10/02/12 ~ CandidSavvyShopper

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

CheckPoints: The App that Pays You Back

10:21 PM Money

CheckPoints--The app that pays you back!

Download the CheckPoints app for your iPhone or Android mobile device. Then, load CheckPoints whenever you go shopping.

Check in your location and you’ll see nearby products that you can scan to earn points.

Earn more points for simply checking-in and then redeem your earned points for a variety of rewards ranging from gift certificates (stores and restaurants), to airline miles, electronics or give back to a charity of your choice.

When you sign up use CODE candidshopper for bonus points

How to Start Earning Rewards Today:

1) Get Bonus Coins!

Download the companion app which offers tons of Bonus Coins. Just visit BonusCoins.com from your iOS Safari Browser today!

2) Check In!

Select your shopping location from the list of locations in your area, and earn points for checking in.

3) Scan!

Look for featured items for that location, or click through product categories. Tap an item's picture and scan the barcode with the camera on your iPhone or Android.

4) Score!

Featured items and check-ins earn coins to play our bonus game, where you could win a $500 gift card reward with one scan!

5) Share!

Share the perks you get with CheckPoints with friends, family and neighbors. Refer a friend with your code and get 150 bonus points when they sign up! Make an ordinary day scan-tastic! Sincerely, Mr. & Ms. CheckPoints (and the CheckPoints Team)!

Fold-Over Button Pillow (home decor)

9:22 PM DIY

Fold-Over Button Pillow (home decor)

Another great DIY by makeit-loveit.com

No worries, there are no button-holes involved. It only looks as if there might be.

And you know, it’s really fun to have busy pillow prints with lots of colors. But sometimes you need one that’s a little more subtle……that gives off a single punch of color. And throwing on some buttons still gives it some visual appeal.

And my favorite part? Oh, I don’t know…….maybe the 30-minutes-or-less that it took me to make it. And then, YAY, a new pillow!!

Would you like to whip up a Fold-Over Button Pillow for your own home?
First, decide on the size of pillow you’d like to make. I had an old pillow that I wanted to cover that was 14 x 20 inches, so I made my cover to fit that. But you can make any size or even stuff your pillow cover with batting. It’s up to you.
But, because my pillow was 14 x 20 inches, I needed a front and back piece that were 15 x 21 inches, which gives me a 1/2 inch seam allowance around all edges. However, the front piece needed to be a little wider than the back, because of the fold over section. My buttons were about 1 inch wide so I wanted my fold over section to be about 1.5 inches wide. So I added 3 inches to my pillow front width, to allow for the fold over section. So I cut my back piece 15 x 21 inches and my front piece 15 x 24 inches.

Then, I placed my front piece of fabric face down on the table and then folded over one end over to the back about 9 inches. Then I sewed a seam 1.5 inches from the folded edge. (You can play around with the fold over measurement. If you want it more centered or more to the right, do some folding first and look at it to see if it’s just how you want it.)

See? There’s the seam.

Then open it up to the front and iron the folded section over to the right.

Then sew your buttons on. (By hand or with your sewing machine.)

Then place your front piece together with your back piece, with right sides together. Then sew all the way around, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance, but be sure to leave a wide opening along the bottom to fit your pillow inside. Then clip off each corner and then zig-zag or serge the edges. Turn right side out, poke out corners, and iron flat.