Merry Christmas... and hello out there!

It's funny how now that I've found myself with a day off, and literally no work in sight for at least a week, I suddenly have time to blog. All morning as I've tinkered about my house, I have been thinking about the blog posts I'd like to write. Perhaps, I should use the next week to blog profusely, ensuring I have more content in 2012. For any readers who decided to stop by again, it has been nearly six months since I last posted. I promise I haven't just ignored you, I have also ignored my house. The bright spot is I have tried to focus on spending as much time with family and friends as I could, considering I spent the past 2 months traveling.

I did think it was worth sharing a few updates on my house.

Since my last post about the craft room, it is well on its way to being complete. The ceiling repair is nearly complete. We wallpapered two walls. I hung curtains, which not only match the wallpaper perfectly, but were a great clear-out deal at Wal-Mart (only $10 each)! We only have the floor left to finish. I do solemnly promise, I will post a finished photo.






Rearranged my living room into separate 'living spaces' for watching TV and eating. With the craft room / office nearing completion, I no longer needed to use my table as a desk, and we have actually ate at the table. Shocking!

Harvested a huge tomato crop. So large, I had to buy additional canning jars for all the tomato sauce and salsa I made in September! At one point, I worried about what I would do with all of it, but there are only a few jars left! 

A perfect tomato from my garden. Mmmm.

Rows of freshly-canned tomato sauce and salsa.

My most recent addition was new couches! I wrestled with the decision to buy new living room furniture most of the year, but common sense finally won out. Cats + new, leather furniture = disaster. With Christmas around the corner, there were several listings for like-new sofas on Kijiji, and we picked up these barely-used, comfy, brown couches for only $300! Now, if only I could replace the chair my cats have claimed ownership over!

The cats favourite spot to watch the world go by.

Finally, you won't see these photos anywhere else, but I even managed to get my house decorated for Christmas. Returning home from travel, with only two weeks to go before December 25, I hauled out the totes of decorations and 'decked' the fireplace, front door and put up the tree. Undoubtedly, I'll be spending some time over the holidays catching up with bloggers and checking out your decorations, but for today, I have to get back to the baking. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and should you not hear from me again for some time, best wishes in 2012!

- Savvy Homegirl

EXPEDIT Units on Sale at IKEA - This Weekend Only!!

I signed up for IKEA's e-blasts a while ago. I get notice of the usual, kitchen sales, $ back in gift cards with thousands of dollars spent and their weekly store special*.

* Hint - Each IKEA store offers a different product on sale one day per week. You can sign up to recieve notice of your local store's special on their website.

Anyway, my favorite IKEA product is on sale this weekend. The EXPEDIT bookcase (8 cubby) and shelving unit (4 cubby). Regularly $99 and $69, they're on for $59 and $39 respectively. I'm so torn. I know I can not afford to buy additional shelving units, especially since I have no use for them right now. But they're my faaavvourite!! They're on sale!

For now, I'll take comfort in the knowing they do go on sale. Should they never go on sale again, I can always try to build one. Knock Off Wood posted plans this week!

Pub Set Options for My Living Area

Entertaining in my little bungalow has not been without its challenges thus far, but I have been able to manage with my little counter and stools, patio parties and casual meals around the living room coffee table.

Despite this, I have been keeping my eye out for a cute, bistro or pub set to add a dining area to my living area, without having the space necessary for a full dining set. I have seen various sets at department stores and IKEA that I like, and some have even been in the 'affordable' price range. Of course, the problem exists that when you have 0 disposable income, that window of what is affordable becomes irrelevant.

This is where I turn to my travel points! I have been cashing in Aeroplan miles for Home Hardware gift cards for a year now. It essentially turns the points into cash that I can use for paint, tools, and other 'home stuff'. Additionally, by waiting for Home Hardware promotions, I get the gift cards at a "discount", so I save some miles I ordinarily would've spent on the card, for future rewards.

Air Miles have been a different story though, and thus far, I have only redeemed them for travel, because I often feel the 'mile value' of other rewards is too high. Until today! While browsing Air Miles.ca for flight rewards, I came across these two lovely two pub sets.

5 Piece Pub Set

This pub set could be mine for only 3000 miles, and it is very similar to sets I have seen in department stores and considered purchasing in the past. It would provide both additional seating to my living room, and a functional area for small meals, enjoying a few drinks or playing cards. I can also "afford" it with my 3300 miles.

Tula 5 Piece Pub Set

For 3400 miles, I LOVE this "Tula" set! I especially like that the stools tuck under the table for easy storage and they are padded! I also feel like this set has a little more style, and may not exude that 'picked up at Wal-Mart' feel.

I will have to keep on saving though for the Tula. I am still 100 miles short and without Westjet offering miles for flights anymore, I am not racking these up at the pace I once was.

I also think that I have to pay some tax or something on reward purchases. Does anyone know??

What do you think? Do you collect travel miles and how do you like to redeem them? Is 3000-3400 miles too many to spend on a pub set?