bleak midwinter

I took this photo at the Milwaukee Museum of Art. While in Wisconsin on a press check for the magazine I work for, I had time to venture out into the cold unknown with a colleague. We managed to fit in a museum trip.

I love this photo, and I can't exactly say why. At first glance, it is boring. It lacks color and subject. But I love the perspective. I wanted to take this photo because it reminds me of the way we can all feel sometimes. Bleak. Cold. Alone. Colorless. Frigid.

But oddly enough, this photo makes me happy.

It makes me happy because I am able to immediately fill in the blank space with the people and moments I hold dear. Laying on the couch with Ryan and Fin, all three of us cuddled together. I replace the stark bench in the photo with my own Kodak moment. Or leaping on haybales at the farm--an image that leaps into the snowy bank. Or even the time when my brother, sister, and I were all stung by men'o'war at the beach, instead of the dismal lake view out the wintry window. The tree, full of life and growth, that still stands in my back yard at home--not the puny, hibernating mini-trunks showcased here.

This photo makes me happy because I do not feel frigid, alone, or bleak. I feel lively, warm, smiled upon, loved. It is because of my amazing family, friends, Ryan--these are the people who fill an otherwise colorless world with every swatch imaginable.

And funny, too, that I went up there to do a color check. Because walking outside, everything was the same color. On the page, the reds and yellows and blues would jump out at me. Then my eyes would have an enormous break when I walked outside to see the snow-covered ground.

And at the museum, which is starkly white and shaped like a whale, the walls were smattered with a wonderful palette of bright colors. Each color arranged in such a pleasing way that it made even the bleakness outside beautiful.

I love this photo because it is exactly opposite of how I feel about my life. My life feels so colorful, so full of life, so infinitely bright and sunny.

the importance of customer service

My parents taught me to be kind to people. Of course, I was instructed not to talk to strangers. But as I became an adult, talking to strangers became part of my job.

First as a barista at a small coffeeshop, then as a managing editor, and even now as an ad trafficker, I have had the customer's feelings at the forefront.

I have always taken great care to treat other people with kindness, politeness, and to let them know that I am there to help. Until our stranger-trust is broken (say, a woman who orders an extra-hot latte complains that it's not exactly 178 degrees, when I'm the one with the thermometer in the milk; or when a client complains to me about not receiving a file when they haven't sent it in the first place), I act with utmost kindness--and often act with that same attitude even after the unspoken contract of niceties has been breached.

I can't say the same goes for our current property management company. As my friends and colleagues know, they have done everything short of spit on us (and I bet if Ryan or I showed up at their office, they would do just that). They have hung up on us. They have refused to speak to us. They have written letters, sent certified mail, that allege Ryan and I have lied to them in writing.

Wow. They are JERKS!

And the things that are broken with our duplex? Not fixed.

I have never been in such a ridiculous situation. Today topped it off. I called up to the office and when I said my name, the woman who answered said, "I've been instructed not to speak to you."

I am NOT the kind of person with whom people are instructed not to speak. In fact, it is absurd for me to be in this situation. I am not gloating or bragging--but I have never been so difficult that someone has just stopped talking to me. (Ok, maybe Ryan gave me the silent treatment once or twice...) But on a professional level? I don't think so.

Ryan and I are livid.

We are trying to find any loophole possible to get out of this lease. Sadly, whether they be angels or assholes (they're the latter), we are probably stuck with them. For 18 months.

My advice to you is:

1. Always check businesses out before you sign into a long agreement in which you'll be paying them exuberant sums of money. Try the Better Business Bureau
2. If you're in a crappy situation, know that you are not alone. Look into tenant rights, advisory councils, and (again) the BBB.
3. Above all, do NOT let a crappy situation destroy your closest friendships and relationships. Don't take your anger out on those near you. Write angry letters and post angry blogs!

Case in point! :)

Thank you for reading. And leave me a comment if you want to know who NOT to lease from!!!!

no guts, no glory; no pain, no gain

To put it in the words of Bono, I'm "stuck in a moment I can't get out of." Or something like that. You U2 fans who also happen to read my blog can correct me later.

Or maybe my favorite Bob Schneider song says it best:

She said I had big dreams, big dreams don't you know?
But it's so hard to make these big dreams come true.
Now I try to hold on to what we had the best I could.
I find holdin on is the hardest thing to do.

Point is, I am at a place in my life where I am not reaching my goals. I have lofty dreams of being a career creative, and yet I do not spend every moment of my days reaching for that.

Instead, I fill it up with things I need to do. I need to work, of course, to pay bills. I need to keep the house clean, the laundry clean, and keep the dog fed and exercised. I need to do all sorts of things--and not one of those involves me furthering my own life's ambitions.

My mom told me that sometimes, you have to ignore the dirt. I'm pretty sure she was referring to the fact that I will never get every single black Finley hair up off of the floor, and not every room in the house will always be perfectly clean. In fact, that's a rarity. But I think she also means that sometimes we just have to live with the proverbial dirt in our lives. If I was able to sweep away my tendencies to procrastinate, or to wipe up my fear of failure, or launder all of my insecurities, maybe I'd be a better person.

The thing is, I'm choosing to live with that dirt.

In essence, I am choosing not to fulfill my own dreams. I am letting myself get sucked further and further into the domestic doldrums, and I'm not even a quarter-century old yet.

Many of my friends and colleagues have traveled, sought higher education, and met hundreds of people. I am just average, with my bachelor's degree, my full-time job, my four-door sedan, and my knack for poor fashion choices.

Where did I loose my need to be an individual, and to shine above the competition? When did I become ok with being complacent with my life? When did I stop trying to be a famous singer/songwriter, and when did I just decide to start giving up before I got good at something?

I think it started in college when I realized I could get by without actually reading the entire book. Don't you?

tomorrow is an important day

I have, because of Ryan's encouragement, signed up for National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org).

This means that, in theory, I will have 50,000 words of my first novel written by November 30, 2007.

I'll keep you posted. I need to write almost 2,000 words a day in order to finish in time. The clock starts ticking at 12:01 tonight!

just a quick word

i'm about to have to leave for work... but realized my blog has been sitting empty for quite some time.

we are living in "box land" right now--we get the keys to the new place on thursday! i am so excited. i love change. the weather has changed (we like to do things on the fly here in texas...summer one day, winter the next), and all of a sudden it's time for coffee.

enjoy the cooler weather. i'll get back in touch soon!

a few steps ahead

There she is.

The new place we'll be calling home.

No, it's not a halfway house. It is, however, half OF a house. But the important thing is, there is a backyard! And our puppy (you've seen the pictures. You know how unbelievably adorable she is. You know how much she will love her backyard.) will be in heaven. She's about to be a year old, and so this will have to be her "birthday" present. But I'm not going to geek out too much and throw her a birthday party. But maybe a Halloween party to honor her...

Now, I bet you're thinking, 'Budget Girl has not posted in a while.' And that's true; however, I must say that I have written quite a few posts that I have chosen not to publish. Why? Because they are borderline out of character.

I had a few run-ins with situations this month that I really did not like. Mainly just ideas that I disagree with. And I chickened out. I didn't post them in fear of offending someone.

But you know what? Maybe I need to post them. Maybe I need to let my contrary side show a little bit. My ideas about gay marriage, for instance--I feel very, very strongly that marriage is about love. It's not about a man and a woman. It's about loving someone else so much that you want to commit your life to them. So, I wrote a post about that. And I wrote about how people in the "real world" can make you feel small. Can make you feel inadequate. Can make you feel stupid. And that's just the way it goes. So maybe I should post that?

The whole point of blogs, after all, is to bring new points of view to light. Blogs are the alterna-media of today. They allow anyone to put ideas onto the table for any said audience.

So, I encourage you to always be open to new ideas. And if I happen to post one of my "contradictory" blogs, just read it and see what you think.

Maybe then I'll finally get a comment on this page.....

By the way, now that I've said that, maybe I should direct foot traffic to the blog I contribute to at Radiantmag.com. Click on blogs, then find the "going green" blog. And check out the main article on the site while you're there! :)

the search

We are officially on the hunt for a new place to live.

It is a trying experience, and is keeping us busy. It's eye-opening, you know? You have to look at your finances, you have to look at them again, and again...and then when you come up with your price range, you see exactly what you can get for the money.

So you raise your price range.

We had a funny, eye-opening experience yesterday. Our price limit was putting us in shady neighborhoods (bars on the windows, dead-bolts on the fence gates, you know) and when we finally decided to look at one of the duplexes, we realized that I'd been duped by the photos online. It was falling apart.

So here are my tips to anyone looking for a place to live.
1. Do not believe what you see online. They have purposely taken lo-res photos to disguise the mold in the bathrooms, cracks in the walls, dirt on the carpets, and holes in the backyard.
2. Drive around and figure out where you really want to live. Don't budge. I tried to budge and Ryan wouldn't have it. I'm glad he has stood his ground. It's for my own safety!
3. Be realistic about what you want and what you can afford. Don't be like me. Don't try to live the dream. We'll have our dream home someday...but for now, it's putting money at the feet of the rental dieties.
4. Use a realtor or a locator to do the hard work for you. They can call about pets, etc. They are your friends.

I still want my home to be out in the country, with my big kitchen and backyard that overlooks a pasture. But for now, we will see what we settle for. Hopefully we'll find something this week. We have to be out of here in a month! Yikes!

It's going to work out just fine, though. :)

ready!

I am so ready for a vacation!

My brain is this close to shutting off. I cannot remember the last time I took a few days off just to enjoy things. I am going to kick it off with fish tacos & beers in some great company. Then, I'm going to wrap up an article for Radiant (got a great interview this morning!). And tomorrow, we're dropping off little Finley at her aunt and uncle's house for a couple of days. :)

Most of the vacation will be doing stuff in town that we never get to do. Once we're back, I'll post some good local ideas for anyone. That way you can enjoy it, too.

I am about to burst with excitement. I'll try to post between outings, but I make no promises in "vacation mode."

gearing up

A year ago, Ryan and I took a mini-vacation. We hiked up Enchanted Rock (before the sun came up) and had it all to ourselves for an hour or two. I snapped this pic just before my batteries ran out. It's one of my favorites of him.

I wanted to post it because we're going to have another mini-vacation this week, almost to the day of last year's. We are really looking forward to having some time off, but we're going to do things a little differently this year.

Spent the weekend out at the farm. Fin made us proud--she jumped up onto a 5-1/2-foot-tall haybale by herself, and then lept down. She also had a good swim, and acted like a real sweetie while she was at Annette's. She is growing up! What a sweet puppy, though.

Ryan is having to reset the airport base station for our internet. Lucky for him, one of my smaller knitting needles was on the desk--he used it to press the button. This is one of the many small ways our worlds collide into funny little bursts of perfection.

Looking forward to one more day of work before the mini-vacay. Tomorrow is like Friday!

inspiration abounds

today has been a great day.

First of all, it's Friday.

Second, I came up with this name and logo for my crafts--jewelry, collage, and hopefully someday soon photography and painting. Once I get an etsy shop set up, I will post the link here.

I came up with this name for several reasons. Of course, as I have mentioned before, red is my favorite color. It is the color that inspires me. Inspired also has a spiritual connotation; I believe that I am inspired by my Creator, Redeemer, and Provider. And, I love using words creatively. I think the logo speaks to that. Plus, it's all-inclusive. It does not limit me to one kind of handmade craft.

Everyone was in a great mood at work today. That's always fun. We talked about artists, and cake decorating, and knitting, and our dogs, and music, and laughed a whole lot. We worked hard, but let loose a little on account of our good moods.

And to round it all out, we're headed to McGregor this weekend. It's time for the Baylor/Texas State blowout with Ryan's family. Fin will have a blast--we're staying out on the farm, so that means tank time for her!!

I am working on a few articles for a magazine and will start blogging for the same mag soon. Once that comes to fruition, I'll post a link.

Today is a great day.

dancing in the shadows

Two posts in one day! What am I thinking!

Well, I was outbid for the camera. Oh well. Someday when I actually have the money to spend, the right digital SLR will come around.

Ryan and I just watched "She's The One." One of his favorite movies. I must say, I did not like it the first time I saw it. But I gave it another chance and it was pretty great. I actually enjoyed it.

Finley has been crying all night. I think she is bored...we went on a walk, but I don't know how to explain to her that some evenings she just has to play with her toys. This weekend she'll get farm time. That means hay bales, tanks, doors to scratch, and just a lot of lovin' in general. She'll probably even get the queen's treatment at Ryan's aunt's house.

I took this photo because I really like frosted lights and I think our miniature art dude is so funny. I enjoy putting him in disco stances. When we got those shelves, they really were a mess. But now, we have them organized and decorated very simply. I think it's nice that Ryan and I have been able to mesh our styles together.

For me, the hard part has been giving up trinkets. I love little things, artsy things in earthy tones or in red. Red is my favorite color. It makes me feel inspired, and I think that's one of the most important things a color can do. Of course, the blue of the sky and the colors of the sunset are also inspiring; but when I see red, it's as if my brain turns on and that's when creativity begins.

Ryan has let me give in to my red obsession some--he even feeds it a little. I have started collecting red cookware. My french-style rolling pin, my stoneware, my wine opener, etc., etc. are all a deep red. Someday I'll have the red KitchenAid mixer!

But first, I'll opt for the digital SLR.

In the meantime, I'll try to post photos and words every day. I think this is the beginning of something good.

Dance on, disco man, dance on.

"i like the in focus ones."

I owe my blog an apology.

It has been wrongfully neglected for almost a month now. Problem is, I feel like I have to have something lengthy to talk about when I blog. Something about simplicity and creativity.

Well, writing is creative by its very nature. It also happens to be quite a simple means of expression.

So, no more with this "must have a topic to blog about" phobia. I'm going to post what I feel like when I feel like it. Thanks to Ryan. :)

Here is a photo of our puppy, Finley. She's almost a year old, and is as sweet as can be. Fortunately for me, she doesn't mind having her picture taken too much. What you can't see is that to get her to give me the "come on, mom, I'm cute enough" face, I was juggling a very expensive camera (borrowed from a coworker, and it was awesome) and cheese.

Fin will do anything for cheese. Luckily, the camera had great shutter response and I was able to snap quite a few keepers before she got bored with sitting and waiting for the cheese. Poor thing. I hold her hostage because of her cuteness. But do you blame me? Look at that heart-shaped nose, those dark honey eyes, that...face.

I hope to take many, many more photos. I think I am getting better and braver with my photography, though I will rarely approach a stranger or take a camera into public. But, I spend less time composing single shots and just click as soon as I like what I see. I don't worry so much about what others will think of my photos--instead, I have learned to shoot what I think is beautiful. Sometimes, though, it was much prettier in my head...

I am bidding on a digital SLR (body only) on ebay. I really hope I win at under $100! I have already gone above what I promised myself I'd stay under...but I probably won't win it so I'm not too scared. Money is too tight for me to try to buy something I don't need....just something I'd really like to have.

However, if I do win the camera, I am looking forward to many more successful photoshoots with Fin-bear, and move beyond home-bound still lifes.

Pledge

Pledge came up the other day. Ryan and I made some limoncello (vodka "infused" with lemon peels and sugar), but somehow--whether it be the quality of the vodka or the wrongness of the recipe--it went wrong. We decided to take it along to a housewarming-ish party with some of our closest friends and try it out.

One of the guests opened the bottle and took a big whiff. "It smells like Pledge!" he declared, not wrong in the least. The brave ones took more than a sip of the homemade elixir...but most of us just let it burn our nostrils or the tip of our tongues.

But pledge came up in my mind in a different sense today. With this blog, I had hoped to pledge to write for an audience--be it of one or many--every day. And as Ryan has pointed out, this will be my first post in August, though the month is more than halfway over.

I would hope that I keep a pledge to a friend better than I keep a pledge to myself. But I want to make it up to you, my audience (be you few or many), and to myself.

Simplicity and creativity are two things that I want to use to enhance my life and the life of the people around me. I hope to inspire and be inspired, to pare down so that my creativity can be broadened. With less clutter in my life, whether it's stuff or idle time, I hope to have more time and energy to devote to writing and other creative things. I know that the upcoming year will be very busy with a change in career path in mind, but I want to devote time to the things that I know will make me grow as a person.

So there is my pledge to myself: to do something each day that makes me grow and learn.

Keepin' it clean

If you're into crafting at all, you know that there's no such thing as a clean craft drawer.

In fact, my incredibly talented and artistic aunt Georgeanne, told me once that there's no point in having a craft drawer if you have to keep it clean.

And I completely agree with that.

But, I've found that keeping it a little organized (at Ryan's behest), has made some projects come together a little faster. Here are some of my suggestions...

• Invest in those little plastic drawer sets. If you're into paper crafting, keep your paper scraps in one drawer, glues/tapes/adhesives in another, and any beads/eyelets/wires/attachables in the third drawer. Just try to keep it straight; but don't let the organization hinder your creativity.

• When I started knitting, I immediately went out and bought any yarn I fancied. And then when summer hit and knitting fell by the wayside, there were mountains of unused yarn everywhere. Moral of the story? Buy most of your yarns (or crafting supplies) for specific projects. OF COURSE, leave yourself some room to grow--get a couple of things that simply inspire you. Those are the things that will find their way into some of your favorite crafts, whether you intended them for it or not. Just be wary of sales--while they're great for getting what you need, be careful not to be tempted into purchasing too much of what you won't use. (Guilty as charged.)

• Plastic shoe boxes with snap-on lids (can be bought for about 97 cents) are perfect for storing acrylic paints, brushes, sponges, and various other art media. They also stack atop each other perfectly, and since they're clear you can see right in and get out what you want.

That said, DON'T let your creativity be stifled by keeping things organized. In fact, sometimes it's inspirational to drag everything out of the crafting closet and just spend a day creating! At the end, you can spend time re-organizing (it'll be easier the second, third, eighteenth time you do it....).

Happy crafting!

The Benefits of Simplicity

At the behest of my boyfriend Ryan, I rid my world of many "trinkets." Of course, before we shared a home, my pre-Ryan bedrooms or apartments were cluttered with so much miscellany that one could have mistaken them for an odds-and-ends shop.

But then, he taught me the phrase "Less is more."

Granted, I was resistant at first. (And still tend to be; my bedside table is home to a candle, a photo, a small sacred heart tin, and a wooden angel figure my mom gave to me. And, I've still managed to scatter some of these trinkets throughout our apartment... a picture frame here, a vase there, two more wooden angel figurines over yonder.)

But I have learned that less truly is more.

Here is a short list of some of the advantages of decorating in my edited style.
1. Dusting is much, much easier. Before when I had to pick up between 20 and 50 things and replace them just to clean, I opted to leave them there. These days, despite living with a puppy in addition to a guy, everything stays cleaner because, well, it's just much easier to look at a desk and say, "all I have to pick up is that one thing and this will look beautiful again."
2. General sense of peace is no longer something reserved for meditation rooms or spas. Coming home to a simple, clean home makes all the difference in one's attitude.
3. Clutter can be wiped away quickly. We have implemented mail-sorting routines, and even though we fall down on the job often, it's easy to pick up and clean. A surprise visitor? No problem. The lack of clutter in our home makes it a breeze to snatch up what's not supposed to be there and hide it away until we have time to really clean.

Now, if only putting away laundry were as easy....

I hope to get back into regularly -scheduled posting. Tomorrow, I'll write about how to keep your creativity clean--and remain, well, creative!

Budget Girl, signing off.

Falling down on the job

My faithful blog readers (of whom there *might* be four, but let's try and grow that number, shall we?), I do owe you an apology.

It has been several days since my last post.

And I have spent a lot of money on food lately.

So, I will be starting fresh today. I have a couple more recipes for you. These are a little fancier, but still able to be done on a dime. I also happened upon a great wine sale at my local grocer, and bought 2 bottles for about $8 total. One bottle was pretty good; the other was a little hit-and-miss. But, for the casual glass with dinner, they worked just fine.

I'm no sommelier, but I think I've got an ok system for choosing good wines under $10. One of my favorites is the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Chilean winery called 120. They just upped the price from about $5.50 to near $9, but it is still a great value for a really good wine. Many of the Australian wines, too, come in with a small price tag but generally have a nice palate.

Now, for the recipes.

Flank Steak with veggies (props to my friend Louise for this one)
Flank steak is a pretty cheap piece of meat. Make sure you buy it tenderized. One $4.25 piece is plenty for 2 people.
Season the steak with sea salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt about 2 tbl butter. Add shallots, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. You can also throw in any fresh herbs: basil, oregano, or rosemary would all be good. Add about a glass of wine, and reduce to a thickish sauce (or cook until the veggies are very tender). Broil the steak for about 5 minutes, being careful not to dry it out. (Just in case, make sure your veggies have a lot of sauce, so you can sop it up with the steak.)

Grilled or Baked Salmon and Asparagus
Salmon is such a great, filling fish. We don't eat it enough. But, if you buy it in season (watch the prices at your local store), you can get a real deal for 2 people.
I have a couple of different recipes I like for salmon.
Pecan-crusted Salmon
Mix bread crumbs, pecan pieces, and any dry herbs you enjoy. I buy Italian bread crumbs and then just add a little more oregano and garlic powder. Rub on fish. Place 1 tsp butter on each 6-oz fillet. Broil in oven until opaque throughout.
Grilled Herbed Salmon
Create a "dry rub" for your salmon. I like to use cilantro, lemon pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder. Rub onto fish. Grill in a ridged pan on the stove, making sure that the heat is not so high that you'll burn the outside before the inside is cooked.

Grilled Asparagus: marinate asparagus (only buy IN SEASON!) in Italian dressing, or olive oil and vinegar with a smattering of your favorite spices. Don't overdo it. Before grilling the fish, throw it on your pan and cook until tender.

Cream Cheese Rustic Tart
This is a variation on an Italian recipe. My mom had the great idea to simply replace the mascarpone with cream cheese (the real stuff, not the fat-free kind!), which saves about $3. You can use any fresh (bakeable) fruit that's in season... Peaches, pears, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pineapple....come up with your own winning combo.
1 Failsafe pie crust
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/4 c granulated sugar
4 or 5 peaches, pears, strawberries, or any other bakeable fruit
1/4 c blueberries (frozen is fine) --optional

Roll out pie crust in a "rustic" fashion and transfer to a cookie sheet. Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in fresh fruit. Pile mixture onto pie crust, and then fold the edges of the crust over. Be sure not to close it up; leave a hole in the middle (you'll see the fruit). Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.
To get a shine on your crust, baste it with an egg before baking.

Enjoy your budget gourmet!

I'll be back sooner than last time.

Bright and Beautiful

Crafting has to come into play at some point. I can't escape it.

So, here are some quick ideas for personalized, pocketbook friendly gifts and celebrations.

1. Make your own cards for every occasion. To make a bulk list, for graduation announcements, party invites, or holiday greetings, come up with a template that's easy to reproduce. This makes everything that much more personal.

I keep these things on hand at all times:

• A small drawer full of paper scraps (card stock, multi colored, patterned, etc.), which I buy on sale at Hobby Lobby. I religiously check their online ads, and only buy something if it's more than 40% off.
• A paper scalpel, scissors, and a hole punch.
• Various embellishments: decorative brads, eyelets, wire and beads, and cardboard letter cutouts (all bought on sale).
• Vellum sheets.
• Envelopes in various sizes.
• The one thing I could not live without in the craft world: double-stick "mounting squares," clear, half and full size. These are even better than double-stick tape.
• A fine-point permanent marker, and good pens in black, blue, and red ink.
• A cache of failsafe quotes for the inside.

If you have access to a design program, and enjoy graphics, come up with your own designs and print them on vellum. It creates a great layering effect that spices up any card.

In any case, a handmade card is generally one that will get some good shelf life. Or at least fridge face time.

2. Buy something simple, and spruce it up with an original element.
• A bottle of wine (can be under $10 if the recipient is a budget-friendly person like you) with a handmade or authentic ornament wrapped around the neck. This can be further personalized by sculpting wire and beads around the bottle, serving both as an attaching device and a pretty keepsake.
• A homemade apple pie in an attractive pie dish that they can keep. Remember my first post? The $4.99 red stoneware pie dish? And then the failsafe pie crust? Well, see below for my Better-than-grandma's-but-don't-tell-her Apple Pie. This is a gift that is especially great for parents who didn't know you could cook, let alone make a pie crust.
• A keepsake ornament or trinket accompanied with a personal note. A friend will always hold something with sentimental value near and dear, and these can usually be bought for less than $20 and still mean a lot to the recipient, when it comes with a special explanation. Think poems, sappy love notes, etc.
• Learn to knit. A friend at work taught me last year, and I made about 5 scarves, an iPod case, a beanie (didn't fit), and a dishtowel. For not a lot of money. Sure, not everything has been worn or employed. BUT, everyone was shocked that I'd taken the time to knit. And it makes for a great party trick. I will someday be the grandma who knits those ridiculous sweaters!
• Paint a picture, write a story, frame an original photograph yourself. Anything you can do creatively is a personal and original gift idea. Use your talents and save!

Sure, I may have just given all my gifting secrets away to my friends... "So THAT'S why I got a scarf for Christmas...and pie for my birthday...." But I hope it gets the ball rolling.


And, finally, as promised: a note about the organization makeover. We have now cleaned and organized about 90% of our apartment. We have spent about $200 on containerizing, cleaning supplies, and the like. I wish I had taken before pictures, because I seriously think that our apartment is looking more and more like the super-organized IKEA catalog every day.

It's simplicity, it's creativity, it's smart budgeting that makes this house a home.

Go forth and be creative.

-Budget Girl

Repurposing the Tortillas

What did I tell you about muddling up the routine on the weekends? Voila. Saturday and Sunday came and went, and I have good news. I may not have blogged about it then, but I stuck to my budget pretty well.

One thing that I've found works for me is to set a limit before you go anywhere. For instance, I knew I would be going out with friends on Friday night. I knew I could get free parking at my work garage, despite a little bit of a walk and having to spend a couple minutes at the guard station because my swipe card is broken (that is just how I do things, sadly!). I set a one-drink limit for myself, and didn't even meet that (saving about $4-$8 in one fell swoop). I enjoyed myself, and had psyched myself up enough about the one-drink limit that it didn't even bother me.

I also made it to the grocery store. My limit there was $35. I spent $36, but that's because I forgot to put breakfast cereal and milk on the list. I purchased things I knew I would eat, because I've set up a menu for my week.

I don't like to shop every day, and find that I save a lot of money when I shop about 3 days at a time. Here are my tips for that.

1. Write out the entire menu: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
2. Decide if you will be cooking for only one, or more.
3. Plan out meals so that you will be repurposing your groceries. If you're buying lettuce and tomatoes to top a burger, use the rest for a big Greek salad the next day. Tortillas used for enchiladas one day can wrap around lunchmeat the next, or at breakfast coupled with eggs.

Since I usually cook for more than just myself, I budget about $10 a day for food ($5 per person), and hope to spend less.

Things like cereal, milk, frozen items (I buy off-season fruits frozen, and add them to oatmeal, pancakes, or yogurt for extra zing), and canned things tend to last longer, and can be eaten the entire week. Factor those into your budget and your diet.

One of my biggest problems is overbuying. I overestimate the amount of food I'll need, and often have to throw out (though soon it will be compost) spoiled vegetables or leftovers that have gone uneaten. That's a tough one that I plan on tackling soon. I'll share my composting successes and failures--I'm on my way (hopefully) to a container garden that will supply me with enough herbs, greens, and hopefully even tomatoes. But, that won't be for a while, as I've completely missed the planting season. Story of my life.

Tomorrow I'll tell you more about our low-budget organization makeover, and give you a pocketbook-friendly way to brighten any occasion.

Enjoy your evening!
-Budget Girl

Streeeeeeeeeeeetch

I'm learning a new-ish routine. I've always wanted my own morning routine, but didn't rely on much. Nothing was telling me I had to do this at this time, I had to that at that time.

But then we got a puppy.

Fin is now almost 8 months old, and she and I have a great morning routine (I'm getting somewhere with this, I promise). I roll out of bed at 6. Wake her up, take her outside, and then we go through the motions. She gets water, I feed her, she rolls her toy around under my feet as I write at the computer for a little bit. By 6:45, we are out the door for our morning jog. My colleague honks at us (part of her new morning routine) as she drives by. We get back, and I make my coffee and get ready for work, and Fin wakes my boyfriend up with a jump and plenty of dog "kisses."

It's become as easy as breathing. I only muddle the routine on weekends, but even then I try to keep some semblance of my weekday motions.

Beginning this new routine has taken some time, taken some getting used to, and will be tweaked as time goes by (as I'm able to wake up earlier, among other things). But it has become a routine that I enjoy. It's no longer a chore to go jogging; no longer as hard to roll out of bed so early.

And that is exactly what needs to happen when we create a budget.

Saving money, buying smartly, and saving some more is something that should become so routine that if you spend more than you ought, it feels like you're stutter-stepping (you know that feeling--didn't you have to try hurdles in junior high, too?).

Creating a budget and sticking to it is a hard chore when it begins. I make mistakes, too: I let up on myself when pay day rolls around or when I buy something a little on the uneccessary side (chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream--but it was the generic brand!).

The important thing to remember is that this whole budget thing gets a lot easier. Once we live to learn more frugally and more conscientiously, it will become a habit.

My mother is the perfect example of budgeting her money. In fact, she always tells me that my grandfather used to tell her, "It's not how much money you have, it's how you manage it." She lives in a beautiful home with new floors and has the kind of style you'd see in House Beautiful Magazine--and she finds everything at resale or thrift stores. She's the queen of repurposing, bargain shopping, and stretching her dollar to the max.

I'm going to brink you links soon, I promise.

Until then, here's to beginning the morning with a good stretch and turning budgeting into a you'd-miss-it-if-it-wasn't-there routine!

-Budget Girl

Where does this go?

Well, my friends, I apologize for missing yesterday.

Blame it on what you will, but I think it was a combination of writer's block and a busy day. Won't happen again. :)

I'm going to veer from the topic of food for a bit to talk about how organizing your home can make life simpler--something I've learned from my boyfriend. Or, in this case, the Team Leader/Delegator.

Two weekends ago, we buckled down. We emptied out the second closet, which housed all of my crafting niceties, our "Sunday" clothes, old bills, our portfolios, pillows, a vacuum cleaner, a Hawaiian shirt, an ab roller...the list could go on and on. The closet is only about 4 feet deep and five feet wide. To get the vacuum out, I had to pick the heavy thing up over mounds of pillows and avoid ramming it into the guitars. Not an optimal situation. In fact, the entire office had become a kind of catchall room, and our trendy IKEA furniture--a minimalist desk and some industrial shelves--was not at home in this clutter of a world.

So, we took about 8 hours one Saturday and gutted it. And here's what I've learned.

1. Organizing things makes a HUGE mess.
2. Cleaning up that mess is very hard work.
3. The result is totally worth the hard work.

For the last few weeks, we have lived in a better apartment. Here are some things we did to organize. We ended up spending a little money to better our systems, but since we use the things we bought, I'm ok with that.

-Organize your old bills. File, file, file. Buy a $12 paper SHREDDER and shred anything over 2 years old that you will not need.

-Then, GO PAPERLESS. I hate having paper bills. Now, almost every company has a paperless option. You can sign up to pay bills online. If you're online enough to be reading a blog, you're online enough to pay your bills. We've cut our mail in half, and have the convenience of clicking and paying--no more checks, no more stamps, no more envelopes laying around the apartment. [Word of caution: Keep a hard copy of all your usernames and passwords. I write mine in "code" and keep it at my desk. Make sure all of your bill sites are one there, so when you have to pay last-minute, you're not stuck spending 3 days resetting your password.]

-Here's a good one for crafting supplies: pack them in PLASTIC DRAWERS that easily come out of their holders. When you need that craft, simply bring out the entire drawer as you work on it. I have paper in one small drawer, exactos and stickies and eyelets in another, and wire and beads in another. When I work on handmade cards, I can bring out only the drawers I need. This eliminates the mess after I'm done with crafting.

-Store photos and keepsakes that don't have frames in inexpensive photo BOXES (I found canvas-covered ones at Target for about $2.50, but Hobby Lobby often has them on sale for even less than that). These are functional and fashionable; you can leave them out on bookshelves and they look like they belong. They aren't as protective as albums, but they take up more efficient space.

-Think about EFFICIENCY with everything. Use decorative boxes wisely; pack them with similar objects. We have a large box that is a perfect footrest under the desk, and it's chock-full of computer cords and printer addendums. Every cord is labeled with a small masking tape tag, so they will never be confused. A small basket on the shelf is home to art supplies: some paint, brushes, sponges, pastels. Grouping things in sensible ways will help you find things, and also gives everything a happy little home.

-Create a BILLS/MEMOS station. And keep it minimal. We cleaned everything off our fridge (I was a fan of a ton of photos, but now that they're in my photo box, I'm ok with that) and purchased a Real Simple magnetic organizer. It's got plenty of pockets and a memo pad. We place important mail ONLY in there (after shredding and recycling the junk mail), and write the to-do's on the memo. Since it's on the fridge, we see it every day, provided we want to eat. The rule is that mail can only be in the organizer; none on the desk, none on the entry table, etc. So far, so good.

-Organize WITH your roommate. It can be a bonding experience, and then you will both know why you're putting what where. But, be prepared to compromise!

-Keep it clean as you go. Just like all our moms taught us, put things away once you're done using them. Don't be lazy, either--I have the tendency to stop just feet shy of where something belongs and think, "I'll put it away later." The best practice is to go all the way. Clean the kitchen as you cook, and never leave dirty dishes out overnight. Put away your crafting stuff once you're finished with the craft for the day. (Our only exception to that rule is that we're allowed to leave an unfinished canvas on the easel, provided one of us actually starts one...) Apply it to every room, too. Put your clean and dirty clothes away (guilty: I leave my clean clothes, folded, on the dryer and use it as my closet for a few days!), and have your bathroom just as organized.

The best part about having an organized apartment is that it makes it so much easier to have friends over in a whim. Last night, a friend and her dog came over for a dinner playdate with me and my dog. Though I got home only a few minutes before they arrived, I didn't have much to pick up! What a treat. Made for an even better playtime for the dogs--since everything was off the floor, I just moved one table and they had a big play space. (Did I mention this was the friend who gave me my new pen name? Thanks girl. I know you're reading.)

Alrighty, tomorrow I'll talk about to-do lists and how they can help you accomplish your goals. Maybe even bring you some links. And I'll work in more budget-friendly stuff. Sorry I missed yesterday--like I said, I hope to get up early every day and bring you fresh ideas that will hopefully enhance your life, too!

Happy organizing.
-Budget Girl

Party in the Refrigerator

I came clean with some girlfriends last night and confessed that there would be no ice cream for me—it wasn’t in the budget. So as one of them ordered, she looked back and said, “Are you sure you don’t want anything, Budget Girl?”

I’d like to go by that from now on. Perhaps even wear a cape.

And that conversation quickly snowballed into a sort of Sex in the City Without Money. Buying a closetful of shoes on $100 or less. Why does it cost $8.93 for a 1/2 sandwhich, fruit, drink, and cookie at the lunchtime eatery? What to do after the parents have stopped footing some of the bills.

And, finally, to the grocery store debate.

It’s hard to cook every night; not to give in to the temptation of warm tortillas and queso from the Tex-Mex joint up the street, or call up the pizza delivery gal from across the way.

But put it into perspective: if you eat out, for dinner, twice a week at a chain-like eatery, you are probably spending close to $11 or $12 for a meal, drink, and tip. That’s over $1100 a year just on eating out for dinner. (Add another $6 or $7 for every time you grab lunch across the street instead of brown-bagging it.)

I’m a big supporter of cooking at home and taking leftovers for lunch. Sometimes, believe me, this means I take a hot dog and my own "mustard packet" to work and feel kinda lame. But try some of these on for size.

TACOS
There are so many variations that it's hard to get bored with this easy concoction. Plus, it can be healthy.
Try:
Lean beef or ground turkey tacos on crispy shells or chips with homemade salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Grilled chicken in flour tortillas with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado (if it's in season).
Grilled or broiled shrimp on corn tortillas with homemade avocado-tomatillo salsa (blend 1 avocado, 2 tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, and some sour cream and voila!), shredded cabbage, and tomatoes.
You can use leftovers to make taco salad, quesadillas, or even more tacos; toss in a can of black beans and you can have variations on the theme for days.

CHICKEN POT PIE
Grill about 3/4 lb of chicken; add a bag of frozen veggies to the pan to cook (I like carrots, potatoes, corn, and peas). Pour the mixture into a pie dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour a can of Cream of Celery or Cream of Mushroom on top, and top off with a failsafe homemade pie crust (recipe below). Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes. This is even better reheated, because it gives the veggies a chance to mingle overnight and the flavor really pops out.

SPAGHETTI
I like mine sans meat, and with lots of hearty veggies. You can buy super-healthy pasta now, that's not too expensive when you think about how many servings you'll get out of one package. Season (well) and brown a pound of ground turkey, and then add to the dish your favorite pasta sauce. If you want to add veggies (think zucchini, carrots, peppers, onion, and squash), be sure to saute them in the pan before adding the sauce. Cook the pasta, and mix it all together. Save serving-sized portions in plastic containers for lunch all week!

PASTA SALAD
This is great because it tastes better after a day or two in the fridge, and if you toss in a couple of pieces of grilled chicken, it can be an entire meal. It is also served cold, which is great for the days when you want to avoid the line at the office microwave.
Make about 1 pound of multicolor fettucine or bowtie pasta (or whatever suits your fancy). Finely chop and combine in a bowl: red or green bell pepper, tomato, jalepeno, cilantro, red onion, and garlic. If avocados are in season, add those! Squeeze the juice of 2 limes and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix with the pasta and refrigerate.

FAILSAFE PIE CRUST: can be used for sweet or savory pies, and you can always have this stuff on hand.
Makes 2 crusts (top and bottom)
Approx. 1 3/4 C Flour
1 C shortening (I buy Crisco in sticks and use one stick, but you can also buy the tub)
Pinch of salt
1/3 C milk
1 tbls apple cider vinegar (in a pinch, white vinegar works too)

Cut together flour and shortening with two knives or a potato masher. You want the shortening to be in pea-sized bits, and for it to have a soft, fluffy consistency. This will keep your crust flaky.

Mix milk and vinegar, and pour into flour mixture. Gently fold in with a fork. Add more milk as needed to wet all the dough. Roll out to about 1/8", using plenty of flour to keep it from sticking. To transfer the crust to your pie dish, place the rolling pin at one end, and gently roll the crust over the pin. Move it over the dish, and unroll.

For a glazed top, baste with one egg. If you don't have a basting brush, fold a paper towel like a fan and use one end to dip in the egg and paint it on. Cut slits in the top. You can use the extra dough to make designs on the top.


Ok, there's your novel for the day. I've vowed to get up at 5:30 a.m. to write every day (no, I didn't make it today; it was more like 6), so thanks for tuning in!

Budget Girl, signing off.

Facing the "Latte a Day" Problem

The first way we’re going to tackle this budget problem is to take a look at our eating habits.

How often do you eat out? Do you pay every time, or do you have a roommate, parent, or significant other who picks up the tab once in a while? When you eat out, how much do you spend on a plate? Do you eat it all in one sitting, or do you buy enough to have leftovers the next day?

First things first.
If you eat out (including fast food!) 15 times a week, you’ll have more cutting back to do than someone who takes it outside of the dining room, say, three times a week. I’m including anything that costs over $3 in this scenario. Yes, the double tall nonfat latte counts as ‘eating out’ for breakfast.

Hypothetical. Say you purchase one latte a day during the work week. Five lattes over one week. You’re a Starbucks patron, and fork over $3.63ish for a grande vanilla nonfat latte. You’ve spent $943.80 over the course of a year—that’s IF you don’t cave and add on a cinnamon roll or bagel or an extra shot.

One way I've been able to combat my own coffee spending habits, stay caffeinated, and continue supporting the coffee empire, is to brew my own joe at home. I have a French press, a $2 milk frother from IKEA, and always fresh milk and sugar. I'm able to make exactly the type of coffee I want--an au lait, with frothy milk--for a fraction of the cost. Plus, I get to skip the trip.

Having worked at a couple of coffeeshops, I know that baristas rely on in-store sales. If you want to continue supporting your local barista, be sure to purchase the pound of coffee in your favorite shop, and maybe splurge for the latte while you're there.

Tomorrow I'll bring you some of my favorite cost-effective recipes (and gourmet, too), and over the course of the week we will tackle leftovers and avoiding the last-minute invitation to lunch with coworkers.

In weeks to come, we'll branch out into cost-effective ways to do crafts: magnets, jewelry, paintings, and more. Stay tuned! No need to quit being creative just because your budget is in your way.

Happy saving!

Starting Fresh: Necessary Evils and Luxury Goods

Welcome to the Simply Creative blog. Here, you'll find tips on simple things to make your life easier, more productive, more creative, and occasionally even more environmentally friendly. As I'm embarking on this journey myself, you'll learn with me and we can trek through this world together!

My first item of business is to cut down on spending. I, a not-so-recent college grad, have a low-on-the-totem-pole job and have been living from paycheck to paycheck in such a way that I actually cringe as my online bank account information comes up on the screen. It is no way to live, that's for sure. I tend to buy something I want when I want it; yesterday I spent $45 on a haircut (but it looks and feels SO good!) and dropped another $9 on a candle and a red stoneware pie dish (which I have already used).

My problem is not the purchasing of items; I am, in fact, a frugal shopper and proud of my bargain-hunting capabilities (which I inherited most definitely from my mother, the Queen of All Things Bargain--"Look, I found this brand-new espresso machine at the salvage store for $14.99!"). But, I buy when I don't need to buy. I lump things--red stoneware, for instance--into the necessity category that should not ever fall in the necessity category.

So, here's some advice from one struggling young debtor to another.

1. Write down all your "necessary evils." Rent, car payment, tuition payment, cell phone, car insurance, food, and perhaps cable internet. (How else would I make this blog happen?)
2. If there is anything you can do to cut those costs, do it. If it means you bump your cell phone down one plan, or combine with your roommate for a family talk plan, make it happen. I, for instance, am thinking of talking my boyfriend into dial up internet connections. hah.
3. Take note of your "luxury goods." If your online bank statement allows you to look at a spending report, take a long hard look. How much did you spend in restaurants? Write it down and try not to get depressed. How often did you purchase a beverage that cost more than your meal? Write it down. Did you use more gas than normal to fuel that guzzling car? Yep. Take note, my friends. What does it say under "retail spending?" Did you have to buy those sunglasses and that red stoneware pie dish? If not, write it down.

Begin there. Tomorrow we will sort through the needs and the wants, and decide where to cut costs together. Ideally, you'll have wiggle room in your budget to splurge on a $5 bottle of wine or save up for that crafty project you've been thinking about. Me, I'm saving for ultra-strong magnets and silicon glue. More on that some other time.

Here's to us, starting our budgets out fresh!