How can we make this more affordable?

My husband purchased a Chicago Bears Jersey at the School auction. Good Cause and he likes these sorts of items. So being a good wife I went to price getting it framed. Yes I can figure it out how to DIY this framing job, but work is getting busy and the TIME to MONEY scale is sliding towards the Money side ... so I have significantly less time and will pay for some services, with in reason! 

How can we make this more affordable?

VISITING MICHAEL'S Crafts FOR FRAMING, CHICAGO

The line was long. I waited. Excited to buy this frame for my husbands new gleaming jersey. I got a very well informed sales rep. VERY WELL INFORMED. She was very good at how to up sell in her job ... and I just was disappointing at every corner for her.

I had to frame a couple of items in my corporate days as gifts for special VIP coming to meet executives or certificates for employees, etc. I had been around the block with frames. I did a little homework on framing Jerseys before I went into the shop, to see if things have changed in options, and features. Not really, mostly what I was familiar with. So I drew out my plan (like I do for every project, a few doodles) and headed to the store, children in tow.

My kids behave really well, they get a little silly, but nothing they can't handle in line while I order a frame. They tagged along.

Two Mats versus 3 Mats in Framing

You know when you look at a frame of a photo and the mats inside the frame. We prefer 2 mats, because they have the slight white edge to it. That white edge comes from the cutting process on the frame on the mat. However Michael's crafts assumes people don't know that. So they automatically lay in a white mats in between your top color and your bottom color. Obviously this is one way to drive the price up unless you specifically asked that they not put that middle mats in. The clerk exhaled, obviously enough for me to hear it, and removed the middle mat. 

Acrylic vs. Glass

Think about where you're going to be hanging your piece in the house. Because Michael sells this very high-end UV glass protection that keeps 99% of the sunlight out. I don't know about you but I'm not going to hang my valuables in direct sunlight. Because fading is clearly one of the biggest problems. Again I'm the type of person who thinks these things through before going into a custom framing shop. So I instantly asked for acrylic. Were hanging sports memorabilia. "Our jersey, will be hanging in a sun free room. So UV light is not an issue." So instantly when I asked for an acrylic glass, the woman gave me a look like ? Wait, it she harassing ME?

Folded or flat

I had laid the Jersey folded up, for measuring on the counter. She proceeded to UNFOLD IT and measure. I then said "actually ... let's plan to have the bottom part of the Jersey folded up just so enough of the number was exposed with about 2 inches at the bottom. There, like this." This saves me on the size of the frame and the mat (cutting down on some length). Most stores charge per inch of what you're using on frame and mat. Again not a happy clerk re-measuring.

I wanted to certificate of authenticity included. She wanted it done a certain way where "I would be cutting into the mat." She actually was so considerate to sketch out two options for me, both of which were cutting into one of the maths - which would've been some sort of laser cutting that, of course, was more expensive. "Which choice do you prefer." Excellent up sell. I paused, admiring her sketches. "It's so nice." So opened my purse and took out my sketch of how I was considering the jersey framed. An impromptu moment, that not one appreciated as much as me. When I showed her I wanted to Jersey as if it's in one frame and the certificate  below in another. She was very frustrated with my fruitfulness and choice #3.

The Frame. 

We are getting to the frame, at last. The clerk steps in back and brings out this great frame option that's of course All Solid Wood, which is of course more expensive. I saw her place two previous orders and they did not get this road show of frames and mats. So I ask her "how can we make this more affordable." Again, she goes into her schpiel about the size of my piece and what the wait is to have it produced and if we go with a lower weight frame we simply can't use glass, in a tone of voice as if it was a tragedy.

"I'd like acrylic."

Remember the acrylic versus glass part, me too. "Oh, I said I would prefer acrylic please." Again, she goes to the back and brings out a simple acrylic frame, which has a lot of detail on it. I said "this is simple as we can go?" She says well "you are going to want something a little more decorative." I said "thank you but I prefer it to be simple." I took this opportunity before I got one more "gon in the back" suggestion to point out very specifically the style I'm looking for, then I said show me just 2 frames, in these colors, that is that simple. 

THE Final Price.

I have priced frames at my former job. I had done some pretty cool etching on glass, carving names into wood and adding trim details, etc., etc., etc., so I pre-planned and expected $250 or so for the framed jersey, all finished + tax.

Clearly this woman knew her job very well. She knew how to upsell me at every turn. 

She sat at her computer, and tallied a few more things. Who knew frame selections when simplified over and over took 25 minutes to order. I am certain Micheal's doesn't want you to feel like you wasted your time investing in these selections... thus the lengthy process. 

The final price came out to a whopping $743 for the frame. I simply stood there in silence. Then she applied there fabulous discount of 60% off. $393. I asked again "how can we make this more affordable." 

She was hesitant to offer me the even cheaper frame that I knew was available. I did my research before going in. She hesitated to offer me to making my frames even smaller, which was still an option. So while Michael's, is a very good at the up sell, as the customer PLEASE do not be afraid to ask how can we make this more affordable? 

The clerk said: "Affordable for who?"

I looked at my older son, who was leaning on me near the counter, observing the interesting banter. I took my purse and said common kids, time to go get lunch! 

The clerk shouted, yes, in a loud voice:

"Where do you think you will get what you want? Affordable for who?"

"DAMN IT! Affordable for me! Because you Ms. Clerk aren't paying my bill!"

The route we ended up taking

Michael's wants $160 for a custom shadowbox jersey frame, +40% off with their coupons. I'll find one on Amazon or on the web for slightly cheaper. Also a customer was there getting just a mats cut to size. I didn't know they have this option. So I will buy the $7.99 mats - 2 (or 3) and have it cut to size once I have my box frame and do my own measurements.

As for the certificate of authenticity.

I think I'm going to simply double up on the mats towards the bottom and frame that section myself. It'll stand out nicely against the larger mat and the Jersey. And then, as for a double mat, I'll mat around the Jersey too, and then I'll also put in an inch or so of that mat on the actual frame and glass to give it a little bit more depth, she was doing this already for me and didn't tell me until the very end after I had asked how do we make this more affordable.

The clerks must work on commission, because this woman just kept saying no to me on options that were evidently available at any other normal custom framing shop.

Make mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh Out Loud when people try to over charge you.

Dad's EASY Cat in the Hat Costume

Husband needs a costume for school...surprise! Every year it is an adventure with him. He takes for-evah to decide what his costume will be. I love helping and making it... I would just like to start sooner then 1-week before it's due.

Shopping for material or digging thru bins, measuring him, once then twice. And finishing touches. I mentioned the constant children interruptions for drinks .snacks, wiping something, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway this one was easy.

Supplies:

• Felt for the hat - white and red strips.
• Left over stuffing for some light filler - so it wouldn't tip over. 
• Extra red felt for the bow tie, with one single tail hanging down.
• White felt circle for the stomach.
• Plain black long sleeve shirt.
• White gloves (left over from being a pal bearer ( I know they are supposed to go in with the coffin, stop yelling at me,... he know he knows. I even offered to bury his grandmas funeral gloves in the back yard and he insists on keeping them NOW because they paid off - - - as a costume accessory!)

Cat in the Hat costume in progress. Felt pieces for hat.

Cat in the Hat costume completed. What an awesome trooper. 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Writing a Dinner Menu for Guests: The Menu, their selection options, tips, advice and ideas.

I love to cook. But I don't always have time. I have found tho that staying on top of these at home chef skills help me keep my edge both in my business and as a mom.

Here is a recent selection I put together for a meeting of friends at my home. After getting any food allergies and cultural preferences down, I pulled from my repertoire of everyday yummy meals I can easily kick up to fancy.

My friend who knew both guests helped me make some selections.

I always offer a meat and a fish. Sides are usually vegetarian to appease anyone eating light or vegetarian. I don't tend to serve basic salads (lettuce and veggies) unless its our summer block party and I'm feeding 50+ people. 

My little secret: everyone thinks I worked all day and magically whipped together a multi course meal in 2 hours. That's Not the case. 

"Black beans are rinsed and simmered in onions, garlic and peppers, or my homemade frozen cubes of sofrito."

My soups can be made ahead, up to 2 days (and taste better if the flavors meld over at least a day).

Meats can marinate a day ahead, and be popped in the over with little handling. Or a slow cooker will do the trick with pulled pork or braised beef dishes.

I love fresh ingredients- but I am a mom, who works. So i have learned how to freshen canned goods. Black beans are rinsed and simmered in onions, garlic and peppers, or my homemade frozen cubes of sofrito. Beets get sliced and a squeeze of lime. Mandarins don't need extra love because they absorb the flavors they are presented with. This also goes for pre-sliced servings or shredded carrots versus my doing the sou chef work. Nearly everything can be bought convenient style. Butternut squash, comes frozen and cubed - easy peezy goodness.

In this same tone, raw ingredients are served fresh, always. Fresh bread- greek style is excellent for table service. With that our local market has Amish and Polish butter where the flavor comes thru in every schmear. Soften butter at room temp for 15 mins before serving. A fancy plate and butter knife helps make it appealing.

"Fresh bread- greek style is excellent for table service. With that our local market has Amish and Polish butter where the flavor comes thru in every schmear. "

Desserts like flan are a make ahead must, needing time to cool. And bought ice cream is easily topped with frozen fruits and sugar, heated in a sauce pan for an easy compote!

Starters of course can be slices before guests arrive. I save time by opening all my cheese packages in advance and store in an air tight container. That saves 15-20 minutes easily when guest arrival is approaching. The same goes for rinsing grapes when they arrive at home. Get it done and forget it. (Also dried fruits can replace fresh, so I always have a bag in the pantry just in case.) these time savers let you have those extra moments for pouring wine and resting as you wait for guests.

So now: Open container, slice cheeses, arrange pre-washed fruit. Replace in container and display. Open crackers, pour into basket. Done. Wine please.

Dinner for the Great Meeting: 

Hows arrival around 4:30? 

These are my specialties. Happy Selecting. 

Dinner Served Family Style

Starters:

- Cheeses, grapes, and baguette slices and those target crackers ;-)

Table Starter:

- Red Beets and Spinach salad with mandarins and a balsamic reduction.

Pick a Soup: (served with Greek Bread and Polish Butter)

- cup of soup: corn chowder w or w out shrimp 

- OR Butternut squash

- or seafood soup (sopa de mariscos).

Babcias Pierogi will be served w sour cream.

Pick 1 an additional entree...:

French-ish

- Shrimp Creole: shrimp saute in red tomatoe sauce with veggies and creole -not spicy- seasoning. Served over white Jasmine Rice. Siraha sauce or tabasco on the side.

Mexican Style -

- Fajitas with lotsa of veggies mixed peppers, onions. And served with a variety plate of seared steak, chicken and shrimp.

Toppings on table: sour cream, cheese (fresco or cojito), cilantro, etc.

Or Soft shell Tilapia Tacos.

Same toppings as above.

Guatemala:

Tostadas Guate style - a make your own fun light meal.

Make your own tostada; Layer onto a Crispy tortillas:

1. 1 spoon of this Veggie base: red beets, carrots, green beans, diced and cooked.

2. toppings at the table: ground beef, onions (raw), mexican cojito or fresco cheese, boiles egg slices, lime weges, sour cream.

3. Sauces: dallop of tabasco, horseradish, (even wasabi - not true to the original dish).

3. Enjoy over a plate! 

Homemade Salsa, with our Garden Red Japanese and Yellow Tomatoes.
This day I served it up with scrambled eggs. Fresh. Easy! 

Pick your 1 starch and 1 veggie:

- Baked rosemary garlic red potatoes (or fingerlings if I can find them!)

- green beans sauteed & lightly breaded,

- tri-color carrots in sweet glaze

- black beans and rice (Puerto Rican Style, made with a homemade sofrito base).

*if you pick tostada I recommend rice, and black beans will be served on the side. Tostada really is an all in one kind of meal.

Desserts

- Drink: Eisewine (Icewine) and Djadeks (grandpas) wine

Small servings of a variety of: 

- Homemade Flan

- Homemade Crepes with Nutella or Butter and Sugar

- or custard ice cream served with a compote fruit reduction, berry mix. Or mango.

- expresso, or americano, served with pan warmed milk (light froth) for  coffees or blooming flower green tea.

         ### 

Can't wait to see what you pick!!

Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Poem: Husbands Love; "You have given me wings"

Husband's Love

Today you told me you loved me so much,

That you don't even know,

You couldn't place why that was,

But a few ideas you wanted to show:

What a good job I've done with the boys, or maybe tending to you?

As for the house cleaning, not so much,

But we agree it's kept tidy too.

We laugh, often and sometimes hard,

It can even lead to tears,

And if we're feeling somewhat jarred,

other times we share our deepest fears.

But today, you realized what it is, 

that feeling that brings you Close to me,

It's not the kids, house or jokes,

it's just letting you be free! 

The story behind the poem:

I had supported my husband through college as his "editor" on his various papers. This continued into his first and second jobs in administration. Then I supported him when he joined a principal training program and was gone 5 times over the course of a year to visit other school districts nationwide. 

He said one night I had "given him his wings" to be free to pursue his career. And I was happy to help.

by: Areyousureaboutthatblog Author
Not Authorized for Reproduction Without Permission

Make Mistakes. Breath, Reflect. and Laugh.Out.Loud

When School Homework is Frustrating... why do it at all?

What is homework for? Is it just there to torture us parents? And our kids. Homework - as my Principal husband reiterated with me every year - is about building study habits. As a secondary element, it's supposed to reinforce what was learned in class that day. I totally understand the idea of building a study habit, because the kids that go to really great high schools don't whine and complain about homework. They also have already built the habit of school books and working at home in elementary school, so when homework is reading in preparation for the next days lesson, kids have the habit of actually doing the reading. (Not like me in high school, winging it from in class notes and not doing the reading.) So I've asked myself is elementary school homework all preparation for High School and college?

I don't always agree with my highly trained hubby. He is brilliant in his work. And he advocates for the children All.The.Time! However, as I am living the parent side of the experience. And I am opinionated, we will often discuss things at home. Poor guy!

We discussed which school to send older son too when contemplating Kindergarten. Private catholic school, CPS, or a gift school? Even homeschooling?  Ultimately, regardless of our pick of which school to attend, our conclusion was:

1. We can't replace the 7 hours of the day at school and rehash the day's learning at home in the evening. Therefore, we need to pick a school with solid teaching during those 7 hours.

2. Schools cannot possibly teach EVERYTHING. Some topics are broad strokes, covering the "big picture." Some concepts will get a "drill down" for a deeper understanding on concepts. But No Matter What the learning during the day - broad or in depth - we will have to supplement at home. Period. 

3. A lot of time at school is "eaten up" by routines to just get to what we need to learn. Taking 25-30 kids to the bathroom takes 15-20 minutes (by the time they line up and settle back down in class). So should the actual 5 ish hours of learning be done at home? Homeschooling isn't the answer for us either. I cannot replace a veteran teachers knowledge, nor a new teachers enthusiasm. I'm clever, but I'm not a mathematician who's arguably taught these lessons many, many times, developing an expertise.  And for us we recognize the social needs being addressed too. You'll see next how kindergarteners learn to listen, follow instructions, and ultimately grow on in grades to be good citizens. School is necessary.... But I can supplement at home.

So no matter what school we chose, I have a job at home. . . And I can attest this is true for Private and Public school!


When School Homework Gets it Wrong, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

As Charlotte Mason fans will attest, conducting a "study" of subjects is truly in-depth learning. Sometimes I feel our education system just scratches the surface of ideas. So my job has become to build on school topics, making my kids understanding of things richer and deeper. Supplementing with art projects, redoing a science experiment, borrowing library books, and going to museums to SEE and touch the dinosaurs, taxidermy animals in their habit, getting actual size perspective, etc.

That's where Homework plays a critical role for me as a parent. I can see daily, what they study, and the work they bring home, which helps me build my bridge to supplementing. I also needed to learn through the years, in addition to WHAT their learning at school (where I think most of us parents stop school thinking at) to really grasping HOW the kids are learning!!! And regardless if you do more work at home, WHAT and HOW kids learn is imperative to their success. And it's a great conversation for helping your kids at Parent Teacher conferences!!! See my 2 questions to ask at Parent Teacher conferences for more school learning tips.

HOW kids learn & What they learn by Grade - An Outline

Taking the information I've learned from my Principal husband, and my own obsessive reading of education publications, articles reviewing education studies, and witnessing education in action with my own kids, I've observed various school objectives. In the primary grades K-2, kids are "learning to learn," and I've blogged about that concept before. In Kindergarten kids are learning to pay attention to the teacher, following instructions. Classroom expectations (timeliness, tardiness, quiet time versus a louder interaction) and behaviour is learned as is handling differences with students. Then there's starting the basics of learning to write (recognizing letters, matching upper and lower case, understanding words are made up of letters, then letter formation, and so on), holding crayons, coloring with "lots if color and lots of detail," and coloring in the whole circle all the way to the line. Letters, and writing are the steps to "Learning to Read." Phonics and letter sounds start here, identifying pictures and the words that relate to them, and sight words starts here and continue through 3rd grade.

These coloring to the line builds to a concept of writing in 1st and 2nd grade, to write letters on dotted line starter sheets, that all touch the ground, and the uppercase "L" touches the SKY, and the lowercase "n" touches the fence. These years there also "learning to learn" math. That your not just reciting numbers, but Math is always counting something. Counting on fingers, number lines, marbles, blocks, and other support tools. Later in the year kids group blocks to SHOW 2 blocks + 2 blocks = 4 blocks.

By 3rd grade the basic Addition Math Facts should be nearly memorized 1 through 10. 1+0, 1+1, 1+2, 1+3,...2+0, 2+1, 2+2, 2+3,...all the way through 10+0, 10+1, 10+2, 10+3,...to 10+10. And there strategies for learning starting with "rules" like anything +0 is always the other number itself, for example 1+0=1, and 1,435+0 =1,435. I always wrote down the numbers in addition to reinforce verbally talking about it. Kids need to SEE and HEAR what the rules are. Then we learn doubles, an memorize them: 0+0=0, 1+1=2, 2+2=4, 3+3=6, etc. Once my son memorized the first group to get them right 7 or 8 out of 10 times asked, we moved on to the next set of 3 or 4 doubles mixing in the first group. This took about 3 months of work.

By 3rd grade kids are "Reading to Learn." But we cannot arrive at reading books to learn concepts with out the first two learning levels: learning How To learn, learning How To read. If you knew these concepts before today - your are an awesome parent. If you didn't, now you do, we parents are learning to learn to! Along with our kids - were learning HOW and WHAT they learn to help them along the way.

Homework, What's It For?

However, study's show that homework habits truly don't start until just before the middle school years. And to adopt progressive education and accept what studies have found this year the CPS Elementary School Alexander Hamilton has done away with homework for Kindergarten through 3rd grade, with plans to expand through 5th grade next year. I applaud this Principal for taking action. And we will see how this test case works out... time will tell the benefit of this behaviour. [In our home we would still read 15 minutes every day. Craft and play outside. No homework WOULD NOT be replaced by T.V. and iPads!]

Where does that leave me? If homework holds little value for my now 4th grader older son, yet carries weight on his grade, what to do?

-- First, we use it as "our time". He can add in details of his sharing his day, which the homework triggers memories from earlier in school day.

-- It IS habit building. So I add it to "it's YOUR Responsibility list" of his things to do at home. He has to do it, or his grade will suffer. And in life, I tell the kids, sometimes you don't have a choice of WHAT you can do, but you CAN choose your attitude, and if you do it well.

-- I also use it to build his self worth and pride. If the worksheets "wrong" he has the choice of erasing and doing it again, or getting the "F" - yes really, he makes that choice. I can't force my kid to love school, but we can teach them to be passionate about their QUALITY of work.

-- I can see if he learned that days topic at school and if he "gets" the subject being learned. If yes, we reinforce it a little. If he's struggling, like in multiplication in 3rd grade, we supplemented with math board games, online games like IExcel websites, dice games, etc. Then I'd "enrich his learning" by showing real life math examples - always - when he's just learning / struggling / or mastered a subject. I have $1.00, how many $0.39 cent apples can I buy to bake our apple pie this weekend? I need 4 pears for poached pear dessert, and there $1.00 each. How much are they (multiplication)? I have $5.00, when I pay for the pears, Not including tax, what is my change (subtraction)? (Math becomes Sociology / Economics conversation follows with "Mom, what's tax?" ... Supplementing continues in conversation and throughout our experiences together.)

Sometimes schools aren't 100% spot on, and in life what is 100% accurate? I'm Type A, and extremely detailed admittedly at about 93%. We work with what we have, and do our best to turn learnings, homework and the pain of it all, into lessons and life skills.

Much more on my switch to enrichment and Charlotte Mason like supplementing through Nature Study, Art Study and more in depth learning to follow over the next few months.

Make mistakes. Breathe, reflect, and Laugh.Out.Loud.