All-Natural, Better-than-bought, Homemade Ketchup Recipe

Ketchup, for me, is a guilty pleasure. I am addicted, but hate that I am for several reasons. One - it is embarrassing, as I am the butt of jokes in my husband's family:  "We're having steak? Better get out the ketchup for Patty. We're having eggs? Better get out the ketchup for Patty. We're having ice cream?  Better get out the ketchup for Patty."

I do not eat it on ice cream, I promise. Not yet, anyway.

I am trying to eat healthier these days, which brings me to the second reason I hate that I am addicted: it is not healthy. It is full of sugar - usually in the form of corn syrup (which is one of the worst things to put in your body, according to all of the health experts out there).

I am not willing to change my diet, however, to become ketchup-free. Instead I  begin looking for homemade recipes and adapting them until I hit upon a recipe I liked. All the recipes I found called for either white cane sugar, brown sugar, or Splenda. I was trying to eat more "naturally" along with healthfully, so those were not options. Stevia is a sweetener that is calorie free and natural, so that is what I put in my recipe. I have to say that it is delicious and way better
than store-bought! Plus now I think I can count it as a vegetable serving:)

My friend, Jen, is featuring it today on her blog Balancing Beauty & Bedlam. Go check it out!

I Have Not Abandoned Ship!

I haven't quit my blog - I promise.  I just realized I have not posted a thing in several weeks.  I have been busy with many projects, but none are quite finished.  My DIYer's ADD has kicked in big time. My workroom in the basement is a mess (really, a disaster), which actually is a good sign of things to come.

I know - bad!!

I have been mostly working on our master bedroom. I don't know why that is always the last room I do in a house. I am so happy when it is done, but I don't make it a priority since not many people see it. That is just plain dumb.  We see it.  We live in it. We sleep in it. It should be a tranquil, soothing, relaxing space for us. And now, 3 1/2 years after moving into this house, I am just getting to it. Again - dumb.

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Deal Alert #2: Free Paint!

Ace Hardware is giving away free paint today!  Go here to get your coupon, then head on over to your local Ace Hardware store and pick out your free quart of Clark + Kensington paint.  It doesn't get any better than free! 

Deal Alert: Yarn 40% Off Today at Jo-Ann's

If you have been wanting to make those fabulous wool dryer balls, today is the day to go buy yarn at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts.  They are having a one-day sale with all yarn 40% off.  Go get 'um!

Bon Voyage!

For the next week, I will be on vacation, so I will not be posting until after March 6th. See you then!

DIY Toilet Repairs

Everyone...you know...does it.  We all use the toilet.  It is not one of those pleasant facts, but it is real life.  That also means, however, when our toilet is not working properly, it is something we have to have fixed - and fast.  I hate spending money on a toilet, though; it is not fun or exciting, nor does it make a big difference in the way we feel about ourselves.  It is just necessary.

Not all toilet repairs are DIY-able.  There are some things you probably should turn over to the professionals (if you aren't one of them).  For example, when my then-toddler-who-shall-go-unnamed flushed a Jello pudding cup down the potty, I called the plumber.  Not a good day, trust me. 

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Bargain Shopping: How to Find the Real Deals

When I was young, I can remember a shop in my town called The Bargain Basement.  It was downtown, dark, dusty, musty, and full of junk (and not the good kind). It was not a friendly place and I was glad my mom rarely shopped there.

Thank goodness we don't have to go there today if we want a good bargain.  Deals and (almost) steals are in your normal, everyday stores - if you know where to look.  Great bargains are usually found in the clearance sections of stores, which are never in the front of the store or on the main aisles of your stores. Typically, they are in the very back of the store, sometimes near the bathrooms, or sometimes on the endcaps closest to the walls.

I have found some of my most-treasured or most useful items on clearance at Target, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Kohls, Ross, and HomeGoods. For instance, I discovered this clock at Hobby Lobby for $10, reduced from $60 because it is a two-sided clock and one side no longer worked.  No problem - I just put that side toward the wall in one corner of our family room and no one was the wiser.

Last week I was lucky enough to come across a great deal at Michael's: a ribbon carousel for only $4.99, marked down from $11.99.  It was in the very back of the store in the clearance section because the box had been a bit smashed and it was now missing two of the small knobs that screw onto the tops of the spindles.

I quickly snapped this up, brought it home, and dug into my stash of leftover knobs from other projects. Now I have a great ribbon carousel!

On my (seems-like-daily) trips to Target, I usually start my shopping by heading to the endcaps nearest the back walls of the store to see what is available on clearance.  I saw some great items while there today in the home decor section...

...in the cleaning section...

...and in the very back left-most corner of the store (farthest spot from the entrance and, strangely, with the outdoor supplies), some great deals on toothpaste, deodorant, and hand soap.

Of these clearance items I spotted today, I bought :

Oxiclean       $5.99 (was $7.54)
42-pack Finish Powerball dishwasher detergent with free bottle of Power Booster included    $7.68 (was $10.99)
2-pack of  Colgate whitening toothpaste   $2.98 (was $5.99)
3-pack of Crest Complete   $2.99 (was $5.99)
3-pack of Old Spice deodorant   $3.50 (was $5.00)
56 oz. refill bottle of Softsoap with free bonus small bottle $3.85 (was $5.50)

The total for all of these items would have normally been $39.36, but I got all of this for $26.99. In addition, Target currently has a promotion in which you receive a $5 Target gift card for buying certain personal products together.  I received a $5 gift card for having bought the two toothpaste packs and the Softsoap together.  To save even more, I have a Target Red Card, which is totally free and is not a credit card, but works like a debit card. When it is used to pay for your purchases at Target, you immediately receive 5% off the total. Because I used it, my clearance purchases today cost me about $20.64. If I had been a good couponer, the savings could have been even greater.

Do you have ways you find great bargains?  If so, please feel free to share as a comment below!