I might be Queen of Quite a Lot, as this wonderful poster says, but I am most certainly NOT a Coupon Queen!  There are ladies out there who are not afraid to spend a few hours with their trusty scissors and a stack of newspapers, but I simply do not have the patience.  I am sure they have been known to save $50, $100 or more every month, with their envelopes in tow at the store.  As a frugal girl I should probably be ashamed that I’m not willing to put in more effort when it comes to the world of coupons, but I have developed three shortcuts so I can get a few rewards and discounts every now and then:

1-  My favorite tip for coupon-phobes, is to make Google your friend.  When you fill up your cart at your favorite online store, simply STOP and open a new browser window to Google.  This is the best way to find current coupon codes for e-shopping.  I usually use a search phrase such as, “Store Name (ie – Ann Taylor Loft) + Coupon Codes.”   …

One of my favorite hours of the entire week is the hour I spend every Saturday morning at the public library.  An avid reader who’s watching her purse strings, I love the library.  This weekend, I checked out a great book by The Wine Bible author Karen MacNeil called Wine, Food & Friends.  This book is a perfect match for frugal, health-conscious foodies.  It contains Karen’s wine recommendations for some of Cooking Light magazine’s most wine-friendly, seasonally-inspired recipes.  The best part — Karen includes a price guide and many of her wine recommendations fall under the “great deal” category, meaning you can expect to pay $7-$15 a bottle!

I’m planning on trying several of her budget-minded recommendations (and maybe even a couple of her suggested ‘splurge bottles’).  But, in anticipation of fall and my recently renewed pledge to austerity, the first on my list is a Beaujolais —Georges Duboeuf Fleurie “Domaine des Quatre Vents”, which costs around $15 a bottle.  In the autumn section of the book, Karen pairs this “lip-smacking” red with one of my husband’s most requested comfort food combos—meat loaf and mashed potatoes. …

In high school I would dream up rooms for my future home.  I could see it vividly – the two story living room with a library nook…  The open kitchen with an eat in breakfast area, complete with a fireplace…

There was one room though that I spent the most time thinking about.  It was the dining room.  I saw something open, airy and light.  Somewhere you could just as easily sit down to write and sketch, as you could eat a delicious meal.

Just recently,  I was flipping through the Pottery Barn catalog and I stumbled upon this room.  There it was – pretty much what I’ve been envisioning for so many years…my dream room!

Now to just figure out how to make it a reality!  Until then, I’ll keep this inspiration room up on the fridge and dream!

Finding this image in the catalog made me wonder… Do you keep inspiration clippings for your home, and have you ever stumbled upon your “dream” room?

To me fall is the perfect time to have a wedding.  That may be because I got married in November?  (Not that I’m partial to the season or anything!)  It’s a time of wonderfully crisp cool days, with nature playing a symphony in the background. What better decoration can a bride ask for than changing leaves in exciting colors? I also love the rich jewel tones and the bright orange of pumpkins that come with the season.  Here’s a great collection of items for a fall wedding, all on a budget of course, and all equally  appealing.  Adding in a bit of rustic touches keeps the look comfortable and fits right in with the season of hay rides, apple picking and cozy sweaters:

1-  Burnt Orange Rose Earrings from Muchloveilly for $10

2-  Boutonniere in Purple Feathers from Pomp and Plumage for $14

3-  I Carry Your Heart Heart Ring Bowl from Paloma’s Nest for $52

This is a wonderful keepsake for the bride and groom, and will hold their rings after the wedding.

4-  Pleated …