Simple Quilt for Beginners

I absolutely love to sew and have been looking for some quick easy projects. I used to sew a lot of clothing items, but wanted to try something new. I found this incredibly easy quilt for beginners, it's super cute and simple to make.

10 Things You Should Never Put In Your Garbage Disposal

We recently learned the hard way that there are many items that should not be put down your garbage disposal. One day last week I was doing the dishes and I noticed that the water was not draining down the sink and the water was rising. I flipped the garbage disposal switch on and the water and all the food bits came up the other side of our double sink. When I turned off the disposal the water came back up the right side of the sink… it looked like a mini geyser.  We tried to fix the clog ourselves (post to come), but we ultimately found out that the clog was much further than we could reach. We had to call in a professional. Here is a list of what we did wrong and what you should avoid putting down your garbage disposal. These tips could help you save hundreds of dollars and a major headache!!

1.  Grease, Oil and Fats

Pouring grease and oil down your drain will eventually lead to build up on your blades which will inhibit the blades from grinding efficiently. The grease and oil will also build up an in the inside of you pipes, which will be very difficult to clean out. This also goes for that bacon grease. After you fry bacon you should allow the grease to solidify and wipe it out with a paper towel and toss it in the trash.

2.  Egg Shells

This one was a surprise for us. We had always heard that putting egg shells in your garbage disposal would help sharpen the blades. Turns out this is not true. When we opened our pipes to look for the clog we were shocked at the amount of egg shell bits that poured out with the water. We had a bucket under the pipe and the egg shells were just sitting at the bottom of the bucket and did not slide out when we poured the water out. Signaling to us that there were probably a lot of egg shells just sitting in the bottom of our pipes not moving.

3.  Pasta and Rice

You should never put pasta or rice down the garbage disposal because they are two types of foods that expand when mixed with water. So after the water has passed through the pipes the pasta and rice will stay in the pipes, expand and stick to the interior of the pipes... causing a major blockage.

4.  Potato Peels

Yep, guilty again. I have always peeled my potatoes right in the sink and then jammed them all down the garbage disposal. Apparently, the starch in potatoes eventually turns to a black paste and cause major blockage. Instead of peeling directly over the sink, place a colander or dish towel in the sink to collect your peels for easy clean up (into the trash can).

5.  Celery and Asparagus

We were told that celery, asparagus and any other fibrous foods were to stringy to put down the garbage disposal. They can actually wrap around the blade causing damage.

6.  Bones

This one sounds obvious and we've all heard that bones can sharpen the blades. Turns out bones have the opposite effect and can dull the blades. Not to mention you wouldn't want hard bits of bones flying out at you.

7.  Large Pits

Cherry, avacado and other large pits are to large for the disposal blade to break down. Throw these in the trash instead.

8.  Coffee Grounds

The bits of coffee ground can and will accumulate in your pipes eventually blockage your pipes.

9.  Onion and Banana Peels

Extremely fibrous materials like the outer skins of onions, bananas and artichokes should never be put down your disposal. They can cause damage to your disposals motor, because they are to tough for the blades to break down.

10.  Non-Food items

The professional plumber that can to help us with our clog told us stories and customers putting things like plastic wrap and foil down their disposal. Throw away all non food items into the garbage can not the disposal.

5 Unique End of Year Teacher Gifts

That time of year is approaching again. The end of the school year. It's always nice to show how much you appreciate the hard work, dedication and not to mention patience of your child teachers. Here is a great list of unique gifts your favorite teacher will definitely cherish. All these gifts are perfect and most under $10... so hard to choose!

1.  Fabric Teacher Quote Key Chain

A perfect Teacher gift. This Teacher key fob features the quote "Let us remember: one book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world." by Masala Yousafzal

2.  Personalized Teacher Pencils 

What better way to thank your Number 1 teacher than with a personalized No. 2 pencil!
Each pencil is hand cut, painted and distressed. I add the custom name to the pencil to finish it off.

3.  Adorable Teacher Elastic Hair Ties

Perfect gift for your child's teacher for Teacher Appreciation Day or just because!! Comes with 3 hair ties, one chalkboard ABC's, one crayon, and one ruler. 

4. Teacher Wish Bracelet

Little Wishes are a beautiful way to give someone you care for a wish. All they have to do is make a wish and then tie the cord around their wrist. When the cord finally wears down and breaks the wish is released and will come true - so they say!

5.  Personalized Pencil Holder

This pencil holder is made from a terra cotta pot. The pot base is painted with a black paint, then the rim is painted in a yellow. The lines, numbers and words are hand painted. Then a vinyl flower is attached.

Target April Baby Box = $5

Hurry and head over to Target to snag their new baby box for only $5. The kit includes:

• 8 product samples
• 7 samples hand picked for your little one
• 1 item specially picked by you (raw sugar vanilla bean or + sugar natural body wash)

WOW... 20% OFF at the Balanced Lion

Hurry...this discount ends May 1, 2017. Help The Balanced Lion celebrate their grand opening with 20% any product. Dish Scrubbies that are dishwasher safe, machine washable and dry quickly. These are the perfect addition to any kitchen. Also great gifts!

Why You Need to Ditch Your Dish Sponge

We’ve all been there. Walking up to the kitchen sink, dreading what we’ll find. Ugh, it’s there again, a huge pile of dirty dishes. Then you see it, you know what I’m talking about, and you see the dreaded, smelly, shredded and dingy looking sponge. 

You don’t even want to pick it up, you contemplate using gloves but don’t want to waste time finding them and putting them on. You wonder if your dishes are even getting clean. Then it happens, you pick up the sponge and it’s cold and still wet from the last time you washed the dishes… is it filled with bacteria, fungus, germs or food particles. The decision is made, you toss the sponge and grab a freshly wrapped one and start the washing process all over again. How many sponges did you go through this week? Month? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a quick drying, easy to care for reusable product to clean your dishes.

Well look no more because it is here. The Balanced Lion has made a 100% polyester dish scrubby that will solve all of your dish washing woes. The polyester yarn used to make the dish scrubbies dries quicker than regular cellulose sponges, other acrylic yarns and regular dish clothes. This means no more cold, wet, smelly sponge and prevents bacteria from building up. The unique texture is gentle on dishes, pot and pans, ceramics, Teflon, but tough enough to clean thoroughly. The bright colors and texture will make dish washing a pleasant experience. No more dreading the kitchen sink. This dish scrubby is so amazing that you can throw it right in the top rack of your dishwasher to clean, or run it through your washing machine on a warm gentle cycle. You can let the scrubby air dry or throw in the dryer on low heat. The amazing thing about this dish scrubby is that it can also be used to exfoliate your skin (I would recommend buying a second to use for body exfoliation).

 So toss your sponge for good… stop wasting money from constantly purchasing sponges and head over to The Balanced Lion to get your very own dish scrubby now.    

ROUXBE Online Cooking Course Giveaway

Giveaway details below:

I never imagined how important cooking was going to be in my life until our second child was born with multiple life threatening food allergies (8 foods in total). Before his diagnosis I was an average home cook, with one son who was fairly picky. We would eat out on occasion and didn't make everything from scratch. Once we learned of our sons food allergies all of this changed... we needed to be able to prepare all of his meals at home... he is 4 now and has never eaten a meal that wasn't from our kitchen. It was difficult at first learning how to cook and bake without using things like wheat and eggs. There was no more buying frozen waffles or chicken nuggets or jarred pasta sauce. Everything was going to have to be made from scratch. Over the years we have found a few safe convince foods for him but mostly we still make all of his food for him.

During this time I found an online cooking school called RouxBe that was very helpful. RouxBe delivers technique-focused culinary instruction over the internet, to any cook that wants to improve their cooking skills and health. I was very impressed with the cooking courses. They had the same feel as any online college course, but with more visuals and hands on learning. I was able to learn proper techniques and how to make some really delicious meals. I was so impressed that I am going to be GIVING AWAY ONE FREE ROUXBE ONLINE COOKING COURSE. 

Check out Rouxbe here...

To enter: all you have to do is Comment, like and share this blog post. 

Or head over to any Tips 4 Saving social media site (links on the right hand side) and like, comment or share any post.

Each comment, like and share will be counted as an entry. US residents only. Free cooking course code will be emailed directly to the winner. Giveaway ends Monday April 3rd at midnight.

Heads Up... Shutterfly Giveaway

Head on over to the Tips 4 Saving Facebook page for some awesome giveaways during the next month. Easy Entry: all you have to do is Like, Comment and Share any Tips 4 Saving Facebook post. Each one will count as an entry.

Today's Giveaway is a Free Shutterfly 4.5 x 5 Magnet.... taxes, shipping and handling will apply.
Codes will be sent directly through Facebook messenger. Winner for this giveaway will be announced Friday 3/17 at 5:00pm cst.

Hurry 75% OFF All Disney Infinity

Hurry and head over to Toys R Us and score your favorite Disney Infinity playlets and characters for 75% Off.

The Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition: Disney Pixar's Inside Out Play Set is only $8.74 regularly priced at $34.99. You can also find this set on sale at Amazon for $25.

Get single characters for only $3.99

If you love all things Disney Infinity this deal is for you. I spoke to an employee who stated Disney Infinity is being discontinued which is why they are priced so low. This is still a great deal if you plan on keeping your Disney Infinity.

SAVE MONEY ~ DIY Cabinet Hardware Install + DIY Cleaning Solution

Cabinet Hardware Install Project

We decided to take on a DIY project by installing our own kitchen cabinet hardware, doorknobs and drawer pulls. Despite some minor setbacks we finished in a few hours and then completed the master and hall bathrooms.

We picked out the hardware color for the kitchen based on our pantry doorknob, which is brushed nickel. This way the whole house has the same color scheme. The cost for all the hardware for the kitchen and two bathrooms was under $90 and the cleaning solution was made with items I already had. The kitchen has 22 doors and 10 drawers. The master bath has four doors and eight drawers and the hall bath has only two doors. The knobs were much easier to install as it only took one hole. 

We purchased everything at Lowe’s Home Improvement and bought some handles and knobs in bulk boxes of 10 or 12 and then singles for the extras needed. You save money if there are 18 knobs needed, it is more cost effective to buy one box of 12 and 6 additional, otherwise you are paying for knobs you don’t need. We also purchased drawer handle and door knob templates.

The only thing missing from this first picture is the vacuum cleaner!! There will be a lot of wood shavings in and around everything!

 

 Step by Step Instructions: Including Photos!

FREE Audiobook ~ The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (3 FREE BOOKS FOR NEW MEMBERS)

Are you an Audible member (if not hurry and get a FREE 30 day trial here)? All Audible members, including those on their free trial can score this FREEBIE. All you have to do is type in the promo code TIDYUP1 at checkout and Boom you've scored your free audiobook.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing is a #1 New York Times Best Seller. Here is quick synopsis of the audiobook...

Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles? Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you'll never have to do it again. 

I like the way that sounds! I can't wait to get started. 

Sign up for your FREE Audible Trial now and get:

• Includes two free audiobooks
• Choose from 180,000+ title
• Cancel anytime

If you don't enjoy listening to audiobooks after 30 days, simply cancel or you will charged the subscription fee.

Hurry and Score UNLIMITED FREE 4x4 or 4x6 Photos

Head over to Shutterfly to score your Free 4x4 or 4x6 photo prints FREE! All you need to do is upload the Shutterfly App to your phone and start adding photos to you cart... simple and FREE!

My Coke Rewards Freebie

Thanks to My Coke Rewards you can snag a Free set of personalized playing cards. Just log in and click the Get It button. This reward costs zero points, so it's totally FREE! 

Not a My Coke Rewards Member Yet? It's free to join and you can earn cool rewards for collecting codes off your favorite Coke products. Join Here

My Coke Rewards Details

WHAT YOU GET

Deal winning memories every hand. 
Start with a favorite photo, then fill this poker-size deck with fun times. The 52 standard cards and 2 jokers come complete with a hard case. Approximate retail value $19.99.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

This digital code will be delivered via email only, to the email address associated with your My Coke Rewards® Account. If you have changed your email address since creating your Account, please be sure to update it prior to redeeming.

Offer expires 2/8/2017. Shutterfly code expires 3/31/2017 (please advise). Offer is good for one free set of playing cards through shutterfly.com, our mobile-friendly site or Shutterfly apps. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Not valid on prepaid plans, other products and prior purchases. Cannot be redeemed for cash or combined with select offers or credits. Not valid for resale. We reserve the right to modify or replace any part of these terms and conditions without notice.

6 Months Free Access to The Washington Post

Calling all Amazon Prime members... You can now enjoy unlimited access to The Washington Post National Digital Edition with a six-month free trial. You will receive 24/7 digital access to award-winning national and international news coverage.

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Not an Amazon Prime Member Yet? Try it out for 30 days FREE (cancel at any time) and still get access to this Freebie.

Top 10 Toys ~ No Batteries Needed

Oh, how I love December. We just made it through all 3 of our boys birthdays and Christmas all in the same week. Needless to say my boys receive a lot of gifts in a very short amount of time. One thing that has frequently annoyed my husband and I is how some toys are packaged. There are some that require scissors, muscle strength, laser vision and usually a broken nail or two just to get the darn toys out. After all that you then realize you need batteries, which then turns into needing to find the "small" screwdriver and hoping you have the right size batteries that aren't already dead. By this time the kids have moved on to something else and have lost interest. This year my boys received some very cools toys that did not require any batteries and were conveniently packaged. These toys have also sparked their imagination and creativity which we love. I was so impressed with these toys that I'd like to share our list. Our age range is 1-8 years old so these may not be appropriate for ages below or above this range.

1. Crayola Marker Airbrush

This toy box was simple to open and you could use right out of the box. My oldest son had a blast "pumping" the handle to create the marker spray. This toy works great and the kids have designed some beautiful artwork.

2. Magformers
These magnets are super cool. You can build all sorts of different structures using the different shapes. You can follow the directions or create your own sculpture.

3. Hot Wheels Fusion Factory
After following a couple simple steps you can create your own hot wheels straight out of the box. No batteries needed. After you mold your very own car, you can design it any way you'd like. Then send it down a track or take it for a ride on the floor.


4. Q-Ba-Maze Ultimate Stunt Set
Out of all the toys my kids received this year, this has been the most popular. The pieces are easy to assemble and the fun is endless. Following the structure in the instructions does take some time, but once it's built it is so. much. fun!


5. Mega Bloks Build n Learn Table Learning Set
This was meant for my toddler, but all three boys love playing with this (with him of course).
All we had to do was attach the legs and the building began.


6. Qixels Design Maker
The design maker is simple and fun. All you need is water. The kids loved building their own figures and of course getting to spray them with the squirt gun!


7. Yet in my Spaghetti
This game is great for the younger ones. Its fun and kept their interest.


8. Blink card game
We love to play card games like Uno and War. Blink is a combination of both games, it's quick fun and really works your brain.


9. World of Nintendo Mario Figures
The boys are huge Mario fans and loved getting some of the figures to play with.


10. Magnetic Learning Station


The boys also received lots of great books (check out the Extreme Dot to Dot series), lego sets, board games and activity books. What are you favorite non battery toys?