Hi there ! Extreme Coupon~er wannabee!

Hi Sunshines, yes I am still around, been so busy with booths and editing and trying my best to start with the extreme coupon~ing.

I am still doing my research regarding and am collecting them as well. I have to spend more time finding them seems like though!

I have gone to the manufacturer's sites only to find they are not offering any at the moment. Now what? She asks! Think I am going to the wrong place!

Now I am clipping them from the weekly flyer's I get in the mail and I did pick up a Sunday paper last week, only to find there were none of interest to me! WOW GREAT! Won't do that again for awhile! :)

I have found Shortcuts.com and have signed up for their email alerts, as well as Albertsons, Smith's and Von's. You can enter your "card" number on their websites when you sign up and "send" the coupons to your card so you don't have to print them! What a savings in ink!

I am sure all of you already know this stuff, I am now looking for a mentor! Anyone? Hello? Really Kat? YES REALLY! How do I get started tracking and logging and keeping them in order?

Help?

I will keep at it and hopefully I can report soon, I spent $5.00 on $350.00 worth of groceries! :) Wouldn't THAT be so GRAND!

I would check out my local stores to see if they have delivery too! Some of them do, that would be so wonderful if ever necessary! WOW Hope you all have a good one! Hugs Kat =^.^=

Happy October! Coupons Coupons Where to find them? HELP!

Hello Sunshines, well, I need help please! I am trying to find where or a really good site to go to to get great coupons. I am so sure there are many sites, I have found some but today I am looking for Iams Dog Food coupons and do you think I can find just one NO

 I have the BUG to start and try and save as much as money as I can on groceries and pup food, not to mention ALL the other stuff too!

If you know of a good place or are willing to help me find a few please? I would love your feedback and comments! I am getting back on track in a hurry!

I would also love love love a tutorial on how to get started on couponing as well! I've seen the show and WOW is all I can say, sign me up please!

I found one named American Eagle Coupon Code.com :) These are for clothes but I am not ordering clothing anytime soon, now just concerned with food and toiletriesm cleaning, etc. :)

Hugs Kat =^.^=

Spending! Oops!

Hi Sunshines, long time no write!!! well it has certainly been a while since I blogged on this new place of mine! I must admit I have been spending, only for the booth, bits and pieces and feel really guilty but the sales are good so far into my first time ever having a booth and still learning so much as I go. 

Edit Edit Edit.....back on track!

I am getting ready to get rid of a ton of vintage linens now. I finally am getting to them. I am doing laundry night and day as I want them to be fresh and very clean to resale. I am also adding lovely vintage baby clothing to my line at the booth! I have found some beautiful things packed away in the garage.

I am still editing my home, getting ready to let go of some furniture this week as it will not fit in anymore. That will open up a couple of rooms for me and some much needed added space for organizing.

Today I re-arranged my shed out back. It was only 91 deg! in October!!! and  I finally got up the gumption to remove everything and put my shelves together and put the stuff back in so I can get to it when editing time comes around, probably next week! It is SO much cleaner now, more organized and at least one half of it is done, I ran out of daylight!, I must finish it tomorrow so will be getting up early before it gets too hot again!

Most of that stuff was Christmas decor and I have some to let go for sure. I did find three wreaths to make and I think I may do that for the booth, I love making Christmas things and now is the time.

I might even let my Christmas tree go! I do have a box of vintage decorations though that I will never let go. They are from WAY back when my kids were growing up and some of them they painted for me. I started to get one new decoration each year so my tree is a leaner! :)

Isn't it so very funny how kids change when they get older! :)

I hope you are all doing well, I am hanging in ! At least trying, I have my MOMENTS and FAILURES, but I will press on! :) Anyway I am not trying to beat myself up too much here, I could do better and must get back on track for sure..... PRAY FOR ME!!!  Hugs Kat =^.^=

PS I have learned how to maneuver over at CVS though, I get the emails with dollars off and
percentages off and that is working fine for the laundry detergent and the TP and Paper Towels! Saving there, they really do have a wonderful program. Instead of printing the coupon from the email I can literally SEND it to the card, no waste of printer ink! :)

Now only if ACE would go that route too! :)

New Vocabulary!

W O R D S - M E A N I N G S - R E - G R O U P
accumulation
editing
re-decorating
stuff
dust catchers
things
paper
edit
edit
edit
re-adjust
re-align
re-group
support group
organize
move and clean
failure
success
realization
back on track
back on the road

The above words absolutely RUN through my mind on a daily basis, BUT they are not sticking! One moment I get it the next I don't! To say that the accumulation of stuff, of things, of my things over the past umpteen years is putting it mildly in the overwhelming area.

I am O V E R W H E L M E D! AGAIN! And when I get this way, I LEAVE!!!! What is up with that!!!!!?????? Do you do that too?

I need help, help with editing, moving, re-arranging my furniture, little that I have, and making my space acceptable to bring friends in without having to apologize for how it looks!

I have some new and just wonderful friends, however, that do not judge me, for they also have issues with stuff and absolutely no time like myself to address it! But do I still feel bad and overwhelmed? YES!

So, now what? What do we do? How to we approach? I have many books ( a whole other issue and sickness) that will tell me how to organize, I get that, really. BUT to move things completely out of a room is silly, really, who has that much space to muddie up another space just to put the stuff back in the original space again! I don't! I must STEP OVER STUFF! LOL fall and get up and start again!

I thought about not eating for a while and hiring a professional organizer, BUT some of them are the throw it all away types and I don't have crap or junk, its all good, so I want to organize what I have to sell since I have a booth, so others will get something nice and I can rid my space of yet more little things here and there.

Frustrating, add that word to all of this as well. Then add daily life issues and wow it can be really overwhelming!

When I was young and had children I will never forget one thing my beloved Mother said to me. She was about my age now, looked at me and said "Honey, I really don't know how you do all of this with two kids, a husband, clean, cook, shop, take care of the household, wallpaper, paint, plant, do it all!"  My response was Mom you taught me how to do it all! We both cried!

When she passed, she had so much stuff as well, BUT it was organized, really. My Sis and I cried when we went through her things, looked at each other and said, WOW "Mom was really organized and she NEVER THOUGHT SHE WAS!"

Well, now I am an empty nester, with so much accumulated stuff. Sorry for venting but that is what this blog is all about now. I sincerely hope you guys can vent here as well. I can't be the only one in this situation!

To be honest, I have been re-decorating my home with my current things and replacing some with smaller used items, so I have been spending there just to get organized, so I have failed in the beginning of my no spending zone a little.

I was hoping to stay on track, I swayed, but am now back on track again.  I hope you can forgive me! I have re-thought all of this no spending and I have decided not to cut myself off from all things loved, like publications. I need to reward myself with something I love to keep me on track, so I have made that conscious decision.

I have also realized that to say NO SPENDING in one day, one thought, one moment, is silly and no one could stop cold turkey so to speak, so I have forgiven myself for my slight detour!

I hope anyone reading this will go easier on themselves also should they decide to follow me in this journey. I am, after all, really learning a new lifestyle, just like eating, and oh I am doing that as well. I was eating out with friends and making bad fried choices so that will have to stop, salads yes, fried no.

It is time for me to change my habits, re-adjust, re-align, re-gain, re-run my thoughts and most of all re-group to the original mission!

Here we go again, after thinking and having time to make these huge messes in my home while I do this, one wonders where does all this stuff come from? Again, Really? Yes, why do we "pick up this and that" at the market or store? Why?

I would love to hear from any of you with your thoughts, wisdom, suggestions, please be nice, LOL as I am having more of a hard time than I thought! I must stop beating myself up now and get back to this mess! I hope you all have a wonderful week, I plan to!  Hugs Kat =^.^=

WO HOO MONDAY!

Ok, well good morning Sunshines! This will be me later when I mow the lawn, however, I have a push mower!

Update, still no spending on unnecessary stuff! Yeah me! Regular foodstuffs, keep the home running kinda stuff, but no magazines or stuff, really hard not to get a new magazine! If anyone wants to send me the latest Romantic Country!!!!!!! Please feel free! I guess I will be loitering in the stores now! LOL


The garage sale actually made a good dent in the stuff, the garage is still full but most is for the Etsy store, tubs and tubs of vintage linens saved throughout the years. It is an addiction, but now I will be washing gently, ironing and packaging up to sell on Etsy.com in my store linenladyk.


I have a few prime pieces of furniture left taking up valuable real estate in the garage though. One is a claw foot solid oak buffet! It must be about 100 years old. I am trying to configure a way to fit this in but it is not working out. I would take a picture, but that will be later when I can stand it upright. I am fixing one of the claw feet.

It apparently came from a older ladies home, it has never been painted and the oak is crazed the dark brown, a lovely patina, lovely piece, the feel of it is so textured and aged. I often wonder where pieces like this have been and who cared for them so thoughtfully.

The other is a small dainty buffet hutch with a glass top and solid bottom, and a large entertainment center with lots of cubbies, a really neat piece that one could shabby up quite nicely! I will try and find homes for these!


Baby Step One, be prepared for the garage sale. Lots of water and shade, it was 106 deg and humid. I put two patio umbrellas up to sit under, that was the saving grace! I had pen and paper and took numbers of those interested in my furniture pieces and was able to call them to view the pieces I had in the house. This worked out great!

Baby Step Two, get a good night's sleep for sure!

Baby Step Three, have food at the ready to run and get if needed, I was alone for two of the days and a friend for one, which made a huge difference.  On the alone days, my neighbor came over a couple of times to let me run into the house and get more water and take a little break. a couple of minutes makes a big difference!

I hope you have a wonderful fun week Sunshines! I will!  Take care, hugs Kat =^.^=

Thursday Thoughts!

Good morning Sunshines! Happy Thursday! Make it a great day!

Ok, my thoughts on this day. Day before the yard sale! YIKESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! To say I am freaking out is putting it mildly!

I now require the sticky pad notes and lists to finalize and check off all the little things left before tomorrow, YS-Day 1 (yard sale day 1 there will be 2 and 3!) and up at the crack of dawn! Gotta name it! YS-Day!

I noticed that even though I have worked all week gathering and "not spending" yeah! that there still is so much more I could have done, but since this was a collective effort for myself and my friend that is moving, it was a time crunch issue. Kinda sudden! My next one will be in Fall, and I will start planning and continue to sort and edit. Daily Editing, a new Baby Step!

It is really scary sometimes, to think and see the amount of things and stuff we accumulate! Things we "must keep and just have to have."  Dare I say it, "what was I thinking!" I have enough stuff and cleaning supplies for the remainder of the year and more! Good, clean house is always good! Go through stuff again and edit. Edit Edit Edit Baby Step One!

Lessons learned now, on a lot of issues during this week. I can actually see some floor tiles! LOL So "tile by tile" is how I am working now. I clean and vacuum polish and clear, "tile by tile!" Clean, Edit, Polish Baby Step Two!

Lessons learned, always a big part of Baby Steps! Listen to Lessons and Learn, Baby Step Three!

Bet you want to know some of the items in that yard sale right? Here goes; all of my things are second and third hand and are well made but Vintage for sure :)  mirrors, bedroom set, queen, complete and ready for painting or not; end tables; coffee table; wine bottle table, this guy is heavy but will hold a ton of wine display; dishes; pictures; purses and clothing and shoes just to name a few; chairs already shabby-fied white! Linens and sheets, craft items and Christmas stuff. I may even sell my little Charlie Brown tree at this point!  The 3 Amigos ( my little pups) better stay in their room! LOL

Wish you were here to join in the fun!

Big day tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday!  Have a wonderful, healthy, fun, weekend sunshines! I will let you know how this turned out! Hugs Kat =^.^=

Non Spending

Good morning Sunshines! I am sure most of you will agree that when a decision is made you try and keep it, somewhat like a New Years Resolution. Good intentions and all, but then well, it fades like everything else and you get on with your life without that promise to yourself.


Well, this is not the case with the No Spending Zone for me. I am not spending.  As I gather and group and store and get ready for this garage yard sale, it has dawned on me that the more I see the floor :), cleaning as I go, the more stuff I see and realize that I really do not require it any longer. The move into a smaller abode and all, there is just too much of unnecessary things, and trying to fit it in, well that was not working either. Downsizing.


What a revelation! I worked myself silly yesterday, all day from dawn to midnight. The heat has been intense here, 106 deg with high winds, like a hair dryer. I've never sweat so much even in the air conditioning! What I've realized is that I like this new look, clean, shabby, with a come sit down and chat a spell, take a nap, watch a movie, put your feet up kinda calm......again. I've had this before and I guess I have really missed it these past few months.


I am no where near being done with the editing, but for now, today I will be cleaning and spraying lavender and making the signs for the garage sale this weekend.


I will be listing some items in my new under construction linenladyk store on Etsy and at my much loved booth at Goat Feathers. I am doing a re-design there too! Pictures later!


ALL OF THIS is so exciting! I am SO happy! I am getting things done and not spending! Remind me to eat! LOL


Baby Steps..... when you are focused on the primary goal, you see some results, you WANT to keep going! Edit Edit Edit, Baby Step One!


Clean as you go, with dust rags and something that smells good! Edit, Move, Clean Clean Clean Baby Step Two!


Take some pictures, before and afters, with the digital camera, instant gratification there, and view them different times of the day to see your progress! You will SEE it! AND oddly enough, you will SEE more to let go! Edit Clean View your progress, a BIG Baby Step Three!


Enjoy your day Sunshines! I am taking pictures along the way to the journey of a non cluttered home and will share them with you soon!


Thank you for visiting, thank you for your support! And most of all thank you for your lovely comments! I so appreciate your thoughts and ideas! Love Kat =^/^=
PS I will have to break for a time today, more ALEVE!!!! :)

Philosophy of Sorts

Good morning Sunshines, going to ramble a bit if you don't mind, many thoughts in my head this morning!

Just before dawn is the best time of the day, my Mom used to get up so early, even in Winter, open up all the windows, put on a jacket and sit with her coffee, quietly. She would enjoy the morning smell of the air, the birds singing and just the being still if even for a fleeting moment!

This works for me as well, even though I am so very tired getting ready for this garage sale clearing process and not spending. It works because I start my day quietly and my thoughts are clear on how to spend it, and to tell myself, whatever happens today, I will fit it in somewhere and handle it. Strength. Thanks Mom, a good lesson! Quiet, calm before you start your day. Lesson learned a Big Baby Step in life. Stop, Relax, Plan, Baby Step One!

"SPENDING" the day is much better than SPENDING hard earned cash or STUFF! Mantra: I will spend on the day and not in a store! Enjoy the day and Mother Earth! Baby Step Two!

Went to the market to get some boxes for a friend that is moving. As I passed all the beautiful decorating and food magazines and this and that I started thinking. Scary as it is! :) I looked at some of the prices for these magazines! Oh My! 9.99, 7.99 as much as a BOOK! Ok some are worth it, beautiful pictures, but I can find them on my favourite blogs! Really! Eye Candy! Really, I want my home to look like theirs! Clean, simple, beautifully decorated, room to walk, and have family and friends visit. It used to look like that, I moved, now is the time to get that look back! :) Magazines are expensive. This no spending zone makes you really look at prices of things and compare and just think! Think on all of it before a purchase! Consider, Ponder, Think, before you leap! Baby Step Three!

OK, anyone can go to FoodNetwork and get a recipe for free, watch a video, read READ READ! You could also print out the recipe, but, let me throw something out here for you to ponder. Remember the old fashioned recipe cards? They are small, fit in a box, can be organized and are really fun to fill out (kids like to print and write) and use and pass to family and friends. You can make those out of manila envelopes, folders and recycle too. New Family Fun maybe?

Make different shapes, might be a fun thing to start a tradition for your kids, lets make the recipe and then fill out the card and rate the dish! Family time, on the cheap, have a food fight! Great Memories are made of things like this! Have more fun at home! Baby Step Four!

Blogs and Blogging is quite a HUGE inspiration! Invididual Blogs are their heart and soul, their humor, their troubles sometimes, a venting and a philosophy of sorts for each of us. I discovered blogs about a year or so ago and was hooked... immediately. To see the wee hours of the morning was not uncommon. Blogs are and have been the biggest learning experience in my life, ever! EVER! Anything you want to find out, it is there. How to clean a sink, how to garden, new recipes, new fashion, oh the fashion! I've discovered STEAMPUNK clothing and style, I love it!

These are the most interesting, loving, passionate, comical, informative, beautiful, SHARING, GIVING, SUPPORTING, INSPIRING people that I have ever seen! All one has to do is read the blog and then the comments! Such love! I am so blessed to have found them in so many ways.  I AM...learning so very much and I thank them for sharing their lives! And in this small way, I am sharing my own journey, and if it hits home, good! You can have a laugh, a cry, a moment to say, OMG I am READING ABOUT MYSELF!!!!!

So for today, thank you for reading and visiting. Thank you for the support! I am not spending, I am focused on my home and ridding myself of the stuff, so there is no time to spend!LOL, I'm looking pretty tired and am very stiff but I am living a personal challenge now.  Edit Edit Edit, Plan Plan, get Inspired! Big Baby Steps for the day.

My wish for you today is that you have a wonderful, healthy, inspiring day! Remember, one of my Kat-isms, life is a choice! You can be happy everyday or you can be mad or sad. You pick, because you will never get this day back, so make it the best day you can. Be kind, considerate, helpful and smile alot! You will be surprised at some of the responses you receive! They will all be GOOD! :) I'm gonna have a great one! I'm up and at it already! Can I get a WOO HOO!? :)

Wow, maybe I should wait until the evening to post huh! Long one! much love, Kat =^.^=

Good Morning it's Monday!

Yeah Mondays! I love them! I was, however, up until 0300 (military time, I'm on it now! :) LOL working on the knees again on the tile floors cleaning and moving and editing and I emptied out 5 banker's boxes ( my sister is the QUEEN of the BANKER BOXES!) lol THAT is all she will utilize, because "you can SQUARE up the space they take, they all match size, for stacking and stability, are easy to pick up," okokok I get it!


SHE is RIGHT! And I love her for sharing her organizational tips, I just wish she was here to point and tell me where the heck to store this stuff (holding area) until the big garage sale thingie! Phew!

Thought for Today:  Garage sales are a good thing for letting go of your treasures to someone else to love or fix or paint or gift as  "second hand love"! Edit Edit Edit, Baby Step One!


Garage sales are a body killer! I am SO tired of moving the STUFF around, and boxing up and carrying out to the garage which is already full! My Mom used to say she was "stoved up" meaning stiff! :) when she moved stuff around too! We are women that MOVE STUFF ourselves! Edit Moving and Shakin, Baby Step Two!

Today I will be taking more STUFF out to the garage and re-positioning the furniture I have for sale. I am the Shabby French Chic type gal with painting stuff and right now I will have to pass a lot of it to others to love up because of my room and space and clearing issues.  I hate that but there will always be more furniture, if and when I start spending for that kind of merchandise again, probably not. :)


I AM...... SO very proud of myself today, the coffee helped me get that ol bod moving again but I will be at it again in a short time. I AM....a happy Kat!


List of things to do, bank, pay utility bill, permit for Garage Sale. The List, accomplish!!Baby Step Three!

Mission: New one! To get my car in the garage!


Have a great day Sunshines! I know I will! ALEVE, here I come!

Hugs Kat =^.^=

Sunday 17 July 2011 - Reference Material!!

Good morning Sunshines!

It is Sunday, the brain is churning and I have discovered, now, that I will not be re-newing any of my magazine subs! OH NO!

I call all my mag stash my "reference material" and I keep them! I have copies of magazines that are no longer published, and I will keep them for a long time just to touch and pull out the pages for my decorating addiction! So without further adieu........here goes!

Dear Victoria Magazine,


It is with great sadness that I send this letter declining my renewal subscription to your lovely magazine! I LOVE it so! But I have decided "a year without spending" is a Mission and a challenge for me and a reality now and this luxury does not fit into the equation.


Please, know that I am heartbroken, not to be able to touch your eye candy pages and pull them out for inspiration!

I was a subscriber for years, until you stopped publication, and then I came back when you initiated publication again, I was thrilled, but now, I cannot subscribe.


If you wish to send your lovely magazine to me, or allow me to advertise for you on my blog, PLEASE, send away! I would love it!


As always, Sincerely, The Kat

Saturday - Thoughts

OK, today, cleaning, moving and shakin at the little cottage. Vacuuming the floor, blew breakers, yikes, so much fun!

I am clearing the way, re-decorating a bit and organizing for the up coming Garage Sale this weekend. Friday and Saturdays are BIG days for garage sales here in town and I drove right by them! Hooray for me!


Baby Steps, I will use what I have, I will craft with what I have, we may see some amazingly krazy crafty projects now, you may have to use your imagination so hang in there with me! :) Hugs Kat =^.^=

Happy Saturday Sunshines!

A New Beginning, a No Spending Zone

Hello everyone, and welcome to my journey! This will be quite an undertaking and a great adventure for me. My No Spending Zone is what I am calling it. The Mission? No spending for one year on any unnecessary items, just food and the normal things to run a home.  I will also be editing, cleaning, painting and clearing my clutter. Quite a challenge huh!
My mantra:  "Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful "` William Morris

So I will be clearing, cleaning, painting, movin and shakin this little cottage from this day forward.

               

I have started this blog because I just moved into a smaller home,  I am a die hard home decorator and creator of "things" out of nothing, and it is out of control! 

I am a creative soul that "can see" trash into a treasure, however, I have an over abundance of stuff now and it is time to edit, yard sale, keep, cry over, let go, and finally, have a home that is a peaceful place, of meditation, of clearness, that I can maintain and entertain in, that has a nice flow, is comfortable and here is the important part, has NO CLUTTER!

Since I recently also retired, I now have the time and the wherewith all to start this challenge and stop shopping and spending and utilize what I currently have and to pare down this stash of stuff.  It's just Stuff!

I have realized that all this stuff has cluttered not only my home but my mind as well. What is the saying, a cluttered home is a cluttered mind! Well, that seems to be very true. I am being honest, very honest.

This blog will allow me to release the stuff and all the frustration that goes along with it. To say that stuff can be "overwhelming" is putting it mildly. My sister and I hate that word, but it is probably the most truest regarding life and the journey. It's INTENSE! Spending on stuff is more stressful and overwhelming at times as well. The bigger question is WHY are we all buying all this STUFF?

I hope that you all will join and support me in this endeavour, as it will be a blessing and also possibly very hard for me to do. I may ask for your thoughts and prayers, as I follow this path! I have prayed for a lot of help from above! I am a strong individual, and even the strongest need a hand now and again.

I will welcome any and all comments and thoughts on how this can be accomplished in a short time, back on track, and more than welcome any of your stories on how this perhaps worked, or didn't work, for you and your family. I am hoping to continue this no spending zone pattern longer than one year, but it is a start and what I call a Baby Step in the right direction.

I started the process today and yesterday with a large notebook on what to tackle first. Room by room, I made notes on what needs to stay, what fits in my smaller home, and what needs to go and how to send it!  Edit Edit Edit! Baby Step one!

Yard sales, next week for three days, the consignment store is a option on heavier furniture, and I also have a dearly loved booth now, which was a wish for a long time, to sell some of the treasures I have collected and can now let go to someone else to love. Edit Edit Edit! Baby Step Two!


I have also started an Etsy store, linenladyk, and will be posting my vintage linens, aprons, fabrics, patterns and general sewing stuff for all the creative souls out there that can still see to sew! I will have cross-stitch fabrics, patterns and threads.  If I can figure out how to list my Etsy store and pictures on the sidebar I will do that to! LOL Edit Edit Edit! Baby Step Three!

Let the games begin! Wish me luck! I will and must be strong!  Sincerely, Love Kat =^.^=