Grocery Shrink

Hi Friend!  I'm so excited!  Creative Technology Inc. has donated a Vado HD pocket camcorder just for the readers here to win!  I am a proud owner of a Vado HD already and if you've seen my videos on Youtube, they were made with the camera.  It takes great video and is about the size of a cell phone.  I love that I can drop it in my tiny purse or put it in my pocket for recording anytime.  It recharges with a USB plug that folds right out of the camera.  It couldn't be easier.  It also has a USB extension cord so it will work with any computer setup.  When it's time to download your video clips just plug it into your computer.  Built in software on the camera takes care of the rest.  My computer came with Windows Movie Maker built in and the videos interfaced well with the program for editing.  I also love that there are no pricey tapes to buy.  The video is stored on the camera and then downloaded.  The video can be burned to a DVD from the recording for playback on any family theater system.  Retailing at $229, the price is hard to beat for High Definition recording.  If you are interested in videoing special family moments, or giving your business a boost through internet video, this is the camera for you!

How to enter

Entering the contest couldn't be easier.  All you need to do is sign up for my free newsletter (easy web from below) and then write a comment to this post and tell me you did it! If you are already signed up; let me know. That counts too. For 20 additional entries do 3 more of the 4 following things:  Share the opportunity to win with friends–Twitter about the contest with a link to this blogpost, facebook about the contest with a link, blog about the contest with a link, or post a Youtube video about the contest, why you want the Vado HD and a link back to this entry page.  Be sure to write a comment telling me what you've done.  The winner will be chosen via a drawing held June 10th, and the winner's entries will all be verified before the prize is awarded.  Good luck!  Your chances of winning are very good if you enter!

Katydid won our Sweet Blossom Pattern.  Congratulations!  Giving away stuff is so much fun, that I've decided to do it a lot more often.  My next prize is HUGE!  Well, okay, it's tiny, but it's very valuable.  Stay tuned for the announcement.

It's giveaway day at SewMamaSew, and I'm so happy to be partcipating.  Thank you for popping over to check out my giveaway.  I hope you will stay awhile and poke around.  The main focus of this blog is saving money and it includes tasty recipes, sewing projects and lots of other goodies.  I have a very popular weekly newsletter that you can sign up for at www.groceryshrink.com  It is free and spam free too. Just for signing up I'll send you my favorite homemade cleaning recipes.  They are tried and true, will save you a bundle in cash and are healthy for your family too. 

I had planned the lovely things I would make and giveaway, but life happened to me again.  So I hope you don't mind that I am giving away a sewing pattern that I made myself and sell over at my shop www.blesseddesigns.net/store  This pattern is our #1 seller and is fabulous for nursing, but just as lovely if you are not.  It includes pieces for a sleep bra, nightgown, cami, and tummy cover (which makes a nice curvy tube top too.)  It is sized for cups A-C, but has simple instructions to make a full bust adjustment for our well-blessed mamas.  It is soft with no hardware, but the fabric is designed to cradle you like an underwire.  It is a printed pattern with full size pieces on large heavy paper.

To enter, leave a comment. I'd love to hear a frugal thing you do or an area you wish you could cut back.  I will choose a winner on Sunday night at 8pm by random number generator and notify her by email.  Good luck!  I hope you win.

Matthew and Patty Williams have created an online Grocery List tool for you.  Simply type in the item, the price from a past receipt, grocery ad, or your price book and the quantity and it will add it all up for you!  I can see this helping Darren when he needs to do the store run for me.  I can easily show him the price he needs to look for and where to find it in the store.

You can make your own grocery list here:  http://www.grocerylistwizard.com/

One of the Grocery Shrink members, Michelle sent this awesome note to the members only group and I thought you might like to read it.  The suggestions she talks about came from my weekly newsletter which is free!  You can sign up for your own copy at www.groceryshrink.com.

"Hi, everyone!  Thanks to Angela's suggestions I was able to stick to my budget and honor my mom and mother-in-law this year.  The email with gift ideas for Mothers Day got me thinking that I really could make corsages this year instead of buying them from a florist.  With a ½ dozen roses from Aldi ($3.99) and a pot of ivy from Wal-mart I was able to create my own for about $1.50 each….waaaay less than the $20 each we usually spend!  I even recycled ribbon for the bow from my 25^th wedding anniversary gift from my husband.  I think the handmade corsages meant more to my moms than any fancy one from the past.  They both wore them to church and received lots of compliments.  I’ve posted a pic on the site; I think I’ve started a new tradition!  Thank you Angela for your inspiration (and the You Tube video helped!)"

Great Job, Michelle!  That corsage is professional looking.

Jamie is our lucky Apron winner!  Here is her lovely picture in the prize apron with her orange vinegar and blue shop towel.  She's a true Grocery Shrink girl!

(Do you get my weekly newsletter full of frugal tips?  If not you can sign up at www.groceryshrink.com)

I was making grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner last night and got an important business phone call.  I grabbed the phone and ran up to my office, completely forgetting about the sandwiches.  When I returned they were horribly burned.  I was about to throw them away, sick about the wasted cheese,  when I had an idea!  I carefully peeled off the burned half of the sandwich, encouraging the cheese to stick to the other piece of bread.  Then I slapped the two cheesy pieces together making 1 unburned sandwich from the 2 burned ones.  Perfect!  I've tried the old scraping the burned toast with a knife bit, but it never worked well for me. We could always still taste the burned flavor and it the charred crumbs still sticking to the bread would get down in our lungs.  This was much better!

A bill hit the floor today in our state legislature that would adversely affect the homeschooling rights of parents in Missouri.  We were afraid making a simple phone call would be too little too late, so we loaded up the car and headed off to Jefferson City, MO.  I'm embarrassed to say I'd never been there before and it was only 2 1/2 hours away.  Everything was beautiful!  Security at the capitol building was nearly nonexistant and we were able to walk around freely and go to see our representatives and senators.  The House was in open session and we were able to watch debate on the floor.  We are planning a trip to return when we will have more time to enjoy the city. 

Sign over the South entrance to the Capitol Building

Main Entrance

Governor's Mansion

House in open session.  Check out the huge stacks of paper.  Some of the Reps. were really young!

Wow!  What a turnout!  Everyone was so orderly and well-mannered too.  We entered the building and made one lap on the 3rd floor just to let our Senators and Representatives know we were there.  Our lobbiest said, now all he has to do when questionable legislature comes up is say, "Remember what happened last time?  Do you really want all those people back here?"

Scripture carved inside the capitol

WWII Pamphalet encouraging everyone to get into the war effort by saving their waste fats for gunpowder.

Another WWII pamphalet.  What if the whole nation banded together today to support our troops during war time like they did then?

Dandelion greens have never been my favorite, but it appears I have been gathering them too late!  I found a recipe over at Tammy's recipes for a salad that looks promising.  She suggests gathering the greens before the flower appears.  So you will need to start early in the spring and be observant.  I'm very encouraged to at least find someone who actually likes this stuff.

If the flowers have already appeared, try my fritter recipe in the previous post.  And here's a link to the recipe for the dressing that makes this great!  http://www.tammysrecipes.com/dandelion_salad_vinegar_oil_dressing