Wedding Week: Save The Dates

You're Invited!

On June 5, Burley and I will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary. I am proud of what we have accomplished this year, and am so excited to celebrate!

I thought I would join you all in on the fun, after I saw my good friend Julie, over at the Smitten Mintons' wonderful idea.

Every day this week we will be celebrating something wedding-y. Normally, I am not the type to swoon over wedding details (which is probably why my wedding was pulled off only by the grace of God and the grace of my mom). However, I will permit myself this one week to snap into girly mode and share all of the things I am loving about the wedding scene this season.

So let's start off with Save the Dates... Because they are so much fun, and one of the first things to look forward to. I am going to highlight one of my favorite artists. Every single piece she creates is something I wish I had thought of myself! You know you're AMAZING when....

You can find her work in her shop on Etsy, or you can go straight to her website at Jack & Jill Weddings. Her and her husband work out of NY, so if you are in the area, support your local artists!

Here are a few of my fav's from Jack & Jill:

Hope you enjoy! And if you have any friends in the market for some killer save the dates... Feel free to name drop... Jack & Jill Weddings.

Thanks stopping by, Thriftarians! Let me know if you have any wedding highlights you would like to see this week... and buckle up your girly pants (not to be confused with underpants) for more to come on wedding week!

Mrs. Thriftary

Living Room/Bedroom: Before & Afters!

We have been getting so many packages in the mail...

Granted, we have made a lot of purchases, it is still fun to get things in the mail. Speaking of, the couch and duvet came in! As well as my gift to Burley for our 1 year, my diet food (gross), an ebay steal for Burley's feet, and a few other secrets you will see later!

But for now... I wanted to share the progress on the living room/bedroom areas. I know its my second post today, but I just couldn't contain myself. It feels so good when your studio apt starts feeling like a home! You can check out how this area used to look... HERE.

Check it out.. and enjoy!

 

Mrs. Thriftary

American Favorite

So... I'm not going to preach to you here... But I am going to preach to you for just a second.

You following me?

I think there is something seriously wrong with the terminology of American Idol... I mean really? No. A 16 year-old boy with a suprising low register and great tone is not my idol. No, a cutie-pie 16 year old girl with lots of hair and killer chops is not my idol. I try and stay away from idols. The bible tells me so.
If/when I am someday blessed with 6 - 8 thrifty children, all cute and wonderfully blessed with musical talents, I am going to set some guidelines.

Yes. You can watch American Idol.
No. You can't call it that.
You must call it "American Favorite."
Yes. I will be that wierd Mom, who will set wierd guidelines, and my kids will think I am horribly outdated, and I am making them horribly unpopular, but they will be better for it & they will thank me later.

That is all. Lets think about what media we are feeding ourselves America.

ON ANOTHER NOTE....

Let me tell you about my American Favorite. He was on the show last night... and no... it's not Scotty.

I fell in love with Jack Black as a young lass. I think he has the most perfect sense of humor, of any famous man I have come across. It's ok people... Burley knows about my obsession.

And yes... I know that Burley can look kind of like Jack Black at times... but let's be honest people... Burley is a 12 on a scale of 1 to Jack Black. And now that THAT'S out of the way...

Let me leave you today with some laughter of the best kind. The Jack Black kind. My American Favorite.

Mrs. Thriftary

Those Four...

 "...And though the four had spread

their wings

& toured the world.

& dined with kings.

Nothing ever pleased them more.

than to snuggle in her nest,

those four."

- My Sister

I have mislead all of you Thriftarians out there. I tricked you into thinking that I was talented. Wrong. the truth is my sister wrote the poem above... and it is perfect.

Today is one of those days where you start counting your blessings, but you can't seem to get past the very first one. Family.

My family has grown so much in the past few years. Literally. There are way more people in it now. It is one of the most beautiful expansions I have ever experienced. It is way more beautiful than gaining weight. (but I don't do that... so let's move on).

But when I read this poem... It made me feel like I was 4 again. Sitting at our tiny kitchen table, in our tiny New England home, next to our tiny wood stove. 4 tiny kids. 2 busy parents. A peaceful and nurturing nest.

 So maybe i'm just having a lonely day out here in the west, without those 4. And maybe this post could come off tragically sad. But don't judge. Some days you just have to give in to the lonely, and miss the people you miss, you know?

So thanks for letting me slobber all over you with my lonely, siblingless drool.

Mrs. Thriftary

Lookout!

The pup and I went hiking up Lookout Mnt. while Burley was fly fishing a few weekends ago. I thought I would share some of the pics of our lonely lady journey. It was a blast. Mace Face is still raving about it.

Mrs. Thriftary

Online Shopping? Yes Please!

Burley and I have been in the mile high city for exactly 47 days now. We have also been without a car for about 48 days (minus some VERY AWESOME days when our friends are sweet enough to let us borrow).

Needless to say, my Craigslisting days seem so very far away. I have strongly considered (a few times) how easily I could fit a large shelf or dresser on public transportation. Do they have rules against that?

So, in the meantime, I have become an online shopper.

There is so much adrenaline when someone brings you something to the door... they do ALL the work! YES you are worth my $5.50 shipping and handling.

Right now, I am waiting on 2 very special items:

I did have some very high hopes that I was going to sew one of these puppies... but after buying fabric for the drapes I was thinking... That isn't going to be any less expensive... and there is a MAJOR slight possibility that I would screw up and waste my investment (so far I have sewn... oh yea... 1 pair of curtains on my own).

So, Target.com & Overstock.com did me proud. And now... I patiently wait.

I also have also started quite a party with the flu/headcold/swollen glands extravaganza in my body... So i am having trouble hearing. For this reason, I check the door multiple times a day like a lonely homeschool child waiting for the public school bus to come by so that they can have some social activity (not that I know anything about these feelings...). This is how excited I am for my new sofa and duvet.

I will be sure to let you know when they get here!

Mrs. Thriftary

Project!

I will give you a big THRIFTARY hug if you can tell me what movie I am quoting in this title. I know... It seems far fetched... but if you know... then you know.

In other news... I did finish a project! Burely and I have been losing sleep over this project... literally. We didn't have any curtains. So the big Colorado sun was hitting our faces every morning at dawn, and that was getting REALLY old. Talk about inspiration to finish a project.

We are on a small budget, and curtains/drapes are just so darn expensive. So, I had to find a happy medium.

I purchased the cheapest set of white curtains i could find at target, and then I spiced it up, Thriftary style.

Now... Check out how we got from start to finish!

First I laid out the fabric of choice as I wanted it to be.

A few things to note....

- MONEY SAVING TIP: I purchased fabric for the front of the curtains. For the back, I bought some cheap sheets from Target that would fit my extra long windows. It was way cheaper than putting patterned fabric on both sides.

- I left about a 4-6 inch flap at the top of the patterned fabric, so that i could fold it over and create the tube for the hardware to fit through.

- Wash the fabric before you sew... and iron as you go!

After the curtains were finished... I decided they needed some floral attention.

So I made some flowers... duh.

Here is how....

1. Cut out some strips of fabric... about 2in wide and 2-3 feet long (depending on the size)
2. Cut out a piece of cardstock (circular) aroudn the size that you are hoping the flower will be (bigger is better, because you can size it down if you run out of fabric)
3. Tie the end of the strip of fabric in a knot. Glue it to the center of the cardstock.
4. Then twist and glue as you go! there is no wrong way. Imperfections make these flowers look HOT.

Then, start gluing your flowers to your curtain ties!

Happy Saturday Thriftarians.

Mrs. Thriftary



Thriftary Makeover

Calling all Thriftarians!

I am currently re-doing the look of our beloved Thriftarian blog. I think I update this thing as much as my loft....

But seriously. This one is for REAL.

I have come up with a few options and I want YOU to determine what layout is here to stay.
Click the link below and vote on these sexy options.

Click here to take survey

Your Choices Are:

1. Earthy Bird Brain

2. Pretty Bird Brain

3. Prison Break (Orange Font)

4. Prison Break (Brown Font)

5. Leave it as is!

That's it! now head on over to the Survey and vote!

Click here to take survey

Mrs. Thriftary

Quinoa... Or however you say it.

Hey Thriftarians!

So sorry I have been MIA for about a week... I ended up having to fly to Atlanta for business last minute and didn't get back until Sunday. Boy are my arms tired! (overused joke? maybe... still funny? yes.)

I thought I would share some of the ways that I have used our organic veggie delivery with you. I haven't done squat around the house (Just ask Burley...) so dinner is really all that I have to share haha.

This was a personal creation, using the secret ingredient... QUINOA.

Ingredients:
1 Cup quinoa (boiled in 2 cups water)
1 whole lemon (zest and juice)
Handful of cilantro
1 can black beans (drain the liquid)
1 can crushed tomatoe (drain the liquid)
Sprinkle of feta
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa 3 times and drain through a strainer. Make sure the waters runs clear before you cook the grain. Boil the quinoa in water, with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, on the stove top, simmer olive oil, black beans, crushed tomatoes and salt & pepper until most of the liquid evaporates. In your serving bowl, put down a little bit of olive oil, and all of your lemon zest and juice. When the quinoa is finished, also place that in your serving bowl. Mix in the black bean and tomatoe mixture, as well as your fresh cilantro. Top off with a little bit of feta and voila!

Super easy, really cheap, and I think I ate it for lunch, 4 days straight!

 Until later,

Mrs. Thriftary