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)

I have talked before about preparing every needful thing. We should try to work on this everyday even if it is a little each day. We can learn if nothing more.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/scone-mix-recipe.html - I keep this mix on hand all the time, she has fantastic info.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/?s=oatmeal+ - this gives you ideas for oatmeal.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/diy - she has many great things here you can use for gift giving.

https://www.thehouseandhomestead.com/apple-cinnamon-raisin-homemade-oatmeal/ - As long as we are talking oatmeal.

Oatmeal is a great thing to always have on hand so plan to put some in your storage.

https://eugeniekitchen.com/apple-crisp/ - I think this would be fantastic, I really love mug recipes.

As you know I am all about learning skills...

https://stylesatlife.com/articles/knitted-scarf/ - this will help you learn a basic scarf. You can just knit every row till it is as long as you like. You can look back over knitting sites in the blog. There is a fantastic site that gives you lessons on doing a child's sweater, would be easier to make a child's first then go up in size.

https://www.themakeyourownzone.com/2-ways-to-knit-diagonal-dishcloths-holes-or-no-holes/ - here is a basic pattern for dishcloths. The one in the picture is the no holes version. You can use straight needles to learn on. I am using circular needles here. Beginners start with straight needles, shorter ones are best.

In the basket, yes, I made the basket I forget to say that, but in the basket are my leftover cotton yarn from making dishcloths.

I am using up these leftovers. The one pictured I am using two alternating colors giving me a striped look.

https://howtoknitasweater.com/part-1/  - she is an excellent teacher and she will tell you every step of the way what you need to get started and then goes through it all the way to finished. I think this would be excellent. You can go at your own pace. Purchase cheap yarn to learn on to keep your cost down, plus the classes are free. 

Free is always my price, I can't afford any other.

These are a few to get you started. If you are rusty at any of these now is a good time to refresh that skill...

Cooking from scratch
Knitting 
Crochet
Sewing and mending
Learning how to make do
Canning
Dehydrating
Vacuum sealing

If there are any skills you are wanting to learn comment below and I can cover them in future blogs.

I think this is important enough to link again...
http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/08/monday-message.html  

Look for a used bread machine. If you cannot find one, you can do this recipe by hand. It is from way before anyone ever invented bread machines but keep your eye out at thrift stores as they make your life easier.   

While it mixes and rises in the machine, I can run errands or do other things. I don't care for bread baked in the bread machine so I put it on the dough setting so I can take the dough out and do any of the things in Liza's book she shared in THIS POST, scroll down to the turquoise cover, all her pages are there.

I will remind you that you do not need to use bread flour, you can make your own. Use one tsp of vital wheat gluten to one cup of regular flour and in this case the recipe calls for three cups flour so I add three tsp of vital wheat gluten.

Look for it at your health food stores or get it online. They no longer carry it at the Walmart by me or by my daughters' area which was Alabama and Florida, I checked when I was there.

I vacuum seal mine and keep a year's supply on hand at all times.

Here is a LINK to my post on step by step vacuum sealing.

If you find it in box form it has a bag inside. I poke a pin hole in the bag and stick bag and all in a wide mouth quart jar and vacuum seal.

I have gotten mine in bulk of late and fill my jar. I cut a paper towel, a coffee filter works too they work for many things, but I cut it the same size as the lid. I put this in on top of any powdery thing I vacuum seal then wipe the rim then put on the lid and ring and vacuum seal. I use the canister method but any way you do it works. The reason for putting this on top of the powder is to keep the particles from going into the sealer and killing it.

When I go to use it I keep my using jar in the refrigerator.

I keep my yeast in the freezer, except my using jar I keep in refrigerator as well.

So let me know what skill you want to learn in the comments below and keep working on your storage and keep rotating. While food lasts longer than the date in most cases, it won't last forever so keep it rotated.