Christina Leaman

Freezer Cooking January 22, 2014

Freezer Cooking Part 2 – How it went, and what we’d do differently next time

Missed the first post on Freezer Cooking? Click here to read how I planned and get links to the resources I used.Hey y’all, as promised I’m back to share how our freezer cooking day went last Saturday. I’m happy to say it went really well! Of course, as with anything, going forward there are things we’d probably do differently. I thought I would take some time in this post to share what worked, what didn’t and what we’re planning for future freezer cooking sessions (yes, there will be more!).Let’s start with what worked:Using the planning forms from Money Saving Mom was a great first start. It helped me plan well and gave me the ability to delegate tasks to my hubby. The recipes from Six Sister’s Stuff were super easy to follow and they were pretty basic ingredients, which meant that I had a lot of the staples already in the pantry.…

Freezer Cooking January 18, 2014

Freezer Cooking Day Part 1

So if you follow me on Facebook, you know that this week I’ve been planning a big “freezer cooking” day this Saturday. While this isn’t my first round of preparing things specifically for the purpose of freezing them for later use, this is the biggest and most involved by far. Since some of you had questions and seemed super interested (honestly, I was surprised at how many of you asked great questions or indicated you needed/wanted to know more) I thought I would throw together a couple of quick posts that would let you know how I’ve gone about it. It’ll also give me a chance to answer your questions directly. First of all, please know that while I could recreate the wheel, my goal for the year is to simplify so I have been more than eager to accept help from around the web. Also, recognize that what works for…

Home Office December 12, 2013

Home Office Closet Make Over Part 2

Hey y’all, as promised I’m back with an update on our new “home cloffice” as I’m calling it. Over the weekend I cleared out the clutter from the closet (I’ll spare you the rest of the room…sigh) and organized all of our extra computer cables and back up parts…yes, we have back ups…and today I spent the afternoon giving the closet it’s first big dose of love. Paint!Since we’re on a tight budget to make this happen, my original plan was to buy a quart of mis-tinted paint from Lowes or Home Depot. The snow kind of made getting out difficult. We did finally make it to Lowes when we could venture out (mainly to buy ice melt) but the only quart of paint on their mis-tint rack that I liked wouldn’t have been something I would’ve been pleased with in the long run. Instead, I decided to use what we…

Home Office December 10, 2013

Home Office Closet Make Over Part 1

It’s awesome right?? So this year for Christmas, my handsome hubby asked for an elliptical machine as his only gift. I was more than happy to oblige him and found a killer deal online for one, but then, I had to figure out where the heck to put it. (In hindsight I probably should’ve figured that out first, but ah well…) He suggested the guest room, but I figured that our guests may not appreciate his early morning work outs. 😉 The only other space that was even remotely feasible was our home office, but it houses a HUGE desk and four bookshelves. I didn’t really think it would fit with all that stuff. Something had to go and the desk was it. But then what would we do with all of our home office stuff? (“Stuff” is a recurring theme in this space sadly, but we’ll get to that later.) Our…

Cyber Monday/Small Bus Saturday December 8, 2013

Shop Small Business Week – Start Organizing

Hey y’all! It’s time for our last small business post of the week. Frankly, I can’t believe I blogged for an entire week straight. Kinda crazy, but I feel awesome! Enough about that though, let’s get down to business.Y’all know I love an organized space right? Right. That’s no secret. And you know I love my binders. Like love. It’s kind of a sickness (an awesome sickness). Anywho, today’s shop speaks right to my very organizing soul. Our focus today is on Start Organizing, run by Nicole Lee. She’s a girl after my own heart, “I have a forgetful brain, so I like to have everything written down. That’s why I create printables.” Um, I can totally relate Nicole, really. Let’s check out what she offers.Yes, I know it’s Dec. 8th, but it’s not too late to plan! Really!Recipe binders make a fantastic family gift for Christmas.These days, I’m such a calendar/planner girl. And I…

Cyber Monday/Small Bus Saturday December 7, 2013

Shop Small Business Week – Forgotten Cotton

Hey y’all! Hubby and I have a ton (and I do mean a TON) of things to do today before we attend a friend’s holiday party tonight, so I wanted to get today’s post up a little early. I hope y’all don’t mind.Today’s Shop Small Business Week shop is Forgotten Cotton run by Elizabeth and John, a husband and wife team out in Wyoming. Y’all they gave up life in NYC to follow their dream! Their story is pretty amazing. You can find it here. It’s worth a read! Their main focus is cozy scarves and fingerless gloves but they also have some fun vintage jewelry (y’all know I love my vintage!). Let’s check out some of their stuff, shall we?I’m kind of obsessed with infinity scarves right now and these look perfect for cold Maryland winters!OK, I’ll admit, I never thought I’d like fingerless gloves, but these quirky Christmas ones…

Cyber Monday/Small Bus Saturday December 7, 2013

Shop Small Business Week – Chrysalis Jewelry

Hey y’all, it’s time for today’s Shop Small Business Week post! In the spotlight today we have Melissa’s shop – Chrysalis Jewelry!Here’s more information from her shop site:”They say necessity is the mother of all invention. In this vein, Melissa decided to start making her own jewelry. What started as a hobby, to satisfy her own need for unique jewelry, has morphed and grown into Chrysalis Jewelry.”But y’all, it’s not all about jewelry! She also has some amazing leather work and some beautiful scarves. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite items, shall we?I love this bracelet made from a spoon. So feminine!This scarf would be perfect for my sister-in-law. She loves these ruffle scarves.This has to be my favorite offering. That clock face is gorgeous!If you love unique jewelry and accessory items, this is the place for you. For more information and to check out her full…

Cyber Monday/Small Bus Saturday December 6, 2013

Shop Small Business Week – The Stitchin’ Mommy

Hey y’all! It’s time for today’s Shop Small Business Week post and today we’re taking a look at Amy’s shop The Stitchin’ Mommy! Here’s some information about her directly from her Etsy shop:”The Stitchin’ Mommy specializes in crocheted hats, baby blankets and other items for babies, children, teens, and even adults. Thank you for taking a look at my shop. I hope that you like my items and tell your friends and family about my handmade items.”Now, I have to tell y’all that it was extremely hard to pick just a few of her creations to share with you. It’s all so cute! Seriously! So while I’m only sharing three of my favorites, I can’t urge you enough to pop over to her shop. You just have to in order to get the full amount of cute overload.Let’s have an entirely too brief look:This gorgeous baby blanket would be perfect for snuggles!OK…

Cyber Monday/Small Bus Saturday December 4, 2013

Shop Small Business Week – Janery

Hey y’all! It’s time for today’s Shop Small Business Week post! Today’s shop? Janery. Janery is run by Jane of the blog The Borrowed Abode (hence the name) and if I’m totally honest, Jane is a good friend of mine and I also help her out on her blog from time to time. So, I haven’t been paid or compensated in any way for posting this – but I just wanted to put that out there to be completely up front. I just really like her stuff and I have included her items in my Small Biz round up every year – long before I began helping her out! One of the coolest things about Jane and her line of pillows, pet beds and accessory items is her focus on fair labor and ethical shopping. She does all she can to make sure even the materials she uses are produced under…

Cyber Monday/Small Bus Saturday December 3, 2013

Shop Small Business Week – Old Town Suds

Hey y’all! Day 3 of Shop Small Business Week is here and today we’re taking a look at another fantastic handmade business – Old Town Suds, run by the fabulous Steffanie! Let me tell you, Steffanie is pretty passionate about her products – soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products and personal care items. She even offers classes on how to make your own soap at home!Here’s more about Steffanie straight from her site: “Old Town Suds began in 2011 out of the need to remove unneeded chemicals from everyday use. Steffanie, our Sudsologist, began experimenting with ways she could cut back on chemicals in her condo after a major health concern. One of the best recommendations from those around her was to be more cautious with the items she was using in her environment. Until that point, Steffanie never really considered how a bar of soap could be bad for someone or…