Paper Plate Floating Heart Craft

We actually did this with doilies from the dollar store.

Source: alphamom.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

Printable Vintage George Washington President's Day Board Game

Source: vintagefeedsacks.blogspot.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

More information here.

Vintage 1912 Valentine Hearts Paper Cut Out Doll

Free to use here.

Source: missmissypaperdolls.blogspot.co.uk via Alexandra on Pinterest

Valentine Kitty Cat Clip Art

Free to use here.

Source: tuckdb.org via Alexandra on Pinterest

Fun Find: Pink Rose Scented Dish Soap

On a whim, I purchased Palmolive's Classic Soft Touch dish soap at our Dollar General because it was only $2.00 for 30 ounces, and it was a happy uplifting shade of pink for a dreary winter. I had no idea it was rose scented! What a nice surprise. It really is gentle. I use it as a kitchen cleaner and as a body and facial treatment with an Asian exfoliating cloth. My skin was so soft afterwards, and the scent was very relaxing.

Now I'll have to look for Palmolive coupons.

Note: The one I found at the Dollar General had the older pull top and did not indicate that it had vitamin E added. It also had the word "Classic"  in the name, not "Ultra". See image at left. There is a more common Ultra version with vitamin E, but I haven't tried this one yet.

Free All-in-one Homeschool Curriculum for All Grades

Per Easy Peasy — All in One Homeschool:

What this is…

This is my children’s school. It covers reading, writing, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, math, history/social studies/geography, science, Bible, computer, music, art, PE/health, and logic. It uses only free materials found on the internet.

I have finished preschool (getting ready 1), kindergarten (getting ready 2), first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth. Third grade is in progress with math finished. Grade levels include all of the English, math, computer and logic. I have also finished two years of all of the other subjects. These are called “program years.” Year 4′s theme is modern history, physics and chemistry. Year 1′s theme is ancient history and biology. I am currently putting up Year 2 which has early American history and zoology for the theme. Grade levels and courses include 180 days of homeschool lessons and assignments.

When choosing a level, look at the “reading” assignments to decide. Then you only have to choose which program year to study.

Your child just goes to Day 1 on his or her level (found in the sidebar) and starts clicking through the assignments! That’s all! Take a look at the “about” and “how to” pages for more info.

And yes, it’s all free. You’ll need paper, pencil, etc. and some minor supplies if you choose to do the experiments and art projects, but all of the reading materials, etc. are all free and online.

My hope is to enable families to continue homeschooling and to help those trying to homeschool overseas.

Click here.

Tips for Keeping Your Home Secure

37 Shrubs That Can be Easily Grown from Cuttings

Many deciduous garden shrubs can be propagated by softwood cuttings taken in summer. The ones listed below tend to root quickly and grow into viable shrubs in a short period of time. 

Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica)
Beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis)
Blue mist shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

Source: finegardening.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)
Chinese stranvaesia (Stranvaesia davidiana)
Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
Daphne (Daphne caucasica)
Deciduous azaleas (Rhododendron cvs.)
Elders (Sambucus spp.)
Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus)
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)
Forsythias (Forsythia spp.)
Honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.)
Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.)
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum cvs.)
Kerria (Kerria japonica)
Large fothergilla (Fothergilla major)
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Magnolias (Magnolia spp.)
Mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius)
Redtwig dogwood (Cornus alba and sericea)
Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa)
Serviceberries (Amelanchier spp.)
Slender deutzia (Deutzia gracilis)
Smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria)
Spireas (Spiraea spp.)
Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)
Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
Viburnums (Viburnum x burkwoodii and carlesii)
Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Weigelas (Weigela spp.)
Willows (Salix spp.)
Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
Winter hazels (Corylopsis spp.)
Witch hazels (Hamamelis spp.)

 Read the rest of the article here, includes tutorial.

Dollar Store Pink Magnet Board

Source: dumpaday.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Cookie sheets painted pink! My daughter would love this. I've gotten large cookie sheets at the dollar store, and spray paint at Wallyworld. This is cuter and less expensive than a corkboard. Magnets can be glued on the back of anything light. My favorite magnets are made of small  pieces of sea glass and quartz stones found at the beach. When I make thiis for my daughter, she'll probably add some of her favorite plastic mini-animals to the magnets.

Life Long Learning

Source: xerometer.com via Alexandra on Pinterest

Worksheet Freebies

We have been having fun with these freebie worksheets found on Pinterest. I'm using them to extend and supplement our main curriculum. Earlier this week, I picked up a pack of purple swirly computer paper at the dollar store, and printed out dozens of whimsical educational sheets. My daughter is the whimsy-meister, and is bringing out the natural whimsy in me. A good number of them are cut-and-paste or games, not just worksheets. Where CLE first grade is serious and challenging, these are fun and short.

I've saved a lot here at Pinterest, and look for freebies here at Teacher's Pay Teachers(free sign-up required).

Toy Subscription Services

Really? Toy sets for rent! Here is a list of toy subscription rental places that sends kits that revolve around themes for children up to age seven. I wish I had known about this. This service would be great for preschool at home. Anything you like you can pay for and keep, otherwise you sent it back and get a new set delivered to your home. The subscription prices are competitive, and are similar to the cost of a Netflix subscription or basic cable service - not a bad deal for learning.

Free Printable Character Kitten Posters for Young Children

I've got these hung up. I point to them often! ;) Source of images here.

More freebies here.

Saving Money at Dollar Stores for Groceries and Other Items

I give up! I'm tired of coupons and searching for sales at the grocery stores. Since food prices have risen, food has actually become the same or less expensive per ounce at the dollar stores. I used to purchases larger sizes to penny pinch per ounce, but it's hardly worth it now - the gap is closing fast. It's also a hassle to store the larger sizes, break them down, and keep them fresh until our small family of four uses it up.

My husband and I have lost thirty pounds each, and we will be on a low calorie diet for life. We use much less food, and our dollar store now has convenient smaller bags of frozen fruit and veggies, cream cheese, low calorie healthy ingredient frozen meals(Chinese, Jamaican, and healthy choice or lean cuisine(low sodium ones). They even sell frozen chicken, eggs, cheese, bread, sugar, milk, salt, baking soda, vinegar, 100% juices, steel cut oats, etc. I have one other source for low cost foods, mostly for fat free yogurts, chicken(.69 cents a pound for thighs) and turkeys, and that is our discount grocery, Save-A-Lot. I get my mixed salad greens at a higher price range grocery store because they are very fresh, organic and last me a week. I got an organic mixed greens salad at Wallyworld that only lasted me a few days before it became a soggy mess. I had to dump almost the entire carton out!

I also buy my trash bags at the dollar stores(scented 28 count), and condiments, spices, dish soap, drain cleaner, sponges, cleaning supplies, toys, craft supplies, storage containers, socks, hair accessories, hand soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, kitchen tools, school supplies, medicines, feminine products, and much more.

I'm now seeing $40-50 food receipts when I go shopping, just like a few years ago. We are using less, wasting less, and my waist line is shrinking! I'm still very careful about checking ingredients, and the dollar store(our local Dollar Tree) has been stocking healthier foods now. I was so surprised to see 100% steel cut oats there! Some of their canned foods are a bit more expensive than our discount grocery, so I'm careful about this.

Anyway, we are making do with less and keeping to a diet of more whole foods, or at least food products with more whole food ingredients. We are using Dr. A's Habits of Health: The path to permanent Weight Control and Optimal Health nutrition book as a guide.

Check out the .99 Cent Chef for free recipes. He has a good salmon cake recipe, but I substitute butter beans for the bread crumbs for a lower carb option .

Collection of Children's Winter Art Project Ideas

See here. I love this Van Goghesque snow man.

Explore Europe's Cultural Collections

Europeana is Europe’s multilingual digital library, museum and archive.

Source: europeana.eu via Alexandra on Pinterest

Click first source link below image.

Canceling Cable Television and the Landline

We barely watch television now that we have wifi internet, which is a great deal at $50.00 per month with unlimited access. So, we'll be canceling the cable which is almost $29.00 a month(basic). There are plenty of free children's videos on YouTube, and free movies and shows(for my Sci-fi loving husband) on Amazon with a Prime membership. Paying for a few extra local channels is a waste. We should still pick up PBS for my daughter, who is the only one who watches the television, and only for PBS Kids, and Nick Jr. when we had it. Of course, even these children's educational shows can be seen for free on the program sites and YouTube.

We canceled the landline during the summer, and we are pleased with the quality of the free Google Voice for telephone service. We have prepaid phones for emergencies or when we are on the go.

I think we've cut as much as we are willing in these areas in order to maintain our quality of life. Both children and husband are visual learners, so all are drawn to the internet for learning and relaxation. My husband is always on his Kindle, and the children do a good amount of ebook reading now. I do a lot of reading online, but also use our public library for books. I keep in touch with family via email, chat, and FB, so for me the internet has been convenient for keeping in touch with busy extended family. Pinterest and blogging has been a wonderful way to expand my horizons, spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Internet access is worth every penny!

So, we've whittled down our media/phone expenses to wifi and prepaid phones. We'll save $348.00 a year on the cancellation of cable television, and I think the landline/dial-up cancellation savings was about $700 a year. Our replacement costs for internet, television(free), and phone is $600 a year. This brings our savings to $448 per year. Although not mentioned, we had switched from Netflix($14.95 a month) to Amazon Prime($80.00 a year) in July of last year. This saved us $99.00 a year.

We've saved a total of $547.00 per year, which with tax and social security increases, and inflation should put us right back where we started, and maybe behind! lol.

Update: We picked up 22 channels with a digital television antennae - very happy with this choice. The rabbit ear antennae was $10.99 at Best Buy.