Brianna's 3rd Birthday

Brianna's 3rd birthday party is only 11 days away, so that means I have been in full-swing party mode for the last couple of days! I need to blog about her party favors I made, which are so cute, and I have some other stuff up my sleeve to make her party a big (and frugal!) success! But tonight I finished something that I am so giddy about - I know she's going to love it!

Stephen and I got her a kitchen set. I am already giddy about that because we have wanted to get her a kitchen for such a long time. Then one day, Leila (Stephen's mom) found a kitchen at a preview event for a consignment where she lives. The price was just $35 but the kitchen looked to be worth way more than that! We okayed the purchase. Later she texted me to tell me she found the same kitchen set at a local secondhand store for $90!! It makes sounds, has a grill, the works. The only stuff it was missing was play food and the "accessories".

So today I went shopping with my grandmother's money to accessorize Brianna's kitchen! After all, what good is a kitchen if you don't have any cooking utensils? I went to Adams Thrift store in Pinebluff to get all these goodies. They know me there and they will treat you right!

Strainer + muffin tin + bread pan + measuring cups and spoons + timer + spatulas/spoons/pasta spoon + big measuring cup = $3.24! (Also I got her colored pencils and I got some Hot Wheels for Hunter, so that is also included in the $3.24 total)

Then I remember I had this pretty ribbon which I have never used and it's been sitting so lonely in my craft bag. So I got on my trusty search engine and within seconds I was here for a bow tutorial. And voila! The kitchen basket for Brianna was born!

It will be presented to her at her birthday party on the 21st by my grandparents. I think she will be thrilled and I think it looks so cute! I also tied together like items (like the measuring cups) with curling ribbon. Thank you local businesses!!

This Blog is Half Off

One favorite pastime of mine is to go yard saling. Now, going to yard sales by itself is thrilling for me (I love the hunt of a bargain) but going with someone else who really appreciates a good deal steal is really fun!! I finally had a Saturday off where I was going to be home to go to yard sales, so of course mom and dad and I met up with each other to go to the three biggest ones that were happening today. One of my favorite things about yard sales is I still get to sleep in till about 7:45 if I feel like it (which of course I do) and I still don't really miss out on anything. My motto is, if I don't see it, I don't know what I'm missing. I'm really on a roll this week because of Rite Aid rebates Thursday nights and then yard sales today. With my Rite Aid rebates, this month I have gotten totally free (so far - there's still one week left) Crest mouthwash, Chloroseptic throat spray, Sucrets lozenges, Theraflu, and an entire Netipot. Totally free! I love it! I am addicted to a good deal. Anyway, between the 'rents and I, we found such great deals today that I want to post some of them. The first one we went to had such awesome prices, and then the next one by the time we got there had already marked everything in there half price! The last one we went to, we were two people away from being checked out in line and they made an announcement that everything was going half price right then! So to say we got deals is an understatement. Okay, as Julie Andrews/Maria would say, here are a few of my favorite things...

This is the never before used wok that I got for $2:

This pretty pot will be used for my crocus and daffodil bulbs that mom and dad got us for our anniversary. 25 cents:

Stephen's been wanting to do a 3-D puzzle for a while, but they're just too darn expensive. Not this one! Never been opened before - 25 cents:

Of course I couldn't resist all these books. None were over 25 cents except the audiobook, which was 50 cents:

And I hauled in all this baby stuff! In this pile is books, socks, hats, toys, Carter's clothes, cloth diapers, receiving blankets, burp cloths, a changing mat, and a little sleeping bag thing to wrap up the baby in - all 25 cents except the changing mat (50 cents) and sleeping bag (1.00):

And this is the like new bread maker I got for $3.50! (Half off!) Later on, I saw the exact same bread maker at another yard sale for $5. Woot!

Yes, I'm very happy with how we did! Of course I got many other things, but I didn't think everyone was that interested in everything I got. Mainly it was just puzzles and candles and stuff. One thing I did get for free that I am really excited about is:

Shoe boxes!!

Our youth group is doing Operation Christmas Child this year. At one of the yard sales at Our Savior Lutheran church, I saw several shoe boxes underneath one of the tables. When I asked the lady in charge about them, and told her what I wanted them for, she said that's probably what they were going to use them for, but she would call me if they didn't use them. Well, about 20 minutes later, she came and found me and said if I wanted a box of ten, I could take them. Yes!! That was so nice of her to hunt me down and let me take them. That means the kids don't have to find empty boxes, just fill them up, which is the fun part anyway!

After yard sales, mom and dad took me to 195 for lunch, of course. It was absolutely delicious and filling. Now I am going to be waddling around all afternoon because we are having visitors from Georgia come tonight! I better get to work cleaning up all my yard sale finds!!!