Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show Today

Welcome to our first ever Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show. Yes, it's a completely new twist on the Mr. Linky Party, and if you're new to this whole Frugal Fashionista concept, click on the picture above for the previous posts and finds.
This is your opportunity to browse around and see all the fashion treasures that everyone has been finding at yard sales, thrift stores, and consignment sales.

Before we move on to this inaugural event, I'll show you my new summer finds from this past week.
It's that time of the year when I mourn the loss of my black wardrobe, but embrace the patterns and colors of spring. I look for pieces that make me happy, and remind me to choose joy. :)

One of the essentials in a core wardrobe is an A- line skirt. This style skirt looks fabulous on women from size 2 - 22, so when I discovered this fully lined, embroidered skirt at our Junior League Thrift Store this week for $5, I snatched it up.
The colors and details stood out, and I was excited at the multitude of outfits I could create with what already resided in my closet.

At first I paired it with an Anne Taylor tank that I had purchased for $1 at a yard sale, along with earrings and a necklace set for $2.
But considering I am not quite comfortable in a sleeveless summer look yet, I started browsing for alternatives. This $3 green Good Will treasure from last year allows me to cover those arms, but still enables the turquoise blue to shine through.
This "coverlet" has been one of my favorite finds because it's so versatile. I can put it over a Tee and shorts or I can layer it over an evening dress for a night on the town.
So can anyone tell me what this "coverlet" is called? I have a roomful of women debating...poncho, wrap, shawl?
A $0.50 yard sale find this past Saturday was this white sweater. On chilly evenings, layering this over my sleeveless blouses will be perfect.

And if I want to stay with shades of blue, how about this $1 yard sale cardigan?
Can you even believe how perfectly these sandals match my new skirt and tank?
Another $1 yard sale find...last fall. I love when outfits just fall together without trying.

Do you remember what I said about not paying attention to sizes when you buy second hand? This is a perfect example. The first A-line skirt above is a size 4, this A-line skirt is a size 12.
Yes, this one is just a bit big, but still.....from size 4 - 12? That's quite the stretch. I am typically between an 8-10. Be open minded with sizes.

I bought this cozy, cotton embellished T-shirt for $0.50 at the same yard sale as the others. Can you even believe how perfectly it matches my $3.99 Good Will find? They look like they were made for each other.
Thanks for letting me share my Frugal Fashionista Finds of the week. So what have you found?
If this is your first time taking place in a "link up" party, there are just a few guidelines.

1. Include your post showing us your Frugal Fashionista finds.

2. Link up below to the permalink of your post. To find out what yours is, simply click on the title of your post and grab the permalink from the address bar.

3. Link back to Balancing Beauty and Bedlam in your post so everyone will know where to come to find all the other fashion fun. Let them know that Thrift is Back...it's the new Black!

Thanks for playing along. It's so fun to encourage everyone that Frugality can be Fun and Fabulous! I'll continue having this Fashion Link up Party once a month. :)

Do you know your worth?

Many of you "know" me as a woman passionate about frugal homemaking - yard sales, coupon cutting, frugal fashions, and crazy bedlam moments. I love to have fun and act all crazy.

But I also desire this blog to be an opportunity for you to glimpse into my heart.
To know your worth as a woman - both practically and eternally.
I want you to understand that your value runs so much deeper than my limited blogging time can ever express.
I would love nothing more than to share life over a cup of coffee, and help encourage each other in our role as women (the good, bad, and ugly).
Since that's not physically possible, I thought I would give you the chance to peak into my "real life." I always love it when I can see my blogging friends and hear their voice (even if it was all scratchy from being sick all week. :)

I know it says "8 minutes. " Please don't feel like you have to hang around that long, but you just might want to. :)
And since I know many of you will wonder when you see my Frugal Fashionista outfit...total $5.50.
Sweater - $2, Pants $1, necklace - $0.50, and boots $2 (everything from yard sales. :)

The Invisible Woman from WAV Technologies on Vimeo.

This sketch was based on the amazing book, The Invisible Woman: A Special Story for Mothers
by Nicole Johnson.

Swedish Pancakes - Tasty Tuesday

Since we have been enjoying our 20 boxes of cereal (that I scored over the last two weeks for $0.25/piece), I thought I better depart from my hot breakfast hiatus and heat up the griddle again.
We love pancakes in our home. I have tried tons of variations - thick, thin, puffed, baked, adding fruit, chocolate chips, various flavored extracts here and there, but when I want the "lick it off the plate, I don't even need syrup" recipe, I turn to these Swedish pancakes.
This is definitely a "Works for me" recipe.
They are incredibly thin, which is how we like them, but I have to make a TON to fill up the bellies of my children (which is the only downside). This recipe has the added benefit of being serious "eye candy" if you have company and want a delicious, yet beautiful presentation.
You can serve them rolled up with fruit sauce and whipped cream.
If I was a better Tasty Tuesday hostess, you would now be seeing that gorgeous presentation,
but since this is Balancing Beauty and BEDLAM, on this morning I was just going for the "make as many as I can in as little time as possible" presentation.
Therefore circle, triangle, and rectangle pancakes are all acceptable to me. They all go down the same pipe. My kids would have grabbed the camera and flushed it if I had stopped to take any more pictures before finally handing over the pancakes. They were waiting patiently around the table as I snapped away with the camera. :)
But they agreed, they were worth the wait.

Swedish Pancakes

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter

Combine eggs, milk, flour, sugar and salt; beat until smooth.
Add melted butter to batter.
Use 1/4 cup batter on hot frill for each pancake.
(For presentation - flip and roll up pancake, serve with sauce and whipped cream).

I literally quadrupled this recipe. It's very rich, so you may choose to use less butter and more milk after you have made it once. I have also added a dash of almond extract. It gives it a special little twist.
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Thanks for joining me for another week of Tasty Tuesday - Parade of Foods

Did any of you take my "lights out" challenge and eat by candlelight this week? How did it go?
Please share in the comments, I would love to hear.

So what fun things did you create this week?
As always, please follow the simple guidelines.
1. When you sign up below, link directly to your Tasty Tuesday post so that everyone can easily find your recipe.
2. Please mention Tasty Tuesday (or grab the button) and link back to my site URL (http://www.inpassionatepursuit.blogspot.com) or this week's Tasty Tuesday post URL which can be found at the very top of the screen. This helps everyone who reads your recipe/tips join in the fun.

Can't wait to be inspired by you all again. :)

$50 in free Kraft Coupons...print quickly

I hope you all had a blessed day yesterday.
I am getting ready to send 4/5 children to home school camp for four days, and I can't wait to spend some special one on one girlie time with my youngest.
She has our social calendar packed with lots of "dates," and I hate to be the one to break it to her that we won't be able to accomplish all that she is anticipating. :)


On Friday, I sent out a quick post about the possibility of these upcoming Kraft coupons (at H.T. they'll pay us to buy something :). Well, I was so thrilled to wake up to $50 worth of various Kraft coupons that have loaded onto my side bar's coupon widget Print Free Coupons here, as well as when I log into my Kraft account.
You can print two of each item (just back space) from my coupons.com widget located on the left of my page, as well as the Kraft account. That makes the possibility of four coupons for each product. That's perfect for when it's BOGO Free.

Hopefully, this will make this couponing game fun and easy, even for those of you who don't have double coupons. But once their limited is reached, they're gone. So print quickly. :)

To get your coupons through Kraft:
1.)Click button below to get registered (or log in if you have already)
2.) Click on the "Coupons" button at the top of the page
3.) Click on the "click here for coupons" button
4.) Choose the coupons you want and hit print
Remember that you can print two of each.

You'll see a great article on building a pantry, with the place to sign up on the right side.


I had no idea that Kraft had all these brands....look at just some of the coupons that are available - Kraft Cheese, Maxwell House Coffee, Miracle Whip, A1 Steak Sauce, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Nabisco 100 Calorie Snacks, Ritz Crackers,Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Crystal Light, Tombstone Pizza, Kraft BBQ Sauce and MUCH more!

The Kraft BBQ Sauce ends up being free at Walmart w/coupon, $0.08 at Krogers with an additional Catalina printing out at the register (making them a money maker), and nearly free at stores across the US.

I'm very excited because these are all items that I purchase when they are buy one, get one free. :)

Encouragement to moms on this Mother's Day!

As I browsed the web trying to find the perfect "quote" to encourage women with their mothering, I realized that my personal exhortation when I speak at Mops is always the one to which I come back.
In these moments, when the days are long, and I feel that I can't get through another day, I remind myself that I am more than a meal maker, more than a nose blower, more than a bootie wiper.

I am a Dream Maker....
I am a Life Changer...
I am a Legacy Leaver...

Reflect and ponder on that moms.
You are a DREAM MAKER, a LIFE CHANGER, a LEGACY LEAVER!
You have been uniquely chosen by God to mother your children through the good, bad and ugly.

Your value is not determined by what others think of you or even what you think of yourself (read that again, and commit that to memory).

Your worth, your value is determined by how God views you...and HE loves you more than His own life. You are His precious child, His daughter.

Moms, we have been uniquely chosen by God to mother our children.
What an honor!
The days are long, but the years are short.

How do you view this calling of mothering? Is it a blessing or a burden?
Let's encourage each other on this challenging journey, wherever we are in the process.
We only have one chance to do it right, and I want to live with no regrets.

How about you?

Happy Mother's Day!