from blank pages...: envelopes

Showing posts with label envelopes. Show all posts

Sunday, February 5, 2012

The Cash Envelope System: a Giveaway, a Sew-Along, and lots of fun!

In December, for the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway Day I asked people what their New Years Resolutions were, or goals as many of you don't make actual resolutions. I think for many of us, and especially for me, a constant goal is to save money, learn to stick to a budget, get out of debt/pay off student loans, etc. To sum it up: Finances!!

This is what I made a year and a half ago!

I don't know if you have seen my post about the cash envelope wallet that I made over a year ago?! I still love this thing! And love the cash envelope system (that doesn't mean that I am perfect at it, but I love it and totally believe in it!) Since thinking about resolutions and goals, I thought it would be a great idea to do a Sew-Along using this same pattern from Walter & Veronica! (It is currently being sold her their etsy shop or on Craftsy for a steal of a deal!! She has given me permission to do this, but you must buy the tutorial from her. I will not be sharing any measurements or other details required for the assembly of the item - only how to put it together. It is less than $2, so it's not bad. I will be helping anyone through email that has questions pertaining to any of that information, who has bought the pattern.)

I totally believe in being in control of our finances and being self sufficient. Along with doing a walk through of the tutorial, I am also in the process of contacting shops and businesses to provide free products for giveaways as well as discounts to their products to help all of us in our financial lives. (The people I am contacting are people and products I would fully endorse on my own, no strings attached. I won't be receiving any compensation for anything I say during this event, and am only contacting them to help provide benefits to all of you who would like to participate!)

lots of pockets and fun zippers!

Here is the schedule I am planning on for this event! The tutorial is pretty easy, so the actual Sew-Along will only be broken up into one week. Though to allow time for the delivery of any supplies, and the initial giveaway (one person will win all supplies need to make the wallet, including a free copy of the pattern!!), the actual tutorial segment will not start for 2 weeks.

Schedule:

Start off Giveaway (including supplies list and more fine-tuned details): this week (depending on when I hear back from vendors, I'm hoping Tuesday, maybe Wednesday.) Winner will be picked early Monday morning.

Week of Monday Feb 13-17: order all your supplies and anxiously await their arrival! :) (or sooner, I'll list the supply list with the first giveaway)

Sew-along week: Monday Feb 20th - Friday Feb 24th

Finishing Giveaway: Link up your wallets starting on the 24th to March 10th. Winner will be picked on Saturday March 10th.

These dates are a little tentative right now, as I am still ironing out the details, but I think this will be a good time frame for everything!

I will be making two more of these for the Sew-Along pictures. If you don't sew, but are interested in having some, they will be part of the final giveaway! So wether you are making one or not, be sure to join us and learn with us!! :)

I am SO excited about this and can't wait to get started!!! Now I'm off to fine tune the details and get the tutorial posts perfected!! :)

I really HOPE you will join me in this, and that together we can become strong and concur the never ending temptation to buy fabric, or chocolate, or whatever your financial weakness may be! ;D And I hope that you can realize my true and honest desires to help you gain the peace that comes from being financially sound! (and me too! We are still on that road ourselves.)

I'm hoping I can get some good and useful things for the final giveaway! How about a copy of this?!? :) I think this is a fantastic book!

If you have a story that you would like to share, please share a link to it in the comments, or feel free to email me! I would love to share real stories throughout this event as well!! :)

Thank you!

Posts in this Event:

Grab the button:

from blank pages... Cash Envelope Sew Along

Monday, October 4, 2010

Made It: Cash Envelopes

My hubby and I have tried and failed (ok, more like not cared) about budgeting over and over again. Well, now we're serious about it (well, going to be once we start. lol). I asked some friends for advice and a lot of people suggested the cash envelope system. Another suggested Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. So, I searched online for some cash envelope ideas and found quite a few:

Paper envelopes:

Here is one with envelopes and a case if you want it in it's own separate case.

link: http://www.thehybridchick.com/2010/02/envelope-clutch/

Here is a how-to for the actual envelopes and how to bind them together. This one is cute because you can place in it your wallet and keep it nice.

link: http://kelleighratzlaff.com/featured/free-envelope-template-and-a-tutorial/

Some separate little pouches.

Link: http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/2009/06/are-you-using-envelope-system.html

And a fabric version using oil cloth.

link: http://walterandveronica.blogspot.com/2010/03/envelope-system-wallet.html

I ended up making the last one, but used cotton instead of oil cloth (thus needing to add seam allowances and stuff). but it was still pretty simple. My friend contacted me the other day and told me that the blog is now private, but wanted to know how I made mine. So, I'm planning on making up another one so I can add the tutorial on my blog. (why is the link still there if it doesn't work? So they can still get credit for their beautiful work, and maybe one day it won't be private). :)

Anyway, here is mine version that I made: :)

I lined it with cardboard to help give it some shape.

I love the pocket in the back for your checkbook or whatever else.

and pockets in the front for cards and DL

It was a little trickier making all the pockets out of different fabric, but it I love having variety. :)

The pockets all have little clear vinyl pockets so you can label all of the pockets. :) (you can kind of see it on the purple pocket, or the blue pocket in the picture above.)

Here's the tutorial post: http://fromblankpages.blogspot.com/2010/10/cash-envelope-tutorial.html

Check out all the buttons on my sidebar to see where I'm linking up, and to check out all the other great stuff out there!

Thanks for stopping by!! :) Have a great day!

and stay tuned for the tutorial!! :)

Friday, October 1, 2010

Fab Finds: Oh My Cards!

My hubby is watching the football game at a friends house, and I am here aimlessly wandering around blog land, and have stumbled upon many a great cards! :) I decided that if I'm going to share some new cards, I might as well bring over all the cards I had also noted on my old crafty idea blog. :) So I'm sorry if this is Card Overload! But I think these are fun! :)

First I'll start with Rubies & Pearls:

I really like these cute Yo Yo cards, and the custom envelopes! (She has tutorials for everything, and so many other cute things on her blog. Don't miss it!)

Then there are these really cute Unity Co stamps that I wish I had...

Which made these cards:

I grabbed these pictures from Crafty Steals.com as she was selling the stamps.

Then there is this blog that is practically all cards,
Pocket Full of Paper,

which has a ton of cute cards.

Here is a sneak peak:

Northridge Media puts out catalogs for scrapbooking, cards, and a ton of other fun stuff. They have a pretty fun blog. That's where I found all of these cards: