A big thank you to my sister, Jackie, for contributing this guest series. If you’re planning to attend or host a Baby or Bridal shower, check out these amazing DIY shower favors she created! With a little time and effort, you too can make wrapped plants, gift tags and bags, and seed favors. Today, we’ll be discussing how to make wrapped plants.

Wrapped Plants

My best friend is expecting her second baby next month and I couldn’t wait to attend her shower! The shower was organized by her mom, who assigned different jobs to many of the attendees. I was given the role of favors.

As many people know, I’m on a very limited budget. Even $20 is a lot for me right now, so I had to be extremely creative. I knew I wanted to incorporate natural elements into my design, but buying from a florist was way too much. I searched at local nurseries and Big Box stores instead. I struck gold at Lowe’s; all of these plants were on clearance for pennies! The curling ribbon was $1. The other items I had on hand. For less than the cost of a single rose bouquet, I made dozens of favors! To make wrapped plants, you will need:

18  1-pint Celosia Plumosa plants
Curling ribbon
Plastic shopping bag or garbage bag
Tape

This technique works easier on a round pot. Mine had a flat side, but I was able to make it work anyway.

Start by cutting a square of wrapping paper (I used 10″ x 10″). Set aside.

Secure a piece of plastic to the bottom of each plant to avoid moisture seeping through.

Place the pot in center of the wrapping paper. Bring all corners up and secure with rolled or double-sided tape.

Push excess inwards creating an “M.” Fold rounded edges and tape into place.

Add a ribbon of your choice and tie a cute bow. Repeat until you’ve created as many as you need (I made 2 dozen).

My wrapped plants were the hit of the party! Each lady was excited to take one home and enjoy it for a long time to come. Celosia make good house plants, or a great addition to any garden.

Coach Factory stores:

At the outlet, I have never paid more than $50 each. How is that possible? By waiting until they go on clearance and combining a coupon. At my local store, they hand out the coupons, or you can have your name added to their mailing list. There is no set schedule for the issue of Coach coupons. I find that they’re offered at least a few times a year. When the coupons are available, stock up! If you know you need one now and another later, buy them both. Remember: the goal is to never pay retail.

 

The Coach Factory store has a wide variety of bags, accessories, shoes, and luggage. I prefer small-sized bags, because I like to tuck them under my arm. If you prefer big bags, there will be plenty available.

 

 

Coachfactory.com:

If you’d rather shop from home, check out what’s available online at Coachfactory.com. This site offers sales up to 70% off. You must be a member to participate. Membership is totally free. Use this link to create your account.

Most of the bags available in the factory stores will be online. The flash sales on this site go FAST, so be prepared! Also, keep in mind that certain limitations do apply.

 

 

By purchasing bags at their rock-bottom prices, I’m able to grow my collection affordably. Currently, I own five—plain black, black patent leather, black/white mix, and 2 prints. All of these bags coordinate with my color palette. Because I treat them gently, they last for many years. I keep all of my bags clean, dry, and stuffed with tissue paper when not in use.

 

Do you like Coach?

Gardeners, this one is for you! Osmocote is offering a $10.00 rebate on their 2-Lb containers of Indoor/Outdoor plant food. Since this product is sold at Target for $9.99, it will be totally free! There is a limit of one per household and purchases must be made between April 1, 2014 – June 30, 2014.

Many drugstores offer a $25.00 store gift card for transferring a valid prescription. This may seem like a good deal on face value, but it’s really not.

Did you know that chain drugstores have the highest priced prescriptions? Because they tend to offer certain conveniences like a drive-thru and extended hours, they have to make up the difference somewhere.

Unless it’s a true emergency, I don’t recommend having any prescriptions filled at the chains. Instead, check out these lower cost options:

*  Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart has a huge list of $4 generics. Their prices on name-brand pills tend to be much cheaper as well. The lines do tend to be very long, so plan accordingly.

*  Target

They offer the same $4 generics. Target and Wal-Mart will price match each other if you prefer to shop at one over the other. I had my last prescription filled here. My Co-pay was $10 for a steroid eye drop. I was able to shop while I waited, which is always nice.

*  Wholesale Clubs

Most locations of Costco, BJ’s and Sam’s Club fill prescriptions. You don’t have to be a member to use the pharmacy. Not all employees are clear on this, so if you get the run-around, ask for a manager.

If you take anything on a regular basis, it’s cheapest to order a 90-day supply vs. the 30-day supply. Not every prescription can be issued in bulk, but it’s worth checking.

How do you save on prescriptions?