How to be more productive

I've figured out how to make your life more productive and I'm sharing the secret!

Start a blog. 

Yep, that's all you have to do. (Well you have to write in it too, obviously.)

Seriously, since I have started blogging, my life has gotten way more productive. Everytime I see, do, or think something, I think to myself, "hmm, I wonder if this would make a good blog post?" or "wow, this would make a good blog post." 

Is that pathetic? Is that what all bloggers do? As I've said, I'm new to the blog world, but I can't help but think that I'm not the only one thinking these thoughts. 

I also don't think I'm the only one that does things around my house or in my life so that I have good blogging material. Honestly, if I wasn't productive my life blog would look something like this. 

Woke up.

Went to work.

Came home.

Watched tv Downton Abbey.

Went to bed. 

As wonderful a blog as that would make, I like to think that my 3 readers deserve a little more. 

So now that blogging has entered my life... 

I craft.

Here

I bake. 

Here

Sometimes decorate or DIY some type of upcycled randomness. 

Here

I look for bargains. 

Here

I garden. 

Here

I clean. 

This room is in the process of being cleaned/organized. Here

I organize. (See above)

And, I document. (See above)

That's right, I take pictures of anything and everything that I'm doing, eating, visiting. Then, when I'm inspired to post, I have some lovely little photos to go right around with the writings. 

I would like to point out that I did (and still do) all the things listed above before blogging. And, I don't just do those things because I have a blog. However, I do some of the items more frequently than I use to. I don't procrastinate nearly as much and I get excited about doing some of the items that I might otherwise dread. Overall, blogging has, so far, been a positive influence in my life and I hope the productiveness continues. 

Since my husband benefits from some of the items above, I would say that he enjoys my productive blog life as well:) 

xoxo,

Julie

Pinterest Project

It's time for a Pinterest Project!

That's right people, I'm co-hosting a little Pinterest Project with the awesome Kala at My Breezy Room!

We are super pumped you stopped by to check out the awesomeness:)

Here's what I made...

...scroll down to read how to make your own:)

Here's what Kayla made (read about it here)....

Here's the simple little steps so you can make your own...

Burlap Monogram Wall Art

Okay, this was a super easy project. I found the frame at a garage sale for $2! I loved the shape of the frame but the art just wasn't my thang. 

Gather your supplies

Remove the screws and take apart your frame

Trace the size of your opening and cut out. Cut out your burlap. 

Staple burlap to the cardboard. Admire and smooth out any bumps. 

Paint your frame. I painted mine and decided to change the color so there's no photo. 

You can figure it out though. I trust ya!

Reassemble your frame with the burlap in it.

Trace your monogram onto scrapbook paper. Cut out.

Mod Podge your paper onto your letter. Let Dry.

Put glue dots onto the back of you letter. Attach to burlap.

Flip it over and Ta-freakin-da! 

Easy peasy!

Pin me!

Feel free to share any of your projects in my comments section below. I love checking out new blogs:)

Linked up with No Minimalist Here.

The Blog Life

Yesterday as I was getting ready for bed I decided I felt like I had a blogger kind of day. 

I worked my normal 8-5 job and emailed a bloggy friend, read some blogs, and perused Pinterest during downtime. 

After work, I stopped at a hardware store and picked up some paint, a gunny sack and a few pieces of bamboo. Might sound random, but it's not. 

Stopped in at Hobby Lobby to discover that even though it's 97° outside and June, that won't stop them from putting out the fall decorations. Instagramed that obviously. 

seriously??

Texted my cousin about the cute 4th of July outfit she should totally get her daughter. 

Couldn't decide what shoes...

Stumbled upon several aisles of 80% off home decor and went a little crazy. Okay, not too crazy but crazy enough that when the husband called I said, "Sure honey, you should totally buy that new golf bag!" I also managed to find the two items that I went in for in the first place. Winning. 

Swung by the Dollar Tree to pick up a couple crafting items that were needed and found a couple additional bargains. No big deal.

Made it home in time to do a little spray painting, burlapping and other crafting (that will be seen here tomorrow) before it got dark. 

Played with the puppy and watered my rapidly growing garden.

Came inside and made up a quick Pinterest chicken recipe that was super yummy. 

Watched some reality tv, Pretty Wicked Moms. Followed it up with an episode of Call the Midwife and fell asleep. 

If that's not the blog life, I don't know what is.

Gardening: Seeds coming up

Well, I got everything planted and was super excited to see some of the seeds popping up!

Here is the lettuce that I planted as seeds. It's just peeking through and I must say I was pleasantly surprised that it made it that far:)

You can see a little broader view of the garden here with the lettuce and tomato plants as well as the strawberries in the row on the right.

This is the radishes popping up. Check out the stripes on that lawn!! 

 

 These are how tiny the tomato plants were when I bought them from Home Depot. I felt ridiculous leaving several feet of empty space in between each of the plants. Lets say it's a good thing I left the space...

The jalapenos already growing here.

Coming up next is the full size plants!

Gardening: In the beginning

With Daylight Savings time starting this past weekend I have been starting to get excited for Spring!

I'm beyond sick of the cold and snowy weather we have had here in Kansas this winter. I would move someplace warm in a second if I could talk my whole family and husband into it. Unfortunately, that would require A LOT of people moving and my husband loves the snow and cold (aka: hunting season) so it doesn't look like I'll be moving anytime soon. 

Thank goodness Spring is right around the corner though. With Spring comes the planting of my garden which I'm super excited about. 

Last year was my first Spring and Summer, as a wife, in our new home, which meant a new garden. 

My mom had a garden my whole life growing up and I helped with it some but the older I got the less I helped. 

I decided it would be fun to have my own garden and decided to jump right into this little venture of planting one. Honestly, I've had plants in the past and promptly killed them because I forgot to water so I wasn't overly optimistic when starting out. 

I think my husband was also a little bit hesitant to till up "his" yard because let's just say he LOVES his yard. We had no proof that I would be able to garden and he really didn't want to till up a good hunk of his beautiful-perfectly-manicured-mower-striped lawn if my gardening skills were lacking. 

In case you are wondering just how much he loves the yard I will tell you it's the background photo on his phone, not me, not our puppy, "his" yard. ha. 

Anyway's, I finally talked him into tilling me up a small but still decent sized area to give my gardening skills a chance. The photos were taken on April 8th of last year (2012). 

This is my garden after my father-in-law disced up the yard.

Doesn't look very promising, huh? Check out that green lawn though!

Seth then helped me till up the disced area to make the garden a little more rectangular and have straighter edges. 

Now it was up to me to plant, water, and grow all those plants. 

How do you think I did? 

Check back to find out:)

(Hint: Let's just say Seth didn't mind that the garden took up valuable yard space)

Valentines Day

I must admit that I'm not an over the top lover of Valentines day. I mean, I like it just fine. I have nothing against it. I guess it's just not my thing. 

Typically I don't really do anything for Valentines Day except go to dinner with my husband, which is the best way to celebrate if you ask me. This year though, I decided to test Valentines day out a little bit by doing some decorating. 

Honestly, I'm not sure why. My husband is out of town working and the only person that has seen the decorations, besides myself, is Gunnar (my dog). Pretty sure he didn't even notice though. Oh well.

I took things pretty easy this year and only decorated my fireplace and mantle. 

Here's the normal look of my fireplace...

...and here's the decorated version. 

I didn't want to spend a ton of money on decorations so most of the decor is random stuff around my house. I did splurge and buy the "XO" letters at Hobby Lobby and then paint them a shimmery red color. 

The little white vases I found at a thrift store for .50 cents each. 

I used them as part of table decor in my wedding. 

The hurricane vases I got from Seth's Grandma. 

I filled them with pink paper punches (that I saved from the trashcan at work).

I also used the pink paper punches to attach to ribbon and hang from the shutters. 

Prom photo from my Senior year of high school in 2005! 

Seth came home from college to take me:)

I honestly can't remember where I got this gumball machine. I'm guessing probably a thrift store. I guarantee I didn't pay over $3 for it though and it's one of the cool old ones that really works. I want to fill it with candy hearts but I haven't been to the store since I decorated. Maybe next year. 

I also splurged on 1 sheet of sparkly red scrapbook paper that I cut and taped to ribbon.

The little mailbox is from the $1 section of Target (love that place) and I had the "Love" magnet already. The black and white sign was a wedding gift that I LOVE and always stays on my mantle. I also just pulled a bunch of pink books from my book shelf to help vary the height of things. 

Well, I guess that's the end of the mantle tour. 

Here's the sappy part if you want to quit reading....

Happy Valentines Day to my very best friend and husband, Seth. When we started dating 11 years ago it changed my life for the best and I'm so happy to be your wife and grow old with you. You make everyday wonderful and continue to spoil me even when it's not Valentines Day. I love you and can't wait to see you tomorrow to celebrate with dinner and a movie (cause we're old like that;). 

XOXO,

Julie

Couponing

I must admit that I love couponing!

Now, I'm not an "extreme" couponer like what you see on TLC's "Extreme Couponers" but I think I do all right. 

Most times shopping I try to leave the store with at least 50% savings. In my book, 50% savings is great! Plus I actually get reasonable amounts of the different products as opposed to 72 bottles of mustard that I will never be able to use. 

Fortunately I live in a location that has lots of different shopping choices to choose from. I can pick up different deals from the different stores. Or, if I don't want to go to multiple places my local Wal-Mart price matches.  

Most recently, I hit up my local Dillons. I managed a bill totaling $14 and change and I saved over $36! Plus, one of the products I purchased earned me a $3 catalina coupon on my next purchase. How great is that?! 

A quick summary of some of the things I bought or got for free included:

• 4 Reach Floss - on sale for .45 cents each - I had two $1.00 off two coupon which means I got all 4 free! This is the item that also gave me the $3 catalina off my next puchase.
• 2 Reach Toothbrushes - on sale for .99 cents each  - I had two $1.00 off one coupon which meant both were free!
• 1 yoplait yogurt - on sale for .50 cents each - I had one .30 cent off coupon that doubled meaning it was free!
• 1 Men's Dove Body Wash - on sale for $2.99 - I had a coupon for $2.00 of one making the body wash only .99 cents
• 4 packages of Hefty ziplock bags - on sale for .99 cents each - I had two $1 off two coupons making each box of bags only .50 cents

Now these are only a few of the things I got and I obviously buy some things that don't have coupons but I always try to watch the sales and avoid paying full price for anything if at all possible. 

I learned most of my couponing skills, not from tv or blogs, but from my mom who was years ahead of the times in regards to the coupon world. She is now the one I call to tell about my favorite couponing deals and she is always willing to share her deals as well. 

Couponing, done correctly, can save your family a lot of money. However, as my husband likes to remind me, don't buy it if you don't need it or won't use it :) If you can get it for free or fairly inexpensively and want to donate it then I think that's great! That's what I like to do with a lot of the hygiene products I get. 

In the comments section tell us what are some of your favorite couponing tips? What was the best deal you have ever gotten?

Until next time, remember, if you buy too much, it probably Freezes Beautifully:)