Mellow Mushroom has returned to Cumming after an almost two year hiatus. The old Tri County Plaza location shut down in early 2010 and we have been without Kosmic Karma ever since. On Monday, Oct. 10 they opened their doors in the Avenue Forsyth shopping center between Barnes and Noble and Georgetown Interiors. Charles and Kelly Wilson are excited to bring Mellow Mushroom back to Cumming. “We have some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment attractions in the area, and Mellow Mushroom will be a great addition to the community,” says Kelly. Looking for a fun date night on a budget? …

The Food for Thought Project is a food collection program that helps to supply community food pantries. Since launching the program in April they have over 280 Forsyth County families participating. An orange bag is given to participating families and they are asked to pick up a non-perishable food item each time they go to the grocery store to put in the bag. Bags are collected on the second Saturday of the month by a volunteer, who replaces the bag with a new one, and delivers the contributions to a local food pantry. "Our second collection was Saturday, Aug. 13, and we collected over 2,500…

Kids Go Green has been my go to store for clothes, toys and baby gear from the moment I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. Ifrequented the store at their old location on Atlanta Road to stock my nursery. Now my daughter is 19-months-old, she has gone through an abundance of clothes in various sizes and toys for every developmental milestone known to toddlers. Cumming resident and owner of Kids Go Green, Crystal Blackstock, has been with me every step of the way. She has made outfitting a growing toddler affordable. In addition to sweet deals she pays cash for gently used clothes, toys…

I love to decorate my home for the changing seasons, but I can't spend a lot of money doing it. Repurposing and recycling materials has become a fun creative outlet for me. This autumn garland is an easy and inexpensive way to make a big decorative statement. What you need: Fabric scraps8 foot section of clotheslinePinking shears or fabric scissors I used fabric scraps I already had at home along with an old clothesline. If you don't have a bin of mismatched fabric, the Walmart in Cumming has re-established their fabric/sewing section. This frugal crafty mom could not be happier to welcome it…

This week I thought I would share with you some of my favorite Web sites to find deep discounts. I’m hoping it will inspire you to do the same in our “comments” section because I love hearing from you and finding new ways to save. Shopping Sites 1. Zulily.com offers daily deals for moms, babies and kids on the latest chic mommy must-haves. 2. 6PM.com is a sister site of Zappos and has brand names at outlet store prices on men’s, women’s, kid’s, toys, accessories, bags and more. 3. Smartbargains.com has everything under the sun at up to 70 percent off. 4. Newegg.com offers deals on gadgets and…

Kimberly Sadecky opened Southern Woman Resale on February 14, 2011 in a tiny 600 square foot space off of the square in downtown Cumming. In six months her business exploded and she quickly outgrew the little store. On August 23 they took over Kids Go Green's old stomping ground at 250 Atlanta Road, expanding the store to 1800 square feet.    Southern Woman Resale is a plus size clothing boutique catering to curvy women sizes 14 and up. In addition to plus size fashions they carry maternity clothing in all sizes. Finding stylish and affordable clothing options in either of these categories is…

Good Grub Subs has only been open for a few months but they have already become a hot-spot among people with gluten allergies and sensitivities. Celiac disease can make going out to eat a chore. Alan Morris, owner of Good Grub Delicious Subs, understands this and offers a variety of gluten free menu options. Morris says, "It's one thing that sets us apart from every other sandwich shop. There's people who come in here who haven't eaten a sandwich for eight or 10 years." Good Grub uses Boar’s Head premium meats and cheeses sliced daily in their wraps, sandwiches and salads, offering …

Wing Zone celebrated the grand opening of its Cumming location on July 16. Franchise owners Michael Hornsteiner, Jeff Reddick, Kevin Aycock and Sonny Hires jumped on the opportunity to open Wing Zone's very first drive-thru location. Reddick says, “It’s an honor; it’s exciting and we know Cumming consumers are going to go crazy over this very first drive-thru wing concept." A drive-thru isn't the only convenience Wing Zone offers. Delivery is another available option. And don't be fooled by the name. Wing Zone is not just great wings. Burgers, salads and shrimp can also be delivered right to …

Cumming parents, Steve and Heather Settle, opened Adventure Kids six months ago. It started with hosting parties on the weekend and progressed to a six day a week operation. Heather tells Cumming Patch, "We've always wanted to do a kids play center. We have a blast with our kids." Adventure Kids has inflatables, an indoor playground, plasma cars, Wii play area, air hockey and something that sets it apart from other indoor play venues, a 3,000 square foot indoor sand box. "We wanted to do something different than your typical inflatable place. The sand idea came up and we tossed it back and …

When Kelly Walczak moved south she missed all the fun farmer’s markets in the northeast where she grew up. The mother of three approached the PTA of her children’s elementary school with her vision of a community market. Brookwood Elementary school in Cumming is now home to the Brookwood Farmer’s Market every Friday afternoon. The market debuted on Friday, May 21, 2010 and the rest is history. As I strolled through the market, I enjoyed some homemade lemonade from Sarah’s Fresh Squeezed Lemonade stand. It was a refreshing treat on a steamy summer afternoon. I indulged my sweet tooth with some…

During these trying economic times money is tight. Charitable contributions are unfortunately placed at the bottom of the priority list in the family budget. The money just isn’t there. Gifts do not always have to be monetary. Give a gift literally from the heart. Blood donation is the ultimate donation without any out-of-pocket expense. It doesn’t cost a thing but has the potential to be priceless to the ones in need. A single donation can help up to three people. The American Red Cross is hosting several blood drives in the Cumming area over the next few weeks: July 22 – PCL Industrial …

If you are a regular reader of my column you know that I like L’Oreal cosmetics. It is an awesome product line for the money, especially if you combine sales with coupons. I still like L’Oreal but there is a new kid in town that has me smitten. Eyes, lips and face, or e.l.f., is an online cosmetics retailer exploding in popularity, and for good reason. Their products are high quality and dirt cheap. ELf has been featured in Cosmo, Oprah’s “O” magazine, Seventeen and Glamour just to name a few. The low price and the rave reviews piqued my curiosity. I signed up for an account and began …

As a busy mom it is hard to come up with new and exciting recipes for dinner. I dread hearing, “What’s for dinner?” Not because I hate cooking but because I can’t seem to find the time to plan ahead. I never have all the ingredients on hand in the right combination to prepare a tasty meal for my family. My mealtime repertoire revolves around spaghetti, meatloaf and chicken. In a pinch, there is always macaroni and cheese and hot dogs or pizza delivery. Hardly nutritious. A friend sent me a link to e-mealz. It boasts, “Easy dinner menus for busy and frugal people.” My ears perked up and my …

The upcoming weekend is packed with Fourth of July fun. Parades, swimming, barbecue’s and fireworks make a wonderful long weekend loaded with family fun.  Nieces, nephews, cousins and every kid in the neighborhood come together for watermelon, sparklers and celebration. Planning ahead for these festivities keeps unplanned impulse purchases to a minimum. Vendors will be out in full force with every light up glow in the dark gadget imaginable taking full advantage of the economic principle of supply and demand charging absurd amounts for their wares. Kids will melt down, or at the very least …

Children like to experiment and try out new hobbies. Little Tommy signs up for tee ball with the greatest of enthusiasm. Once the new wears off and mom and dad have invested a few hundred dollars little Tommy decides he doesn’t like tee ball and wants to play soccer. The cycle continues until little Tommy finds his niche. Well, while Tommy is finding his inner sports guru your wallet is taking a beating. Okay I admit, it’s not just the kids. I’m 30 something and had the best of intentions when I spent an absurd amount of money on a treadmill that became a clothes rack. I was certain that golf…

We are gearing up to celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday, June 19. Chances are dad doesn’t need another tie. So what do you get the guy who has everything? Or at least everything he wants that doesn’t require financing! Gadget Guy – The techie dad, is a tough one because everything they have their eye on is usually high dollar. If your guy has been especially good this year you may want to splurge on that tablet, flat screen TV, Kindle, GPS, Blu-ray player or new camera he has been hovering around in the electronics department. Best Buy is advertising a Samsung 3D Blu-ray disc player with …

So you can’t afford a trip to the water park much less a trip to the beach this summer. It is already too hot and the kids are chanting, “I’m bored!” every time you turn around. The truth is you are too and there is no mad money in the budget for entertainment. Don’t fret there are plenty of things to do right here in Cumming that won’t cost a fortune. Here are ten ways to beat boredom and the heat this summer: In the morning, before temperatures reach the boiling point, break out the sidewalk chalk and finger paints. See what masterpieces can be created in the driveway or cul-de-sac. When it…

Gifted Shoppes & Market has only been open for a few months but the future looks bright for these budding businesses. Cool Bees is full of art, gifts and a unique candle line, "Scent of Scandal Candles," with clever tongue in cheek names you will have to stop by to see. Owner, Terry Henner, specializes in custom framing. Mention this article and receive 20 percent off your customer framing order. In addition, Henner is also a beekeeper and will be selling her fresh honey in the store. Maison Romantique features shabby chic home decor and gifts. Monika Wood keeps shoppe and looks forward to …

Mandy Cavanaugh, local mother of two boys, started Tots About Town in the summer of 2008. “I was always having problems trying to find something to do with my three-year-old,” Cavanaugh recalls. “I had a little bit of event and conference planning under my belt from my pre-mommy days, so I just started planning events around the community.” There is an outing to satisfy every child’s boundless curiosity. What goes on behind those double doors at Super Target? What do firefighters do when they aren’t fighting fires? How does Bruster’s make all that ice cream? What really happens at the car …

My Secret Closet is an upscale resale boutique boasting big designer names like Coach, Louis Vuitton and Kate Spade for a fraction of the retail price. Responding to the desires of the community, Narda Meeks opened the store in July of 2006. Meeks says, “This isn’t so much a thrift store as it is a place where you can resell your purchasing mistakes.” We all have items in our closet with the tags still attached or maybe something we wore only once and realized it was less than flattering. We had the best of intentions when we bought them, but now they sit in our closet as “purchasing mistakes…