Monday Message

"Our bishops storehouses are not intended to stock enough commodities to care for all the members of the Church. Storehouses are only established to care for the poor and the needy. For this reason, members of the Church have been instructed to personally store a year’s supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel. By following this counsel, most members will be prepared and able to care for themselves and their family members, and be able to share with others as may be needed." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

Making storage and frugal living a way of life will feel like normal when you do this daily. We sometimes are tempted to just toss it out when you get to that last crust no one ate or this week for me I had a plastic container strawberries came in. I had it in my hands heading to the garbage can and I looked at it and remembered I had seen somewhere that you could use them to start garden seed so I saved it. This has a lid and will save on covering them with plastic wrap when planting seedling time comes next year.

So think before you toss things. Remember, you can compost kitchen scraps to use on next year's garden. If you planted a garden, try to save seed from it in the late fall. Again, planting things that come back on their own every year is a good thing to help with costs every year.

When it comes to clothing, you can make your own items or mend them to make them last longer.

https://www.pinterest.com/gwhunting/funky-mending/ - mending ideas that are fun that could help you learn to mend and look fun to have.

Make your own spice mixes.

https://www.fivehearthome.com/recipes/make-your-own-mixes-kitchen-staples/ - this shows ways we can make our own items for less. We need to keep looking for frugal ways to do things. Times are still tough. I know I hear grocery prices are coming down but I have yet to see it plus other things keep going up. Kind of like getting it from all angles right now.

I decided to water the garden less even though we are drought-like right now and I hand water things that need a little extra. This is making things go deep for water. If I see they need some, I can carry it out. This will help our water bill and will help get them to rain that may come.

I know this angle makes everything look crowded but it isn't. I wanted you to see the grass in the top left corner we are very much dry.

I know it is seemingly a small thing but pennies build up over time.

We had our 49th anniversary this week. We like to go to Half-Price Books to celebrate. I can tell you I notice a big jump in prices. Things that used to be $2.99 are now $9.99 and lots higher. Times are tight for all.

This is Tippy telling Missy how expensive the bookstore was.

And living inside a budget that is gasping for air, we need to keep doing it anyway. It isn't easy and not fun but necessary. It's all a way of life for sure.

How are you doing with tighter times? Is there a way you have found to cut corners?

Years ago we were given Easter lilies. That year I think we were given three and I heard you could plant them and so I did and now they look like this.

They come back every year we were given all white and one pink one here is how they look now...

I was gifted a second wool genie for Mother's Day so I could do colorwork. Here is a picture of me starting a new project a cowl with what I had on hand...

This is the solution to my carrying them up and down stairs as I work in both places. It works great.  This is a basket I made a couple years ago it is the perfect solution.

This is how the project is going so far.

This is Tippy Longstockings guarding the project (more like can I get away with messing with it?) :p

How are you coming on building skills? This is just as important as building storage.

Missy says take time to ponder and learn new skills

Tippy Longstockings say it isn't time to be lax in getting in your storage and learning basic skills, they all are needed now more than ever!