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Friday, November 30, 2012

DIY Budget Envelopes

budget envelopes
My hubby and I have been using the cash system for awhile now for our groceries and individual spending.  But we were needing to crack down on some other areas in our budget, so we’re going to an (almost) all cash system.  I was tiring of just using our boring white envelopes and couldn’t find any plastic envelopes that were small enough to fit in my wallet/purse.  So I decided to just create my own!  Here’s what you need if you’re wanting to create your own:
  • 8 1/2 x 11 piece of scrapbook paper (one for each envelope that you want to make)
  • envelope template
  • contact paper
  • exacto knife or sharp blade
  • glue source (I used hot glue but there are probably more ways to get them to stick together.  I just {heart} my glue gun.)
  • optional – printable mailing labels
Step 1: open the envelope template and print it on a 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of cardstock or scrapbooking paper.IMG_9172 Step 2: trim around to get rid of the excess paper.IMG_9174 Step 3: These next couple steps are optional as you don’t have to cover your envelopes in contact paper.  But I really didn’t want to be making envelopes every month, so I figured this would help them be a bit more durable.  So, cut out two pieces of contact paper, one for each side of your flat envelope.IMG_9175 Step 4: probably the hardest step for a perfectionist like me.  I found after a lot of trial and error that the contact paper went on with fewer bumps if I laid the paper on a flat surface.  Then, I pressed the contact paper to one end of the envelope and slowly rolled it forward, pressing as I went.  Does that make sense?IMG_9177 Do this to both sides, so your paper is sandwiched in between.IMG_9178 Step 5: cut out around the outside of the envelope shape.  Here were a few of mine after cutting.Picture 405 Step 6: with an exacto knife or some other sharp blade, score along the dotted line.  This will make the envelope easier to fold. No, I’m not left handed, but was having trouble getting a picture any other way.IMG_9181 Step 7: fold along the scoresIMG_9183 Step 8: There are many ways you could get these envelopes to stay together.  I pretty much have my hot glue gun plugged in all the time, so that’s what I chose to use.  I just spread some on, not quite all the way to the top.IMG_9184 Fold the large flap up and press firmly to smooth out.  If you take too long, the hot glue will make the envelope bumpy, so try to move quickly.IMG_9185 Repeat with the other side.IMG_9186 Step 9: I bought a pack of sticky velcro dots.  Apply one side of the sticker to the middle top of the envelope flap.IMG_9188 Then, put the other velcro side down on top.  Make sure the sticky side it out!IMG_9189 Then close your envelope.IMG_9190 And your velcro will match up perfectly.IMG_9191And you’re done!  Repeat as many times as how many envelopes you need.  Here are all mine before I labeled them.IMG_9110 And here they are all nice and labeled.  I just used a pack of printable Avery labels (the return address size) and ran them through my printer.  You could label your envelopes in many ways, even just with a sharpie.IMG_9131They fit dollar bills perfectly!IMG_9192I also made a little record sheet that goes in each envelope so I can track just like in my checkbook.  Does anyone even use a checkbook anymore?  Haha.IMG_9117 Ohh, aren’t they all so pretty in their box?  They’re so cute they {almost} make me thankful to be on a cash system.IMG_9120 Happy budgeting!

***EDITED TO ADD***
I've have several people ask for the little budget sheets I put inside my envelopes.  Here they are!  Just print and cut!

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Happy 7 Months!

IMG_9058So she’s really almost 7.5 months, but shhh she’ll never know I posted this late. :)  I hate that 7 months means we’re on the downhill slope to being 1.  Not yet, not yet.  It’s going too fast.

No weight stats as we just did a quickie vaccine appointment and Owen was so grumpy that I didn’t have them weigh her.  She’s definitely smaller than Owen who was already 20 lbs at this point!  We had already transitioned him to his bigger car seat.  But even though she’s heavy, the bucket seat is still working for a bit longer.  I like being able to throw blankets over her instead of bundling her up when we go outside.  IMG_9068New Things She's Learning/Doing: We're starting to hear tons more consonant sounds in her talk.   There are times I swear she is saying mama, mama.  Her sweet little girly voice just melts my heart.  Although she still has a very loud screech going on sometimes.  She sits, can get down back onto her belly, and is a rolling machine.  She can get exactly where she needs to go by rolling or scooting backwards and I don’t think it will be but a few more days before she’s crawling!  She’s banging toys together and is clapping her hands so adorably.  She is also starting to let Owen know that she is not happy with him when he takes away a toy from her.IMG_9069 Sleep: Well, I think I jinxed myself by thinking she was going to be a better sleeper.  Well, during the day time she is.  She takes 3 naps that are pretty predictable and just jabbers for awhile and puts herself to sleep.  Night time has moved up quite a bit and usually she needs to be in bed by 6 or 6:30.  She does a good stretch until 10 or 11, but then she thinks she’s a newborn and gets up every 2 hours wanting to “eat.”  Uggh, gotta change this somehow!IMG_9071Food:  Well, we took a week or so off of food because the poor thing got sick.  Runny noses and coughs from babies are so awful. So she didn’t have much of an appetite and I wanted to pump her full of breast milk, so just in this last week, she’s started eating “solids” again.  Pretty much loves it all so far and is still the messiest eater I’ve ever seen.IMG_9098Randoms:  Still loves loves loves her brother.  Opens her mouth to give “kisses.”  And still keeps her headbands on.  That’s my girl!IMG_9055 Love you so much Ellison Jakeh!!IMG_8962IMG_9048 blog-signature-1

Monday, November 26, 2012

Pinned It Did It Monday {thanksgiving edition}

pinned itWelcome to Pinned It, Did It Monday where I show you the pins I’ve actually done from Pinterest.  I like to hold myself accountable to doing some things I find on there.  Otherwise, I just get sucked into getting on there and thinking I don’t cook well enough, do enough creative things with the kids, or have a pretty enough home.  Baby steps.pin #1I knew I wanted Ellison to have a ruffled skirt to go along with her turkey shirt for Thanksgiving last week.  I pinned about 10 different skirts and after a short browsing, settled on Dana from Made’s layered skirt.  I LOVE this woman’s blog and her tutorials are always very detailed and easy to follow.
Picture I Pinned:
Source: Tutorial: The Layered Skirt from Made
My pictures:IMG_9034IMG_8998IMG_8991My review: This was NOT a one nap project.  Haha.  I had a bit of a learning curve with the ruffles, each layer, and then the elastic waistband.  I also encourage you to read the pattern all the way through lest you start cutting your strips and realize that you cut them all about an inch too narrow because you forgot to take hemming and seams into account and then have to make 3 more.  Oh well.  It was fun to learn how to do ruffles and I think (as long as you don’t look too close) the finished product turned out adorable!pin #2For turkey day this year, I was on for bringing sweet potatoes.  I’ve never actually made sweet potato casserole before, so enter: Pinterest.
Picture I Pinned:
SourceSweet Potato Casserole from Comfy in the Kitchen
My picture: Picture 415My review: Absolutely delish!  When I got to my mom’s house I realized I left the cornflakes at home and of course, no stores were open.  The only cereal she had in her cabinets were some stale cheerios.  But I used them (only about half the amount that was called for) and they were still fabulous.

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Sunday, November 25, 2012

rest of the weekend

We spent the rest of the weekend in Peoria and had a great time.  Friday we laid low except to brave the freezing cold for a photo shoot with my sister.  I was hoping to get at least one picture for our Christmas cards, but Owen was a disaster.  My sister's a miracle worker, but he screamed and had a runny nose and poor Ellie was freezing.  So I'm not crossing my fingers too much. 

Saturday morning Owen woke up to be greeted by the cows.  He has officially named the one we see most often Herbert Owen.  William and Grandma fed them some potatoes.

After a little play time, we decided to head out to Target just to get out of the house a little bit. Man she looked big sitting in that cart!

When we got home, we decided to give the photo shoot one more try since it was a bit warmer.  So we get everyone back in their clothes and driving out to my grandpa's nursery.  Owen did a little better. . .for about a minute.  Sigh.  

We just hung out Saturday evening and finally watched a good movie out of the 3 we saw over the weekend.  Tower Heist.  It was very funny!
 
Ellie got a kick out of learning how to shake her head from side to side.
This is how Owen spent most of the weekend at Grandma's and Grandpa's.  He loves to line up his cars.  And then take them upstairs and line them up.  And then take them back downstairs.  And repeat.  Repeat again.
 
Today was a super fun reunion day at my parent's church.  Ellison liked modeling her new hat. :) 
 
We got to see Laura and Andrew, who are living in Austin, and meet their sweet little girl, Ellery.  Laura and Jenna led worship and it was fabulous!
Photo: First time meeting baby Ellery!
Here's Ellie's and Elle's matching carseats.
 
We also got to see Pam and Kevin and Philip and Kara far too briefly as the kiddos were pretty much done after lunch today.  Grandma let Owen take some of her cars home (like he doesn't have enough at home).  He wouldn't even let me take the bag off his lap the whole way home.  I think he had a great time!
 
Thanks mom and dad for a fabulous weekend! Can't wait to be back for Christmas!
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