Artwork Dispaly Boards

It turns out when you have a child in preschool (or 3) you end up with a lot of "artwork."  From the countless fingerpainting masterpieces smeared with all the same color to the stack of coloring sheets with a single crayon line on each to the fruit loop neckalce that is nothing but a sticky, half eaten mess. 

While I greatly appreciate and enjoy the fact that my children are free to learn and grow through creativity, it turns out I was not much of a fan of the growing mountain of artwork that was beginning to take over my counter tops.  It didn't take long before I had to face the dilemma that most parent has to face at some point... what do I throw and what do I keep?  I got over the guilt of throwing 99% of it away rather quickly but still the question remained.  What exactly do I do with it??... hang it on the fridge?... begin stuffing it in envelopes and mailing it out to grandparents?...... tuck it away in a file cabinet so I can hand it over to my child once they become adults and finally have their own house to store it in?   The answer- get on the internet and figure out what other parents do with it! 

After only a few minutes on pinterest I had about 101 different ways to display your kid's artwork.  I ended up going with an option that was super low cost and very effective.  Now all of our kids can proudly display their artwork without the clutter.  The kids are happy.  Mom's happy.  Our budget is happy.  It's a win win. 

I found some old scraps of wood we had in the garage, gave them a fresh paint of white paint, hot glued a few clothespins on it and there you have it. 

For some added color and detail I modge podged scrapbook paper on the clothespins.  I also may add some words on the board via stickers or stencils eventually.

I even made a board for myself to keep my coupons, menus, and random papers organized.

Wall Art Display boards adapted from It's Overflowing and clothespins from Simply Kierste.

All Dressed Up

This past weekend I had the first time experience of dressing a family of 5 for our first formal event, a family wedding!  Life has honestly been so crazy for us during this time of transition, being frugal has taken a hit here and there for the sake of ease.   As things begin to settle for us, and we fall into a routine and a sense of this new normal, my frugal itch is starting to make it's way back into my life again.  Getting us all ready for a wedding became my first real project in a while.  How could I do this without dropping a good chunk of change at a local department store?... and so it began.  Here are a few ideas to consider.

1.  Garage Sales- Especially great for kid's dress clothes.  If you know about the event soon enough be on the look out early in the garage sale season when they tend to be the best!

2.  Thrift Stores- You never know what you will find!  Stop often and know what you are looking for.  Eventually you will hit it right. 

3.  Consignment Shops- Great option for special events since the clothes tend to be in a little better shape and they seem to have an abundance of dress clothes.  I went to Once Upon a Child here in town and was super impressed with the selection and prices. 

4.  Borrow-  Lots of people have dress clothes they only wear once or twice.  Ask around.  Warning- going this route with little kids scares me...my kids tend to ruin clothes. 

5.  Clearance Shop/Off season shop-  Keeping an eye out for things that are marked down because they are off-season often works really well if you don't mind storing things away for a few months.  I came across the girl's sparkly silver dress shoes going into spring for $4 a piece, and found my dress on a Maurices clearance rack for $2.95! 


After a combination of all of the above to dress us all head to toe, we spent a grand total of $50 which included 3 toddler dress shoes, 2 toddler dresses, 3 headbands, a toddler dress shirt/suit coat/tie, a dress for myself, a dress shirt for my husband, a pair of earrings, and a purse.  The only things I paid full price for were the headbands which I told myself we can use again and again (that is, unless they loose them which my youngest did)...

I did find out that you do not take nearly as many pictures as you would like to when you are busy making sure your three kids do not ruin a wedding, but here are a few I manged to snap.  In other exciting news, our adoption finalized last week so I am finally able to share these beautiful little faces with you!

Our 50 cent rehearsal dress garage sale find.

Flower Girl Attire all borrowed and added to by the bride!  Way to be frugal!

Consignment shop outfits.

LOVE the shoes and tie we found at a consignment shop.  (unfortunately the tie found it's way into the toilet and is no longer with us.)

My $2.95 dress.

Easy Peasy Applesauce

For those of you only following this blog you have probably began to assume that I must have inherited a bunch of money and decided to throw this whole frugal deal out the window.  Not exactly.  To keep it short and sweet for the past 5 months I have been busy trying to figure out how to become a parent to 3 toddlers.  We are adopting and in that process I literally became a mini van Mom by Friday.  Life is a trip.  Check out our adoption blog here for the complete story. 

Although life's expenses go up a little with 3 kiddos in tow, I still like to think I am finding ways to be frugal.  My most recent favorite things are garage sales (who knew they got like 1,000 times greater once you have kids to buy for?)  and in one word: Aldi.  I have grown to love and appreciate that store more than I ever thought I would or could.  With that in mind it brings me to today's blog highlight:  applesauce. 

My kid's love applesauce.  I love the idea of organic applesauce. However, I hate the idea of paying for the stuff.  More than the idea of organic it really bugs me that it is almost impossible to find applesauce that isn't loaded full of other stuff including high fructose corn syrup.  Hey, I have an idea- let's take something that is seemingly good for our bodies (apples) and put a bunch of highly processed sugar in it and then market it as a healthy snack.  OK, off back off the soapbox and onto the fugal find- Easy Peasy Applesauce. 

After coming across this recipe on Pinterest and being intrigued by the fact it contained only natural sugars, I thought I would give it a whirl.  It was simple, delicious, and is becoming a family favorite around here.  Aldi has begun to carry a line of Organic products and produce and this week had Apples on sale.  I stocked up and ended up with 112 ounces of applesauce for only $7.38.  Our freezer is full, my kids are thrilled, and I am happy knowing we didn't break the bank for applesauce- real food style.  Check out 100 Day of Real Food for the recipe. 

Apples washed and ready to go.  Let the applesauce making adventures begin.

This handy kitchen gadget will save you so much time and energy! Another time saving gadget is an immersion blender so you can blend the applesauce right in the pan.  (Garage sales are great for kitchen gadgets.  I scored this sweet apple cutter at a garage sale this season for 50 cents.)

Apples simmering on the stove- added bonus- what your house will smell like in the process!

Finished project.  I like to freeze mine since I have the space.

New To Us Foods- Real Food Eating

The other night as Paul and I were searching the far corners of our kitchen for the perfect bedtime snack, I realized something.  We eat weird foods.  Maybe I should clarify, we eat "real food" which in translation, can mean weird.  Below you will find listed a few of our favorite "new arrivals" and where I have found the best deal.  Keepin' it frugal....or rather, keepin' it real.

Almond Milk-  Almond milk has 50% more calcium than dairy milk (who knew?) and unlike milk, it happens to contain 50% of your daily value of antioxidants and vitamin E.  Learn more about almond milk vs. other options by clicking here.  (Frugal Tip: Aldi now carries Almond Milk)

Farm Fresh Eggs/Chicken-  We LOVE our farm fresh eggs.  Once you taste the difference it will be hard to go back.  We found a farmer not far outside of town who has free range, antibiotic, and hormone free chicken/eggs.  Nothing like chickens literally greeting you as you step out of your car.  (Oh yea, their chicken is fantastic too!)  (No Frugal Tip....you get what you pay for.  I'd recommend Weavers if you are from around here or find a farmer- they are out there!)  

Quinoa-  We have been eating quinoa in place of rice for the most part.  Quinoa has 50% more protein and fiber than brown rice among other benefits.  It is often referred to as "The Supergrain of the Future." (Frugal Tip: I have found it to be cheaper if you buy it out of the bulk bins.  Festival, Gordy's and Mega all carry it in bulk)

Chia Seeds-  These seeds are crazy good for you! 100% more essential fatty acids than salmon, double the antioxidants found in blueberries, 6x more calcium than milk, 6x more iron than spinach, high in fiber, anti-inflammatory, and provides natural extended energy.  We sprinkle them on oatmeal and bake them in about anything that bakes. Click here for more info. (Frugal Tip: Again, go bulk bins on this one.  Festival is actually cheaper than Weavers.  Ordering online may also be worth looking into.)

Coconut Oil and Olive Oil-  These 2 oils have replaced my canola oil and become my go-to.  My favorite real food blogger has a great post on oil choices if you are interested.  (Frugal Tip- Unrefined coconut oil can be expensive!  I have found the best deals on Amazon and have purchased in bulk on free shipping days.)

Sea Salt- Did you know that sea salt contains 92 nutrients vs. table salt which contains only 2?  Aluminum and sugar is also sometimes added to table salt.  That was enough said for us.  We are a sea salt family now.  (Frugal Tip: Although I purchased my sea salt at Walmart for a litte more than table salt, I noticed the Dollar Tree carries it now.)

Kale-  True story... As my husband was eating this the other day he paused and said "Wow, I love this stuff.  I could eat it everyday."  I had to fight back tears of joy.  (Frugal Tip: Farmers Market is an awesome place to buy kale!  Walmart and other grocery stores carry it during the "off-season" Appleton friends- shop Woodmans on this one)

Fruits- We eat a lot of fruit.  Some of our new favorites are grapefruit, kiwi, and avacado.  All of which have super food properties. One kiwi provides 117% of you vitamin C which is more than an orange has to offer.  (Frugal Tip: Aldi had fantastic produce and prices!)

Oats-  We eat a lot of oats around here.  We eat oatmeal most mornings, make homemade granola cereal,  and I am learning how to incorporate oats into my baking.  (Check out my sister-in-laws blog for an awesome granola recipe)

Natural Sweeteners-   We have been trying to cut back on processed sugar for lots of reasons.  Just google sugar and you will get a wide variety of opinions on how much is safe, what kinds are good, and everything in between.  After researching it, we have decided to cut out high fructose corn syrup (which is in almost everything....),  be very aware of how much processed sugar we are eating, and whenever possible, go back to the basic sweeteners.  I use primarily honey and maple syrup with the intent to look into stevia (haven't made up my mind on that one yet).  (Frugal Tip:  Nothing will be cheaper than white refined sugar but if you choose to go a different route buy local.  Ask around.  I get our honey from my old neighbor when I can, and syrup from Cranberry Fest) 

What superfoods or real foods are your favorites?  Does anyone have any tips on being frugal when it comes to purchasing these things?  All this talk about food is making me hungry.  Time to hit up the kitchen for a Packer victory snack.... too soon? 

Real Food Eating- UNREAL Candy!

I love candy bars.  I love them fresh, frozen, in fruit salads and on top of just about any dessert.  If you asked me to tell you my favorite, I couldn't.  Snickers....oh wait, no, peanut butter cups....um, scratch that, milky way??....  So as you can imagine, when we set out on this journey of real food eating,  you can imagine my disappointment when I looked at the ingredient list on a candy bar for the first time ever and realized it was loaded with some crazy things.  It was a sad day in the Behnke household as I came to terms with viewing candy as a rare treat instead of an everyday topping.  That is until last week when I came across an awesome product..... it's unreal. (pun intended)

Unreal Candy Bars.....  I came across a review of this new "better for you" candy bar from one of my favorite real food bloggers.  No Artificials, No Hydrogenateds, No Corn Syrups, No Preservatives, and No GMO's.  Sounded a little too good to be true.  I grabbed my most honest critic (my husband) and we headed over to Target to give this "Unjunked" candy bar a shot.  We decided on Unreal 8 (snickers) and what do you know?  It rocked!  Compared to a Snickers bar it had almost half the sugar and 5 times the fiber. (check out the comparison here)  I was also super pleased with the price because it was comparable to any candy bar.  Although I do not intend on adding this Unreal Candy into our daily lifestyle, it is super nice to have an unjunked option when we want something sweet.

 

Save Stylishly Take 2- Dresses

Back in April I wrote a blog entry on saving stylishly.  I had such a great response I thought I would post a second take on it but this time focus on dresses.  Maybe it is just a season in life, but ever since Paul and I were the first among our friends to say "I Do" summer pretty much equals a crazy amount of weddings.  At the start of the summer I found myself staring into my closet with an empty glare.  I needed some new dresses and in a hurry!  The next few weeks I was on the lookout and was pleasantly surprised with my finds courtesy of clearance racks, garage sales, and my personal favorite; Goodwill. 

If you saw me this summer at a wedding, rehearsal dinner, shower, or graduation ceremony, you have probably already seen an outfit or two.  Oh, and a special shout out to my wonderful husband who I continually interrupted to be my photographer. (I think I need a model!)  Naturally, we were wasting time between a wedding ceremony and reception.  Go figure. 

Outfit Total:  $5.00    (Goodwill- dress $1.99, belt $1.99, clearance rack gold hoop earrings 99 cents)

Outfit Total: $5.00  
($3.99 clearance rack dress, $1 garage sale sandals, hand-me-down earrings and sweater)

 

Outfit Total: $8.00 ($3.00 garage sale dress, $4.99 clearance rack sandals, hand-me-down shirt)

Outfit Total: $9.00  (Goodwill dress $4.99 and $1.00 sweater, Payless $3.00 shoes, hand-me-down necklace)

Outfit Total: $11.00  (Goodwill $4 dress, Clearance rack $1 bracelet, $1 shoes, and $5 sweater)

Outfit Total: $11.00 (Goodwill $4.99 dress, 99 cent sweater, clearance rack $3 shoes and $2 necklace)

Outfit Total: $5.00  (clearance rack $4 dress, $1 headband)

Outfit Total: $2.00  (Garage Sale $2 dress, hand-me-down necklace)

Cream of Something Soup

One thing about "clean eating" seems to be true.  It takes time.  No, not the eating part, but everything in between.  So far I have discovered it means more time planning, shopping, washing, cutting, mixing, cooking, baking, and results in more dishes!  I still have a long way to go, but with time, I am pretty sure I will figure out shortcuts and how to be most efficient with my time.  For now, it's one thing at a time...one recipe at a time.... and today I want to share one that has become a pantry staple and favorite... and yes, it is also "frugal."

                                                               


Being that I am born and raised in the Midwest, I have way more casserole recipes than I know what to do with.  Most of those recipes call for a can of cream of something soup.  Up until this point I have been perfectly content with picking up a can of  condensed"cream of" soup from the store, but with an ingredient list into the teens and most brands containing MSG, those days are long gone.  I came across a great dry recipe mix on pinterest for cream of something soup.  It's easy; you simply mix a few dry ingredience together, store it in the pantry, and heat it up with water when you are ready to use it.  We have used this for multiple recipes and not only has it worked, but it has improved the taste of the dish.  The best part is, according to my estimated calculations, each "can" comes in at around 40 cents verses the typical $1.20/can the store charges.  Just think of how many more casseroles you can make this winter with those kinds of savings.... I mean, come on you guys, who doesn't love a warm casserole on a snowy night?


Cream of Something Mix

1 cup dry milk
3/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup boullion *
4 tbsp minced onions
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp pepper

Stir all ingredients together.  Store in pantry.  When ready to use mix 1/3 cup dried mix with 1 1/4 cup water.  Heat until thick.  Equal to one can of condensed soup. 

*  Make sure your bouillon is MSG free.  Another option would be to use homemade chicken stock in place of the water and leave out the bouillon entirely.