The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge - Week #13

Welcome to Week #13 of The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge.  This week we save thirteen dollars.  Our total saved to date is ninety-one dollars.  Week #13 is a milestone.  It means that we are officially 25% of the way through this challenge. 

  

If you'd like weekly challenge updates to help you stay current with The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge, subscribe to this blog.  How?  There are some button thingys in the right-hand column that let you subscribe via google or email. For a free printable chart, check out Stuck At Home Mom's 52 Week Money Challenge. Happy saving!

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Free Pattern for Baby Shorts and Pants - Matching Sets for Brothers

I decided to make some clothes for my grandson GERONIMO and had enough material to make his little brother a matching outfit. We celebrated GERONIMO's 2nd birthday with a trip to the zoo.  


I found the guitar print fabric at Walmart and knew it would be perfect. The lighter colored cotton fabric for the shorts came from Hobby Lobby.

The shorts are made using the Lucy one piece pdf pattern for pants and shorts by Joanne Greathead. I downloaded this pattern a couple of years ago from Burda and can no longer find the link.  If anyone knows where the link is found, please share it in the comment section.  I'd love to link it back to the proper source.  It is a great pattern and so simple to use!

Here is a photo of the pdf pattern pieced together and cut.  

Here is the pattern itself.  Sorry you can't download it as pdf, but at least you can print it out on standard 8.5" x 11" paper.  Just right click on the large image on the right, click Save As and then save it (4 in all) as a png image.  Then voila!  You can print it out too!  I love free patterns, don't you?  The largest size shown is 12 to 18 months and was not included on original pattern. I added it in myself for my own grandchildren because I needed a larger size.  To make the shorts, just shorten the length of the trousers to your desired length plus hem allowance.

The pattern for the shirts is Simplicity 3765 . My dear friend BINGO gave me a bunch of baby size patterns, and I found this one amongst them.  It was perfect!

 

Since the LARGE size was 18 months and I knew it needed to be just a bit bigger, I increased the size of the Large 18 months shirt pattern by one size to fit the birthday boy.   The smaller one is size SMALL 6 months.  It is hard to see in the photo but I did a bit of decorative stitching around the neck.  Instead of using regular interfacing, I used a scrap piece from a well-worn bed sheet for my interfacing and stitched it to the neck with the decorative stitching.  I'd rather have soft cotton touching their necks than store-bought interfacing because it will feel better on their sensitive skin.  Instead of Velcro, I chose to use snaps for the closure.  Machine sewing through Velcro with adhesive is not a good idea. Inside the sleeves of the smaller shirt, I stitched very narrow yellow ribbon to keep the machine stitching from scratching my grandson's tender skin.  

I used the same ribbon inside the legs of the shorts behind the decorative stitching for the smaller size. 

I really enjoy making clothes and things for my family.  I think I'll make several more pairs of the shorts in various prints and colors for this summer. 

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The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge - Week #12

Welcome to Week #12 of The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge.  This week we save twelve dollars.  Including this week, our total savings is currently seventy-eight dollars.  Congratulations to everyone who is taking the challenge with me.  It is worth the effort.  Expect a nice pay off for your actions.  By following The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge as directed, you will have saved one thousand three hundred seventy-eight dollars cash by the end of this year.  I think of it as one big lovely reward.  The best part is that we did it all on our own.  

If you are new to the challenge, you can catch up with the rest of us by saving seventy-eight dollars this week and then following the weekly challenge savings plan.  If you can't quite do that, why not start from the beginning?  Make today Week #1 and  continue on from there.

For weekly challenge updates, subscribe to this blog via blogger, google, or email. For a free printable chart, check out Stuck At Home Mom's 52 Week Money Challenge.  Happy saving!

The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge - Week #11

Welcome to Week #11 of The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge.  This week, we save eleven dollars.  Our total savings to date is now sixty-six dollars.  We are starting to see our savings grow.  Consistency is the heart of this challenge.  I'm still working to improve my individual level of consistency, and this challenge is helping me learn how important it is to be consistent.  

Are you striving along with me for improved consistency?  Life happens, right?  I know!!!  How is your challenge going?  How are you managing to stay consistent with the challenge?  For me, planning ahead helps a lot.  Hang in there.  We are paddling this boat right along with you.  We've managed to save over sixty dollars.  That is an accomplishment.  Just think how great it will feel to finish the challenge.  We will all be sitting pretty with an extra one thousand three hundred seventy-eight dollars! 
 
If you'd like weekly challenge updates to help you stay current with The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge, subscribe to this blog.  How?  There are some button thingys in the right-hand column that let you subscribe via google or email. For a free printable chart, check out Stuck At Home Mom's 52 Week Money Challenge.  Happy saving!

 

 

 

The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge - Week #10

Welcome to Week #10 of The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge.  This week, we save ten dollars.  Our total savings is now fifty-five dollars.

Truthfully, this is the beginning of Week #11, but we can't just skip Week #10, can we?  No worries, I'll be posting Week #11 in a few days.  Hope this didn't throw anyone off their rhythm!

I am learning something new each week.  At my age?  Yes!  You're never too old to learn.  Consistency, it is not just important for cookie dough.  It is important in life. 

Happy saving!

Abstract Texas Flag Mailbox - Lone Star Proud

Our old mailbox was in bad shape and needed to be replaced.  HUBBY is known for his creativity and thinking outside the box.  When I told him I'd like a cute Texas Flag mailbox, he dove right into the water for this project.  There are lots of Texas flag mailboxes out there, but not like ours.  HUBBY has created a unique, abstract design.  I love it!

 

The new mailbox came from Home Depot.  It is a Gibraltar Elite Large Steel mailbox.  It takes a bit of expertise to paint over the black, particularly when there is a large area of white to paint over the black.  HUBBY is quite the expert painter, too.  He is a professional painter.  Lucky me, right?

Gibraltar Elite Large Steel Mailbox from Home Depot

Actually, PUMPKIN is working on this project too.  She did the lettering, and she will be adding a bluebonnet or two on the mailbox door soon.

 

 

My new mailbox is beautiful. I love it!

The fact that HUBBY and PUMPKIN are working together to create it makes me so happy. 

Thanks for letting me share our new Abstract Texas Flag Mailbox with you.  God bless you, and God bless Texas!

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The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge - Week #9

Welcome to Week #9 of The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge.  This week we save nine dollars.  How is your challenge going? What is your inspiration to stick with it?

For me, the challenge continues to help me grow and learn. I'm changing into a person that is learning to experience enjoyment while SAVING money.  In the past, the enjoyment I felt while SPENDING money was grand.  That was soon followed by a big let-down when the money ran out.  It is inspiring to experience this change within.
 
Our total savings to date is forty-five dollars. If you're new to the challenge and need to catch up with us, check out The 52 Week Money Saving Challenge - Week #8 for some helpful ideas. You can do it!! Believe me, it is the easiest way I've ever heard of to save over one thousand three hundred dollars cash money by the end of this year. 

If you'd like weekly challenge updates, subscribe to this blog via blogger, google, or email. For a free printable chart, check out Stuck At Home Mom's 52 Week Money Challenge.  Happy saving!