KidSteals

A new website has joined the Baby Steals and Scrapbook Steals family. The e-doors of KidSteals.com are now open! Yes, it's just like BabySteals but for your toddlers and kids! Hot products at the best price from the best brands in the industry, every day at 9am MST.

All this, with the same level of fanatical customer service and lightning fast shipping you are used to from BabySteals.com and ScrapbookSteals.com! Visit and sign up for the KidSteals Daily Steal E-mail Alert so you never miss a steal.

Easy Table Runner

You will need:

1. 3 - 4 different fabrics - I used 1 yard for the middle section, 1 1/3 yard for the smaller stripe and back, and 2/3 yard for the end piece.
2. Thread
3. 1 yard fusible interfacing
4. Sewing machine, sewing notions

Time: about 60 - 90 minutes
Cost: variable, depending on your fabric
**All seam allowances are 1/4"**

Instructions:

1. Cut your fabric to the following lengths:
a. middle piece: 36" x 18"
b. smaller stripes: 6" x 18" (2)
c. end stripes: 12" x 18" (2)
d: back: 36" x 18" (2)

2. Lay your fabric out to create the design of the table runner.

3. Pin right sides together and sew the top of the runner.

4. Pin your back piece (right sides together) and sew together.

5. Cut your interfacing to fit the table runner (2 pieces of 36" x 18"). Following the interfacing instructions, iron the interfacing to the wrong side of your back piece.

6. Pin the front and back pieces of your table runner (right sides together) and sew it together, leaving a 6" opening.

7. Turn the table runner right side out and iron smooth. Pin the opening edge of the runner and sew closed.

Why You Seriously Should Consider Couponing...

I bought all of this (13 cans of Campbells)...

...for about 70 cents!!!

Between the sale Alberton's was having, my manufacturer coupons, Albertson's doubler coupons, and the $5 catalina I got back, this cost me less than 70 cents total. If you are interested in learning more about couponing, I highly recommend that you visit the Krazy Coupon Lady or Coupon Addicted. They can teach you all that you need to know to get started!

Modbe Clearance!

Another Modbe Clearance...this time they are moving wherehouses and are discounting some items up to 75% Click here to check it out!

Beyond the Rack

Beyond the Rack is a website similar to Ideeli and Guilt. Beyond the Rack is a private shopping club for men and women who want designer brands at prices up to 70% off retail. They work with major brands to hold limited-time sales that are open exclusively to members. Each sale starts at a specific time (usually noon) and typically lasts only 48 hours. After the sale ends the merchandise is no longer available. You can sign up for e-mails that alert you to upcoming events.

Paint Deals Cont....

Lowe's also has the same $5 off a gallon of paint. It is a mail in rebate, and not instant savings though!

Paint Deals

Behr Paint and the Home Depot are currently promoting a rebate offer: buy 1 gallon of Behr paint and get $5 back, or buy a 5 gallon paint pail and get $20 back by mail-in rebate. Definitely check this out if you are thinking of doing some painting in the near future. I am not sure how much longer this promotion will last...so hurry quick!

Can You Do Me a Favor...

...by completing the two surveys on the right? I want to make this blog more useful, so I would appreciate any suggestions that you have. If you have any ideas or comments besides what is on the survey, please leave a comment. Thanks!

Scrapbook Steals

Scrapbook Steals is a new website that was created by the same people who brought us Baby Steals. This is what they say about their new website:

"This will be the place where crafters of all levels get hooked up with the latest 'ScrapbookSteal' at an unbelievable price. Whether you 'scrap' every day or once a year; whether 'scrap' to you means making cards or full blown albums; you'll find a steal on ScrapbookSteals.com! If the words albums, paper, tools, die cuts, chipboard, scissors, cardstock, rub-ons, punches, embellishments, brads, charms, stamps, ribbon and markers make you giddy, you will love ScrapbookSteals.com!

All with the same level of fanatical customer service and lighting fast shipping you are used to from BabySteals.com! New steal daily - 9am MST."

Like BabySteals, you can sign up to receive daily alerts that tell you about the item that is being featured. Happy scrapbooking!

Baby/Child Hooded Towel

You will need:

1 bath towel

1 washcloth (same color as towel)

Coordinating ribbon, fabric, etc to accent the towel

Instructions:

1. Add any desired ribbon or enhancement to your towel and washcloth. I chose to sew ribbon on my towel. You could also sew on a pattern, add fabric, embroider the child's name...feel free to be creative and make it your own.
2. Fold the washcloth in half, with right sides together. Pin the top of the washcloth and sew a narrow hem (about 1/4").

3. Turn the washcloth (now the hood for your towel) right side out. It will probably look something like this:

4. Center the hood on the top of the towel, right sides together. Pin in place and sew, using a 1/4" hem.

Baby Bibs

These baby bibs are way cute and are super easy to sew!

This instructions and pattern for this bib came from Chickpea Sewing Studio.

You will need:

• Fabric: 1/3 yard fun fabric for the front, 1/3 yard coordinating flannel, terry cloth, corduroy, etc for the back.
• Thread
• Snap
• Pattern

Directions:

• Prewash fabric.
• Fold one piece of fabric (wrong sides together) and pin the pattern along the fold. Cut the pattern out. Repeat for the other side of fabric.

• Pin the front and back, wrong sides together. Sew the front and back together using a double stitch and 1/4 inch seam allowance. Leave a small opening (about 1") for turning.
• Turn the bib inside out and press with a warm iron.
• Edgestich around the bib, making sure that the open hem has been tucked in. The edgestich should sew the open end closed.

• Attach snaps.

Baby Receiving Blanket

Gather the following supplies:
2 (45") pieces of coordinating flannel fabric (one piece for front, one for back)
Matching thread
Salad plate (if rounding corners)
Rotary cutter and mat or scissors
Sewing machine and notions

Instructions:

1. Pre-wash and iron fabric, trim ends
2. Pin right sides of fabric together
3. For rounded corners: use a salad plate as a pattern, and place it in the corner of the fabric. Cut around the outer edge of the salad plate to create a rounded edge.
4. Using a 1" seam, sew the edges of the flannel together. Leave a small opening (about 4-6").
5. Turn the blanket right side out through the opening.
6. Pin the open edge of the blanket closed.
7. Sew a decorative stitch (I used a zig-zag), around the edge of the blanket using a 3/8" seam. This stitch should sew the open edge of the blanket closed.

Free Shipping and Other Great Deals

Who doesn't want free shipping? Shopping online can be great, but sometimes those little added costs, like shipping, add up. Fortunately, there are websites that are designed to supply you with promotional codes and deals that will help you get free shipping or a discount on your purchase. Try checking one of these websites the next time you plan to make a purchase online, and you may end up saving yourself a few bucks:

www.currentcodes.com

www.promotionalcodes.com

www.couponcabin.com

www.couponcode.com

You can also try googling "coupon codes" to get several other results. These are the ones that I have tried...I use currentcodes most frequently.

Shop it to Me: Your Free Personal Shopper

Shop it to Me is a website that e-mails you when your favorite stores and designers are having online sales. You can choose to receive e-mails daily, weekly, or anything in between. You choose the stores, designers, and types of products that you want to receive notifications about. It is a great way to find deals on the products you are looking for. To check it out, visit:
http://www.shopittome.com/shhsecret/baa9d542

Ideeli

Ideeli is a website that is similar to Gilt Group, but they seem to offer a wider variety of products. Different items go on sale throughout the week, and are usually only available for about a day. They also periodically have give-aways that you can enter to win. You have to be a member to shop, so follow this link to join:
http://www.ideeli.com/invite/lisapearson

Refurbished Desk

I had been looking for a desk that I could use for crafts for a while, and I saw this beauty at the Centerville D.I. a few weeks ago. I realize it isn't much to look at in this picture, but it is made of solid wood, has built-in shelving, and was only $30. So, I decided that I would refurbish it and give it a whole new look.

To get started, you will need:

1. Furniture to refurbish
2. Electric sander
3. Paint
4. Paintbrush - I used a foam brush to help avoid brush strokes
5. Drawer hardware (pulls or handles)

Instructions:

1. Wipe down the furniture with a clean, damp cloth.
2. Using the electric sander, sand the furniture. If you sand it to the wood (thus removing the old pain), painting will probably be easier.
3. Begin painting. Make sure that you apply an even coat. You may need to paint more than one coat in order to have adequate coverage.
4. When the paint is dry, apply the new drawer hardware

Here is the finished product: (sorry...these pictures didn't turn out the greatest)

I love how this desk has built-in shelving on the side. It gives me even more storage room.

If you are able to find a decent piece of furniture, refurbishing can be an affordable way to give it a new look. Including the price of the desk, this project cost me less than $50.

Gilt Group

Gilt Group is an online company that sells designer merchandise at up to 70% off of retail prices. They have products for women, men, children, and home. You have to be a member to shop on their site, but membership is free. The website features new sales beginning at 12:00 EST on weekdays. You can preview the sales in advance so that you know what to watch for. Be advised - products sell out very quickly. Some items are still pretty pricey, but if you are looking for a specific designer or don't mind a lot of browsing, I think that you can still get some good deals. I was able to get this shirt by James Perse for $13 + shipping...the suggested retail price was $85! Check them out at www.gilt.com.

Modbe Clearance!

Modbe Clothing is an online/catalog clothing company that sells modest clothing, such as shirts, pants, skirts, and bathing suits. They sell children, tween, women, plus, and maternity sizes. Right now, Modbe is having a clearance sell on their website - you can get shirts, skirts, and other items starting at $5!!! It looks like sizes are starting to get limited...check it out at www.modbeclothing.com.

Accent Pillows

Accent pillows can be an easy, affordable way to add a little personality to your room. These pillows are very easy to sew and making them yourself may be less expensive than purchasing them from the store.

Skill level: Beginner

You will need:

1. Sewing machine
2. Fabric with matching thread*
3. A pillow form

*Some fabric stores sell remnant pieces of fabric at great prices. I purchased my fabric from Material Girls Quilts and was able to buy remnant pieces for about $5/pillow.

Directions:

1. Cut the fabric that will be used for the front of your pillow into a square that is approximately 1" larger than the size of your pillow form. I cut my fabric into a 16" square because I used a 15" pillow - for the sake of these directions, I will include the measurements that I used for a 15" pillow.
2. Cut the fabric that will be used for the back of your pillow into a 16" x 21" rectangle (16" tall, 21" wide).
3. Cut the back fabric piece in half, so that you have two 16" x 10.5" pieces.
4. Next, hem one side (the 16" side) of each back piece. I made a 1/2" hem.
5. Once you have hemmed one side of both back pieces, pin both back pieces to the front pillow piece, right sides together. The hems on the back pieces should be in the middle of the pillow and the fabric should be overlapping.
6. Sew the back pieces to the four side of the front pillow piece. I used a 1/2" hem.
7. Turn your sewn pillow right-side-out and insert your pillow form. Congratulations - you have an accent pillow!

Steep for Cheap

Maren - thank you for this tip!

Steep for Cheap is an online vendor for outdoor clothing and products. They offer one item at a great deal until that item has been sold out. As soon as that deal is sold out, they start another deal. Items can be marked down as much as 50-80%, so deals sell out quickly. The deal changes several times a day, and you can sign up to receive alerts when a new item pops up. Check them out at www.steepandcheap.com.

MyPoints

MyPoints is a website that allows you to earn points for viewing websites, taking surveys, and buying products from some online retailers. You can then redeem your points for rewards, such as gift cards. You generally earn 5 points for viewing the websites that they recommend, 50 points for taking a survey, and then a certain number of points per dollar that you spend. They have a wide variety of online merchants that participate, such as Ebay, Overstock, Barnes and Noble, Gap, and Target. If you don't make a lot of purchases online, it can take a while to accrue enough points for a reward (you usually need around 3500 for a $25 gift card), but if you don't mind being patient, it is worth it. The way that I look at it, they are giving me a free gift card to browse around online, right? To check out MyPoints or to sign up, visit www.mypoints.com.

BabySteals

If you are pregnant, have a baby, or know someone who does, BabySteals is a great website to check out. Every weekday morning, they offer a new "steal", which is a quality baby or maternity item selling for 50-80% off of retail price. The daily steal starts at 9:00 AM and the products sell out quickly. You can also choose to sign-up for a daily e-mail which tells you about the day's steal. BabySteals will either mail your purchase to you or you can choose to pick it up for free at an office in Murray. To visit the website, check out their blog, and learn more, visit www.babysteals.com.

KSL Classifieds or Ebay

I know I know who wants ....glup....used items! However you can find great deals on KSL or Ebay. Some of you might be a little leery about buying on Ebay. With Ebay there is usually a protection policy that keeps the seller from selling you crap and getting away with your money, as long as you follow Ebay rules.

I got a brand new duvet cover normally $119 from West Elm on Ebay for $100. It was still brand new. However what makes this an even better deal is the seller also include the European shams ($50) for free. Ultimately I paid $110 and I got all new bedding. I bought this in the natural color so it goes with everything. I can use all my same sheets and I get a new look every time I change the sheets.

Not bad....a whole new room for $110!