I like making and eating cupcakes anyway. So when potluck appeals get sent out, about half of the time I report back to the planning committee “Paula will bring cupcakes.”

I have discovered that my co-workers would rather have oatmeal cookies than cupcakes, so I follow up on that lead. And now that I have a bread machine, I’ll bring some fresh bread to the next scrapbook crop and see what my artistic friends think of that.

But cupcakes will always be one of my favorite potluck contributions. They’re so easy to make. I have both regular and mini cupcake pans available.

You can do cute cupcakes on a budget. Here is the basket where I keep my cupcake supplies.

Did you notice that I buy plain pastel cupcake papers? Yes, I’ve seen the holiday and birthday themed patterns at the stores. But do you seriously think anybody can see patterns on cupcake papers when they are eating the treats?

The plain papers go with any occasion and you are not in the situation of having pattern papers left over that don’t work with the next party theme.

Also note that I also have an assortment of colored sugars and sprinkles. You can’t see all the bottles, but I have about 15 selections. With the appropriate color of frosting, I can use the colored sprinkles to create cupcakes to match pretty much any party theme. Stock up on some basic decorating colors, and that’s really all you need for basic cupcakes.

However, there are people who like to create the more formal cake decorating. One of my sisters took this up as her hobby. She’s made some very fun designs including this doll cake for my birthday.

If you’ve tried to make creations like that, you know the supplies are not cheap. The doll pick alone cost about $3.50 at Crafts 2000. I bought it, and donated it to my sister’s cake supply stash because some of my nieces are now insisting on doll cakes for THEIR birthdays. (Ha, ha, Aunt Paula got the first one!)

And then my sister needed a shape that would make a doll skirt – luckily, several styles of cake pans can do that.

But what’s going to happen is you’ll walk into the craft or grocery store and see stuff like what’s in stock at Jo-Ann Fabric in Monroe:

And you are going to be overwhelmed with the product selection and the expense.

Now what?

If you want to get into serious cake decorating, I recommend you take a beginner class. You need to know how and when to use the various techniques. The bigger Jo-Ann stores in Ypsilanti and Taylor, and the Michael’s and Hobby Lobby stores in Toledo are among the places that host the Wilton cake decorating classes on a regular basis.

If you are interested in the Jo-Ann courses, the Taylor class fliers are distributed at the Monroe store. Sign up during the open house / discount days to keep your class fees down, and use the Jo-Ann coupons in the mail fliers to buy your initial supply kit.

And for my local readers, there will be a beginning cake decorating class starting Sept. 29 with Monroe Public Schools’ Community Education program. Again – use the craft store coupons to buy whatever supplies the instructor calls for.

The first thing I suggest is you do to save money while enjoying this hobby is to make a list of frequently used items and buy something from that list every time you have a craft store coupon. That’s what I do with my scrapbook and woodcraft supplies. If I do not have a project in the works when that Jo-Ann coupon is in effect, I buy a roll of tape or a stack of paper with that coupon. Yes, I know. I “saved” only about $2 by using that coupon on tape instead of a fancy album. But that’s better than spending $5 on tape.

My sister makes her list of needed supplies as much as a month ahead of the occasion so she can watch for sales at the craft stores in her neighborhood.

I have been known to buy white cake boxes four or five at a time at Crafts 2000 so that I don’t have to make a trip across town when the next potluck appeal goes out. I do use my plastic cake carry tub as much as possible for social events – and owned two metal cake plans previously. But you need to plan for the times when you have to leave the cake pan at the scene. Don’t buy that foil cupcake set when you can cram about 21 cupcakes into a 50-cent white box.

Another tip is start your own library of pretty cakes. Take pictures of every cake you make. Bookmark the web sites that have cake designs or tips you like – Wilton is one to check out. Tear out and keep the cake, cookie and candy creations that show up in women’s magazines. Then if someone asks what to buy you for birthday, ask for the latest cake decorating book.

One of the biggest expenses you’ll have are the fancy design cake pans. I’ve seen many variations of Halloween pumpkin and Thanksgiving turkey designs in the Monroe-area stores. I’ve also seen the price tags. If you think you’ll use it repeatedly and can wait for the after-season clearance sales, that would be the best way to get a new holiday pan on a budget.

I also remember reading about a library somewhere that loaned out cake pans like most libraries loan out videos. I don’t know of any cake pan library in southeast Michigan or northwest Ohio. If anybody has heard of one in the area, please add that in the comment section.

But you can get some really good deals on the second-hand market. I bought a “rubber ducky” pan for my sister at a garage sale hosted by one of my friends. The eBay listings also have lots of cake pans to pick from.

Given that situation, the only cake pans you should need to buy new because you’ll be using them constantly are a sheet pan, 13 by 9 pan, circle pans of various sizes and perhaps some square pans. I even have heart-shaped pans that I’ve used for many years.

Unfortunately, those rates are going to go up anyway. Do you want to get stuck with an even higher bill?

That’s why it’s in your best frugal interest to pick projects with a good return on investment – and buy the supplies and equipment when they are discounted or on sale.

Now is a good time to research and follow up on often-recommended energy-saving steps. Depending on what you are doing, there are possible tax credits involved. And there’s a big push right now for sales and promotions on a variety of products.

Lowe’s has on its site a nifty resource called Build Your Savings. This page includes an interactive home audit tool and how-to videos for a variety of projects.

• Do it yourself.
• How to bounce back from bankruptcy.

I have a post that details how fast you can expect results on certain techniques.

But let’s think through some of the equipment and supplies you need immediately or will want to add fairly quickly to your inventory if you take on specific DIY, money-saving or self-sufficiency efforts, and how you can deal with those expenses.

• Basic home maintenance and repairs: Tool kit with hammer, screw drivers, nails, basic saw and measuring supplies. Paint brushes, paint cans, roller painters and drop cloths. How-to book.
• Gardening: A garden space at your home or at a community garden. Seeds or starter plants. Fertilizer. Watering can or watering hose. Garden tools and work gloves. Gardening charts for your region.
• Home canning and food preservation: Canning jars with lids and rings. Freezer jars. Fresh produce. Pectin and spice kits. Recipe and instruction book. Hot water bath stock pot. Pressure canner. Tongs and funnel tools.
• Handcrafted cards: Blank cards. Specialty envelopes. Specialty markers. Rubber stamps and ink pads. Paper punches. Computer clip art. Photo paper. Crafter books or magazines for patterns.
• Sewing supplies: Sewing machine. Sewing kit or box that contains items such as needles, thread, buttons, rulers, pins, Velcro and scissors. Sewing patterns. Fabric. Lace, rickrack or binding tape. Pillow stuffing. Cutting board. Iron. Ironing ham or tabletop ironing board.
• Couponing and rebating: Newspaper subscription. Possibly an Internet connection. Possibly an Internet site subscription. Binder or box to sort those coupons. Binder pockets or other space to keep the sales fliers and rebate fliers.
• Camping: A tent. Ice cooler. Picnic gear. Fishing gear. Sleeping bags. Lantern. Grilling supplies.

So, how do you manage these up-front expenses? Here are some tricks to use:

• Garage sales: One of my aunts saw a 1960s-era sewing machine at a garage sale in Dayton, Ohio. She grew up at a time when every family had a sewing machine, and she got it for me. What a wonderful gift! I spent about $50 to get the machine refurbished and it works just fine. I’ve also bought some of my crafter rubber stamps and fabric pieces at garage sales in Monroe.
• Leftover supplies: My friend Candy set up her coupon binder with leftover office supplies that her husband had bought for another purpose. And I had leftover canning jars that I purchased two years for a Christmas gift project to contribute to my mother’s canning sessions this summer.
• Estate closeouts and sales: My sewing kit got a huge boost in supplies after my grandmother died and my mother was splitting up her stuff. I acquired some threads so old they were on wooden spools! And at estate sales, I’ve seen boxes of tools, nuts and bolts, ribbons, vintage greeting card tags, wrapping paper and silk floral pieces that can be easily be repurposed.
• Coupons: If you craft or sew, you need to get on the preferred customer mailing list for Jo-Ann Fabric and any other craft store you might shop at. You don’t have to use those 40 percent off coupons on the big purchases. It is perfectly OK to use those discounts on a roll of tape, a spool of thread or a bottle of glue if that’s what you need during the coupon run. There also are currently coupons in circulation for canning jars. Did you see those coupons in your Sunday newspaper packets?
• Michigan Bridge Card: If you have a Michigan Bridge Card, which is the food stamp card in Michigan, did you know you can use those benefits to buy seeds and starter plants for your home garden? The card is also accepted for fresh produce at some farmer’s markets.
• Military discount: There are a few times a year in which those with military ID can get special discounts at the hardware stores. Watch the sales fliers for those deals. You’ll find them typically around Memorial Day, July 4 and Veteran’s Day.
• Loyalty points: Are you racking up loyalty points on a shopper card or a credit card promotion? Use those promotions to help you purchase DIY supplies.
• Birthday and Christmas gifts: Start asking for gift cards to your favorite hardware or craft store as birthday and Christmas gifts.
• Clearance sales and other discounts: Given the turmoil in the retail industry, you can’t expect the clearance sales to keep to their usual pattern (as in after the holiday). Sometimes the clearance sales start BEFORE the holiday. I’ve also noticed in the past couple of years that huge discounts can be found just before a “season” starts. Example: School supplies, some of which can be useful for DIY projects, have been on big discounts during July — but school doesn’t start for most Michigan students until first week of September. And Black Friday isn’t the start of the Christmas shopping season any more – I’ve been seeing promotions in early November.
• Mother’s Day and Father’s Day sales: You don’t have to be shopping for a mom to get a bread-making machine or a hand mixer at a Mother’s Day sale. The same rationale applies for getting a tool set at a Father’s Day sale.
• Public library: Go to your public library to find how-to books and reference material. The Monroe County Public Library branches have free wireless Internet connection and public access computers. Local readers: remember that Dorsch and Milan libraries have coupon swap boxes. If you can’t afford, or don’t want to get, a Sunday newspaper subscription, then get your coupons out of those boxes.
• Extension service: These offices aren’t just for farmers and 4-H club advisors. They’re also for anyone who wants information and expertise on  traditional domestic skills. For example, the Michigan State University extension service in Monroe has information and resources on how to help your yard and garden grow better, and how to safely preserve and can food.
• Community education: Hardware stores often have DIY clinics – check your favorite store on line or at signs posted at the stores. I’ve also got a sidebar specifically for my local readers about DIY classes in the Monroe area.
• Business and information expos: Go to the Earth Day fairs, the sewing expos, the computer shows, the health expos, etc. Most of the vendor and information shows in Monroe County have no admission or parking fees. If you go to a show in Gibraltar, Novi or Toledo, then consider carpooling with a friend to save on parking costs. Think beyond collecting freebies such as a yardstick with a logo at the expos and look for informational handouts, talk to the vendor reps and collect coupons for products and services.
• Try it out before you buy: If you’d like to learn a new skill or art, ask a friend or relative to show you how to use their equipment. You’ll figure out real quickly whether or not you want to spend money on the supplies they have acquired, or whether you are even interested in that technique.

Scott is a do-it-yourself guy. You would be amazed on the projects he’s taken on by himself – and the money he has saved along the way.

But Scott also knows when to back off and call the pros. I gave an example in my article. And you’ll want to check out this Associated Press story that’s been picked up by my newspaper and others on DIY gone wrong. (Page 3D of today’s print edition of Monroe Evening News or here at SunHerald.com)

Do you want to learn DIY skills? I have a sidebar with my monroenews story, but have since found some additional resources that are now included on a blog sidebar. (The news article was originally scheduled to run about two weeks ago.)

If you’ve never been there, then be prepared for a very unique shopping experience when you do go! I’ve wandered through the store a few times since it opened, and decided to window-shop there today while I was running other errands.

IKEA’s demographic is easy to figure out: young adults and families on a budget who like modern style in their home furnishings.

Even though IKEA’s design style is not my preference, I would have been very glad back in my young adult days to pick up some of that store’s pieces to mix in with family hand-me-downs. There was a point when my brother’s old work bench was my kitchen table. And it would not have bothered me at all to assemble furniture when I got home. I still have a rocking chair that I assembled from a DIY kit and stained when I was 23 years old.

The IKEA showrooms that feature tiny living spaces are absolutely fascinating. If you need to downsize into a smaller space, or have family members moving into what used to be your basement or office, check out the possibilities at IKEA. You will see how multi-purpose rooms can be arranged to suit both adults and children, effective use of storage space under beds and in closets, and inexpensive solutions to needs such as toddler-sized beds and lofted bunk / office spaces.

One of the tricks to living well in a small area is furniture that takes up only as much space as is needed for the intended purpose or will do double-duty. For example, a love seat makes more sense in most homes than a sofa. Think about it: even during a party, you rarely see three people sit on a sofa.

Another small-space trick showcased at IKEA that I’ve used in my home is to consider all the uses for the multipurpose area when selecting colors and style for furniture and housewares. My living room, dining room and kitchen are all one big open space. I can’t decorate the areas separately – it’s one big room. So we picked a common color and theme that relied on what we already owned or wanted to get.

If you would like some help with your DIY planning, the next “Plan your dream kitchen” workshops at the Canton store are 7 p.m. Wednesday July 8 and Wednesday July 22. The “Save money, install your own kitchen” workshop is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays in July.

For the college students, the IKEA College Night kickoff event in Canton will be 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday July 23. College Move-In Madness will be 8 p.m. to midnight Sept. 3. Bring your college ID if you attend either of those shopping events.

This post is part of my “What can you get at … ” series featuring discount and second-hand stores in the Monroe, Mich. area.

Last summer, I learned how to make freezer jam and jelly. That was so easy to figure out, after I had seen it done, that I have since made grape freezer jelly on my own.

Today was the first time in a long time I’ve seen hot canning methods in action. I grabbed all the glass Mason jars and lids I had at home and took them over for her “canning factory.” Glass jars are popular containers for “gifts in a jar” around Christmas, and another relative liked to make homemade pickles and send them my way. So I really did have a few glass jars sitting around. I knew they needed to be saved and recycled.

Mom already had set up some strawberry jam that was ready to take home. She sent me on a grocery errand for lemon juice; and later I was helping to mash and stir strawberries and blueberries as she made up two new batches of jam. In the meantime, she was showing off her new ice cream maker and made strawberry ice cream.

We are not entirely sure the canned blueberries will “set.” We’ll find out in a day or two. She got mixed up on the directions and home canning is a very detailed work of chemistry.

Now, home canning is more typically seen as of a “locavore” (one who prefers to eat local food) interest or as a homesteading art these days, as compared to a frugal living skill.

However, as you are working on your “grocery shopping on a budget” techniques, do give some consideration to learning DIY kitchen talents such as bread making, backyard gardening, home canning, ice cream making, fishing, sausage-making, berry-picking, dried food making, kitchen herb gardening, pie-making, cake decorating, etc.

If you aren’t certain whether you will like doing, or will catch on to a particular skill, find out which of your relatives or friends know how to do such things and serve as an apprentice for awhile.

That way, you can avoid spending the money on the necessary equipment until you really are ready to do it yourself.

I pureed a bag of peas, green beans, potatoes and chicken. All of these were separate. I took my muffin tins and covered them with piece of plastic wrap twice as large, and filled each spot with the food. Then I covered them with another piece of wrap. I did four separate muffin tins and stacked them up, making sure there was plastic wrap between everything. I left them in the freezer for a day. This morning. I pull all the frozen separate foods and put them in a freezer bag and labeled them. I tested them, and it takes 45 seconds to thaw in a microwave. I can also put them in a carrier, and they will thaw before lunch. So now I have enough for at least two weeks. — Louise, Georgia

If you live in Monroe County, Mich., or in the Downriver area in Wayne County, and are willing to be interviewed / photographed by The Monroe Evening News for a story … here’s the pitch:

I am working on a feature story on people who are “doing more for themselves in this economic climate.” This report will be part of our Visions special section, which this year is featuring the business world and economic climate in the Monroe area.

The examples we are looking for include, but are not limited to:

• Building your own deck.
• Fixing your own car.
• Replacing your own gutters.
• Putting in a new water heater or other project that qualifies you for a tax break.

How and when did you decide it was time to save money through DIY efforts. How are those projects going for you?

Since this is a story pitch for the local newspaper, I do need to limit my sources for this assignment to people who are in our circulation area: Monroe, Dundee, Erie, Milan, Downriver, etc.

I can be reached at paula@monroenews.com or by phone at (734) 240-5745.