Candy Corn Tree

Our Candy Corn Tree:

Supplies needed:
Small goldfish bowl
2 pieces of styrofoam, 4 inches a piece
large bag of candy corn
2 clean twigs/branches
low temperature glue gun

First of all, glue your 2 styrofoam pieces on top of one another and place in small glass bowl.  Next place your twigs down into the styrofoam.  You will then need to glue candy corn to twigs using your low temp glue gun for your child's safety of course.  Glue as much candy as you would like, and place the rest in the bowl for loads of color.  This is a really simple craft and the fall colors are so festive!

What is Failure?

What is failure?  Or maybe I should say what is failure not?  After my husband lost his job, thoughts of failure flooded my head.  Even though things happen beyond our circumstances, there were things we as a family could have and should have done better.  I must say I struggle with having it all together and at that time God began to show me that failure is not about our circumstances as compared to the world's standard.  But that my significance lies in who I am as his child and praise God I am a child of a King!  Therefore, what does God require of his children?  I think most of us know that word we all love to hate!  Obedience.  The apostle Paul, asked God three times to remove the "thorn in his flesh" and God said, "my grace is sufficient for you".  Yes, we have all made some unwise decisions in our lives but God's grace promises to be sufficient for us no matter the circumstances.

2 Corinthians 12: 7-9

New link!

I added a new link today called Coupons.com.  See for yourself all the coupons you can clip.  I think you will get a lot of use out of this tool!  I use it a lot and for things I know I always purchase at the store or something that I think may be on sale in the future. Hope everyone has a wonderful day and keep clipping those q's!

My Savings Today at Publix!

Great day today at Publix here in Alabama.  I almost broke even, that is I almost saved as much as I spent.  I actually spent $93.76 and saved $79.12.  That is pretty good savings in my book.  I also took a picture of some of the items I bought on sale and using coupons.  This is not everything I bought just mainly the things that I stocked up on today.  Here is my list of what I bought and what I paid:

1. 2 Farm Rich Cheese Sticks-paid $2.75 with coupon
2. 5 different types of Kraft cheese all on sale, paid $5.00
3. Halls Cough drops, paid 9 cents with coupon
4.  Sister Shubert Rolls, $2.75 each with coupon
5. Hillshire Farm Ham, 2 for $2. 34 each with coupon
6. Sparkle Paper Towels, 2 big rolls, 99 cents with coupon.

These are just a few of my savings this week.  Stayed tuned for more.  In the mean time keep clipping those coupons. 

My CVS Savings!

Most recently, with advise from Southern Savers, I started shopping at CVS.  Wanted to mention my saving this week there.  While, I didnt need a whole lot there were a few items I did need.  CVS has the extra care bucks.  Check out your CVS ad in this Sunday's paper.  The first thing I purchased was a over the counter medicine, which I in turn recieved $7.50 worth of extra care bucks.  I went ahead and used these ECB (extra care bucks) to purchase sodas on the same shopping visit.  ECB's can be used at a later date,  but do have an expiration date on them.  I used those $7.50 ECB and bought three 12 packs of soda for a dollar a piece.  Can you believe that deal ? I actually paid $5.00 cash for the sodas,  but got $2 ECB's after purchasing them which made them a dollar a piece.  I have already used these ECB's on another shopping visit this week! If you have questions, check out my link to Southern Savers for more CVS savings! Have a great week saving money!

My Savings at Publix

Wanted to start a new twist on my blog.  Money seems to be of great concern right now to everyone.  As believers, we are called to be "good stewards" of the money God has given us.  I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs that I started using coupons during the time my husband was unemployed.  I can not imagine not using coupons now.  Yesterday my savings at Publix was 86 dollars, while I spent 101 dollars.  So, basically I saved almost as much as I spent.  Week before last I spent 79 and saved 68.  I will post pictures in the future to show what my purchases look like.  I often buy multiple items.  The key here is to stock when items are on sale so that you do not have to pay full price.  So for now, start cutting those coupons.  Check out my link to Southern Savers and start savings!

Tips to a Successful Yard Sale, Part 3

Well in my eyes, our yard sale was a successful one.  I have been out of the swing of writing for a few days because I have been recovering from the sale.  Lol! I always enjoy seeing what items sell and meeting new people.  Wanted to list a few things that seemed to sell well, some are typical while some are unique to the sale we had last week.  Items that seem to sell well are as follows:

1. Furniture and household items
2.  Baby clothing and toys
3.  Special interest items such as quilting magazines and scrap booking supplies
4.  Large appliances such as TVs
5.  Cd's, books, and sometimes educational material.

Remember you have decluttered, you don't want to take this stuff back into your house.  Bargain, bargain. Most people that shop yard sales are looking for a deal!  As a rule of thumb, I generally price my items high but have a lower price in mind if someone offers me a lower price.  Be prepared to wheel and deal.  Have fun, it is all worth it!

Tips for Having a Sucessful Yard Sale, Part 2

Oh yes, it is that time of year.  It is that time to clean out those closets and make a little extra cash selling those items.  In my first post about having a great yard sale, I emphasized the importance of advertising.  Next, you will want to make a clean sweep of all the rooms in your house.  Use trash bags to gather items for your sale.  Do not forget items that may be tucked away in kitchen cabinets, or pushed back in the closet.  A general rule for an item is if it hasn't been used in the last 6 months, it should be discarded.  Think logically about whether you could ever see yourself using this again. I think we as Americans tend to hoard stuff, but that is another post.  Tomorrow, I will discuss items that sell well at a sale.  While there is no rhyme or reason to what generally sales, there are certain items that will generally bring more cash than others.

Tip of the Day!

This weekend a friend and I will be hosting a yard sale.  I have done many a sale and it is a great way to declutter, and hey don't we all have something that we aren't using?  Your most important tactic when doing a sale is to advertise, advertise, advertise.  Of course, some may disagree but sometimes it depends on your location.  In the city where I live, I have seen city workers driving off with my signs and this is why I use other means of getting the word out.  For our sale we put it in the classified, facebooked friends, and also listed on Craig's List.  If your city has a local paper sometimes the ad will be free, so this would be another excellent means of advertising.  The more avenues you use the more people know about your sale.  It always seems to be a good deal of work to get your items out, so you want your time to be worth it and of course earn money for your stuff.  I will have more tips tomorrow, so stay tuned...

My Ground Zero

The days that followed after my husband lost his job I will look back and refer to as the "dark days".  I touched briefly on my husband's job loss in 2008 in my first blog.  This is one of the events in my life that prompted me to start this blog.  There were days of feeling hopeless and not knowing how God was going to provide.  There were days of uncertainty and anxiety, but through it all my hope was in God's promise through his word that he would take care of our family.  Let me say also, that we have a wonderful support group of friends and church members.  They were an incredible encouragement in those "dark times".  Following 911 this year, we watched a documentary on Ground Zero at our church.  It was a story of hope for the men that served at Ground Zero during this tragic time.  Some of you may remember this from the news, but at one point in the clean-up a steel cross appeared. To those men it was a symbol of hope at a time when things appeared hopeless.  As I look back on my dark days, Christ was my hope.  In no way am I trying to compare job loss to the loss of life that happened on September 11, 2001.  Loss is a part of life and happens in different ways.  I do know that in all situations in life, that hope lies in the very essence of what Christ did on the cross!

Tip of the Day!

If you are interested in couponing, start with today's Sunday paper.  There are several inserts, including Red Plum and Smart Source.  Start those scissors clipping, it will be fun.  You might also want to buy two papers or ask your neighbor for theirs! Enjoy! 

A New Creation

Most recently our oldest child was baptized.  Even though his "conversion" happened several years ago, he most recently made the decision to follow Christ in baptism.  The Bible says that when we decide to follow Christ, the old creature passes away and we become new.  Several days ago, I went into the bathroom to find my daughter had my curlers in her hair.  She wants to be made new (different hair that is)! It reminded me of our human desire to be transformed.  Are we ever happy with the way things are?  There is always something else to desire! As a believer, Christ desires to transform me.  Only through adversity (there is that word again) is he able to shape and mold me into becoming Christ-like.  I will never reach that goal here while on earth, but I thank God for willingness to transform in spite of myself!

Couponing 101

One of the things I began to do after my husband lost his job was to coupon.  I meet many people that ask me to show them how it is done.  It is amazing how much money you can save.  I do not ever want to go back to paying full price for grocery items.  I basically taught myself to coupon after a friend told me about the Southern Savers website.  If you are local to the Birmingham area, there will be a coupon class next Thursday night, September 16th, at First Baptist of Pelham.  If you are looking to get started I would suggest this class.  The cost is ten dollars and you can register at their website by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page! Even if you are not in the Birmingham area, there still may be workshops in your area.  Be sure and check it out!

The Moth and the Ant, a Childhood Tale

Most recently my son came in from playing on a hot summer day.  In his most serious tone, he said "Mama there is a dead moth outside and the ants have torn it apart".   He went on to explain to me that this scenario was much like what the men did to Jesus before he was hung on the cross.  All the sudden I was hit with one of those rare gold nuggets we parents like to call "a teachable moment".  I went on to tell him that yes he was right, that is exactly was what was done to Jesus.  He could have called ten thousand angels to rescue him instead because of his love for us he chose to die a humiliating death.  I am reminded from my son's observation on that day that Jesus faced the ultimate adversity.  He was despised and yet he was willing to do the work of the Father.  My prayer today is that I be willing to face the hard times because he walked the path before me.  He laid down his life, the ultimate sacrifice.  Gonna close with my son's favorite verse:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
Colossians 3:23

Finding Faith in the Face of Adversity

Hello.  My name is Karen Holsomback.  Welcome to my first post.  I am super excited about writing about my experiences over the last two years.  Let me say first of all I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.  I am a wife and a mother of two precious children.  In August of 2008, my husband lost his job.  I know that their are so many others in this situation, so let me say that this is my story.  We probably knew that the job loss was coming but it is so difficult to be prepared for something of this magnitude.  If you asked me two years ago what was my biggest fear, I would have told you this.  You see I am a stay-at-home Mom and we depend on the income of my husband.  You know we serve such an amazing God that when trials come, he uses in our lives to serve many purposes.  Let me also say that the one thing that kept me sane in over a year of my husband's unemployment is my faith, hence the title of my blog.  I hope you will continue to follow as I share my story..........