Sunday, June 29, 2008

The Rag Throw

Here is my weekend project! It really is not a rag quilt, it is more like a rag throw because it is throw size and it does not contain any batting, it is just a light, cotton, summer throw!! It is made entirely from fabric that I bought at the auction last weekend! It turned out really cute, not perfect by any means but I am still learning!





A close up view of the ragged edges



Very close shot which shows not only the beautiful fabric (I love the floral!) but also my imperfections!



The ragged front



The back

This was really easy to make and it turned out very pretty!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Sewing Day

Last night I begin working on a ragged edge quilt!! I was so excited about it last night that I tossed and turned before finally getting to sleep and then I popped out of bed at 6:15 and started sewing! I just finished it!! I am washing it so the edges will get worn!! I have decided to spend the next few days working on my sewing projects that I have been wanting to work on but haven't seemed to find the time!! I will post pictures of my projects soon!

I have had a great week especially after passing my test! It has been stress free and I have been able to get a lot done around the house!! Yesterday I meal planned and was able to come up with 7 meals when I thought we really needed to go to the grocery store!! It amazes me how taking a little time and doing a little planning saves money and time!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

I passed my Biology exam!

This morning I took my CLEP Biology exam and I passed!! Praise the Lord!! Since I passed this test I don't have to go back to Cookeville for classes in July. I simply have to complete a portfolio and do some web design on the FFA website and I will graduate!! After I took my test, I picked up my cap and gown for graduation so it is feeling very official!! I graduate on August 2! Now, the hard part begins...looking for a job!!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Today's Deals

This morning John David and I slept in until 9!! We both felt lazy but it has been weeks since we have slept in!! We got dressed and headed to an estate auction here. I have never been to an estate auction so it was fun!

We made several bids and came home with a couple of boxes of stuff!! I was excited mainly about all of the fabric!! We paid $7.50 for one box and $5 for another box! With our $5 box we got 4 quilt frames and a lady bought those from us for $2 which was great since I wasn't planning on using them anyways! So we got everything for $10.50!!



This is my favorite!! It is a cream throw that we bought in our $5 box!!



One stack of light colored fabric!



Another stack of fabric!



A stack of dark colored fabric!



My 4 cookbooks, Baptist hymnal, King James Bible, and Baptist Doctrine book.



My Christmas plate...dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh....

I was very pleased with all we got for $10.50! On the way home we stopped by Goodwill and dropped off a box of pillows, fabric, and books we didn't want and then I came home and went through the rest of the fabric and washed what I wanted. I now have another box to send to Goodwill! I have a lot of sewing to do...I can't wait! And I may even have enough fabric to make a quilt!! Everything I have kept is very useful and will be used and not just collect dust!!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

My Busy Week

Well it has been several days since I last wrote anything! We had a busy weekend, we attended a Civil War re-enactment which was the first one for both of us! It was very interesting and we will probably try to attend some more. The re-enactment really helps history come alive which is awesome! I think every high school history class would benefit from attending a re-enactment!

I have recently embraced my love for reading once again. When I am in school I have to read so much that I neglect reading for fun! I have read several books these past few weeks! My most recent reading is Anne of Green Gables and I am currently reading Anne of Avonlea! I am going to read all of those books since I haven't read them since 7th grade!

I have also been studying, my Biology test is on the 24th! I spent last week studying hard and have somewhat neglected my studies this week but I am going to study at least an hour this evening and probably even more tomorrow and this weekend!

The reason this week has been crazy is because I have been working at VBS!!! I am an assistant teacher for the Younger 3's and it has been a great experience! 3-year-olds are so much fun and very funny!! I have had a blast... it teaches you to stay on your toes and there is never a dull or calm moment! We have had about 12-14 everyday and there are just two of us!! Tomorrow is water day so I am sure they will have a blast and I will get very wet!!

Also, Rebekah is here visiting!! Yay.. company in the guest room!!! She has been here since Monday and is planning to stay until Saturday! We have enjoyed having her here!!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Family Concidence



I just had to post this picture! This was taken in May at Jill's Graduation Recognition at Cherry Grove! The funny thing about it is it appears as if we spent a lot of time coordinating outfits when in fact we all woke up, got dressed, and just so happened to coordinate!!

My Week

This past week has been a pretty good one and pretty productive! I spent Monday and Tuesday trying to study for my upcoming CLEP Biology test but all I did pretty much was sulk because I was "bored"...a word just a month ago I said I would never use because I longed for a day when I had nothing to do!! Well I turned my "boredness" into productivity...sort of! I decided to take up reading to occupy some of my "bored" time. I began reading Ann of Green Gables again since I haven't read any of those since 7th grade! I must admit I am enjoying myself!

Tuesday night John David and I went out so I could get out of the house! We ended up going to Wal-Mart, where we bought nothing, J.C. Penney where he bought a shirt for work, Ross where he bought 2 shirts for work, and Goodwill! I found The Power of a Praying Wife there for $1.49! I had been looking for this book for awhile now and I was so excited that I found it! John David found a little mini TV that he is planning to use for video playback so he was happy with his purchase too and he now has plenty of short sleeve shirts to wear to work!

Yesterday I was incredibly productive! I studied Biology 4 hours, which is a praise that I was disciplined enough to do that! And today I have already studied an hour and a half and have been to CVS where I got some really great deals: 4 12-packs of Dr. Pepper, 2 bottles of Listerine Mouth Wash, 4-pack of Ivory Soap, and Aquafresh toothpaste for $13.98 and I got $10.98 in ECB's back!! YAY!!

I also have been taking care of my garden! We just had a nice rain and I had to take pictures of my plants! I had a bloom on my Cherry tomato plant earlier in the week but I was so excited that I touched it and it fell off! I now know not to touch the blooms!



The bloomless Cherry tomato!



The Red Bell pepper and tomato..they have reallly grown!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Recent Goodwill Finds

I just had to write about my most current Goodwill finds, one because I got some really good deals and also because my sister makes fun of me so I figured I would give her something else! (I love you Bekah!)



My two shirts! The one of the left was $4 and the one on the right $2! They are both so cute!



I have to say my Cutco knife block is one of the best deals I have ever found at Goodwill! We thought about getting one to go with our knives but hadn't and I found this one for .99!! Definitely a great deal...of course it didn't come with the knives but it is still pretty awesome!

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Saturday Sales!

This morning we woke up pretty early and decided to go to a few yard sales! The first one we went to we didn't have any luck but at the second one I had lots of luck! The lady having the yard sale was a few years older than me and about my size so I had some clothes luck! She had great taste and I picked up several great pieces for only $9!!



My $2 dress



Another view of the dress!



My cute $2 Maggy London dress!



$1 Max Studio Skirt and $1 GAP Halter!



My $1 Ann Taylor Cardigan!



$1 Ann Taylor Skirt! (It goes past my knees..it's not a mini skirt! This is just a close up of the fabric!)



$1 Ann Taylor Shirt!



We went to a few more yard sales and the only other thing I bought was quilt batting for a queen/king size quilt for $1...so now I have to make a new quilt!

I just had to share my yard sale finds!!

After the yard sales, we went to the Franklin Farmer's Market which is awesome! I was sad there weren't any farm fresh strawberries...I was so spoiled growing up and always having fresh strawberries! Then we went to A&W for lunch and of course a Root Beer!!

On the way home we stopped at Publix, not because I needed more groceries, but because I had a few coupons I needed to use! I had never shopped at a Publix and I really liked it! I bought 2 boxes of Kashi granola bars for $1.39! We ended up buying 2 boxes of cereal, 2 bottles of Welches grape juice, ice cream cones, granola, Green Giant frozen broccoli and spinach and a few more items for under $18!!

We've had a great day and it isn't even over!

Friday, June 6, 2008

This week

This week has been pretty productive and it seemed to fly by! I guess being gone all day Tuesday made the week seem shorter. Wednesday I met with the Children's Minister at church. I will be an assistant teacher with 2 year olds June 16-20 for VBS. I am sure that will be fun and keep me busy that week!

Since I have been home I have had some time to find things to keep me occupied and I decided to start using coupons and planning my meals according to the sales to save money at the grocery store. Now please don't think I am cheap because I am not! I am trying to be more frugal and wise with the money that God has blessed us with and we are working on saving up for our down payment since buying a house could be in the not so distant future for us!! Anyways, I went to Wal-Mart and using my coupons I bought a box of Honey Bunches of Oats, Post Live Active Cereal, and Grape Juicy Juice for $1.46 tax included! I thought that was pretty exciting! Then I went to Aldi for the first time and was impressed, I will probably do some more shopping there, I spent $10.02 there and then I went to Kroger and after a few coupons my grand total was $33.50 (after buying beef & ice cream for John David!) My grand total for groceries for the next two weeks was $44.98! Not bad at all...my mama would be proud!

And today I spent the morning doing a little Co-op work which kept me busy! Now I am doing laundry and doing a little house cleaning and waiting for John David to come home so we can decide what fun thing we are going to do this weekend!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Just a little closer to my degree...

Today I took my Microeconomics CLEP test and PASSED!! I have been studying (and praying) for the past week and a half a couple hours a day so I was relieved that I passed! So now if I can pass the Biology CLEP test I won't have to go to Cookeville for classes in July!
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