Having trouble sleeping? Sometimes when we first move into a new apartment or house it can take some time to adjust to our new surroundings. Here are five ways to help you get a better night’s sleep!

<strong>1. Skip the afternoon coffee</strong>- Sometimes when 2:00 hits we feel like we need a boost to give us a little energy. In order to sleep better at night try to avoid caffeinated beverages after noon.

<strong>2. Have a glass of milk</strong>- Eating a very light snack along with a glass of milk about an hour before bedtime can help you catch some z’s.

<strong>3. Prep for bed</strong> – If you are someone who has a hard time getting tired at night, create a routine for yourself! About an hour before you’d like to go to bed lower the lights, fluff the pillows and put on your slippers!

<strong>4. Have quiet time</strong> – Going out late at night or listening to the TV or radio can rev your engine instead of slow it down. Spend the last few hours before bed quietly reading or relaxing.

<strong>5. Lower your thermostat</strong>- Getting too warm at night is a culprit for sleep deprivation. Lower your thermostat several degrees before bed so you aren’t woken up abruptly hours later.

Hang your curtains as close to the ceiling as possible. This gives smaller windows the illusion of height and makes the room look larger

If you can’t paint your apartment paint your furniture. It is an easy way to add color without a lot of cost. Another great way to bring character to your beige apartment is area rugs. They add a pop of color plus they save the carpets when it’s time for your security deposit.

Use multi function furniture. Add a long table in your living room.; it can function as a work space and when entertaining it can double as a bar or buffet.

If your apartment lacks an official entry space create one using a bookcase and chair. Remove the top shelves and add hooks for hanging. Adding decorative baskets to the bottom shelves keeps clutter out of site.

Easter crept up on us early this year. Every year my family takes turns hosting holiday dinners at each other’s homes. My place was chosen for Easter. My family gets together every Sunday to share a meal. We look forward to it all week so when we get together for a holiday we make it even more special by preparing something we don’t eat often. On the menu for Easter is roasted pork shoulder. It is a traditional meal for special occasions. My grandmother will be seasoning it and it is served with yellow rice , chick peas and macaroni or potato salad. Roasting the pork takes 4 hours. Seasoning it is done the night before and my grandmother puts it in the oven around 10am. We eat dinner early in my culture so everyone arrives by 3pm to feast. Hosting dinners at my place always stresses me out. I’m usually in charge of drinks and desert but this year my uncles asked for lasagna. I have a large family of big eaters so I will have to make 3 lasagnas. Cooking is second nature to me and I enjoy doing it very much. While I look forward to eating this mouth watering meal, I don’t  look forward to all the dishes I end up with. I absolutely love the fact that my family is as close as we are and every Sunday dinner or holiday spent with them warms my heart. When I start a family of own someday I plan on continuing this wonderful tradition. I’d like to wish everyone a very happy Easter!

If you’re like me, you’ve browsed Pinterest and drooled over all the gorgeous designer rooms, only to be frustrated by the price tags that accompany most of the items that make the rooms shine! One of the easiest changes you can make in your apartment that has the biggest impact is your curtains. But curtains are expensive, easily running you $50-200 per window!

An easy solution to this is to make your own. Ok I know a lot of you just tuned out as soon as the picture of a needle and thread popped into your head, but don’t worry, there’s no sewing involved!

I recently made curtains for my living room and including fabric purchased from www.fabric.com, stitchery-witchery (aka hem tape) and curtain clips from Joann Fabrics, my grand total came in under $45!
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<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/94469468@N05/8601113872/” title=”curtains by AngieEm03, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8601113872_7705980105.jpg” width=”500″ height=”361″ alt=”curtains”></a>

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…and up close:

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<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/94469468@N05/8601113902/” title=”curtains 3 by AngieEm03, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8386/8601113902_901c3f1eae.jpg” width=”372″ height=”500″ alt=”curtains 3″></a>

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Not bad, right?
Here’s a great example of how much money this can save you: I LOVE these curtains from Crate & Barrel: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/teramo-curtain-panels/f43025

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<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/94469468@N05/8600015039/” title=”Crate &amp; barrel curtains by AngieEm03, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8097/8600015039_f0d617e9d0.jpg” width=”500″ height=”500″ alt=”Crate &amp; barrel curtains”></a>

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….but the $89 price tag PER PANEL?? Not something I’m willing to commit to! Head on over to my favorite site, www.fabric.com, and what do you find there? This lovely fabric for only $7.48 per yard:

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<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/94469468@N05/8600015055/” title=”premier prints zigzag by AngieEm03, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8600015055_1ca002465d_n.jpg” width=”320″ height=”320″ alt=”premier prints zigzag”></a>

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To make standard 8 ft panels, you’ll need roughly 5 yards of fabric, bringing your curtain total to <strong>just $37.40</strong>! (You can get it even lower than that… always check online for coupons before making your purchase… I got 15% off!)

My favorite no-sew curtain tutorial can be found here:

http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/02/nursery-progress-getting-the-hang-of-it/

(Feel free to get addicted to their blog while you’re at it… you won’t regret it!)

You can do this! I promise the hardest part will be narrowing it down to just one fabric.

Happy Curtain Making!

SPRING 2013 FASHION TRENDS

<img src=”{filedir_1}spring2013-pastel1.jpg” alt=”” height=”630″ width=”630″ />It is time to get ready to put away our winter coats and sweaters and bring out the spring and summer clothes. Every season I like to go through my closet and get rid of clothing that I know I am just never going to wear again. If you question it, just get rid of it! The best part of getting rid of the old is making room for the new! I like to follow the new trends and am always curious what the hottest fashion trends are. I like to be in the know. In doing a little research and following some of the big magazines like Vogue, Elle and Cosmo, these are some of the trends that we want to watch out for this spring. Ok, we want to start adding more Pastels into our wardrobes. You want to be head to toe in Pastel . If you are going to wear Pastels, go for it. Another color to watch out for this spring is Gray. Gray was all over the runway recently. Floral patterns are very hot right now, I especially have been seeing many floral dresses everywhere that are super cute! Stripes are making their way back on the hot trend list too! They can be vertical, horizontal, thick or skinny. I am not much of a stripe person, but I will try it out to see if it would work on me. Another hot trend is Lace. I absolutely love this! Lace dresses and tops were very big on the runway as well. I recently was at the Gap Outlet and found a white lace dress. I can’t wait to wear it this spring. I think I try it on at least once a week! Now this one is my favorite of them all, Leather is very hot in fashion right now. Not going to lie, I have always wanted a pair of leather pants and now I know that it will be ok for me to get a pair and wear them in public. I am definitely going to try this one out! Fashion is so much fun, and it is very fun trying new things, especially when you have some friends with you. Even if you just include a couple pieces to your wardrobe, like a floral, pastel or stripped top you will be styling wherever you go.

Easter is right around the corner, and while most people opt for the traditional candies such as jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, and Cadbury Eggs, I hold a special place in my heart for Peeps bunnies and chicks.

I don’t know what it is about these little sugar covered beauties, but I just love them. But not right out of the package mind you. OH NO. I’m a different kind of Peep enjoyer. I like to open the package along the box, and let them sit for a minimum of three days. Yes, it’s true, I love stale Peeps. I then eat their little eyes off, and if they are chicks, their heads go next, bunnies, so long ears!

I started to do some research about Peeps… Where they came from… Flavors… Forget those things. I found WAY better stuff. Get prepared, this blog is about to get awesome and I shall call this next section:

Amazing Peep Stuff:
1. Peep Jousting. Yes, there are even tournaments and brackets people set up for this. You get some Peeps, two colors if not more. Mark them with a Sharpie and give them a number (or name). Ready them with a tooth pick, their jousting stick. Put two on a plate, facing each other. Turn on your microwave. The Peep who wins is the one who stabs the other one first, causing his opponent to pop. Yeah, I’m totally doing this.
2. Peep food. From everything to Peepza, pizza with Peeps on it and yes they DO melt on there in big colored sugar globs, to Peepshi, sushi made from Peeps, fruit roll ups, and rice Krispie treats, to even dipping the bunny peeps in chocolate and making them some chocolate bowties (fancy bunnies!) to using a Peep as the marshmallow in a traditional smores and fondue, Peeps have taken the culinary world over!
3. Peep decorating: Why spend a ton of money buying Easter flowers when you can make a wreath of multi colored Peep bunnies, or string a garland of Peeps chicks? Still want some flowers? Get a large clear vase; fill the bottom with jelly beans and a layer of peeps on the top.
4. Peeping pictures. Google, Peeps Funny Pictures. Do it. I dare you.

My question to you… what do you do with your Peeps?

I hate to pay more than I have to for anything, and that starts with what I purchase every week: groceries. It doesn’t take clipping coupons in massive quantities or setting up shelving for a year’s supply of food like the fanatics on the TLC Network show Extreme Couponing. By doing a little planning and research, I’ve managed to reduce my grocery spending by about 20%. Here’s how:

1. First and most important: know how much the items that you purchase regularly cost. This helps you recognize when a special is actually a good deal. How much is a box of your favorite brand of cereal? Toothpaste? Pasta? When the price is low, buy two or more.

2. Make a list, and stick to it. Impulse purchases will negate any savings. Only grocery shop once a week, because the more time you spend at the store, the more money you’ll spend.

3. My mother’s rule: never shop with an empty stomach. As she says, “When canned spaghetti starts to look good, you need to leave the store before you buy things you shouldn’t!”

4. Use coupons for items that you buy regularly. If you don’t subscribe to the newspaper, pick one up on Sunday for the coupons. Printable coupons are available online at <a href=”http://www.coupons.com”>coupons.com</a>, <a href=”http://www.save.com”>save.com</a>, <a href=”http://www.smartsource.com”>smartsource.com</a>, <a href=”http://www.redplum.com”>redplum.com</a>, and <a href=”http://www.target.com”>Target.com</a>. Resist the urge to buy things that you don’t need ($1 off Sarah Lee pastry!) or that you haven’t tried just because you have a coupon. 75 cents off a new brand of shampoo that you find you hate isn’t a bargain if you end up throwing it out.

5. Make Target your first stop for groceries and household items. Though the prices on produce, meat, and dairy are higher at Target, many of their grocery items, frozen foods, and cleaning products are priced lower than the grocery stores. Target often offers gift cards for multiple purchases; last week I got a $5 gift card for buying five boxes of my son’s favorite NutriGrain cereal bars. Extra bonus for you and the environment: buy Target reusable shopping bags, and get 5 cents off for each one you use.

6. Get a Target Red Card Debit card. This takes 5% off everything you buy in the store. Your receipt shows your annual Red Card savings, and it adds up!

7. Get friendly with store brand products. Though some are inferior quality (the grocery store brand saltines – yuck!) many are the same, if not virtually identical to name brand products and cost 50 cents to $1 less than name brands.

8. Like Jill Cataldo’s Super-Couponing on Facebook and check out her website, <a href=”http://www.supercouponing.com”>supercouponing.com</a>. She shares sensible savings strategies and great coupons. I learned a lot of what is on this list from her.

Recently I have seen a new commercial for Glad Force-Flex garbage bags discussing the environmental benefits of using fewer trash bags. The idea is to wait until your trash is completely full before taking it out, thus using fewer trash bags and reducing the amount of plastic added to landfills each year.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuxOyakn4V8?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]

If you’re anything like me then you already wait until the bag is practically overflowing. Does that mean there are people out there that are throwing their trash out before the bag is full? To those people guilty of such a heinous and frivolous habit, I say, “Stop it!”

Anyway, this commercial got me thinking. I’m already doing my part to save plastic, what other ways can I cut back on my carbon footprint, and even save a little money in doing so.
Now, I know what you’re thinking; yet another frugal nature lover with a list of tips to “help” save money and energy. But give me a chance and maybe these tips are ones you haven’t heard before that may really make a difference.
1.) Phantom Power: Not everyone is aware of the small amount of power used by electronics and appliances when they are not in use. Radios, televisions, DVD players, and computers all use a small wattage amount, around 3 watts, to remain receptive to any remotes or start ups. This small amount of energy may not seem like a big deal to one person, but if every home in America is using small amounts, it adds up to a very large amount each year. The tip: plug your devices and electronics into a surge protector or power strip. Then when you aren’t watching tv and using that awesome surround sound, turn on the strip with one switch. This will save you a few dollars on each bill, which adds up over the year.
2.) Displaced Water in the Toilet Tank: This tip I hadn’t heard of before and it sounds like a good idea to me. Growing up in the woods spending time at my grandparent’s house, we were taught the “If it’s yellow, let it mellow” rule. Using less water was a good idea then since we were limited being so far from a city water system. I think a lot of us living with a seemingly endless supply of water that comes to us at a somewhat low price; we tend to take advantage of our fresh water supply. The tip: fill a small plastic bottle with sand or rocks (anything to weigh it down that won’t leak out) and drop it in your toilet tank. This will cause less water to reach the fill line in the tank, thus saving a little bit of water with each flush.
3.) Keep Your Freezer Full: It takes more energy to cool an empty freezer than a full one. So if you’re freezer is ever not completely full, try your best to keep it that way. Even packing it with more ice can help. Again, this will help with just a little bit of energy use, but in the long run it will save money on your utility bill.
In case I haven’t supplied you with a sufficient supply of energy saving tips, feel free to visit the following link for more ideas to help you save money in other ways.

Win the War on Debt: 80 Ways to Be Frugal and Save Money

Stay tuned for Part 2 for more fun ways to save money and Mother Earth!

Have you ever spent a long time searching for a piece of art work to match your decor? I sadly face this dilemma all the time! I’ve had an empty space above my nightstand in my bedroom that has been begging for art work. A few months ago I paid $20 for a beach scene print that matched nicely but it was an awkward size and when I went to the store to have it framed they told me the custom frame would cost $450!!

$450?? I nearly passed out on the floor!!

I decided that I needed to make this into a DIY project so I headed to the local craft store. I walked up and down the scrapbook paper aisle and found a beautiful piece of 79 cent scrapbook paper that had greenery on it….a perfect match for my bedroom decor! Next, I headed to the photo frame aisle and found a frame that was 50% off! Perfect.

I went home and placed my green scrapbook paper inside the frame and VOILA….a new piece of artwork for my bedroom that was inexpensive and a perfect match!

Have you tried creating your own art work??

“The weather channel predicted snow over night, it hadn’t started by the time you went to bed.  Morning comes, you lay there with your eyes closed for a minute.  That rumble outside, is that a plow? You jump out of bed with the question in your mind “what did we get?”  Throw open the curtains and look out on a world of white.  Everything is covered with snow.  “I wonder how much we got? I wonder how much Keene got?” (the next town over and your travel destination for work this morning).  Waking up to an overnight snow storm is like getting a Christmas present you don’t have to unwrap, and after you admire your gift, you call your friends to see what their gift was, is it as wonderful as yours?”  Ok, so that would be how it plays out in December, January, maybe even in February.  But March? Look out the window at a snow covered March morning and think “Rats.”