Guess I have a 'guy' brain too. I'm not a shopper, I know what i want and go buy it. I do get mildly upset when they change the store around. I like to go directly to where the product is, put it in the cart, pay for it and vamoose. A funny thing happened years ago when I was building a doll house for my niece. I was shopping for the craft supploes I needed with my sis & Bro-in-law. He had mentioned he had some odds and ends of wood pieces at home. I needed a certain size of wood and turned to him and asked if he had any thing 7 inches long. He said aren't you getting a little personal? A lady, in the isle with us, turned to us, gave us an awful look and saoid , You people are disgusting. We were laughing so hard, we had to leave the store and I think I wet my pants laughing so hard. Dumb story but it sure was funny at the time. Friend Cynic, what Target were yu? My Sis works at the one in St. Louis Park. Dottie

There is this one: http://www.my-art-prints.co.uk/UK/fine-art-prints/Anna-Maria-Sibylla-Merian/Red-ibis-7285002.html (this one is just the bird, none of the palms in the background, though the bird is in a very similar position) I also found a smaller print on eBay (link below) that you could have enlarged to paper or canvas. And another you could buy & have enlarged: http://www.oldprintshop.com/cgi-bin/gallery.pl?action=detail&inventory_id=58447&itemno=1 (sorry, I don't know how to embed the links...) Here is a link that might be useful: eBay 1839 GUERIN PRINT: RED IBIS

Around here, cats are included in the leash law too. Although it's a little silly, it's fair enough. The anti-cat forces are so paranoid about the cats "hypnotizing birds" and chasing the wildlife.... since to them dogs don't chase deer or the like, but I digress. I do have to interject here though. How on earth can you not include the cost of the store trips when you're making 6 special trips to the store each week??? I hate going to a store period, but more than once every month or two makes me nauseous! But let's be real, that's excessive. Now I grant that when accepted as it being a hobby which results in a savings, OK. But not everyone can save like that. I can't save by volume spending in the grocery category. $450/wk savings is impressive. But I don't spend 1/10th of that and frankly I doubt littlejo gets that every week, do you? And I have no idea what you're buying. I've gotten bargains and enjoy getting them. I'll use coupons when it makes sense. Again, buying a paper requires a substantial savings to offset it and if you have to drive more it costs more. I look at the cost of spending less on mileage to paying more at a closer store. Saying "I get the paper anyway" doesn't cut it either. You save more by not getting the paper. I automatically save $104/year by not getting the paper. So I'd have to have $10-20 worth of coupons coming out of there every trip to the store for it to break even for me! OK, I can drive around and collect coupons from places at 15¢/mile for gas alone. It'd take a large family to make a realistic savings in that manner. And buying store brands almost always is cheaper than name brands. If the quality isn't there, fine, don't buy it. But not all name brands are good quality either. I understand, appreciate and respect coupon use in a frugal and practical way. But buying things that you wouldn't normally buy is not a good deal and cannot be included in the purported savings. Getting a good deal and donating is admirable, but again, it's not a savings, it's an expense. So let's call it what it is. Again, I respect that it's going to a good cause. But I'd still caution that far more and I'd even suggest it exponentially more people will spend more with frequent coupon use than with occasional, seldom or no coupon use. I think stats will bear this out, though I have no stats to show it. Higher earners/better educated using more coupons is believable. That's the exact group that buys TV dinners, prepared box meals, and all other target profit groups. I would also suggest that their net coupon useage would be offset by making one scratch meal a week! Funny you should mention toothpaste. I have found that I like Colgate toothpaste. I'm not normally brand-loyal on much but using the Pepsodent and other cheapies resulted in browner teeth. Colgate works well and I like it. (Crest probably would work as well) Rainbow has it on sale several times a year for 99¢/tube for the large tubes. Buying two on sale, and at a time when I'm shopping rather than a special trip is better than buying a paper, clipping a coupon, sorting it, having it with me and using it. Ideally, if I had it with and used it with the sale, it would be better, but I don't know what the value would be and face it, offsetting $100+/year to get some coupons is not a frugal practice for me. I don't enjoy the hobby so I don't use it. I commend people who do, and do it right, but let's be realistic on what's being saved. Not including a number of extra trips, postage, paper costs... well, that's only fooling yourself. Having people save coupons, well, OK. But you're making more special trips, contrary to what many will say that they go there anyway, I don't believe it. There's still special trips. A better alternative to me is to join with those people and buy a bulk of something and split it. Make your own mini co-op. Then if one has coupons on it, it's logical for them to apply it. I know a guy who likes doing coupons. It's a hobby and acknowledged as one since he's retired. It can rationalize some expense when budgeted to recreational fund but down deep a person has to understand that a dollar spent is not a dollar saved. Example to ponder: I can buy a lamp on sale for $500, with a coupon for $200 which brings the price down to $300, they can double the coupon to $400 which brings it down to $100 plus tax. Or I can replace the light bulb in the one I have for $1 for a CFL and use that. One way I spent $1. The other way I "saved" $400. Which is the bargain? No intention at all to be a couponer basher. Just promoting common sense and approaching something with open eyes and an open mind, realizing the bottom line. I guess saving money is a different definition for each of us.

Hmm...I like the solyx films, thanks. I'll definitely consider those. I've painted the wall white, and the doors black. I'd take pics but I've been painting trim for other rooms and the house is a mess right now. Maybe later today. Not sure about the stile width tbo123. I'll try to remember to measure for you later. There are always other projects, Rosie! We did a mudroom addition to this house, and I'm trimming that out right now, then I'll get to do built-ins in there. (Honestly, I hate trim work, takes forever and is monotonous, but must be done). We have a bathroom that is just studs and rough-in plumbing right now. I'm looking forward to starting that. The loft needs a few finishing details. The laundry room hasn't really been touched, just tiled and then threw the W/D in there. It looks like crap right now, but at least it's functional. Lots of projects! I'd be happy to share if anyone is interested.