A look back at February

Is anyone else amazed that after today February is over? And tomorrow it'll be March!Where is this year going? I guess people are right when they say the older you get the faster the years go by.

Since time is flying I thought it would be fun to take a look back at all the things that went on over at Newlyweds on a Budget in February.

We started off the month with a cute and easy Valentine's Day Project-my LOVE Mason Jars. I'm still astounded by the response to these. It was a simple idea I came up with while doing the dishes and now it has been pinned hundreds of times!

Then I had a blast covering an old bookshelf with book pages and a splash of red paint to give it a fun new makeover. Check out my Book Paged Bookshelf-

I bought WAY to much burlap at Walmart and had fun tackling my very sewing project. I followed this easy tutorial and jazzed it up a bit by painting a big red heart on it-I love my Valentine Heart Pillow

Last week we started a new weekly series over here. Our Financial Series is all about ways you can save your money and a break down of designing on a budget.

And earlier this week I started getting ready for St. Patty's Day with a fun and easy LUCKY Banner. 

February was a good month for me and I'm excited to show off some fun projects I'll be finishing up this weekend next week! As always the credit for how awesome this blog is really goes to you guys-my amazing and faithful readers who make me feel so loved!

Just a quick reminder-Round 2 of Creative Bloggers Got Talent is open for voting until Friday. I can't tell you which project is mine but I'm sending good vibes your way so be sure to go VOTE!

Tutorial Tuesday #42

Good morning all. First up-a couple of things. I can be such a spaz sometimes. I forgot to announce the winner of the NikkiE Made It giveaway. Congrats to my awesome friend Lindsay Gilbert!! Check your email.

Today I get to be a part of the second round in the Creative Bloggers Got Talent Contest. Unlike the first round I can't tell you which project is mine which is why I need you to VOTE VOTE VOTE!! There are 19 other extremely talent women-I feel so honored to apart of this great contest!

Okay okay-enough about me. Let's check out some of the amazing projects you guys linked up last week.

I love Kathryn from Destination Craft's beautiful wreath-love the mini chalkboard!

Crafted Niche made the most adorable mustache mugs. I'm so tempted to do this soon!

Mel from There's No Place Like Home shows off an fun and easy way to get some unique art on your walls.

And lastly 2027 shared these adorable Mickey Mouse shirts she made-so cute!

Thanks to everyone who linked up last week-all of your amazing projects are what makes these parties so fantastic!! I can't wait to see all the fun things you guys have been up to!

I'm feeling LUCKY

Now that I've finished my first project for the Creative Bloggers Got Talent contest I felt like I can focus on other crafts. I whipped this fun little St. Patty's Day craft while watching t.v.-it took be about 5 minutes total.

I printed off LUCKY from the computer and using my exacto knife cut the letters out so I could use them as a stencil.

Then I used Craft Apple's Shamrock Green (I thought that was appropriate) and painted the letters on pieces of burlap I cut out in triangles

then I hung them up above my Bookpage Bookshelf

Great and easy way to bring a little St. Patty's Day spirit to your tiny apartment home.

Just a reminder the second round of the Creative Bloggers Got Talent Contest goes up tomorrow. From here on out the contest is blind which means I can't tell you which project is mine and but that's why I need you to VOTE!! I can't wait to see what great ideas the other 19 contestants have come up with!

Don't forget Tutorial Tuesday is tomorrow-be sure to come link up your awesome projects!!

I'm linking up to these fun parties: Singing Three Little Birds, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, The Girl Creative, Embellishing Life, Our Delightful Home, Romance on a Dime, Not JUST a Housewife, Sugar Bee Crafts, Chef in Training, Organize and Decorate Everything, Blue Cricket Design, Oopsey Daisy, Ginger Snap Crafts

Feature You Friday #`11

First up CONGRATULATIONS to Rachel Laukat for winning the Apple Top Art Giveaway! Check your email to claim your prize!

It's time for one of my favorite posts of the week-

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So whose going to be the lucky blogger featured today? (Drum roll please) Everyone say hello to Joanna from Waiting for Two. I honestly can't tell you how I stumbled on Joanna's blog a few weeks ago-but I can tell you that after finding it I spent hours going through her site reading her amazing posts.
You see Joanna has the most beautiful little girl. Her name is Little M (I'm sure that's not her real name obviously). Little M is the cutest most adorable little girl and she's the main star of the show over at Waiting for Two.

Joanna has such a powerful way of writing. She shares story that make you cry, laugh, and ponder what's really important in life all at the same time. 

A few of my favorite posts from Waiting for Two are:

Her sweet post about why they decided to adopt their beautiful baby girl

Or when she talks about the special need her daughter has that wasn't written in her file.

But of course not all of her posts are powerful in an obvious way. Some of them are powerful in the sweet moments she captures like the things she thought she'd never say post.

All in all Joanna has an adorable daughter, a powerful blog, and a wonderful life. Be sure to check her out at Waiting for Two and leave a comment letting her know she's been featured today!

Financial Series Week One: Where do I start?

First off Congratulations to Daphne Christensen for winning the Glow Kouture Giveaway!! Check your email to claim your prize!!

One of my favorite things as a blogger is sharing some of the tricks and tips of the trade with you guys. And as Mojo and I have taken the pledge to be more "fiscally fit" this year I decided to share my secrets with you. Thus was born the "Financial Series", every Thursday for the next few weeks I'll share a few tips and tricks to help you get your finances in order.

So as you all know this is a crafting/design blog all about doing things on budget. Hence the name. I've mentioned a few times that Mojo and I set a limit on how much I can spend each month on design elements. It's a small budget-trust me. And we can't forget the time that we didn't spend money on anything other than the necessities-we're still reaping the benefits from that.

The thing is that before Mojo and I tied the knot I had lived on my own for 2 years making enough money to support a fairly lavish lifestyle-for one person. When you add another person into the mix all of sudden all that "extra" money I used to have was going to more important things like gas and food. It was a big adjustment for me.

Mojo and I are different in that I like to spend money and he likes to save it. Big surprise there I know. But all that changed when I married the saver of the year. It's amazing to me how disciplined Mojo is with his money. It's also awesome because I'm not disciplined....for example I may or may not have gone over the pre-determined "craft budget" this month. Once you see what I got you'll realize that it was a need not a want...or at least that's what I'm trying to get Mojo to understand.

So in order to make the spender (that's me) and the saver (that's him) happy we had to come up with a good way to keep everything in order. Enter Mint* have you heard of it before? If not it's a FREE (we love free things around here) online budget. Here's what the geniuses behind Mint have to say about it

How awesome is that? Oh and did I mention it was FREE?? And don't worry you don't have to have a degree in accounting to be able to understand what's going on or how to use it. I'm a history major who hates math-if I can use it so can you. 

It's as easy as following the step-by-step instructions, and you only have to do one step to include ALL of your accounts-credit cards, bank accounts, 401k, etc. They've even got awesome videos like the one below that breaks everything down for you and shows just how easy it is to use.

It's the perfect place for you to sit down with your significant other and really decide where you want your money to go and what your short and long term goals are. 

Mint is an awesome site that's there to help you get fiscally fit. So this week's Financial Series challenge is to sit down and get your new Mint account set up and ready to go!

Next week we'll do a budget breakdown and how Mint can help you get back on track.

Check out Week 2 of the Financial Series!



*I am not being paid or reimbursed in any way by Mint it's simply an awesome site that I love and wanted to share with you.

Time to start thinking GREEN...

Time to announce the winner of the $10 Starbucks and $10 Dollar Tree gift cards...

Congratulations to Kendra Lafferty!!

Be sure to check your email so you can claim your prize!

Have you noticed something new about Newlyweds on a Budget? No? It's something small and big at the same time.

I'll help you out a bit, it can be found on the banner..

We have a new page! All about how YOU can be apart of the awesome community we have here at Newlyweds on a Budget.

Check the page out for ways you can have fun with us over here!

So while I would love to say I've got a fun project to share with you today-I fear I can't. My life has been a little taken over by this Creative Bloggers Got Talent submission that I've forgotten all else. 

So instead I've decided to share some fun St. Patrick's Day ideas via Pinterest.

Check out this adorable St. Patty's Day Subway Art!! I love Subway Art because it's such a great way to decorate for the holidays without a lot effort on your part.

I love how simple and adorable this candle is!

And how about these yummy looking Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies?

And how cute is this banner? I think I'll be making something similar soon!

Crazy to think February isn't even over yet and it's already time to start decorating for St. Patrick's Day!! 

Linking this post up to: Stick a Pin in It at Spunky Junky, Oh How Pinteresting from the Vintage Apple

Tutorial Tuesday #41

I wrote this post and forgot to announce the winner of the Maybe Matilda giveaway....

Congrats to Kadie from Seven Alive

-you've won the 3 patterns of your choice!! Check your email!

Thanks to everyone who linked up to Tutorial Tuesday two weeks ago. We didn't have one last week because of the week of giveaways-which have you entered yet? We still have three open Glow Kouture , Apple Top Art, and NikkiE Made It the last two have low entries which means you have an awesome chance of winning!

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Now let's feature just a few of the amazing projects linked up:

I love Anna from Direction's Not Included awesome Shine On artwork

And have you seen these AH-MAZING floor re-do by Marilyn from 4 You With Love? Holy Cow-this loos so so good!

Sweet Daisy from Daisy Girl showed off how to make the super cute envelopes she used for her wedding invitations.

And check out how awesome these homemade curtain rods look! Thanks to Ashley from Domestic Imperfection for sharing it with us!

Thanks again to everyone who linked up! If you've been featured today be sure to grab your featured button [here]. 

I can't wait to see what you guys have been up to! I've been hard at work on the project I'll be submitting for the Creative Bloggers Got Talent series. So I am so excited to be inspired by you all!

And don't forget to grab a button and share the word about the party!

Happy President's Day!

Good Morning everyone! I've go a couple fun announcements for you today-

First up we have a winner for the Spunky Junky giveaways...

Congrats Jen from the Craftin Cowgirl!!! 

Check your email girl!

And secondly if you follow along on Facebook you know that on Saturday I got to move to the next round for Creative Bloggers Got Talent!!

I am SO excited for it and I've already started on the project I'm going to submit but of course I can't tell you about it. From here on out the voting is blind which means you won't know who did which project. But of course I want you to vote, vote, vote!!!

Voting opens up again next week after the projects have been submitted. I'm so grateful and excited to be apart of this and to have such an awesome opportunity!

Week of Giveaways Day 6: NikkiE Made It

We've finally reached the end of our week of giveaways but never fear-I still have one more awesome shop to introduce you to.

Nikkie is a newbie blogger and the owner/creator behind NikkiE Made It. Here to tell us a little bit about herself and her shop is Nikki-

HI! I am Nikki Evans.

 I am 25 year old wife, and mother of 2 handsome little boys, I have been a SAHM for the past 2 years and just a few months ago became a WAHM. I started a business called NikkiE Made It. I make paraben free bath and body products. Right now my line includes Sugar Scrubs, Whipped Body Frostings, and Hydrating Body Sprays. I will soon be expanding the line to include regular body sprays, chapstick, and body wash.

I love to craft, re-purpose things I find at thrift stores, and I'm addicted to spray paint, my family calls me the spray painting queen. I am also learning to sew, growing up my mom sewed alot, but I never sat down with her (until recently) to learn. I'm LOVING it, and I don't know why I've never sat down to learn before.

On my new blog you can learn more about me and my family, my business, and my obsession love for crafting.

Nikki has some awesome items in her shop to help you feel beautiful. I so want some of this Exotic Coconut Whipped Body Frosting. 

And who wouldn't love getting a gift basked full of Creme Brulee smelling lotions and creams?

Or Sugar Plum's for that matter?

Nikki has graciously offered to give one reader a $20 credit to her awesome shop!! Thanks Nikki!

Now for the details this giveaway will be open until 11:00pm Thursday February 23rd and the winner will be announced on the blog Saturday February 25th.

Week of Giveaways Day 5: Apple Top Art

Hey guys-I just want to step away from the giveaways for one second and happily announce that I've tried out for Nap Time Crafters American Crafter!! This is my first time trying out (even though it's on it's fourth season) and I am SO excited about it! I had such a hard time picking what I wanted to enter but ended up going with my Gallery Wall.

Be sure to check out Amy's Site for all the great details!







Okay-back to the giveaways are you guys having as much fun as I am in this week of giveaway? We've already had awesome giveaways from Spunky Junky , Maybe Matilda, My Favorite Things, and Glow Kouture . Now I've got another fun-and brand new-shop to introduce you to today.

Say hello to Missy from Apple Top Art. Funny story Missy and I actually know each other! Of course we have seen each other in about 6 years but we did have a class together my senior year of high school-art history to be exact. And it was then I realized what a talented artist Missy is! Not only is she a sweet girl with lots of personality but she knows how to amaze you with a paintbrush. And Missy is here to tell us a little bit more about herself and her art-

Hey all! I'm Missy, an artist by trade, an art teacher by chance, a designer by choice, and I sell my original artwork at AppleTop Art. I have just graduated this last December from Brigham Young University with a BFA (Bachelors of Fine Arts) in Studio Art: Drawing and Painting. Quite the mouthful I know!

I have been painting, drawing, and creating since as far as I can remember. Art for me has always been an incredible outlet and a way of life. It is also unpredictable. Being an artist is a full time job but without a steady paycheck. Often you'll put in 60 hour weeks and never see a dime, but then sometimes you get presented with an incredible opportunity to make or sell a piece that has the chance to impact somebody's life. Then all the work you do is worth every second. I have been making art for 11+ years now, and aside from having two solo exhibitions for school, I rarely showed my art to anyone. It usually got packed under my bed. My website, blog, and shop are ways for me to finally get my art out there. An opening to not be afraid of what people would or wouldn't think of it, but just give me the opportunity to share it with others, which is exactly what I want to do. Make art and share it with others. 

My greatest desire is to create meaningful, beautiful art and to touch the lives of people that come in contact with it. It's the most inspiring feeling knowing that you have created something that people connect with whether it be spiritually, emotionally, or purely aesthetically. Those are the moments I live for, and those are the times that keep me going, even if it is just my husband encouraging me month after month, day after day. 

My website is a portfolio of my work (in art and designs), my shop is where I sell my art for ridiculously awesome prices (just saying), and my blog is where I recount my great adventures trying to figure things out as a full-time artist, wife, designer, art teacher, and whatever else I want to attempt. It's hard work, but I wouldn't have it any other way. :) 

Apple Top Art is filled with Missy's own original pieces of artwork and I was lucky enough to win one from her own blog a couple of weeks ago. I love it and it goes well with the color scheme in my family room. But I wanted to share a few others that I love-

Her Scenic View Over Utah Lake is absolutely beautiful!

And her Leather Bound Books Still would go perfectly hanging in a library or an office space

And I aboslutely love the colors in her Abstract MultiColor Field. I think I could base an entire room around the colors in this painting. 

Melissa has graciously offered a $20 credit to her shop to one lucky Newlyweds on a Budget reader. 

Okay details time-the giveaway will end at 11:00pm MST on Wednesday February 22th and the winner will be announced Friday February 24th. 

Entering is easy-just follow the widget below for directions-Good Luck!

Week of Giveaways Day 4: Glow Kouture

Alright folks-we're already on day four of our Week of Giveaways! There have already been some awesome things up for grabs and I have another fun shop and blogger to introduce you to today. Let's met Kenye from Glow Koture.

Hi my name is Kenyé and I am the blogger behind The Life of Handmade Living and the owner of an online shop called Glow Kouture. 

In my blog you will read about fashion, business tips, sewing, find one of a kind recipes and get to meet Beau my new Shih-Tzu puppy! In my shop, you will find handmade items such as wallets, clutch purses, headbands, brooches and other crafty jewelry. I'm a dreamer/doer, I love God, photography interest me and cooking new things are my favorite. I love meeting new people and finding new blogs, so stop by and introduce yourself!

Isn't she adorable? And I have to admit I love the cardigan she's wearing in her picture! Not only does Kenye have an awesome blog full of amazing tutorials and fun posts but she has a shop that seriously blows my mind!

I love love LOVE her Pearl Dot Wallet Clutch

And her Smoked Lemon Flower Headband? Adorable!

And as Mojo will tell you I'm constantly leaving my bobby pins lying around-but I'm sure if I had some as cute as these Rosie Bobby Pins I'd wear them everyday!

And Kenye has an awesome gift for one of you! She is giving away her beautiful Circle in Caramel Wallet Clutch AND a one month advertising on her blog!!

That is one awesome prize! I'm a little sad I can't enter for it myself. Here's the low-down, the giveaway will be open until 11:00 pm MST Tuesday February 21st and the winner will be announced Thursday February 23rd. 

Week of Giveaways Day 3: My Favorite Things

So today's my birthday. Yup-I was born the day after Valentine's Day which means I get spoiled two days in a row every single February. Not gonna lie-it's pretty nice. And as of 11:35 this morning I am 23 years old-I'm practically an old timer already.

The week of giveaways is to celebrate my blogs one year anniversary-but the very first post on this blog just so happened to be the week of my birthday. In honor of my birthday I decided to giveaway a few of my favorite things to you-my favorite readers.

Up first is a $10 gift card to Starbucks-

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I happened to be 100% hooked to a certain Caramel Apple Spice that Starbucks makes. I have yet to taste a drink that is better than this one and as a matter of fact I'm kind of craving one right now....

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Then because I happen to be a huge fan of all the awesome stuff at the Dollar Store I'm giving away a $10 gift card to Dollar Tree

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Use it wisely-some of my best crafts have come from items found at the dollar store!

This giveaway will be open until 11:00 pm MST on Monday, February 20nd. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 22nd. 

Just follow the widget below for all the fun ways to enter!