Shutterfly: Free Cards for Father's Day!

I love Shutterfly so much...I think most of you know that by now.  They have the best deals/discounts, best quality for prints, books, and gifts, and great customer service.  I just got done making several photo gifts, cards, and collage prints to give out to our family members for Mother's Day (very late) and Father's Day.  Right now, you can also get 5 free photo cards just in time for Father's Day (or any other occasion you may need them for).  Use the code DADCARD at the checkout to get your free cards.  Shipping and handling will be extra, unless of course you spend $30 or more at use the copse SHIP30 to get free shipping!  Both of these codes expire on June 9, 2011.  (I just posted a sample of the card I made). 

I just love Shutterfly to pieces!!! Free Cards!

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Free Ebook: 31 Days to Clean (today only).

I just found out about this free ebook offer that ends at midnight tonight.  The book is called 31 Days to Clean:  Having a Martha House the Mary Way. I am very excited to read it as I can use a lot of help in this area....managing a home in a God glorifying way.  It looks really good!  The author, Sarah Mae, has a really inspiring blog too that I look forward to exploring more. 

If you want a copy too, just Twitter, Facebook, or blog about this new ebook by tonight at midnight and let Sarah Mae know you did through email with your link.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Frugal Birthday Cakes: Part 3-The best frosting!

I started this series on frugal birthday cakes a long time ago.  You can read Part 1 and Part 2 if you would like.  Part 1 shows you some of the cake I have made in the past.  The most recent one, is the Spaceship cake you see above that was for my oldest son's 5th birthday, Toy Story party.  Isn't it great?  More details on that one later.

I have been meaning to post this recipe for frosting for a long time.  Sorry.  This is a recipe my family has been using for years and we even know the baker who invented it.  She is the one who made many of our cakes for various birthdays, showers, and even rehearsal dinners for our family's weddings.  This frosting is very smooth and creamy and not too sweet.  It works great for decorating cakes.  The key to this recipe is to make sure that the evaporated milk is very cold and that you beat the frosting for a good 10 minutes (or even more).  I also put the frosting in the refrigerator at various times while I am decorating a cake to make sure it doesn't get too runny.  It freezes well too and tastes great with animal crackers!  I don't know about you, but our family loves to dip animal crackers in frosting!  Yummy!  Let me know if you try it and what you think.

Butter Cream Frosting

1 cup Crisco

1 cup (2 sticks) Blue Bonnet or Parkay margarine (cold)

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup very cold canned evaporated milk

Blend Crisco and margarine together.  Add powdered sugar.  Add vanilla.  Gradually add the 1/2 cup of evaporated milk and beat on high for at least 10 minutes.  

ACME deals get even better!

I just wanted to post real quick that the cereal and milk deals at ACME just got even sweeter.  Now, you can get fee, or really cheap fruit too!  I was there yesterday picking up my Kellogg's cereal and free milk and discovered that some of the boxes of cereal had "peelies"  (sticker coupons on the boxes) on them for $1.00 off fresh fruit purchase when you buy two participating boxes of Kellogg's cereal.  So I picked up 4 boxes of Pops and 2 boxes of Froot Loops since they were are included in the deal.  I got four of the peelies, but only used three yesterday.  SO, for only $7.97, I walked away with 6 boxes of cereal, 2 FREE gallons of milk, a 4 pound bag  of navel oranges (sale price $1.99) and 3 bananas with all the sales, deals, and coupons.  It was like getting the fruit for free too!  Yeah for ACME!

DIY: Family Handprints Wall Hanging (final picture)

This is a picture of my family handprints wall hanging I showed you how to make last year.  I got them hung up about two months ago...finally!  They are hung in my homeschooling classroom. Don't you love the green walls too!  I love it!  It was a great upgrade to the room and makes it so cozy!
Check out my post from last year on how to do this easy, creative, inexpensive, family handprints wall hanging.  It will make for a great decoration and a great keepsake!


Well, I just copied my post from last year to make it easier for you all to read (from March 2010):

I am super excited to share this "Do It Yourself" project that I just finished last night. Well, almost finished. Now, they just need to be hung on the wall. I take no credit for this idea though. Back in November, I was at a friend's house (she did it herself too) and that is where I got the idea. And she found the idea from here. So, what is it? You take blank, framed canvases, paint them a solid color-use acrylic paint, and then do a handprint of each of your family members on each one. My boys were so excited to help me with this project. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been painting the 5 canvases with 2-4 coats of paint, depending on the color. I picked bold, bright colors, since I will be hanging them in our classroom. Last night, we had a great family evening together, painting out hands and then doing our handprints. And if we messed up, baby wipes worked great to repair them. I must say, I think they turned out awesome. What do you think? So you're probably wondering the cost...well, here it is...$2.79 for each 8 x 10" canvas (about $14.00 total) at Michaels and about $0.75 per small (not the smallest) bottle of paint and I have a lot left over.  I did get the canvases in a 3-pack that was on sale and during a sale when I could use an additional coupon.  So under $20 for a beautiful wall display and great family memory! It would have been $39.99 for the kit from the site I referenced above and that's only for four. I am so thrilled about it! Hopefully we will get them hung up soon for all to see. Even our cute little 6 month old got to participate.

Cereal Deals and FREE Milk!

Our local grocery stores here in the Delaware Valley have been having some great deals on cereal and offers for free milk when you buy a certain number of boxes.  Today, I just got back from Giant with 4 boxes of General Mills cereal and a gallon of milk for only $4.36 total!  Here was the deal:

Purchase 4 boxes of GM cereal, any variety/size and get $6 off instantly at checkout.
I had 4 coupons (one per box) from online (coupons.com) and from the Smart Source section (or smartsource.com)  of the Sunday paper (it was either this past Sunday or the one before), that were all doubled, giving me another $4.20 off.   I tried to pick the best coupons for the least expensive cereals.

It was like getting each box of name brand cereal for $1.09/box and a free gallon of milk.  In case you can't make it to Giant tonight before the sale ends, no worries, the deals continue this week at Acme, starting tomorrow, April 1.

Select Kellogg's cereals (and Pop Tarts) are on sale, 3 boxes for $5, and on top of that you can get a FREE gallon of milk with every three boxes purchased (note: any variety of Kellogg's works for the milk deal, but only a select few are on sale).  Kellogg's coupons are a little bit harder to find than General Mills ones, but I just signed up today on the Kellogg's website and found some coupons on there.  I printed two of the ones for $1.00/3 boxes because it looks like that coupon includes the same ones on the Acme deal (3 boxes for $5).  So, starting tomorrow you should be able to get 3 boxes of cereal for $4 and a free gallon of milk (or 6 boxes and 2 gallons of milk for $8 if you print two coupons).  This deal will make each box only $1.25 and you will get free milk!

In case you didn't know this trick, just click the back button after you print one coupon and then you can print your second one.  There are other coupons available on the website too for other Kellogg's varieties.   Anybody know where there are any other Kellogg's coupons floating around?