Have you checked out Tupperware's Seasons Savings

Have you started to think about the holiday gift season?
How about those teachers and coaches that you want to remember with something awesome but don't want to spend an arm or a leg?

Tupperware has some great ideas on sale until September 8th that could be a great gift or the base for some home-made awesomeness!

These Eco Water Bottles are fantastic as water bottles ... gives you half of your suggested water intake for the day with just 1 bottle!  I love that the flip top cap, when snapped closed means it is leak proof.  
Yes I have put these on my car seat, laying down, and had not a problem. Oh heck I've even turned it upside down and nothing dripped!

You can also use the bottles as the container for those cookies or brownies in a jar projects that we always see around the holidays, with no fear of broken glass when those gifts are taken to school.

The Salsa bowl set would be great for all those party animals in your life.  

Check out all these ideas and so many more on my Tupperware Site. Just remember that these pieces shown above are only available at this price until Friday Sept 8th.

DIY Makeup Remover

This one caught my eye when I was checkout out my back office at Tupperware recently.
I'm not sure how I missed it when it was first posted, but it is definitely something that I am going to have in my makeup case from now on.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp. baby wash
• 1 cup water
• Optional: ¼ tsp. tea tree oil
• 80 ct. package cotton rounds

Instructions

1. Stir together coconut oil, baby wash, water, and tea tree oil if using.
2. Divide cotton rounds between four Snack Cups. Some may not fit until after water mixture is poured over the cotton rounds.
3. Slowly pour water mixture over cotton rounds dividing evenly so all of cotton is soaked with mixture. 
4. Once there is room in Snack Cups, add any remaining cotton rounds and pour remaining water over rounds. 
5. Seal and store up to three months.

I love having things, like these, that I can make (and obviously use) that doesn't have a ton of ingredients that I can't read or pronounce or that I need a science degree to understand.  

If you like making your own home-made gifts, this is definitely something for you to check out.

DIY Apple Chips

I know that making your own "chips" are healthier than buying them at the store, but until now I have always thought it was "easier" to do just that.  Now I see that I can make all kinds of chips myself without breaking a sweat.

These Apple Chips are much better than those you get at the store, or at least cheaper than those from say a Health Food Store.  If you are into these types of snacks, check it out.

These light, bake-and-take snacks are great for any occasion!  I can see these in school or work lunches too.

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, any type
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon-Vanilla Seasoning Blend

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 225° F.
Attach apple (no need to core) to the Mandolin food guider, set round knob to #2 for thicker slices, or #1 for thinner slices.*
Place apple slices on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silicone Wonder Mat and sprinkle with seasoning blend.
Bake both sheets at the same time, on upper and lower racks, 45 minutes.
Flip slices and bake another 45 minutes. For thicker slices, more baking time may be necessary. 

Monitor throughout baking and remove chips once they crisp up and lose their moisture.
Cool on a cooling rack until chips are crisp and store in a Modular Mates® Container.

*The thicker #2 slices take longer to bake, but it is easier on #2 for beginners. 

As you get used to using your Mandolin, #1 is recommended as chips bake faster.

So many things you can do with the Mandolin, and this is just with apples, it is the perfect piece for every kitchen!

Check it out on my Tupperware Site and I can see all kinds of "chips" in your future!

YOU can be a DIYer at Home Easily

These look great ideas for the DIYer.  Or anyone that wants to do everything they can to save money!

These are some great tips for making your home more Eco-friendly, brought to you by Tupperware.

Some of these Tupperware pieces are available today from my Tupperware Site others are available at different times of the year, so if you would like to be on my monthly mailing list to see what is available for the short term, message me at Tupperware with your email address and I will add you.

Help with Home-made Holiday Gifts

Sand Art Brownies

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
½ cup candy coated chocolates
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped nuts

Layer dry ingredients in Spaghetti Dispenser. Seal and attach baking instructions, including ingredients, below:

1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350° F degrees. Combine above wet ingredients in medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients from Spaghetti Dispenser to bowl and stir to combine, creating batter. Pour batter into lightly greased 8 x 8′′ or 9 x 9′′ (the UltraPro square would be great) baking pan. Bake 40–50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Tortilla Soup Mix

1 cup converted long grain rice
1 seasoning mix recipe (below)
2 – 2½ cups multi colored tortilla chips – separate by color and crush

Seasoning Mix
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried cilantro
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. cumin
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ cup dried minced onion

To assemble: pour rice into Spaghetti Dispenser and top with seasoning mix. Layer crushed tortilla chips on top separated into colors. Seal and attach baking instructions, including ingredients, below:

1 Spaghetti Dispenser of Tortilla Soup Mix
1 cup crushed tomatoes
4 oz. can green chiles
8 cups water

Empty tortilla chips into bowl. Add rice and seasoning mix to base of 3 Qt. Stack Cooker. Pour remaining ingredients into rice and seasoning and stir to combine. Cover and microwave on high for 20 minutes. Remove and stir in crushed tortillas. Microwave 3-5 minutes longer, stir and serve warm.

Love all the options from Tupperware to help with your home-made gifts (still the best gifts because they come from the heart).  Check it all out on my Tupperware Site

More Mixes to make - Onion Soup Mix

I know I have a few boxes of Onion Soup Mix in my Pantry, but I was really hoping to find a recipe that I could make so I didn't have to spend so much on pre-packaged mixes.  You know how I really like to do the home-made thing so I know what's in the mix, so we aren't having too many preservatives in our food.  And lets face it - its cheaper to make your own!

I found this one on, again on my "new best friend's" blog Hillbilly Housewife.  At this rate, I'm going to have to pick up even more of the Tupperware Modular Mates from my Tupperware Site .... but I guess its better than boxes of "prepackaged" stuff with all kinds of sodium and other "hidden" things.

Onion Soup Mix

• 3/4 cup instant minced onion
• 1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine everything and then store in an airtight container. 

5 tablespoons of the mix equal one package of onion soup mix. 

What do you do with your Spaghetti Keeper?

I love those folks that look at something and think yes I bet that it would be great for that BUT it would also be great for .....

I know I'm not explaining it really well, but I love the DIYers that can come up with a use for everything - even if it isn't what it was originally intended for.

Like this one.
I like the Tupperware Spaghetti Dispenser.  It makes my pound or two of spaghetti or angel hair pasta "safe" so I don't end up with pasta all over the cabinet.  But to be honest, I haven't thought much about what else to use it for.  But some brilliant people have - and came up with some great ideas like these.

Now as you can see, its not just for "food stuff"  I like the buttons and other craft supplies or match sticks!  Put the seal on these babies and they will be water tight ... so your matches will never get wet and then be useless.

You can get 1 spaghetti dispenser on my Tupperware website for $9, but if you go to a party, or message me to get in on a current open party, you could get not 1 but 2 for the $12 shown here, plus (s&h&t).

Can you think of another use for the Spaghetti dispenser not listed here?  

I know you could use these for teacher gifts that everyone used Mason Jars for ... until they were dropped on the way to school ... no worries about breakage with these.

Brownie Set up for when you are "short on time"

Have you ever wanted to make some home-made snack and think I don't have the time and either take a pass or go for a "box" mix?

Now I have a solution for you that could be made now and put in your cabinet for those times and you are still a SUPER COOL Mom that makes great snacks/desserts at the spur of the moment.

These are called "Sand Art Brownies" that you can have in your cabinet or give as gifts.

You could make these as is, or you could do some "optional" ones.  You could put M&Ms in the mix instead of chopped nuts.  Or maybe you like coconut or butterscotch chips or ... well you see the possibilities are endless.

And the best part .... you can make these NOW and store them in the Tupperware Modular Mate Spaghetti Dispenser so its always available to make at a moments notice (since we all know kids forget about those parties or bake sale needs until 9PM).  I can see these are family and friends gifts as well.

Oh if you don't have the Spaghetti Dispenser ... you can pick them up right now on my Tupperware Site for just $9 each!  You could pick up a half a dozen and have everything ready for this school year without breaking the bank.  You can also get the seals in 2 different colors (black or passion) so you could identify those with nuts and those without if that is a problem for you.  Or those with something other than chocolate chips ... the possibilities are endless.  

I know I am going to pick up a few so I can send some back to college with Jenn to make when late night munchies hit during those cram sessions that still go on every month or so!

Make your book on Blurb and SAVE

With the holidays approaching (I know I think it is too early to be doing this - and don't get me started with the holiday music in stores ...) I have a deal for you that can get you started (or in some cases finished).  This deal is great for those of us that like to do more than just "plunk down the credit card" when we give gifts. This way you can be "involved" in the whole process and give gifts that will be passed down or raved about for years to come!

Save 20% when you spend $40 or more on print books at Blurb
When you use the coupon code: MORESAVINGS
**Offer valid through 11:59 PM on November 11, 2013 (local time). Valid for printed books only. 
A 20% discount is applied toward your product total with a minimum order of $40. Maximum discount is USD $100 or CAD $100 off product total. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with volume discounts, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Save $25 when you spend $100 or more on print books at Blurb
When you use the coupon code: EARLYSAVINGS
**Offer valid through 11:59 PM on November 11, 2013  (local time). Valid for printed books only. 
A $25 discount is applied toward your product total with a minimum order of $100. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with volume discounts, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders. 

If you are "stumped" but know you want to do something different.  

How about getting inspired with Blurb's Gift Center?

There are a lot of gifts you could give this holiday season, but when it comes to something really meaningful, there’s nothing quite like the gift of a book you've made yourself. But before you start having visions of gluing and sewing together pages, check out the Blurb Gift Center.

Blurb lets you make seriously beautiful books using their free tools. Just add photos and text, choose your options (like paper and cover type), and then order. Of course, you do have to decide just what kind of book you want to make. But relax, because they have put together the cool Blurb Gift Center to give you lots of ideas.

For instance, if you've got a genealogical bent or you know someone who wants to keep the family history in one place, there’s the Blurb Family History Book.  I know this would have been great when my kids were in school and we had to do the "family tree" ..... no more frantic phone calls the day before it was due!
For those with newborns (or those that know someone with a newborn), a Blurb Baby Book might be just the thing.  Think about a great grandparents book that they will cherish for years to come (and drag out to share with the "intended" before the big day)
And if you’re the kind of person who keeps getting asked for copies of your recipes or if you have been collecting recipes "all over the place", think about making a Blurb Food Book so you don't end up "losing" a favorite or a "must try" before you even get to try it.

This holiday season, make your gift recipients feel really special by making them something special. There really is a book for everyone. 

DIY Picture Gifts - CollageIt Free 2.0

I know with the holidays rolling around (I know I can't believe it either) you have been fretting starting the think about what to do for gifts for the family.

I know that every year the hardest gifts are for parents and in-laws.  When my kids were little, I was always buying those terribly expensive school picture packages so that I could give one of those 8 X 10's to each grandparents plus having a set for myself.

How would you like to be able to create your own collage of pictures for gifts?  How about not only having the school pictures but also those "every day" gems that you would like to share?

If you have an iOS compatible product, here is an updated app that will allow you to do just that. Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

CollageIt Free 2.0 for iOS is a FREE and easy to use app that enables you to create eye-catching collages automatically and quickly.

Key features include:

• Various layout templates in 3 collage styles: Mosaic, Grid, Center. 
• Photo add options: library, Facebook, or take with the camera. 
• Add text to your collage. 
• Scale, rotate, resize, delete freely and adjust border with round corner. 
• Lots of aspect ratios, photo effects, fonts and backgrounds. 
• Multiple export ways: Image, Email, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr, etc. 
• Share to Instagram (everyone's new favorite)
• View Gallery collages shared by yourself and Facebook friends. 

Download for Free on iTunes Store

I just think this is an AWESOME idea and I think would have saved me a ton of money in pictures - school pictures are expensive.  And I would have been able to create a big collection of pictures of the years events with the school year picture as the center ... hopefully some of you can benefit from this advice.  I just think it would make a great holiday gift for the family or even holiday cards to share with those who live far away.

I unfortunately do not have a compatible device (the only Apple piece of technology I have is an iPod and that I think is version 2 - yes that old).  I know I need to get in with Apple Nation - but I guess I'm an old hold out - I have all kinds of Android products but well what can I say ....
Now, IF someone wants to give me an iPad or iPhone (a 5 would be nice) I wouldn't say no .... just sayin'

Custom iPhone Cases

Do you own an iPhone?
Do you have a case?  A CUSTOM case?

If you are in need of a case for your iPhone 4, 4S, or 5, now is the time to get one!


Vistaprint is offering 50% off iPhone cases for one week only giving you an opportunity to customize your favorite accessory with designs that reflect your personality starting at $9.99.

Vistaprint has a lot of different designs to choose from, whether you want to upload just one memorable photo, a series of pictures (there is even an option that turns each photo into a mini Polaroid), or just pick a fun pattern, like chevron, which you can personalize with your name or a personal message.

These customizable iPhone cases are fun gift ideas for the iPhone owners in your life. The cases range from sports memorabilia for your sports fan to princess crowns for your girly girl, giving you options that can make every iPhone user happy.

This could also be a great way to get ready for the holidays and be your one stop shop for stocking stuffers. Or, you can customize the cases with pictures of your kids (or pets!) and keep it for yourself! Even sweeter, there is no upload fee for these cases, so take advantage of this Vistaprint deal and personalize away!

Shipping starts at $5.52 (I know weird amount).

Unfortunately this offer is only good until Sept 27th so HURRY!

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Mix

I know I love having some "premade" or "quick to make" things in my cabinet.  You know when the mood strikes you and you just NEED something and you don't want it to take forever to make.

Here is a really nice HOT drink to make for this coming winter, while you sit around the fire, cuddle on the couch ....

This will make 20 servings that you can store in the cabinet (in a Modular Mate piece)

Ingredients needed for mix  

1 cup Simple Indulgence Chocolate Dessert Blend
1 tsp. Simple Indulgence Cinnamon-Vanilla Seasoning Blend
1/4 cup light brown sugar

Combine Simple Indulgence Chocolate Dessert Blend, Simple Indulgence Cinnamon-Vanilla Seasoning Blend, and light brown sugar to create mix.

For Cinnamon-Vanilla Hot Chocolate 

Microwave 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp. of Hot Chocolate Mix in a microwave-safe mug 1 minute until hot but not boiling. 

Stir until dissolved and garnish with a large marshmallow or a handful of miniature marshmallows if desired.

MMMM doesn't this really sound like a great stay at home mug?  I think I'm going to be making myself a mug right now.  If you want to make your own, you can get the Chocolate Dessert Blend and Seasoning Blend on my Tupperware site 



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Make your own gifts packaging solutions

Not sure if you have started to "panic" over what you are going to be getting for those "difficult" people on your shopping list - I know I have a few - but Tupperware could very well have your solution.

If you are into making your own gifts from the kitchen, but have no idea how to package them - here are a few suggestions that are going to be big sellers this year!

As part of the October Specials we have this really cute Pink Canister set for just $14.50.
















Or if you are looking for something that is a little more "holiday" you could check out the Candy Cane Canister Set for $15.99 online.









Or if you like to make your own spice mixes or all those "prepackaged" mixes so you control the sodium - how about your own spice containers that are air-tight?  I think this would be a great gift for everyone but someone who has recently moved into their own home?  This would be so great helping get their kitchen up to speed so that they could start cooking like a pro.   You can get the whole set (8 large and 8 small plus carousel) for $79.00 or just the small containers (4) for $15.00 or just the large containers (4) for $19.00 ......


See this is just a small selection of what Tupperware has for the storage AND packaging of for your holiday gifts.   Check out more of the wonderful Products that Tupperware has to offer on my Tupperware site or you can send me an email

How to make Hummingbird Nectar

My mom LOVES hummingbirds.  She has had feeders in her yard for forever (or so it seems) so that she can watch them as she sits in her chair in the den.  But, as with everything else, the nectar is expensive to buy, especially if you have LOTS of visitors or if your weather is very warm (regularly over 90 degrees) that you have to keep cleaning your feeder and refreshing the nectar to make sure it doesn't go bad.

I found this great (and simple) recipe for Hummingbird Nectar at Domino Sugar that I will definitely be giving to mom for this coming season.   It is so simple even a child can make it (ok with help from mom) because it literally has 2 ingredients.  Vet Tech Schools should also be able to teach you how to make your own hummingbird food using boiling water and ¼ cup of white sugar.  You can learn about this and so much more.

Ehow.com has some great articles on Hummingbirds.  From this site, you can see when to hang your feeder, where to hang the feeder, tips on feeders, as well as a few articles for how to make them from everyday items, most of which you can probably find in your kitchen right now.

Since it appears that hummingbirds reach Virginia in April, I better make sure mom has this recipe soon so that she will have everything ready for their "first sighting" of those cute little birds!

Solar Lights.

Do you have solar lights in your yard? If not, you might want to pick up a few after reading this. Here's a whole new way of looking at those outdoor lights that help line your driveway or are pretty/cute little figurines in your garden.

I will be keeping a few relatively close to the house so that I can easily bring them into the house if we lose power this winter (shhhh I don't want to think about that scenario)


I have a friend who used her solar lights inside at night when her current was off during the hurricane. She stuck them in a jar or bottle and said they gave off plenty of 'free light'. She put one in each room and would put them back outside in the daytime and bring them in at night as long as the current was off. They are safe to use and cheaper than batteries. Bring in a solar light one night and test it.

Due to a thunderstorm, we lost power for about 5 hours. We were scrambling around in the darkness, looking for matches, candles, flashlights, etc. We looked outside, and noticed our solar lights shining brightly all around our patio, stairs, dock, etc. They were beautiful. My wife walked outside, and brought several of the solar lights inside.

We stuck the solar light pipes into plastic drink bottles containers and they made the nicest, brightest, safest, lighting you could ever imagine.

We put one in the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room, etc. There was plenty of light. There are all types of solar lights available. We bought ours at Harbor Freight. We put them all around our yard. They look nice and they do not attract flying bugs like the outdoor lights around our doorway.

The lights we have fit into the small (20 oz) water bottles and they also fit into most of the larger liter bottles. If you need a weight in the plastic bottle to keep them from tipping over, you can put a few of the pretty colorful "flat marbles" that they put in aquariums, and vases. (you can also use sand, aquarium gravel, etc., whatever you have available).

The lights we have were perfect inside our home. They burn all night long if you need them.

The next day, you just take your solar lights back outside and they will instantly recharge and be ready for you to use again any time you need them.

Perfect for power outages, hurricanes, etc.

I never thought of it and now you don't have to.

DIY Spices and Mixes from Frugal Families

You may have been seeing recipes that have Apple Pie Spice in the ingredients, I know I have.  But I have to say I have yet to see this spice in my grocery stores, so it was time to find a way to make my own.  I found it at a wonderful new friends website Frugal Families.

There are some FABULOUS mixes to be found on her site, so I think I will be spending a lot of time wandering around her posts for sure!

Here are just a few of what I have found on a quick wander - that I want to make sure I keep for me and share with you.  But she has so many great ones I know I will be going back often.

Apple Pie Spice Mix


-1/4 cup cinnamon
-2 tsp nutmeg
-1 tsp allspice
-1 tsp ground ginger

Mix together and store in airtight container.

Homemade Taco Seasonings


-3/4 cup dried minced onion (I also have used 1/4 cup of onion powder)
-3 TBS of salt (original recipe called for significantly more and I lowered it to this)
-1/4 cup of chili powder
-1 TBS oregano
-2 TBS of ground cumin
-1 TBS garlic powder
-2 TBS of cornstarch

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
To use:  Brown hamburger meat or use diced leftover chicken (my boys LOVE chicken-based tacos!) or turkey burger and add 2 TBS of the mix with 1/2 cup of water and cook a moment longer until taco sauce thickens up.  Add additional mix for larger batches.

DIY Spices Part 1

I really like making my own spice mixes. I get to control the salt/spiciness of each blend and it usually saves me a ton of money. Lets face it - sometimes you are making something that needs just a teaspoon or two of a spice blend .... even some of those little spice canisters are super expensive. And to make matters worse - you may never use the spice again! If you keep a variety of spices in your cabinet, you can make a HUGE selection of spice blends for a fraction of the cost.

When I make my blends, I store them in 1/2 pint wide mouth mason jars. They are air-tight and easy to use (measuring spoons fit nicely) and easy to see when you need to make more.


Cajun blend:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well, gently crushing to release and combine all the flavors/oils.
Store in a container with an air-tight lid in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Five-Spice Powder

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
6 star anise or 2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons whole Szechuan peppers or whole black peppercorns
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine spices together in a spice grinder (or coffee bean grinder only used for spices) until it is a uniform colored powder. Makes about 1/3 cup.  Store in air-tight container in a cool, dry place.

The Anise and Fennel both have a slight licorice flavor. Both are usually found in the grocery store spice aisle.


Steak Seasoning

2 tablespoons ground black pepper (fresh if you like)
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
4 tablespoons dry mustard (powder)

Combine ingredients and store in air-tight container.

Double Pepper Barbecue

1/4 cup Paprika
1Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground clove

Mix together well store in air-tight container in a cool, dry place for about 1 month. 
Makes approximately 2/3 cup.  Use as a rub for meat or poultry in a ratio of 1 pound protein to 1 tablespoon rub.

Mediterranean

2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried minced onions
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine together in a air-tight container, in a cool, dry place for approximately 1 month.  This makes about 1/3 cup of mix.  To use, rub 1 tablespoon of rub over 1 pound of meat or poultry. 

Don't forget to enter My Fall Giveaway.

DIY Gifts Part 1

Yesterday, as I was going through my "magazine stash", I found (again) my Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication from last year on Food Gifts.  I have to say I have already marked off a few things I will be making this year.

Some will be for gifts and others (maybe even the same ones) will be used for my pantry. 

If you want to make cookies or muffins or even "drinks" in a jar I will just send you to the Domino Sugar site for some really great Gift Mixes - they even have a link for printable gift tags and certificates

If you want to make something other than "edible" gifts ....... how about a body scrub?  You can find the instructions for this under Unique Gifts

I'm starting to look at sugar in a whole new way. 

My magazine has all kinds of things to make (150 holiday recipes) or ways to display/give away that I will be looking for even more things to do this year.  I will be sharing with you as I find more things I want to "experiment" with or that I find interesting.  Oh and I may even look for more DIY Gifts to share.