Rite Aid Trip

Rite Aid is not one of the drugstores that I favored for my Drugstore Game habit. Partly because I perceived that CVS was the easiest to play -- and Walgreens was the one with the benefit when the school supplies hit in July (that would be NOW--- and yes, it is paying me back handsomely)
But this week, I decided to do some work at Rite Aid. I was quite pleased -- although the immediate thrill of the CVS zero balance is not possible at RiteAid -- for those of us who are total thrill junkies --- But after the Single Check Rebate arrives --- woo hoo!! (I started a separate savings account for depositing rebates -- I'm curious to see how it grows. Obviously the CVS Extra Care Bucks won't go in there -- and neither will the Walgreens rebates since they grow by 10% by choosing to receive them as a Walgreens giftcard. I can't make 10% in the stockmarket these days!)
Anyway --- my RiteAid trip this morning netted the following:

• 2 packages of Revlon cream eyeshadow -- BOGO at Rite Aid, less 2 coupons good for $2 off 1 and SCR for $4.00-- made them free with about $1.50 overage
• 2 bottles of John Frieda Shampoo --- by one get the second one for half off at Rite Aid -- then $3.00 of two coupon on the display, $1.00 off one coupon from the paper, $1.00 off Rite Aid Beauty book coupon AND a $3.00 SCR coming to me. End of the list: less than $2.00 for the two bottles (so I figure I'm down by about $.50 right now)
• two bottles of Suave shampoo $.99 ea at RiteAid and 2 coupons for $1.oo any bottle -- free plus $0.02 overage
• 1 bottle of Advil $2.99 at RiteAid -- less a $2.00 coupon from the paper. (I think this puts me down about $1.50 total)

As soon as I submit my SCR requests --- I'm good to go.

Wonderful Evening: The Mount

We found a terrfic way to spend an inexpensive evening in an elegant setting!! What alot of fun. The Mount in Lenox MA is the restored summer home of Edith Wharton. It is one of the grand cottages from the Gilded Age -- and it is definitely grand and gilded. This beautiful residence has been painstakingly restored to its former elegance and grandeur. Currently, the Mount is facing foreclosure and is working very hard to increase visitors and donations. (We purchased a membership earlier this season to help support the cause -- you can go to the Mount's website and make a donation to save this gorgeous property too.)

One of their current offerings is an evening event on the weekends from 5:00 - 8:00 (I think they're trying to be a pre-Tanglewood event) You can enter the grounds for FREE, sit on the grand porch and have a glass of wine and some nibbles (they charge for the food and drinks) and walk through the gardens at your leisure. We attended last night's event. There were probably only a dozen other people there --- not crowded, not loud --- just lovely. Wine for both of us and nibbles ran about $20 and we spent over 2 hours wandering through the gardens, listening to the fountains, catching the breeze on the porch (it was deadly hot here this weekend) and enjoying the pianist playing under the awning.

I know, I know --- I could have had wine and nibbles at home for far, far less money -- but trust me, my patio and gardens DO NOT look like this.

Having noted that (rather obvious fact): I did make a quick list of the plants that were in the gardens. I have all of the plants in the Italian garden (shown to the right) but my garden does not resemble this in any way, shape or form. Seriously, the Italian garden is done with ferns, hostas, white nicotania, boxwood and ivy. That's it!! I kept walking around in circles, looking for what else was there that made it so glorious. Even the French garden (the photo at the top of the post) didn't have anything I don't know and love for plants. Its all about the way in which they're arranges and planted. And WOW!! what a difference that makes.

All in all, this was a really beautiful evening --- one that we'll definitely be repeating. I'm thinking this is a nice way to take friends for a quiet drink and some conversation without getting into the crowded restaurant scene. For the non-wine drinkers, they also offered soft drinks and a lovely sparkling water. This works for just about everyone I know.

Frugal Food: Pasta with Kale

Jen at FrugalUpstate is doing a terrific series on frugal foods -- some of her recipies are excellent and really deserve a look. She challenged readers to add to her recipie posting -- so here goes.

First off, be aware: we are in a really different place in our life-cycle than most of the "blogger mommies" (thank you Katie Couric for that term). We are a two person household most of the time. We entertain really, really frequently -- whether its kids, grandkids, in-laws, outlaws, friends or neighbors -- one of the things about living in a vacation destination area is that everyone uses you as an excuse to visit the destination. Add to all of this that many of the friends and relations we entertain are vegetarians or at least leaning in that direction: there are also a whole bunch of foodies in the mix. All of that means that the tastes and textures we prefer and use may not be what the frugal moms in the universe can get past their offspring's palates...

With that said: Pasta with Kale
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale cleaned really well and chopped into ribbons
1 onion sliced thinly (I use the mandoline)
1 -2 tsp of minced garlic in oil (depending on taste)
a few tablespoons of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 - 1 cup of raisins (depending on taste)
1/4 cup of feta cheese
3-4 tablespoons of chopped nuts (whatever is in the pantry)
1 box of bowties cooked according to the package directions and HOT

Heat the EVOO in a cast iron skillet --- saute the onion and garlic until fragrant and beginning to soften. Add the chopped kale and saute until wilted and softened. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Allow them to heat through for a minute or two. Pour the kale mixture into a large serving bowl and stir in the hot pasta. Add the feta cheese and stir one more time.

We serve this with fresh, crusty bread and good butter --- DINNER!!!

Two Drugstore Deals This Week

There are two extremely great deals at drugstores this week that I cannot resist (and one pretty good one)
First, the pretty good one. You might have noticed that last week Rite Aid (not my favorite, but still pretty good for deals) had the Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners on sale. They were also in the monthly Single Check Rebate program AND there were coupons for them in last weeks paper on Sunday.... so at the end of it all, the shampoo and conditioner were FREE. But I had to be greedy. Herbal Essences also has a program going where some of the bottles are marked with codes that allow you to submit them for a free manicure and pedicure. I wanted to add that deal into the free shampoo. I know, I know, I'm greedy. Anyway -- neither of the RiteAids near me had any of the bottles marked with the free manicure/pedicure codes. So I passed on the deal and held onto my coupons. Greedy, I know.
This week, CVS has Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner on sale for 2/$5 -- mix that with the coupons for $3/2 bottles and we're down to $1 a bottle and it matches the RiteAid deal BEFORE the single check rebate. I'd only need to save an additional $2 to match the RiteAid deal fully. So, if I add them into a deal on something else and use the $3/$15 coupon --- I'll still end up with free shampoo, and I'll get my free manicure/pedicure too. Yep, I already checked, CVS has bottles with the codes -- lots of them.
The next deal is a Walgreens or RiteAid deal: Special thanks to Money Saving Mom for this one. (If you aren't in the habit of reading her blog --- get the habit!! She can really save you some serious time and cash)
Find a copy of Sunday's SmartSource insert (07/13). There was a coupon for B1G1 L'Oreal Vive Pro shampoo or conditioner. This same shampoo and conditioner is on sale B1G1 at Walgreens and Rite Aid this week.
So, if you buy 2 and use 1 B1G1 coupon, you'll get two free! (The store will give you one free as part of their promotion and the coupon will give you one free from the manufacturer!) Can't get any better than that!!
Last deal is a CVS deal (and one I never thought I'd want to take advantage of!!) Special thanks to iheartcvs for all of the details on this.
CVS is offering the 4 X 6 10 Page hardcover photo books ($3.99), Free after extra bucks, LIMIT 16 x 8 10 Page hardcover photo books ($7.99), Free after extra bucks, LIMIT 2Photo books

Some things you need to know:
1. You can't make photo book online for this offer. It must be made in store at the Kodak kiosk machine.
2. You can carry the pictures in any media device like memory card, CD, flash drive or etc. Make sure you arranged them in the order you want.
3. Offer is for 10 page photo books and It is 10 one sided pages4. For 10 pages, you can upload up to 54 pictures. But more number of pictures, smaller pictures you get. Best option is 2 per page or sometimes 3.5. You can choose different types of background. You can use your own pictures as the background but you have to edit option in every page. Select your pictures, and then it auto arranges them on the pages for you. You can also change the order, size, etc.6.
Your project will save there for about 2 days so you can reprint again if u want. But since so many number of photo book will be created this week, it’s better to ask
Now start stacking up the deal:
buy two of the 10 page photobooks for an initial total of $15.98
give them the 3/15 coupon
give them two (2) of the insert coupons:Kodak Photo Book $3 (7-31-08) (CVS and Wal-mart) SS 5/4/08Kodak Photo Book $3 (8-31-08) SS 6/8/08
pay the final 6.98 out of pocket (or with extra bucks) and get two photobooks AND $15.98 ECB back.
The only thing I'm not super thrilled with on this is that I end up with and ECB for 15.98. I'm looking for a way to combine this with some other deals (break up the two photobooks into two different transactions) so that I get two different ECB for 7.99 each rather than one huge ECB. I just find that the large ECB are really tricky to use.
Hmmm..... if I mix a photobook in with the Herbal Essences and........

Free Book: The Alchemist

I just finished downloading a new book to my Ipod --- thanks to SimpleDollar for letting me know about this freebie!! Here's what he has to say about the book:

Over the last few years, about twenty different people have recommended that I
read The
Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, but I’ve been avoiding it largely because of so
many other things to read. Well, now you can get it for free as an unabridged
audiobook, perfect for listening to on a long road trip. Just fire up iTunes,
visit the music store, search for “Paulo Coelho The Alchemist” and download it
for free (until July 14). I downloaded it and am saving it for an upcoming road
trip, where it’ll provide a worthwhile listen.

So off to Itunes I went --- you knew I couldn't pass up a freebie like this --- and now the book is sitting in my Itunes folder awaiting its deposit into my Ipod. But of course, I did some checking as to what I was getting here (you knew that, didn't you?)
Here's what Amazon had to say about it:

Like the one-time bestseller Jonathan
Livingston Seagull, The Alchemist presents a simple fable, based on simple
truths and places it in a highly unique situation. And though we may sniff a
bestselling formula, it is certainly not a new one: even the ancient tribal
storytellers knew that this is the most successful method of entertaining an
audience while slipping in a lesson or two. Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coehlo
introduces Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a
distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he's off: leaving Spain to
literally follow his dream.
Along the way he meets many spiritual
messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read
Englishman. In one of the Englishman's books, Santiago first learns about the
alchemists--men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it
would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be
the "Soul of the World." Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the
ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy's misguided
agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. "My heart is
afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night
as they look up at a moonless night.
"Tell your heart that the fear of
suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies. "And that
no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every
second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity."

You can even access Paul Coehlo's blog.
This sounds like it will be an interesting listen for our upcoming road trip to Northern Maine.

Fourth of July

I love the Fourth of July! I love the parades. I love the fireworks! I love the concerts. I love the picnics!! I love being with family and friends. Its a pretty great holiday all in all.

So what are the budget plans around here for a terrific fourth??

Well, of course, we'll be attending the Pittsfield July 4th Parade. This is the largest parade in the Northeast (or so they tell me). It typically goes on for about 2 and half hours. I'll get there early enough to ensure a seat on the green in the shade. I'll spread out a blanket and set up a couple of lawn chairs and have my breakfast on the lawn. We'll be joined this year by my husband's mother and by some friends and their 86 year old mother. We've invited two other couples to join us, but haven't heard as of yet if they'll be coming. Unfortunately, the two mothers do not speak the same language, so they won't have much to chat about -- but it will still be fun. I'm making my grocery and packing list today -- I'll pack a thermos of coffee and a bottle of juice along with some frozen bottles of water to keep us cool. Then I'm thinking about blueberry muffin/coffeecake to keep everyone happy before the parade. Once the parade gets going, no one is thinking much about food (at least in our happy clan) Everyone is ooohing and aaaahing over the bands, the floats, and the gigantic balloons. We'll be hot and thirsty (another frozen water bottle, anyone?) -- but food won't matter just then.

After the parade, we'll head back home for the afternoon. I've got hamburgers (got a great deal at the supermarket this week) and salads to feed the clan for the main meal of the day. We'll fire up the grill and enjoy the shady patio. Even the dog will likely get some July 4th hamburger!! (She's already wearing her patriotic spirit in the form of a star-spangled bandana)

Late afternoon, we'll head over to the "big city" about 45 minutes away. They have a huge festival downtown at State headquarters. It will be long underway when we arrive --- but there will be concerts (usually a military band or two) and jugglers and street performers while we await the fireworks.

The fireworks are the highlight of the whole day -- they reflect off of the office towers -- all sheets of glass windows -- and off of the reflecting pools that are a part of the grounds of the state office buildings. Its beautiful!! It will be a long walk to wherever we've managed to park the car -- and we wont' rush, as we would just sit in the traffic jam anyway --- We'll get home late, tired and very happy.... Maybe popsicles to finish the day??? Or would that be gilding the lily.

The entire day will cost us a few gallons of gas (not as cheap as it used to be!) and the groceries I've already picked up --- not bad for a terrific holiday together with family and friends.

First Walgreens Rebate

I received my first rebate gift card from Walgreens in the mail today (or should I say gift CARDS?) Apparently one of the offers was a separate deal (not sure how) so it came as a separate gift card. So --- two gift cards in the mail today from Walgreens totaling just over $20.
I also finished filing my receipts for the June rebates from Walgreens, and they total just under $30. If the Walgreens website is correct, I should be receiving that in toward the end of the month.
When I finish out the July rebate deals, I'll be able to have Walgreens reload the card that just arrived (from the May rebate) so I shouldn't have to wait as long for the rebate to be in my hot little hands.
Speaking of which -- the July rebate looks pretty good to me. Here's my plan:

• definitely the Hebert candy bars for $.99 (what's to lose?? and what's not to love about free chocolate?)
• the Dr. Scholls gel pads -- I never thought I'd be addicted to these, but I bought a set last month when they were on Register Rewards and I love, love, love them. Another set with a big, fat rebate? Sure!
• Veet -- I go through this stuff like crazy in the summer. Its a good in-between the waxing solution without generating really coarse stubbly hair.
• Right Guard deodorant -- got my coupons all lined up -- with the coupon deduction, this is an even better deal
• Excedrin -- this is another product that we use alot of around here. And if the deal happens to be good on the Excedrin Migraine - that's so much the better.
• Alavert -- this isn't the time of the year when we go through this alot, but the fall is coming and we'll surely use it. I've been saving a coupon I received from the company especially for this.
• portable power for the Ipod -- I want to look at this one in person before I make a decision. We love our Ipods around here -- and on long trips we often run them down because we can't charge them back up while we're away from home. If this looks like a solution -- I'm in. We'll see
• Visa activation fee --- as far as I'm concerned, this is free money -- I usually give my niece and nephews gift cards for birthday's etc -- but I've avoided the Visa giftcard because of the fees --- I happen to believe that the kids should get my money, not the Visa corporation! But, I end up restricting them to one store, because of the gift card I give them. I feel a Visa giftcard coming on for the July birthday boy!
• Glade air spray -- with the dog, we're using this more and more. Might as well get some money back from Walgreens.
• Spray'nWash -- And I can do this deal more than once --- its on sale this week -- same price as at my beloved CVS -- but with the rebate, Walgreens wins. I have several coupons -- and I'll be stacking them all up and maxing out this deal. I'll just pile the bottles in the laundryroom cabinet and use them as I go.
• Box fan --- this was in the June Rebate catalog too and I wasn't going to do it --- until my sister sent me an email outlining the overlap between the June and July rebate catalogs and pointed out the fact that on purchases made during those 2 days YOU CAN SUBMIT FOR BOTH MONTHS --- add that in with the $5 off of a $20 purchase coupon and a couple of Register Rewards that I had and I've got a free fan. The fan is already purchased, and in fact, is already in my window and doing its job.

So all in all, I'm thinking that my July rebate might be somewhere in the neighborhood of about $50!! What I can't figure out is: Am I getting better at the Drugstore Game or did the deals get better?? I'll be glad when I start using the gift card -- it will make it that much easier to track the actual cost vs reward of the program....

I've Started the Drugstore Game

I had just about given up on this blog --- but now I've started playing the drugstore game and I'm back in the game.
My sister and I went shopping together a few weeks ago and my jaw nearly dropped as I watched her redeem coupons, ends of receipts etc and pay on 37 cents for three bags FULL of stuff. Right then and there, I announced "You've gotta teach me how to do this!!"
Well, she's a woman of her word. She began emailing me and walking me through the beginner steps of the Drugstore Game. She even gave me one receipt to redeem when she was over the limit already (what a terrific sister!!)
I cannot believe how easy this is to do. And I really cannot believe how much stuff (useful, ordinary, household stuff) can be bought for next to nothing just by paying attention and taking advantage of coupons, ends of receipts, and rebates.
I'm only working the Drugstore Game at CVS and Walgreens. Although we have RiteAid all over the place, I just can't juggle three stores as a beginner in the game. I might make just one rebate-able purchase at Rite Aid because they've got a $5 incentive for starting and using a new rebate account with them. Seems like a small task for $5.
Anyway --- my first trip to CVS (directed by my sister, of course) yielded two lip balms for $3.98 and print outs on my receipt that totaled $13.50 to spend sometime before 6/12/08 and two coupons good for $4 off of any $20 purchase. Not bad.
But I got better. My next foray included two large deodorants (different brand than we usually use -- but if we end up not liking it all that well, it can go in the donation bag for the church collection for the food pantry), 6 bottles of dishsoap (I think it was Sunlight or Ajax or one of those) and a bag of M&Ms for the jar in the office here. I used a coupon for $5 off of any $15 purchase (thank you sister!!), a coupon from a magazine for the deodorant, and the sales flyer that comes out weekly. I paid $.16 (yep!! that's 16 CENTS!!) and got back a recepit with $9.98 to spend another time at CVS (those would be Extra Care Bucks or ECBs).
I'm still learning the Walgreens game. I really want to get Walgreens down. During the summer, Walgreens carries some back to school stuff that comes in some funky colors. I started using them a few years ago to color code and organize the whole school (each grade level has its own color --- I do teaching resource binders for all of the classroom teachers and binders and folders for all of the students with whom I directly work). I usually spend about $50 during the summer to stock up on all of that stuff. If I can play the Drugstore Game at Walgreens well enough, I can cut that expense down dramatically. That would be super.

Hot Chocolate and Other Luxuries

This is going to sound silly -- but I cannot get over how many people do not know what hot chocolate tastes like. I realized this recently through two events: 1. I bought hot chocolate from a shop I normally enjoy -- this was not their "regular" hot chocolate. When I inquired if they had changed their recipe -- they were using the powdered mix because of a problem with their well - which necesitated the use of only bottled water. Yuck!! 2. A German friend of ours ordered his first cup of hot chocolate "out" -- and was horrified at the taste!! He had no idea that most places use the powder. He was even more shocked to discover the dessicated marshmallows that accompany many of the mixes. Yuck!!

I really can't recall the last time that we used the powdered mixes in our home. We have come to really adore true, hot chocolate. We've fallen hard for a little gadget from Mr. Coffee called a Cocomotion.

This is essentially a hot blender. It swirls the milk around and around while heating it. We start with cold fresh milk. Once the milk gets hot, we spoon in some shaved chocolate. The hot milk keeps swirling and the chocolate melts into it, yielding a lovely hot chocolate. We love the shaved chocolate from Nantucket Offshore. Yummy, dark shavings of chocolate in a small tin, ready to spoon into the hot milk. We also adore Schokinag European Drinking Chocolate. It comes in several flavors, but we like the Extra Dark. It melts smoothly into the milk and doesn't leave a mess at the bottom of the Cocomotion machine. Perfect.
On a cold wintery evening, we make a pot of real hot chocolate and sit by the fire and enjoy. Our German friend was thrilled to find someone in America who understood real hot chocolate. Other friends, who are accustomed to the powder, are surprised at the rich, delicious taste of "real" hot chocolate. And we have, frankly, become quite spoiled by it. Real hot chocolate probably doesn't cost me significantly more than the powdered stuff would. And we definitely enjoy it much more.

My Bedroom

I've been in my usual January frenzy of cleaning out, re-organizing, re-decorating and such. Its part of my annual routine. Every year, as I clean up the Christmas decorations, sweep up the pine needles, and pack it all away, I have this deep urge for a fresh new look about the house. I know that spring is still far away and I'm not ready to invest either major time or major money into this re-do project, but I need the change. I need my house to feel new again. I need surprises that delight my senses every time I walk into the room.
Right now I'm working on my bedroom. I dug out some of the remnant fabric that I'd hoarded and stitched up an easy duvet cover so that my old comforter has a fresh new life. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the project was. All straight seams and nice long seams too... that always goes quickly. The pattern called for buttons and fabric loops as buttonholes, but that was more than I was willing to do. I used simple velcro dots to close up the end of it. It works nicely and I'm quite happy with it. The green paisley fabric gives a deeper, more sophisticated look to the bed now.
Next, I replaced the balloon shades that I had under the curtains with some very simple Roman shades. Again, my stash of hoarded remnants came to the rescue. For this, I had a Buttercream General Store Stripe from Waverly at my disposal. Under the yellow floral curtains they add just the right pop to the windows. The Roman shades were almost as easy as the duvet cover. I had to invest in some skinny dowels to give the shade a shape as it rises and closes, but that was only a few dollars at the local hardware store.
So, now I'm looking hard at the furniture arrangement. I'm looking for ideas about how I want to arrange the furniture so that the rooms looks new and inviting. I want it to whisper to me when I walk in "come in, come in, rest, enjoy".
My current focus is the footboard end of the bed. I have a large upholstered bench that has long sat there. In my previous (single) life, my white wicker loveseat had that spot for itself. That loveseat is now part of the front porch collection and has been banned from the house itself as "too girly" by the male inhabitants here (funny, it doesn't bother them at all on the porch, they rather seem to enjoy it)
But I'm thinking about using something different this time... something less expected, maybe. I've thought about positioning my little writing desk at the end of the bed. It looks sweet there, but I'm a little concerned that I'll be continually knocking things off of it in the night. The other look that calls to me right now is a skirted round table (you know, the cheapy decorator rounds from the discount store) with my two slipper chairs (stolen back from the guest room) on either side. I think if might look sweet.
I'm also thinking that it might beckon us for a little tete-a-tete, drinks (mugs of tea or cocoa maybe?) before bed, but it could still also be clear for the actual nighttime sleeping (so nothing is in danger of crashing to the floor in the middle of the night).
After all, as much as the Budget Bon Vivant wants the fantastic decorator look ---- I do have to be practical after all.

Making My Flowers Last and Last

When I’m buying flowers for myself, I look especially for blossoms that are still closed – buds essentially. This way I can enjoy them opening as well as enjoy the open, full bloom. They last longer this way. Friends who are avid gardeners tell me that this also means that the flower was likely cut in the early morning which is also supposed to be better for the life of the blossom. I give the buds a gentle squeeze with my fingertips too. I want it to feel firm and fresh to my touch. Often budget flowers (especially roses) are mushy feeling and soft under my fingers. This is a sign that the bud is already rotting and dying. It may never open and if it does it won’t be lush and wonderful. It certainly won’t have the lifespan of the fresh, firm young bud. Just because I’m on a budget doesn’t mean I’m not a fussy buyer.

Now that the flowers are home – I want to ensure that they last as long as possible and provide the most enjoyment for me. I could just stick them in a vase and pour in the little packet of stuff that comes with them. But then, my poor flowers are unlikely to last a week. This is another reason to avoid the pre-packaged bouquets at the grocery store. They add to the temptation to just stick them in water --- after all, they’re already arranged, aren’t they?

When I first get the blooms home, I cut the stems down. I need to cut at least ½ an inch off the bottom, but usually I’ll cut quite a bit more. I set my vase on the countertop, fairly close to the edge. I hold the flowers near to the countertop with the stems dipping below the counter. This lets me see the vase and the flowers together in perspective. I can judge how tall the flower want to be for that particular vase. I cut my stems at an angle with super sharp scissors. Don’t use a knife – it’s an invitation to cutting your hand. If you can do it, cutting the stems under running water also seems to help a bit. Usually, this is more than I can manage. While I’m at it with the scissors, I strip off any leaves that will be below the water, or even likely to touch the water. They will rot and cause decay that quickly spread to the plant itself. Out they go.

I fill my vase about 1/3 full with warmish water. Sometimes I do add the packet of stuff that comes with the flowers, other times I add just a small splash of bleach. It seems to help keep the algae down and that adds to the lifespan of the flowers. I take the bouquet apart and arrange the flowers in the vase. I start out by putting in blooms at an angle, rather than straight up and down. This creates a nice circumference to the final creation. I have a thing about symmetry, so I try to keep track of that as well.

Each morning, I try to change the water in the vase. The more consistent I am about this, the longer my flowers seem to last. If the weather is hot and sticky, I also add a couple of ice cubes to the vase each afternoon or evening. When I’m getting ice for our drinks at dinner, I just slip a couple of cubes in the vase too. Keeping the water cool like this seems to help the life of the blooms as well.

After the better part of a week, some of my blooms are beginning to look sad. I take the entire arrangement apart. The sad looking blooms are tossed right away. No sense in waiting for them to die completely and spread their decay to the other blooms. The blooms that are still good are re-cut with my scissors. I take off another ½ inch or so. I wash out the vase and clean it well. Then I fill it with fresh water and another tiny splash of bleach and I rearrange the blossoms that remain to make a fresh and lovely bouquet. Sometimes, I need to use a different vase – one with a smaller opening or a different shape, in order to accommodate the reduced number of flowers.

By taking care of my flowers like this, supermarket bouquets typically last me two weeks or more. My home can always have fresh flowers – at little impact to my budget. That is definitely bon vivant.

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

Flowers are fun, flirty, and feminine. They are an inexpensive way to feel pampered and decadent --- IF you shop for them in frugal ways and use them in luscious, luxurious ways. Coming home after a busy, trying day to a vase of fresh flowers sitting on the coffee table, kitchen table, or nightstand is an understated extravagance. In my book, flowers brighten and improve any space. I love a vase of lilacs or lavender blossoms in the bathroom, peeking out at me from the back of the commode. A tall fluted vase of oriental lilies on my dressing table scents the air with their sexy, spice aroma. I adore my current pitcher of all white flowers, roses, daisies, mums, and carnations in the kitchen. A spray of Chinese lanterns, dried and proud can grace any livingroom elegantly. Flowers inspire. They reward, console, pamper and soothe.
However, frequent visits to your local florist are simply not in the budget bon vivant financial statement. As with everything else, I do visit my florist for educational purposes. I look carefully at floral combinations, vases, unusual arrangements and such. I need to learn, so that I can make my own decadent treat. But for acquiring my blossoms, I turn to other sources.
I use my local mega grocery story regularly. I avoid the prepackaged bouquets like the plague. They nearly always contain cheap flowers and too few of them. This is another place where more of one simple thing is just MORE. I buy the bunches of one single type of flower --- in my grocery store they are generally 3 bunches for $12.
I also love the farmer’s market for flowers. Again, there are some pricey bouquets that someone has lovingly put together and wrapped in beautiful paper and ribbon. These are for the less budget conscious than I. Here again, I am looking for loose, floppy bunches of flowers, freshly cut from someone’s garden that morning. I find that I do better when I’m shopping at the tent of a farmer who has a few flowers on the side, rather than a “flower farmer” who is primarily selling flowers.
I also watch the side of the road. No, I don’t mean that I poach on someone else’s gardening. I watch for those somewhat suspicious looking trucks that park in rest areas, pull offs, and empty parking lots selling flowers, fish, or furniture. I avoid the fish and furniture, but for flowers, what do I have to lose? Often times, these trucks have terrific deals on roses or seasonal flowers. They’re as fresh as the grocery store flowers and often fresher.

The Table

I got to thinking about the table: the kitchen table, the dining room table, just the table that visitors see when they are in your home. The table that you see when you are in your home. Thinking again about the difference that makes a difference got me to noticing tables.
Tables in the homes of wealthy, chic friends and aquaintances are noticably different than tables in the homes of my "friends in low places". Wealthy, elegant tables are generally bare looking. If the wood is very fine and lovely, the table is actually BARE and the wood is on display. Otherwise, a tablecloth is in place.
Let me clear: A tableCLOTH is in place. A tablecloth is made of cloth, thank you. It is not vinyl, or flocked backed something or other. It is cloth. I have acquired several at Odd Lots and at places like TJMaxx and HomeGoods for very little money. They are typically cotton. Personally, I look for machine washable cotton in a tablecloth. They are going to get alot of wear at my house and that likely means spills. If they don't go in the washing machine, they don't go on my table. They can be found in a variety of patterns and colors. Choose wisely. Avoid the cutesey: no bunnies or Santa Clauses please. Choose vibrant colors that go with your home. I have come to love a french tablecloth that I picked up a year or so ago. It has classic colors and patterns and looks terrific laid out on the table.
Secondly, a tablecloth is pressed and clean. This means that it is "clean looking" too. No spots, stains or spills should be evident. That dark spot that won't come out is the death of that particular tablecloth for me. If its not clean and attractive, there is absolutely no point in putting it on the table. Its purpose is to cover the tabletop and make it more attractive. Stained and soiled is NEVER attractive. I also press my tablecloths lightly before spreading them on the tabletop. Wrinkles look sloppy and unkempt. This is true of my clothing and its true of my table's clothing too. A lightly pressed tablecloth looks sharp and dignified. A wrinkled sloppy mess looks.... well, like a wrinkled, sloppy mess.
Now, the trick to the bare table look is keeping the table top looking bare. In my house the dining room table seems to beckon to the variety of clutter around the house. I end up with piles of junk messing up my fabulous looking table .... which doesn't look so fabulous anymore. The key seems to be a strong centerpiece. I don't mean the classic floral arrangement centerpiece. For starters, its not strong enough to ward off the clutter. Besides, it looks dated and like my mother moved in suddenly. I need large, chunky pieces that dominate the table and say "this is MY space, don't you DARE put anything here".
Some ideas:
--- a large round rattan basket filled with fruit or reeds or rattan balls. Mine is about 18inches in diameter and only about 3 inches high, but it holds the table space securely
--- large hurricane glasses. I use three because my diningroom table is long and narrow. They line up along the center line of the table. I can fill them with whatever speaks of the season, lemons, dyed eggs, Christmas ornaments, apples. Or I can just set a large pillar candle in each one and be done.
--- a large piece of pottery. I'm thinking almost an urn-sized piece here. I own a large Southwest Indian water jug made of adobe clay that might work perfectly here. Or a huge blue flow ware ginger jar that I collected years ago. I need something large and substantial.
--- a soup tureen. At my sister's house, we used an old unused soup tureen to anchor her table and ward off the junk that her children were accustomed to piling there. It needed a strong tray underneath it to help it claim the space, but it worked beautifully.
--- a handful of large pitchers. Not the plastic kind, hopefully if you're living the budget bon vivant life, you've gotten rid of those ugly things. But I am thinking of that size -- just pottery or even glass. A small collection, just 3 or 4 in the center of the table should anchor it nicely.
As with everything else in the budget bon vivant way, the bare table does not take care of itself. It needs to be cleared of the stubborn junk that insists in lodging there despite the best efforts of our tablecloth and centerpiece. Junk breeds junk, we all know that intuitively. The table needs to be cleared regularly, at least once a week. Frankly, eating dinner at the lovely table once a week is a sure way to get it cleared regularly. And besides, its a pleasure to eat at such a beautiful table.

What's the Difference?

Recently, I've had the opportunity to spend some time in several homes across the spectrum of socioeconomic strata. Some of them were clearly upper income families, others were just as clearly very poor families. Beyond the cost of items in the homes, I found myself wondering what actually is the difference between these homes. And mind you, there is an astonishingly sharp difference. The furnishings didn't have price tags on them and in some instances you would have been hard pressed to immediately identify the costs of items in any of the homes. But there was a great divide between the homes. I kept looking and thinking.
It occurred to me that one of the sharp differences had to do with clutter and messiness. Homes of the better income families tended to have far less clutter and to look generally tidy and well cared for. Homes of the poorer families tended to have a great deal more clutter, more shabbiness and more messiness. It was as if someone had given up on making life pleasant in these surroundings.
The observation extended to the yard around the house, each and every room of the house, and the general condition of the house itself.
Living the Bon Vivant begins with a little organization and some soap and water. Decluttering and de-messing our homes goes a long way toward giving us the good life that we all desire.
In upcoming posts, I want to look closer at this and take different areas of my home one at a time and look at the way in which this difference is expressed in the homes I observe. I know this makes an enormous difference, I want to examine exactly how it makes that difference.