Monday Message

CLICK HERE for a recipe for my favorite cinnamon rolls.

"Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. ... As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year's supply of necessities.  I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel.  I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over.  With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness."  L. Tom Perry, "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," Ensign, Nov. 1995.

Finally feels like fall. Remember, it is still preparedness month and our goal is to be actively working on your storage.

I would like to add another goal. I know you are busy, I do get it, but now the kids are back to school and the goal is to try and live more frugally so that you do not go into debt for Christmas. Be planning on how to have a frugal Christmas. Oh I know there is no snow and you don’t want to think of this till you have to but if you get working on this now you can have a stress-free/debt-free Christmas. I am not ever saying you have to live and do what I do but am offering ideas or different ways of doing things.

I like to get the gifts sent out by Thanksgiving. This is really more for me than anyone else that way I can have some down time and enjoy the season. Another reason why I do this is because I get sick or the storms come and this gives me time so I won’t have to be stressing.  For example, I was running late getting my daughter’s birthday gift ready and right when I was halfway done my husband had an emergency gallbladder surgery that turned into a five day stay because of complications… totally unexpected. I was worried I would not get her gifts ready in time to send.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/09/diy-birthday-gift-for-eldest-daughter.html - as you can see I barely was able to get it done in time as I stayed up at the hospital running back and forth and tending what I could which left no time to work on them… things happen so being prepared helps with these things. 

Fall is now in the air! http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/35-fun-fall-activities-for-kids/ - here are fun ideas to do with your kids.

http://tenatthetable.com/recipes/homemade-freezer-biscuits/ this is handy and frugal, plus let the kids help cut out different shapes with cookie cutters. This is very frugal and very handy to have on hand    *****tip….double or triple the recipe, bake some for supper and freeze the rest.

http://www.theyummylife.com/Instant_Oatmeal_Packets - handy to have your own healthy mixes made waiting for a good breakfast. With a little preparing ahead you will have a faster breakfast and save you $!

http://www.copykat.com/2013/10/27/how-to-make-italian-seasoned-breadcrumbs/ - this too will save you money.

http://livesimply.me/2013/05/06/homemade-yogurt-in-the-crock-pot-recipe/ - I threw this in so you have an alternative way to make yogurt.

Here is the recipe that I make - http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-message_30.html

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/slow-cooker-apple-butter/ apple time of the year, I thought you might like these apple sites http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/22-amazing-apple-recipes/

It is time to be looking at your storage to see where you need to beef it up….

Also it is general conference time which is a reminder to some to update their 72 hr kits.

We have a tradition of having chili and cinnamon rolls during on conference weekend, here's my recipe for cinnamon rolls - http://www.beckysbacktobasics.com/get_full_recipe.php?search.x=21&search.y=27&File=1270333649

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/10-forgotten-money-saving-skills/ learning to be frugal is a wonderful skill.

We don’t want to shovel more out the back door than what comes in the front door is an old saying meaning don’t be wasteful, think how hard it is to earn the income we need to apply all the skills we can to stretch it.

Remember to work on getting your storage in. Look at your storage and see what areas you need to build up. For me it is to get about fifty more lbs of flour, four more shortening and some additional powdered milk and a few more oats… I am sure that you are doing a fantastic job on your storage. Keep up the good work!

DIY birthday gift for eldest daughter

Today is my eldest daughter's birthday! (Happy birthday, Laura dear!)

I made her a set of three Celtic knot heart pillows. Earlier this year she sent me a picture of them from Pinterest and I made a mental note for when her birthday rolled around. You can find a tutorial on how to make these pillows HERE.

Inspired by the pillows I also made her a Celtic knot heart necklace. I knitted the cording and used the same procedure for the pillows on the knot.

Below is a picture of the beginning work on the pillows. These are the long tubes after I got the turned right-side out.

Next it was a lot like stuffing sausage. You roll a magazine and slide the fabric on then start stuffing it.

This is how the pillow looks right before I tied the knot. This part felt like fighting an Octopus! In the end I was pretty happy with how they turned out.

Monday Message

Christmas isn't that far off! Time to learn those basic skills that can make your holidays more frugal!

"We suggest that members concentrate on essential foods that sustain life" (First Presidency letter, 24 June 1988). 

Learn to Use What You Store 

"Every father and mother are the family’s storekeepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency. . . . Some have said, “We have followed this counsel in the past and have never had need to use our year’s supply, so we have difficulty keeping this in mind as a major priority.” Perhaps following this counsel could be the reason why they have not needed to use their reserve. By continued rotation of the supply it can be kept usable with no waste" (James E. Faust, in Conference Report, Apr. 1986, 26; or Ensign, May 1986, 22). 

"A year's supply of food storage is beneficial in several ways: 

1. It provides peace of mind as we obey the counsel to store. 

2. It helps ensure survival in case of personal or natural disaster. 

3. It strengthens skills in preparing and using basic foods" ("Home Storage: Build on the Basics," Ensign, June 1989, 40).

Building on the basics, I like that. Can you make a list of things that you want to learn? It would look different from others’ lists as we all are different.

Sewing…

http://www.sewmamasew.com/2015/05/how-to-make-sew-bias-tape-tutorial/ - this is good to know how to make and if you do not own a device for this make your own using this next link…
http://stitch-n-smile.com/how-to-thursday-create-a-bias-tape-maker/

Tip: Anytime you want something first see if you can make it over half the time you can and save $$ if not checkout thrift stores while you are saving for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAomYjHzUQk make your own pillow cases, I love this gal's way of explaining.

http://www.goodbyehousehellohome.com/2012/09/a-zebra-slipcover.html this knowledge can save much money

Knitting…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Aen1ffHpQ basics how to get started on a scarf

http://www.curioushandmade.com/freebobblehat/ how to knit a hat on straight needles

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE5FBD9B9043D0928 mittens on straight needles

If you know how to knit with circulars or double needles, great! Once beginners master using straight needles then learn on others.

Are you working on your food storage goal?? I love hearing what you are doing.

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/35-frugal-recipes-to-make-when-youre-broke/#_a5y_p=4002362  I personally don’t think we have to have hard times to be frugal. When was the last time you made biscuits?

http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/10/cinnamon-sugar-french-toast-sticks.html  slow down and have breakfast http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/10/cinnamon-sugar-french-toast-sticks.html - kids like to dunk things, yum!

http://www.moneywisemoms.com/2014/05/baked-potato-bar/ this could be fun

http://foodstorage5.tripod.com/recipebook2.html - recipes using food storage, scroll down through, after you get going there are some great ones.

http://pgward.org/ep/archives/category/recipes - more cooking with storage

http://www.hashworks.com/foodstorage.htm great things on here as well, there are great ideas to find the money to stock up.

http://histakes-food-storage.blogspot.com/ - this has more recipes, by the way I love the wheat blender pancakes.

This month is fast leaving us, it really is time to buckle down and get ready for winter. Also, be thinking of gifts you can make to have a frugal Christmas.

I was just talking with a friend who was thinking to better prepare for winter now. Last year was horrific, they had so much snow. She said if it is as bad I say prepare as if they all were bad like that. There is nothing wrong being really prepared and if it isn’t that bad it isn’t like you will throw out the extra, you will use it. It is never a good idea to wait till the end. I like to do a little each month.

You don’t want to be the one trying to go for toilet paper with two feet of snow on the ground.

All that great preparing you have been doing will bless your family!

This is preparedness month so give a bit more attention to it if you can.

Monday Message

"The greatest events that have been spoken of by all the Holy Prophets will come along so naturally as the consequences of certain causes, that unless our eyes are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and the spirit of revelation rests upon us, we will fail to see that these are the events predicted by the Holy Prophets." George Q. Cannon, Nov. 2, 1879, JD 21:266-67.

"We do not know when the calamities and troubles of the last days will fall upon any of us as individuals or upon bodies of the Saints. ... We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, He will then help us with whatever else we need. ... We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands." Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign May 1979, p. 93.

"I stand before the Church this day and raise the warning voice. ... It is a voice calling upon the Lord's people to prepare for the troubles and desolations which are about to be poured out 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." Bruce R. McConkie, Ensign May 1979, pp. 92-93.

“Noah heeded God’s command to build an ark...that they might be saved from the floodwaters…Yet there was no evidence of rain and flood…His actions were considered irrational…The sun was shining and life moved forward as usual. But time ran out…The floods came, the disobedient were drowned… When God speaks and we obey, we will always be right” T.S.Monson Ensign 10-07

SEPTEMBER is preparedness month so I am checking on how you are doing, are you prepared? My test is can you go six months without grocery shopping? If you can, wonderful! Keep working to double that. If your answer is no, you have a large family to feed, I say exactly! YOU have a family to feed, all the more reason to get on it.

I recently commented on a food storage list that we just the two of us go through 25lbs of flour a month. Several people were taken back, how could that be???  If you are living on your storage then you make bread, rolls, cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, homemade noodles and mixes, croutons, stuffing, cookies and cake, brunch cake, pancakes and waffles, popovers, puff pancakes, tortillas…… Think about what your family really eats in a month whether or not you've made it. I will tell you flour usually is involved right down to gravy…just think about it. Are you prepared??

If something happened October 1st like a pink slip, trucker’s strike (been through those), how about flooding, how about electrical outage? What would you do? How will you eat without a way to cook it? We had a bad winter storm and the power went out mid morning, it was out only five hours but we had ice everywhere even to go out to walk to a neighbor was treacherous. Five hours was a very long time. Granted, we have been blessed to only have a taste of what could be much worse... one minute you are fine, the next you are not.

So are you prepared?? If you could not get groceries starting tomorrow, what will your family be eating in six months?? What would you tell your family who will be looking to you to have stored?

I know we live in hard times, wherever do we get the food storage? With what do we get  it? Now you ask, "where do I get the money for these things? I agree, I need them, but I'm having a hard time making ends meet." Here is how you do it: Use one or more of the following suggestions: Food Storage Christmas: Use 25-50% of money for food storage, New Clothes: Don't buy instead make it last a few more months, use that money for food storage, Vacation/ Holiday: no vacation or holiday until food storage is complete, Recreation: Cut by 50% use money for food storage, find fun, free things to make lasting memories, Snowmobiles/campers/boats: sell or trade to get a year's supply, Change Diet: eat cheaper foods and use extra money for food storage.  

"The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment, for every LDS family to have a year's supply of food reserves ... All we have to do is to decide, commit to do it, and then keep the commitment.  Miracles will take place: the way will be opened and we will have our storage areas filled.
"I believe it is time, and perhaps with some urgency, to review the counsel we have received dealing with our personal and family preparedness. ... With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying but the instability in the world today makes it imperative that we heed this  counsel and prepare for the future." L. Tom Perry, Nov. 1995. 

This site has wonderful lists and great food storage recipes  http://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/08/40-food-storage-recipes-and-food-storagepantry-staple-lists/

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/365%20Days%20of%20Pre-made%20Meals great storage info, one of my favorites

Often I am asked what I use dried apples for and I have used my apples that I dry in these recipes with much success.  I find them more versatile than other ways.
http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Dehydrated%20Apples%20Recipes 

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Dry%20Milk%20Recipes great to make your own yogurt, it's very frugal.

I invite you to research on what storage recipes you might like. Just get busy and work on the food storage challenge to be actively working on your stocking up on your storage. Remember, it is not just food. Remember your first aid needs, your hygiene needs, your clothing needs... you get the idea. Get cracking. Build your storage, build your skills. Learn to cook to from scratch and learn to be content. If you are always miserable because of what you don’t have you will be miserable. When times are tough roll up your sleeves and work together.

Keep up the good work! Remember President Hinckley said, “do the best you can”... If this month your budget won’t let you get storage then work on a skill and learn how to stretch it and learn to use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.

Monday Message

Work on building binders of information on food storage and skills you are learning.

(James E. Faust, April 1986 General Conference)
“It is . . . necessary that each home and family do what they can to assume the responsibility for their own hour of need. If we do not have the resources to acquire a year’s supply then we can strive to begin with having one month’s supply.”

What did you do this week towards your food storage and provident living?

One thing I read this week while finding good things for you was…one lady canned 24 quarts of tomatoes, saving the peeled skins and dried them and made tomato powder. I thought this was a wonderful idea so passing it along.

I often talk about making your own mixes and saw this spice cake mix, it would be good to have some jars of it on the shelf. http://bakerette.com/spice-cake-baking-mix/

The more I look and read cooking from scratch as being a way to save money comes up time and again. I will tell you that this is the case for us too, that many people saying it there must be something to it.

That said I want to share a couple of real finds for me….

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 c cinnamon
1/4 c ginger
2 tbsp nutmeg
2 tbsp cloves
I put in small canning jar, shake and label


Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

I mix and set aside the topping

1/3 c. flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cold butter

In bowl mix...

1/4 c. soft butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2/3 c pumpkin
1/2 c. milk (I add tsp of vinegar to it)
2 eggs
1 tbsp molasses
Mix well

Then I don’t stir again till all dry ingredients are measured in

2 c flour
1 tsp dried orange peel
2 tsp b. powder
1 tsp b soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
Then stir well and divide between twelve regular muffin cups, I use liners but whatever

By spoon divide topping over all evenly
Bake in a preheated oven 375 degrees for 20-25 min.

This has moved to my favorite muffin spot though I can have them any time of the year. I thought fall makes them even more special.

I know I have had these in here before but sometimes a recipe is worth repeating.

This is a fast favorite too. I mix this and put in seven quart jars and label. Then you just add the wet ingredients which I write on the jar and shake and pour. I actually stir in the jar and then shake but you all have arms that can shake. I then have pancakes ready to go
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/10/homemade-shake-and-pour-pancake-mix.html

These are worthy of putting in your binders, yes I have binders that organize my life. A food storage binder that has my recipes I use. I went through my recipe file of favorites and in this binder it has recipes I could make if I did not have eggs or cheese. Of course these are our tried and true family favorites. I use unflavored gelatin as egg replacer of my choice so I store that. I also can meat so I can make more of the family favorite recipes.

I have reference binders on food storage in general.

I have a working cookbook binder. This is one I keep by the food storage binder in my kitchen

Also with those two I made a go to binder that I use a lot. It has things like my yogurt recipe, white sauce recipe, favorite flour tortilla recipe, hot cocoa recipe that is my favorite, English muffin bread, my chart on mixing powder milk, how to make bread flour, favorite crouton recipe, my favorite taco seasoning, favorite tapioca pudding recipe, crepes again my favorite, most important my favorite popover recipe and pizza dough recipe beats any you can have out by miles, apple crisp that I make from dried apples, my famously talked about choc cake... you get the idea. Fast grab saves me time looking in my files.

I have a bread binder four inches thick.

Remember I told you if you only have your recipes on computer you need to print off to have a hard copy.

I have tatting binders, sewing binders weaving binders, knitting binders broke down in binders like dishcloth and scrubbies has its own, mitten scarves and hats, gifts socks... you get the idea.

If I need something I go to the binder.

I have a binder with info in that is for our appliances, lawn mower, dishwasher, etc.

I have a working genealogy binder, very thick it even has handles.

I have binders on basket making.

I have binders on machine knitting.

Okay so those are some of mine, what would you have? And all of you better say food storage since we’ve been working at building them together.

The binders I have all came from yard sales or Goodwill or were free so this is not a costly thing for me. Some as you see had those clear pockets, I slid in scrapbooking paper also gotten free. Those of you who have little ones at home put in pictures they color for you that to me would be the best ever.

Also I have two sets of cards on rings one is just breakfast the other is all one pot meals like homemade hamburger helper and SOS recipes.

*tip*  When thinking on Christmas make your grown children a binder with all the family favorites, our kids love theirs.

You do not have to do your things in binders or even like me I am just throwing out frugal ideas that work for me.

Are you all preparing for winter?? I write this as hot weather has returned but the weather people are telling us it will be a “Godzilla El-Nino” which could mean a lot of snow. I of course never look forward to shoveling. What do I mean by getting ready for winter?

Here is a good list…http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/beforestorm/supplylists.asp be sure to scroll down to car kit. When the kids were drivers I made one for each of the vehicles. Start filling your car full, when it gets halfway pretend it is empty and fill. There have been many stranded on the interstate and you will need heat which means gas but if you get stuck and have to turn off your car to ration your gas you will have blankets in your car kit. I always leave it in the trunk if i can help it plus it keeps any groceries from rolling out of reach.

Be working on your storage goal. Be actively working on your storage to get in what you can by year's end and let me know what you are working on. Believe it or not I have gotten reports from Minnesota, so keep me posted and keep working on it. Do the best you can.

Things to think on…building your skills...

How to hem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMqK-fNrCrM - see you have a teacher.

How to sew a seam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-jIFZD3mxQ

How to read a pattern https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kJx3SiGKtA

This is a very good place to start learning to sew.

So keep in mind you are building skills and storage.