Sassy Poodles

I just had to show you a picture of these sassy poodles that used to belong to my great aunt. I put them to the side of the window seat and they make me smile every time I look at them.

I Missed My Blogiversary!

It was on the 28th. I can't believe it's been over a year. Here's to many more!

Oh, Good Grief.

So I was checking out my blog stats and I noticed that I seem to have a fairly regular visitor from Missouri. It's a new one- I don't recognize the internet provider as having visited before. I think "Yay, someone local! Maybe I should post encouraging them to comment!"


And then it occurs to me. The Missouri visitor?


It's me.


(IN MY DEFENSE, I *have* switched internet providers since moving.)

Saving Money Around the Apartment

For most of you, these ideas are nothing new. However, it is exciting for me to finally be able to put these ideas into practice and see how they really work!

1) I use cloth napkins (pictured above!), rags, and dish towels rather than paper towels. I do have some paper towels on hand for really yucky stuff, but for the most part I use all cloth.

2) I have compact fluorescent bulbs in almost all of my lamps. I can't do anything about the lights in the bathroom or kitchen, but nearly all of my lamps have CFLs. They really provide tons of light, too!

3) I use power strips for plugging in electronics. I only have three power strips, but they are attached to the computer stuff, the television and DVD player, and my stereo and a lamp. These prevent any "phantom" power from being used when these are shut off. I will confess that I'm not very good at remembering to shut off the T.V. strip, though!

4) I have the thermostat set between 75-80 degrees, normally right on 78. Whenever I leave the house, I turn it to 80 degrees.

5) I don't really use much lighting during the day. My apartment has GREAT windows with tons of natural light coming in, so I don't use much electricity that way during the day. I also shut off lights when I leave the room.

6) I live in an apartment that has the sewer, water, and trash paid by the management. This is a nice little bonus!

If you have any other great ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Internship and Fashion

Well, internship is now finally in sight! I begin next week on Tuesday. I have a really easy introductory week: Monday is Labor Day, Tuesday I only go in for 1/2 day, Wednesday and Thursday I go to my school for an orientation/training, and Friday is a full day back at the clinic.

I'm thinking about posting pictures of my outfit everyday in an attempt to make sure that I actually wear all of my clothing. I may give it a go if I can figure out how to take pictures of myself in the mirror. :P

Cute Pillow

Okay, this is a day of bad lighting in my pictures. ;) I found this cute little pillow for .25 at a thrift. A little Spray n Wash on some stains and a tumble through the washer and dryer and it is perfect!

Since I've been focused on putting my apartment together, I've noticed that most of my decorations and furniture are used. It occurred to me that I much prefer used stuff to brand new stuff. For some reason, I think it has more character.

Finished Window Seat Cushion

It's a pale yellow and I put the red cushions from the couch on it to pull it all together. Thanks, Mom!!!

Organization: Over-the-Door Shoe Holders

In the ongoing saga of trying to find places to store all my junk, I bought a couple of those over-the-door hangers that are meant to store shoes. Now, my shoes are stacked in the hallway outside my bathroom and in boxes under my bed, so I wasn't planning on using them for their intended purpose. Rather, I installed one in my closet to hold necklaces and sunglasses (top photo) and one in the closet that holds my stockpile to hold toothpaste and other small items. I HIGHLY recommend the Martha Stewart brand at Kmart. They are heavy duty material and are well constructed. They are worth every penny of their $10.99 price tag. However, I had a $15 off of $25 purchase coupon (thank you Auntie), so I bought these, a kitchen timer, and some swimming goggles for ~$15.

New Dishes!

I've been living off of plastic dishes until I could make my mind up on a pattern AND find a good deal. Recently Amazon had a deal on this Corelle Red Floral Livingware where you got $20 off when you purchased two sets. I also had a $10 gift certificate from completing a survey, so I paid $39.98 total for eight place settings of four pieces (small plate, large plate, bowl, and mug). That would have originally cost me $69.98! I absolutely love the pattern and think it will be something that I won't get tired of for a long time.

Gettin' Crafty

Since I have all this time on my hands, I figured I'd better get to craftin'! I have TONS of yarn and other craft materials just waiting for me to do something with them. I finished a chocolate brown scarf yesterday and started this scarf. I'm about 75% done with it. I'm planning on giving my coworkers handmade items for Christmas, probably all scarves if I have enough materials.

Living Room

I tried taking pictures of the whole room so that you could truly see the adorableness of it, but unfortunately that didn't work out so well. So, you will be getting bits and pieces pictures. Use your imagination!


This is the famous red couch. I have owned it for 3 years because I *thought* I would be moving out three years ago. Oops. I have a great mama that patiently stored all of my junk for a very long time. I love this couch and it folds out into a bed. The pillows on it I just purchased from a thrift for $4 each. They are really well made out of a heavy tapestry fabric. My mother is making me some light yellow pillows that will match the future window seat cushion (below).

The rug in front of the couch!

This is to the left of the window. The television is on a cedar chest that I bought for $5 at a yard sale. The color of the chest matches the wooden legs on the mod chair below. I am seriously obsessive compulsive about things like that but I am trying to be better! Also pictured is the other book case and part of the lamp.

This is my cute mod vinyl chair and one of my bookcases. This is to the right of the window. See that wooden foot-thing on my bookshelf? I love that!

These are the pictures on the right side of the window. The top is a print I picked up for $1 at a yard sale. The bottom is a beautiful photograph that my mom took. I had it blown up to 11x14 when a photo company offered a free 11x14 print. I paid $2 shipping.

These are the prints on the left side of the window. The top print is a page from a 1913 catalog and the bottom is actually an old advertisement for a pattern.

This is the pretty window seat. My sweet mama is making me a pale yellow cushion to put on it.

This is the doily that my sister-in-law gave me as a housewarming gift. Isn't she talented! Also pictured is one of my cool coasters (.25 for four at a yard sale). Both are sitting on one of two wooden t.v. trays that serve as end tables.

I also have a vintage stool behind my couch and tons of photos on the wall. Since I'm one of those individuals who needs her privacy, I won't be showing you those. ;)

Because I Really Am Blonde Under All This Dark Hair

Note: I am starting a new "tag" category called Blonde Moments. Because my dark hair is apparently a LIE.

Okay, so my apartment doesn't have a lot of overhead lighting. It does have several of those "plug a lamp into this outlet and flip the seemingly useless light switch and your lamp will magically turn on and pretend to be real lighting" things.

One day I prepared to iron, and my iron didn't work. I was very bummed. Another day, my vacuum cleaner mysteriously quit working when I moved to the spare room. Imagine my suprise when both items miraculously started working again when my mom was here trying to fix them.

Guess who plugged them into the lamp outlets? No, not outlets. The *same* lamp outlet in the *same* room. In my defense, (have you noticed that I say that a lot on this blog???) the outlets are flip-flopped in each room, so it's hard to tell which is the lamp outlet. But still.

Just goes to show that having ridiculous amounts of education DOES NOT mean that I have smarts, y'all. Or maybe I am one of those geniuses that have a hard time completing simple everyday tasks?????

Nah.

Time

Once I begin my internship, I will be working 8-5 Monday through Friday. And yet I keep talking about all of the glorious free time that I will have.

Let me explain. For the last three years, I have gone to school year-round, with four terms per year. Classes would change every 12 weeks. I would have class 3-4 days per week. On top of this, I saw patients/clients every week for between 7-15 hours and sometimes ran anger management groups. I also had projects, papers, and presentations to take care of- always something hanging over my head. The day didn't end when I got home as I would have to complete some project or study for some test. Some days I would leave for school at 7 or 8am and not get home until 9 or 10pm. It was very demanding and exhausting both physically and mentally. There was little room for anything outside of school.

Beginning in September I will only be seeing patients/clients. No more schoolwork or papers. I have to finish my dissertation, but am about halfway through that and see it as something that I will actually enjoy. I have nothing hanging over my head, and my days will begin and end at a set time.

I feel like a new person. And I am really enjoying all of this free time. ;)

Frugal Exercise

I have never paid to exercise. When I lived with Mom, I would walk outside during nice weather, do a weights DVD, and in the cold months try to force myself to do cardio DVDs. I wasn't sure what I would do when I moved. Lo and behold, the local community center offers a free membership for residents of the city. They have an outside trail, inside track, weight and other machines, and a pool! All for free! :P Needless to say I have already joined.

Bedroom Details

When I posted the pictures I was too tired to write the details, so here they are! My headboard and footboard are vintage, purchased by my mom 10+ years ago, so I'm not sure how much they cost. The bird picture was a thrift store find for $5, and the frames were all free from various sources. I got the frame idea from an Anthropologie catalog. :)

I use the hatboxes beside my bed to store scarves (I have a million coats- are you surprised that I have a million scarves???). The hatboxes were gift containers from my Auntie. The bureau is vintage wood and was purchased for $65 three years ago. I used garage sale proceeds to purchase it, so it cost me nothing out of pocket at the time.

On the other side of my bed is a vintage tin T.V. tray that my mom spray painted yellow for me several years ago. I also got this idea from an Anthropologie catalog. The lamp on it was $7, but Mom bought it for me as a gift a couple of years ago.

I love, love, love the new (vintage) flower print. I got it for $6 in a flea market in Arkansas. It is a Nelly Littlehale Murphy print. I believe it is a reproduction, but it is still quite old.

The wooden chair was scrounged by my dad from a dumpster to be my childhood desk chair (I was a tall child!). It matches the bureau perfectly.

The amber lamps were a gift from my grandparents many birthdays ago. I put new ($1 at a yard sale) shades on them.

The shoeboxes- well, there is no place else to put them but in the hallway outside my closet!

The quilt was purchased for $40 three years ago at T.J. Maxx. They still have the most beautiful quilts. For me to not be tired of something after three years is nothing short of a miracle!

I didn't realize how frugally my room was put together until this post. You know that makes me happy!

More pictures are on the way.

My Bedroom in the New Apartment

Updated Showcase Link

Here is a fancier version of the showcases: www.frugalhacks.com

Use that link rather than the link below. The header is so cute!

Good News!

This is a two-parter:

1) I now have internet at my apartment! Whoo! It went suspiciously well, so I'm expecting my computer to blow up or something at any minute.

2) I am being showcased right now on The Frugal Blog Showcase. Go check it out! And I was very happy to see that the ever frugal and amazing Meredith commented about me over there! :P She is a blogger celebrity and I aspire to be like her, so that was pretty awesome.

Pictures will be up tomorrow, I promise!

Moving, Moving, Moving!

I signed the lease on a two bedroom apartment last Tuesday. I will be living in a town less than thirty miles from where I currently live. The past week has been spent hauling loads of my stuff over to it. I am only about 75% finished. This is my first move!

1) Moving is hard work and not so fun. However, seeing the apartment s-l-0-w-l-y taking shape is very, very fun.

2) My biceps hurt like crazy last week. I'm a little surprised that my legs didn't since I've been going up and down steps.

3) I have a bunch of things to do but can't seem to get them done because I am so exhausted.

4) On Monday I will move my clothing, shoes, coats, and purses. Pray for me. ;)

5) I have way too much stuff.

Pictures will be forthcoming!