Antique Show Tomorrow

Tomorrow, I'll be attending (and working) at Louisville's annual Locust Grove Antique Show. If you are in the area, it's a great place to walk around and find all kinds of unique items.

Enjoy. :)

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Finances: Cash or Credit

I love, LOVE, reading about personal finance. Every little tip I get, and implement, helps.

While reading the news, I came across this article and thought it was worth sharing:


Living Without the Plastic Cushion
(could you do it?)




"Lisa Brough was forced into a debt-free life by medical disaster.

Her husband has Huntington’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder, and has been unable to work since 1999. The couple, who have three children, saw their finances suffer as a result. They ended up with $50,000 worth of credit card debt as Brough worked two jobs and still struggled to pay the bills and the high property taxes on their home in Westchester County, N.Y.

“I said to myself, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ ” she recalled. “He was going downhill, and I had to figure out a way to get out of this. I couldn’t count on tomorrow because I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.”"

Read the full article and let me know what you think. Was it too extreme? Could you live without plastic?

Enjoy! :)

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Stay-cation Plans

I've been MIA lately due to vacation, or should I say a stay-cation. It's been really nice. Sometimes I watch movies, other times I nap. :)

I also have been perusing a few library books about landscaping. My landscaping really needs some help, and rather than hire a professional and pay bunches, I would like to do something easy myself.

Also, my outside lights have been updated. They weren't really much to replace, but they make a huge difference.

BEFORE:













AFTER:

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Smoking in the Bathroom

Yes, this is happening, and I don't mean by using a lighter.

Unfortunately, in the mornings, my bathroom really heats up due to the steam from the shower and the heat from the blow drier, not to mention any other hair device I might use...straightener...curling iron... (you gals know how it is).

By the time I'm done, it's a sauna. And the exhaust fan is just not effective. Whew!

To remedy this, I've been thinking about adding a ceiling fan in the bathroom. I have 14+ foot ceilings in there and I think with a great fan, it could be really nice.

After a bit of research, I've found that some ceiling fans are rated for damp locations. For example, this guy:








I also like this guy, plus he's a little cheaper,










And this one! I really like the color and the wide blades.












If you think this is crazy, you've got to tell me.

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Usually a Flip-Flop Maniac...but..

I love my flip flops. When summer starts, that is the first piece of clothing (or anything) that comes out of hibernation. This year, though, I decided to branch out.

Alot of stores are carrying flat gladiator-ish sandals, and usually I just pass them by on my way to the flip-flop isle. However, during a recent trip to JC Penney's, I stopped. And looked. And bought.

Wowsa! They are super comfortable! So far, I've worn them with my jeans, white shorts, capri's, and some flirty summer dresses.

Another bonus is that they are relatively and inexpensive. I've found them for $15-$30. Since mine are more for casual wear, I elected to buy the inexpensive ones (think $15).

Need some guidance?



These are from Old Navy, for about $15.








For $15.00, you could have these from Target. Don't wear enough black? No worries! They also come in green and pink patent.





Happy Shopping!

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Photo Friendly Friday

Meet one of the newest members of the family. Her name is Annie and she's a doll! She loves this bed and blanket- just like a baby. ;)

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Must Have for Cookouts- Dirt Cake

This cake is a cookout must! It's somewhat light, due to the whipped cream, and has just enough chocolate! It makes a great finished after a couple of hot dogs, chips, potato salad, and who knows what else.

Some people make it in a pan, others make it in a small plastic bucket and add a plastic shovel.



Dirt Cake
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups milk
12 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed
gummy worms (optional)

Directions:

Cream together the cream cheese, margarine and sugar. Mix together pudding, milk and Cool Whip. Combine chocolate mixture with creamed mixture. Stir well.

In a clean flowerpot, layer mixture with crushed Oreo cookies, ending with cookies on top. Add gummy worms or silk flowers on top. Also, if made in a plastic bucket, include a shovel for serving.

Enjoy! :)

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Tripping- Part 2

Soon, I'll be jetting off to the west for a work conference. My packing list has already been started on my iPhone, of course. Currently, I have planned on a few pairs of light-weight pants and some jeans.

That list is going out the window after checking the weather today. While I am not leaving for another week, upon seeing the highs as 95, 96, and 97, the clothing list must be re-evaluated. Pronto.

I'm thinking more of these:

























And some of these:


























And of course, these:

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Tripping- Part 1

I love to travel, but am not the best at packing. However, once I began to make a list of the things I need, it became much easier and the "oh-no, forgot that" happened less and less.

My packing list is pretty standard, but I leave a column for trip-specific items. For example, when I travel for work, my trip-specific items could be business cards, brochures, etc.

Since my future travel plans include a work trip, I thought I would share a few "tried and true" packing rules:

1. Roll baby roll- If I'm not going for a long period, I'll try to roll my clothes, which provides more room in the suitcase and less wrinkles.

2. Perfume in the shoes- The glass bottles are safer here than anywhere else.

3. Color scheme jives- Usually, I'll stick with a black/brown/white/blue combo. These usually go with each other and I can mix them up to create an interesting look.

4. Toiletries go into a sealable bag- Anyone who has opened their suitcase to find their hairspray (or sunscreen) has spilled all over, has learned this lesson the hard way. A ziplock baggie works well for me. Also, I make sure to take travel sized items. They take up less space, and don't cost a fortune if I need to replace them.

5. Seeing is believing- I lay out my outfits on my bed for each of the days to gauge what else I will need to make the "look" (jewelry, shoes). It helps me not to forget the beautiful necklace and appropriate shoes. Also, it might show me that I don't need 3 blue shirts.

6. Smelling good- Since my suitcase isn't used as often as I would like, when I pack my clothes, I always add a dryer sheet. It reduces any lingering smells and static.

7. Prepare and plan- Make a list and don't attempt to pack at the last minute. It doesn't work.

8. Shoes last but not least- I pack my shoes last. Usually they get shoved into the side compartments.

9. Jewelry goes to never-never-land- My costume jewelry, which is packed in the suitcase, gets put into a baggie, which is then put in an empty maxi pad bag. Yes, I said it. It's odd, but it works extremely well. Most people will not touch it. :)

Must Takes:

Really. These items always travel with me, no matter the location or season.

1. Flip flops- I always take a pair with me. JC Penney's recently had a sale, and I bought 2 pair at once. They are great for sight-seeing and don't take extra room in the suitcase. I prefer ones with no heels and dark footbeds, as they don't show dirt as much. Looking for some? Check out these from Old Navy.

2. A dress is always needed- No matter where I go, I always find the need to wear a dress. Usually I'll pack something classy, like a black sheath. Check out this one from gap, on sale.

3. Jean Jacket- I use this to dress up some capri's or dress down a formal dress. Target has a great one.

4. Camera- No matter if I only take a day trip, or a week long trip overseas, the camera always goes.

5. Extra eyes- Since I wear contacts, I always bring an extra pair. So many times I have been without them and have regretted it.

Happy Traveling! :)

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I surrendered..

to the iPhone. That's right. I walked into the AT&T store to look at Blackberry's and walked out with this-












Am I pleased with the phone? Ecstatically!

It is without a doubt, one of the best things I have ever owned. Seriously. (If you do not want an iPhone, or do not want to spend the money, please don't read any further.)

Since I bought the phone, I have added applications like mad. Luckily though, I don't keep all of them, instead, removing it when finding another which works better. However, I do have a few that I use daily.

1. Mint.com- This application keeps my money managed (what little I have).









2. Weather- I check this every morning. The fact that it lets me store other cities is a bonus. In addition to my home city, I also have Dallas, Paris, London, Las Vegas, and Daytona Beach.














3. Craigsphone- I love a good deal, and the iPhone lets me search Craigslist for it. Right now, I'm on the hunt for a tent.










4. USA Today- This is one of the newspapers I check daily on my computer, so I went ahead and added it.










5. AAA discounts- It's my duty to be on the lookout for discounts, and this application helps with this.














Did I forget to mention that the applications mentioned above are all free? Yep, they are.

**I would also recommend that if you already have an iPhone and haven't set it to password protect- DO IT! I have too much on my phone for it to fall into the wrong hands. You can find instructions on how to do this here.

Happy iPhone-ing! :)

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