my poor husband!

it was was the very tolerant chris's birthday sunday.

can  you guess how old he turned?

being thrifty like i am, we used some election signs that were still up (i had parker jump out of the car, snatch them and throw them in the trunk. he loved it!) and just stapled paper to them.

and for his birthday he got the new jon stewart book, earth, but mostly because i wanted to read it.

(yup, that is how it works here).

then we gave him this simpsons christmas tie.

(he is NOT going to like me for posting this photo!)

also being thrifty, i got it from d.i. for $2!

it was in perfect condition, and wasn't even all wrinkled where the knot should be!

of course, chris won't wear it until thankgiving is over.

kill joy.

but he is also getting a ski pass, which will not be thrifty. but hey-i love the guy and he puts up with ALOT!

oh, and by the way, i have strep for the FOURTH time since september.

i have been to an ent dr and it turns out i have reflux that comes up pretty high in my throat. the damage from that is allowing (we think. we hope.) the strep to get into my system. we are treating the reflux and will see what happens.

so if i post something weird (i announced on fb that captian kangaroo died), please forgive me and blame the strep. and i plan on using that excuse as long as possible.

i didnt forget!

i didn't forget about my project for my aunt and her school kids.

i was just waiting for her to get them!

here are some of the 30 pencil bags i made with the help of some very special friends!

here is what used to be my kitchen table while i bagged all of the loot donated.

(i was looking for the phone!)

this the final project! well, some of them.

and here are the kids!

this is a dora bandaide that was donated. the kids love them!
thank you EVERYONE who helped out1

featuring the thrifty ba...

i may be #15 on the list but im sure i am #1 in their hearts!

click here!

why i love parker getting new shoes...

parker needed new church shoes.

this sounds like an easy task, but it isn't. he is very particular about what kids and color

 (slip ons in brown. and he is now a size 4).

but he has NO PROBLEM not matching his clothes.

but we found some shoes, at only the 4th store (payless), without too much pain.

and being that payless is ALWAYS having a buy one get one half off, i just strolled down the womens size 8 aisle.

and found these!

and they were marked down to $9, making them exactly $4.50!

how could i not have them!

so many outfits to wear them with.

so little time...

what nate did while everyone else watched football and ate chips...

aunt pegs better watchout because nate is a jewerly making machine!

he made me this beauty while the rest of the family was watching the utah game.

it was suppose to be a necklace, but was a little too short, so momma got a new bracelet!

tell me that isnt the most beautiful thing you have ever seen!?

the in laws christmas gift

first, i have to say i LOVE my in laws.

i might be in the minority here, but that is ok.

now my husbands in laws...

and yes, i have already got their christmas (mostly) done. this is part of their 'joint' present, and then i will get them both something else small.

but as always, i saved a TON of money using coupons.

first, i got to roberts with a 50% off coupon and got this frame

it was normally $84, but i got it for $42.

then i went to etsy and found my new best friend, jess.

check out her shop here.

(and look how cute it came in the mail!)

even with shipping, it was less expensive to buy these from her than from the craft stores.

she was fast and helpful (and didn't pay me for this-i just appreciate good customer service and like to let others know where to get it!).

and here my bloggy friends is the final result...

i even vacuumed the rug before taking the photo!
(you are welcome!)

we all signed the back so as my in laws get older and more forgetful, they will know who gave this to them!
(just kidding-love you gary and linda!)

be thankful for the love of pete!

now november is a wonderful month!

i love all the fuzzy family feelings that go along with thanksgiving (aka-food!).

christmas music has started playing.

you get to switch from halloween to fall-ish decor (i love the switch up).

and i have exactly 15 birthdays (including my 2 kids and hubby) this month.

and yes, we will be broke by the end of the month.

so here is a really inexpensive craft!

i made this last year and that is when i started thinking i should start a crafty/thrifty blog.

i made 1 for me, 1 with jen and 1 with summer, one for my mother in law, one for my sister in law and one for my friend shellie.

yup-six!

but i didn't mind at all. the hardest part was waiting for them to dry.

get out some of your big foamy stamps that you got years ago to scrapbook with and never got around to using.

along with some craft paint that may or may not have the lid stuck shut from the last paint job you did 2 years ago.

i got about a yard of burlap (i have a smaller island, but if you need a table runner, make it as big as you'd like)-any color that works for your kitchen or dining room. (i have noticed that there is oranges and reds now...that would look sweet!)

i cut my burlap in half so that i had 2 pieces of 1 yard long burlap.

then stamp away. i would suggest putting some newspaper under your stamping so you don't have a huge clean up.

but hey-if you like cleaning...

i wrote 'thankful', but i'm sure you can write something else.

and the finished project! how adorable is that?

not just adorable-but easy!