More Holiday Crafts!

I made a really cool gift last night for a swap I'm doing today. The recipient is a knitter so I make her some stitch markers. I think they came out quite well. One set has larger rings and smaller leaves in dark green. The other set has smaller rings and larger leaves in light green.

Yuletide Gifting

I wanted to share a child's gift that Hubby made this year.

I requested a child's toy that is something of quality. I wanted something a young boy or girl could play with, use their imagination, and have for a long time. It needed to be sturdy and work without batteries, flashing lights, or noise. While watching Matty play, I realized that blocks might be well suited for all ages of children. This is a gift that can be added to, should another person be so inclined.

Hubby made a set of really nice blocks in two sizes. There are some that are stained and others are just covered in a sealant. The first set of 4 needed for this year has been made. I guess the true test will be seeing what the young recipient thinks of them.

We're doing quite well with the home made gifts this year. I'm grateful that I have the supplies for much of my crafting available to me here so the cost is much less than it could be. After work today, I need to finish up some gifts that I'm making and plan out some baked goodies that I can give to the menfolk who I don't know well enough to buy for. Everyone likes food right? ;)

Check it Out!

I guess I am, in a way, stabbing myself in the foot here, but I encourage you to go visit Confessions of a Craft Addict's 2008 Christmas giveaway. It's a great one!

The rules are pretty cool. All you have to do is mention your favorite charity. It's a great way to get to know about other people so read the comments if you'd like!

All of the crafty goodness over on Sew Mama Sew has me so inspired!

I think that I will try to get some pictures uploaded of my own crafting here. I've been trying to make some gifts for our holiday celebrations.

Check back here in the next few weeks to see some of the things we're making.

Giveaways Make Me Happy!

Check out this great one at Mommy & Beyond!

Go Forth & Grab Them!

Sew Mama Sew if hosting Give Away Day. Go check them out!

Go check out this give away at Suzie Button Creations!

Let's Talk Turkey!

Hubby is working a bit of overtime today and once he is done working he will stop at a grocer's in the neighboring big city to pick up a turkey and sweet potatoes. The regular chain here in this area has turkeys for 59 cents per pound. This "fancy" store where hubby is going has them for 39 cents per pound. Needless to say we are getting turkey at the "fancy" store.

Generally we will buy two or three turkeys each year. Heck, at 39 cents per pound, we cannot beat the price. We cook one now and freeze the rest. We will, of course, have tons of leftovers from the first bird for the usual array of foods including carcas soup. Some will be frozen for later.

In the spring we like to smoke a bird and have tons more meat for yummy things.

By doing this we can save a lot on our food budget. Last year we did not have the money to get extra bird. I'm grateful that we can do that now!

Holiday Cards

When sending out your holiday cards this year, take one card (or more) and send it to the address below. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Winter Holidays Will be Here Soon!

I feel a sense of shock when I realize that the year is nearly over!

My birthday was a quiet affair this year. No presents from immediate family but that was expected. My mom bought me bras which was my request. We got a great deal at Lane Bryant by combining coupons. We each got 3 new bras and only spent $66, that makes them $10 each plus tax!

A friend made me a faerie house. It was so thoughtful of her, especially since their finances are shaky at the moment (more so than most I'm afraid).

I'm thinking forward to the holidays now. This year I have many more people that I wish to honor in a small way so I'm looking for items we can make that won't break the bank.

Hubby is making blocks for the young children in our lives. The two sets will cost less than $8 and will be a gift that will last a long time.

I am thinking of making some sweets to be given out in paper bags decorated with holiday decorations painted on them. This is festive without breaking the bank.

Hubby and I are doing stocking items only for each other this year. The girls (14, 16, 19) will get their piece of silver jewelry that I purchase each holiday. I also plan to make the 19 year old a special cookbook of her favorite comfort foods that her father & I have made over the years. Since the children are at their mother's house and don't have much contact with us, we are not planning to have tons of stuff for them. Even if we buy them gifts, their mom does not allow them to take the gifts home (or has not in the past) so we're better off saving our precious funds for other endeavors.

If you have any holiday gift ideas, post them here or post a link to your blog if they're posted there. Thank you!

I need to get my list started so I can get gifts made and wrapped and stored.

In other news, my "55 Week Fling" is still going on. I've managed to eliminate over 4,200 items from our home, not including food products given to families in need or paper clutter we've sorted and disposed of. I loved keeping a list this year because it allows me to feel so accomplished. I will be doing this in 2009 as well.

Cool Giveaway

Check this giveaway out!

Who Wants A Clean House???

I am feeling pretty messy lately. My house is not to it’s normal level of clean. Granted, I’ve never had a spotless house but it has generally been tidy. This is frustrating to me because I KNOW that I can do more than I have been doing around here. November marks the new year for me and I don’t want to enter my 34th year in disarray.

That being said, I have 5 days to get my stuff together. I will concentrate on one room per day. Each room will be worked on in small 15 minute bursts of “energy” as that is all I can offer!

Monday – Kitchen
Tuesday – Living Room
Wednesday – Bathrooms/bedroom
Thursday – Office
Friday – Kitchen AGAIN!

I will do one load of laundry per day as well. If anyone wants to come clean at my house, you’re more than welcome.

Would anyone like to see before & after photos? I’m a bit of a voyeur when it comes to messes. I like seeing pictures of messy rooms and then seeing them all cleaned up and pretty. If anyone shows an interest, I will post those pictures this week.

A Frugal Tour - The Master Bath

So today is bathroom cleaning day on the big "fall cleaning" schedule. I started in the master bathroom as it is the one most used by me. I cleaned the sink, sprinkled stuff in the toilet, and sprayed down the shower to soak. Then I started on the big stuff like scrubbing the door and the walls.

While cleaning this very small room, I came to a realization. Most everything that we own and truly love is second or even third hand. Much of it was rescued from landfills. For instance, let's take a tour of my bathroom.

The first thing you see as you enter my bathroom is the shower curtain. It is a nice, very modern one from Target. I got it from Freecycle along with the coordinating and oh so thick bathmat. The shower curtain does not cover a shower though, it is a curtain for the window. This bathroom has a glass shower door so I did not need a shower curtain but I did need a curtain to block the view of the neighbor's house.

Directly to the right is the sink. Above which is a 3 door wooden medicine chest. I found it on trash day a few years ago. It smelled musty for about a week but it sure looks better than the regular sized medicine chest that was in there!

Next to the slightly larger than sink sized counter is a white washed cabinet. Truth be told, it is an old solid wood entertainment center that Hubby found at a dumpster while he was living in Oklahoma City back in 1996 or so. It has served numerous jobs in my home and has recently received it's first paint job (was just unfinished wood) in a streaky white washed look that goes well with the bathroom. This piece holds various baskets full of hair and makeup things. Most all of the containers came from trash and yard sales. There is a mini Lane cedar chest that I was given as a high school senior, a Tupperware brand 3 level candy dish that my mom got free when she worked for the Tupperware factory back around 1990, a green box given to my eldest for her birthday, and a few others. I did buy the set of 4 wooden boxes for insanely cheep at a store similar to Kirklands.

Next to this cabinet is the toilet. Above which is a white "over the john" cabinet that my beloved rescued on it's way to the dumpster when we lived in Florida. It is a white enamel and I love it! On top of this, at nearly ceiling level, I keep my angels that the girls purchased for me when they were little. This is a seriously culled down collection. I got rid of angels from everyone else and kept only the ones from my girls.

On the opposite wall, is the shower. Nothing special there.

Soon this room will be painted. I'm sure it will be something to coordinate with the shower curtain and the bedroom so probably a shade of brown or something. Of course, that will be purchased at the paint store where we get mis-tints for $1 per gallon.

I hope you enjoyed your virtual tour of my bathroom. Let me know if you enjoyed this and we can do more tours of other rooms in the house.

Fall Cleaning Schedule

For people with a chronic illness, cleaning is not always easy. Add a procrastinating perfectionist into the mix and well, you get someone who gets easily frustrated with the cleaning and will put off the duties.

I work part time, from home, allowing me to keep my health in check. However, I will often let days or even weeks go by without doing any housework (because of pain) and before I know it, I am overwhelmed. In order to get myself into some sort of a routine, I have begun my "Fall Cleaning Schedule". The goal is to work on one room per day and the next day move on to the next room. I will circle through the house this way and eventually, I will just have a minor dust and vacuum in the rooms each day (in theory).

Days will be not be labeled Monday, Tuesday...Etc because some days I won't feel like doing anything. This is OKAY. I will just pick up where I left off the next day. It may take me 9 days to get the first pass done through the house and that is also okay. I won't beat myself up over this or feel that I am a failure.

Yesterday I started with the master bedroom. It is now nice and tidy, dusted and vacuumed. It isn't perfect but it is very nice. Next time I will delve into more of the sorting and organizing in the room.

Today is the master bathroom. I'm half way finished. I will try to complete the basic cleaning in there today and will move to organization next week.

I'm happy with this plan. I think my husband approves as well. He was happy to see the top of his dresser again!

Did You Miss Me?

It seems that I tend to go through phases where I do not post to this blog. I've often though of just getting rid of it but quite honestly, I like having my posts here. I will be back to posting here soon, I promise.

Recipe: Cuppa Cobbler

1 Cup of each of the following:

flour
sugar
milk
butter

mix well in bottom of 9x13 dish. add 1-2 cups of fruit (canned or fresh), do not mix. Sprinkle with cinnamon and place in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. This will never be the same twice. Go with it and enjoy!

Happy Friday!

May is halfway over. It seems like just yesterday when we were making resolutions for the new year and here we are, nearly 1/2 way through the year. I hope you're still keeping your resolutions!

I have 4 hours of training for my job next Tuesday. After that I have roughly 3 weeks until I start my program specific training. In that time period, I have to get my act together. I have to find a way to get some routine into my life. Those of you without kids, how do you do it??

Wednesday Already?

I have had a really bad week, with migraines and all that fun Fibro stuff. It is good to have a day where I feel ALMOST normal.

Looks like I will be getting the job I spoke about. The hours are not bad at all. Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, & Sat from 7 - 1. This will leave me plenty of time to be a Stay-at-Home wife and still work in order to pay the bills. When hubby's child support payments are over, in 5 more years, I won't have to worry about work nearly as much. It is sad to think that I essentially work to cover those payments. *No, I'm not saying we SHOULDN'T pay these. I'm merely stating that it is a large chunk of our income, more even than our house payment.*

I still need to find a routine to my days. You know like the old times when women did laundry on Monday and ironing on Tuesday, etc.? I really would like to find a routine.

May Flowers...

The month is off to a bang!

I got a ride to a friend's house about 1 1/2 hours from here last weekend. One of the main reasons that I went was to get a good look at their land. They own quite a bit of land and are planning to sell of some plots to friends and family. Hubby & I are interested in getting around 5 or 6 acres for our own little homestead. It was a nice trip, even if I did spend more than I wanted to on food. One lesson learned: NEVER order the buffet until you see the price! This particular buffet was $13! I could have eaten a lot better meals for that amount of money!

This week is my last week on the job. My final day is tomorrow. I have applied for a few other work-from-home companies. I interviewed with one today. They are a 'parent' company to my current employer. I am qualified for any position that they may have so I'm going through the processes to see if I can get that position. It is part time, roughly 25 hours per week, and I will be working early morning hours. Wish me luck! While this is not making as much as I was making in the workforce, it does eliminate our need for so much gasoline (25 miles into the city each way) or fancy clothing. It also makes me feel better to know that I can hopefully make some money without having to see about getting my disability setup.

I've been making an effort to cook dinner every night this week. While it does not sound like much, this has really helped us. We haven't had to even thought about fast food. Fast food is a bad habit we'd gotten into lately. Hopefully soon, cooking will become second nature.

Tripping...

Took an impromptu trip to New Orleans this past weekend. A friend went and took her daughters. I was invited to go along for the ride. It was fun and a real eye opener. People tend to do a lot in excess. The spending, the waste, it was all so much more than I was expecting.

I am back home and dealing with the news that my seasonal job is coming to an end next week. It was expected though so we're planning our frugal summer. Thankfully my Beloved is able to work more in the summer and can pick up side jobs.

Clearing Out the Clutter - Notecards

Today I tackled the two boxes full of note cards today. I use these for addresses, recipes, websites & passwords, and directions for various duties. My two boxes were over flowing. It was quite embarrassing. I had 2 or 3 cards for my beloved Granny Annie who passed away in 2003. I also had one for my uncle who died in 2002! It was obvious that the website usernames and passwords were vastly out of date. 15 minutes later, I had a big pile of 180 notecards in the middle of my living room floor.

We don't have a shredder so I put these into a cauldron and burned them. Passwords and Account numbers, even old ones, don't need to get into the wrong hands!

---

Of course, you know that I'm keeping track of the items we give away (besides food) this year. We're also counting items thrown away as they are out of our house. I started a secondary list of the paper clutter items. We're going to have a goal of 1,000 paper items gone from the house this year. 180 down, 820 to go!

Cut The Crap

I joined this group today with the hopes of decluttering our lives even more! I'm amazed at the sheer volume of crap that we manage to have in our lives. I don't think that Hubby & I are hoarders or anything, however, the stuff still is here. My mission is to eliminate it from our lives, one piece at a time.

Make Happiness Happen

In an effort to be more positive, I am posting things that make me happy. I hereby declare Monday as Happiness Day and vow to find things to make me happy all day!

• I am awake with little pain this morning.


• Today is going to be beautiful.


• I still have a job - pink slips went out to the first batch of people last week.


• I have a full day of work today


• I'm feeling quite artistic!!

What makes YOU happy today???

Giving It Up ... Letting Go

We're just 4 1/2 months into our 55 Week Fling. Things are going better than I ever expected. We are not counting food items given away even though I've given away A LOT of food to my mom's friend who is having financial problems and to an online friend of mine who feeds a lot of the kids in her neighborhood.

That being said, we're now at 2,657 items removed from our house. Almost all of them went via Freecycle, though a few were thrown away or sold on Craigslist.

The main thing that I've discovered in this adventure is that we honestly do not miss the items that are gone. We still have some work to do in one room of the house before starting on the garage area, attic, and hubby's shop. I can easily see us getting to an astounding 3, 008 items!

I have kept up the list of items in a spreadsheet. It is astounding to look at that list and know that I had those items in my house.

We have a lot more space now and we're actually enjoying it. It is amazing how those things work.

Living With Less

Oprah is on living with less today. Check it out if you can! I'm watching it and taping it to share with my husband.

It is the little things..

It is the little things that seem to add up. The quick meals out instead of cooking, the soda bought at the gas station instead of planning ahead and bringing your own, the peer pressure to succumb to the monster that is Starbucks. Each of these little things adds up and soon enough a large chunk of your money is gone.

The first thing I have to do in order to reign things in for our family is to start cooking every meal at home. While fast food or restaurant food is convenient, it costs more. This is one area where I am in complete control.

Another place I need to look is at our WalMart runs. Don't bash me for using this store. I live in a town where there are not alternatives. Sadly small town America does not give many alternatives. Driving 30 miles into "town" does not help my environment and until they have rural bus routes here I won't be making that trip unless I have other things to accomplish at the same time. Anyway, hubby runs to WalMart a few times a week when we realize we're out of something. Inevitably, we end up with something that we did not really need.

Together, hubby & I are going to do this. We want me to be a stay at home wife and in order to do that, we must make sacrifices.

What are some of your favorite recipes? I need something quick and tasty!

Wow...Has it been that long?

Life tends to get crazy around here. The season at work ends today so things will hopefully go back to some sort of normal soon. For now, I'm reading homemaker, frugal blogs and am trying very hard to get my frugal mindset back on.

In terms of the goals we had for simplifying our lives in 2008, have been going great. We have surpassed all of our goals. Over 2,500 items have left our house and our lives. It is amazing! And the saying "When your hand is open to give, it is open to receive" is very true. We have been gifted with some amazing things from Freecycle as well.

Weird Things to Do with Food

PEPPER

Everyone knows Clorox's catchy ditty about keeping clothes bright, but all you need is pepper. Add a teaspoon of pepper to the wash before you add in your clothes and it will keep the colors from fading.


WHITE VINEGAR

Deodorant stains can ruin a perfectly good shirt. Save your whites by spraying white vinegar (no need to mix with water) onto the underarm areas. Then you can wash per usual.

SUGAR

At your next BBQ don't spend money on anti-pest candles that never work. Simmer 2 cups of milk, a 1/4 pound of sugar and 2 oz. of ground black pepper for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture into bowls and put them where the flies will be attracted to them and then drown. You can also place around the house. No more buzzzzzing at the windows.

SODA

Next time your drain is clogged and you don't have time to run to the store for some Drain-O just look in your fridge! A 2-liter bottle of soda will do the trick. Just pour it down to clobber the clog.

SHORTENING

For a natural solution to diaper rash, try coating the area with a thin layer of shortening. It will act as a moisturizer.

SALT

Grease stains can be a huge pain when it comes to doing laundry. Before you wash, work a generous amount of table salt into the stain and then launder as usual.

POTATOES

Too much to drink last night and now you have puffy eyes? Apply a thin slice of cold potato to your eyes and leave on for five minutes. Then splash with cool water, put on your makeup (or just some moisturizer -- this means you, too, guys!) and head to work!

ORANGES

Don't you hate it when you have to start a fire and little bits of newspaper are flying everywhere? Next time, air-dry orange peels, which contain flammable oils that burn longer, and use those instead of the paper. The delicious smell is a bonus.

OLIVE OIL

Does it seem like nothing is working for your bad skin? Use 4 tablespoons of salt and 3 tablespoons of olive oil to create a paste. Leave it on your face for 2 minutes and rinse with warm water. Then wash your face as normal. Use every day for a week and then cut back to 3 days a week and you should notice an improvement.

MUSTARD

It may make you smell like a hot dog, but rubbing a thin layer of mustard over your chest and covering with a hot towel can relieve a stuffy head and chest.

MILK

Oh no! You forgot to put the cap on your pen and now there is ink seeping into your shirt. No worries -- just grab some milk and soak the area. Depending on the type of ink, this process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours. Patience is a virtue.

MAYONNAISE

It's one thing when your child draws on the wall with crayons, it's quite another when it comes to your wood furniture. Rub some mayonnaise on the crayon mark and let it soak for ten minutes. Then take a damp cloth and wipeaway the mayo AND the crayon!

LEMONS

Dandruff can be an embarrassing health problem, but the special shampoo often smells yucky. Try massaging 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into your scalp and rinsing with warm water. Follow with a leave-in rinse of 1 teaspoon lemonjuice in 1 cup of warm water. Use this daily until your scalp is healed.

FLOUR

You have an ant problem but are worried about the poisonous ant traps around your pets. Just sprinkle flour wherever you see ants entering the house and along the pantry shelves, since they are most likely after your food.

EGGS

No time to hit the salon before your big event? Get your hair super shiny and conditioned with eggs! Take two beaten egg yolks and massage into hair. Start at the scalp and work in small sections. Then gather all of the hair in a shower cap, wrap in a warm towel and wait 30 minutes (you could cook the kids' dinner). Rinse with cool water and shampoo as usual.

CORN STARCH

Your child just learned how to tie their shoes and the knots are impossible to undo. Stay calm and sprinkle a little cornstarch on the laces to help you work out the knot.

CLUB SODA

There's no more worrying about drinking red wine on white carpet. Soak up as much wine as possible and then pour club soda over the area, making sure to blot and not rub. Repeat the process until the wine is no longer visible. You can also do the same for urine stains.

CASTOR OIL

While most of us associate castor oil with constipation or childbirth, did you know it can also help get rid of pesky moles in your yard? Just mix a 1/2 cup of castor oil with two gallons of water and pour the mixture down the mole(s) hole(s). Don't worry, the solution is animal friendly and they will likely relocate.

BUTTER

A jewelry box can help you organize, but sometimes those thin-chained necklaces just want to get tangled and you can't stop them! Rub some butter into the knot and lay on a flat surface. Then take a sewing needle to untangle. When finished just run under hot water to rinse off the butter.

BREAD

Next time you drop a wine glass or break a plate, grab a slice of bread to help you clean up. After you pick up the larger pieces, press the bread over the area and it will pick up all the itty bitty pieces you can't see. Bread can also help clean fingerprints off walls and wallpaper. Just rub and voila!

BANANAS

Before you throw your banana peel in the compost pile, remove any stringy pulp and use the peel as a buffer. This works with silverware as well as leather shoes and leather furniture. Just rub the peel over the object and buff with a soft cloth. Be sure to test a small section of your furniture first!

APPLES

Sick of waiting for your green tomatoes to ripen on the windowsill? Stick up to five tomatoes in a brown paper bag with a ripe apple and seal for a few days. This will speed up the ripening process.

Please watch this short, beautiful film to have a donation made to
Autism Speaks. The band, Five for Fighting, is generously donating
$0.49 to Autism Speaks for *each time* the video is viewed. The
funding goes toward research studies to help find a cure. When you
have a moment, please visit the link below to watch the video and
pass it along to your friends and family. They are aiming for 10,000
hits, but hopefully we can help them to surpass this goal.

Click & Watch Please

How Would You Handle This?

I am making a gift for a friend's birthday - using items on hand - 3 beads, and a length of wire. Would you could this as one item (the ring) or 4 items (beads & wire) when counting the items leaving the home?

Goals Suprassed

In December, Hubby thought that 208 items would be a more realistic goal. We met that and changed our goal to 1008. Well, Ladies and Gents, we've now surpassed that goal as well. Looks like the original challenge amount of 2008 may just be something we can accomplish. At the VERY least, I will continue with my goal of 7 things per week for the year.

Here is this week's list (week ends on Saturday):

1	book - The Note	Mom
1	Mensa Puzzle Book	Gwen
1	Hello Kitty Kit	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	Star light	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	thread type yarn	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	bug	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	stuffed cat	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	faeire crystal	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	poodle grows	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	orange candle	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	Angel Book	Freecycle - Tepeza
3	cinderella stamp markers	Freecycle - Tepeza
4	boy toys	Freecycle - Tepeza
5	magazines	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	Candle	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	Candle holders	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	oil candle holder	Freecycle - Tepeza
1	shadow box	Trudy
1	basket	Freecycle - Tepeza
25	plastic hangers	Gwen
1	basket	Gwen
3	snow globe dragons	Freecycle - Cheryl
2	shampoo	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	toothpaste	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	hair inhibiter	Freecycle - Cheryl
9	razors	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	cologne	Freecycle - Cheryl
2	hair glitter gel	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	hair wax	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	travel bottle	Freecycle - Cheryl
3	bathsalts	Freecycle - Cheryl
2	sample shampoo	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	plastic box	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	tooth mirror	Freecycle - Cheryl
3	bath fizzies	Freecycle - Cheryl
2	plastic drawer things	Mom
1	IGIA Hair Straightner	Freecycle - Cheryl
4	massage tools	Freecycle - Cheryl
2	pks of watercolor pencils	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	Book on BiPolar Disorder	Freecycle - Cheryl
1	Sword	Freecycle - Cheryl
2	sets of curtains	Freecycle - Jean
8	pillow cases	Freecycle - Jean
2	sets of sheets	Freecycle - Jean
15	books	Freecycle - James
4	Makeup Items	Mom
31	Makeup Items	Freecycle - Jackie
1	Cat Door
1	Swiffer Mop	Gwen
1	Large Dry Erase Board	Freecycle - Audrey
2	Downy Fabric Softener balls	Mom
1	Tide Detergent sample	Mom
1	Reclining Chair	Dad
4	drawer organizers	Mom
1	wooden chess/checker game	Freecycle - Yolanda
68	Music CDs	Freecycle - Yolanda
71	Blank CD cases	Freecycle - Yolanda
5	Music CDs	Mom
2	Music CDs	Kes
1	Discovery Toys Mosaic Mysteries	Freecycle - Donna
1	audio cassette	Freecycle - Yolanda
1	Stick Vac Hoover	Kayla
4	Books	Courtney
6	Books	Freecycle
17	Coke Caps	Freecycle - Donna
1	Gap Sweater	Kayla
2	Swiffer Wet Pads	Gwen

This weekly total is 350 (two additional items added to last weeks items). This brings our grand total to 1133. WoooHooo!!!

Going...Going...Gone!

This week has been crazy! I gathered and got rid of SO many things. I know my list looks crazy and I'm sure it will slow down drastically soon. By October, I'm sure I'll be getting tired of this!

Here is this week's list:

2	Kiddie Swimming pools	Freecycle - Susan H
1	Pooh backpack	Freecycle - Shawn
2	shirt	Freecycle - Shawn
2	robe	Freecycle - Shawn
1	"Dreams" Jar	Freecycle - Shawn
1	man's watch	Freecycle - Shawn
1	bedside lamp	Freecycle - Shawn
1	nokia phone	Freecycle - Shawn
1	shower head	Freecycle - Shawn
3	bathroom hooks	Freecycle - Shawn
1	makeup brush holder	Freecycle - Shawn
1	Samsung Charger	Freecycle - Shawn
1	knitted shawl	Freecycle - Shawn
1	scarf	Freecycle - Shawn
1	hankie	Freecycle - Shawn
1	shrek	Freecycle - Shawn
1	shower curtain clips	Freecycle - Shawn
2	bathroom facuet	Freecycle - Shawn
1	stuffed bunny hang on	Freecycle - Shawn
3	small bag	Freecycle - Shawn
1	Set of Jerry Garcia pics	Freecycle - Shawn
2	Sets of handles	Freecycle - Shawn
2	Set of shower rings	Freecycle - Shawn
1	Glade plug in	Freecycle - Shawn
1	package of snore clips	Freecycle - Susan H
1	bathroom bag	Freecycle - Susan H
1	cat mit	Freecycle - Susan H
1	blue basket	Freecycle - Susan H
5	shirt	Freecycle - Susan H
1	cell phone case	Freecycle - Susan H
1	space bag	Freecycle - Susan H
2	Skin So Soft	Freecycle - Susan H
1	mouthwash	Freecycle - Susan H
1	shaving cream	Freecycle - Susan H
1	Robe	Freecycle - Susan H
2	Candle holders	Freecycle - Susan H
1	Sunglass Clips	Freecycle - Susan H
1	men's watch	Freecycle - Susan H
1	jewelry finding	Freecycle - Susan H
1	lotion	Freecycle - Susan H
2	Tshirts	Freecycle - Susan H
1	thermometer	Freecycle - Susan H
1	qtip container	Freecycle - Susan H
6	lotion	Freecycle - Susan H
1	cologne	Freecycle - Susan H
2	stridex pads	Freecycle - Susan H
15	scrunchie	Freecycle - Susan H
8	perfume	Freecycle - Susan H
1	doll	Freecycle - Susan H
3	small bags	Freecycle - Susan H
1	flosser	Freecycle - Susan H
3	hair clips	Freecycle - Susan H
1	face toner	Freecycle - Susan H
1	hair gel	Freecycle - Susan H
1	candle	Freecycle - Susan H
1	nail file	Freecycle - Susan H
1	pen	Freecycle - Susan H
1	shampoo	Freecycle - Susan H
1	face scrubber	Freecycle - Susan H
1	bar of soap	Freecycle - Susan H
1	deo ball	Freecycle - Susan H
3	clippies	Freecycle - Susan H
5	makeup brushes	Freecycle - Susan H
1	lanicane	Freecycle - Susan H
1	baby lotion	Freecycle - Susan H
1	batch of samples	Freecycle - Susan H
1	set of combs	Freecycle - Susan H
1	lipgloss	Freecycle - Susan H
6	ties	Freecycle
1	coat	Kayla
33	Shirts	Kit, Russ, & Freecycle
1	jacket	Kit
1	3 Hole Punch electric	Freecycle - Teacher
2	porcelain doll stands	Freecycle - Libby
1	pk of gift tags	Beth
2	magazine	Beth
1	homeschool book	Beth
2	organizers\	Beth
1	drink bottle holder	Beth
1	pumpkin carving kit	Beth
1	paintable statue	Beth
1	pair of boxers	Beth
3	paintable signs	Beth
1	picture frame	Freecycle - Doti
1	box of crayons	Beth
1	coupon book (McDs)	Freecycle - Doti
2	lanyard straps	Beth
1	lipstick holder	Freecycle - Doti
3	Hello Kitty Stamps	Beth
1	Mary Engelbreit teapot	Freecycle - Doti
1	mini notepad	Beth
2	decorative boxes	Beth
12	Greeting cards	Beth
1	bag of balloons	Freecycle - Doti
2	organza bag	Freecycle - Doti
47	pages of stickers	Beth
1	pk of picture frames	Freecycle - Doti
1	pk of die cuts	Freecycle - Doti
1	pk of cut stamps	Freecycle - Doti
1	Set of Stress Tapes	Freecycle - Shawn
1	GW Cassette Recorder	Freecycle - Shawn
1	paint brush	Freecycle - Doti
1	wooden ball	Freecycle - Doti
1	set of plastic drawers	Freecycle - Doti
1	note paper caddy	Freecycle - Doti
4	felt bags	Beth
1	pk felt bats	Beth
1	dirty words game	Beth
3	pk of sticky felt	Freecycle - Doti
1	pk of little wooded spools	Freecycle - Doti
2	mini notepads (matchbooks)	Freecycle - Doti
1	stapler	Freecycle - Doti
1	staple puller	Freecycle - Doti
1	barette	Freecycle - Doti
1	swatch watch	Freecycle - Doti
1	pill holder	Freecycle - Doti
1	post it sticker	Freecycle - Doti
1	box of fae note paper	Freecycle - Doti
1	small fishbowl	Freecycle - Doti
1	stack of consturction paper	Freecycle - Doti
2	coloring books	Freecycle - Doti
1	box of crayons	Freecycle - Doti
1	stamp pad	Freecycle - Doti
2	decorative napkins	Freecycle - Doti
2	roll of film	Freecycle - Doti
1	pk of dowel rods	Freecycle - Doti
1	keychain	Freecycle - Doti
1	letter opener	Freecycle - Doti
2	tatoos	Kit
2	big stickers	Kit
1	hand made box	Kit
1	small wood box	Kit
1	black ribbon	Beth
1	fabric bit	Beth
3	new boxes of crayons	Freecycle - Teacher
1	spool of elastic thread	Beth
2	magazine	Freecycle - Doti
12	pens	Freecycle - Doti
1	spool of ribbon	Beth
1	set of nail stickers	Beth
2	small paint brushes	Beth
1	black stamp pad	Beth
1	Ann Rule book	Freecycle - Doti
1	bottle clenaer	Beth
1	scrunchie	Freecycle - Doti
2	anticeptic wipes	Freecycle - Doti
1	pk of misc beads	Beth
1	herb recipes	Beth
1	hair gel	Freecycle - Doti
1	magnet	Freecycle - Doti
1	razor holder	Freecycle - Doti
1	barette	Freecycle - Doti
1	large metal basket	Freecycle - Doti
1	pedometer (slimfast)	Freecycle - Michelle
2	boxes of jello	Freecycle - Lani
1	box of pudding	Freecycle - Lani
2	bags of chicken	Freecycle - Lani
1	box of steakums	Freecycle - Lani
1	pk of sausages	Freecycle - Lani
1	can of peas	Freecycle - Lani
1	box of oats	Freecycle - Lani
6	pks of koolade	Freecycle - Lani
1	pk cheeseburger mac	Freecycle - Lani
3	pk frozen cookes	Freecycle - Lani
2	bags of veggies	Freecycle - Lani
4	Jenny Craig Bars	Freecycle - Lani
2	pks of linguini	Freecycle - Lani
1	cornbread mix	Freecycle - Lani
1	box of cookie mix	Freecycle - Lani
1	set of cookie cutters	Freecycle - Lani
2	page size tattoos	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
2	3 ring binder	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	gift bag	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	2' section of ribbon	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
3	bags of scrapbook die cuts	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	necklace	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	card	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
2	rainbow note pads	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	halloween bag	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	pr of scrapbook scissors	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	boning	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	fuseable webbing	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	2002 pooh calendar	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	small origami kit	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	stencil	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	pk of hello kitty gift bags	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	bunch of eucaliptus	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
2	large spools of curling ribbon	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	black note book	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	white pad of paper	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	set of rings for circles	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	small frame	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	large pile of clipart	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	paint brush	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	folder	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
4	3 ring binder	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	magazine	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	vice	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
1	paint kit for sencils	Freecycle - Laura (toomanycats)
9	Shirts	Mom
1	Skirt	Mom
1	Pair of Pants	Mom
1	sweater	Mom
3	vintage books	Freecycle
3	educational books	Freecycle - Michelle
11	mystery/horror books	Freecycle
6	learning books	Freecycle
12	Romance/Other Books	Freecycle
15	Chicken Soup Books	Mom

SO...if you have gotten this far, you see that I've managed to rid my house of 469 things THIS week! This brings our current total to 783!

783/1008
425 items left for my 1008 in 2008 goal

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words...

I took some pictures of the items leaving our house for this Project. I'm not good at getting pictures for each and every item but I'm trying. Anyway, December 2007's total was 314 items.

Here is a picture of a few of the items before they left our home for the last time!