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Frugal Find Friday

Kristen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:13:10 +0000

Auster Picnic Blanket

Price: $29.99

Sold by: Crate & Barrel

Happy Shopping!

- Kristen

Goodbye, Summer!

Kristen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:53:57 +0000

Sadly, summer is winding down. School is already back in session in many places and you might be making plans for (cooler) months to come.

It’s around Labor Day when I get inspired to throw a Goodbye to Summer Party. Gather the friends and neighbors, have one last big barbecue, and celebrate the last of the longer days.

So, Frugalgrrl makes it easy – here are all the things you’ll need for a great party, now just make out your invite list!

Menu:

Burgers on the Grill (sliders for the kids!)
French Fries
Ina Garten’s Fresh Corn Salad
Mac ‘n Cheese Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Watermelon Slices
Homemade Ice Cream
Fizzy Berry Cream Soda from Gwyneth Paltrow

Supplies:

Burger & Fry Baskets with Liners

On sale at Crate & Barrel starting from $1.95

Mini Burger Nonstick Grill Basket

On sale for $12.95 from Crate & Barrel

Cuatro Serving Platters

Starting from $1.95 from CB2

Drink Umbrellas!

$2.90 for package of 100 from CenturyNovelty.com

Frugalgrrl is throwing a party in two weeks, so I’ll let you know how it goes!

If you need more inspiration for ending the summer right, see more ideas here and here.

Happy Shopping (and party planning)!

- Kristen

Here Comes the Sun

Kristen — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:02:15 +0000

Here in Northern California, we’re all whining about the weather. Too cold, too rainy, too windy, and – shock – some mornings some of us are having to turn on the heat. I know, some of you are still shoveling snow and maybe some of you are headed into winter, but that doesn’t keep us from complaining. So, what to do?

Think about summer! If we think hard enough, perhaps it will come all the faster! So, let’s get in the summer spirit. Nothing is better than a good summer bbq! Here are some summer essentials to get you geared up and ready for summer entertaining…and hopefully we’ll all need that sunscreen soon!

Sit:

An old-fashioned picnic table is fun to sit at – and easily sits a crowd. There are many options for picnic tables these days – folding ones, ones made from recycled plastic and many more options.

Serve:

Curved Kebabs – these are great! What is nice about these skewers is you can easily prepare your meat or vegetables, marinate directly on the skewer, throw on the grill, and then put on a plate, with plenty of room for all the extra side dishes. Perfect for entertaining! Clean up is easy – straight into the dishwasher!

Eat:

Why not deviate from your standard bbq fare this summer? Try out a bbq sauce of the month club! (There is a club for anything that can be delivered! Bacon? Yes, of course!) Try out two new sauces each month from gourmet distributors – you can even select a 3-month membership so you’re covered this summer!

Laugh:

Remember, summer is fun (and corny!). You’ll be sure to get your guests laughing with these corn holders – practical and destined to start some good conversation!

What are your ideas for summer entertaining? Please share any great ideas or tips! If you want ideas for great eats, check out this grilling guide from Sunset Magazine!

Happy Summer (when it finally gets here)!

- Kristen