Elder Bruce R. McConkie -
"I stand before the Church this day and raise the warning voice.
It is a prophetic voice, for I shall say only what the apostles and the prophets have spoken concerning our day. ...It is a voice calling upon the Lord's people to prepare for the troubles and desolations which are about to be poured upon the world without measure.
For the moment, we live in a day of peace and prosperity but it shall not ever be thus. Great trials lie ahead. All of the sorrows and perils of the past are but a foretaste of what is yet to be.
And we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually." General Conference April 1979.
This is an eye-opening statement and I think we need to pay attention to it.
I have been thinking a lot about more frugal living this week. I know I have spent a fair amount of time on sewing lately but next to bread baking and canning I think sewing is just as important.
I thought I would share two frugal places with you and invite you to share anything you have that is frugal with others...
https://www.ameriherb.com/ - this is the best prices for herbs and spices I have ever found. Very frugal. I call the number and leave a message to have them send a catalog.
https://www.glassesusa.com/eyeglasses-collection?affid=gaw-lp73&KEYWORD_K=zenni%20opticals&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brands%20-%20Competitors&msclkid=23e92fae77c5115abe2c749f08652395&utm_term=zenni%20opticals&utm_content=Leaders%20-%20Zennioptical.Com%20-%20Exact - zenni optical. I can’t say enough about these folks. My bifocal glasses with a new frame and clip on sunglasses were all only $66.85. Fantastical frugal.
When things are going well we are tempted to think they will always be that good and that nothing can go wrong from here on. We think - yep, I will get on that food storage sometime soon and because things are okay we put this off.
We think why learn to sew, there will always be a Walmart…
President Spencer W. Kimball - "The little gardens and a few trees are very valuable. I remember when the sisters used to say, `well, but we could buy it at the store a lot cheaper than we could put it up.' But that isn't quite the answer, is it, Sister Spafford? Because there will become a time when there isn't a store." General Conference April 1974.
I think this gives us a lot to think about…
If you put off getting storage and your time of need hits your family what would you wish you had spent your money on? What would you wish you knew how to do?
I will never forget my husband’s grandmother telling me the next depression will be different, that it will take a wheel barrow of money to buy a loaf of bread… that makes me always want to keep up my bread making skills and to always have things on hand to make bread. I am pretty sure I will never have a wheel barrow of money and I sure would not want to pay that much for bread.
Complacency is not our friend….
One of my favorite stories in The Book of Mormon, which is an additional testimony of Jesus Christ about the people in the Americas, is the story of Samuel the Lamanite. He came to tell people to repent. The wicked people tried to kill him but the righteous people prayed and watched for the time Jesus would be born. The wicked were mean and would taunt the righteous people saying he would not come but the righteous noticed the signs that would come to pass before his coming. They knew the signs when they came and were prepared, but the wicked doubted. To me this is what complacency is as they all knew what was to happen but some stayed the course and some did not…. the nots did not come out well.
Not so many generations ago it was the way of life to put away food for time of need…..a way of life….the ease of our lives may be a gateway to complacency.
https://www.allfreesewing.com/Video-Tutorials/How-to-Use-a-Sewing-Machine - how to use a sewing machine.
https://www.allfreesewing.com/Sewing-Tips-and-Tricks/Sewing-Machine-Maintenance-How-to-Clean-a-Sewing-Machine - how to clean your sewing machine.
http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2012/08/how-to-make-tailors-hams-and-sausages.html - these are costly to purchase but you can make your own.
I made my pattern weights shown here but you could just use large washers as well - http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2012/01/sewing-pattern-weights_11.html
https://www.threadingmyway.com/2013/10/how-to-lengthen-kids-jeans.html - this is great to make those kid clothes last longer.
http://joanne-threadhead.blogspot.com/2010/03/clothespin-bag-tutorial.html - this is great for your solar clothes dryer, too cute.
Now here is how I came out with a new technique in knitting called the afterthought heel….
I also took all my large binders of tatting...
And I broke them down to smaller binders that I got at the thrift store for 35 and 45 cents. I organized the contents, quite a job it was but aren’t they the prettiest with fancy labels? For now the prize is that they are easier for my fibromyalgia to use and are organized…
Frugally this week I was given a bag of spinach which I washed and dried and some rhubarb that I washed and chopped and froze -three bags, those will be rhubarb cake come winter - yum!
It has been raspberry picking time. I have five one quart bags frozen so far and because we have had so much rain we have tons of mosquitoes which have been eating me alive even through Deep Woods Off spray. I think they think it is a sauce.
I have been watching the sewing videos I put in last week's Monday Message and have the top cut out of my lesser favorite fabric to use as my practice piece. It was just enough and if it is just fine it is still a good fabric for wearing.
I found this bag for free. I was intrigued by it because it had this rivet in it and a zipper bag matching inside so my brain thought it would be a good little bag for making my socks. The rivet is for yarn to go through and the zipper little bag I put my little notions in…works great for free.
Keep working on your storage and keep working on your skill building.
We all would love to hear what skills you are working on and what frugal things you have done this week as we all learn from each other.
I always love your posts, they inspire me to do more, save more, be more creative. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you like them
DeleteYour socks are gorgeous! What I wouldn't give for a pair like that!
ReplyDeleteI have been learning much on making them I don't even need a pattern which was my goal I learned how to do the after thought heel.
DeleteI'm keeping grandsons this week and trying to think of frugal activites! So far, we have set up camp in the backyard with a little pool and a tent, we took them digging for sharks teeth yesterday, and for a short fishing trip... I've had some tired boys at bedtime!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas and great memories
DeleteA very good reminder to keep working on skills and preparations for possible hard times. You just never know what life will throw at you.
ReplyDeleteThat is for sure
DeleteYes Jesus already warned us that we are to be prepared several place in the Bible. It is already foretold. So we are to be ready..whatever happens. By us being prepared we are passing down these ideas and tradition. Being prepared for His coming and being prepared for any problem in the nation economy or our own. Or to help others that need it. It is our own responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI even appreciate it when I am so tired I hardly feel like cooking. I already had prepared easy menus or canned things that can so quickly become meals. Do it Before you want or need it !! Do it when you do have the time and resources.
I am trying to put in more and more things on the property that will come back on their own. Fruit trees and fruit vines and such. Some herbs. Even if I don't get a garden going say because i get sick we will still have those things growing fresh. The things canned, and dried will fill in other places for our meals.
I used flat stones for pattern weights till I was given some coated metal ones. I like your covered weights...so pretty! I think mending which includes darning is one very good basic tool to know. If you can do that and keep an open mind when you see a garment that you can't use but can be redone for another purpose you have a lot going. Then go on to learn more and more. There are so many things to help us to learn. But the fun is in getting to doing it. :-) I found my sewing hams at a used store. They had no idea what they were. They asked and now they know.
I don't think preparing as worrisome but like a hobby. A good thing to work on. Rather fun. :) It is very rewarding to know you have another skill you have learned. One you can also then teach another.
This week I stocked a few extra gardening things. I also took cuttings of some herbs and plants to make more to replant when they are rooted. I am reading and learning how to do more of this. I started a notebook about our gardens and landscaping. List each plant and when it needs fertilizing and pruning and how to root it etc. It will be a quick reference that will only have our own plants. Now when I need to know when something needs care I can scan just this one notebook. I will keep our garden plans in it too and list of plants that have or have not worked on our property. I do like having the notebooks like you have done on many subjects. When we were in school had home ec. class we had to make a notebook of stitches and such. I am a person who learns by seeing And doing and realized even back then how helpful the idea was. :) I hope more people respond with their own skills and ideas. Sarah
Love all your ideas thanks
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