Furniture Fun....frugal find!

I initially titled this post Need vs. Want, but quickly realized I just didn't have the gumption to tackle that tempting topic this evening. It's been an exhausting weekend, but I will be diving into that debate soon.
Here's a little food for thought to get us started...

For two years, many people have felt that I "needed" a new chair.
It has been slowly ripping, seam by seam, and the back is just as bad. Over and over again, I have been encouraged to replace it.
"Really Jen, it's about time you invested in a new chair."

But guess what? For years, it has been serving it's purpose as my cozy reading chair.
I have devoured many books in this chair, savored endless cups of coffee in this chair, shared life with friends in this chair...and it has held up my bootie quite well - regardless of the varying pounds. ;)
I draped a handmade quilt from my sister in love over the offending area, and it has served it's necessary purpose.
You see the desire to replace it comes from a "felt need," not a true need.
I don't need a new chair. This one is just fine, even if I have owned it for decades (which I have). I have looked at new chairs for the last few years, but I just haven't been able to justify the retail cost of replacing it. It's so easy to talk ourselves into thinking something is a "need," isn't it?

Now, don't get me wrong. I am no martyr.
Does that mean that I walk away from a fun frugal find when the Lord showers blessings on me with a "want?"
Absolutely not!! I squeal with delight, and can't believe that I could hit the jackpot with this unbelievable treasure. I used up my yard sale budget with one purchase, but it was SO worth it. It made for a short Saturday of sales.

A company had donated their left over goods from the international furniture market to Foster Families of NC.
They were taking the highest bid, and I happened upon them right as they were closing up.

I got this brand spanking new captains chair in a color that I LOVE for only $40.
They didn't know the exact price of it retail but they knew it was well over $500.

I just love that sometimes patience in the little things equals blessings in the unexpected.
This new chair was still a want...I didn't need it, but I sure am thrilled that I had the opportunity to receive it. :)

(And as my sweet friend IRL just said in the comments...."what a great little God Wink" during my God Watch time. We are still waiting, and watching with expectation. :)

Posted at: Southern Hospitality

Brotherly Love...

There's nothing that blesses my mommy heart more than when my sons lavish gestures of love and compassion on each other.
Giving unselfishly, building the "others first" mentality, turning the other cheek - ah yes, I just adore when all those character traits come oozing out.

So when I see this 'love tap,' I'm convinced that all our life lessons are being implemented, right?
Wouldn't you just covet one of their "five stars," as they have so lovingly called it?

Because it's all about unconditional love among teen brothers. ;)


P.S. The brother who left the love tap also took the picture. He was so proud of his handy work. It wasn't till later that I thought...hmm...blog post. ;)

Core Pieces in a Frugal Wardrobe - the Trench Coat

Welcome to another edition in our weekly Frugal Fashionista series.
If you are new to this frugal fun, click here to see how it all began.

We have spent time dissecting some of the essential pieces in a core wardrobe, and I have had a blast this past year hunting for these treasures. Which piece am I featuring today?
The trench coat. This must have core wardrobe piece can go from day time fun to a night on the town with just a bit of accessorizing.

Months ago, if you had asked me about finding stylish trench coats second hand, I probably would have said that only the "dated ones" are out there. But that was because I wasn't really on the hunt.
Now is the best time to search for coats of any style since people are clearing out winter items to make room for their summer wardrobe. Seriously, buy out of season items now. I know it's hard to think of purchasing wool when it's 80 degrees, but often, this is when you'll hit the jackpot.

I started actively searching the coats section in every thrift store that I visited and just look at all the great trench coats that I have found. All of these, except for one, I've scored in the last four months. My last unmet trench coat goal? A classic black one. But I will not be stopped...I will find one, just give me a bit. :)

This lime green trench coat is my favorite. The color is washed out in this picture, but when I pair it with any pair of pants, I don't even want to take the jacket off....it makes an outfit in itself.

This is a great way to update my wardrobe for spring/summer.

Cost: $5 - Good Will - heart you! :)

This tan trench was the first one I found and I really felt as if I had hit the jackpot. It's a classic style, but the great thing with any solid trench coat is the variety. I can change out the belt and add some bursts of color with a wide patterned, belt or adding variety with any number of scarves would be perfect with this classic khaki coat.
I love white for the summer, but when it's raining and your wet, muddy dog keeps trying to rub up against you, all I could think of was trying to avoid red clay on my pristine white coat.

This was a steal at a yard sale for $3. I know...HATE.ME! :)

I definitely have to feel pretty in pink when I wear this rain jacket. (And yes, another GW find).

Having a bad day? I highly recommend wearing bright colors to help change that mood.
Pair it with my precious pink Liz Claiborne purse and I'm set for my new role in "Legally Blond 3." :)
The first three coats were basic cotton blends, but this one is a rain jacket. It may look like it's sunny out, but it was raining when this picture was taken.
This last coat was an iffy purchase on my part. I should have taken another picture because it does look better in real life.
It is a heavy winter wool coat with a dash of cashmere. I knew that it would keep me cozy for those few weeks when I needed something a bit warmer than what I currently owned, and honestly, I didn't want to have to pay much for something that would get such little wear.
When buying any coats, make sure the fit is good. Pay attention to the fit around the shoulders and the size of the shoulder pads. I was a little afraid this style made me look too line backer-ish, but honestly, I am glad I bought it anyhow. It's a bit too big, but
at $5, I knew it was a steal for a quality winter coat. If I ever decide to splurge and have it taken in and fitted by a tailor, it will be well worth it for a classic coat that will last for years to come.
So get those eagle eyes on and start looking for trench coats. They are out there, and now that you're on the hunt, I'm sure you'll find them.

Due to the finicky nature of Mr. Linky these last few posts, I will take a break today, and add him next week. I'll let you know the date. :)So get ready for another fashion show. :)

Posted at: Good Will Party because you know I HEART GOOD WILL!

Just in case you thought ...

we needed to liven things up around our homestead, we've added some blessed additions.

Six to be exact.

And they are as precious as can be. They haven't opened their eyes yet, but we can't wait for that next step. They are yellow labs - three males, and three females.

Oh, sweet baby, I know how you feel...

But, I guess to be more exact, I know how you feel, momma. Motherhood is exhausting, isn't it?

At least for awhile, this has cured my daughter's baby itch.
She could stay in their whelping box all day long.

My daughter thought for sure she was going to be a big sister, and is still waiting for a new addition.
A few months ago, I began a post sharing my "big news."
It still sits unpublished. I never finished it.
I had planned an entire lifetime in those ten days that I suspected I was pregnant.
How old would the baby be during our family reunion? How huge would I be at Christmas?
How could I get more organized with my upcoming home school year etc.
It's amazing how we can plan a lifetime in just one day, isn't it?

I don't expect that post to ever be published (just in case you're wondering), but for now, I will live vicariously through my sweet doggy.
As I type, I listen to all of them nursing.
It's precious, and yep, it's giving me that baby itch. :)

When you live in the country...

and tell your boys to start the burn pile, make sure you are aware of what is being used as kindling.

Please stop while I pause in a moment of silence...I'll get over it....

even if TRIPLE COUPONS START TOMORROW at Harris Teeter!

And if you think I don't realize that the first item on my FOR FREE list is the same coupon I'm showing with the burned bar code...I do!
Is that God's way of telling me to lay off the Pringles? ;)
What is it with our family and fire lately?

(thank you my sweet son, for risking your limbs to try and save your mom's coupons of gold. :)

*thank you all for putting up with my multiple coupon posts this week. I have been trying to address this topic since I ran out of time during my conference workshop. Now back to regularly scheduled posting.

Here are a few of the great buys at Harris Teeter this week...
Click here for a more detailed list (it got a bit long for those out of state. :)

Prices will vary
1. Pringles Potato Crisps Super Stack 6.38 oz 1.50
Use 0.50/1 5/17 PG
Final FREE
2. French's Spicy Brown or Yellow Mustard 12oz $1.69
Use .75/1 5/10 SS
Final FREE
3. Mahatma Rice 5 oz packet (buy 2) .89 each, 2 for 1.78
Use .75/2 RP 3/1 RP or 4/26 RP
Final FREE

Buy One Get One Deals
You do not need to buy two. They ring up at 1/2 price & these are based on one item)

1. Glass Plus (32-oz.), $2.79
$0.50/1 Glass Plus Product, SS 3/22
FREE after coupons!
2. Spray n’ Wash (22-oz.), $3.29
$0.50/1 Spray n’ Wash, SS 5/3
$0.75/1 Spray n’ Wash with Resolve Power printable
FREE after coupons!

Tasty Tuesday - a Bedlam Moment and Confession

The meal started off so perfectly.
There was nothing that whispered "it's grilling time" more than this warm North Carolina spring evening.
Grilled to perfection, the short dated steak kabobs my meat manager marked down for me graced our memorable meal time. I love a simple, yet beautifully presented meal (remember that irony later in my post :).
I dreamed of using my very own home grown peppers that would be ripe in another month...
Feeling an extra boost of energy at 9:00 pm, I spontaneously decided to grill ten pounds of various meats at one time, and do some bulk freezer meals in the morning.There was a bit of bedlam going on with our grill, which I should have seen as serious foreshadowing. The lamb chops had a mind of their own.

(Remember how one of my frugal tips is to get to know your meat managers, and ask them to mark down short dated items? For these, he actually tracked me down in the aisles to give me two $37 cuts of meat for $5.)
Well, since Tasty Tuesday is hosted at Balancing Beauty AND Bedlam, I feel in all honesty that full disclosure is the best policy. How boring if I just stick with the beauty aspect of meal time. :)

I realize that you will not get this at a true foodie blog, nor would Southern Living dare disclose their bedlam, but since this is my spot...reality it is.
I know that confession is good for the soul. :)
That evening, my sweet husband helped me finish the grilling. I went inside, cleaned the kitchen and went to bed.
One week later, I asked my son to put something on the grill. I was shocked because he mentioned that the propane was out, and we'd need more.
I "knew" that could not be true because we had just spent $20 to refill it.
Can anyone guess the end to my story? Can you put a name to this total bedlam moment?

My husband sheepishly admitted that he had completely forgotten about the meat on the grill, and this was the end result of my planned Tasty Tuesday post. :) He thought I would just forget about it and an inquiry would never occur.
First, I was praising the Lord that our house did not burn down.
Second, I was laughing hilariously that the meat was burned so badly that even our cats (or dogs) wouldn't touch it, and
third, the irony was not lost on me that this frugal living "expert" used $20 worth of propane on her very cheap, marked down, now completely scorched, meat.
Any one care to guess what it was?
Or better yet, this is open comment Tuesday to share your best bedlam cooking moments. Come on, we've all been there, and after the week I've had, I could use some good chuckles. :)

Now, for those of you who need true recipe inspiration besides my kabobs and charred meats, have fun searching below.

As always, please follow the simple guidelines or post will be deleted.
1. Include your post showing us your Tasty Tuesday recipe or ideas.
2. Link up below to the permalink of your post. To find out what yours is, simply click on the title of your post and grab the permalink from the address bar.
3. Link your post back to Balancing Beauty and Bedlam as a courtesy to me so everyone will know where to find more recipe inspiration.
*I received an email from the Mr. Linky company that they have been experiencing problems with the Mr. Linky disappearing. (Yes....UGH....we know that!). It will come and go, so please check back and we'll make sure to get you all linked up today.

CVS - How do I get items for free?

If you are new to any of the "Drug Store Games", please begin with CVS since I have done a quick video tutorial that will explain the basic premise of using your ECBs. (Extra Care Buck coupons). These are are printed at the end of your receipt, and usable as free money at your next CVS transaction.)

Click here and see other tips before you begin on this CVS adventure.

I did this video spontaneously last September in answer to questions that I was receiving. I will be updating it with tips I've learned this year.



I have not had to pay for toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, ibuprofen, soap or a myriad of other household essentials by just learning how to use their gracious extra care bucks system. The small learning curve is so worth the hassle. Some weeks are better than other weeks, and this happens to be a wonderful week to begin.
Unfortunately, on any major holiday weekends, there are no coupon inserts, but that doesn't mean this isn't a great week to begin. You can get your first free toothpaste. :)
I have added the deals below.

Your first time shopping the CVS Extra Bucks system (abbreviation from now on - ECB), you will have to spend some Out of Pocket (OOP) money. After that, you will continue to "roll" your bucks for the free items, with virtually no OOP money.
I even recommend that you consider doing two transactions your first time. That way you minimize your out of pocket expense and turn around and use those bucks immediately on other "Free items." Many stores offer a machine that allows you to swipe your CVS card when you first enter. Often this spits out additional ECBs and coupons. Look to see if your store has that option. Unfortunately, the one I frequent does not, but when I am "in town," I take advantage of the stores that do.
Please note that it is a benefit for CVS that you use your CVS bucks. The CVS management is incentivized by customers using their bucks. I had some negative comments left on on my video, and after those comments occurred, I questioned the managers. They explained the benefits that stores receive by having a higher percentage of used ECBs, and said the negative comments probably came from hourly employees that just don't want the hassle.
Deals will vary as some stores DO take internet coupons, while some managers will not. Try them, and they will let you know. All the CVS deals I list always only use newspaper coupons since my store does NOT allow internet coupons.
If you are just beginning couponing, you may not get all of these items for free, but there are still wonderful "almost free" deals, and the next time you shop....they'll be free!

Here's what works well this week:
Buy 2 Neutrogena suncare products, and you'll receive $10 ECB's back.
The Neutrogena 1 oz Ultra Sheep SPF 55 is working for this deal. They are priced at $1.99, so when you buy 2 and spend $3.98 you'll get $10 in ECB's back! That's a "extra bucks money maker."

Buy Colgate Total for $2.99,
Get $2 ECBs back (Limit 1)
Use $1/1 coupon from the 5/10 Smart Source
FREE after using coupon and ECBs!

Speed Stick Pro Deodorant - $3.99/ea
Get $3.99 in ECB when you buy 1 (limit 2 - you can get TWO for free :)
Final Price = $3.99/ea but It's like getting this for FREE with ECB

Getting free things at CVS definitely Works for Me!

Restaurants.com - Eating out...Frugal Style

For months, my dad has been telling me about this restaurant website that their couples group has been using. I kept procrastinating in checking it out because I doubted that this could be "the amazing deal" he was proclaiming.
Imagine my surprise when I was listening to Focus on the Family and they did a "hot tips money moment" and this was mentioned. I quickly looked into it and couldn't believe the wonderful offers.

This is a time sensitive offer that is only good through the end of the month. They offer new deals every week, but I have yet to hear about one this excellent. You can type in your zip code to see what restaurants participate.
The restaurants vary and there are limited coupon certificates offered. Please note the minimum purchases and buy accordingly.

Does this sound too good to be true? It's not. My parents' friends have been enjoying this secret all year. (Edited to add: Click on 'comments' below to read additional tips and reviews).

I just purchased $30 in coupon certificates for $1.80. :) Once you enter your card info and commit to the purchase, they will immediately send you the certificate to print via email.
Click on banner or link below to start investigating where your next date night will take you.
Thanks, Dad.
Yes, your daughter needs to listen to you more often. THIS IS WAS AN AMAZING TIP! xoxo


Remember to type in the code "napkin" or it will be $10 (which is also a great deal, but we want the best deal. :)

How to match coupons with the sales flyer

Thank you to the hundreds of you that attended my workshop - Living on More...with Less - at the NCHE conference.
Welcome aboard this new frugal living adventure. One hour just wasn't enough time to cover all the bases, and I wanted to put you in touch with the easiest way to know the weekly grocery sales and coupon match ups.
There are two couponing forums that I use. When I don't have time to scan the sales fliers and compare the coupons personally, the forums do the work for me.

They offer this service on every store imaginable.
Here is the beauty of this site - they share what is on sale, the date the coupon was in the newspaper, and the exact coupon section to refer to - Red Plum (RP), Smart Source (SS), or the P&G section.
Couponing made easy!

Click on the picture below to sign up - for free - and you will be amazed (and initially overwhelmed ) at the ease by which they make this world of extreme coupon cutting. :)
They send a "welcome email" where you can introduce yourself once you log in. You can ask questions, and members are very quick to answer.
This is a forum, so you will have a myriad of people making comments. Often, I skip over most of the comments for time sake, and just read the weekly sales match ups for the stores I frequent.
There is a learning curve, so just take baby steps in this new journey. When you receive your first grocery item FOR FREE, make sure you let me know and we will do the happy couponing dance together. :)

*edited to add - I was just informed that if you make even one post on this forum...even if you just take one minute and click on the "introduce yourself" section, they will give me a referral benefit. I didn't realize this but I would love it if you might consider supporting me with that. Even if you choose not to... ENJOY...this is a great networking site.



Again for your couponing newbies. One of my easiest sources for coupons is right here on my blog. If you look to the left of the screen, you will see a coupon widget with pictures of specific products. You may print two of each item, and they reload with different items throughout the month. Right now there is everything from Huggies diapers, to Kraft foods. I have rarely seen a $1.50 off Starbucks, and am very excited to indulge a bit (by making the coffee myself, of course). :)
So print and enjoy the immediate savings. If you have never printed internet coupons before, you will have to allow them access to enable the scanner. This takes seconds, and is always virus free. Or, click below and may sign up for email updates and access to additional coupons at any time.



I will be giving more specific details about the couponing process throughout the week, so keep coming back for more ideas.

Frugal Fashionista - friends style

If you are new to the Frugal Fashionista series, begin reading here.

This past weekend I was in Myrtle Beach with ladies from my home school group, and thus the lack of blog time. The beauty of these friends is they know my frugal tendencies. While only a few roll their eyes at my two hour " couponing and deals conversations," most of them are right there with me.

In fact, those are my "couponing geek buddies." Remember them?
While other much cooler moms were laying out on the beach, we were inside, curled up on the couch sipping coffee, cutting coupons, and solving all the world's problems.
It was a blast!
Then, when "real" vacationers decided to go to the Tanger outlet malls, we scoured the highways and byways for thrift stores, and found them all.
We did complete damage in the total amount of $35... for all six of us (the others were at the outlets). Now, those are the kind of friends you love to hang around.
'Keeping up with the Jones' is not a problem for us. They zoomed by years ago, and when they did, true contentment settled in.

I had fun going through the thrift store racks after one of my sweet friends exclaimed she was "done" shopping for her pre-teen girls (without much luck). Guess what? After that, I found five quality core pieces for her.
We scored when I eyed a Tommy Hilfiger shirt for $0.75. We then saw the exact same T-shirt hanging on a mannequin at a retail store for $24.99.
Train your eagle eyes and you will never believe what's lurking.

Here is one of my brave friends modeling her amazing Frugal Fashionista finds, purchased at the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Myrtle. See what you have to be willing to do if you're my friend?

Cost of this classic dress that will never go out of style? $3!
It is a heavier fabric, so in the winter she can easily add a black dressy jacket, blazer or cardigan for a look that last year round.


Notice the rosette type pin that are so stylish right now. This was worth the price of the entire dress, just for that. We encouraged her to take it off and pair it on something where it will stand out more. It gets lost on this dress, and it's too cute to not notice.


The down side of this post is that all my other pictures from these thrift store adventures are on my camera (which will not be in my possession until tomorrow). I saw a few comments last week from ladies who said they wanted to link up to the Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show today since they missed last week. I didn't want any one to be left out, so I've added Mr. Linky just in case. I didn't know if there would be enough interest every week, but if I have enough people who would like to link up, I will. Just let me know in the comments, otherwise, I will just do it 2x/month, and give notice, unlike today. :)

Please link directly to your Frugal Fashionista post, and as a courtesy to me, please link to Balancing Beauty and Bedlam so that others can join in the fun.
The link widget has been a bit feisty lately, so I apologize if it comes and goes with out notice.

Remember - thrift is back...it's the new black!

Money Matters - free book for you (and Quizno's sub, too)

I am working on a talk called Living on More...with less, for our North Carolina Home School Conference this weekend. I am only referring to two mens' resources in my workshop, and I was thrilled to discover that one of those resources is being offered for free.

Long before financial guru Dave Ramsey revolutionized people's spending habits by encouraging hard core debt free living, the late Larry Burkett had been laying the ground work with financial principles so that leaders like Dave could take action steps to get out of debt.

As a CFP, my father was privileged to sit under the tutelage of Mr. Burkett while I was growing up, and therefore many of these principles were ingrained in me before a debt snowball ever occurred. Dave Ramsey and Larry Burkett are two men that I confidently recommend in the world of financial mentoring. I was thrilled to see that Larry's Money Matters book was being offered with a "no strings attached" agreement. If you are looking for a place to begin with being better financial stewards of your money, check this out.
I've included the description below taken from their website.


In addition, if you need a good sub sandwich to go with that reading time, I came across the Quizno's Q club. Sign up here to receive updates and a free flatbread Sammie coupon will be delivered to your inbox on sign up! No phone # necessary. It confirms on name and email.
As much as I believe eating at home is the best choice on the budget, yes, we love subs now and then, especially when they're free. I love the deals they send through.

One of America's foremost authorities on financial stewardship, Larry Burkett presents a comprehensive resource in Money Matters. Indexed for easy use, Burkett offers concise answers to the most frequently asked questions from his national radio show. Drawing from over thirty years of Bible and finance study, Burkett provides principles for managing your money in a number of categories, including: housing and automobiles, retirement, budgeting, taxes, business issues and insurance, debt and credit, giving, investments, family and money issues.

Money Matters isn't just for those in need of financial Rx. It's an ideal resource for anyone desiring to align finances with Biblical principles.

How to Set a Beautiful Table

One of the homemaking skills I am working on with our daughters is the ability to set a nice table - both functionally and beautifully. In the day and age where dinner is done in a dash, and paper plates are the name of the game, there is just something about real plates, silverware and cloth napkins that not only makes mealtime memorable, but sets the tone for a welcoming home.

A tip I encourage in my frugal living workshop is to try and go with less paper products. I teeter back and forth on my own advise during football season, but right now, we are putting our well water to good use.

I have always loved Emily Post's acrostic reminder for how to set a basic table.

Remember FORKS

F-fork, O-plate (the shape), K-Knife, and S- Spoon (yes, for you type A friends, you must just forget the R). ;)

Basic Place Setting - Description and diagram

Informal Place Setting - Description and diagram

I'll leave the formal settings for a day when I actually partake in a formal dinner. :)

I had great hopes of doing some special napkin folds, but ran out of time (that's going to be another Tasty Tuesday post). Instead, I sent my son out to cut some daffodils, and the effect was just as grand.
Centerpieces can be elegant and fancy, fun and festive, simple, yet beautiful or a combination of all three.
Based on what I found when I "shopped my house," I went with simple, yet beautiful. I used some of the yard sale fabric that I was given free as my "runner." My newly spray painted tea tray served as the perfect base for my candle holder, which sat on top of one of my yard sale dishes. Blooming daffodils from my yard adorned the white vases I bought for a quarter.
My girls love getting creative and thinking of unique things to do (which typically involves many, many candles.) I was thrilled to pull all these things together quickly and simply. I layered my daily white plates with the turquoise Mikasa set that I bought for a steal at a yard sale. When I purchased the complete set (with all the additional serving pieces) which serves eight, it was a want, not a need. But this $20 "entertainment" purchase has given me such delight by mixing and matching with my dinner table and decorating.
Instead of using the glass water goblets that I typically use for entertaining, I stuck with the new milk glasses that I bought for $5/set. It kept the clean, yet casual, brunch atmosphere that I was desiring.

I love how it truly is the little things that are the big things.

So after you have conquered the "candlelight challenge - creating ambiance, try setting your table and see what fun you can have. It's another simple way to make meal times memorable without having to spend a lot of money or stress over a lot of time.

And just so you know what my true beauty and bedlam table really looked like...this is reality. I wasn't about to unhook the whole computer just for brunch, so on the buffet it went. :)
I just love seeing all of your inspirations every week. So what have you been up to in the kitchen?
Posted at: The Shabby Nest, and Frugal Friday.

As always, please follow the simple guidelines.
1. Include your post showing us your Tasty Tuesday recipe or ideas.

2. Link up below to the permalink of your post. To find out what yours is, simply click on the title of your post and grab the permalink from the address bar.

3. Link back to Balancing Beauty and Bedlam in your post so everyone will know where to come to find all the other great recipe ideas.

Trash to Treasure

I haven't had as much time during the last few weekends for my favorite activity - yard sale-ing, but the beauty is that in one hour on a Saturday morning, there are still many treasures to be found. Here are just a few I found last Saturday.
I adore dishes. There is just something about enjoying memorable meals with beautiful dishes that draws me to them at yard sales. You can imagine my delight when I saw these two stackable "oven to table" casserole dishes for just $5 (not a piece, for the PAIR!)
Since they have subtle holly embellishments, serving my traditional Christmas brunch dishes in these will make my morning even more joyous. I will be able to prepare them the evening before, bake and serve...all in the same dish...all season long.
I have been on the look out for a crystal or shabby chic white cake plate with dome. Since I haven't found one yet (but I will), this three tiered serving tray ($3) will do quite nicely in the interim. While I am on the hunt, I'll just serve my treats cut up. I am debating if I want to paint it or not.

This was an unusual purchase for $1. Since I collect tea cups, pots etc, I thought this was just a fun silver treasure "find" for outdoor entertaining. When I got it home and opened it up to wash, I realized it was a silver wine cooler that sells for big bucks. I was shocked. How fun is that. We don't drink wine, but I am sure a chilled bottle of sparkling grape juice will work just as well. :)


I couldn't pass up these cute dish clothes for $0.25. Anything with my favorite beverage adorning it definitely needs to be purchased.
In the background are a few of my spray painted finds, but the feature item is this iron serving basket with two tea light holders on either side. I will keep it outside all the time, but it will be perfect for entertaining. After I posted this, I found out from my commenters (thx, Nicole) that this is a Southern Living piece that sold for $75. I purchased it for $2. Yipee!
Anonomous also gave me advice on what do with this versatile piece. She has it on her counter with a couple mugh, sugar, creamer and a bottle of flavoring. She's also seen it in the bathroom with washcloths, soaps and a few sundries.
My find of the day. I was thrilled to see this tall apothecary jar for only TWO DOLLARS! And of course, I googled it as soon as I arrived home to see how much it sells for retail. I only "know" yard sale prices, so getting in touch with the retail side of pricing is a good thing. :)

Here is the pricing for a medium size - my jar is a bit larger.

Lidded Medium Tall
(25" h x 6" w)
APO-0505 $79.95

I then saw these in the Pottery Barn Catalog priced between $49 - 69.
I know stores sell them cheaper, but it makes me feel great to see those retail prices. :)
I do believe I got a great deal. :)
Now, my biggest decision will be what to put in it.
I am leaning towards lemons. With my kitchen cabinets being white, and the walls being yellow, I think that the lemons would be really fresh and clean looking.
Anything help in the clean look department is greatly appreciated...hee hee

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See Rhoda's for more fun thrifting finds.

Edited to add: Please keep our family in your prayers this week. I am out of town, and just found out that my husband's best friend from college passed away unexpectedly. He will be leaving for the funeral in WI this morning before I arrive home. We are supposed to be driving to our family reunion with my entire family (including one of my brother's family who we haven't seen in over a year) and I will now have to travel by myself. There are numerous strenuous issues that have come about in the midst of this, but I am continually reminded of God's faithfulness during our continued "God watch". He always provides and I choose to find the beauty in the midst of the bedlam.