I went back to Price Chopper yesterday and scored a few things with double coupons
Some types of Ronzoni Pasta was a on sale for $1 a box, I have six coupons for $1 off of 2 boxes so when the coupon doubled they were all free. I scored 12 free boxes of pasta. (it will last a long time, we don't eat pasta more than once a week)
The large bottles of Gain were on sale for $2 a bottle, I had 2 $1 off coupons from a P&G mailer, so they were both free.
Betty Crocker Potatoes (in the box) were also free after the sale and doubled coupons, so I got 4 boxes of those (they also will last forever, we rarely eat them)
I got a 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk for $.25 with a sale and double coupon. There was more, but I can't remember them all without my receipt in front of me.
I ordered a few coupons from the coupon clipping people, and will go back on Friday to score some more freebies! For the things that remain after a few months, I will donate to the food pantry in town, so I can make more room in the pantry and keep my stockpile fresh.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Cloissone Jacket
Last summer (Spring?)I started working on the Cloisonne Jacket from the Fall 2010 Interweave Knits. It is a really pretty lace edge, colorwork cardigan.
I hate doing colorwork flat and I can't figure out why Interweave thinks that its readers can't do steeking. Why on earth would anyone what to do colorwork while purling? It doesn't make any sense to me. Learning how to steek is far easier than trying to handle 20 odd rows of back and forth colorwork while purling.
So anyway, here is how I did it
I knit the bottom lace like normal, then added six stitches to the count and joined the sweater in the round
From the six additional stitches, I made 1 purl, four knits 1 purl. I added the purl stitches to have a nice turning round once the steek was cut and turned back. I plan on cutting up the center of the knit stitches
when knitting in the round, just add these in, carrying the floats along like normal.
But, I still have work to do on this, I got through all of the interesting parts of the colorwork and I stopped at the armholes. But February break is next week, who knows I may get inspired and pick it up again.
Currently, I am working on a mobieus scarf for my Aunt's 75th birthday party on Saturday. I need to accomplish six inches of knitting a night to get it done in time. As it is knit on size 11 needles, this shouldn't be a challenge, but oddly when I have a deadline, it always is a challenge.
Will I be jinxing myself if I say school seems easier this semester?
I hate doing colorwork flat and I can't figure out why Interweave thinks that its readers can't do steeking. Why on earth would anyone what to do colorwork while purling? It doesn't make any sense to me. Learning how to steek is far easier than trying to handle 20 odd rows of back and forth colorwork while purling.
So anyway, here is how I did it
I knit the bottom lace like normal, then added six stitches to the count and joined the sweater in the round
when knitting in the round, just add these in, carrying the floats along like normal.
But, I still have work to do on this, I got through all of the interesting parts of the colorwork and I stopped at the armholes. But February break is next week, who knows I may get inspired and pick it up again.
Currently, I am working on a mobieus scarf for my Aunt's 75th birthday party on Saturday. I need to accomplish six inches of knitting a night to get it done in time. As it is knit on size 11 needles, this shouldn't be a challenge, but oddly when I have a deadline, it always is a challenge.
Will I be jinxing myself if I say school seems easier this semester?
Friday, February 04, 2011
I love to save $$
Last October I read a book called "Be Centsable" by Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee. I was really surprised how much money they saved by using coupons. So, I got interested and started looking online and reading other peoples blogs and found out that you can use coupons to get stuff for free!
So, today was grocery day, and since learning how to use coupons, it has become a game and not so much of a chore. I go to the Bennington, VT Price Chopper because they have double coupons, and it is the only store I know of that does in the Capital Region. Before coupons and Advantage savings, I spent 364.09, but I only paid 245.86. A good part of that was Advantage savings, but over $50 was in coupons. Here's what I did really well on
Colgate Wisp- I have no idea why anyone needs these, but they were on sale for $1.50, I had a $.75 coupon that doubled for $1.50 so they were free. I assume the kids will have fun with them.
Friskies Cat treats- Again, I don't buy too many treats for the cats, I mean Chubbs is gigantic, he doesn't need too many treats. These were $1.69 a package and I had a $1.00 off one coupon so once it doubled these were also free.
Hood Sour Cream 16 oz. This was on sale for 1.89 each and again I had a $1.00 off coupon that doubled to make them free!
Heluva Good Dip was on sale for $2, and I had a $1 off of 2, so when it doubled. they were only $.50 each.
There were more- but the best deal was Unilever products were buy $30 worth of products (before coupons) and you got a coupon for your next visit for $10. There were tons of Unilever product coupons last Sunday in the paper, and Price Chopper had a ton of these products on sale, so I was easily able to get my $10 coupon.
So, we have lots of food for our first annual anti-SuperBowl Party- I'm so excited!
It was a good day. I then came home and cleaned the house. We are all ready for the weekend.
So, today was grocery day, and since learning how to use coupons, it has become a game and not so much of a chore. I go to the Bennington, VT Price Chopper because they have double coupons, and it is the only store I know of that does in the Capital Region. Before coupons and Advantage savings, I spent 364.09, but I only paid 245.86. A good part of that was Advantage savings, but over $50 was in coupons. Here's what I did really well on
Colgate Wisp- I have no idea why anyone needs these, but they were on sale for $1.50, I had a $.75 coupon that doubled for $1.50 so they were free. I assume the kids will have fun with them.
Friskies Cat treats- Again, I don't buy too many treats for the cats, I mean Chubbs is gigantic, he doesn't need too many treats. These were $1.69 a package and I had a $1.00 off one coupon so once it doubled these were also free.
Hood Sour Cream 16 oz. This was on sale for 1.89 each and again I had a $1.00 off coupon that doubled to make them free!
Heluva Good Dip was on sale for $2, and I had a $1 off of 2, so when it doubled. they were only $.50 each.
There were more- but the best deal was Unilever products were buy $30 worth of products (before coupons) and you got a coupon for your next visit for $10. There were tons of Unilever product coupons last Sunday in the paper, and Price Chopper had a ton of these products on sale, so I was easily able to get my $10 coupon.
So, we have lots of food for our first annual anti-SuperBowl Party- I'm so excited!
It was a good day. I then came home and cleaned the house. We are all ready for the weekend.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Snow Day
Jake doing his impression of a teddy bear
I can't believe I went through the whole Christmas vacation and never posted anything. Returning to grad school has been overwhelming. But, I'm happy to say I passed all of my courses and have started the Spring semester.
I'm back working at Pineridge X-Country ski area a few days a week. It is fun to go back to something you did ages ago and see changes (and what hasn't changed!) The conditions this year have been the best in the past 10-15 years! And still we get people who complain. It's groomed too much, groomed too little, too cold, too warm. While Tim and I always talk about owning another business, I'm not sure I can handle the whiners.
So, we got about a foot of snow between yesterday and today, and the University canceled classes, so I get an unexpected day off. No time for knitting however, homework and baking are the tasks today.
I remember my mom always liked to bake her Portuguese potato bread when we had snow, and I have tended to keep up that tradition, snow days usually turn into baking days. So, today I made pain au chocolat from the King Arthur Flour catalog Winter 2011. I made a few modifications to fit my budget and pantry:
-We were nearly out of white flour, so I used all White Wheat flour (King Arthur Brand)
-I used Idahoan Yukon gold instant potatoes I got free with a coupon stack ages ago. We never eat instant potatoes, but it was free, and they never go bad, so I got them anyway. They are a great addition to bread recipes.
- we didn't have any grapeseed flour, so I left that out.
I also made the dough in the bread maker- (I really love that thing $5 at a yard sale!) almost thru through the first rising, then I took it out and put the dough on the woodstove to rise further. One thing I noticed, this dough doesn't rise a lot, but it should be puffy. I then followed the followed the directions in the recipe from #4 on
- I couldn't afford the chocolate sticks from King Arthur, so I warmed up some Nutella, spread it on the dough and added some semisweet chocolate chips (10-12 chips) to each roll.
They came out great and are a nice snack with a mug of hot Ovaltine! Mmmmm!
Knitting
Not a whole lot of knitting going on- I started a new sweater and got bored with it. The Cloisonne I started in the Fall needs some work, so that is on hold as well. Lately I am doing some plain toe up socks using stash yarn I got in a swap ages ago. It seems like all of my socks are wearing out at the same time. I am doing both socks at the same time and am ready to do the leg portion, I just need a find an interesting pattern to use to get this project done.
But I did make Tim a new hat to his specifications- he wanted a chullo type hat with no ties and with pine trees on it. I used yarn from Stonehedge Fiber Mill, Shepard's Wool. This is seriously nice and soft and it was great to work with. We bought our mill equipment from Stonehedge years ago, so I have a soft spot for their mill.
-
I can't believe I went through the whole Christmas vacation and never posted anything. Returning to grad school has been overwhelming. But, I'm happy to say I passed all of my courses and have started the Spring semester.
I'm back working at Pineridge X-Country ski area a few days a week. It is fun to go back to something you did ages ago and see changes (and what hasn't changed!) The conditions this year have been the best in the past 10-15 years! And still we get people who complain. It's groomed too much, groomed too little, too cold, too warm. While Tim and I always talk about owning another business, I'm not sure I can handle the whiners.
So, we got about a foot of snow between yesterday and today, and the University canceled classes, so I get an unexpected day off. No time for knitting however, homework and baking are the tasks today.
I remember my mom always liked to bake her Portuguese potato bread when we had snow, and I have tended to keep up that tradition, snow days usually turn into baking days. So, today I made pain au chocolat from the King Arthur Flour catalog Winter 2011. I made a few modifications to fit my budget and pantry:
-We were nearly out of white flour, so I used all White Wheat flour (King Arthur Brand)
-I used Idahoan Yukon gold instant potatoes I got free with a coupon stack ages ago. We never eat instant potatoes, but it was free, and they never go bad, so I got them anyway. They are a great addition to bread recipes.
- we didn't have any grapeseed flour, so I left that out.
I also made the dough in the bread maker- (I really love that thing $5 at a yard sale!) almost thru through the first rising, then I took it out and put the dough on the woodstove to rise further. One thing I noticed, this dough doesn't rise a lot, but it should be puffy. I then followed the followed the directions in the recipe from #4 on
- I couldn't afford the chocolate sticks from King Arthur, so I warmed up some Nutella, spread it on the dough and added some semisweet chocolate chips (10-12 chips) to each roll.
They came out great and are a nice snack with a mug of hot Ovaltine! Mmmmm!
Knitting
Not a whole lot of knitting going on- I started a new sweater and got bored with it. The Cloisonne I started in the Fall needs some work, so that is on hold as well. Lately I am doing some plain toe up socks using stash yarn I got in a swap ages ago. It seems like all of my socks are wearing out at the same time. I am doing both socks at the same time and am ready to do the leg portion, I just need a find an interesting pattern to use to get this project done.
But I did make Tim a new hat to his specifications- he wanted a chullo type hat with no ties and with pine trees on it. I used yarn from Stonehedge Fiber Mill, Shepard's Wool. This is seriously nice and soft and it was great to work with. We bought our mill equipment from Stonehedge years ago, so I have a soft spot for their mill.
-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
