March, 2013 | Saved By Grace

Most Wearable Spring Fashion for Busy Moms 2013

March 30, 2024 By Christine 2 Comments

I have always loved fashion trends, even if they have always been my own. 😉 Lately, I have been loving the trend of leggings, tunics and sweaters, given the weather here, but as Spring approaches, it is time to freshen up what I have been wearing and give it a new look.

Dressing when you are a mom who is pressed for time and needs clothes that work with the demands of being a mom can be a challenge.I have picked my favorite and most wearable trends from the UK and US to stick to this Spring to add a burst of newness to your spring wardrobe!*

One top trend all over the runways is blazers. When scouring the internet for the best deals, I have come to find that some of my favorite blazers are from New Look. They have the most up to date styles at very awesome prices. I am really in love with the lighter pastel colors! They can really make an outfit shine if you don’t over-do them. A blazer is a perfect way to add that pop of color. That is certinally refreshing! Plus, don’t forget the hot trend of blazers in all white!

On top of blazers, some new trends that are popping up everywhere are animal prints. I have always loved animal prints and I am so happy to see these coming back. My favorite way to wear them is with a manicure or even a cute clutch. I think with animal prints, it is best to stick with small accessories as to not look like, you, yourself belong in the zoo!

Additionally, one of my favorite trends is monochrome plaid patterns. I have a gray and black black men’s button-down that I have been wearing and I am loving the way it looks paired with just about anything from leggings to jeans and I am sure it would go great with the right pair of shorts!

I personally love the trend in pumps this season. Low heel and wedges are in and my feet are very thankful! I admit, I am one of the strange women who never really learned how to walk in heels properly, so I avoid really tall ones to begin with so it makes me very happy to know my low heeled pumps will be in style this season! Pumps are a perfect way to also bring in the other trends like pastels and animal prints in subtle ways to any outfit as well.

With the warmer weather approaching, it is time to also think about ditching those long pants. The latest and most trendy look for this spring is Bermuda shorts. I love this look so much! It is not only practical for moms, but modest and feminine as well! Bermuda Style shorts also go wonderfully with a blazer and heels. Take a day look to a night look instantly!

I hope you are looking forward to adding some new styles to your wardrobe and coming out of the winter chill as much as I am! By the way, since I loved the blazers so much at New Look, I also wanted to point out that all the trends pictured here are also from the site as well. Happy shopping for your favorite trends this season!

*I was compensated for writing this post. Although I was compensated, all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Fashion

What Is In Your Medicine Cabinet?

March 30, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

A well stocked medicine cabinet can prevent many annoying trips to the store when you or your family members do not feel well. I don’t know how many times I thought I had something in my stock only to find out I didn’t or that it was expired. Although taking expired meds will probably not kill you, they rapidly lose their effectiveness.

The first thing you should do before stocking your medicine cabinet is to take stock in the first place. Go through everything and read labels. Is it expired? Is it damaged? You should make sure your medicine cabinet is in good repair, preferably with a seal of some sort. Medicines can become damaged by steam from a shower, so keeping them well updated is vital.

What should you keep, at the very minimum in a family medicine cabinet? Here is a list below of some of the basics I keep in mine:

Bandages of all sizes
Thermometer
Triple antibacterial ointment
Pain medications such as ibuprofen and tylenol
Antacids
Saline nose spray
Sunscreen
Aloe
Diaper Rash Ointment (I use this for a variety of things. Mainly for any sort of rubbing type rash from clothing or shoes, but can also treat hemorrhoids and other minor skin irritations)
Eye Drops
Antihistamines
Cough drops
Anti-itch creams

I don’t recommend keeping prescriptions or vitamins in your medicine cabinet because of how steam can damage labels and the medicine inside.

Also, keep in mind that it is not a good idea to throw away old medicines down the toilet or drains. This ends up in water supplies and is nearly impossible to get out. Call your local pharmacy on your state and city’s rules regarding throwing out old medications. Many pharmacies have certain times of the year where you can drop off unneeded medications to them and they destroy them properly.

What do you keep in your family’s medicine cabinet?

Photo © Yuris | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Simple Ways to Save Money

March 28, 2024 By Christine 5 Comments

I am always looking for ways to save money. I just feel like there is no reason to spend more than I should have to. To save money was one of the reasons I started couponing to begin with. What seemed like a daunting task that I would never get the hang of, quickly became almost a rush of excitement every time I saw the saving rack up and more money in my pocket.

While I highly suggest couponing, no matter where you live (even if you live in a no-double couponing zone like I do), there is so much more you can do to save money a little here and there to really make a difference!

To start, get a pen and paper. You will need to have a quiet space to think. This will be your time to jot down any places in your life you can “trim the fat” outside of my own suggestions below. You can live very good, even when living frugally. It is a lifestyle change and with a little practice, it gets not only easier and easier, but even enjoyable!

Stop wasting things. Re-use when you can. Use leftovers and even plan leftovers for the next meal.
Buy in bulk when it makes sense. In other words, not everything is worth buying in bulk. If you have no reason to buy a ton of something because it won’t be used up in time, it won’t make sense. Something I always buy in bulk is spices, though. I can get 3 times the amount for 1/3 of the price of the already bottled stuff.
Eat less meat. This is two fold-good for your health and your wallet. Just one meatless meal a week can help. I try to do at least 2.
Do a soup night a couple times a month. This is a good way to use leftovers. For instance, if you have some leftover veggies and roast, turn it into a stew.
Find small ways to make changes. For instance, in baking and cooking, use instant milk. Stop buying bread and invest in a bread machine if you don’t have a stitch of baking talent (raises hand!). Make coffee at home instead of hitting up the coffee shop.
Buy stuff for next holiday at the after holiday sales. This is not just a good idea at Christmas. Buy costumes for next Halloween, buy Easter egg dying kits for next Easter.
Make as many of your own cleaners as you can. I have a lovely tutorial on making your own laundry soap.
Coupon and plan your meals around what you can get.

I hope these tips will inspire you to make the jump to a frugal diva! What tips do you have that I may have missed?

Photo © Pemotret | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Homelife Tagged With: Frugal living

Gorton’s Seafood Challenge {Giveaway!}

March 27, 2024 By Christine 10 Comments

I was so excited to be included in the Gorton’s Seafood Challenge and be sent some awesome coupons to test them out in my own kitchen! What is the Gorton’s Seafood Challenge? It is a challenge set out by the Gorton’s Seafood crew to see what YOU can make with one of their 20 products under 200 calories! What do you win? One person will be lucky enough to win a year’s supply of Gortons!

What did I do for the Challenge? I made delicious and tangy fish tacos!

I wanted to share my recipe here so you can see for yourself how tasty and easy low calorie meals can truly be!

To make Tangy Fish Tacos, you will need:

2 Packages Gorton’s Cajun Grilled Alaska Pollock Fillets
A 1/2 a head of Cabbage
1 jar of low fat coleslaw dressing
1 tablespoon dried Chipotle powder
2 Limes
1 Pinch white pepper
Flour tortillas, fajita size
Tomatoes

1) To start, place your Gorton’s Cajun Grilled Alaska Pollock Filets in the pre-heated oven.

2) While your filets cook, wash cabbage and chop against the grain as you would for coleslaw. Set aside.

3) Slice one of the limes into wedges. These will be great as a side seasoning when the tacos are done. Slice the other in half.

4) Pour coleslaw dressing into a small bowl or container. Add the juice from one lime.

5) Add your chipotle powder. With a whisk, mix well.

6) Add your pinch of white pepper. Whisk together.

7) Dice your tomatoes.

8) Warm your tortillas on a non-stick skillet. Place them on a plate.

9) Pull your Gorton’s Cajun Grilled Alaska Pollock fillets out of the oven. With a spatula, break them up into chunks.

10) Add your Gorton’s Cajun Grilled Alaska Pollock fillet chunks to the Tortilla. Top with cabbage and tomatoes and add your tangy sauce on top! Enjoy! You could also add onions, cilantro and cheese if you like.

Are you excited to try this challenge for yourself? Head on over to the Gorton’s Facebook page and check out the weekly challenges! You can enter to win a year’s supply of Gorton’s by clicking in the “Enter to win!” tab. Have you seen the new Gorton’s Website? I love pinterest and I am happy Gorton’s has a great Pinterest page to check out awesome news and recipes. If you prefer to tweet your seafood favorite, make sure you follow them on twitter. By the way, the Gorton’s Cajun Grilled Alaska Pollocks only have 90 calories each fillet! So delicious and flavorful for so few calories!

Want to “catch” more fun from Gorton’s? Enter to win some awesome prizes, right here on Saved By Grace! One lucky reader will win 5 full value coupons for Gorton’s products, 2 Gorton’s oven mitts, a Gorton’s Spatula and a Gorton’s Apron!

Just enter to win below! Runs from 3/27- 4/2! It is open to US RESIDENTS only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaways, Health, Product Reviews, Recipes Tagged With: food, giveaways, health, Recipes

Easter Egg Nails

March 26, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

It has been a while since I did a nail tutorial and with Easter right around the corner, I think it is time I did one!

I decided that I have had enough of the grey weather outside and wanted to do some pastel nails for the spring. These nails are super easy to do and they look like neatly decorated Easter eggs if you ask me!

Gather these supplies to create your cute Easter manicure:

3 different shades of pastel polish. I used a light yellow, light teal and bright pink.
A pencil or pen with a good tip
Patience!

Start by painting your nails with the lightest color. I used “Unicorn”, by Sinful Colors.

Next, With a steady hand and a light amount of polish on the brush, paint a vertical line, off-center. Make it as thick or thin as you like. I used Avon’s “Aqua Fantasy”.

Finally, when both colors have dried, pour a very small amount of a bold color out. You only need a few drops, really. This won’t take to much to do and you don’t wanna waste too much. With a tip of a pencil or pen, gently dip it into the polish. You really don’t need much at all. With a steady and gentle hand, make dots alongside the vertical line. Try to make them similar in size.

Finish with a clear overcoat after all the polish has dried.

Happy Easter! I hope you enjoyed my tutorial on Easter egg nails!

Filed Under: Beauty Tagged With: beauty, DIY

100+ Things to be Happy About

March 24, 2024 By Christine 3 Comments

I don’t know about anyone else, but as winter drags on and spring seems to take forever to get here in Montana, I start to feel the effects of lethargy, frustration and even depression. I started keeping a journal of things to be happy about to not only help myself remember even little things matter in life, but there are so many little things that are absolute blessings!

In an effort to share my happiness with my readers, I want to share 100+ things off my list to be happy about. I recommend bookmarking this page to come back to when you need a boost in happiness!

Who knows? You may even get some ideas on how to cheer yourself up 😉

Fresh, warm, clean Pj’s right out of the dryer
Baby Laughs
The first day at the Farmer’s Market
Tulips and buds on trees starting to come out in spring
Seeing your goals happen
Lazy afternoons in bed
Home made soup
Car shows
A fresh clean new pair of socks
Good coffee
That “accomplished” feeling
Really good desserts
Watching squirrels
A candle-lit room
That first grill of the season
Fishing, even if you don’t catch anything
A good belly laugh
Love notes
Soda in glass bottles
Old Fashioned taffy pulls
Day trips
A feeling of security
Warm blankets on cold nights
Star gazing on a clear night
Bubble wrap
Yard sales and hidden treasures
Warm maple syrup
Fun fabric patterns
A phone call from a long lost friend
A rainy night while falling asleep
Finding a new solution to an old problem
Fresh Farm eggs
Going through old photos
The smell of fall in the air
Vanilla bean ice cream
Yogurt bars with unlimited toppings
Being recognized for your hard work
A new soap
Trying a new food and liking it
The smell of citrus
Cupcakes
A good hair day
A moment where you were very witty
A clean home
The smell of cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven
The sparkle of fresh snow
“Open” Signs
Lasagna the next day
Cherry Pie
Funny sayings like “Hunky Dorey”
A long needed apology
Hand cut French fries
Cashing in change you have been saving
Your children making the right choice
Angel food cake
A & W root beer in frosted mugs
Napping in the shade on a summer day
Doing a new craft
Strawberries in Champagne
Great smelling candles
Finding that outfit you feel extremely confident in
Watching a cat “hunt” a string
Going berry picking
Seeing a wild animal
A homemade gift
Kilts
Spoon rings
Sneaking a taste of a recipe you are working on
Sleepy-head kids
Hearing “your song” on the radio
A fresh box of crayons
Wind Chimes
Children playing “dress up”
Penny Candy
50’s music
Watching old music videos
Layer cakes
Cheese tasting
Water fights
A new lipstick
“Finger nail” moons
Getting a “real” letter in the snail mail
A really awesome salad bar
Knee socks
Eating the cake icing first
Drive ins
Playing with the toys in the toy department
A brand new pair of jeans
Getting something for free with coupons
gourmet chocolate
Home made Mashed potatoes
Robin’s eggs
Learning something new every day
The smell of cedar
Canapes and Petit Fours
Piglets
Strawberries dipped in sugar
Decorating Easter Eggs
Balloon animals
Water Parks
Fresh brushed teeth
Girl scout cookies
Laughing at yourself

Happy Days are ahead!

Photo from iStockphoto/Moncherie

Filed Under: Health, Homelife Tagged With: Family, health

Itty Bitty Blogathon!

March 23, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I am so excited that after a long stit of not having time to blog that I am participating in the Itty Bitty Blogathon! This is from the website Biannual Blogathon Bash, which hosts two larger blogathons that are a great help to bloggers of all sizes and knowledge. I participated in one and it was a great help for learning new ways to blog and new ways to approach techniques in blogging.

This Itty Bitty Blogathon is just what I need to get myself back up to par!

I hope you will enjoy all the stuff I will be pumping out over the weekend and working on for the coming weeks! I hope to learn some new things to apply to my blog as well!

Filed Under: Frugal Living

Have a Not So Boring Date Night #2

March 22, 2024 By Christine 3 Comments

In my previous post, I gave ideas for a cheap date night. It was such a hit, I decided to write a second post!

Not all these ideas are cheap, but they are all sure to leave you with amazing memories!

Check into a fun hotel. Register under phoney names and come separately. Pretend you are a movie star.
Do a date night at home with a theme. For instance, watch an Italian movie or series and cook an Italian meal at home to share while you watch,
Go night Skiing or ice skating. Snuggle up at home!
Go for a nice drive in the country. Play songs from when you were teenagers in the car. Pull over and “park” in a nice scenic place.
Find out when the next meteor shower will be. Cuddle up under blankets under the stars and drink hot cocoa.
Garden together. It is fun and great for building relationships because you work together and you get to see the “fruits” of your labor for months to come.
Do it old school style: Find a tree that means something to you and carve your names in a heart.
Go pick out a simple pet for the two of you, even if it is a goldfish.
Raining? Go hit up a book store. Browse the books together or alone. Promise to meet up with a book you bought for the other one. The results may be revealing or surprising!
This might sound weird, but go for a walk in an old cemetery. You may get into some great conversations about the graves and it can be an amazingly spiritual experience.
Create a “coupon book” for each other. These can be sexy, sweet or funny coupons the other can reveal.
Take a half a day off work together. Spend the morning in bed and go eat breakfast at a fancy place.

Lovebird picture from Dashinghub.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Family

Using Online Coupons to Maximize Your Couponing!

March 20, 2024 By Christine Leave a Comment

I have written a few posts on couponing and have mostly talked about the traditional clipped kind. With this being a time where everything seems to be digital and online, it is important to remember not to completely ignore how valuable online digital coupons can be.

A few ways that online coupons can be used are for:

Discounts (a percentage off) on products
Actual dollars off of products
Free products with purchases of certain items

Online coupons are simple to use. In many cases, you just plug in a code at the time you purchase in the box provided. The order system will automatically give you your discount and apply it to your total.

Online couponing can be very rewarding and often times, there are exclusive deals available in online stores only. These coupons can only be used for online purchases and not in the retail storefronts. It is a good idea if you are about to hit up a local store (especially a chain) to first check out online coupon sites and see if there is an exclusive online coupon you can use and save yourself not only a trip down to the store, but also some cash!

Often times, couponing sites will have the coupons organized into categories for easier browsing. You may even find a coupon that you were not specifically looking for.

I love using online coupons to get free deals. Sometimes, you can get lucky and find coupons for stores online that end up making the price of the item free or nearly free or just having to pay for shipping. As a blogger, I can attest to loving having something show up at my door. It is easy and convient as well as a ton of fun to shop online.

Your best deal may be right around the corner when you consider using online coupons!

* I was compensated for this post. Although I was compensated, these words and opinions are 100% my own.

Filed Under: Frugal Living Tagged With: Frugal living, gifts

Spring Cleaning-Early!

March 19, 2024 By Christine 2 Comments

So although Spring is hitting many areas of the United States already, it is not here yet in Montana.

Montana has some funky weather. I call it “teases”. One day, in March, you will see a great day. Sun shining, birds tweeting, blue skies..and think “Hey! Winter is finally over!”. It is only myself and others being overly optimistic. Today was a good example of it. It was nice all weekend. I felt even a bit too warm for now..and today, it is snowing.

In the key of being overly optimistic, a couple weeks ago, my husband and I did some “pre-Spring cleaning”. We are not hoarders by any means, but we live in a small space with hardly any storage and it gets cluttery in here quick. Ever have any of those days where you just say to yourself, “OK, enough is enough!” with the clutter? Yes, a couple weeks ago , my husband and I came to that feeling and decided to do something about it.

I want to pass on some tips that we personally found useful in de-cluttering as it can be a huge task, even for small place. You would be surprised what you have when it comes to getting rid of it!

To de-clutter for spring cleaning, we suggest the following:

Turn on the music! It is no fun to clean in the silence. I find that music relaxes me and distracts me while taking on big tasks. To make it fair for everyone’s ears, maybe switch types of music every hour.
Enlist the whole family! This is a great exercise for kids of all ages. Very little ones may be able to help you sort things by rooms or size. Older ones, may be able to help you haul things out of the house.
Don’t feel the need to do it all in one day. Decide to tackle one room or a couple rooms a day. Taking your time will allow you to go through everything with a fine tooth comb and will make things less over-whelming.
A quick way to decide what to keep and what to get rid of is to say,”Has this been used in 6 months?” If not, it needs to go, unless of course it has some serious sentimental value. Try to limit these items as well.
Come up with a color scheme or theme you want to stick with in your rooms. If it doesn’t fit the scheme, it has to go.
Decide on a couple things you want to change in the room and reward yourself with cheap new decorations or alterations. Buy new curtains and toss out the old ones for instance.
Plan out cheap and easy meals to make the days you work.
Take frequent breaks. Try to limit yourself to short ones so you don’t lose motivation.
Have plenty of cleaning supplies on hand and even masks. You stir up a lot of dust you didn’t know was there when going through things.
Reward yourself! Plan a cheap thing you can all do as a family after the project is done!

I hope these tips help you make your home the best place it can be while you start your spring cleaning. It is amazing to look around and feel like you can breath again. Soon, I will write a post on decorating on a shoestring, so you can see how great a room can be with very little money. Cheers!

photo via Kleen Sweep Maids dot com

Filed Under: Homekeeping, Homelife Tagged With: Cleaning