I thought I'd throw out my favorite cleaning tools that I really like and work pretty darn good.
The first one Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. These little suckers are great on almost anything. I used to use them on my mom's white laminate floors, and holy moly did they work good. I now use them to clean my white apartment walls and my super ugly white counters.
The second cleaning supply is Method! I really like and have used it for a little over 3 years now. I was first introduced to it through my BFF. Unlike most cleaning supplies, this doesn't smell as chemically as other products sometimes do. I use the multi-purpose cleaner, the Little Bowl Blu (toilet bowl cleaner), and the shower cleaner. Method also makes their bottles from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. I have yet to use other products, but I'm sure they work just as well. If you have a Target near you, you can purchase these items there. Target usually offers an on-line coupon. The last one is Oxi Clean. I'm sure you've seen this on all kinds of infomercials, but it really does work. I've only used it on my carpet. I mix it in a bottles with warm water and it takes any stain out that I've had so far.
This is a website that sends you daily emails with an item for sale. You have to buy the item within so many hours. Check this site out for awesome home furnishings!
This is by far my favorite. This site combines all daily deals into one website! With slickdeals, I've gotten great deals on movie, gifts, magazines, beauty products, and tons of coupons! Check this one everyday twice a day! This site will also let you know if Groupon on Living Social is having a deal in another city that is nation wide (Barnes and Nobles coupon)
Sign up for Groupon and get daily deals in your own city. Groupon offers 50% or more discounts of beauty services, restaurants, exercise classes, and local stores. I've boughten a lot of these in the past, anywhere from Barnes and Nobles, lots of restaurants, salon services, stores, and tons of others! If you plan on visiting another city for a vacation, check there's daily as well. Groupon's will expire, so make sure you don't take on too many.
Living Social is basically the same as Groupon, but they offer a discounted trip that usually includes air fair and a hotel. From what I noticed, it's usually down south, Caribbean, Jamaica, etc.
Another daily deals site. This site usually sends out a deal every other day. Lots of Restaurant.com (great idscounted site for local restaurants), and Exclusively Weddings! I 3 of those offers, and basically got $80s worth of Bridesmaid presents for half the price! And I;m almost certain you can buy as many as you want.
Woot has a daily electronics deal everyday. But then they also offer a daily kids toy, wine set, and a custom shirt. Sometimes you can find awesome, super cheap electronics. PAY ATTENTION! Some days they have Woot Offs, where they will sell something until it's sold out and then start another item. You will know this when you see blinking yellow cop car lights. ALSO:If you ever get a chance to buy "A Bag of Crap"! Do it! It's $10, but it could be anything from an IPod to a flat screen television.
Sign up for Target's email list and they will send you a daily deal everyday. This ranges anywhere from women's clothing to patio furniture sets. Target now offers coupons as well you can just print off from your printer and some don't expire for months.
Amazon.com has great daily deals. I love this site because I have a lot of family outside of where and I live. I can shop on here for what I want and then send it to them without having to pay shipping. If you're not a member, shipping usually costs $3.99 for two-day shipping, or you can sign up for their annual membership which is $75. Or if you spend over $25, two-day shipping is free. You can also get free shipping if you are a parent or a student (like me!).
If you buy a lot of Disney movies (like me) you can enter the rewards here and redeem points towards other things. I did all mine yesterday and came up with 1400 points, enough to buy a lot of different blu-rays!
If you're from Omaha check out
DAILYDEALOMAHA- sends out daily deals like Groupon or LivingSocial
HalfOffDeals- Complies a list of half off deals going on in Omaha
GLASSES- I bought mine at the Dollar Tree for (of course) $1
Enamel acrylic based paint-($1-$2) any craft store- I bought mine at Hobby Lobby and Joann's Craft Store- don't get discouraged if they don't have your color (this happened to me) just experiment and make your own.
Hint: It has to be enamel- only acrylic based paint will not work.
Brushes and sponges- any craft store
Stencil- any craft store or make your own! I used my Cricut (treasured)
Optional: ribbon, rhinestones, etc.
Directions
If you have a cricut, you can cut out the stencil that you want. For my first one I just used letters, but with a cricut you can basically cut out any shape. I have Sure-Cuts-A-Lot which is basically any shape or type of font out there, just way cheaper then a Cricut Cartridge.
Supplies and cutouts.
I started by painting the bottom and letting it dry.
Tape on the shape and use a sponge brush to painting on the shape. Use the other end of the brush to scrape off any mistake.
When you are all finished, bake the glass according to the directions on the enamel paint.
Try different things! I painted some fun zebra stripes, and I'm currently working on a giraffe print for a birthday! It was super fun to paint these and they come out to0 be anywhere from $3-6 dollars a piece. I had most of the supplies, (besides glasses) so for me, they were a lot cheaper!
Brides-to-Be- consider asking your bridesmaid what their favorite colors are. Remember, this is your gift to them, try not to make it all about your wedding (wedding colors, decorating it in "Bridesmaids" lettering). If you want them to use it at your wedding, then it's acceptable.
In case you don't know. Birch Box is a site the offers for a $10 a month fee, 5 make-up, body, skin care, and lifestyle samples. Usually, and I say usually, the amount in the Birchbox is well over $10. If you love beauty products, but wish to try before you buy, this is a great site!
Stila Eyeshadow Pans in Compact
My first item was a full size Stila eye shadow. In Sephora, or Stila's website, this retails for $18. So there's my money right there! This is a really pretty maroon red that great paired with pinks, browns, or even purples. I have yet to use it, but it really makes me want to buy a Z-Palette!
TINY PRINTS CARD
I thought this was kind of lame, but I'll end up using it anyways! This is a card from Tiny Prints. It's cute and has a little design on the inside.
Archipelago Pomegranate Soap 1.1 oz.
My next item was pomegranate soap. It smells really good, and I have yet to use! But like I said, it smells super yummy! Retail price $35 for three full items, not sure how much the sample is by itself.
AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream 3.4 oz.
This stuff is super soft. Wow! Probably the softest hand cream I've used before. And the great thing about this product is that it will last me FOREVER. Doesn't have a nice smell though. I received .68 fl. oz. Sample value= $4.
BVLGARI Mon Jasmin Noir 50mL
This was probably my least favorite product. I don't wear a lot of perfumes. I stick to one body spray and that's Bath and Body Work's Secret Wonderland. This retails $80. Sample value= $3
Total BirchBox Value= $25 or more.
The thing I like most about Birchbox is that you can build up loyalty points for every transaction and feedback you leave for the products you receive. You can then use those loyalty points to get discounts of full size products. When you first sign up, they ask you question about you personally and base the products off of that. And the good thing about samples is that I use them so sparingly and they'll probably last me a long time.
Overall thoughts about May BirchBox- I love the fact that I got a cosmetic! That was my one reason for signing up. Even though I don't typically wear maroon eye shadow, I'll still play around with it and give it a try. I also loved the soap, the hand cream, and I'll eventually use the card someway or another. Overall, I'd say well worth the money and I'll definitely do it again.
Have some mismatched plates laying around the house that you don't know what to do with? Maybe you've inherited a china set from a mother or grandmother and you just can't seem to part with them. Well I have an awesome solution for you.
Elegant Jewelry Holder
I am in know way taking credit for this idea. This was originally done by Restored Style (who has a killer blog that I've gotten so many ideas from)
Plates (2 or 3), glass (flute, wine 1 or 2)... a topper (tea cup, gravy bowl, bowl, shot glass, box), glue.
My so-so Good Will finds! I bought two matching plates, a shot glass, a champagne flute, and a bowl... I was boring and stuck with white, because my Good Will didn't have anything good.
All-in-all about $5.00.
Used a clear silicone glue (that was horribly messy), but they do make a glass glue that you should be able to find at a home store (Menards, Home Depot, Lowes). I could not find it at HobbyLobby.
Glue each piece together, and let completely dry.
Finished Product. I started with the plate and glued the flute on top of that. Then I glued the other plate to it. I then glued the shot glass, and then the bowl on top.
The jewelry makes it super pretty.
This idea would also be great for a cake or cupcake holder.
It's resting home.
Other great ideas for plates!
Garden Border- use plates to make a vintage inspired border in your garden. It's super easy and cheap to pick up a set of plates at a thrift store.
I had such a fun time making these and definitely saved a bundle doing it myself!
Items you will need
1. Crimping beads
2. Wire
3. Scissors
4. Beads
5. Pliers
Crimping Beads (2.99 with 50% off at Hobby Lobby= $1.50)
Different beads- I used four different colors of pearls (8mm rose, salmon, light pink, and grey), flat beads, crystal ball beads, and small clear glass beads. Wire .46 mm (I doubled the wire for the necklace), scissors, flat nose pliers, round pliers, closing pliers. Start by measuring and cutting the wire. I double up the wire and left enough to tie it off.
The most difficult part about this product was choosing the pattern. I spaced my beads about 1 inch apart. Star by using the crimping beads and using your closing pliers to close them off.
The finished product. For the necklace I started with the focal point of the necklace, the crystal ball bead. I used two crimping beads to secure it and then worked from there. I went from darkest bead (rose) to the lightest (light pink).
Between the crimping beads, I used the smaller glass beads.
I chose not to use the use the small glass beads with the crystal ball bead. When your finished, take a fastener and attach it to one side and use the loop on the other side. MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE or it will be off. For the bracelet, I decided to make it a little more elaborate because you don't always see the wrist, unlike the face and ears. I doubled up the pearls (8mm) and used the same pattern as in the necklace. For the center, I used the crystal ball bead, smaller (6mm) with the flat crystal beads in between. Between each bead to space it off, I used the smaller glass beads. For how to make earrings click here . For the earrings, I use the smaller (6mm) pink pearls, the flat crystal pears in two different sizes (a smaller and a larger), and 8mm grey and salmon pearls. I thought it would be fun to make myself a pair as well. A lot of women usually wear an heirloom from a mother or grandmother, which I don't have. These turned out pretty, and I'm not sure yet whether I'll commit or not.
Each jewelry set came out to be about $5.00 or less. If you have the time give it a try and save yourself some money!
The second cleaning supply is Method! I really like and have used it for a little over 3 years now. I was first introduced to it through my BFF. Unlike most cleaning supplies, this doesn't smell as chemically as other products sometimes do. I use the multi-purpose cleaner, the Little Bowl Blu (toilet bowl cleaner), and the shower cleaner. Method also makes their bottles from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic. I have yet to use other products, but I'm sure they work just as well. If you have a Target near you, you can purchase these items there. Target usually offers an on-line coupon. 
