Free Valentine's Day Art Prints (Subway Art, Typography, Designs)

Need some art in your space but don't have the skills or time? You can find online free printables and make you own prints for pennies when it would cost you dollars at a store for already printed art prints. Subway art is really trendy right now as well as typography, and other art prints that can all (easily and free) be searched for and printed out in minutes. Once you find the designs you like and print them from your home computer or get them printed professionally, you can either put them in a frame, mod podge them to wood or canvas, or simply just display them from a clothes pin and line or tack on a wall or cork board!

 I found these awesome frames at my local 99 Cent Only store today. (they have a $3.99 sticker on the back, so getting all 4 for less then the price of one at any other store was a win for me!) I didn't want to spend the money and time to get only four 4" x 6" pictures printed and since I only have a laser printer right now, I picked out designs that I though would look good in black and white.

Here is my $4 Valentines day decor frames with a retail value over $20 for sure

(if I would have bought the frames and already made prints elsewhere).

I'll post a few free printables for Valentine's Day that I like, but you can find tons upon tons of them on different blogs, Google, pinterest, just by searching for "whatever-theme-you-want free printables".

Have fun!!

http://luxefinds.com/LuxeLiving/2012/01/29/valentines-day-love-quotes-and-sayings-subway-art-free-printables/

http://thefamilyroomdesign.blogspot.com/2012/02/free-valentines-day-printables-for-you.html

http://marthaincowboyboots.blogspot.com/2011/12/printables-valentines-day.html

http://pizzazzerie.com/holidays/freebie-valentines-day-art-prints/

http://www.gritsandgiggles.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentines-day-printables.html

http://ready-set-create.blogspot.com/2011/01/valentines-day-alpha-printables.html?m=1

http://fancyfrillsstylestudio.blogspot.com/2011/01/valentines-day-printable.html

http://fancyfrillsstylestudio.blogspot.com/2011/01/valentines-day-printable.html

http://www.thetomkatstudio.com/valentines-day-subway-art/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/47284890/keep-calm-KISS-on

http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/2012/02/love-month-valentines-day-printable.html

http://thejacobsclan.blogspot.com/2012/01/valentines-day-printable.html

Dollar Store Decor- Front Door Heart House No. Wreath

You never know what gems you'll find at the dollar stores. I knew what I wanted to make with these red flower hearts when I saw them. Here is how I made this for only $8!

I bought 4 frames and four wreaths (99 cents each) and I had at home paper, printer, scissors, hot glue gun, and a computer program to design the chalkboard numbers.

This is what I designed in 4" x 6" size to print out and place each number inside each frame. If you would like a blank chalkboard template for yourself to design something, HERE is the link.

I just printed out the four 4" x 6" images for the frames, cut them out, put them in the frames. then I hot glued each frame to the center of each heart. Lastly I cut the ribbon loop that was already on each heart and then tied it from the bottom of the heart that would be above it. It really only took about 10 minutes to put together after I designed and printed the images for the frames.

Hanging inside so I could get a good picture before I hung it from my front door!

Dollar Store Decor-Valentine's Day Frames

The 99 cent, and dollar stores can be a great place to find holiday decor and party supplies. Why not let your creativity shine, and make some $1 junk, into some custom made pieces for your home.

Make, what would cost you around $15

 each frame at a department store,

 for less then $5 total for three!

Everything used in this project is from

the good ol' 99 cent only store today.

I bought 3 nice looking plastic

(you can't even tell) frames for 8" x 10" photos,

1 spool of red ribbon -you can even use

burlap, ribbon you already have, scrapbooking

paper, fabric, whatever you want! (I'll get to

why I opted for the ribbon rather then gluing

the hearts directly on the frame later.) and a

package of glitter Styrofoam hearts.

Put your pictures, prints, or artwork in the frames, and determine how you want to arrange them on the wall or however you are going to display them. Then (this is why I used the red ribbon) I cut a piece to wrap around each corner and tape down in the back so I could glue my heart to the ribbon- rather then the frame.

I did this so I can  pack up the Valentine's day decor corners with the rest of my Valentine's Day stuff after Valentines. To be even more frugal with your Holiday decor- change it up! Use the same frames for every holiday, just replace the picture with new ones for the holiday coming up, or a new theme pictures, a free printable you find online, and even your children's artwork.  This leaves your frame plain and neutral so you can come up with something else to spice it up for each season and holiday. 

Another tip is to keep your eyes out for free picture codes. Walgreen's photo, Shutterfly, and others frequently come out with free 8" x 10" print codes and other awesome photo deals. You can't beat free!

More super cheap Valentine's Day Decor projects to come over the next few days!

EASY Cucumber Tomato Salad

This was a staple of my childhood. My mom would always make it for us kids and it STILL is a favorite salad dish of mine. It's super easy to make and tailor to your families taste buds and diet needs.

All you need is some tomatoes, cucumbers, white/green onion (if you like it), favorite brand of mayonnaise- or if you are vegan- you can substitute olive oil for the mayo. 

I made this afternoon's salad with two medium cucumbers , four roma tomatoes, 1/4 a fresh white onion, a heaping tablespoon of mayo, salt and pepper to taste. You just slice up everything that you want in your salad, stir together everything in a bowl to make a light dressing, and enjoy or chill before eating to let all the flavors blend. DELICIOUS!

Keeping Track Of Birthdays and Important Dates & Sending Out Cards (ON TIME!) All Year

I don't know about you, but I am one busy Mama and some how I ALWAYS manage to send gifts and cards out late even when I had them picked out for the people months and month in advance. This year I am determined to find a better way to keep track of everything and getting them sent out ON time! 

Because I buy (and make) cards for the individuals months in advance, I need an organized way to store them all so they don't get lost and I don't forget I already have one for the occasion.  I come across (and will post when I find them) codes for creating personalized cards all the time. Websites like tinyprints.com, cardstore.com, and walgreens photo are some great websites to watch for offers including free cards.

So, I was looking at all the cards I already have, and I came up with the perfect way: A photo box! These frequently go on sale at Michael's for $2 and then you can use a coupon on top of that. 

Use the dividers that come with it (or make your own) to separate by month for birthdays and anniversaries, and then by occasion for extra cards like thank yous, wedding, baby shower, miss you, get well, congrats, etc. Then on each month's card, write the loved one or friend's special date and even address to keep track. As you acquire and make the cards, file them in the appropriate spot.

I'll be keeping my card box close to my desk were I pay bills, so I can make a habit of checking the following month's important dates every time I pay bills.

Copycat Magic Eraser (as little as 10 cents each!)

     With having a toddler, discovering these has been a God-send! The miracle product Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and others like it have made cleaning some of the toughest messes (like permanent maker, nail polish, crayon, ink) a breeze. It really does work like magic!

Permanent Marker Artwork and Tattoos :D

     But who want's to pay an arm and a leg when you are already bustin' you butt cleaning up after everyone?! After a little research I found that all these products are is melamine foam! Apparently, melamine foam is an open cell foam that, when mixed with water, acts like a super micro-fine sandpaper easily removing the toughest stains around your house!

This was a fun one...scrubbing chocolate out of my tile grout from zucchini chocolate chip muffins!

     Other's boast on Pinterest, "Ohh check out this link: only 33 cents each"..."Yay! 30 for only $15"...I don't know if they are making commission off the sales or what, but a GOOD price is 50 for around $6 shipped- that equals $0.12 each!

My little dare devil climbed up on the computer desk and got a hold of printer ink!

     Because the sales go go fast and prices and sellers change quickly I'll give you the 
--> Ebay Search Link, but you'll have to choose which seller and quantity you'd like to buy. Just make sure you find one that is around $0.12 cents each or lower after shipping.

How to stretch your Money at Michael's Craft Store (And Others like Jo-Ann and Hobby Lobby)

Use these tips and tricks to get more bang for your buck...or should I say crafts for your cash!

Never buy something that isn't at least 40% off!

     If it's not on sale, find a coupon! Micheal's typically has a 40% or 50% one regular priced item that you can either print from their website, or pull up on their mobile app. They also accept competitors coupons like the percentage off one regular priced item from Jo-Ann or Hobby Lobby. 

     If it's not on sale this week (and you don't have to have it right away) it probably will be on sale sometime during the next week or two. Craft stores Like Micheal's and JoAnn have very high retail prices so that can have all these great "sales"...they aren't foolin' me!

     Always try to buy when the item is 50% off or more. When you have a coupon that you can stack on top of the sale, for 15% or 20% off your entire purchase or a dollar amount like $5 off $25 (which equals 20% off) that makes your deal even sweeter.

     The clearance- most of the time really isn't clearance. You might have fun looking through that messy disorderly aisle, but if the item isn't marked down 50% or less, it really isn't a good find. More than likely, if you look for a similar item that isn't in clearance section, you'll be able to find it 40% to 60% off (or if not that week...probably the next week or so it will be on sale!)

     Ask about additional discounts that may apply. Certain stores do give discounts on specific days. Military, senior, and teacher discounts are some examples.

Here is an example of some great discounts I got today!

   Today I REALLY lucked out. I've been watching these rolling 10 drawer storage carts on Ebay for about a month hoping to score a great price on one someday. (I need one for my coupon sorting/filing, but that will be a post for another day) Well...they just so happened to be marked down to $40 from $80. I had a 20% off my entire purchase (including sale items) coupon which made it only $32! (Now doing a little more research when I go home, I found you can get the colored ones for $30 from Walmart -->here is the link! But the clear or smoke colored ones you cannot find for less then $50 from anywhere! If you need a colorful one I'd suggest buying from that link with free store pick-up because that is a GREAT price!)

    Then, as I was waiting in line to check out, this cute little art table and stool caught my eye because my daughter was being fussy and that was the perfect place to have her sit and patiently wait with me. To my surprise they were originally $130 marked down to $25!! Now of course I had to pull out my handy phone and make sure this was a good deal, because it seemed too good to be true. I found some sets very similar ranging in prices from $90 to $150. Considering I had another coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase, I just couldn't pass up this awesome little table for my daughter. I ended up saving, between the markdowns and coupons, a total of $158 almost 75%!

  Here she is coloring on it. It didn't come with the paper roll so I need to get some, but I foresee a lot of messes and crafting going on in this little table's future!

Christmas Stockpiling- Making your money stretch for ALL holidays!

Are you one of those people that stress around the Holidays, running around trying to find the perfect gifts, trying to not go TOO much over budget, and getting everything done in time? 

If we could instead shop throughout the year and get presents when the prices are at their rock-bottom lowest, we would not be in debt and we could enjoy our family and friends in December :)

I have a shelf in my garage that I collect presents on throughout the year. It is almost as much fun for me to look through them (and remember what I have gotten and at what great prices) when certain Holidays come up and  I need to go "shopping" for  a gift in my garage.

So, here are my tips for stockpiling for Christmas (and other holidays too):

Storage Is Key

     Have a place to put it all. Whether that be a large container that blends in with other containers (get the drift), a closet, a cedar chest or under the bed, make sure you have some place to store all of your great deals! Make sure you properly mark and label what you store too! No matter how good of a deal you get, if you can't find the item when you need it, or you forget about it, you defeated the whole purpose!

Start Early

     Seriously, start shopping the day after Christmas. You can imagine how much merchandise a store purchases during the holidays. Now they need to get rid of it and the deals are awesome! You can actually take this concept and do it for any holiday.  I keep an eye out for things they may be "Christmas"  but work for other Holidays too like solid colors of ribbon, tissue, wrapping paper, vanilla/sugar cookie scented items, even baking stuff! If it's green it  could easily be used for Saint Patrick's days. Red stuff for Valentines day! Buy Valentine's Day chocolate the day after and then use it for Easter! It is all about when to get the best deal!

Don't Procrastinate

     If you see a great deal but think it will be on sale again, do not bet on it. If you have the extra money get it then!

All I bought for 75% off or more!

Daily Deal Sites

     One new way of shopping that I love are daily deal sites! They have some amazing gift cards deals. Sites like Groupon, Saveology, and Living Social all have wonderful deals. They have regional and national deals. Usually the gift card deals are considered national deals so you can mail them to friends and family in other states. Of course with any deal, you will want to read all the details, make sure that it will not expire before the holidays and make sure your recipient will be able to use it at a store near them. Another thing to consider is that many of these sites will give you a credit of $3 to $10 just for signing up. You can then use that credit to get an item even cheaper! Website Deal of the Day offers are also a great way to get a deal. Walmart, Target and many other websites all have daily deals. Target even offers free shipping on all of their daily deals.

Re-Gift

     Do I dare say it..... re-gift. If you have received a gift during the holidays, birthday etc. and it just does not speak to you, but it in your stockpile. Just remember who gave it to you :)

Go Bargain-Hunting

     Thrift Stores, Dollar Stores, and Garage Sales - Talk about a deal - all three of these locations can get you amazing gifts at great prices. I love finding an item at a thrift store and then reinventing it or making a one of a kind gift.

     Some of my favorite places to shop the clearance Christmas stuff are Walmart and Walgreens for the gift box sets. They have some great ones that they mark off 50% right after Christmas and just continue to lower the price until they all are sold. You can get awesome brand name perfumes and colognes, lotion or bath and body sets, makeup, jewelry , and even Starbucks gift sets. 

     Micheals and Joanns are great one for getting wrapping paper, ornaments, bows and ribbon. If you can wait until all their stuff is marked all the way to 90% off and then pair that with a 15% or 20% off your entire transaction- just think of how far you money can stretch.

     Lowes, Home Depot, and other home improvement stores have great clearance after the holidays on things like lights, wreaths, Christmas trees, and storage solutions. I prefer to shop online at these type of stores, and then do free local pickup to save on the shipping. 

I'll leave you with this...If you give yourself a budget, let's say $100 to do some after holiday shopping with, If you hit all the great clearances 75% to 90%, stack that with store and manufacturer's coupons...you could potentially get around $1,000 retail value of stuff for that $100. Now who doesn't think that is worth holding onto it until next Christmas?!

Yellow Crookneck Squash Casserole

Amanda's Yellow Crookneck Squash Casserole

(my own healthier version of Boston Market's Squash Casserole)

Serves/Makes: 8    |   Difficulty Level: 3    |   Ready In: 1-2 hrs

Ingredients:

9 cups yellow squash diced (about 6 whole crooknecks)
1 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix (prepare as directed on box)
3/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded)
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme   (or Italian seasoning)

Before covering to bake and with out the cheese topping for the last 20 minutes.

Directions:

Prepare corn muffin mix as directed, set aside to cool. 

Cook the yellow squash in a large saucepan, with  just enough of water to cover, until tender and then remove from heat. Drain squash, but keep one cup of water for casserole.

Pour the oil in large saucepan, add pepper, thyme, chicken bouillon cubes, garlic and onions. Stir and saute the onions until the onions turn clear. 

In a 13" x 9" casserole dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray, add a layer of drained squash. Then crumble half the corn bread on top of the squash. Sprinkle half the cheese, then another layer of crumbled corn bread and squash. Pour the reserved cup of water and mix.

Cover casserole and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes. 

Remove cover the last 20 minutes of baking time and add remaining cheese.