Finances on Friday

Blueberry muffins made with low priced Aldi blueberries.

actually baked these last week but I never got around to posting then 

my neighborhood has an addition-wide yard sale every spring.  My children have been cleaning out their homes and bringing their cast-offs here to get ready for it.  I don't need most of their junk but I was interested in this red plastic crate that one of them brought over. 

it fits perfectly on a shelf in our fridge and is so useful to hold all those extra condiments that tend to get lost in the very back.

it can be slide in and out, almost like a drawer. 

Our recent electric bill was the smallest ever in this house.  I think the switch from an electric range to a gas range has a lot to do with it. But I am not sure why it just showed up now, as we got the new range in December.  

Cashed out Swagbucks for $25 in Paypal and almost have enough to do it again.  

JJ's birthday quilt was sewn up completely with fabric, thread and batting from my sewing stash.  

not much shopping to blog about because all our recent groceries have come from Aldi but I do have a stack of coupons ready for Walmart and CVS that I hope will net some bargains.  You never know though....

Cut my husbands hair- I should say buzzed his hair. It is not my favorite thing to do but it is thrifty and quick and it makes him happy. 

Baked up a batch of banana nut muffins with some very ripe bananas and also a pan of cinnamon rolls. Both are in the freezer for Easter morning breakfast.  

Extra cooking this week as I get ready for Easter.- I made 4 pie shells and they are waiting in the freezer.  I also made a tray full of twice baked potatoes that are waiting in the fridge to be reheated.  

continued to bake all our bread in 2014.

Found these 2 Ethan Allen vintage nutmeg maple pieces at my favorite thrift store. The end table was $30 and the bigger piece was $45. I am thrilled with both of them and so is my husband. I will not be refinishing them and plan to keep them.
 My parents have Ethan Allen furniture pieces similar to these and so did my some of my aunts and uncles.  They just look and feel like home to me.

inside the drawers are the Ethan Allen stamp

We will be having our family egg hunting and coloring and a big meal to celebrate Easter on Saturday.

There will be at least 16 and possibly 19 here. 

To add extra seating for dining, I used a folding table that is same size as our dining table and put them end to end. Counting high chairs and the 2 chairs in the sewing room I have not moved yet, there is seating for 16 now.

The tables needed covered and I thought about buying fabric or vinyl table cloths but went with a thriftier and easier option. In that garage sale pile, I pulled out a full size flat sheet, off white with an tan stripe. It was the perfect size to cover both tables after I cut it lengthwise down the middle and machine hemmed those 2 raw edges. I think it was probably quicker to do that little bit of sewing than it was to go shopping. 

The brown doilies were all crocheted by my mom.

The white bunnies are thrift store treasures and the brown ones were made by a friend many years ago.

just using what I had makes for a natural neutral table and I am happy with it.

I hope you all are having a pleasant and thrifty week too.  

Linking up with Rebecca at Renaissance 

another I Spy quilt

This I Spy quilt is for grandson JJ who just turned 1.  I finished it about 2 weeks ago but am a bit behind with my blogging.  Anyone notice?  it seems a lot of my favorite blogs are not posting too often -I think everyone is busy.  

so, here it is.   I think this is my 4th quilt finish for 2014.

 I tried to use prints that had some meaning to JJ and his family.  The sewing mouse on the spool is because I sew.  The tractors for his tractor loving cousins.

 JJ's family visits the beach most every summer so the little beach boy and seashells really suit them.

the funny chicken fabric came from my Aunt Evelyn's scrap box.  

 these last 3 are all turned wrong but I am on the big PC instead of my Ipad and can't get them to turn.  

a golfer because his daddy is a golf coach
a dinosaur because of his 1st party's theme

cowboys and a coyote because we live in Oklahoma

The church sort of resembles our church

JJ had a very fun dinosaur 1st birthday party and enjoyed his cake about as much as anyone could.  

He ate a little of the cake but it was mostly a wonderful plaything.