Verse of the Week - Titus 2:3-5

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God.
Titus 2:3-5

This Titus 2 woman goes against who the world says I should be. I want to be a Godly woman, love my husband and future children well, and be pure, kind, and self-controlled. I pray that the Lord helps me to become the woman He wants me to be. By nature I am rebellious, selfish, bossy, and mean. The Lord has been hard at work in me for the 12 years I have been following Him, and I hope He continues.

Frugal Friday - Dallas Dinners Under $20 Part I

Since we started our Total Money Makeover one year ago, we are on a strict budget to help us reach our financial goals. We realized that we were spending WAY too much money dining out. This city has a million great restaurants to tempt us, so we had to take control of the situation. We now limit our monthly dining out budget to $150. We could easily spend that on one meal in Dallas, but we try to make it stretch as far as possible. To do that, we have to find affordable fare, and we have. I've decided to share our favorite Dallas dinners under $20 with y'all. The opinions are completely ours, and we are in no way affiliated with or being compensated by the restaurants.
Tony's Pizza and Pasta has been around for a long time, and is located on Northwest Hwy in East Dallas. They advertise that everything is prepared fresh and cooked to order, and the place is BYOB. They brought garlic rolls out before the meal, for free, and I was hooked.

Shrimp Scampi - $8.95

I love shrimp, but Jed is not a seafood guy. I have to order them when we are dining out since I can't cook them at home. To find a good shrimp dish for under $10 is pretty much a miracle, so I was really excited to try the shrimp scampi. It did not disappoint.

Calzone $4.95

Jed loves a calzone, and we actually tried this restaurant solely because they served them. He let me try one bite, and then took down the whole thing.

Overall we give Tony's Pizza and Pasta an 8 out of 10. It was not the best meal ever, but it was definitely great for the price, and we will be back. I would say it is better than most Italian chains (Olive Garden, etc), and I prefer local, family owned anyway. If you live in DFW, check it out.

Where do you dine out on the cheap?

Name Crosses - Review and Giveaway

Name Crosses contacted me recently about reviewing their product. I was sent an 8x10 Name Cross created with our names, our wedding date, and the phrase "United in God's Love". I framed it and took a few pictures to share with you. Jed kept seeing different things in the design, like an inkblot. He was cracking me up with his reactions. The cross makes a lovely addition to a wall of family photos, and is a unique way to remember a special date. I think it would be a cool addition to a wedding or baptism scrapbox display.

I would give this product a 7 out of 10 overall. It is unique, creative, and has high sentimental value, but is a little pricey for this frugal gal and (like most art) not practical. I think it would be a fun anniversary or wedding gift, or perfect for a christening or baptism.

Name Crosses are available in 3 different sizes.

4x6 - $12
5x7 - $15
8x10 - $20

Here's the lowdown from the Name Cross website:

Name Crosses are the perfect way to capture the special moments in the lives of those we love. Our personalized prints are a unique way to acknowledge Baptisms, Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays and all of life's wonderful moments. They are available in a variety of sizes, ready to fit into any frame or precut photo mat.

From a distance, Name Crosses appear to be a decorative art print. Up close, it becomes clear that Name Crosses are created by forming names, dates and/or inspirational quotes into the shape of a cross. Every Name Cross is both personal and unique.

Name Crosses are printed in black ink on 110lb paper. We currently offer 3 different font selections and three print sizes. We provide FREE SHIPPING on all orders. Upgraded shipping is also available.

Fun Fact: A portion of each Name Cross purchase is donated to charities that benefit kids in need.

Now for the Giveaway! Name Crosses is giving away one of the large 8x10 original prints, a $20 value. Here's how you enter:

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me what event you would like to memorialize with a Name Cross (anniversary, baptism, birthday, wedding gift, etc).

Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each entry):

1 entry - Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect on the right sidebar. Current followers count, too.

1 entry - Become a fan of Bare Feet on the Dashboard on Facebook (see the right sidebar).

1 entry - Become a fan of Name Crosses on Facebook.

1 entry - Go to the Name Cross website and tell me what font you would choose.

That is five chances to win! The giveaway will run from 12:01 am tonight (Weds., August 25) through Sunday, Sept. 5th at midnight. Good luck!

Anthro Inspired Vintage Necklace Remake

I love all of the gorgeous statement necklaces that Anthropologie and a lot of other stores have been featuring lately. The ones at Anthro are priced from $42-$198, which is way out of my price range, as usual. I found this lovely faux pearl bib choker at an estate sale for $2. Vintage costume jewelry is my favorite kind of estate sale find. It needed a little help, so I removed the broken clasps and attached ivory grosgrain ribbon so that I could adjust the length.

The ribbon ties in a bow and falls down my back. I love it!

Here are the different length possibilities:

Short

Medium

Long

Extra Long

Even longer

The necklace is backed with lovely ivory satin. It is a little stained and worn, but I like to call that vintage character.

One clasp wouldn't come out, but it doesn't show when I wear the necklace. I simply glued the ribbon on with craft glue. It would probably look neater if I sewed it on, but I don't know how to sew. Oh well, it works.

Some of the pearl beads are worn, but I don't mind.

I love the finished necklace, and can't wait to wear it.

What do you love to find at estate sales?

I'm linking here:
A Silly Little Sparrow , New Nostalgia,
All Thingz Related , A Soft Place,
Tip Junkie , Today's Creative Blog,
Women Who Do It All , Coastal Charm,
Santa's Gift Shoppe and Ideas, The Trendy Treehouse,
The Thrifty Home , The Boardwalk Bragfest,
Me and My Bucket The Shabby Chic Cottage ,
Tales from Bloggeritaville, Somewhat Simple,

House of Hepworths, Tools are for Women Too,

Kojo Designs, Hodgepodge Friday,

The Shabby Nest , Tatertots and Jello,
Along for the Ride , One Crafty Mommy

Designs by Christina Oil Cloth Wristlet Review

Designs by Christina sent me a lovely red oil cloth wristlet to review. I am in love with it. Right now I am using it to hold my coupons, but I think I could use it to hold my cash envelopes as well, or as a coin purse.

I love the fun fabric choice, and oil cloth is so practical and easy to clean. The polka dot ruffle adds a bit of whimsical flair.

Inside it is full lined with a ticking striped cotton fabric. The workmanship is high quality, and I enjoy using handmande products. I know that an artist worked on my purse, and can feel good about where it came from.

The wrist hook fits perfectly around my wrist, and is super easy to grab out of my big purse to take into the grocery store.

All in all, I give this product a 10 out of 10. It is practical, cute, well made, and a great value. For $11 you get a one of a kind wristlet that can fit inside your purse or work on its own. Want one for yourself? Christina has many designs you can choose from. Check them out on her website, etsy page, or buy from my OpenSky shop by clicking on the "add to cart" buttons below.

*I was not compensated for this post. I was sent an item to review, and all opinions are completely my own and unbiased.

Verse of the Week - Psalm 42:7-8

Deep calls to deep

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.

By day the LORD directs his love,

at night his song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:7-8

This verse has always spoken to me of the way God's love covers me. He swept over me with His love, relentless like the waves, and for that I'm forever grateful. There is a song by Pat Green that reminds me of God's pursuit of me.

Wave on Wave - Pat Green

Mile upon Mile I got no direction.

We’re all playing the same game

We’re all looking for redemption

Just afraid to say the name

So caught up now in pretending

What we’re seeking is the truth

I’m just look for a happy ending

All I’m looking for is you

It came upon me wave on wave

You’re the reason I’m still here

Am I the one you were sent to save?

It came upon me wave on wave

I wandered out into the water

I thought that I might drown

I don’t know what I was after

Just know that I was going down

That’s when she found me I’m not afraid anymore

She said, you know I always had ya baby

Just waiting for you to find what you were looking for

It came upon me wave on wave

You’re the reason I’m still here

Am I the one you were sent to save?

It came upon me wave on wave

Wave on wave

Wave on wave

The clouds broke and the angels cried

You ain’t gotta walk alone

That’s why he put me in your way

You came upon wave on wave

It came upon me wave on wave

You’re the reason I’m still here

Am I the one you were sent to save?

It came upon me wave on wave

Fun Oil Cloth Purses - Upcoming Review

My OpenSky shop is up and running! The first items I added are these lovely bags from Designs by Christina. She uses oil cloth fabric, which is practical and comes in great patterns,and one of my obsessions. I will be reviewing one of her coin purses, shown below. You can special order bags on her website, or buy any of the items shown directly from my OpenSky shop. Just click on the link below the picture. Each ite is handmade and one of a kind. The coin purses are only $11, and the larger bags run from $50-$70. Ckeck them out, and come back by on Monday for a full review.

Oil Cloth Coin Purses $11 each

Large Oil Cloth Hobo Purse $50

The Best of Beach Week Part II: Recipes

I am loving all the great posts linked up to Beach Week! Here are some of the great beachy recipes.
I am completely blown away by these key lime cupcakes at Not Just Paper and Glue. I really want to try this recipe.

How fun are these surfboard cookies?! Check them out here at Memories by Anna Dawn.

This pina colada shake by Frenchy at Le Chateau des Fleurs is the ultimate summer treat.

Check out all the great beachy posts linked up to Beach Week here.

Frugal Friday - Saving Vacation Memories

As you have read, we were blessed to go on a fabulous beach vacation to Mexico this summer. It was incredible, and I wanted to find a way to include the memories of this trip in our home decor. I found a 40% off coupon for Hobby Lobby when they already had all frames and shadowboxes marked 50% off. Awesome! I saved the free maps and brochures that we collected on our trip to use as a background collage. Using Mod Podge, I attached them to a sheet of cardstock. I added the shells we found while snorkeling, and ended up with a super cheap and easy vacation memory collage. I've tried scrapbooking in the past, and always found myself spending way too much money and never finishing the thing. This was much cheaper and I actually completed it in a timely fashion.

How do you preserve your vacation memories?

I'm linking to some great parties. Check out the full list here.

Hodge Podge Friday

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