Quality vs Bargain: Blackout Curtain Purchase Enlightens Me

Quality and Manufacturers

Welcome to Bonham Business! Today I want to talk about my enlightening experience with buying black out curtains and trying to be frugal. Quality is often sacrificed by manufacturers who are trying to be frugal, too. This lesson was really brought home to me when I ordered black out curtains that were $15 a pair.

Our First Blackout Curtain Purchase

Earlier this year, Bill and I purchased a pair of blackout curtains and magnetic rods for the french doors that lead outside to the back deck. The French doors radiate heat during summer months. Bill and I decided that black out/thermal curtains would help reduce the electric bill by keeping the heat outside and help the house stay cooler (which they did). The cost for the two panels was about $46 and the clear magnetic rods were $30. Yes, we paid $76 dollars and my frugal heart was terrifically sad. But, Bill was in charge of this purchase and he is a firm believer in the saying,"You get what you pay for."

My "Bargain" Curtains

Now that you know my experience with the French doors, I will tell you about my "bargain" black out curtains. Bill has trouble sleeping if the room is light, and we have a dusk to dawn light that is interfering with his sleep because it is keeping our bedroom too light. The east window already has a double layer of curtains over it. So, when I saw an ad for black out curtains that cost $15 a pair, my frugal heart beat faster. After carefully reading the ad, I decided that these curtains would be ideal for the bedroom. The curtains could also be bought in gold, which is the color I already have in the bedroom. Bill did ask, "Do you really think these will be that good?" However, my desire to save $8 a pair overcame my common sense. Happily, I went online to the retailer's website and purchased two pairs of "blackout curtains."

 The Bargain Curtains Arrive and Depart

Four days later, our curtains arrived. Bill helped me take down the double curtained rod from over the east facing window. We took the curtain off the rod and replaced it with the new "blackout curtain." You already know what I'm going to say next, don't you? The curtain was no better, than what we already had in place. Yep, frugality actually cost me $8.00 more, because I had to pay postage to return the darn curtains. One bright spot in the whole experience was the fact that the company quickly refunded my $37.43. Okay, my mom was right when she taught me,"If it's sounds too good to be true, it usually is." Pessimistic, but true this time.

Buy One, Get One Free, Baby!

Last night, I repurchased two pairs of blackout curtains. This time, the price was on the low side because of  Labor Day sales. Two pairs of curtains, with shipping, were $44.97.  If you look at the price we paid for the one pair earlier this year,$46, then you know that I just purchased two pairs for the same price. Buy One, Get One Free, baby! They don't come in gold, but espresso is a good color too. My frugal heart is beating an upbeat tempo AND I know that the quality will be great. How do I know this? I bought the same brand that Bill bought.

Waffling Up a Batch of Waffle Iron Cookies

This summer I tried a new recipe for chocolate waffle cookies. The first batch turned out puffy, chocolaty wedges of cocoalicious waffles. Drizzling a simple powdered sugar glaze over them increased the sweet factor, but the best topping was a spoonful of cherry pie filling crowned with a white rosette of whipped cream. The chocolate cherry wedges hit the sweet spot!

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Equipment

Electric waffle iron
medium size bowl
whisk
measuring spoon set

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 cup flour

Cookie Batter Directions

Preheat your waffle iron and lightly spray the cooking surfaces with canola oil cooking spray

• Place butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with a whisk until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla and eggs. Stir with a whisk until well combined.
• Add flour and cocoa. Stir until all the flour and cocoa are mixed well.
• You will now have a nice thick batter that is ready to cook.

Cooking Directions

My waffle iron is round and makes a waffle that can be divided into four quarters, or sections. 

• I place a rounded tablespoon of batter toward the center of each waffle section (4 tablespoons of batter).
•  Close the lid and cook for about three minutes.
•  Carefully remove the hot waffle cookie to a cooling rack. I use the tines of a fork to gently lift the edge of the waffle so I can remove it to the cooling rack. 
• Spray the waffle iron cooking surfaces lightly with canola oil cooking spray before placing 4 more tablespoons of batter toward the center of each waffle section.
• Cook as before and repeat the above steps until you run out of batter.
•  Divide the waffle cookies into sections after they cool.
• Top with a powdered sugar glaze, cherry pie filling and whipped cream, or frosting of your choice.

Yield: about a dozen waffle cookies




 

Wild about Reading Bulletin Board



Window or bulletin board display for elementary school.



Wild About Reading and Math Display

• Green party plates, small, two packs                
• Monkey party plates, one pack                        
• Green upper case lettering, one pack                
• Red lower case lettering, one pack                  
• Clear double sided tape and/or clear scotch tape

This is an economical and quick display to assemble!

 

 For the letter tiles, my coworker and I used pieces of scotch tape that we rolled into small cylinders to place the lettering onto the party plates. The plates were placed on the inside of the window with clear double sided tape.

Discovering Cheese Tortellini Salad

A Pasta Salad Lunch

At work today, a coworker brought in three types of pasta salad for a staff lunch donation. I love pasta salad, so I took two big spoonfuls of all three types of salad. Returning to my office, plate in hand, I sat down and started eating. The first two salads were familiar to me and I made short work of eating them. (They were yummy.) The third salad was unfamiliar to me, so I took a half teaspoon bite to sample it. Wow, was that bite a revelation! The cheese tortellini, baby pepperoni, and mozzarella cubes were identified by my mouth after a second and third bite, but I wasn't quite sure what the dressing was. The creamy, rich pasta salad was a meal all by itself. I found myself wishing I had heaped my plate high with just this salad. As soon as I arrived home this afternoon, my misson was to find that recipe. The search for "tortellini pasta salad" quickly yielded the recipe I was searching for, picture and all. How come I have never seen this kind of pasta salad before? I feel cheated. I'm definitely making this salad a one dish meal, over and over.

Click on the link below to find the recipe for mouth pleasing, addictive, cheese tortellini salad.

http://simpledelicioussouthernfood.blogspot.com/2012/08/here-is-delicious-and-refreshing-summer.html?m=1

Baby Shower Theme: Noah's Ark

Quarter sheet cake "ocean" with an adorable ark sailing on it.

Noah's Ark Cake Sailing the Ocean Blue

I loved the cake and crafted decorations. Diaper baby tutorial.

 Diaper Babies and Very Hungry Caterpillar Center Pieces

The plant centerpiece was a pink tissue filled jar, foliage ,

and a Noah's ark paper decoration.

Hungry Caterpillar Closeup

Use the instructions as a guideline. Then create your
own version!

Crafted Gifts

Noah's Ark Signs

 

 

My friend, Genie, invited me to a  surprise, Noah's ark themed, baby shower a couple of weeks ago. My main motive in attending was to spend some time with Genie and take a short (fifty mile) road trip at the same time. My summer vacation excitement had begun to pale and I was ready for some girl time.

Genie is a crafty, artistic lady who creates jewelry. She and her daughters crafted some really adorable table centerpieces for the party.

Links have been included for tutorials/instructions on how to craft your own version of the diaper babies and caterpillars.