Monday Message

"Most of us cannot afford to store a year’s supply of luxury items, but find it more practical to store staples that might keep us from starving in case of emergency." (James E. Faust)

Well I have been sick all week with a cold I caught at church. Suffice it to say I will have to be wearing a mask from now on. My immune system is just not as good as it once was. I guess I have to accept that. Even before Covid it was bad but now seems very much worse. I tested negative for Covid so that is good at least. So pushing through this week doing just what I have to. I did move my knitting machines into a better spot the day before I got sick, which should have been my warning it was coming. I seem to do moving of furniture the day before I get sick, I think it must be a burst of energy I get to help with getting sick but I don't recognize it and get projects done.

Some of you may have noticed Gus's pic, he is watching over us. 

At least I got it tended. I also restored three sponge bars for the one knitting machine.

I hate being sick. I'm a very bad patient I think as I don't like to rest that much. But I pushed through my "have to do things" the rest of the week.

Soon as I feel up to it I will have to start seed for the garden.

Have you been working out your garden for this year?

https://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/15-money-saving-tips-from-a-frugal-gardener/ - she has great ideas.

https://www.almanac.com/content/starting-seeds-indoors - here is a great site on why and how to start seeds indoors.

It is a huge cost saving thing to do.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2018/11/monday-message.html - here is a past post with scratch cooking, this is helpful to our budgets.

Today while really feeling lousy and worried tomorrow will be lousy as well, I did a big crockpot of chili and made a loaf of bread.

My Chili:

1 lb of browned and drained hamburger *but if you don't eat hamburger you can omit, lots of times I have made it without and it is great either way*

Four cans of tomato soup, I have used tomato sauce at times as well.

1 can of drained dark kidney beans (you can use any)

A good size pinch of granulated garlic (you can use any)

1 1/2 Tbsp dried onions (you can use any) I am not feeling good enough to use anything but dried today

2 to 3 Tbsp of chili powder

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of pepper

I just let it stay on low in the crockpot all day

So I have been adding the bread mix to switch it up. I always add a handful of oats, in addition to that I have added a handful of five grain cereal which is fantastic. Today I added those things plus about a fourth cup chopped pecans. Find out all the things you can do with this versatile bread recipe here - https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/08/monday-message.html

By doing these things today it will provide meals for a few days and I can rest more.

https://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/30-items-can-make-home-save-money/ - I just love her site.

https://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/15-creative-ways-to-fight-inflation-in-the-kitchen/

https://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/ - spend some time going through her site, I really love it.

What do you do when you are under the weather?

I have been watching podcasts on dying and weaving and I have been knitting baby socks as a gift, trying to get them done at the same time. I have been knitting from the yarn cake one sock from the outside yarn, the other from the inside yarn.

Missy says she thinks when you are under the weather stay in your bag but then she loves her bag think she loves me to be not far away so we are doing lots of resting.  She is well I am not but Missy says keep working at being frugal.

Monday Message

"A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

A way of life is a great way to look at it. We learn skills and use them, always pushing to improve them. The more we can do for ourselves, the more we save, or the less we have to come up with moneywise.

Look for sales and keep stocking up.

We, at this time, can see the ground - no snow, no ice, wonderful! I know we aren't done with winter but it's a nice break.

Soon I will be starting seed. You should be thinking about what you plan to grow in your garden.

I have been researching a pattern I want to do on the inkle loom. It is something pretty different so I have been researching it and eventually I will be warping it up for this project.

This is how you go about learning something - determine what you want to learn or enhance what you already know. This is the best time to learn new things because we can study anything on the computer. There are tutorials for so many things and articles on so many things. We just need to find the time to research them.

You might be thinking, how does tatting (for example) help me to be more frugal? Well, I make gifts. No matter how hard times are for us I can still make gifts so there is something to think about.

If you want to plant but do not know how - https://www.thespruce.com/growing-seeds-indoors-common-mistakes-847800 look up in your search engine, there are many things you can research.

https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar - here is a site that you type in your zip code and they will tell you when to plant your seeds indoors and out.

Being frugal...look for used things from yard sales or thrift stores or even deep in your closets.

I decided to take around the house shots of things from those very places to give you frugal ideas.

One of you commented on these boxes, mentioning shaker boxes, and that gave me an idea as I only have one, so I put it in the stack with others. It is the dark one with the handle. It has all the stuff in it to make dish scrubbies like this one...

The rest of the boxes are cheese boxes acquired for free. I do not know if cheese still comes this way but you could ask at your grocery store.

This trunk I got from freecycle I love it, it contains my genealogy and my journals.

Over the years at yard sales I would pick up rolling pins, even the basket holding them was from a yard sale.

Here's more yard sale finds or things I got free...

So through these pictures you can see I have decorated my home with very little funds and I used collections I have. So don't be afraid to use your collections.

Even the rug loom was from Goodwill.

I traded a knitting machine I had for this drum carder. So don't rule out trading for items as well.

Even little missy was free, she was born under the front porch.

Missy says so look around for ways you can be more frugal and keep stocking your pantries.

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)

Well, this week we got another storm. For us it was an ice storm. I feel we were the lucky ones - no loss of power and no shoveling.

I did, however, need to wear my ice cleats which are very helpful as our driveway could be an ice skating rink really.

I walked out to get the mail and the mailman came at the same time. He saw me and pulled into the drive some to save me going further, wasn't that nice? I love small town living.

Again, it was so nice not having to go to the store for food on those roads. It still hasn't melted because we are so cold. This weekend is to be warmer and it will melt. Of course, by the time you read this it will all be gone.

I have finished the scarf I knit out of my own hand-spun yarn.

It was really fun to knit with my hand-spun.

I have started on the next spin.

This week's hardest job took two days of painful working. I went through and embossed each folder I have to its full size so I can figure out what I want easier and how big it will be. I do have a lot of folders gathered over many years. I put them in page protectors, this way I could see the back of them as lots have a cute different look on the back.

It was a ton of work so now this book is filled with every embossing image I have. You might notice the numbers are not in order. Each number matches that number of the folder and those are in drawers like a recipe file would be. But I chose to put like things together, like all the dot images, all the birthday images, etc. 

So if I was making a birthday card for someone, I would go to that section and pick which image I wanted then check that number on the image and go to the file, find the number (which are in order) and pull it, make the image, and return the folder to the file. This was a back breaking job. Took two days and lots of pain but now it will make it easier on me locating and using them. The file stayed the same but the pictures give the right size and better idea than before.

Then that left this binder for die cut and punches....

So that job is done, I am so glad.

I also took notes because all folders are not equal, not at all.... Some I needed to remove the bottom plate of the embossing machine, some used another plate and shims and cranking them through the machine.

Missy wanted to supervise. She played on the ironing board and watched closely.

I made chili and cinnamon rolls for the cold days of the storm. Tomorrow I will be making up more jars of bread mix as I am down to one.

I am grateful to have all the skills I have learned and to have the storage to assist me in the days we find ourselves in.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2018/01/monday-message_29.html - here is a past blog that holds a lot of info.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/10/monday-message.html - and also this one.

Missy leaves you with her words of wisdom... First, don't ever let your mommy dress you. Second, store one can of beans, three packages of cat treats, one bag of pasta, three packages of cat treats. And thirdly build those skills. We never know when we will need them. But seriously, don't forget to store three packages of cat treats, Missy says :p

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)

We had another snow storm this week.

I waited for that snowplow to take the picture. I could hear it coming. I know some of you are having summer right now so sending some of our winter to you.

At this time of year the great thing is it doesn't last long. Looking forward to spring. Having storage means staying in instead of running to the store in such weather. I am adding my from scratch chocolate chip cookie recipe for you to enjoy...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. margarine or butter

1/2 c. plus 1/3 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

Mix this well and add:

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

Then I really cream this together, all of it so far, maybe three to four minutes.

Then add:

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Mix just enough to incorporate it, stop and add:

12 oz. package chocolate chips

Half to one cup chopped nuts, either walnuts or pecans (if you have picky kids, you can leave out or take out half and add nuts to the other half).

Drop then bake at 350 degrees till golden.

We all love these. You can add the dough on plastic wrap in a log and roll in tinfoil, label it and freeze, then when wanted, pull out of the freezer, slice and bake. When the kids were home I doubled the recipe and froze logs of cookie dough. I made sure the kids got cookies when they got home from school. One little friend said how do you know how to do so many different ones? Tooo cute.

Nothing like softening the blow of homework with yummy cookies.

Cooking from scratch is such a cheaper thing to do. I once had a doctor tell me if people made their own bread we could reduce mental illness...I do not know if she meant kneading it was a way to work out aggression or the chemicals that are in store bought, wish I would have asked. But one thing for sure, it is cheaper to make it from scratch.

I know that we can be very busy people and it is hard to find time but it is a blessing to have that skill and use it, plus when you make bread little yeast buddies escape to help make your bread rise even better the next time. 

Store the ingredients to be able to make bread. I store my yeast in the freezer and I keep a quart jar in the refrigerator as my using jar. I fill it from the yeast in the freezer and before you ask, I use it straight out of the refrigerator or freezer. It works just as well either way.

I store all-purpose flour in five gallon buckets labeled and dated. I keep two bay leaves in each bucket, I put them on top of flour before adding the lid. I also store wheat berries in five gallon buckets, same thing with two bay leaves on top then put on the lid, date, and label. 

I also store vital wheat gluten and all the ingredients to make breads of many kinds as well as make jams and jellies to have on the bread. 

For many many years I would get bread pans at yard sales. Back then the going price was ten cents, every sale I went to ten cents, makes you wonder if there was some rule, but I picked them up. Go price a bread pan now at the store. it will make your eyes bleed. I can see why people think it would cost more but even today's price on pans will save you money each time you use them. They are not throw away products you use them over and over and over all your life. Spread that cost out for all those times and it saves money.

Also, if you are able get a bread machine for a few dollars at thrift stores or yard sales this is a great thing to have as well. Plug it in though before purchasing it. Start the machine by going to the dough setting. You should hear a whir whir whir then you know it works. I like it for making one loaf of bread worth of dough. I use the dough setting then shape it, rise and bake. Have to say though when it is horridly hot I do go ahead and bake it in the machine to not heat up the kitchen or if I have many loaves I don't use it. I wait for the bread to cool then I use an electric knife to slice it all at once.

Do some deep dives into your recipe box. Find the cheapest recipes you have and put them into regular use. Find ways to stretch what you have and when you get groceries pick up cheaper options like dried beans over canned beans and plain rice over mixes as you can make your own mix and have it for casseroles and cereal.

Research cheaper ways of doing things. Pretty soon will be time to plant seeds to be ready to transplant to your garden.

Crackers are easy to make as well - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqiATrO5oeE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0gJJIrx03w&t=1s. - here she shows how to make noodles, she does say you don't have to use the mixer.

Yes, you can make your own noodles, they are way better than store bought.

Well, the puzzle is all put together. We love to start a puzzle around Christmas and work on it as long as it takes. I picked up this puzzle at the thrift store and was sooo glad all the pieces were there.

I was able to stop in at the thrift store this week and found a pattern. Look for that v-neck in the future, only longer. That is the beauty of sewing is making things you want.

As you know I love to collect cookie presses to use...

Here are my cookie presses. I only ever got them used I would not even know where to look for them new.

My other find was this...

I found these all in bag cookie presses. How cute are they? One looks like a sunflower. It reminded me of a lady who brought snicker doodles into the library. She was excited to tell us what she used to press on the cookie that gave such a cute flower design when they were baked. It was an empty plastic thread spool. If you take the sticker off the end it makes a great cookie press. I don't even remember how I came to collect the presses in the bowl. I am sure they were probably in with other kitchen items as I would not even know what they were. But by and by they were dirt cheap at yard sales. My favorite one is the one on top of a hot cocoa.

Today I started my next spinning project...

This braid came from a store no longer in business, sadness :(

I opened it up then split it lengthwise...

Once I do that I pull on it to loosen fibers then put in these bundles.

Then I started spinning. The spinning wheel was a gift from my sister a few years ago.

I am still working on sock tubes here I am doing the toe on this one.

Missy says it is very important now to to find frugal ways and to build your storage and to build those skills.

Monday Message

"Regardless of where we live or our financial situation, the path to preparation will open before us as we comply with the counsel of the prophets and go forward as means and circumstances permit." (Gordon K. Bischoff, The Ensign, Sept. 1997, p. 67)

I hope you all are having a great week.  Spring is hopefully coming, I see more ground than snow and that is making me very happy.

This week I have been in spring cleaning mode I guess. It all started with the angle of the sun changing because I was getting headaches from having the sun in my eyes while on the treadmill. So I moved the treadmill so it was facing another direction. It was so much heavier than when I did it last time. Moving things here means not just one thing moves, just about everything has to move. I needed to shift the couch a few inches so I could get the treadmill to fit and so it went till finally I got it to fit in.

Then the next day I decided to move the rug loom. First, it was so heavy I don't remember it being that heavy either...I think I am getting wimpy. It took me almost an hour to just get it moved, I did it while hubby was gone or it wouldn't have taken as long but I kept at it. Second, oh my goodness the dust I couldn't see. I think I could have done a garden inside probably not but felt like it. I refer you back to "I can't just move one thing as it affects everything else" except the treadmill and the other floor loom this time. I made it through though and it is tended.

This is the picture that you can see the treadmill in the back corner.

Here is what I see when I am on the treadmill the other half of the living room. You can see the rug loom I moved on the left, it used to be in front of the green bookshelf. See it did not move far but oh it was hard work and took an hour to get there.

This is the other loom. It is across from the rug loom kind of... I have been working on dish towels on it.

Here is how the pattern looks so far. 

I also have been working on the rug mugs on the table top loom.

The other thing I have been working on is putting heels and toes in sock tubes I cranked on the sock machine.

I am trying to get these tubes done...

I got one pair finally finished.

The yarn I used on this pair I dyed when my sister was teaching me how to dye quite a few years ago on a very hot day. That ball is all I have leftover.

So this week was basically moving stuff around in the living room and working at building my skills.

Missy says remember to rest as you work on your storage and skills. She also says she would have helped but doesn't have thumbs :p