MAY GIVEAWAY!! Come'on, YOU KNOW YOU HEARD FREE!!

This is my first year participating in the Blog giveaways....
So heres what I'm giving away...

A purse by Eklektos Designs...YOU PICK THE STYLE...and colors....I PICK THE FABRICS...












To enter to win one of these styles of purses you must click on the Eklektos designs and heart the shop and/or leave a comment here(IF YOU DO BOTH..THATS TWO ENTRIES) Also one last way to enter...Make a purchase at Eklektos Designs and have that count as two entries!! Thats right TWO for every purse purchased! ..and I will have my sweetie draw a number and that will be our lucky winner....Contest will go through May 31st and Winner will be drawn on June 1st.











And were also giving away....
A Days Numbr'd dress or skirt....This dress/skirt will be designed by me...Colors and possibly style can be discussed...but fabrics will be chosen by me....Heres a sample of my work...












Same rules apply...Leave a comment here and/or heart at Days Numbr'd and get your name put in the drawing(remember if you do both thats two chances to win).... IF you make a purchase during the contest that also counts as an extra chance to win...You can make multiple purchases separately to get more names in the hat too....So get shopping and up your chances of winning at Days Numbr'd !!! Contest will go through May 31st and Winner will be drawn on June 1st. Good luck.... Purchases and comments through May 31st will count....Also when commenting please make sure you say which "something" you are commenting about so I know which hat to put your entry into....IF you are commenting for both...Please do two seperate comments...Thanks!!


International entries are welcomed but will have to pay there shipping costs if they win.....Please note shipping costs are actual and could run up to 20.00....





XOXO!!
Gina

Coupons, Memorial Day, Be BLESSED!!

So I've always been a big coupon shopper...I mean I use to stock my house with groceries for 7 people 4 adults and 3 kids for 150.00 every two weeks, so you get the idea of the coupons that needed to be used to make that budget work. Well As the kids have grown, so should my budget, and it has crept up a bit, we now spend 200.00 every two weeks on groceries, but with the boys much older now, and eating like grown men, I have to get more creative! And I think I have. I've found that my local Kroger...not all Krogers, but my local one doubles there coupons up to and including $1.00! Thats pretty good...I don't shop anything full price at kroger, even with a coupon, its just too pricey, but when they have a sale and I have a coupon, I can litterally walk away paying NOTHING...thats right I said NOTHING!! Tonights Dinner was Hot dogs and Mac N cheese (I know it killed me to serve something that unhealthy but we were in a pinch, and I didn't want to spend $$ on eating out) So with one of my trips to Kroger(YEs I said trips, as in plural, I went twice today!) I picked up Hot dogs and Mac N cheese, and well they both with my coupons and there sale add was free! So dinner for tonight, even though I felt it was unhealthy, feed all 5 of us for $0.00! So you wonder why I took two trips to the store today, well as I was standing in line, I saw this lady with 6 kool aid containers(not the packets) and then I heard the cashier say I know its crazy these are free...and it hit me...I'm NOT getting every coupon out there!!! Immediately I went into crazy mode, my mind wouldn't stop...I had to know why I didn't have those coupons and where do I find them...so I kindly ask the cashier, "were those coupons printed?" She said "YEs" WE accept printed coupons here and those were printed and they doubled to make all 6 of them free! So imagine me still in freak out mode...thinking okay, hurry up and do my groceries so I can run home find those coupons and get back here before everyone else figures this out and theres non left for me! I know I'm crazy...But I did rush home, get online and found several websites that give you free coupons to print...Now heres the thing, you have to make sure your printer is set up right, because as soon as the site figures your IP address and see's you hit the print button, you can't print it again...I found this out the hard way! It took me over an hour, but finally I got my coupons for 4 Kool-aid containers, 4 cool whips, 4 mayos, 4 easy mac's, crystal light, colgate toothpaste( I know have like 14 boxes of toothpaste stored up....I'm just sayin...who's not gonna buy free stuff??) So anywho I purchased a lot more items, but today at Kroger I spent 57.00 and saved 124.00!! Thats an amazing savings!! So all you coupon shoppers out there, if your not printing coupons too, your just missing out!! GO get that deal, its out there to be found! Okay, so heres a little contest...not that anyone is reading my blog anymore, but incase there is what does the first four things that I mentioned I purchased with coupons(4 Kool-aid containers, 4 cool whips, 4 mayos, 4 easy mac's) all have in common? If anyone answers correctly, I will give you 10 % off your choice of Days Numbr'd or Eklektos Designs....Can be used on Special order or something already in my shops....





So with Memorial day coming I thought I would try something new....This year I am more thankful for my family, and friends that the Lord has provided me with, I'm thankful for every blessing that has been bestowed upon my life(there are just too many to list) One blessing currently being bestowed upon my life is a house. We are getting an amazing house right next door to my sister and brother, and we and our kids are thrilled! So I'm going to kill two birds with one stone I'd like to offer up anyone that orders a purse off Eklektos Designs on Etsy free shipping, this would also include special orders, changing up fabrics , or sizes or styles...I will try to add more purse styles to the shop soon! In addition to my free shipping special I'm going to give a purse away....whoever is the 10th person to place there order with Eklektos Designs or Days Numbr'd will recieve a purse for free! Thats right, It will be cute, It will be stylish, and It will be the size of your choice...so lets see if we can't get those orders placed and give a purse away...With this special I get to pass the savings of my feeling so blessed along to you, and in return you will be helping us get closer to the $$ we need to close on our house in only a month! WE need a good amount of $$ and well I'm trying to pull it together anyway possible. ->SO GET THOSE ORDERS IN! LOL...No preasure. ;) Sale and giveaway will continue until we get that 10th order in..I will blog about it when we reach our goal.


Well I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial weekend...I look forward to the things to come! Be inspired!
XOXO!
Gina

A balancing act... Gotta love'em!

So heres me trying to balance Home school, Moving, cleaning, laundry, kids, exercise and cooking all at once...This morning went a little something like this....



[Me]:Run, run run, [Kids]: MOM, what does this mean[Me]: Stop running to Answer, then RUn, run, run, [Kids]: MOM! What does this mean [Me]: Stop running give answer, then run, run, run [Em] MOM! wheres my button up dress(me thinking..R U kidding me?!) [Me]: STop running smile and say I don't know, then back to Run, run, run[Ezra] MOM! Can I wear Isaac's shorts[ME]: Again thinking r u kidding me!! I keep running and tell Ez to ask Isaac. [Em] Mom! I'm gonna go look in the clothes down stairs for my dress[ME}: stop running and say Okay, but no messes! Then Run, Run, Run...[Isaac] MOm Can I write this sentence[Me] run, run, run, Anwer THats not a complete sentence, you need to do your own homework! RUn, Run, Run[Ez] MOM! Do you think I should wear this[Me]: Shut my bedroom door and kept running! LOrd help me!! It was only a 20 minute run! Oh the Joys of balancing life!



Now the kids are outside on this beautiful 80 degree day, enjoying this glimpse of summer.



I've got one load of laundry washed, the house dusted and dishes done...Home school done, and now to work on my custom orders...I'm working on a new bag too, which has come out very cute(If I do say so myself!) :)



Oh ya I also added a new Ready to ship set on ebay...Find it here...


Gotta run!

XOXO!
Gina

Recently added some resells up on ebay....

I decided instead of packing these resells, that I might as well list them on ebay, and hope for the best...I know ebay's in the crapper right now, but hopefully someone will see them and snatch them all up :)
So here they all are...
Lady Liberty




Boys tie...




Em's Dress




And there will be more to come, I promise! :) So keep checking back on the blog for links and pics of whats being resold....




Today is such a beautiful day here in Michigan....It finally warmed up a bit to be able to just hang out outside without needing a jacket of some sort...I'm still working on my New Etsy store, I still only have two listings up over there, but I recently got two custom orders for girls clothes that I need to work on before I buy some more cute fabric that I have my eye.....I've also been sewing a bit for myself...Gotta love it when an idea in your head becomes real life...I think that has to be the best part about being a seamstress(Praise God for His wonderful gifts!)....On another note, I've come up with my own design for a hand bag...I just gotta figure out how you do an e-book or who to contact to actually publish a pattern....I can sew, I can use the internet but when it comes to anything else with computers and such I'm at a total loss!



So remember the senior photos I took recently well I've gotten lots of good feedback from those, What a blessing that is! I was so nervous about that shoot, and well I'm totally thrilled it came out so well. (another amazing gift from my daddy!) Okay, off to maybe list some more on ebay, and pack a few more boxes and spend a little time with the kids before they go to bed!

XOXO
Gina

The Senior pics are in, New store opened and the packing has begun!

[ SENIOR PICS ]
So here are a couple of pics of the senior photo shoot I did yesterday...I think they came out great! We spent about 1 1/2 hours at this beautiful park in Genesee County, people have actually had there wedding there...Its a great location for photography!








I promised 40 pics to him and his mom, and well I ended up with 50, I just couldn't stick to the 40! :)



[ New Etsy store ]

I opened a new Etsy store today....I only have one new item in there, but more will come, I promise! I've been enjoying making purses for years now, and just recently decided I should (well after much nagging from my husband) open a store to sell them on Etsy.

So my new line is called Eklektos Designs which translates to Chosen Designs, because well either way you look at it, WE are Chosen, and if you choose a bag to take home, then that bag is Chosen by you! So please take a moment to check out my new Etsy store...and check back often, as I will be adding new bags, possible shirts and skirts soon!

[ yah to the new house, boo to the packing! ]
So we were waiting to see if we could come up with the money to close on the new house, and it looks like we will be able to (praise God!) So we have begun packing. WE have to be out of our house by July 1st, as that is when our lease is up, so that gives us aprox 45 days to pack...shouldn't be a problem...I'm a mean packer!LOL...Actually I've only packed a couple of times, so I'm not a pro, but I think we should be ready by July. :)

Okay, I'm gonna run now (not litterally! ;\ )

XOXO
Gina

Something new, Hopefully a new house and some savings, senior pics tomorrow ahhh!!

So I'm working on something new, and I'm excited to announce it in just another day or two....I hope you all will stay tuned to see my new exciting new....and No I'm not pregnant! LOL....Patience is a virtue, Patience is a virtue! :)



So one day, wait scratch that, one month, I was sitting at my sisters house and I had been over there day in and day out, her husband was working alot, and well she's my sista, so who wouldn't want to hang out with there sista?! And we were just chatting, and she had mentioned that her sweet neighbors had moved to another house, and that she was sad they moved....well through course of conversation I had mentioned how cool it would be if we could just move right in...well me saying it quite like ya right it would never happen, but it would be nice, after a few details being worked out still, we actually ARE going to be moving in right next door! I tell ya OUR God is a big GOD! He can move mountains, and make things work that normally just wouldn't work...see the house thing with my husband starting his own business shouldn't work out, but it is....again I repeat myself, OUR GOD is a big GOD! :)



Okay next round of business, I went grocery shopping, (I know not as fun as regular shopping but it had to be done! LOL...) And with my coupons that I clipped and aprox. 3 hours later, I saved a whopping 102.00!! Total spent 124.00, so 226.00 worth of groceries in my fridge and only 124.00 out of my bank...NICE! :) This is the most I've saved in 1 grocery trip, and I did it without any kids, first time that I've been grocery shopping without any kids in a long time! :) It was actually peaceful. :)



So tomorrow I take my first set of senior pics. My husband comes from a large family, 9 kids from 30 all the way down to 12...so me enjoying taking pics, and them needing senior pics taken this year, I offered to do it for them. I hope they come out good, my sister is coming with me, and hopefully between her eye and mine we will capture some cool senior pics. :) I'll post them in a few days....
Okay gotta run!

TTYS!
Gina

New purse, new recipe, Did a lot yesterday, kinda board today! LOL..

So here is my new purse... I absolutely LOVE this one! I deconstructed a linen jacket to make the multi option closure, and working pockets on the front....The pockets on the front help me because I always seem to loose my keys or cell phone...even though there are pockets on the inside, those things never seem to make it into those pockets....Outside pockets have helped! I love the vintage look of this purse, my husband says I should make more and sell them....we'll see if I get inspired after I finish the other purses I'm working on....



So here is a new to you reciepe....Not new to the Giraud family...we eat these on a weekly basis especially in the summer time! Are you ready for the name....Hamburgers!LOL....Now there not your traditional hamburgers, not even close, in fact I've heard they compare to In N OUT or Cheeseburger in Paradise....Just A LOT healthier!! Okay, so heres the recipe....
1lb Ground angus sirloin(or whatever kind of hamburger meet you prefer...this is just the healthiest and my choice)
1lb Ground Turkey(Extra lean)
1 Medium size Onion ground up in the processor....Not too fine, but not too large...
1/3-1/2 Green Pepper ground up in processor(this does get kinda wet, I strain them on a paper towel to get the liquid off first...shred the same as onion size
1/2 of a Carrot or 2 small precut baby carrots ground up same as onion
**Optional** Change out the Green pepper for broccoli or cauliflower ground up fine....

Mix both meats and veggies together, form into hamburger patties, and season the both sides of the patty with Lowrys season all, Grill to desired tempature...

And add fixings like you normally would to any burger...I personally use a light bun, add light mayo, ketchup, Spinach leaves some regular lettuce, onion, tomato and every now and then avocado (which tastes just as good without the avocado)
YUMMMMM.....



Let me know if you try them, and what you think...I enjoy them soo much...



So on my day yesterday, Well I did a TON! I home schooled the boys, cleaned the basement, cleaned the upstairs, vacuumed the whole house, cleaned my room, cleaned out my husbands closet, did a few loads of laundry folded 5 loads of laundry, cleaned out the garage, cleaned Em's wagon out..it was gross! We left wood in it all year long!! Did leslie Sansone on Exercisetv.tv for free!! 3 Miles, and the went on a walk in the evening with the family! Few I was tired, but today, I'm board and soar, but mostly board, maybe I should have saved some of that work for the rest of the week!LOL....I guess I should say when I say I'm board, I still cleaned out Em's dresser, Home schooled the boys, took Em to school, picked Em up, ran to the bank, did a load of laundry, and started two purses and cleaned the kitchen twice! Oh ya and waisted a bunch of time on Facebook!LOL...so that was my boring day!

Okay, I guess I should go the kids are awefully quite outside! Better go make sure no one is hiding in places they shouldn't be! Oh the joys of parenting! Wouldn't trade it for the world!!

TTYS!
Gina

Healthy and tastes good!!

So I've been on a kick of trying to feed the kids much healthier, and since this we have not been sick hardly at all this year, praise the LORD!! So one day I made these...




And would ya ever know that there was minced up Spinach in them!! They were soo tasty!! The kids loved them, and couldn't tell at all....So tonight I decided to try potatoes with cauliflower (1/2 potatoes 1/2 cauliflower) and they were DELICIOUS! The kids couldn't tell again, and my sweet husband said they were better than regular mashed potatoes, which he is a mashed potato LOVER!! He grew up on mashed potatoes and really loves his mamas mashed potatoes...






Anyway...so I'm not sure what I'm going to try next, I've gotta put my thinkin cap on....Before the brownies, we did family style veggies...not sure if the world knows this or not, but fresh veggies uncooked are the best for you, the antioxidants that they offer are unremarkable! So I took several bowls and added several fresh veggies for the kids and two small sides of light ranch dip, they finally relized all the veggies that mama has been eating isn't so gross after all! LOL....







Oh and on a sewing note...I have made another purse and shirt...I will post pics soon I promise!!
Okay well here ya go, here is my shirt from last time...I love it, not so much my pic, but love my shirt and matching purse!!







Okay, ttys!!

Gina