Monday Message

"We call upon priesthood bearers to store sufficient so that you and your family can weather the vicissitudes of life. Please see to it that those entrusted to your watchcare receive these two pamphlets entitled All Is Safely Gathered In. Exhort them to prepare now for rainy days ahead." (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

Well we keep getting major snowstorms. In the middle of the second storm this week (at the time I'm writing this) they just said another is coming early next week, this one won't quite be over with when we get hit again.

So this is a good time to mention - are your winter things built up? If you are in summer right now, work on getting ready for when you will have winter again. We got twelve inches of snow in the first storm then this one is to be ten inches though I am not sure how one would measure as winds are drifting the snow. The back door has a drift up to my knees, the front door half of that drifted, but there are drifts all over.

It feels like ten below zero for now but this will be the warmest as the next days through Tuesday we'll see -45 so very cold temps are coming.

Then another storm. Makes me glad for storage.

Yesterday knowing this blizzard was coming today, I made two loaves of bread - one cinnamon swirl,  one plain. When cooled, I sliced all and put half of each in the freezer. I made granola and yogurt. I discovered on the yogurt that my house is too cold so I have to empty the jar of water and refill it again with hot water, so I will be doing that going forward through these colder months. The bread rises well because I set it by an oven vent while preheating the oven. 

We have kerosene lamps with oil as well. If we lose power (which could happen) our generator is working and is full of gas. We can manually turn on the gas fireplace if needed and I can still cook on top of the stove only if the power is out.

So these are what preps we have here.

I did oven stuff yesterday because I can't use the oven when power goes out.

Just something to think about. I learn from others who have gone through storms like when a huge ice storm hit many years ago when we all were just having email, this gal told of the hard time they had going through an ice storm. Here's some of the things she did...she would light little candles and put them in jars on top of the toilet tanks for the night (I think that now a days your little battery candles would give enough light for needing light in bathrooms). She said what drove her the most crazy was dirty carpets because this lasted for weeks and bringing in wood to burn made a mess. She wished she had a carpet sweeper. I had this in mind when I saw one at a yard sale for seventy-five cents. I bought it and use it in between vacuuming, so if I need it I have it.

Just the crazies going on here I say...hoping your new year is off to a better start.

I have been thinking on skills and how much I rely on my having skills like baking bread, making granola and yogurt were just a few, sewing clothes, mending clothes, you all saw me adjust suits - I never could have done that without some sewing skills. So skill building is a high priority.

https://www.allfreecrochet.com/Tips-for-Crochet/Crochet-for-Beginners-How-to-Start-Crocheting - good to learn as well.

https://www.favequilts.com/Beginner-Basics/Back-to-Basics-Quilting-Tips-for-Beginners - even using old clothes can be made into quilts. I have some very old blocks that someone made by hand, not machine, they never finished them into quilts. I plan to make a table runner maybe if there are not enough to do a quilt.

I took a picture of them but wanted you to be able to see the back of one. It is worn-out jeans, look at that hole. They used everything and we should too. Don't let anything go to waste.

https://www.allfreesewing.com/Basics-and-Tutorials/Beginner-Sewing-Videos-Learn-to-Sew-Tutorials -  we all need to learn this skill, even if only to mend.

https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knitting-Tutorials/Knitting-Class#google_vignette - you can use this skill to make clothing. If you scroll down, you can see part one and two and other helpful knitting tutorials.

You can make useful things to wear, here is a cowl I have going in progress. This will dress up a church dress or two. But I have made ones for wearing out in the cold.

We need to build our skills.

Yarn is expensive (very expensive) so if you haven't yarn to use or want to make an item... https://blog.tincanknits.com/2021/02/04/how-to-recycle-yarn-from-second-hand-sweaters/ you can undo certain sweaters as she shows here, saving the yarn to make another item like a sweater or mittens or hats scarves. This gal, by the way, has great free patterns on her site.

You can do the same with sewing, I have a nightgown that I plan on using to make a slip from.

Being able to remake things is a great reason for having a sewing skill.

Remember to use everything. Don't be so quick to purchase something you can figure out. I am wanting to learn tambour embroidery but to do so I needed organza fabric which I did not have, so I went to Salvation Army and bought a curtain which was way way cheaper than going to the fabric store. Next thing I needed was a stand so I can have one hand on top and the other hand under it...so I am turning a stool upside down and will affix the hoop or frame to this "stand." I also like to do shadow applique, organza is good for that too. So thinking on what you can do with what you have is a skill as well.

Things are not getting cheaper so learn to be as frugal as you can be.

Dee shared this gal in the comments, I am enjoying her frugal ideas - https://www.youtube.com/@FrugalQueeninFrance. Thank you, Dee!

Missy says sometimes it is good to think outside the box or, in her case, a brown bag.

Tippy Longstockings says when a storm rages outside, lay in front of the fireplace and be sure and roll over to warm your belly too.

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)

I cannot stress this enough. We are waiting to see the fallout of this new insurance company to assess  the damage to our budget. So we are using all storage this month unless something has to be gotten.

That is the beauty of food storage, it allows me the ability to free funds from time to time. And storing what you like is so important. I would have a hard time eating things we don't like.

Tomorrow is the day before my b-day and yes, I will make my chocolate cake (get the recipe HERE).

This month will almost be over with by the time you read all of this, but just wanted to share the flexibility of having storage and how much it helps. Since I store what we like, our eating will be pretty normal. If ever there was a catastrophe, we would eat the same foods we are used to.

Not bad having homemade swirl bread...low spend months or not, yum! This bread pictured here I put craisins in, yummy!

I have been doing some deep cleaning and organizing and I think most is as I want it now so enough of the heavy things. I still want to put fabric scraps in colored order so I can just grab a box of whatever color to make some small quilting items, so that is a plan yet to work on.

One of the things I want to learn this year is how to do krokbragd on the inkle loom. The classes are not in my budget so learning on my own is what I will do.

https://learn.longthreadmedia.com/courses/weave-turned-krokbragd-on-an-inkle-loom - this is what it is as I know you all have been wondering. I want to make that sheep band in the picture.

Another is to learn more on my knitting machines.

Watercolor is also on my list.

Find more time to spin and weave and sew....

Also, how to utilize my kitchen appliances more, so learning those will also be on my list. You know how without thinking we pop toast into the toaster? Well I want to have all my appliances be like that.  Just automatic so to say.

What do you have on your list this year?

Today I will be repotting my apple trees that I have growing. Hopefully they will survive.

Be sure to check on people you know to see if they are doing alright as we are headed in to darkest time of winter and it is hard on so many.

Missy says you need to take some cozy time.

Tippy Longstockings says put a puzzle together. She is anxious to see the cats in it when it is finished.

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)

I think if the last four years taught us anything, it is that things can change quickly...and they can at any time. So having a storage in our homes is a very prudent thing to do.

I have been going through cookbooks marking things that I usually have on hand and are inexpensive to make. A while ago I found some bread machine cookbooks and the Fix-it and Forget-it big cookbook at the thrift store. The big cookbook has a price of $29.95 on the cover. My price was $2.99. I usually do not like to pay that price but it was a book on my "If I ever see it" list. I do like to utilize my crockpot.  

So looking for cheaper recipes is a frugal thing to do and this year I am going to have to employ frugal skills more than ever. I suspect a lot of you are as well.

I was given some sourdough starter and I am doing well at keeping it going happily. I have been using the sourdough discards in my bread making...

I first used it on this cinnamon raisin bread - wonderful tasting for sure. I have added it to pancakes and just about everything I make that I can use it in, I have.

So this is a skill I am building and speaking of skills I am building, here is the finished Christmas stocking where I am building knitting and colorwork skills...

Everything we can do to build these skills saves our family money.

I am still making yogurt weekly. Will be doing more tomorrow. When we start to eat the last quart jar, I make another batch (get the recipe HERE).

Same with granola - when we start the last jar I make more (yummy granola recipe HERE).

While yes, these homemade versions do take time (but so does going to the store), I cannot tell you enough how much they save us money.

I also have been mending my husband's suspenders. Sewing saves us tons of money.  

The other day I needed some organza for a project. I went to the thrift store to look for sheer curtains, they had only one pair so I got them. There were two long panels that didn't even looked used with a JC Penney tag home good brand that was crisp and new. The curtains were $5.49 but had a green tag so fifty percent off and then a senior discount on top of that brought that price way down. Then I went next door to a regular store. They wanted $5.99 a yard - just one yard. I got many yards in those long curtain panels. When we need something, we need to stop and think what do I already have on hand first, then second, can I look someplace used?

I looked at the price on clearenced fabric while I was there. I could not afford to make a dress with those prices, so I thank my past self for going yard sailing and to thrift stores and using freecycle as it helped me stock things that would be useful like fabric and notions and the great yarn haul I got from an auction house that did not want it and a great fabric haul from freecycle and a dear friend downsizing. Because now on a fixed income that grows less as prices grow more, it is coming in quite handy.

Also on sewing skills that I can repair and makeover clothing. Even though the prices are high on fabric, we can recycle and remake used clothing. So build those skills.

https://clark.com/save-money/save-money-on-groceries/ - we can expand on this list.

https://www.purewow.com/money/how-to-save-money-on-groceries-advice - I remember shopping with my list at a store when a younger lady asked if I worked for a facility because I had a list. I said no, I just write up a list. She said, "really? I just come in and get whatever." Then said her husband gets mad because she spends too much... So set a budget and try to stay in it. I know it is hard when prices go up even while you shop. Have a back-up plan. What can you do without?

https://www.mymoneycoach.ca/blog/budget-grocery-shopping-tips-to-save-money.html - good ideas here.

https://due.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-saving-money-on-groceries/ - more ideas.

https://www.winterparkha.org/25-simple-tips-to-save-money-on-groceries - more ideas.

https://www.mymoneycoach.ca/saving-money/saving-on-groceries - I like that this gives you percentages and also a chart with what to purchase instead.

https://thehappierhomemaker.com/ways-to-save-money-on-groceries-without-coupons/

These are ways to save while shopping but what then?

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/ways-to-repurpose-leftovers/ - using up what we have in different ways.

https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/q6welp/reinventing_leftovers_is_a_great_way_to_save/ - I like it when everyone chips in their ideas so comment below any ideas you have.

https://www.cooksmarts.com/articles/guide-repurposing-leftovers/ - ideas.

https://awgprivatechefs.com/post/how-to-repurpose-leftover-ingredients/ - every idea is helpful.

https://www.intheknow.com/post/creative-ways-to-repurpose-leftovers/

https://www.bettycrocker.com/menus-holidays-parties/mhplibrary/recipes/7-slow-cooker-meats-that-make-great-leftovers

Look for inexpensive recipes... https://creativehomemaking.com/recipes/crock-pot/apple-and-cinnamon-oatmeal/ 

So these were some ideas to get you thinking.

Remember what they used to say..."Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Some day I will make a stitchery of that.

Missy says we should use everything, even veggie cans can have holes poked in the bottom and used to plant seeds in.

Tippy Longstockings says she is thinking outside the box, trying to be a carpet sweeper picking up lint.

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)

I think we will need to tighten the belt a little more this year, seems like more things are going up.

I don't really do resolutions just have things going for goals all year but I think setting goals is a great idea at the first of the year.

Some of my goals are....

Learn the instant pot. I got one at the thrift store a while back. How I plan to do that is I found some free books for it on www.freereadfeed.com I will find frugal ways to use it. I have saved a lot of money by getting free books from this site. There may be others out there but this just happened to be the one I came across.

I would like to learn all my kitchen appliances more.

I am working on the skill of colorwork in knitting as you saw on my advent Christmas stocking. I want to further that skill.

I want to further my skills in bobbin lace and tatting.

I want to continue building my sewing skills.

I made this pincushion from a frame. I had seen this somewhere and thought it good to keep these pins separated from others.

I want to continue to work with sourdough - a new skill to me.

I want to further my seed saving and planting skills.

I planted the seeds you will remember from off the strawberries we had in the summer. Still waiting a bit to transplant them. I have the dirt inside so it will not freeze, so it is waiting for the right time.

I have this clay pot with dirt in it by the kitchen sink. I put the insides of peach pits in dirt hoping they will grow but I also have been tossing in apple seeds as we eat apples. All these are apple trees growing from those seeds. I have an orchard almost. They too will need repotting before long but not seeing any peach ones yet.

Tippy says she continues to be shocked by higher prices.

Missy says keep working at skill building. Pick which skill will save you the most and start with that one.

They just wanted to pop in since they weren't in the last two posts (too much catnip).

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-times.html - here is helpful information, I love this gal.

I have been wanting to learn Krokbragd on my inkle loom. Looking to learn myself is cheapest for me - I can still learn but at no cost.

I plan on researching more frugal ways and sharing with you. Share any ideas you have below with us.

Tippy says find inexpensive activities...I think I found the puzzle piece!

Missy says waste nothing this year, tighten those belts, be frugal, and do it in fun ways.

Monday Message

Happy New Year to all of you!

Enjoy being with your family.  

I leave you with a collection I have gotten years ago. I would yard sale frequently during the summers and would see a vintage pot holder here and there. They would be a dime. Knowing what work was in each one, I just started to pick them up when I saw them and there you go, a collection was born. Enjoy!

We will all work to make 2024 a better year!