Lunch at Starring Rolls Cafe in Disney Hollywood Studios

We almost always end up eating at Starring Rolls when we are at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Why? Well, it's convenient. It's rarely crowded. Although its on a lower level it is wheelchair accessible. And, the food is good.



The turkey sandwich! Note the empty tables in the background





You order from a counter and take your tray outside to eat. Its pretty small and might be hard to manuever a wheelchair inside the cafe. The metal tables and heavy chairs are outside, with umbrellas for shade.

It's a tasty meal for under $15 per person. The large turkey sandwich is served on fresh focaccia bread with a bag of chips or a side of fruit for about $10.  Add a large fountain drink for $3 - or wine for $7.  If you have room for dessert the pastries are sublime. The chocolate peanut butter cupcake is really excellent.

Kids meals are $5.49 and contain the basic Smuckers Uncrustables with a prepackaged cookie - a bit of a disappointment in a wonderful bakery. My kids prefer getting a piece of fresh fruit or splitting a sandwich and ordering a fancy pastry all for themselves.  

Inexpensive Lunch & DInner Ideas for EPCOT World Showcase

Some people argue that you should eat your largest Disney meal at lunch. You get large portions of similar items for much less than the dinner prices. However, table service restaurants still average about $17-20 an entree if you are paying out of pocket. While most kids meals include a drink, adult meals require that you order a beverage at an additional cost.  Not to mention the time spent at a sit down meal.

I try to pay $40 or less for my family of 4 to eat lunch. We only have one child under the age of 9 and most table service restaurants won't sell my teen aged daughter a kids meal.  Eating lunch  in an air conditioned restaurant is a nice escape from the heat, but it can easily cost us $80-100.

If you aren't on a Dining Plan the classic Disney World advice is always to eat at a counter service or quick service location to save both time and money.  EPCOT is no different. However some counter service locations are more expensive than others.

For instance I love Mexican food, but I think the prices at La Cantina de San Angel are high at $11 or $12 for tacos and $8 for a kids meal. It would cost us about $55 to eat lunch there.

Fish & chips are $8.99 at the Yorkshire in England. There is no kids meal. With drinks, lunch would cost us about $50.

If you want typical American fare try the Liberty Inn in the America Pavilion. They sell burgers, salads and hot dogs for $8-10 a meal. Kids can get macaroni and cheese or a cheeseburger for about $5.49.

You can get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich kid's meal for $5.49 at Kringla Bakeri og Cafe in the Norway Pavilion. Adults can get a roast beef or club sandwich for about $8.

If your family is more adventurous, but still on a budget try our favorite choices. Boulangerie Patisserie in the France Pavilion sells a ham and cheese croissant for $4.75, ham and cheese quiche for $5.20 or pissaladiere (flatbread with tomatoes, olives and gruyere cheese) for $4.50.

We also like Chinese food.  Lotus Blossom Cafe (China) has two egg rolls for $4 or pot stickers for $5. Compare to Nine Dragons where egg rolls are $8 and pot stickers are $7. Saving $2-4 per person adds up to $8-16 per meal, per day. Over five days you could save $120 -240 just on appetizers! 

If your kids aren't adventurous eaters why not walk through the International Gate between France and the United Kingdom? You can walk back into the Park when you're done.

A family sized pizza at Via Nappoli costs $28-$41. Instead walk out the International Gateway to the BoardWalk Pizza window, where a slice of cheese pizza is $3.99 and a slice of pepperoni or veggie pizza is $4.49. It's about 15 minutes from the Gateway.

Or pick up something a little closer by stopping at the Beach Club Marketplace. It's a "grab and go" location so take your food out to the beach to eat. Kid's lunch & dinner choices are a turkey sandwich ($5.49) or a margherita pizza ($5.99) with drinks and a side. Adults can get a sandwich or a flatbread with sides for under $10.

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If you are in Future World during lunch or dinner your best bet will be Sunshine Seasons.  It is in the lower level and often very crowded and loud. You can typically find a table if you send one person to wait while another stands in line to order. Another problem is that separate stations  serve different menu items. So if you want food from more than one station, you’ll need to wait in multiple lines.  The food is fresh and fairly well priced with kids meals starting at $5.49 and adult entree around $8. Kids craving standard food can get macaroni and cheese here, pizza or an Uncrustable meal. The sandwiches cost $8-10 and are almost as large as those at Starring Rolls in Hollywood Studios.

 

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique - on the Cheap

Okay, that title was misleading. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is expensive by most people's measure.The cold, hard fact is that the cheapest you are going to get out of it is $55 plus tip.

For $55 you get the "Coach Package" which includes hairstyling, glittery makeup and a Princess sash. The nearly $200 "Castle Package" includes these things plus a fancy princess costume and 5 photos.  You can bring your own dress and only buy the basic package if you'd like. That's the only true tip for actually doing Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on the cheap.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is pink, poufy heaven designed for girls between ages 3 and 12. The "princess transformation" takes between 30-60 minutes, depending on the package you chose. To see what it's like just enter Bibbiddi Bobbidi Boutique on YouTube.


You get to keep the makeup used on your daughter as well as any accessories that you purchase. If you make an advanced reservation you also get a nice, customized "Princess Your Child's Name" welcome brochure as a souvenir. Pretty expensive souvenirs....As you might know I'm a bargain Disney souvenir shopper.

I know that many parents avoid the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on principal. They don't want their little girls that heavily made up. I really don't either. If you feel like me, we aren't alone.

Now if your little girls is a die hard Princess fanatic or this is a once in a life time experience - stop worrying about the expense and just go for it.

We have two additional problems with the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique:

1)  We may live in the South, but we're not true Southern girls. Neither of us can accept the "beauty means pain" philosophy. My daughter doesn't like to have her hair pulled back tight. The primary service at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is giving little girls up dos. They whisk your daughter's hair back, pull it up and tease it into a big bun. Then they hold a plastic shield over her face and spray, spray, spray. One Mom wrote,"they enjoyed it for the most part...except for the whole hair pulling, tight and glued to your head thing."

If your daughter is accustomed to having her hair styled for dance recitals or cheering then she'll be fine, However, if your daughter doesn't want her hair pulled back hard and heavily coated with hair spray - don't waste your money here.

2) My daughter, despite being 6, still doesn't like costumed characters. She probably wouldn't have a problem with the "Fairy Godmother in Training" that performs her services, but she would lose it when the actual costumed Fairy Godmother came around to visit her.

 

Don't get me wrong! My daughter loves to be pampered as much as the next little girl. She has already had a spa mani/pedi. I would happily pay $200 for an experience she would enjoy. This just isn't it.

 

However, I don't want her to envy all of the other little girls running around in their makeup and sashes.

Here's my solution: I simulate the princess transformation experience.

A) Buy glittery makeup, lip gloss and nail polish in advance. If you want you can buy washable, glitter hair spray for about $2 at Walmart or a beauty supply store.  Also buy a Princess Sash . You can get these through Amazon.com for about $5. If you are near a Hobby Lobby a princess sash is only $3. The sash is my secret weapon...

B) If your daughter loves, loves, loves princesses buy her a Princess dress before you go. You can find these at your local Disney store or online for about $45. Or pick up a pretty princess tiara for $15.  If you are lucky you'll hit a sale. I found 25% off costumes in early March.


You don't have to buy the dress through Disney. Party City has Disney princess costumes for about $20. Wands and crowns run about $4-6 each. They may not be the same style or quality, I'm not sure. Or, bring a costume that you already own. My daughter still enjoys dress up so we have a fairly extensive collection of dresses and crowns to chose from.

Now you have all of the pieces of the princess puzzle. Your daughter hasn't had the experience yet. So-- make a little note for your daughter then

I made this in about a minute using Microsoft Word

C) Do your daughter's nails the night before you go to the Magic Kingdom. When you wake up in the morning, put on a little sparkly makeup and let her wear a special outfit. You can finish it all off with hairspray and the sash - or you can save them for the next step.

glitter makeup, nail polish and glitter hair spray $4

D) Go straight to the Harmony Barber Shop when you enter Magic Kingdom. It is not a poufy, pink wonderland. It is basically Victorian themed with glitter “Pixie dust,” bubbles, and Mickey Mouse stickers. For about $5 the barbers will put colored gel and/or glitter in your child's hair. For $15 you can get an actual hair cut from a licensed cosmetologist. They will do this in about 10-30 minutes.

Once your daughter's hair has been decorated with colored gel and metallic confetti- surprise her with the princess sash (and a tiara!) then set off for your day.


You can do this all for as little as $20  with your own dress, makeup and nail polish. If you splurged for a new dress and tiara you have probably spent $55-75 at this point, but you've gotten hair, makeup and a new outfit - the deluxe $200 package. All you need now are the photos.

E) Last, but not least, find a Photopass photographer to capture your little princess. Allears.net has a very up to date table of all of the Photopass photographer locations. Find a photographer on Main street or in the Rose Gardens so you can get a photo with Cinderella's castle in the background. I have a lovely one that was taken of me and my daughter at night with the lighted Castle.  

Photopass photographers are free. They will take pictures with your camera if you ask nicely. Go ahead and let them use theirs as well. They are trained and get some great shots. Just make sure that you save the card you are given with the number on it so you can check out the pictures online.

You have no obligation to buy anything just because they took the pictures. While the Photopass CD is $120-150, you can buy just the downloadable version of the photo for less than $15.

What I like best about this compromise is that my daughter still looks like a little girl. She doesn't look like a cast off from Toddlers and Tiaras with shellacked hair and heavy makeup.

And, I like saving time and money for other things. The rest of my family doesn't really want to hang out for an hour while little one gets "transformed." Bringing my own makeup and accessories saves money. Also, if my daughter wants we can do this every day of our trip - without paying a fortune - worst case I invest another few dollars at the Barber Shop.

What my daughter likes best is that she is comfortable. She looks glittery and fancy, but her hair doesn't hurt. She's not stuck wearing a polyester dress all day in 90 degree heat or a tiara with combs that stick into her scalp. 

Best of all the kind Disney staff all still address her as "Princess" when they see the sash - even though it didn't come from the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique!
 

Walt Disney World - Magic Tricks (Not Rocket Science)

I am NOT a Disney expert by any means! In 6 weeks we'll embark on our third trip to Walt Disney World. We're fortunate that we live within a day's drive so the travel expense is minimal. A tank of gas, eight hours and a great deal of patience - and we're there!

Luckily, right now my girls like a lot of the same things - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Disney Princesses and simple rides. I think this may be the last easy trip before my youngest outgrows my older daughter's interests. Its an odd truth to be facing. So, I feel like making the most of this trip.

There are almost as many blogs and websites about traveling to WDW as there are travelers. My perspective is unique primarily in that I will be traveling with a teenager with special needs and a preschooler. Also, I'm very budget conscious. I wish I had the money to rent a 2 bedroom suite at the Grand Floridian (currently a "mere" $2,285/night), but I don't. And, truthfully, probably wouldn't if I did.

I do understand the appeal of the Disney Experience. They offer a great deal - especially if you have to fly. You can take a Disney shuttle from the airport to your lodging and use Disney transportation for the rest of your stay - saving the cost of a rental car and daily theme park parking (totalling about $250). A full-size car rental will cost approximately $156 for six days and parking will cost roughly $90. Remember - you only have to pay to park ONCE per day -save your receipt if you leave the park and return to either the same park or a different park on the sae day.

Staying at a Disney Resort gives you lots of amenities - a beautiful lobby and pool, on site restaurants and shops, proximity to parks or park transportation. You get to use any other resort pool or amenity - so you can go to the outdoor movie at Fort Wilderness one night if you want. You also get some small services like delivery of any park purchases to your resort so you don't have to carry bags all day or worry about your souvenirs being stolen. And, of course, the Extra Magic Hours that allow you to arrive early or stay late at a particular park.

As a family we have personal preferences that may not suit everyone. For instance, we tend to like to sleep in til about 9AM and the girls go to bed around 10PM so the Extra Magic Hours wouldn't give us any advantage. Since we don't have to worry about renting a car we prefer to rent a house rather than stay in a Disney resort. Any Disney guest (even those not staying on property) can use the Disney transportation - monorail, boats, etc. so we can still move easily between parks, etc. if we chose to. It isn't entirely about budget although it looks that way on first glance. Right now (April 2012) a Disney Value resort with Quick Service Dining plan is $276/night (not including taxes) for a family of four. A night at a Disney Moderate resort with  is $348 - or $2,088 for 6 days (not including taxes.)

We rented a three bedroom house with a private pool  for  $115/ night. That's $805 for six nights (not including taxes). The difference in cost is $851 less than the Value option and $1,283 from the Moderate plan. We will, of course, have to pay for all of our meals out of pocket. I think the Moderate plan is a good deal if you plan on eating all of your meals at the park - for example, a character meal (table service) would cost our family (3 adults and 1 child) about $200.

The Moderate plan costs includes 6 snacks, 6 Quick Service meals and 6 Table Service meals per person during those 6 days.  However, if you choose to use your plan at certain places - Cinderella's Table, Signature Restaurants and Dinner Shows - it will  "cost" 2 meals per person per event. If you use your meal plan for any of these you need to add the cost of at least one additional meal to your budget. Similarly, if your family wants to eat 3 meals a day as well as a snack you will need to budget for additional meals. If you have bought into the Disney Experience all of these will by default have to be on Disney property since you won't have a car. The Value plan doesn't include the ability to attend any prepaid Character or Signature meals. So if your kids want breakfast with Mickey, you'll need to pay for it privately, just like I will. Somehow, I bet most people end up buying a few extra meals or snacks even if they are on one of the Dining Plans. Who knows? Maybe they buy cold cereal and PB&J and just eat in their room a couple of times.


It's easy to spend to $200 a day for a family of 4 to eat on Disney property (1 character meal and you're there) which would make the cost of the house vs. the hotel even over 6 nights. Having done this before I know that we will eat breakfast at the house as well as some dinners and snacks. The cost is no different than our regular grocery bill - probably $100- 150 for the week. That leaves me with $1,043 (after theme park parking) in the budget before I hit the same cost as the Moderate plan. We will eat a few meals and snacks at the parks when we are hungry or staying longer than we planned. We also will have the ability to eat at local restaurants or even Burger King if we feel like it. It is possible that we will spend an additional $175/day on food, but unlikely. Which is one of the reasons we rent a house.

Floor plan Caribbean Beach Resort

The other is SPACE. We like not only having a kitchen, but three bedrooms and a living room. We don't have to go to bed when our kids do just because we're all crammed into the same room. A typical room at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort  is about 340 square feet. These are among the largest rooms on Disney property that aren't suites or villas. The house we're renting is approximately 1500 square feet. My oldest doesn't do well in the heat so we typically go back to the house in the middle of the day.

With a house we can spread out. Amanda can play on the computer or watch TV. Danielle can watch a different TV, nap or swim. Kevin & I can read, swim, watch TV.  We've rented houses in several places. This year we are returning to a house we rented through Florida Spirit Vacation Homes. In addition to a full kitchen and 3 bedrooms we'll have a private pool, washer & dryer, 2 full baths and 4 TVs. Another advantage for our family is that everything is on a single floor- no messing with transport, elevators, long walks etc. pushing a wheelchair every time one of us wants a meal or a swim.

Floor plan of the house we're renting

Spring Break Atlanta Stay-cation

Spring Break Atlanta Stay-cation

We're staying home during Spring Break this year. Mainly because the one time we went away for the week of Spring Break the return traffic (from Florida to Atlanta) was insane - the trip home took 3 hours longer than the trip down. I know it's not a novel idea. As a child we never went anywhere for school breaks. I think sometimes as parents we feel that we "have" to make vacations special. The beauty of this plan is that it is special. It allows late mornings, lazy afternoons laying the grass looking at the clouds, ball games in the yard and al fresco dinners on our back deck. So relaxing!

I researched all sorts of things to do within an hour of our home, a suburb north of Atlanta. I debated some farther trips - like Chattanooga, TN but discarded the idea. I found plenty of free or low cost activities within an hour of home. Some of the things we did were every day things. We went to the local mall and had soft pretzels and ice cream cones. We window shopped, watched videos in the Disney Store and rode the carousel. Total cost about $20. One afternoon we went swimming at our local YMCA.

We have are lucky enough to have two nice nature centers close to home- Autrey Mill Preserve and Chattachoochee Nature Center. Located on 46 acres of ravine forest Autrey Mill is FREE to explore the historic homes and nature paths.  The Visitor Center is accessible and houses several tanks of snakes, lizards and frogs. Outside there are ducks. For a small donation you can get a cup of duck feed and the ducks will adore you. None of the historic homes or trails are wheelchair accessible but its a fun place to spend an hour - longer if you aren't mobility impaired. Some of the trails lead to a replicas of a Native American lodge and tee pee as well as a beautiful stream. They offer a number of historical and nature programs for about $5.00/person.

Chattahoochee Nature Center offers several walking trails including a boardwalk path, animal encounters and a nice play area.They a licensed rehabilitation center for native raptors, mammals and reptiles so you can see more than 50 different species that were rehabilitated, but unable to be safely returned to the wild. Chattahoochee charges $8.00 per adult and $5.00 per child to visit. We were able to bring a wheelchair to the Nature Center and along the boardwalk. The remainder of the Center wasn't accessible. Still, a great afternoon for under $30.
 
Another great FREE Atlanta destination is the Fernbank Science Center which houses a small museum, a planetarium (cost $4/adults, $3 kids ) and on Thursday & Friday nights an observatory open to the public. It is all wheelchair accessible. Nearby is the FREE Fernbank Forest which has 1½ miles of paved trails through 65 acres relatively undisturbed forest in the middle of Atlanta. Fernbank Rose Garden is also FREE and a lovely place for a quiet walk.

Because we live outside of a major metropolitan area there are a number of large tourist attractions. Our big splurge was to get annual family memberships to three local attractions. All are withing about an hour of home and will pay for themselves in 2 visits. We joined Fernbank Museum (see my previous blog)-family Membership cost $95- and Zoo Atlanta - family membership cost $99 (you can get a $10 discount online).
 
Zoo Atlanta is fully paved with (for the most part) gradual slopes. The path between the Backyard Habitat and the Children's Zoo is extremely steep and I wouldn't recommend taking it if you are pushing a wheelchair or stroller. The rest of the park is easily accessible by wheelchair. However, disabled parking is very limited - causing many visitors to become pretty aggressive about getting a space. We tried to go this week but were beat out of a parking spot despite waiting and having our turn signal on. So much for Southern hospitality!

I love Zoo Atlanta, despite the difficult parking. It is a modern Zoo with roomy naturalistic habitats for the animals to enjoy. One of the best things about being a member is free admission to the 2 member nights offered each year. Its wonderful to explore the Zoo in the evenings. The animals are often more active as the temperatures are cooler. Members Only Nights also feature live entertainment and special animal encounters- which my girls love!

For the first time we also bought season passes to Stone Mountain Park. Stone Mountain is a truly weird place - its a gigantic monument dedicated to the fallen leaders of the Confederacy. The carving depicts Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee and Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. It is literally carved into the side of a mountain - the South's own answer to Mount Rushmore. Really - it's not my goal to glamorize the secession and all it stood for. The annual pass lets us explore the various park exhibits and rides like the SkyRide and Gesyer Towers anytime we want throughout the year.  Stone Mountain houses a petting zoo, has a petting zoo attached to the Antebellum Plantation and Farmyard attraction. The farmyard offers a live show with trained goats and sheep.

My goal in going to Stone Mountain is to desensitize Danielle to fireworks before we head to one of those overpriced theme parks later in the year. Stone Mountain has a lasershow most nights during school vacations and on weekends. Despite living in the area for 15 years, we've never been to the show. You don't have to join to see the show - its FREE, sort of. You still need to pay the $10 park admission (parking fee). You can bring your own chairs and blankets. I didn't know that when I joined...  

I would encourage everyone to follow our model if you can. Most areas have unique, fun local spots to explore. Consider searching for a nature center, a playhouse, a puppet theater or a local history or children's museum. For less than the cost of two days at a theme park we had a week of great experiences as well as opportunities for a year of family fun through our new memberships.

The Make Over Take Over

Redoing just one room of your house is apparently impossible. Once you finish that room the one next to it looks shabby, old, dated.... voila! you end up with the make over take over.

Having finished the dining room remodel in a week for under $200 I was on a mission. I explored designs for bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, kitchens...  Even keeping our old kitchen cabinets new granite counters and appliances would cost at least $10,000- ouch! I decided to tackle the another room first.

Our TV room is a sunny yellow that I actually like despite its not being trendy. My biggest dilemma in the TV room is a problem I also face in the kitchen and living room - laminate cabinets and counter tops. Yuck. Dated, old and ugly all rolled into one. I never understood why the original owners went to the effort and expense of having built-ins made and then cheaped out halfway through. However, I can't exactly rip out the built in bookcases without a sledge hammer and a big commitment to doing something else in the space.

Since painting over the wallpaper worked so well in the dining room I decide to be bold and paint the laminate countertops in the TV room. Rustoleum sells a countertop refinishing kit for about $250. A good deal if I was planning on repainting all of the kitchen countertops, but a bit expensive for the two small sections in the TV room.

My method was inexpensive and quick, but probably won't work in a heavy use area such as a kitchen or bathroom. I read a lot of other blogs on how to paint countertops and decided that I was much too lazy for most methods. Giani makes a countertop paint kit designed to simulate granite. The results on the website are spectacular. However, I didn't want a countertop look - I wanted the look of a built-in bookcase.

I ultimately purchased a less expensive Rustoleum product, Countertop Coating, which promised to be "washable, moisture and chemical resistant against common household items. No primer needed for laminate surfaces!"  I honestly think the nice man in the video who said,"Trust me, you can do this stuff" is what ultimately sold me on this product. I had less than 20 square feet to paint. Even with the recommended two coats, a single quart would be enough. And, better yet, the manufacturer does not recommend a finish coat of polyurethane. Two coats and in theory I'd be done! It costs less than $20 and is tintable. While the lightest shade it comes in is Ivory, Tom at Home Depot reduced the tint by 75% and I ended up with a close match to the white paint on the wood bookshelves.

First I cleaned the surfaces, wiped them down with rubbing alcohol and gave them a quick sanding, then wiped with alcohol again. Then I taped around the edges - it took 10 minutes all together.

"BEFORE"

I bravely applied the first coat. It took about 15 minutes to paint the two small sections. By then the house smelled like someone had spilled about a gallon of nail polish remover! Time to open the doors and the windows - in early March. Brr! Why didn't I think of this last week when the weather was an unseasonable 70 degrees?

First coat - not feelin' the love yet...

I waited two hours and then applied a second coat. The key to getting a good finish is to use a very good quality roller intended for smooth surfaces. While I was waiting I posted the "before" picture on Facebook. I got a mixed review of the project. Some friends cheered me on, some thought I was plain crazy - others warned me that the stuff was toxic. Oops! Too late to turn back if it is.

The Rustoleum web site estimated that the labor would take 2 hours. Without the drying time I did my small areas in about half of that.

Am I ever going to remember to wear gloves?!?

Next I replaced the boring black drawer pulls with inexpensive brushed nickel ones. I selected an oval pull for the drawers and simple round knobs for the cabinet doors - another big change for roughly $15. Having read many, many design blogs and researched a number of web sites over the past weeks one snippet of style advice stuck with me. It was simply,"when choosing metals, chose any color BUT brass!" I replaced the dated brass ceiling fixture with a new brushed nickel fixture (2 for $17.99 at Lowe's).

Original drawer pull and knobs

Finally, I decided to try reusing things from other parts of the house since it had worked well in the dining room. First, I swapped the dark area rug for a lighter one that had been stored in the basement. The darker rug will probably end up under the kitchen table. Next, I switched the table lamps with ones from our bedroom.

The total make over took two days (including shopping) and cost less than $50. The other piece of salient design advice that I read was, "Remember, that anything you chose today will look as dated in 30 years as your Grandmother's 1970 avocado green refrigerator does now." Funny - and too true!

My Dining Room Make Over

I am NOT a do it yourself-er by choice. I am a do it yourself-er out of financial necessity. I can't see paying $400 a wall to have a professional paint when I can buy a gallon of paint for less than $35 and have $1565 left over to do something else with.

Note to self: Wear gloves.

That said, I am seriously one of the world's WORST painters. I not only get paint on myself but on any adjacent surface whether its been taped, covered with a drop cloth or wrapped in paper. The paint can and will seep under or through any attempts to protect other items in the room. Still, since I apparently can't paint a straight line I cover and tape. Naturally, that means that when I remove the covers and tape I have missed large spots of the wall that needed paint.

Which leads me to go in and retouch. Which means that I get paint on the adjacent surfaces...which means touch up paint of another color...which means I get that color on the wall.... That $1600 quote looks so much more reasonable after I spend nearly a week painting and repainting and in the end, frankly, it looks like my 5 year old painted it. (Which, in truth, she probably did because I figured "why not?")

My dining room has a white chair rail. Above the chair rail is red wallpaper covered with (of all things) palm trees. Below the rail is an odd shade of Army green. Not my taste.  I do like the hardwood floors. It also has one feature that I love - a gold faux finished ceiling. Really cool and unusual. The room originally had a brass chandelier that we replaced years ago with more contemporary lighting, but I never dared tackle the ugly wallpaper and dark paint. 

Until last weekend when I saw this photo. I wanted that room!

Having never repaired or repainted Amanda's room after removing her wallpaper border 6 months ago I decided to commit the ultimate crime of home ownership and paint over the wallpaper. Go ahead, cringe. I know it was wrong, but it was quick  and it made me so happy.

A gallon of oil based Kilz - two coats to cover the wallpaper;  a gallon of Lowes' allen+roth Natural paint and about a week's work equals happiness! The hardest part was painting over the fake wainscotting. Brushes left streaks. Regular rollers created drips. Kevin finally discovered a set of small Whizz rollers designed for painting cabinets that painted all of the indentations and corners of the trim beautifully. Too bad I didn't have them for the first coat...

We removed the plantation shutters to bring more natural light into the dark room. The look is not identical to the first photo. The paint is a little lighter. The goal was to bring the space to a more neutral, contemporary palette.  I didn't substitute new ceiling lights or furniture, but worked with what we had. To finish it off I moved things from other rooms, bought a $70 lamp and some inexpensive artwork from Target. It is not a professional job. There are drips, smears and missing patches. However, the total cost of my makeover including accessories was less than $200.

Now - what can I do with the rest of the money that I saved by doing it myself?

Not Your Average Under $10 Gift Ideas for 2011

With Black Friday approaching it's time to start thinking about holiday shopping. I have a huge holiday gift list - 37 people, not including the 4 under my own roof. I know, I know...the easiest way to save money at this time of year is to cut people off the list. I could; but I won't.

I also know the "cheapest" gift is home baked goods. I love to bake, but I typically avoid this gift. In the first place, it's labor intensive. Can you imagine baking 37 dozen cookies?!? That's 444 cookies, my friends.

In the second place, I think people aren't really considering the cost of the ingredients they use. A nice tin or box costs about $3 which I agree is inexpensive. However chocolate isn't cheap, neither is butter. A batch of cookies, depending on the type, probably costs $2-5 to bake plus the cost of the packaging.  It is a personal and heartfelt gift. I like the idea, but I need back up plans for this busy time of year.

Purchased food is always an option, assuming you know the recipient's personal tastes. For instance, I detest chutneys and jellies. If I received these as a gift they would go straight to the local food bank. I know other people who love these items.  Women assume that everyone loves chocolate, but my husband could take it or leave it. He'd rather get nuts or something salty. However most people have family or guests who will gladly eat up the things they pass along.

You can also buy plants, ornaments, small kitchen items....I like to receive cut flowers, but some folks are allergic. Plants are theoretically a longer lasting gift. Unless the recipient, like me, forgets to water them regularly.

A teacher once told me that she has an entire box of Christmas ornaments that her students had given her. While she treasured them she didn't use them on her tree - she's Jewish! 

Our babysitter said that her mom (a teacher at my daughter's elementary school) typically receives multiple dish towels and potholders which they turn around and donate to the local soup kitchen. Nice of them. but probably not what the givers intended.

When I searched for inexpensive gift ideas I came up with the predictable soaps, candles, candy, mugs, note papers and socks... If I could knit I might make socks or mittens. But I can't. Aloe infused socks are a possibilty for the dance teachers since their feet take a beating.

I like the idea of gifts that are both practical and whimsical or unique if possible. Here are some off the beaten track ideas that I've come up with. These are suggestions for adults. There are lots of toys and books for children that cost less than $10; you don't need my suggestions. And as far as I can tell all that teenagers want is cash and no matter how much you give them it won't be enough.

These could be stocking stuffers or inexpensive gifts. If you are considering ordering online ALWAYS search the site name and "free shipping code" before ordering. Shipping costs will push these items over the $10 limit. Order from Amazon and you can normally get free super saver shipping with a $25 purchase. If you register and shop through GoodShop a they will make a donation to the charity of your choice. Consider one of these:

•  Instead of another picture frame consider ordering a Cable photo holder from Amazon. Available in several colors. It's about 5 feet long and comes with 8 magnets.
•  How about a stapler that doesn't need staples? Try the Pencil Grip The Classics Staple Free Stapler, (less risky for the little ones). It will only attach 2-5 sheets of paper, but that should work fine for homework, tests, etc. Pier One also carries a panda staple-free stapler for $5.
• Try a variation on the traditional pen and pencil set - You can get a  Smencil and Smen (smelly pen) Set for $5. I've found these at Michael's, Target and other local stores.
• Colored mechanical pencils from Crate & Barrel are available online only for $8.95
• or Smencils - pencils that smell good and are made from recycled materials. You can get a pack of 5 for $7
• These Drumstick pencils   are a little pricey at $8 for a pair, but fun and still functional
• To go with the pencils how about a battery operated pencil sharpener? You can pick one up at most grocery stores for about $4.
• A box of tea bags is okay - a tea infuser stick is cool if the person uses loose tea. There are several brands to chose from. I liked the Crate & Barrel model because it pulls apart rather than hinges so it is easier to use and clean.
•  If you know the person's hobbies you can go for a themed gift. Pier One sells a trio of golf club shaped pens for $5. You can get sports team playing cards for $7 if the person is a fan. (I had to chose NFL Atlanta Falcons Playing Cards since I'm from Atlanta, but there are lots of others.) 
• I think a tiny USB car charger is potentially useful for most people...
• I am also intrigued by the Credit Card Size Survival Pocket Tool. Among other things it claims to include: 1) Can Opener 2) Knife Edge 3) Screwdriver 4) Ruler 5) Cap Opener...
• Do something nice by ordering an item that supports a cause. Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade retailer with dozens of unique items for under $10.
• These silly file folders from Crate & Barrel won't fit in a stocking, but should bring a smile.

•  Visit One Hope Wines - While these wines exceed my dollar limit, they are worth mentioning for someone special. Half of the profits from each bottle are donated to charity. The site is very clear and specific about the amount of the donation - and you can even select your own charity to receive a portion.

Happy Holiday Shopping!

Carnival Birthday Party - Part 2: The Decorations & Games

I love decorations. Streamers, balloons and a pretty table go a long way toward setting the stage for a theme party. I'm lucky that both of my girls have November birthdays so my decorations can often do double duty for both parties.

Kids have great imaginations. My goal is to give them a jumping off point to make their own fun, rather than to orchestrate every minute of the party. My starting point for the carnival decorations is a fabric circus tent from Discount School Supply that we already had in the play room.

I've had a great time making decorations. I grew up with my Mom covering the living room floor with signs that she was painting for various political campaigns. Painting signs for the game stations seemed like a no brainer to me. I started with 10 sheets of foam board from Dollar Tree. The first few signs were pretty pathetic - until I discovered the paint was not my friend. As soon as I switched Danielle's colored markers my signs improved dramatically. Of course I've had to live with hearing,"Mommy, why do you keep taking my markers without asking?"

I handmade a sign for each of the games as well as one for prizes and one for treats. I tried to copy signs that I found online. I also printed out coloring pages and used them for graphic elements on the signs. I admit that I see the irony in making a bunch of signs for kids that are too young to read. I hope the pictures will help...

Some of the blogs I read actually hired graphic artists to design custom signs, invitations, water bottle wrappers and favors! I received a $20 Shutterfly certificate when I ordered Amanda's school pictures from Lifetouch so I was able to create custom photo invitations and several poster sized prints (I lucked into a half price sale)  for free!

I used Microsoft Publisher to create a really cool sign welcoming party guests.  I used a Fourth of July template and added my own photo and text. I'm thrilled with how it came out - it took less than 5 minutes and I printed it through Shutterfly. Buy the supplies, print, cut and paste and you look like one of the parents on TLC's "Outrageous Kid Parties."

Since I've been told this whole idea is "delightfully retro" I've decided to embrace the old school party games I grew up on. None of these are unique - or difficult to find or assemble... but they are all fun!

 Horseshoes (had on hand)
 Bowling
 Penny Pitch (made)
 Fishing Game
 Bean Bag Toss (made)
 Photo Booth or Board (made)
 Temporary Tattoos

The things I've made:
I made the Penny Pitch by gluing a 4 by 3 grid of decorative shapes to sheet of foam board and painting a border around the edges. The object is for the kids to toss pennies on to the shapes to earn a prize or ticket.

The Bean Bag Toss we made

We made a Bean Bag Toss from a sheet of foam board with three large holes cut into it. Danielle and I had fun decorating the surface with paper leaves. I used a dowel to prop it up at an angle, but the holes were  small for the kids when we practiced. We added three brightly colored plastic trash baskets from Dollar Tree - everyone's a winner when you have a big target!

We made colorful beanbags from felt and fabric scraps. I don't have a sewing machine. In fact, I typically rely on the dry cleaners to replace buttons on Kevin's shirts. So hand sewing anything - even something as small as a bean bag was a big deal for me. Danielle helped cut the fabric, fill them with beans and sew them closed. She did a great job! Two are shaped like fall leaves, in case you couldn't tell. I love that we're having so much fun getting ready for her party together.

My friend's father very kindly offered to make a wooden Photo Op board that the kids can peek through for pictures. If I get it in time I'll paint it to look like a scarecrow. I will use some straw and fabric leaves to make it a little 3D.

To decorate the table I cut triangles from brightly colored felt we had on hand and glued them along a piece of twine around various glass containers so that they looked like circus pennants. I used washable school glue so that after the party these can go back to being plain glass dishes.

I'll use red, yellow and blue solid colored plastic table cloths. They came from (you guessed it) Dollar Tree. Various fabric remnants will dress up the tables. The games and decorations that I've made myself cost about $25.

Now for the things that I've had to buy:
I bought temporary Tattoos from Dollar Tree.The Duck Fishing game came from Party City. I ordered a Candy Corn Bowling set from Oriental Trading. I found a $5 Ferris wheel center piece at Hobby Lobby. Dollar Tree was great for streamers, plastic pennants, foam board, prizes and tickets.  You can download tickets at http://images.birthdayinabox.com/partyplanning/carnival_ticket.pdf. 

I hit Michael's when they were having a 30 cent clearance sale. My biggest score was a penny item - a Circus cake topper. How cool! I got beach balls, more party favors, plates and napkins for less than $10. Always check Hobby Lobby and Michaels websites for coupons before shopping. You can normally get 40-50% off one item - sometimes Michaels has 25% off your entire purchase including sale items!

Instead of traditional goodie bags I've made the radical decision to create a Prize Table where the children can trade tickets for prizes. Honestly I did this because when I invited 9 children to the party I expected 9 children... not the 9 children and 8 siblings who responded. However, is also means that Danielle is eligible for prizes - leaving me with a total of 18 kids needing prizes.

Having a birthday right after Halloween means that I can't fall back on candy as a party favor. Most of the kids still have leftover candy at home. Instead I picked little flashlights, fairy wands, helicopter fliers, tops, whistles, rings and tiny telescopes.  I'll give each child 5 tickets to trade for prizes. Any left overs I'll use for pinata fillers in the future.

Tragically I'm nearly at my $100 budget despite my hard work and I haven't purchased any carnival themed food yet. I'm not quite sure where I went wrong... I probably shouldn't have bothered with a theme at all and just let them run around the yard and play.

For more budget party planning ideas please go to http://www.birthdayinabox.com/parties-under-100.asp