011

Happy New Year to you!! We're so Happy you're here!  We know many people have resolutions for the new year.  If saving money is one of yours, here's a great way to start!


Buying diapers and baby wipes or know someone who is?  Start saving coupons now!  Instant Winner every time with a coupon!  You don't even have to buy a scratch off ticket! Planning dinner for the week?  Eat what you’ve stocked up on in the freezer or pantry with coupons.  Going out to eat?  Go where you have a coupon.  Need a printer, or any major purchase?  Google it and print a coupon.  This one step can save you big bucks.  Almost all stores such as Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, etc. accept each other’s coupons, just ask!  Do you know Target actually has Daily Deals and coupons posted at the bottom of its webpage?  Save on almost every purchase in all aspects with coupons.  The following info is couponing (yes, it is now a verb) as we know it.  And believe me, if we can do it anyone can.

Coupons = $ in your pocket!!

The world of couponing requires a peaceful, relaxed state of mind. (Did you know there was such a thing?)  Seriously, the more you put into this the more you’ll get out of it!  It’s like a game you’re learning to play and you want to keep beating your score (or in our case, we like to beat each other’s score…we are very competitive)!  In this case, the lower the score, the better!  Personally, our goal is always to save more than we spend.  There is nothing legal that can give you the same kind of high as spending $20 and saving $80 at the HT (Harris-Teeter).  This may not be good enough for some “extreme” couponers out there, but time is an issue with us. Between family and work, this is all we can do with q’s (coupons).  But it has become an important part of our lives over time.  It does make a HUGE DIFFERENCE with your finances and helps you save more than you can imagine!  Whatever your reasons for starting this new way of shopping, you are truly the wiser consumer for keeping your money in your own pocket!

OK, now that we're all relaxed.......

How Do I Start?

First Step, Start collecting coupons NOW! 

First and foremost, get to know Jenny, the goddess of couponing at www.southernsavers.com.  Watch her tutorial, it’s not long.  I would watch it a couple of times.  Get familiar with her site and learn the lingo (yes, it has it’s own language too).  This is very important because if you don’t, you’ll get overwhelmed and want to give up very quickly. Remember this should be a fun game and you want to win, win, win!
 
Sunday papers--- The gold standard for couponing.  If you have family/friends that buy the paper but don’t use the coupons, ask for them.  FREE is good!  If you have to buy papers, always get at least two.  If you live in a small city, buy your local paper and a “big city” paper that is available in your area.  They typically offer more coupons.  For example, we buy Wilmington and Raleigh papers.  SmartSource and Red Plum are the coupon inserts.  Once a month, Proctor & Gamble has a special coupon insert dedicated to their products but it is available only in select papers.
 
Printable Internet Coupons--- I visit several sites almost daily.  “Like” them on facebook and they’ll update several times a day on deals you never knew existed.  My personal favs are www.hip2save, www.momsbyheart.net and www.passionforsavings.com.  There are thousands of sites dedicated to couponing but I personally have to simplify and narrow things down.  I’m just that kinda girl. Keep it simple.
 
Blinkies on Store Shelves--- These are the little boxes with the blinking light that begs you to take a coupon or two and save money. You can find these on the shelves in grocery stores, Target and pharmacies. Don't ignore them any longer. Go ahead and take a few and save them for your coupon stash.  But please only take a few, remember to play nice, we're all in this together!
 
Peelies on Products--- A lot of products have q’s attached to them.  Go ahead, save that .50-$1.00.  Why not?  It all adds up at the register!
 
Manufacturers--- Call, email, or write to the manufacturers/companies. Tell them them how much you love their product or if you have a problem or complaint they want to know about it.  Some companies will send you coupons for discounts or even free products.

Magazines--- Especially All You magazine.  You can subscribe for less than a dollar a month or purchase at Wal-Mart.  Each issue typically has approximately $100 worth of coupons along with great general savings tips, recipes, diy projects, etc. (I hate to cut mine up but a girl has to do what a girl has to do)!


Catalinas--- You've probably been throwing these away for years! These are q's attached to your receipts at the grocery stores and some pharmacies. I never even looked at them in the past until this light bulb went off! Save them. Use them. They are like money in your pocket!

Ask around--- Tell your co-workers, neighbors, family and friends to give you any coupons they do not use.

Like we said, if we can do this anybody can.  Yeah, with anything new, you may get frustrated at first.  Been there, done that!  But in the long run, you will be telling others how to save.  Your friends will be calling you to tell you about their deals!  Just try it and it will change your life.  You’ll save so much money, you’ll be able to afford those coveted leather cowboy boots (right Marie)?  Any questions or problems, we’re here for you.  Don’t hesitate to contact us! There’s a lot more to come on this subject but let’s take it slow.  For now, start saving your coupons and watch the tutorials on the above mentioned sites.  They are the true experts!  Good luck… we have faith in you! :)


Happy Savings and Happy New Year!
Connie and Marie