Merry Christmas!! Hope your holiday season is filled with love and wonderful memories!
Sharing this recipe as a gift to you all.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
1 c. Butter
1 c. Sugar
3 Eggs
3 3/4 c. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Cream of tarter
1 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
Mix together and roll out and cut. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes, being sure to check on it. On these I sprinkled sugar but you can frost. They are from when I was a child and they are the best I have had.
"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)
We are working our way through advent bags.
This was one of mine, I got it at salvation army early in the year and put it in one of my bags.
This year I am following along with the Arne and Carlos Christmas stocking. They release six rows a day, it has been fun.
https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/last-minute-handmade-gifts/ - ideas for last-minute gifts.
https://www.thriftyfrugalmom.com/20-cheap-easy-homemade-gift-ideas/
https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/12/toilet-paper-decorations.html
https://wholefully.com/homemade-soup-mixes-in-a-jar/ - gift ideas.
You are probably worn out from this busy time of year so be nice to yourself. Rest. You don't want to get sick and run down.
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/g37406365/crock-pot-soup-recipes/ - put on some soup and just rest.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/quick-slow-cooker-soups/
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/crockpot-soup-recipes/ - put some soup in your crockpot and take it easy.
https://saladinajar.com/recipes/original-favorite-dinner-rolls/ - put some rolls in your bread machine or mix by hand and let rise while you put your feet up.
Missy says no doubt we are all feeling the budget being pinched even harder. Prices seem to continue to rise. Take time to ponder more frugal ways.
Tippy Longstockings says rest and look forward to the new year.
"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)
Here we are in the busy season, goodness it is so busy.
I have been making these jar openers for gift giving. This one is mine, have used it more than I can say. My husband too. You can pretty well figure out how to make it. When I am done, I make an X from corner to corner each way.
While having extra things on my to-do list, I still need to make yogurt (recipe HERE).
I use an ice chest and fill one quart jar of hottest tap water and put it in with yogurt, all have lids on. We like having this with our granola (get the recipe HERE)
I am starting a mitten as a challenge to myself - a winter project. You can see the puzzle going behind it.
https://www.todaysthebestday.com/20-easy-inexpensive-and-fast-neighbor-christmas-gifts/ - some fast gifts.
https://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/neighbor-or-teach-gift-idea-ho/ - more ideas.
https://ahundredaffections.com/classy-cheap-neighbor-christmas-gifts-free-printable-tags/ - cute ideas.
https://frogprincepaperie.com/sugar-cookie-snack-mix-christmas-neighbor-gift-or-teacher-gift/ - this looks yummy.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/recipes-for-gifts-in-a-jar/ - some ideas here as well.
Winter is soup time up here, brrrrrr... https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/cheap-soup-recipes-for-fall/
Find time to rest while you are in this busy season. My goal is to try to slow down.
https://bemorewithless.com/how-to-slow-down-in-life/
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personal-growth/the-beauty-of-slowing-down
https://simplelionheartlife.com/how-to-slow-down/
https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/slow-down.html
https://bemorewithless.com/ways-to-slow-down/ - this one looks really good.
Missy says find time to rest, it will help you stay healthy and she rests a lot.
Tippy Longstockings says enjoy some music.
I bought some really beginner piano music I like a lot. I figure I can learn on this song then move to another. I am such a beginner but it is something I wanted to do as a kid.
This is the song I love it but mine is a very simple version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ_VlQ8M5EE
"We encourage members worldwide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings. We ask that you be wise, and do not go to extremes. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve." (All is Safely Gathered In)
Now with Thanksgiving behind us we need to turn to Christmas and the busy time of year. Let us remember to look for ways to give service and lift others.
This week I removed the cuffs, hemmed the pants, and shortened the sleeves on the last suit and also replaced a zipper in a winter coat.
I did a bit more moving things about and finished the fall clean. Now I can just enjoy the results which is good.
I have the puzzle set up to work over the holidays and winter days.
We try to do this every year as we set into a slower time after a hectic season of gardening and preserving food.
I needed to work on the cuckoo clock on Thanksgiving. After we ate our meal, the clock had slowed playing music (it plays Edelweiss). So I cleaned and oiled some and it is back working good again. I love that song. This clock was a gift from my sister, she knows I love that song.
Here are some budget ideas...
https://snailpacetransformations.com/25-christmas-traditions-for-families-on-a-tight-budget/
https://www.printablesfairy.com/christmas-traditions-for-families-on-a-tight-budget/ - I love the 12 acts of kindness
https://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/family/21-free-or-cheap-family-christmas-traditions - I love the handprint tree skirt and really like the scavenger hunt.
https://www.busybudgeter.com/21-christmas-traditions-to-enjoy-on-a-tight-budget/ - peanut brittle party sounds yummy.
https://www.sandiegofamily.com/things-to-do/seasonal-happenings/budget-friendly-holiday-traditions - great ideas here as well.
https://www.thesimplicityhabit.com/the-best-simple-and-frugal-family-christmas-traditions/ - a list of frugal traditions.
https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/christmas-traditions-with-your-family.html
https://www.beautythroughimperfection.com/free-christmas-traditions/ - another list of ideas.
I know you are busy at this time so listen to wise counsel from the kitties...
Missy says do not run yourself down, you don't want to get sick .
Tippy Longstockings says find time for yourself rest lots and plenty of hot cocoa stay well.
"Wherever possible, produce your nonfood necessities of life. Improve your sewing skills; sew and mend clothing for your family. . .Develop handicraft skills. .and make or build needed items." (President Spencer W. Kimball)
I have been stretching my sewing skills to the max this week. We were given three suits all needed something. Two needed hemming. That is easy. One needed taking out an inch less, easy. They make them with some extra to do that but then one jacket needed taking out and one taking in and the sleeves shortened... this all took two whole days and I was stressed I would ruin them. It required deconstructing, bad deconstruction.
It was very scary. My mother-in-law was the best seamstress ever and I sure miss asking her questions. I miss her all the time already but this week I could have used her help, though at times I felt like she was answering me. Like when I would have to think on how to do something, I would think of a short cut and it was "no, you need to do it right"...grrr, so I did.
This is that splayed out suit pictured above. The pics are kind of dark but this is it after I took it out. This was the hardest one.
This is the suit I had to take in and shorten the sleeves after finishing.
It was all very hard and stretched my sewing abilities to the limit but saved us so much money and now he has them to wear to church.
So building sewing skills is a great skill to pick if you are looking for a skill to work at. I plan to keep working on building on what I already know on sewing.
I was able to get this little shelf that is an upgrade to the last one I got which my husband will now use in the workshop, trying to have nothing go to waste.
I wanted to put this in here to show that used things aren't bad. I know years ago they got a bad rap but remember that saying I like - second hand is not second class.
It is very helpful for our budgets and environment.
We have picked up things and restored or refashioned them for ourselves and for gifts. It's an especially good idea now that we turn our attention to the gift giving season. One time I picked up this stool someone set out to get rid of. I got it and noticed their garbage had blown around so I got the stool loaded and picked up their garbage. I knew what I wanted to use it for right away so I brought it home and cleaned it up and it is now my spinning stool.
It works well for me. One time I got a plastic kids kitchen one piece toy and brought it home, scrubbed it up, put a bow on it and gave it to the neighbor girls on Christmas, they loved it. Probably thought Santa brought it, only mom knew. So don't pass up things you could use or gift with a little love and care. This is just another tool of being frugal.
I watch a podcast where the gal goes to thrift store on Thursdays. This is her day out. She set an amount, like stay under ten dollars, and she said she only gets what is useful to her. Someone said if money is so tight why not just save that money up to get something you want. Giving herself the day out is something she really wants. I'm the same way, I prefer to spend less. That ten dollars goes further in a thrift store.
I also hemmed a pair of pants for myself and I cut an old towel for cloths and surged around them.
It has been a busy week. I have also been tweaking things I moved last week. I still have one more tweak to do then I will put a halt to some of the fall/spring cleaning.
Even this cart was used and some in and on it as well but this cart works well with the drawers. I moved the plastic container in the top drawer so you could see under it, it has watercolor crayons in it. Under that is empty palettes for paint mixing and the altoid tin I made into my own little watercolor box.
The next drawer has pens and pencils and erasers, the next watercolors and in the next I have even more watercolors. In the bottom I have paper towels and a container of tubes of watercolor paint. This means I moved the tatting thread to the plastic drawers.
So those are things I have done plus some vacuum sealing which helps lengthen the life of my food.
I encourage you to stock up on your storage as you can with holiday sales as the stores run some food sales at this time of year.
Think outside the box. When you are about to toss something stop and think what could I use this for...?
Try to be more frugal and think of more meaningful gifts rather than things that are costly.
Share what frugal things you are doing this holiday or just in general in the comments below.
Missy says being thrifty is a great way to stretch your dollars.
Tippy Longstockings says this is a stressful time of year so look for a bit of sunshine and stretch out in it.
"As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)
Every time I get groceries the prices get higher and higher. I only go once a month so if I went more often perhaps it would not be a shock but they would still be higher. With insurance rates up, along with all prices rising, we really need to get creative.
We all have been through a lot in the last four years or so. I was thinking about hard times and how when you have a hard incident sometimes it is harder to climb out of then some others. Perhaps that is what is happening. We are having higher prices as a climbing time...it isn't easy and it takes time. We will all push on and do what we have to do. We can find more frugal ways of doing things. It is hard to find time but we need to give ourselves time to learn and research so we can help our families. Sharing ideas is one very good way. For example, Shepherdess55 shared in the comments on this post how we can even further stretch our yogurt making. I thank you for that. I just put one quart of yogurt into ice cube trays. We all need to help each other so keep sharing in the comments.
There are so many free things to learn...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCe0u88H4LU - she shows you how to make little gift bags.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5bNFAmtnWA - she is starting a learn to spin. Even though I spin I never really had lessons so I am able to watch for free. You may not want to spin but I use this as an example, it does not cost us to learn.
https://www.bethanylynnemakes.com/how-to-make-a-granny-square-vest-the-agnes-sweater-vest/ - you can get patterns for free.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9D-CPdGi5A - learn to make mittens from recycled sweaters and get a free pattern.
https://www.thriftyfrugalmom.com/frugal-30-minute-dinner-ideas/ - frugal meals.
Past posts of this blog...
https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/11/monday-message.html
https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/10/monday-message_30.html
https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2016/11/monday-message_21.html
https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2018/03/monday-message_12.html
I thought you would enjoy these older posts and some shots from around the house...
Missy says find time to learn new skills.
Tippy Longstockings says keep working on your storage.
