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 don't think we have to imagine very hard on this.

The world is in some very dark times right now.

We need to work even harder to lift others and to find joy, but we must!

Eight days ago I came down with this cold-flu. Thank goodness we had our shots! I can't even imagine how much worse it would have been as this is pretty bad. I had my 70th birthday sick - not fun at all. If I could market what is coming out of my nose, I'd be rich. It is an awful lot of awful. I am HOPING by the time you read this in two weeks I will be better. It is hard to think being in something this bad. It came on very fast. So if you haven't gotten it, plan some sick meals. That has saved me so much. At this time, hubby is now also getting sick.

I would say plan some projects for when you get it but I truly haven't felt up to it, though I do have some close by.

This new year means different health insurance for us. And oh how we have to wade through woes with that like things not covered, changing to similar meds, hoping they are as good, unexpected medical bills. Thank goodness for storage as February will be a storage-only month. Again, seems we aren't alone in this. It is, I fear, going to be happening more often with these medical things that have gone way out of control.

So if you find yourself fretting getting groceries or it's spotty at best, let me tell you how I get groceries on those few times of late that I have gotten them...

Your first instinct is to get all you want to get because you went without those items. Squelch that right off the bat. When I go to get groceries in these uncertain times, I tell myself what if I can't get groceries next month (I get groceries by the month). There are things we need to have like distilled water for running medical equipment, certain over-the-counter meds like Tylenol and allergy meds - that sort of thing. By the way, my groceries include everything - food and non-food alike.  

Side note - I am very thankful I had cough drops in my storage and Kleenex. So the last time I got groceries, over a third of it was non-food. Normally it isn't, but I kept saying, "but what if something happens that I can't get groceries and shopped" - that what if. And here we are with the something happened.  

If I had just shopped getting easy things or only food items, I would be soooooo stressed out right now as well as being sick. Was it hard to think about groceries that way?? Yes, it was but you have to make the hard choices, we just have to do it. We have to make hard cuts to our budget. Is it fun? No, it is not fun but it is being responsible. We can do hard things! 

I don't see this improving for us. The caps that were on medicine were removed by this administration so I think meds will continue to go up without warning. How do you even prepare for the unknown on a fixed income??  Hard choices - we will all have to make them.

Usually, it just isn't one thing but several that go all at once.

We are never alone. Heavenly Father is there. We need only ask for help. It isn't going to always be what we want but it will be the help we need.

Assess what we have and what we KNOW we will need. This week I was given pants in my size but a foot - no kidding - a foot too long. So as soon as I feel better, I will hem them. We will be blessed. Do I feel embarrassed? Not at all. I feel blessed. We can do these things. This is why I keep stressing to build storage and skills, And why I keep saying to learn those skills before you need them to help you get a leg up when things hit your home.

So miserable - I have made two blog posts now being sick. It is the "too sick to read" sick so I found an artist on YouTube that I enjoy watching as she teaches watercolor. I have been doing that and on one she showed a ceramic cat she made that held her watercolor brushes. So while skyping to get last week's post up and visiting with our youngest, I took a little sculpey in orange and off-white - it took very little and was what my husband's mom gave him when she passed. So I used a little and made a cat in the colors of Mr. McGuire, some of you from the very beginning will remember him - what a good cat! So I formed this cat brush holder to honor him and my mother-in-law. I picture him on her lap looking down on us and being pleased about this cat brush holder.

I am happy with it and he holds my brushes while I am working with them. So that is what you do while you are skyping and don't feel well. My husband took him out and baked him in his craft oven and here he sits, waiting for me to feel better and use him.

My husband is now getting this as well. I expect it will be a rough go of it for us. We have this rule that when one gets sick the other must wait to get sick till the other is well. So that rule isn't working this time.

Winter in my neck of the woods isn't over, so prepare before you get sick to have what you need on hand. Plus, put some leftovers in the freezer because when you are feeling lousy, it is nice to pull it out and heat it and eat it.

Hopefully you can outrun the flu but be prepared either way.

Missy says try to stay healthy and keep working on your storage, every little bit helps!

Tippy Longstockings says keep building those skills - this could be the year you need them the most.

The kittens wanted to put a smile on your face with some pictures of them.

Monday Message

"The best food storage is not in welfare grain elevators but in sealed cans and bottles in the homes of our people. What a gratifying thing it is to see cans of wheat and rice and beans under the beds or in the pantries of women who have taken welfare responsibility into their own hands. Such food may not be tasty, but it will be nourishing if it has to be used." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

It still seems prices continue to rise and we must try harder to stock our pantries.

Keep looking for sales.

Keep trying to find more frugal ways of doing things. Learn to do more for yourself. YouTube has lots of people showing how to fix things and how to replace things. Once, we changed a starter by having a tutorial and we did it! So try that before you pay.

Our money is not going very far so we need to do everything we can do to live more frugally. Think outside the box.

Tip: Before I get groceries, I go through my refrigerator and clean and chop any produce left from the month and put them in the dehydrator and dry them for later use.

At the beginning of the year, people want to organize, so they run to purchase tubs and all manner of organizing bins. Instead of doing that, look around your house and see what you already have that can help you with organizing projects.

We have a recycle place where it has items that still have usefulness - it is like a free yardsale. This last week, I picked up these two books, the person used them for budgeting by envelope method as they had labels on these ziploc type envelopes that are heavy duty. So I took off the labels and put my embossing stencils in them - way sturdier than the little photo album which had flimsy pockets, so I organized things into these books....

I use these brass stencils in card making.

I put this in here to show how to take something with a purpose and use it for another. We just have to think outside that box - recycle, reuse... waste not, want not!

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without," should be our motto for this year.

https://www.pinterest.com/lovelyetcblog/repurpose-reuse-recycle/

https://www.google.com/search?q=reuse+recycle+repurpose&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS960US960&oq=reuse+recycle+reporpose&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCQgBEAAYDRiABDIGCAAQRRg5MgkIARAAGA0YgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMgoIBhAAGAUYDRgeMgoIBxAAGAUYDRgeMgoICBAAGAUYDRgeMgoICRAAGAgYDRge0gEJMTgwMTBqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:cc72d895,vid:mMYqGSqG6i8,st:0. I like the idea of making crinkle things. I should make some toys for the cats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69o1z-MxJ88 - this has some really nice ideas.

https://www.pinterest.com/diyhsh/recycle-reuse-repurpose/

https://www.google.com/search?q=reuse+recycle+repurpose&sca_esv=a8d116dd7e3648b9&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS960US960&sxsrf=AE3TifMF-SVO4Q5Uh9ZKDjALMWkPnR38Dg:1767561934635&ei=ztpaabvAJrPrptQP34aW8QM&sqi=2&start=10&sa=N&sstk=Af77f_e_cusQx4jCJki-mckx4SViMxddgewHJdGd5-3nw_WCHMcn5awCu1ZqECnnqgmx9GKtQTt40Wg8pRygwuLSAg0Htf0Zmc4YIw&ved=2ahUKEwi73-2p6fKRAxWztYkEHV-DJT4Q8tMDegQIDBAE&biw=1600&bih=888&dpr=1.35#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:89d23e08,vid:UjgtrXO-jf8,st:0

I think this could inspire you.

I know a lot of people are going to use what they have already on hand and not purchase new items this year. One lady is going to finish twelve unfinished projects. She has embroidery projects and sewing projects and knitting projects. She said she picked twelve to finish one unfinished project a month rather than buy anything new this year.

When our girls brought home art from over the years that they made at school, I saved them, then I traced onto a piece of muslin and embroidered their artwork. I made them pillows of their work and I made us pictures.... a few are on this wall so we can continue to enjoy them.

I used the same colors that they did and embroidered the pictures, then I placed a sheet of tinfoil on a cookie sheet and laid the art face up on the foil. I heated a cup of water and put like four tea bags in it. Then, using the tea bags, I dabbed on the thick tea when it was like how I wanted it. Then I baked this in the lowest temperature my oven would go till it was dry (about fifteen minutes or so). Then framed them. Each has the name of the child and the date that they made the art.

Things do not have to cost money to be nice. I had everything, even the frames.

I think over time many think they are down in the dumps and shopping is a way to feel better. I suggest not doing that. Also, window shopping is not helpful if your budget is tight. Find other things. Like if you are down, think of someone who needs a visit or a plate of cookies or give a helping hand and before you know it, your mood has changed.

These are just a few ideas. I bet if you think about it, you could come up with lots more ideas.

Missy says just do the best you can and find time for you as well.

Tippy Longstockings says while things are hard now, keep a stiff upper lip - we can do this!

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)

Make a plan to stock up on your storage.

Make a plan to learn skills.

I think we all are going to have to live a lot more frugally this new year.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2020/02/monday-message_24.html - this is about skills.

I stopped into the thrift store (Salvation Army) today and there was some cotton yarn - one can make dishcloths out of - they also had some knitting needles, and a little fabric, so don't rule out haunting your thrift stores. I saw big sheets that would give you less expensive fabric. Today they seemed to be putting out racks and racks of clothing, so don't rule out used clothing - actually, I think it is better quality now than the clothing that is new.

Keep looking for vacuum sealers - they help save so much money! I did not see any today but I often see them. Also, I saw bread pans.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html - bread is a huge price-saver right now too. If you always keep the ingredients in storage, you will have baked items for less.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-message_16.html

Dishcloths are a great way to learn to knit and useful as well, plus they're great to give as gifts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6t1upQeNAE - here is a great place to learn to make dishcloths.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/12/monday-message_9.html - great beginning sewing links here.

Don't rule out frugal foods and scratch-cooking as huge money savers.

https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/single-serve-slow-cooker-oatmeal/ - we eat a lot of oats at this house.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/06/monday-message_15.html - ha ha ha too funny! Cause now I am turning 70 and have even seen more, the times we are living in topping the list.

Tippy Longstockings wants to ask what frugal ideas do you have for this year? Leave comments below - we all learn from each other.

Missy is popping in here as well to say keep being kind, it is needed more than ever! 

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/julekaga.html - I will be making this on New Year's Day. We love it (P.S. look at that little Missy! She was so tiny then!)

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/02/monday-message_23.html 

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/02/lemon-biscotti.html - these are our very favorite, yum!

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2014/12/lets-sit-by-fire.html - awww yes, sit by the fire - here is my favorite caramel corn.

https://theloopywhisk.com/2020/04/02/ultimate-gluten-free-bread/

https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/easy-gluten-free-bread/

I think that there is so very much one can learn. We need to slow down enough to be able to learn.

Take the time to learn something every day!

Missy says keep working on your storage and get what you need for making bread in your storage - she will help you eat it, yum!

Tippy Longstockings says remember to take care of you too!

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)

By the time you get this, the holidays are passed and it is close to my birthday.

I hope you have had wonderful time over the holidays.

I hope you have rested up. We need to take care of us as well ya know.

We are in soup season and soup is very frugal.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/cheap-soup-recipes-for-fall/ - taste of home has great recipes. If you have a favorite soup recipe put it in the comment section below.

https://realfoodrealdeals.com/frugal-healthy-soup-recipes/

https://www.thriftyfrugalmom.com/12-favorite-easy-soup-recipes/

https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/easy-soup-recipes/

https://thefrugalgirls.com/best-soup-recipes

There are wonderful recipes on these sites! But, what to make to go with that soup??

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2022/06/monday-message_20.html

Rolls

Bread

Popovers

Cornbread

It is a great time to build those breadmaking skills and invent all kinds of interesting rolls....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdTAcAgOONw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JVARcThpZU

Turn the kids loose, let them create rolls that could be fun as well!

All of this is frugal and what you save on your food budget, use to build that storage.

I find putting your soup in the crockpot in the morning helps when I am exhausted at supper time.

Take the slower pace of winter to learn that skill you have been wanting to learn.

Back in December this fella was looking for something to build a skill with.

I finished a spinning project...

I am trying to learn to spin better yarn. Although I love all that I have made and use it as well, there is always more to learn.

So even if you have a skill, try to build on that skill.

At the same time, build your other skills and your storage.

In my neck of the woods, we are now entering into cabin fever time - it's a thing.

https://www.pinterest.com/pplelectric/cabin-fever/

https://www.snowredfern.org/2024/01/26/50-fun-cabin-fever-activities-for-kids/

https://signup.com/prevent-cabin-fever

Go through your clothes and dad's clothes, find some whacky items like scarves, ties, shoes etc. and build a fun dress-up box.

Tippy Longstockings says her favorite activity is chasing a laser light.

Prices continue to go up and will for a while. Remember to find joy where you can. Be helpful to others. Help people in need and share smiles wherever you are.

We can do amazing things when we put our minds to it.

Missy says just do the best you can. Try to look for that joy and find rest.

Tippy Longstockings says when you are blue, find a friend to cheer up and you will feel better too.

Monday Message

"The best food storage is not in welfare grain elevators but in sealed cans and bottles in the homes of our people. What a gratifying thing it is to see cans of wheat and rice and beans under the beds or in the pantries of women who have taken welfare responsibility into their own hands. Such food may not be tasty, but it will be nourishing if it has to be used." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

At the time of this writing it is December 17. We have temps that are nice, melting all that snow - I love it!

It sure has been a busy time...

I thought you would love elf here, he is cheering up his friends. My friend Kathy had a candleholder like this. One evening I stopped by, she had it on with candle and lights out - it was like their own little bonfire. They cast big shadows, I loved it. Then a few years later, I found this at a yard sale and snatched it right up.

I hope that by the time you are reading this you finally are resting. Now we can crack down on our storage and skills. Remember, goals are the stars to steer by, not sticks to beat ourselves with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYbSR6T4OW4 - here is important information on cans with past-due dates. They are still good, don't throw them out unless they are bulging or leaking they are still good. This brings us to always rotating your food. Put new in the back and use up the older. This is a huge saving on those dollars you spend on food. But knowing the food is good helps you with your pantry.

Our Church The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently discovered that some things we were getting and putting in storage was good for way longer than first thought if properly stored. I get my powdered milk through the church's storehouse as I like it better than what you can get at your stores. They said it is good for 25 years. Well, I can tell you mine is going on 26 years and is just as good as the day I got it all those years ago.

So what I am saying is, don't throw out your expired food, it is still good.  

https://preparednessmama.com/expiration-dates-on-food/ - more info on dates.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSDTpb0i3dY - you could get ideas here but prices have gone up and will continue to do so.

If you find a good sale on salmon (let's say) and if you are like me and don't eat it, don't get it! I know you hear all the time, if you are hungry enough you will eat it. I wholeheartedly assure you I would eat grass first, I won't eat salmon. So only store things you and your family eat now - that is very important!

Now you maybe eat store-bought bread and want to be able to bake bread - if you do, introduce this new thing to your family. Make cinnamon rolls then cinnamon swirl bread. It's to perfect your skill at baking bread. 

I use vital wheat gluten and I use an electric knife to slice my bread. I slice it all at one time before I put it into a bag. I find the reason most people complain is because it is sliced too thick and with electric knife, I can slice it any thickness - so thin you can see through it. Of course, I just use a regular slice but I am telling you that you could go that thin. I slice it all at once because like store bread, the whole loaf is sliced, you can just reach in, grab slices and make your sandwich. If you slice as you go, first day is okay but each day after that it crumbles.

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html - there is a lot of bread information here.

https://www.fromvalerieskitchen.com/easy-pantry-staple-recipes-food-stocking-storage-tips/

https://food.unl.edu/article/how-cook-dry-beans-scratch/ - you probably have beans in your storage.

https://thesurvivalmom.com/simple-food-storage-meals-for-tight-times-stock-up-on-three-months-worth-fast/

How are you doing on building your skills?  They are going to be more important in the new year.

I finished spinning my yarn...

I finally finished spinning the project I was working on.

It came to 324 yards, it is drying now in the last picture.

When it is dry, I will twist it into a skein and attach a tag with the yardage on it. Sadly, I got the fiber long ago. The store is now closed. I think a lot of things will be closing.

It was my plan to get it finished as a gift to myself for Christmas.

I have plans yet to make a new bonnet for my sock machine as well for Christmas.

I had stirred up cookie dough that I still have three kinds to bake off.

I encourage you to get a budget drawn up and work on your goals and your storage and your skill building.

I was given a five pound bag of carrots. I have never seen that size of bag before. I decided to clean and slice and blanch well and put in the dehydrator. While I had it going, I diced up old apples, giving the squirrels the peelings and cores - they ate them right up. I diced the apples into lemon water to keep them from browning. These will be great in oatmeal and the carrots great in soups, so don't throw out things, dehydrate them.

Missy says make a good plan to tackle the new year!

Tippy Longstockings says keep putting in supplies and building skills, this will be a tough year.

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)

After Christmas has come and gone, we turn our attention to the new year. I feel it is ever important to plan for it.

How is your storage? What are your goals for building it up?

Make a plan. Where are your low spots? How will you add to it? Prices are going to continue to rise. If you use up a jar of peanut butter, put it on your grocery list times two.  And ROTATE!!! If you don't do this, you are wasting money and food. Some I know write the date on the item when they put it in storage and some move things forward and put it behind.

But because prices are going up, do not wait for them to come down. Remember my story about the flour and how it had gone up? I asked why and the person putting out the flour said just wait. it will come down. Well, twenty-some odd years later, it hasn't yet come down. I bought the flour then and continue to buy it. We need to not wait.

I made the cats toys for Christmas...

Trying to work in my low budget Christmas, I worked with what I had. There is catnip inside each with the stuffing.

There are times that are hard and we have to work inside of tight parameters.

We can do this. 

Our cats will love these maybe more than store bought.

But working with what we have saves money in that I didn't need to add a burden to an already tight budget.

Which brings me to next year's plan again...

What are the skills you want to learn in 2026? Make a list!

https://www.creeksidesimplicity.com/25-ways-live-simple-life/ - here are some ideas to get your juices going.

https://www.queenofthehousehold.com/homemaking-skills/ - I like that rest and taking care of ourselves is on the list.

https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/40-lost-homemaking-skills-that-need-to-be-refound/ - has a nice list.

We don't need to know it all at once. We also don't need to beat ourselves up that we aren't the best. We do the best we can for our family.

Skills are so varied. Let's say you bought cookies (side note here wow - prices have really gone up! I walked by a display of Oreos and my heart wept at how high they have gotten) so maybe you let your skill be baking different cookies. I have a friend who makes a cookie of the week - different each week.  Your friends have favorite recipes and would love to share them with you! I will go first...

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2022/11/monday-message_21.html - these are our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Be a collector of good recipes.

I just used cookies as an example but there are so many other skills.

I plan to continue to learn more weaving using what fiber I have on hand.

I also will keep spinning to use fiber I make which is using what I have.

Sewing - I want to continue to make my own clothing using what I have or can find fabric thrifting.

These are a few of the areas I continue to work on, your list will be completely different.

Decide what on your list is most important and do that first.

Now for the fun we have been having with the elf...

We have had more fun with this silly elf and it has been free fun for sure.

Missy says she is shocked by the prices of everything. She says just do the best you can. Little by little it adds up.

Tippy Longstockings says she knows we will all get through this together. Keep trying to have free fun.  And to share your favorite cookie recipe in the comments below.