Best of

This year, I published hundreds of posts here at The Coupon Project.

But this collection of 36 posts were my very favorites. (I put them into categories for handy reference.) I’ve highlighted my top five very very favorite posts if you’re curious to know that too.

Strange Confessions Posts

Confession Time: I’m “that” Library Patron. A post wherein I divulge my dirty little secrets about my library habits.

I don’t Own a Smartphone. Another shocking confession.

I Suck at Elf on the Shelf: A Month of Terrible Ideas. Stuff you won’t find on Pinterest.

Posts Containing Deep Thoughts

Deep Thoughts on My Birthday. I got philosophical as I turned 33 this year.

30 Lessons I’ve Learned about Blogging. Thoughts after hitting my 3 year blogging anniversary. (Also known as a blogiversary, apparently.)

My Grandma’s Guest Books. My mom found my late grandma’s guest books, which went clear back to 1942.

My Thoughts on Food Snobbery. Basically, don’t do it.

Cool and Random Stuff I Did Posts

My Whirlwind Adventure at Seattle’s Vegfest. The time I thought it would be “fun” to take the kids by myself to an overcrowded exhibition hall in the Seattle Center for a popular festival. Note to self: not again.

The Unfortunate Episode in the Produce Department with Me, My Kids, and the Car Cart. Nuff said.

Puyallup Fair Family Trip: Frugal Makeover Edition. This year had more win than last year.

Our Family Photo Shoot with Devon Michelle Photography. Man she’s good.

My King5 News Clip. I was on the news with my friends. It was really cool.

Fun at Hmart. I love that store and I think more people should check it out.

Making Holiday Wishes Contest: Winners Announced. The best part of my job all year: this contest.

Frugal Living Adventures Posts

Starting a Garden: How to Decide what to Grow. Written just prior to planting my 2012 garden.

How to Make your Own Vegetable Stock. Some stuff that you think would be hard, isn’t.

Learning about Pioneers (Homesteading Series). I took the kids to the Pioneer Farm. Here is that post.

Canning Applesauce. I put on my big girl pants and used a boiling-water canner for the first time. I lived.

Weed Foraging (Homesteading Series). I was eating weeds here in Washington, and that was before the election. I’m cool like that.

More Fun in the Garden: Tiny Spawn of Satan Discovered, Slug Babies, Rabbits. Everyone and the Monkey’s Uncle has made a home in my garden this year.

Homemade Bath Gifts in a Jar (Love: In a Jar). How to make cute bath stuffs in jars.

Lazy Summer Days in the Garden. When all the hassle is actually worth it.

Wild Blackberry Picking & Preserving. Blackberries are good. They are healthy. They can also sometimes be free.

Fall into a Routine: Cleaning & Organizing Kids’ Spaces. Stuff I did to get the kids’ areas in gear for back to school.

Five Misconceptions I had about Canning. And how I got over myself, pretty much.

Reflecting on the Harvest: How to Decide What to Grow in your Garden. At the end of my 2012 garden.

Frugal Living Among Friends. How community can work together to support frugal living.

Garlic Planting and the Awesomeness of Tagro. Two things I love in my garden.

See Angela Sew: A Scrunchy. This is big for me.

How I canned my Garden Tomatoes. Easy peasy.

Angela, You’re Scaring Me Already

(Trailer) The Coupon Games: May the Coupons Be Ever in your Favor. Oh look, it’s Katniss and Peeta…and coupons.

Announcing my April Series: Survivorgirl! Fooled ya.

The Coupon Clipperette: Season Finale. I spent far too many hours watching The Bachelorette to “research” this post.

First World Couponing Problems. Let’s all cry about it, already.

Eleven Unexpected (and somewhat Troubling) Gifts on Amazon. Stuff I bet you didn’t know they sold.

More Stuff on Amazon. More weird stuff I found on Amazon.

Wow. No wonder I’m tired.

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On my Puyallup Fair post, reader Alicia left this comment:

I love elephant ears!!! They don’t make them where I live. Does anyone have a recipe? The last time I had them I was 11 at a fair while visiting my grandparents in Oregon, never have seen them since.

Well Alicia, there was a great looking recipe at All Recipes so I decided to make it and blog about it. And yes, they are yummy.

First, you melt shortening in milk with salt and sugar over the stove with a little salt and sugar. Now I didn’t have shortening but opted to use Nutiva Coconut Oil instead. I can assure you that the recipe turned out just fine!

From here you will add yeast and flour and form a dough. You let it rise for 30 minutes. I’m not the best when it comes to yeast, so I may have screwed this part up. (But I know you’ll do a better job!)

Here’s my completed dough ball.

Make 1-2″ dough balls and flatten them out into thin sheets.

Heat a deep saucepan or deep fryer so there is 1″ of oil. I used vegetable oil. You want to make sure it’s really hot – that’s what will turn these puppies into golden wonders. Then you cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side.


I used metal tongs to flip the elephant ears and also to move them onto paper towels to dry. (With compliments to my three year old  daughter for snapping this photo.)

I dabbed off excess oil and then dusted the ears with a cinnamon and sugar mixture while they were still warm.

These things were delicious!

As a slight variation, I enjoyed one topped with frozen berries. I just microwave them for about a minute or so and they get all steamy and saucy… I’m sure you can think of some other topping ideas, too.

Alicia, I hope this recipe takes you back in time a little bit…to when you were an 11 year old girl visiting the fair with your grandparents.

Cheers!

Like this post? Maybe you’d also like…

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It all started when we decided to go to the Puyallup Fair.

I had a Groupon for 2 adult admission tickets, plus our kids were free (they are 5 and under). Given that, I thought spending $10 on parking was well justified! Little did I know…

Pitfall #1: The Rides

We just so happened to head to the fair on bracelet day. Buy a bracelet for $25 and guess what? You can go on all the rides you want. This is perfect for my son who loves rides. But my daughter? Well, she’s always been scared of lots of rides. So we opted to buy one bracelet for my son and then $20 worth of tickets for my daughter and also so we could go on a few.

Guess what…

My daughter decided on that day of all days, she loves rides.

So back we went, for another $25 bracelet.

Total hit: $70 for rides. EGADS.

What’s worse? At some point my kids convinced me that riding the Tilt-a-Whirl with them would be a Good Idea. I think I’d like to lovingly rename this ride the Tilt-a-Hurl. It whipped me around and around for what felt like a small eternity. Each time we spun by the ride attendant, I quietly begged him to “please stop the ride.” He did…after I’d counted to well over 200….

Pitfall #2: Fair Food

I decided to pack some snacks. After all, you can easily bring your own food and drink into the fairgrounds. But…can you resist…?

Mr. Scone says: YOU MUST EAT ME. And so I did.

And then once we had our fill of scones, my husband found his favorite fair treat….

And my daughter found hers…

And then, of course, it was time for lunch. Guess how much the meal below cost us…

A. $20
B. $12
C. $43

If you guessed C – $43, you’re right!!! Ding, ding, ding! And no, that burger did not have sautéed black truffles on it. Hubby told me the gal at the counter had him verify the charge because many people end up coming back later, thinking they’d been overcharged. I wonder why?

Pitfall #3: The Expo Hall

Every year we go through the same blasted expo hall….and then I always end up asking “why do we feel the need to go through this same blasted expo hall each year?”

Also, you may be apt to see some rather confusing ads. Um…say WHAT?!

I’ve decided that walking through the aisles of the Fair expo hall is pretty much like running the gauntlet. I do have a few tips to come out unharmed (AKA without buying a sewing machine, life insurance, and leaf gutters):

  1. Do NOT make eye contact with any of the salesman.
  2. Keep walking. The moment you stop, you’re a sitting duck.
  3. If someone calls out to you while you walk past, pretend that you didn’t hear. (Again, refer to #1.)

Except for a minor snafu where my husband ended up sitting in a sauna display and didn’t get out before the salesman found him in there, we came out unscathed.

Show me the Bargains!

I bet at this point you’re saying, “surely, Angela – someone like you must have found some deals at the Fair!”

Oh, but I did.

First, this delightful drum toy in Sillyville. They so awesomely provide drumsticks so your kids can go to town on it. (Aspirin not included.)

The Expo Hall also did have a freebie I found of interest…

Now my kids will be able to identify local noxious weeds! Score!

In all sincerity I did find something I thought was pretty cool. With the kids’ bracelets was a free game ticket. My daughter chose this fishing game (in Sillyville, next to the Silly Slide) where you play until you win. Every player is a winner! Yahoo! Both my kids won ducks, like these.

When I was little I never won those ridiculous fair games. So if you are planning on playing any? I highly recommend the kiddie fishing game.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, I was exhausted. Case in point: we’re heading through the 4-H Dog Hall and I seriously ask my Hubby if this is a real dog…

I also kind of felt like how this gator did. (While I can’t be certain, I’m pretty sure he’s praying to stop the ride. He wants off.)

So you might ask…”Angela, if this costs you a ton of money each year, you eat too much, you get annoyed with shady salespeople and you end up exhausted, why on Earth do you do it?”

One word. Memories.

You can do it a trot, you can do it at a gallop, you can do it real slow so your heart won’t palpitate…just don’t be late.

Do the Puyallup.

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In the April edition of Martha Stewart Living magazine, Martha demonstrated the proper way to clean a dirty stove. The only problem? The stove she was scouring was already really clean to begin with. So today I wanted to show you how to clean a REALLY dirty appliance. My refrigerator. Martha Stewart, take note.

Step One. Gather the necessary supplies.

Step Two. Brace yourself. Make sure all small children are far away from the door when you open it, lest falling objects strike them and render them unconscious.

Step Three. Take a deep breath and repeat, “it’s just a kitchen appliance, it’s just a kitchen appliance” until you feel your heart rate return to normal. If that doesn’t do the trick, you might need to get a half price Frappuccino.

Step Four. Remove the first shelf and its contents.

Step Five. Clean the shelf, and inspect the food items for expiration dates.

Houston! We have a problem!

Houston?!

Step Six. Take time out to pat yourself on the back for the progress you’ve begun to make. Your mother would be proud!

Step Seven. Next it’s time to throw out any UFO (unidentified furry object).

Step Eight. Clean up the chocolate pudding that you just knocked over. Whoopsies.

Step Nine. Stand back and admire your work! You really have that domestic touch, don’t you?

There you have it. One spotless fridge in 9 easy steps. I don’t think Martha could’ve done it any better, do you?

PS. Ms. Stewart, if you are reading this and like what you see, you can email me at thecouponproject at hotmail dot com. Sure, I’d be happy to share my knowledge with your Martha Stewart Living readers and inspire them to achieve domestic greatness.

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Heidi Klum: Welcome to Coupon Project Runway! As you know in fashion, one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out. This week’s challenge was to create a fashionable look using only coupons, and tape. Let’s welcome your judges. Top American fashion designer, Michael Kors; fashion director at Marie Claire magazine, Nina Garcia, and special guest judge and new Disney celebrity, Tiana. Welcome.

Judges: (nodding smugly and waving)

Heidi:Michael Kors, you don’t look like yourself tonight….I hardly recognize you.

Michael Kors: Well, Heidi, to be perfectly frank, I don’t really feel like myself. But, let’s just go with it, OK?

Heidi:OK, it’s just…startling. You remind me of Justin Beiber.

Michael Kors: Let’s just get started, shall we?

Heidi: Very well. Let’s start the show!

(Look one, on model Kate: a vintage-inspired gown designed by Shelly. Shelly struggled with the meticulous construction of the skirt during the final hours of this challenge. She was also nearly sabotaged by Rainbow, who “accidentally” borrowed some of her coupons. Drama ensued, but Shelly brought it together.)

(Look two, on model Bianca: designer Mark took a risk by designing this two-piece bathing suit for the challenge. The top was made using an expired DeMet’s Turtle coupon. For the bottom, he used a combination of Rembrandt and Huggies coupons. Tim Gunn warned him this look might be considered “vulgar” by the judges, but Mark went with his gut instead.)

(Look three, on model Simone: designer Rainbow opted to create functional separates for this look. The asymmetrical “Save $1″ sleeve adds a touch of unexpected whimsy, characteristic of the style we’ve seen Rainbow pull off all season long. Rainbow thinks Shelly needs to grow up.)

Heidi: Designers, it’s time for us to critique your designs. Shelly, let’s start with you. Can you explain your design?

Shelly: I wanted old Hollywood glam for this look, but still very modern. The skirt took a long time. I used a different coupon for each pleat.

Heidi: Well, I loved this look. Loved it. I would wear it on the red carpet. I want that dress.

Nina: I thought it was cute, sweet. The proportion is also nice. Well done.

Heidi: Next, let’s bring out Mark.

Mark: I wanted to do something unexpected, so I thought a swimsuit would be good.

Michael Kors: Bad move, Mark. A swimsuit…made of coupons? Really, how is that supposed to hold up?

Mark: I didn’t think of that.

Nina: It doesn’t look expensive. It looks…cheap.

Mark: I thought that was the idea…coupons and all.

Nina: Now you’re being sarcastic.

Mark: No, I’m not.

Nina: (speechless)

Heidi: (trying to break the awkward silence) Let’s move onto Rainbow. Can you explain your design?

Rainbow: Sure, Heidi. I wanted to do something youthful and fun. I see the girl who wears this look as someone who is free-spirited, and very much the life of the party.

Tiana: Can I say O – M – G, love this look.

Michael Kors: Tiana, I totally agree. This is what women today want to wear. I could see this selling at Macy’s right now.

Heidi: Judges, it’s time to deliberate.

Judges: (deliberating)

Heidi: Designers, you all have worked so hard. But unfortunately, there can only be one winner of Coupon Project Runway. Mark, we recognize you think outside the box, and we think you have great promise. But unfortunately your look tonight did not measure up. Mark….you’re out.

 Heidi:Auf Wiedersehen, Mark.

Mark: Thanks for the opportunity. This won’t be the last time you’ll see me!

Heidi: Shelly, Rainbow, one of you is winner of Coupon Project Runway. Rainbow, we loved your modern, fresh look. You utilized your coupons wisely. Shelly, we were really “wowed” by your ability to take plain old coupons and transform them into a look worthy of the red carpet. This was a really close competition, but in the end, we believe one of you shows greater ability. The winner of Coupon Project Runway is…

Heidi: Rainbow!! Congratulations, you just won 100,000 coupons and the title of Coupon Project Runway winner! And Simone, because you modeled the winning look, you get a two page spread in an upcoming SmartSource insert wearing tonight’s winning look! Congrats to the both of you!

A final word…

Tim Gunn: On behalf of all the cast and crew of Coupon Project Runway, I want to thank you for wasting your time reading this completely superfluous post. In no way does this represent the content normally found on The Coupon Project. Just sometimes. And, I feel the need to disclose that no one was compensated or otherwise coerced to put this together. You just entered the most bizarre portion of Angela Russell’s brain, and I’m glad for both of our sakes, we’ve made it through mostly unscathed. No valid coupons were harmed in the making of today’s post. If for some unknown reason you actually found this to be enjoyable or humorous, go ahead and click that little “like” Facebook button below or leave a comment. With a little bit of luck, you might just see Biggest Coupon Loser, Coupon Bachelor, or Coupon Top Chef debut here one day soon. Make it work!

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Instead of packing a banana today for little Billy’s lunch, imagine packing one of these bad boys instead:

While the Rambutan may look rather strange to us Westerners, it’s actually a very common fruit in many parts of Asia, including the Philippines.

And of course when I spied it at the Asian market last weekend, it called out to me. “Take me home…eat me….blog about me…”

So today’s pick for Adventures in Produce is the rambutan.

I was extremely curious how to eat this, so I consulted my favorite source of knowledge. Google.

Turns out you cut the outside shell most of the way around, and then pop it off.

What you’ll find inside is a juicy, egg-shaped fruit with a big nut in the middle. You just pop it out of the shell to eat it. From there, remove the seed. I found you could either do this but cutting the fruit away with a sharp knife, or just eating around the seed.

This fruit reminded me very much of a sweet, delicious grape. It was very good! If you’ve ever had a lychee, it tasted very similar.

My only issue? It was a lot of work for just a little bit of fruit! I would’ve loved to have chomped into a bigger piece without getting a seed in the way. The next time I make my way to an Asian market, I’d be curious to see if they don’t sell these pitted and canned.

While I just ate mine whole as a fruit, there is no shortage of yummy sounding recipes on the web. Some that I might be interested to try:

Rambutan, Pineapple and Tofu Curry

Savory Stuffed Rambutan

and wash it all down with a Rambutan Martini

Have you ever tried Rambutan? What did you think?

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Starbucks Cinnamon Scone Hack

December 21, 2010

Do you ever have mornings where you wake up and a bowl of cold cereal just won’t do? Today was such a morning for me. I felt like making something extra special. My kids and I love the scones at Starbucks (guilty pleasure, I know), so I decided to make our own using items from [...]

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What are Albertsons double coupons and how do they work?

November 17, 2010

Several of you have recently asked “What are these Albertsons double coupons I’m hearing about?” And I realized I’ve never done a post exclusively on the subject. Until today. Land of No Doubles A little preface. In many parts of this fine country, grocery stores will “double” manufacturers coupons automatically at checkout. So if you [...]

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