-- Wickedly perfect December!

Here are a few of my recent frugal adventures with some helpful tips.
*No I haven't forgotten the Popcorn Recipe...next one. Promise....*

*Every ticket I bought for everything I have done, I received a MASSSSIVE discount on all and I explained each one below*

Wicked

I took my mom to see Wicked at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles for her birthday!
*Frugal Tip: Buy your tickets early and always, always look for a discount code*

Work Holiday Party

*Frugal Tip - entertaining our 30+ people Professional and Student Staff can easily be done if you just think frugally*
What simple additions can you do to make an instant impact?
I created a Hot Chocolate Bar for our students, they raved & I blushed.

Also, look for candies that are on sale during Christmas time, or that sell in bulk!
I used: Butterscotch Chips, Mini Chocolate Chips, York Pieces, Reese's Pieces, Mini Candy Canes, and Mini Marshmallows.

Holiday Sweater

*Frugal Tip - Do it for the Children, it's less embarrassing that way.*
Even though this is a terrible terrible angle/ picture I am so confident in my ugly Christmas sweater that I will share it with you, yep all 16 of you ;)
This baby was about $4.00 at a local Thrift Store, hand beaded and perfectly gaudy.
I received many odd looks from my 14-18 y/o students, and compliments from my older staff members on the beautifully crafted piece.

Yes, it was hard not to laugh, but I took the compliments and ugly faces graciously

Seaworld
*Frugal Tip - Be friendly and get a Facebook*
My dear friend posted that she had some extra tickets to Seaworld, I messaged her, my boyfriend met her at her work and hours later we were watching Shamu(s) for $0.00.

Disneyland 

Personal Frugal Tip

The Sweetheart seen below is a Marine Corps Veteran, as such he receives certain discounts and promotions for his time in the military. He got our tickets to Disneyland for a steal.
It's the least corporations could do if you ask me...

I think I phrased it either, "World peace" or "Peace on earth" when Santa asked me what I wanted for Christmas last night, I was partly joking but after watching the frightening news what else could we hope for?

My sweetheart and I

My absolute favorite treat at Disneyland.

Well now that you have read what fun I have had this month, tell me!
What fun have you had!?
I adore getting those one or two comments a month but I want more.
I want to read about your adventures and frugal finds. 

Lovelovelove
&
Happy Holidays

M

Mermaid Nails

As previously stated, I change my nail polish all the time and love trying new things. Most recently I stumbled upon Mermaid Nails. here  and I knew I wanted to try it immediately. So I asked mom if she had any loose glitter in her craft room. Yes. She has a craft room. I jump in and jump out before I look around and get distracted and end up losing my focus for my first craft and end up starting 100 others!

Supplies:
Nail Color
Top Coat
Glitter
Extra Brush

She just so happened to have the SAME glitter.

Martha Stewart Loose Glitter I used gold.

and This nail polish
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color: Blue-Away

First I painted two coats of Blue-Away. Then I grabbed my 4 year old nieces paint brush... shh don't tell her, girlfriend will take.me.out. ;)

I dipped the cuties brush into this clear polish & painted the tip of my nail

Then I dipped the same brush into the loose glitter and patted it on the freshly clear painted tip.

Dried and Ta-Da! 

I l-o-v-e the one mermaid nail!

 lovelovelove

M

 

ps. My goal is to write to more than my 3 followers.

Pretty please with a cherry on top?

Rosettes!

Okay,
I cannot even tell you how many of these I have made. At first I thought eh not my thing. I am fond of painting furniture or "upcyclying" pieces but this time I decided to be crafty! Yes me and my hot glue gun had some fun. So here is what you do....

1. Go to Wal-mart, or your local fabric store. If you are at Wal-Mart head over to the cutting board in the craft section and weasel your way...practically under the cutting table. The official fabric cutter won't mind, the people waiting for their fabric might give you a look like? Um? Why are you on your hands and knees digging in the trash? Well Ah Ha lady, while you pay $$$ for fabric I pay $....maybe even just the S.

Should you forget just remember the word: Remnant.

rem·nant/ˈremnənt/

Adjective: Remaining.

Noun: A small remaining quantity of something

2. Pick up your favorite colors of these "Remnants" they will vary based on what kind of fabric and how large the remnant is. Some are even on clearance. I have gotten some for just about nothing, .33 cents

3. Alright next step Buy them.

4. Call up a friend; in my case I called MSquared. She is a great friend and up for any of my crafty shenanigans, so I called her over and we tried this out. I may have lost the pictures of ...Steps 1-4 and maybe 5 and 6. So instead I will provide a link, ah I hate when others do this, BUT this is pretty close to what I did. The only difference is after tying an end of the fabric I immediately start twisting the fabric around the knot. I do this 3-4 times and then glue the piece I am twisting to the small rose I have going on...

5. http://www.susieharrisblog.com/2009/11/diy-fabric-rosettes-and-more.html

6. After I finish gluing the last end piece under my rosette, I hot glue them to a piece of felt. Sometimes I glue them on one large sheet of felt and others I cut a little circle. Then I glue them to Pins, Hair Clips or Headbands! I also bought a bag of plastic pearls and added them to the rosettes that needed something extra, I also had some antique buttons so I used those too. Here are a few of my newest clips... I have also used flowers and those are much faster, but it is hard to find really fun and colorful fake flowers...

7. Enjoy! and Share! I recently posted on my facebook a Pay it forward, I sent a few different kind of rosettes to my friends. Such a fun way to get in touch with old friends. I also made some for my co-workers for Christmas, we don’t really give each other gifts but I felt like doing something fun for them

8. Bye Loves