Last week I was in Florida and checked out how cute all the starfish ornaments were.  I was too cheap to buy any so I bought plain starfish and sanddollars for $.49 each.  I came home and found some ribbon to glue on the back and I am going to find a ponseitta pick and take it apart and glue to the front of the shells.  Much less than the $5.99 asking price at the gift shops.

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I got a huge gift certificate from Nordstrom's from my bosses yesterday at my work party.  I never had such an amount to spend on clothes before. 

As you know, I will be scouring the sales racks because it is wholesale or no sale for me.  I am hoping that I can wait until January when most stores have their huge sales.  I also found out that there is an Nordstrom's Off the Rack store which should have more savings. 

I've never shopped there and I'm freaked out by some of the prices I see on the internet, but I know that I'll look around and find the best things that look good and fit me and my budgeting little world!

Yeah!  I'm happy I wish I could leave right now and start shopping!  I've been paying off debt and haven't bought myself anything in so long.  I'm going to feel luxurious and rich for once!

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The cookie party went over pretty well.   I made everyone play games and I had little gifts for them.  I made way too much food.  I'm kind of sick of eating the leftovers now! 

I gave the cookies away the next day.  That way I wouldn't eat them.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the party and wants me to have another one next year, only they want to add in a regift exchange.

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I'm excited.  Tommorrow is my Cookie Exchange Party.  I'm running out at lunch and getting the chips, pop, etc.  I have everything almost ready to go.  Tonight I am going to make different dips and give them enough time to meld the flavors together. 

I'm going to make a regular chip dip, hummus, and a refried bean dip.  I'm going to make those little sausages and a crescent roll wreath also. 

I'm going to try to make a centerpiece out of old ornaments and some cuttings from a Christmas tree (hopefully I'll be able to score some!)

I made butterscotch bars to give away.  Easiest cookie to make, which makes a lot in one bunch!

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Sticks Maragarine

1 Cup Chocolate Chips (I used Butterscotch though)

1 Cup Walnuts

1 Tsp. Vanilla

Cream together Butter and Sugar.  Add Vanilla.  Sift in Flour and mix well.  Stir in Chocolate Chips and Walnuts.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes or until brown on top.

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Most of my Junior Girl Scout Troop were in a Christmas Pagent on Tuesday night.  Oh, they were so sweet and cute.  I was as proud of them as their parents were.  Of course I probably heard them sing the songs about 90 times during our meetings for the past two months. 

Unfortunately we have problems with the neighborhood manager and Girl Scout Council in Macomb County, Michigan.  The neighborhood manager is a Scout Nazi and when we started asking questions about where money is going, etc. we got kicked out.  There is a whole uproar going on in our little world. 

Here is a picture of most of the girls when they were dressed up last year for a dance.  I'll post on of the Christmas Pagent when my friend has them developed.

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I'm beginning to put up my Christmas decorations finally.  I put my tree up and the lights and garland on it.  I don't really feel like unpacking all my ornaments.  I just took a few that were off the top of the box and put those on.  That seems to be enough for now. 

I baked some cookies and I practiced making apple cinnimon martinis.  Unfortunately I made a batch after my brunch and tasted three or four and then woke up around 5:30.  I wanted to make sure they were still good so I had some more.  I woke up this morning at 6:30 .  

I think I'm finally getting over the Bob-o.  I went and got my hair cut, and new makeup and some new clothes for work.  I haven't been paying atention to the way I present myself all the time and am starting to make amends.  It made me feel better.  I also went tanning, its amazing how 10 minutes worth of fake sunshine makes my depression lift a little bit.

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I'm not a germ phobe, I kind of gross out having to eat at a peoples house who has way too many animals in a small space. Flying, barking, purring, slithering animals and I'm pretty sure the house isn't cleaned until a day before the party either - lol.  I don't like going to really dirty houses where there is only a path from room to room either.  (Trust me, my house gets bad!)

I'm the type that has to clean the house to get ready for the party by disenfecting the kitchen first and everything else, then I prepare the food for a party.  Then I reclean again before everyone comes over.  But don't get me wrong, I'm a clutter collector and I could easily become a slob in no time.  I'm lucky right now, I have a space for everything, and everything in its space.  

Does anyone else gross out about having to eat a dirtier house than your own?   

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I recently went to a Friends of the Public Library book sale and picked up an old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook from the early 1990's.  In it was such a cute ornament made from peppermints. 

You take five or six pepperments and put them in a tart pan (which I bought for $.10 on a clearance rack at the Corning Ware store) and melt them in there for 4 to 5 minutes in a 325 degree oven.  You just stick a cuticle stick in the top to make a hole for hanging.  Let it cool down a bit, press it out of the tart pan and stick a little bow on it and there you have it. 

I'll be hitting the after Halloween clearance sale for 75% off peppermints!   Cute and frugal!

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Last night I was so bored I started making my own Christmas gift tags.  I rubber stamped a snowman family on old Christmas cards from last year and cut out with fancy paper scissors.  I spent about an hour coloring them.

I have already started on my frugal Christmas shopping.  I've been picking up stuff off the summer clearance racks.  It's a good thing my mother has a yen for orange picnic plates for her January birthday each year.

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