Monday Message

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

It feels like the world is more chaotic every week I write this blog. Keep working on skill building and putting supplies into your storage.

I know times are hard but I feel we have much harder times ahead. Every little bit helps...it all adds up.

This week I blanched and froze three more bags of asparagus. This is what I mean by doing whatever you can. Three bags isn't much but add them to what I have done and it adds up.

I also haven't been able to bake with this heat so I am dehydrating three trays of sourdough starter, this is my excess or discard they call it. This is what I mean by finding uses for things, do not waste anything. I think we will be happy we did so later.

It is raspberry picking time for me - an ouchie job but I pick, wash, and freeze. Then when it is cooler, I will make jam with them.

Yesterday I went out behind the raspberries to make a path so I can easier pick them. It was a hard job, with so many volunteer trees growing up. I got the pathway cleared though so that will help a lot when picking but still pokes me - owie! But I'm always glad for July Fourth because the raspberries are done by then.

Before I tell you a stress I had, I thought I would show the flowers are pretty this year.   

Okay so you know I am stressing? Building your skills is not always easy to do. I have been trying to learn the Toyota knitting machine.

Yesterday morning, I was looking at it and pushing the carriage across it was getting increasingly harder to push, which was hurting me ever so much. So I was looking at this while pushing the carriage and got just a quick glimpse at the problem. The sponge bar had failed. Now I refurbish my own but when I pulled it out part of the foam stayed in the machine. I had to leave it till afternoon when I could get back to it.

Both cats decided they would sleep on the problem.

I looked it up on the internet and could find nothing on just how to fix this. I only saw one mention of if foam gets in the machine it would be disastrous - well, that wasn't helpful at all.

I put the pen on the bed of the machine to help you see the size of the slots I was having to work with.  It took me four hours of picking the foam out of those slots - very much not easy!

But I stuck with it.

I was able to fix this. I'm hoping it never happens again but if it should, I know how to tend it. So even though it wasn't what I wanted, I did learn from this. Each thing I do is helping me to understand it more.

So if you are working with a skill and getting frustrated, walk away, go look at some flowers, and tackle each step on its own. Little by little you will figure it out. When I try to think of all the steps at once, it doesn't go well and when I am not stressed by a mean teacher, I am learning better, I am not mentally freezing up and can slow down and soak in what I need to learn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWVg6JcpyDI - this is another skill I am wanting to learn.

What are some skills you are wanting to learn?? Let us know in the comments below.

Every morning you can find Tippy Longstockings right here under the floor loom, taking a morning snooze.

https://www.instructables.com/2-Felt-Cat-Toys-Fish-and-Dinosaur/ - here is a neat way to hand-sew cat toys, it is on my too do list pretty soon.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/153-grocery-staples-that-you-can-make-at-home.html - this is worth putting in here again. We can make things that we may think we can only buy at the store.

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/homemaking-101/ - this is helpful as well.

https://heartscontentfarmhouse.com/ - great ideas on scratch cooking.

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/ - great things here.

While you pick a skill to work on, involve your kids so they can learn it as well!

Missy says be wise in how you do things. Take it in steps. No need to do anything all at once.

Tippy Longstockings says try hard to not over do and try hard not to stress, we will all get through this time.

Monday Message

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to 'prepare every needful thing' (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors, and support bishops as they care for others." (All is Safely Gathered In pamphlet)

Welcome to my home! Summer is here and it's very hot indeed today!

Summer is always so busy. I wonder where they got the lazy days of summer from...?

The yard work never ends here. I should train the squirrels in the art of landscaping and how not to plant those walnuts. Or teach them to cut down the walnut trees that grow all over because they planted them grrrrr.

I hope you all are doing well. 

I see more and more people talking of tight times for their families. I sure do not expect things to get better and it will take a lot more than just saying they are better when they are clearly not.

I know it is early to mention but those who need school supplies, you might want to get a little at a time when you get groceries to spread out the cost.

Start hitting those yard sales and thrift stores - this is a must do! When you do, have a list school clothing and in what sizes needed. Don't forget winter gear - we all need to have coats... Be sure to pass down clothing to siblings. 

While talking about lists, don't forget to look for a pressure canner, vacuum sealer, dehydrator, canning tools, canning jars, a used sewing machine, look for fabric and sewing supplies, look for yarn and knitting needles and crochet hooks and other supplies, look for things you can use for gifts... yes, even items you can makeover for gifting, look for cookbooks - especially those church type cookbooks where everyone put in their favorite recipes.

We celebrated our 51st anniversary on June 15.  Since that falls on Father's Day this year, we celebrated early so we could celebrate Father's Day by itself. We like to go to the used bookstore for our anniversary, which we did, and I picked up a quilting book and a sewing book and a few quilting magazines from their sale section. These all did not cost much but I also had a coupon. It was fun just looking at stuff too. So think how could you celebrate special dates inexpensively. I plan to make a carrot cake to make it special. We don't need to break the bank.

These times we find ourselves in will require us using every tool we have, every skill we can learn. Try to work hard on the skills that can help you the most.

Speaking of working hard on a skill...

I am working hard learning this machine. I am making progress and am happy at that. I am putting lots of studying in on it. 

I am thankful to my past self for all the yard sales I went to and all that I did that is now helping me in my old age.

Set a grocery budget that is comfortable for your income and then stay in that budget. Try to do things more frugally so you can have some left for stocking your pantry.

I know it is hard. I know it is going to get a lot harder for all of us so we need to step up and put your skills to work. I am right there with you. We will all get through this, we will. Find time to find your joy in every day. Today, mine was walking up to our front door. It doesn't have to be flashy, just something to give you joy. Yes, things need painting but just for today it was a joy to walk up to the door. Mind you, it could be I just finished watering the garden but joy never the less.

I know it is very hard all the things that are going on. We need to not dwell so much on it that we fall into depression. Use your energy instead getting prepared.

https://www.queenofthehousehold.com/homemaking-skills/ - some good ideas.

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/8-useful-skills-grandmothers-knew/ - a few ideas here as well.

https://www.christian-works.org/beating-summer-boredom/?msclkid=44f749444562123dce23210da1a9ad06&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CW+-+Resources%2FGeneral&utm_term=summer+activities&utm_content=Summer+Activities - we will all need these before summer is over and those in winter, there might be some things to help with cabin fever.

https://mamateaches.com/50-free-summer-activities-for-families/

Take care of yourself too. I watch podcasts while I treadmill so right now I have been watching things on learning knitting machines.

Cynthia shared this info with us....

"I meant to tell you about this. I had a friend that lives in Alabama email me and tell me that she found out about peak electric use. Someone had told her and she googled it and found that her electric company had peak hours during the afternoon in summer and morning hours in the cold times.  I googled here and Mecklenburg Cooperative has peak hours 3 pm to 6 pm during summer and 6 am to 9 am cold times. Although you have to sign up for emails or text to let you know when they think they will go into peak electric usage. You might check there."

We need to be using everything we can to make it through hard times.

Thank you, Cynthia!

Missy says she is trying to learn that knitting machine with me. She encourages you to pick a skill and master it. Make it fun, reward your accomplishment.

Tippy Longstockings says whatever you do, look cute doing it and remember you are important too, so take care of yourself as well.

Monday Message

"Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through the home production and storage, but others as well." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

I wish things would improve but I am afraid we are in it for a while.

Keep working on your storage as you can.

I picked the second picking of rhubarb today while it was sprinkling. Finally we have rain.

I planted the suckers from tomatoes and picked more suckers. These are bigger and now they are in water. About the time you read this, in two weeks from now, they will be planted too.

Long ago, I called our homemaking hotline to ask for a recipe for strawberry rhubarb jam and they gave me this one from general foods and we have used it ever since.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

1 lb. Rhubarb slices (thin) to make two cups

4 c. Crushed strawberries, crush them one layer at a time

5 1/2c. Sugar

1 box Sure-Jell

6-8 quart pan 

Measure sugar and set aside.

Mix Sure-Jell and fruit in pan over medium-high heat, stir till a full boil. Then add the sugar all at once, stir, bring to a full rolling boil then boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off the foam, saving it to have on toast - yum! Then ladle into jars, fill to 1/4 inch from the top then wipe the rim of the jar and add lids (I still like to bring water to a boil and turn off and put the lids in till you are ready) put on rings and water bath or steamer can for ten minutes, then I set on a towel and leave for 24 hours before I move the jars. I do that with anything I can.

So today is jam making day here...

I had enough rhubarb left over to make rhubarb cake yum!

Trying to stretch everything I tell ya.

https://www.almanac.com/how-make-jam-refrigerator-jam-or-water-bath-canning

https://thedomesticwildflower.com/easy-jam-recipes/

Making jam is very easy and is a good way to start your canning journey.

This week I have been studying up on the Toyota knitting machine - some reviewing and some learning. Tippy is showing her way on how one should study.

This time I picked something I want to make then I reviewed my notes I took on this and read through the pattern. Next I tackle ONLY one thing at a time, do that, and move to the next. I feel I am making better headway rather than learning everything at once. I am wanting to make dishcloths again only this time with a better understanding.

The Toyota knitting machine is the toughest skill for me yet to tackle.

I took a few classes but I was just starting with fibro. It was hard to understand the teacher plus she was having stuff going on with her husband that they would shout bad at each other and I was having a very hard time concentrating. Plus, picture the mean piano teacher that hit kids with a ruler. She never hit me but boy was I afraid of her and the more stress she caused me, the more I would freeze. If she had been nice and sat with me doing it alongside, I would have learned better.  

I took notes - very detailed notes with pictures. She would scream at me that I didn't need to take notes on everything (yes, I did). With the classes I was given a kind of booklet of machine knitting basics. Inside it said take as many notes as you like...wow. But I can tell my past self thank you for the notes and pictures as they are helping me now. And with no one stressing me, I can go at my own pace. I can think more clearly and retain and understand when not under stress like I was.

So this is the skill I am trying to learn without a teacher. If you have a skill you are trying to learn, take it in bite sizes. Start with something small, learn it and move on.

That is my advice.

Missy says just pick a skill you want to do and take it at your own rate - she knows you can do it!

Tippy Longstockings says times are hard and we have to work harder, so take time for yourself and be kind to others.

Monday Message

"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)

We finally got a little rain here so I have been enjoying NOT watering the garden.

Asparagus is slowing down and the rhubarb is growing its second harvest. My plan is to make strawberry rhubarb jam - yum! Raspberries are growing and tiny baby peaches are growing on the patch tree.

The young apple and plum trees are doing well and even younger apple trees that I started last year from seed, are putting in lots of growth and are already over a foot tall.

My watermelon seeds grew well, same with muskmelons, and even some honey dew. All were seed that was saved from last year. I had to thin the watermelon and muskmelon plants but I hate tossing out plants, so I have planted them all around the yard and all are doing well.

I found a rabbit eyeing my garden so it was time to put out my hair. I save the hair when I clean out my hairbrush from spring to spring. I start saving for next year's garden now. I put it all around the fencing. It looks like an old lady fell in my garden and got her hair caught in the fencing as she rolled about. But it does the trick.

I picked off the suckers on the tomato plants and I filled a jelly jar with water, covered it with plastic wrap, poked holes in and set the suckers so the stems are in the water. When they root in the ground they go for even more tomatoes - I saw this on a video.

So a fair amount of gardening is happening at my house. How are you coming on building some skills??

https://www.creeksidesimplicity.com/25-homemaking-skills-you-should-know/

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/153-grocery-staples-that-you-can-make-at-home.html - I love this gal.

This week I have been building a skill. I wanted to do this pattern for a year. I researched without much luck but for the last three days - grueling days I might add - after a year and three days, I realized my goal finally....

This is an inkle loom, while I could do weaving just fine on it... this is krokbragd is done on the inkle loom.

Warping this took longer than it does for me to warp the floor loom - it was tough.

Then I had to make extra heddles, those are the cluster of pink string.

Try, fail... try, fail... I did start a lot, did different versions for the heddles, but finally got them made.

Then it was try and fail quite a bit more. With every fail came the search for why. Most was a twisted thread and tracking those down are a nightmare.

But in the end I finally got my little sheep.

A while ago I was trying to warp up to do what you see here...

But before I got this warped, I had tried another fiber, but my sister thought it wouldn't work so I had to cut it off - but you know me, I needed to save it.

This picture gives you a size comparison of the floor loom and the smaller table top loom.

It was much more work than it should have been. I warped up the table top loom we call baby Bertha.

I am making a scarf of practice stitches. So I saved the fiber to reuse it here.  

All week has been rough, but wow did I learn a lot!

Using what we have and not wasting is kind of the theme this week - from saving the thinnings and replanting, to saving the tomato suckers to make more tomatoes, to learning a new skill and I used what I had on hand also, saving the warp and reusing it.

All while learning lots!

What have you been learning? Write in the comments, I love to hear it!

Missy says remember to care for others and to be kind. The world really needs us to be kind to others.

Tippy Longstockings says keep learning new skills or adding to ones you have. She says she is developing her skill of being oh so cute!

Monday Message

"Today, I emphasize a most basic principle: home production and storage. Have you ever paused to realize what would happen to your community or nation if transportation were paralyzed or if we had a war or depression? How would you and your neighbors obtain food? How long would the corner grocery store—or supermarket—sustain the needs of the community?" (President Ezra Taft Benson)

I think we really don't have to think too hard to see we have problems heading our way.

Food prices haven't come down. Gas prices haven't gone down. Meds have gone up.

People all around the world are having issues because it is like dropping a pebble in a pond, you get ripple effect and so it is with the world economy.

As things worsen, and they will, we need to be prepared so we can take care of ourselves and our loved ones and others who will need help.

It is wearing on all of us. Have you noticed more anger, less smiling, more rudeness? People are stressing.

This isn't just a United States problem, everyone is effected or will be.

We need to step up our efforts to be more frugal. Already they are saying more people are going to thrift stores and buying used. They are not doing that because things are going well.

We had a ham and from the leftovers I diced some for omelets, sliced some to have with pancakes, left a solid piece for another meal, made ham salad for sandwiches, and that left the bit around the bone which I then made into bean soup, which is cooling now. When cool, I will bag for the freezer for other meals in the future. This is the kind of thinking we must be doing. We need to be looking for ways to stretch our meals and stretch our budget. Also, at the same time, we need to put in some storage.

Research recipes that are most frugal but still taste great. Find ways to save... 

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/50-simple-ways-to-save-money.html

We have to work hard because we are trying to save while at the same time everything around us is going up.

I was next to the Salvation Army store this week and thought I would pop in. I did not get anything but wanted to price some things. One was the price of patterns for making clothing which now are $1.99 a pattern. I am thankful that I hung onto all of mine. Also, I always like to price canning jars - one quart canning jar was five dollars. I would never purchase them this way. I try to get them free by putting a sign at the post office or by asking on freecycle, you can also ask relatives who are done canning or downsizing. I always like to check the pulse of things in thrift shops.

I have checked Walmart so I could put a price on a dozen canning jars $15 - $17. So even if you bought them new, it would be cheaper than how much I saw them that day at Salvation Army by a huge amount. Now some of that may be because they don't know how much they are.

Also, be looking for a pressure canner, a dehydrator, and a vacuum sealer.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/10/monday-message.html - in here you can see just how these items can help your family. When I can tomatoes, I save the skins to dehydrate, then turn them into powder - no waste there for sure.

Over a lot of years I have gotten jars at yard sales as well.

Since they can be used over and over it is very wise to have. I purchased lids for the jars to be ready for canning season. I personally can all year round but everyone flocks to the store at harvest time and prices are higher and they are hard to find then - something you might think about.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2023/08/monday-message.html

Look at being frugal from all over, not just in one area. The prices rising is just not in one area, it is all over.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2016/12/monday-message_26.html

If you don't already have a sewing machine, try to find a good working used one. If you do not know how to know if the sewing machine is a good one, ask a friend who sews to go with you and have her bring thread, a bobbin, scissors, and scrap of fabric with so she can test it for you.

The machines pictured here were both used when I got them and the Kenmore was gotten forty years ago used and she is my workhorse still today. The serger I got at a yard sale for ten dollars and it too is a workhorse.

So do not shy away from used.

Build those skills. I needed a thank you gift this week and made this scrubby...

I try to keep a few things on hand to be able to make gifts. It does take time but saves on spending money on a tight budget.

Ideally I would have things ahead made but being sick with Covid for so long, I have used all I had made and have been having to play catch up but it is on my to do list to get some gifts made ahead.

So learn to crochet, learn to knit and sew and make bread and can food build those skills.

In a couple weeks, I will be making jam - so easy to do and yet how wonderful on homemade bread toasted!

Missy says to get ready for harder times ahead.

Tippy Longstockings says she knows things are hard so she is offering you a hug and says we can do it!

Monday Message

"Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. We could refer to all the components of personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a day-to-day basis its own reward." (President Spencer W. Kimball)

Truly having storage in your home really helps keep things smooth during rough times. Knowing how to fix things saves so much as well. When you are faced with a repair, a lot of times you can Google it and there is a video on how. We one time fixed our washer by doing that. We did have to buy the part but it would have been very costly to repair as it was very complicated to get to the area but we did it and it is still working great.  

Way before we had kids, we needed to change out an engine. My husband was in the military and they had a building you could work in. They had the tools, the hoist, etc. I took notes on what we took out each step of the way, then we put in the engine following my list from last to first. Amazing as we did it with no internet back then and neither of us knew a thing about fixing cars - no computery gadgets back then either!

We might not be able to do it today with computers in cars but if we have a repair hopefully cutting costs in other areas can help with the cost

So I am saying, see if it is something you can fix before shelling out money for the repair.

I once was visiting my sister. She had a new dishwasher put in but she said she didn't have water pressure. She turned it on and it was way bad. So my husband was thinking and I had just had a women's meeting where they were showing us about fixing facets and sometimes when you have work done debris gets in the line and caught in the little screen on the faucet. I reached over and unscrewed the screen like they showed us and debris came out. I rinsed the screen and put it back while both my sister and my husband stood mouths hanging open. It worked well after that. I was glad I had learned that. It was also before we had computers.

So just keep yourselves learning new skills as you go along.

I would go to Goodwill and drool over this rug loon every time I was there but the price was $350 and I couldn't afford that. I have always wanted to learn to weave rugs. But it wasn't to be so I just visited it and drooled. One day my friend called and said she was at Goodwill. I said oh go drool on my loom for me. She said no, you need to come now, they marked down the price. I said that even at half-price I couldn't get it. She said no, they marked it down again but you have to take it with you. It was sixty or seventy dollars so we got it and brought her home. 

The neighbor was leaving in just half an hour and helped slide it from the truck to the deck - so nice of them! Then, of course, there was no way it was going to fit through the door and there was a storm coming. So, just like the car, I took it apart and moved it inside and reassembled it. Then the storm hit. It would take a year of refurbishing it so it would make rugs again. I had to learn a lot. We did have a computer by then but not a lot was on how to warp it. 

I can tell you one of my memories - my mother-in-law said I will come and help you. So they came down, we fed them, and she said okay and grabbed her hook and went to the back. She got this weird look on her face and said what am I looking at? She had another type of loom, this one has a sectional beam.

This is how it looks now warped up but it wasn't yet warped when she saw it and hadn't seen a sectional beam.

This is the type of loom she was used to seeing. This is the back of my other loom - a jack type loom.

This is the front of this same loom the jack loom and here you can play "Where's Tippy Longstockings" silly kitty :p

This loom was a gift from my sister. I did not yet have it at the time we were warping the rug loom. It was a huge learning curve.

I remember we were going to put together a swingset for our kids. I laid everything out in order and when supper was over, we picked up the instructions to begin. The first line said do not attempt to do this one hour before sunset... yep, it was one hour before sunset...

I guess what I am trying to say is, learn skills that will bless your family. I know you can do it! It might take a while like it took me, but that is okay.

Once you learn something then don't stop there, learn more.

I am constantly learning how to make yarn.

What skill are you working on? Comment below, we would love to hear what you are doing.

My days lately are busy with gardening. Remember to plant something if you can and if you are not in a season of planting, you can work on planning for when gardening season does happen.

I am still working at knitting this scarf. If you zoom in on the stitch marker I made, it is a jar with fireflies in it - tooo cute!

Missy says she is trying to learn to weave in her free time.

Tippy Longstockings says do the best you can and remember to find joy!