Semi-Precious Stone Anklet Giveaway with Swarovski Crystals

This giveaway I am running is for MelanieR Jewelry's Semi-Precious Stone Anklet (could be Bracelet for larger wrist) giveaway.  The stones are Agate and Aventurine along side Swarovski bicone crystals.

Refer to the photos below for the semi-precious stone Anklet you are entering to win! No purchase necessary to win!  Just follow instructions...there are three opportunities for more entries! VERY easy!  Best wishes! Thank you for your entries!

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Refinance just in time!

We called our mortgage lender a couple months ago.  Long story short: she was able to get us locked into a great loan at 3.75% which is great for us. 

We have been having a tough time lately with rising costs of everything (bills etc...) and not getting increase in pay.  With two children, etc...it just got tough.

With the refinance...we are going to save over $200 per month on our mortgage and of course you all know that when you refinance you get to skip a payment on the mortgage one month.  That is a lifesaver in itself.  Not only that...we had it timed so perfectly that we end up with two months we get to skip.  PHEW!  This is a HUGE blessing for us financially and we hope and pray to be smart and get "back on track" with the financing we are used to doing and live a little more comfortably.

Off topic:  The winner of the necklace has been notified and will ship out the necklace this week to them.  Once I ship that giveaway....then is when I shall start the next.  Stay tuned!

~Melanie

Yay! My first Giveaway here on T&C! For a Necklace!

Refer to the photos below for the necklace you are entering to win! No purchase necessary to win!  Just follow instructions...there are three opportunities for more entries! VERY easy!

Thank you for participating in my first BLOG giveaway! I have done giveaways before but only through my facebook page.  This is connected to Facebook but not solely.  Have fun! I hope to do a lot more giveaways if this one goes well.

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School's Out for Summer!

That's right!  It is that time of year..."School's Out for Summer!"  My son is now a rising 3rd grader and daughter is now 3 years old.

So what do we do for summer break?  To keep it frugal and fun...here is a couple of things I plan to do for my kids:

We will go to the Library twice a week. (FREE and they love it)

We will go Roller Skating twice a week. ($8 only because I only pay for my son to skate, daughter at her age is FREE and myself...I walk around with daughter so I don't pay rental right now til I get skates.  Not a bad price for a few hours, fun and good music.)

and...for now I am thinking about other ideas...Ideas anyone?  My summer with the kids is four weeks.  Several days over the break will be spent at Doctor Appointments and Dental Appointments and going to the Vet with our Pet poodle at least once.  It doesn't take much to pack a few weeks.

I will begin some Giveaways soon as well over my summer here and on my facebook page:  www.facebook.com/MacrameMelanie
Keep your eyes open! :-)

Take care all!  Happy Summer Break!
Sincerely,
Melanie

My Review for Turning off Dish and Turning on Hulu and Netflix!

Hi all!

Turning off the Dish:
In my continuing (on-going) efforts to lower our bills (which has been so hard lately since so much has already been lowered or turned off)...about a month and a half ago...I had our Dish Network turned off.  Actually, the folks at Dish were so nice and worked with me well.  They actually "paused" our service...costing us nothing to do so.  This means...we pay nothing per month for 6 months unless we call to have it "un paused."  No we do not have service; however, the upside is when finances or better or we change our minds...we just give a call and our TV is back on in 5 minutes (no set up fee, etc...keep the equipment, and when we turn back on...get the same price and programming we were paying before).  If we decide we need to keep it paused...we just call before the 6 months is up and add another 6 months...no penalty or charges.  For all of this...I say Thank you to Dish Network!

Turning on Hulu Plus and Netflix:
So, what to do with TV entertainment in the home and do we feel "cheated?"  Well, we hooked up Netflix and Hulu Plus to the Wii on our main TV.  Netflix has a great and wide variety of children's programming.  We are not movie people so I am sure at some point that will come in handy for us eventually.  Hulu Plus has been terrific for my husband and I as we can still watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report (a day later but a lot of times we watched on delay on our DVR for falling asleep anyways).  Also we feel we get the same benefit from a DVR with our favorite shows as we just wait a day later to watch all our shows so we can stop, fast forward, and rewind.  I actually LIKE the fact that Hulu Plus has commercials...it gives you the sense that you are watching live TV.  For our secondary TV, we purchased a Roku box which I highly recommend as the picture quality is Far greater than that with the Wii.  We are happy with anything but I do have to say that.  We did also need to purchase normal antennas for regular TV watching on both TVs.  We do have two other TVs in the kids rooms, but we aren't in a hurry for antennas for their rooms.  They never really used their TVs much anyways which is great.

We have been doing this for about a month and half now (going on two months about) and I have no regrets and do not feel cheated in my TV watching which was to be a concern but no longer is.  My household is happy, self included.

Happy Monday all!
Melanie

Pinterest Boards

I realize I have "dropped the ball" a bit on posting new blog posts here.  I suppose it is partially because I have an addiction for Pinterest!  I pin a lot of money saving ideas and DIYs there.  Shame on me...I could have been blogging those finds!  My apologies.

I will start by simply giving you my direct link to the money saving boards right now!
(If you follow ALL of my boards...well, unless you are an Artist or Art Teacher..you may get annoyed as I am pinning lesson plans all the time.  That info is pretty cool also...but perhaps maybe just for me! :-) ) 

Here they are:
http://pinterest.com/macramemelanie/diy-and-how-tos/ (This is DIY and How Tos)

http://pinterest.com/macramemelanie/home/ (Home..stuff like detergent here..Awesome $ Saver!)

http://pinterest.com/macramemelanie/saving-money/ (Saving Money)

I have a lot of other boards as well...but the three above are dealing with the main topic of this blog: Thrifty & Creative in Saving Money!

Enjoy!
If you have a Great Money Saving Board....Share below in a comment so I can follow you! 

Money remains tight and I am always seeking more ways to save!
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Melanie

Teacher Friends Needing Followers...Read On!

Hi T & C followers!

My apologies for going a bit off topic here....but in addition to being a thrifty and a creative...I am also a teacher!  (Art Teacher to be specific)

I have some fellow colleagues at work that are in need of your "follow" or as google blogger calls it:  "follower" (before you see that, it will say on the blog "join this site").  If you could give these very talented gals and friends a "follow" that would be of great help on a massive project they are undergoing and trying to get certified for.  They need Your Follow!  The best way to learn more is to read their blog (and please do follow it):

Whole Brain Teaching Rocks!

full length blog address is:  www.wholebrainteachingrocks.blogspot.com

 

Thank you all!

Melanie

 

Long time No Post!!! 2012 has been busy!

Sorry for Long time No Posting!

I am not a New Year's Resolution kind of gal; however, I believe I will make one right now and hope the next time I get on here to update my post...this is not the most recent. :-)
Figured it out?  Yep! Simply to POST more on this blog.  I do love my blog but seriously...time has not presented itself lately for my blogging.

Busy with Kids getting older and trying to have my jewelry in three locations has been a challenge for sure.  I feel I am starting to balance back out and will be smarter about my time with everything pretty soon.  Do stay tuned and check in once in a while to see if I have got my blogging act back together.

In the event my blogging is still lagging...Happy New Year 2013!  :-)

Sincerely,
Melanie

Relay for Life 2012

Hi All!

I am joining Relay for Life and The American Cancer Society again this year.  I am fundraising for the event representing my school at the Relay.

I have lost a father-in-law and grandmother to cancer.  I am happy with this organization and for what they do for people living with this terrible disease and seeking a cure.  When you give, you are helping to supply people with cancer "More Birthdays!" 

Please give if you can...here is the link to my page:

LINK to My Relay Page:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12SA?px=20845960&pg=personal&fr_id=40705&s_src=fbcomments
Melanie

Happy Mother's Day! 2012

Happy Mom's Day to all the Moms and Moms-to-be out there!

I hope you all have had a terrific day!

My hubby and kids gave me two gift cards...one for Kohl's and one for Michael's!  Both are terrific.  With the Kohl's card...I found my son some new sneakers and I still have $10 left for myself later on.  I will probably purchase a new pair of yoga pants for the gym.  With the Michael's card (I haven't spent just yet) but will probably try to purchase a bookcase (raw wood one..small) if they have it.  If not...you know it is going to be jewelry supplies for supplies for my art room!  I am happy with what I have purchased and what I plan to purchase with the gift cards. I do not intend to waste a dime of it.

We also enjoyed church this morning.  The message was about what a "Real Woman" is...I hope they have this in an archive...it was a very good message and much of it would surprise you and not so predictable.  It was excellent.  My church's website, should you be interested in attending online, is: www.c3church.org !  The live feed for Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings is:  www.C3church.com/LiveFeed   If you can find today's message in archive...it is well worth watching.  They all are..but I really enjoyed today's!

As far as a financial update...we are doing fine...still battling that credit card I keep bringing up but it is looking better and better all the time.  Even though we paid a lot on it two months in a row and it says $0 due...we still pay the old requested amount to stay ahead so in future months should there be one that is difficult...we can skip a payment then or simply pay it off quicker!
Have a great week and Month of May!
I am a teacher and this month in the world of Schools is action packed with testing, ending classes, closing down classrooms, etc... It may be June before I can give another update!
Thank you for being a loyal Thrifty and Creative Reader!
Sincerely,
Melanie