...to Earn Extra Cash Online.

Every year, I end up spending hundreds of dollars on gifts.  Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, wedding gifts, baby gifts...you get the idea.  And most likely, you're in the same boat, unless you hate bringing smiles to the lovely faces of all your friends and family.  But those smiles get expensive.  Especially if you're close with not only your immediate family, but grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.  Add in a few friends, and your bank account gets even smaller.  So this year, I have decided I will make enough extra money to pay for all of those gifts, and here is how I will do it.

I posted on my Facebook awhile back a referral link for a little site called Swagbucks.  You may have heard of it, but more likely you haven't.  Swagbucks is a website where you can shop, search, take surveys, complete tasks, play games, and watch video clips - all while building up your "swag buck" total which can be redeemed for gift cards to a wide variety of establishments.  Amazon is my gift card of choice, since that's where I do a majority of my Christmas/other gift shopping.  You could also opt for Target gift cards, since you're probably still too afraid to use a credit card there.  Or, there's always PayPal, if you just want the cash.

Once you've signed up on the site, you have so many options for earning your bucks.  The best part about this site is that you can do all of it while watching television.  For those of you who are constantly on the go, perhaps this site isn't for you...but for you couch potatoes out there who watch an entire season of a show on Netflix in only one or two sessions (I'm not alone right?), this is perfect!  It can be overwhelming at first, but here's my process for earning large amounts of bucks with minimal effort:

1.  Create an email address for your junk mail!  Heads up, you will get junk mail.  I spent two seconds and created a junk email account on Gmail, and I use this for everything on Swagbucks.  It takes no extra effort, I promise.

2.  Log in every day!  It's worth it!  On the right side of the screen, activate your daily goal meter when you first sign up, and each day it will give you a couple goals to meet.  If you meet the first goal amount every day for a month, you'll get an extra few dollars come bonus time!  The second goal is higher, but you will see even bigger bonuses at the end of the month - an extra $5-$10 if you're good about it.

3.  Set up your survey profiles!  You can get surveys a few ways, and each require you to fill out profile information so they can qualify you for various paid surveys.  They pay out on average 50-100 swag bucks per survey.  You will quickly learn how to be disqualified for surveys.  

4.  Take advantage of special offers!  On the home page and in various other locations on the site, you can register for free samples, sign up for store coupons, get approved for new credit cards, and join free trials for sites like Hulu Plus, all while earning swag bucks.  I just got a free sample of lotion in the mail yesterday, and I earned 30 swagbucks for signing up for it (about $0.30).  I was looking to get a credit card recently, and through Swagbucks I actually earned $30 for signing up for one.  

5.  Explore the site!  Take advantage of the blog, the Facebook page, and the Twitter to get tips on offers and surveys that pay well.  Online shopper?  Check out the shopping page and see if your store is on the list to get 2-10 swag bucks back for every dollar you spend.  

No, it's not a scam.  These are my actual gift card earnings:

So, to sum up, that's $195 in a month and a half.  If I keep this up til Christmas, my family will be very happy.  And so will I.  And so will you, if you sign up now!  Here's the link again, Swagbucks.com, and you know where to find me if you get stuck.  Enjoy!

And if this is all too much work for you - try this site instead:  PaidViewpoint - Simple surveys that take a few seconds, and once you get $15 you can cash out.  It takes a little longer to get the money, but it's mindless and requires no effort.  Just link it to your PayPal and you're good to go.  I just cashed out $15.77.

Use the links I posted here if you choose to sign up - then use your own referral links to make money off your friends, too!  

...Not Giving Up Yet.

I know you're all just dying to see what I've been up to these past few months.  I never wanted to stop writing, but somehow I did.  The end of the year and into the start of the new year is a really busy time for me at work, and I didn't manage to keep up with everything as well as I had planned.

Stop right there!  I know what you're thinking:

But Amy, it's almost April!  Well, yes.  It is.  So... I was busy, and then I wasn't as busy, but because I wasn't as busy anymore, I found time to do other things with my freedom and then failed to write about those other most definitely awesome things that I did.

Amy's back!  I bet she made lots of cool stuff while she was gone.  To that, I guess my response would be...yes?  I made money, and that is cool stuff, because it's nice to have a job and feel useful.  I also sewed about half a jacket in three months.  And if that wasn't enough, I made jello shots on two separate occasions.  Two!  Hold your applause.

Jello shots? What are you, twenty one?  Have you seen Pinterest and its love of jello+booze?  It's no longer for kids!  (Also, I'm not sure how old the people that partake in the jello shooting are these days, is it twenty one?  Seventeen?  Who knows.)

So you're telling me in over three months all you've accomplished is half a jacket and jello shots?  Yeah, that's pretty much it.  But I promise I'll finish that stupid jacket soon.

Oh yeah, and I hit a home run at softball a couple weeks ago!  Amy Attempts Athletic Greatness.

...Another Sewing Project.

Sorry guys, I've just been on a sewing kick lately.  So much of a kick I haven't been doing much writing.  It seems like multitasking isn't my strong suit these days.  It all started with that dang apron.  I spent more hours than I'm proud of at Joann's Fabric these past couple weeks.  The first trip had me there for over two hours!  Of course, part of that was the locking of keys in the car and the waiting for my very generous grandparents to drop off my spare.

It was Pattern Sale day, and I picked up five patterns for only seven dollars, plus an extra I just couldn't resist.  This of course locked me into six more sewing projects.  A linen jacket, an old man cardigan, three dresses, and an adult fleece onesie.  That's right.  Head to toe fleece pajamas with a zipper up the front.  Here's the thing about sewing these days...it's not cheaper than buying already-made clothing.  I learned this at checkout.  The big advantage though, other than making you feel productive, is not showing up to the party wearing the same dress as that girl you hate.  You know the girl.  You will be one of a kind.  And if you're good at it, you've got something to brag about.

I will not brag, but merely state the facts.  I made two dresses, and they turned out, well..."sew-sew."  (Oh no, she didn't!)  The first dress is really comfortable and the fabric was on sale, the problem is the size.  I still haven't perfected the art of interpreting pattern sizing.  Which measurement do I use!?  They all seem wrong.  I guessed.

I guessed not right.  Probably one to one and a half sizes too big.  But it's still a cute dress and I'll probably wear it anyway because it cost about $20 to make.

The second dress cost about the same, and was much more complicated, mostly because I chose a ruffled fabric like a dummy.

So. Many. Ruffles.

It took me about twice as long because I was constantly adjusting ruffle-direction to make sure I didn't catch any extra ruffles in the seams.  The size was actually perfect on this dress, but with the added ruffle-bulk, made it look a bit frumpy in areas.

   

I also ended up cutting the back ties off because I used a different fabric, since the ruffles wouldn't turn inside out after I sewed the ties.  The fabric I did use also wouldn't turn inside out, so I sewed the ties a third time, wrong sides together, and they frayed like there was no tomorrow.  Cut!

Random pattern ties from leftover apron scraps.  Now removed.  Dress will surely fall off.

And that is the story of my journey into the magical world of sewing, and I apologize in advance because you'll have to see at least four more projects in weeks to come.  No wasting money!

...to Sew an Apron.

Have you ever used a 40 year old sewing machine?  I have.  It's not fun.  It makes sewing a chore, and I hate chores.  So when my grandma came to me with a sewing project, I sighed and said yes with much hesitation.  And then I put it off for a month.  But then a miracle happened.  A Christmas miracle.

I got this bad boy (or girl?) from my wonderful parents who love me very much and want me to be happy.  All of a sudden that sewing project Grams had mentioned seemed pretty appealing.  I couldn't wait to try it out.  I read the entire manual because this machine has settings up the wazoo.  

So. Many. Settings.

All I want to do is make buttonholes and sew zippers and use the fancy pattern stitches!  It will happen in time, but for now, aprons!  Grams had a pattern she wanted to use, so she sent me off to the fabric store to pick out colors for three different aprons.  I was there forever.  They had to be perfect.  One apron was for me, and two were for a church function to offer as prizes.  Here are the fabrics I chose:

Since I am nearly addicted to black and white, I went with three different colorless patterns for my apron, and I love them together.  The solid-colored fabrics were to replicate the apron in the pattern picture.  And finally, a "baking and old lady" inspired pattern with a matching solid and polka dot (when I'm old I will wear purple).

It's been awhile since I've sewn anything from a pattern.  I couldn't believe how smooth it was on the new machine.  The other thing I realized this time around was the importance of ironing when it says to iron.  Do it!  Look at the perfectly pressed pockets!

Handy pockets for utensil storage.

My favorite part of the pattern is the geometric bib.  I love the shapes and the way the patterns look together.  I had to be extra careful on this part, but it paid off and the points met the border just the way they were supposed to.

The finished bib with ties.

And finally, they saved the hardest part for last.  Putting every piece together.  The gathered apron is sewn to the bib is sewn to the waistband is sewn to the ties and on and on and on.  And finally a slip stitch to cover the gathering on the inside (yes, even the inside is fancy).

I never want to get food on it, that's for sure, so I don't know how practical it will be.  But it's pretty!

...a Productive Vacation.

Yes, it's true.  I went on vacation.  Here is what I intended to accomplish while away:

• Two blog posts featuring an assortment of things I did on vacation
• Black Friday shopping
• Dressing cute in cold weather
• Tons of pictures
• Not gain my annual Thanksgiving pounds
• Make a delicious Thanksgiving feast
• Build a big foam airplane to fly with my dad
• Go out with friends

I didn't get it all done.  No sir.  Let's go down the list.

Blog posts.   No.  Did not even log in or jot down an idea or take a meant-for-blog picture.  Not sure I even thought about it.

Black Friday Shopping.  Got myself a phone.  The LG-G2.  I like it, and I like that there was no tax.  Three cheers for Oregon!  I also did a little Amazon shopping, but no amazing deals.

Dressing Cute.  Ha.  Not even.  I dressed in sweatshirt the whole time.  That's right.  One sweatshirt.  Went out in it, slept in it, and kept myself nice and toasty in it.  Then there was the one night I went out in the sweatshirt, Christmas pajama pants, and...wait for it...yellow and pink tie-dye Crocs.  Oh yeah.  Cute stuff.  

Tons of Pictures.  Probably the least amount of pictures ever taken on a trip.  Here are some of the finest gems.

The popular "Hey, I'm in a kitchen!" selfie.

Dad's annual "This turkey must be a boy turkey" joke.

And finally, "Demon Dog with Underbite."

Thanksgiving Pounds.  Gained 'em.  Moving on.

Delicious Thanksgiving Feast.  Well, I think I already answered that.  But I'll say more.  I contributed deviled eggs, baked mac 'n' cheese with toasted breadcrumbs, and a chocolate pudding pie with a homemade Oreo crust.  My sister and I also whipped up an amazing chocolate chip espresso cheesecake.  No biggie.

Deviled eggs, a green bean casserole, and my tasty mac 'n' cheese.

Espresso Cheesecake, Oreo Chocolate Puddin' Pie, and Costco Pumpkin Pie.  Gross, right?

Build a Foam Airplane. Another big "Ha!"  Not sure how I thought I would find time for this on my four-day trip to Portland.  My dad builds these cool planes and flies them with a remote control.  He wants me to make one for the blog.  If he buys me a remote control I will.

Go out with Friends.  Not quite, but I did get to stay in with a friend a couple times.  She just had a baby (her third boy) and he was absolutely adorable, just like his big brothers.  I'll mark this list item a success!

So, I didn't get to accomplish or even attempt everything on my list, but I could have done a lot worse.  I didn't even throw up on the plane ride!  And hey, look at me, I got a blog post out of it after all.    

...to Construct an Edible Cornucopia.

So part one of my contribution to Thanksgiving was a wreath made out of an old shirt.  Part two will be a little less lasting, but a lot more delicious!  Nothing says "Thanksgiving!" more than a cornucopia filled with food...except a cornucopia made of food (and also filled with food)!  All you need is a can o' dough, an egg, a lot of foil, and maybe a pizza cutter.  It was supposed to be breadstick dough, but I could only find pizza crust dough.  Not sure if there's much of a difference.

Grab the foil and sculpt a cone, however large you want your cornucopia to be.  I ran out of foil, so instead of using three cans of dough, I only used one.  Now that I finished this, I'm glad I didn't have more foil, because it would have been a giant pain.  Once you've got the shape you want, spray it with cooking spray to keep the bread from sticking.  Now pop that can open!  You know it's the only reason you're trying this recipe.

Unroll the dough and try to resist taking a bite!  (Or am I the only one who likes to eat the dough...)  Cut it into strips.

Use a strip of dough and wrap up the pointed end of the foil.  Then start to add the strips of dough a couple at a time, and weave them like a basket up toward the large end of the foil.  Because we all know how to weave a basket.  Do your best.

Okay so it's not pretty at this point.  It looks rather sloppy, unfinished.  But there's a solution!

Not your best work.

 Braid three strips together and seal off the rim.  This gets rid of all those ugly leftover dough ends.  I used another strip to seal off the bottom edge as well, as my cornucopia was looking very uneven.  Oh yeah, then I built an octopus with chocolate chips for eyes.  Because when you have leftover dough, you gotta make a bread animal!

Now stir up your egg and brush it over the top to give it that shine you so desperately desire in a bread cornucopia!

Now you're talking! 

When it's cool enough to touch, separate the bread from the foil and just let it cool on top of the foil for a little while longer, to make sure it keeps its shape.  You're done!  Now go and fill it with food, and do a better job than I did.  Here are some suggestions:

Nope.

Hmm...too healthy. 

Now we're getting somewhere.

Jackpot!

Okay, so maybe plan on having something to fill your brand new Bread Cornucopia with before you actually make it, or like me, you'll be stuck with Oreos.  And about about the octopus, well...

Just perfect!

...to Decorate for November.

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and I've contributed approximately zero to the decorating process.  My office is presently bare of oranges and browns, pumpkins and turkeys.  My room is devoid of festivity.  And our big white front door...just big and white.  It was about time I did something.  Well, one thing.  And here is the story of my single contribution to Thanksgiving.  And like most of my stories, this did not involve an extra trip to the store, because I used only things I found around the house.

Remember that foam board storage container?  Well, I had an extra sheet of foam leftover, and I decided to make a wreath.  At that point, I didn't know what else I was going to use, so I went on a hunt.  I knew I wanted it to be orange.

A toilet seat?

I found some batting and raffia in the spare room.  It was a start, but I still couldn't find anything orange.  I put the batting to use by rubber cementing it onto the foam, because who wants a boring old flat wreath.  My wreath, at the very least, would be a squishy one.

A really comfortable toilet seat.

Back to the hunt for my something orange.  I searched the craft closet.  No orange fabric, no orange yarn, no orange orange tissue paper.  Nothing!  So I got desperate and started searching my closet, my drawers.  I wasn't giving up.  How could I not own a single orange article of clothing?  And then, I remembered it.  A single orange shirt, folded and stuffed in a bag for Goodwill, waiting patiently by the door until I had the time to make the trek out there.  Perfect!

It's ugly, but no one has to see the back!

I wasn't sure at first how I wanted to apply fabric, because I figured glue just wouldn't hold it together.  I couldn't find a stapler either, although I'm not sure if that would have worked either.  I settled on tying the shirt in knots around the foam board.  This actually turned out to be much easier than the glue, as there was no drying time, so I didn't have to impatiently wait to complete the next step.

Once I finished wrapping the wreath in fabric.  I used smaller strips of the orange shirt, twisted into ropes, and wrapped them around the wreath to add subtle detail.  At the bottom, I used a braided strip for a little extra pizzazz.

Using the remaining strips of fabric, I made flowers.  I folded the strips in half to get a finished edge, and used the rubber cement to seal them together.  You could add as many as you wanted, really.  I mean, you could even make an entire wreath this way, it would probably look pretty cool.  I ended up with ten or eleven.

And finally, I added the raffia I scrounged up.  It provided the perfect Fall touch to an otherwise very plain and orange wreath.

Add a pumpkin here, a scarecrow there, and you're ready for Thanksgiving!  Easy, quick, and festive!