Two Using What I Had, Before and After Projects

I really enjoyed working in the farmhouse yard over the three day Memorial Day weekend.  I did a couple of projects that reused and/or upcycled some things I already had on hand.

First, I took a broken clay pot,

And a few plants,

Some hard work,

Lots of garden tools,

And ended up with flowers spilling out of a pot.

The plants should fill in and spread along the ground in front of the pot.

The second project was to update these rusty wrought iron plant stands that belonged to my Mama.  They are at least 45 years old and the iron was really getting thin due to the rust.

After using a couple of cans of spray paint and adding some clay pots with shade loving plants, I ended up with this arrangement.  When the plants fill in it will look even better.

I hope you have a very nice last week in May, 2015!

SWAG CODE ALERT

I received another email from Swagbucks with a Swag Code that I can share with my friends and blog readers.

Its good for 3 swag bucks today only from 1:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern time

Enter MOARSurveys in the Swag Code Box. (Betwen 1 and 2 PM Eastern time today).

If you aren't a member of Swag Bucks, here's my referral link, if you'd like to sign up.

Debbie's Swagbucks Referral Link.

I love earning Amazon Gift Cards and saving them for Christmas.  I've been saving them for a few months now and have almost $100.00.  I'm not a big swag buck earner, maybe 20 to 30 points a day.  Some days much more.  But if I stick to it and do a little every day, it really does add up and having some referrals, would help boost that amount.

Let me know if this code works for you!

Thanks!!!

Updates From The Farmhouse

I finally decided to update my cell phone to a smart phone!  I had been using a basic phone that I could only call and text with.  I really did love my old phone and figured since I had access to the internet with my laptop at home and the desk top at work, why would I need it any other time?

Well, my old phone was on its last leg and when I checked into it, upgrading to a smart phone was only a little more per month.   I'm enjoying learning how to use it and hope to use it to save money doing things like Check Out 51.  So far I've got $3.75 in my Check Out 51 account, by buying things I already buy, such as bananas and eggs.  Doing little things like that with my phone will help pay for it.  You can upload your receipts to Check Out 51 with a regular computer, but a smart phone makes it a lot easier!

You can also do the Savings Catcher at Walmart much easier with a smart phone, but I really don't grocery shop at Walmart very much.

Do you know of any other ways that a smart phone can be used to help pay for itself?

I'm still in a baking mood and so here's another almost from scratch cake.  This one has chocolate chips hand folded into a store bought white cake mix batter, as well as stuck all over the outside.   It looks a little funny, but was delicious.  Especially with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup!

Picture of cake with chocolate spikes taken with my new phone.

Its crazy, but I've had this Bundt pan with the storage/carrying cntainer for a few years and had never used it.  It was a Christmas gift and until a couple of weeks ago, it was still in its cardboard cover.

Really love this Bundt cake container.

Now that I've started using it, I love it!

SWAG CODE ALERT

I received an email from Swagbucks with a Swag Code that would only be good for my friends and blog readers.

Its good for 3 swag bucks today only from 1:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern time

Enter BloggerLove in the Swag Code Box. (Betwen 1 and 2 PM Eastern time today).

If you aren't a member of Swag Bucks, here's my referral link, if you'd like to sign up.

Debbie's Swagbucks Referral Link.

I love earning Amazon Gift Cards and saving them for Christmas.  I've been saving them for a few months now and have almost $100.00.  I'm not a big swag buck earner, maybe 20 to 30 points a day.  Some days much more.  But if I stick to it and do a little every day, it really does add up and having some referrals, would help boost that amount.

Let me know if this code works for you!

Thanks!!!

Around the Farmhouse Yard

I snapped a few picture on a beautiful May day, walking around in the yard.

Thanks to Sub-Tropical Storm Ana, we have water front property, temporarily.  But, all that rain was good for my flowers!

Here are a few of the flowers in my yard in different stages of growth:

Mother's Day Gift from my son, a hanging basket of Geraniums.

Zinnias!

Looking forward to the Zinnias being as tall as the birdhouses!

This last one is a Hydrangea that my hubby gave me for Mother's Day.  I'll be planting it outside eventually, but its beautiful sitting in a sunny window inside for now.

Semi-From-Scratch Lemon Pound Cake

My hubby loves lemon pound cake and so I searched on line for recipes.  I ran across one using a Duncan Hines Cake Mix that has added ingredients.  That wasn't really what I was looking for, but my coworker told me she makes it all the time and that it turns out great.  Easy and delicious... I'm always up for that! 

It did turn out really delicious and I have added it to my list of keeper recipes.

I used my Bundt cake pan.  You can find the recipe on the Duncan Hines Signature Lemon Cake Mix box.  The frosting is the Duncan Hines Vanilla flavor.  But I am going to try the lemon flavor next time.  You just heat a small amount in the microwave for just a few seconds and then drizzle it over the cake.

The recipe can also be found HERE.

Bible Study

Happy Friday!

This is week two of an online Bible Study that I am participating in and enjoying very much.  The name of the Bible Study is "What Happens When Women Walk in Faith" and its being offered by Proverbs 31 Ministries.  There are also daily devotions on the Proverbs 31 website that I enjoy.

The Bible Study is free, but you do need the book, which was written by Lysa TerKeurst.  I like instant gratification, so I got the book on my Kindle.  Now that Ive been doing the Bible Study for a couple of weeks, I really wish I had bought the actual book.  I checked my local Christian book store, but this particular book isn't in their stock.  Its not a new book, so I guess that's why.  In the future, when I do a Bible Study, I will go ahead and get the book.

But, one good thing about having the book on the Kindle is that I can read it during the night without bothering my Hubby!

I made myself a Bible study notebook using a plain white notebook that I already had.  I inserted some pretty scrapbook paper inside the front, back and on the spine of the notebook.  Then I created some pages to write on each day. 

At the end of each chapter are questions and Bible verses to look up.  The notebook is a great place to write down answers to questions, copy down Bible verses, and write prayers.  I usually go to the kitchen table in the mornings to do my Bible study.  I plan to go back to this notebook in the future to refresh my memory on the things I am learning.

This Bible study has been very helpful to me in learning to Trust God.  What does my future hold?  I'm not sure, but I want to walk in faith and find out!

I hope you have a great weekend!

WHAT'S ON MY SEWING TABLE FRIDAY - A Finished Quilt

I finished a quilt for my new nephew, Brayden.

I washed and dried this quilt before giving it away.

I wanted to finish it before he was born, but that just didn't happen.  The center of the quilt is a solid piece of fabric.  I thought it was so cute just like it was, I couldn't see the point in cutting it up and then sewing it back together again.  This type of quilt sure does go together quickly!

The backing fabric is red, white and blue stars.

Brayden's Mom loves this quilt.  Its perfect for a little boy.

This Week's Quilting Project

Just a short post to show what I'm working on this week.

A new nephew, Brayden, was born last week.  I wanted to have this done before he was born, but since he only weighs 5 pounds 1 ounce, I think its safe to say he won't need this size quilt too soon!

I finished pin basting it and have the sewing machine all set up for quilting.  So, hopefully, I can finish it this week.

Its raining here this morning.  Of course it is!  Its Monday!

Have a great day!

Icy Day Sewing - Part 2

It turns out that my office is closed all day, so I had time to do a little sewing.  In case you already thought I was a little quirky, here's confirmation.  I made a clothespin bag and took pictures of it hanging from the front porch with the wintry scene behind it.

Thinking of summer days with clothes on the line and wishing you a cozy day!

Icy Tuesday and Recent Sewing

There's a two hour delay for work today.  Yay!  I'm hoping for a whole day off, but its not even light enough outside to tell what's out there yet.

I made myself a new key fob recently.  I love this sunflower fabric!

I made a new style of clothespin bag.  This one is for my stepdaughter, whose husband built her a new clothesline last summer.  I plan to make some of these for my Etsy Shop if I EVER get time to work on them.

Depending on what today holds for me, I hope to work on another bag.

Stay Warm!