Monday Message

"The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes...
"We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. . . . I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.
"Begin in a small way, . . . and gradually build toward a reasonable objective." (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley, Oct 2002 and quoted again in April 2007)

I have been thinking on skills and Joseph Smith’s mother came to mind. When they had a financial reversal she used one of her skills painting oil cloths to help her family.

We can use our skills whether it be sewing or some other skill you have developed. When we cook from scratch it helps to stretch our family money. 

How are you doing at building your storage? Building your skills? I would like to hear of your successes bshook@huxcomm.net. Also, if there is something you want me to cover, e-mail me. I would be more than happy to spotlight what you would like.

I know how to sew but I want to better that skill, so that is one skill I am working on.

I know how to knit.  I can knit socks even but I continue to improve that skill.

I continue to grow what skills I have learned.

Learning to weave, ha! You might think that is easy to learn, after all, I know how to weave baskets. Believe me, it is a lot harder than I thought but I put in study time and have learned more than at the beginning.

Tatting is something I have always wanted to learn and I have learned a lot. Now you ask, how does that fit in with skills…?  I read about a lady who kept learning to tat and building on it. Her answer was she wanted to be the best she could be at it. In the end when her family was in financial down turn she was able to earn needed money from tatting.

I once read an article about how the pioneers had little space to bring things with them so some would bring their tatting shuttles and thread, this fits in a pocket. They designed edgings for pillow cases, slips and curtain edges to beautify their homes. Some were dugouts but they could bring a bit of civilization to it. It was once called poor man’s lace…but now it is sought after.

I could tell you stories of how people made it through hard times, for there have been many hard times in history to go around.

Like one of our leaders went to a war-torn country would fill suitcases with oranges to give the women he spoke to at a women’s conference. They would have them come up and get one. When one woman saw a small sewing kit in the suitcase she asked if she could have that instead and they gave it to her. As she went back to her seat other women said we expect you will share it.

Can you imagine? We take needles and thread and oranges for granted. I think that is why I have picked up at yardsales things like sewing notions, thread and needles, fabric and even sewing machines, even a couple treadles that are foot driven too. I think of these stories and others as incentive to help me prepare needful things.

All we need do is look to those who have gone before us for examples of what you should do to be prepared.
www.simplyprepared.com/spiritual_aspects_of_self-reliant_living.htm
http://recipegoldmine.com/scratch/scratch.html recipes to help

http://www.simplyprepared.com/preparedness.htm

We did not have a lot of money and still don’t but we tried to never wah wah wah about, I tried to find fun for free. For example, we could not afford a funnel cake so we came home and I found a recipe for one from scratch and made us funnel cakes, everyone loved them.

Find ways to show you are happy and come up with fun or a recipe.

We need to learn to stay within our incomes not take a second job or go into debt because you want things…things. Think about it. If your husband has to work a second job just for things you need to rethink what is more important, your husband's family time or things? Things are not important and could easily be found at yardsales. What are you teaching your children? To get the things at any cost? Is that what you want them to learn? Or to say no to a husband because he can’t get stuff…or do you want them to be like this…

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/youth-curriculum/11-november?lang=eng&_r=1

If this does not hit home then start studying on love and sacrifice.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2008/01/happily-living-within-our-means?

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/07/powdered-milk-budgets-and-blessings?lang=eng this is touching an answer to prayer

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2016/07/make-finger-jello-kids/ while it is hot keep these in refrigerator.

Keep working on building your storage, keep working on those skills and keep working on living within your means. You and your family will be truly blessed.

Monday Message

"[The pioneers] were taught by their leaders to produce, as far as possible, all that they consumed, and to be frugal and not wasteful of their substance. This is still excellent counsel. Joseph Fielding Smith, "The Pioneer Spirit," Improvement Era, July 1970, 3.

"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.

Start by getting in a month’s supply then two, then three months, work up to a year. When you have that in your grocery shopping will change. You can wait for sales, you can skip a month of groceries if you have an emergency come to you, but keep it steady at twelve months. It is easy to let it slide. You must try to stay on it and also you must absolutely rotate your storage.

I have seen some who write on their food the date they got it, that helps them rotate.

http://survivallife.com/emergency-food-storage-small-spaces/ I know this is a prepper site but they had great ideas for storing in small spaces.

http://teachinggoodthings.com/homemaking-skills/  this has great recipes and homemaking but there are some not found pages but glean what you can.

http://basichomemakingskills.blogspot.com/ some basic homemaking skills

http://www.livingonadime.com/learn-homemaking-skills/ this has great ideas on how to learn skills

http://www.cranialhiccups.com/2009/04/teaching-kids-to-cook-part-i.html

http://www.cranialhiccups.com/2009/04/teaching-kids-to-cook-part-ii.html 

http://www.cranialhiccups.com/2009/05/teaching-kids-to-cook-part-iii.html

These up above are teaching your kids.

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2012/09/simple-menu-planning.html - menu planning

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=vacuum+sealing+using+canisters+youtube&view=detail&mid=7016261FEE7DB4F857037016261FEE7DB4F85703&FORM=VIRE - Vacuum sealing in any jar.

https://www.pinterest.com/gramiv/cooking-from-scratch-and-storable-foods/ - cooking from scratch

I see that they show funnel cakes, we did that on the Fourth of July. Make traditions and try out new recipes, give cooking from scratch a chance.

Keep working on your skills. I have my tatting organized.

Reorganizing tatting basket

Recently I reorganized my tatting basket. It's now easier to take it along when I go up and down the stairs to work on a project.

Monday Message - Building skills

Always continue to learn! If you want to learn something go after it, look up anything you can learn on the subject. One of the things I am learning myself to do is tat, I always wanted to know how to do it...

Tatting is a great skill to build. Find out more about how to tat here - LINK

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2012/06/tatting.html as you can see I have learned a little but i continue to push on searching and learning. You may not want to learn to tat you might want to learn to quilt do the same thing check out books look on YouTube you will soon be able to have that goal achieved  so press on learn skills, or develop skills you already have you are doing so for your family and for yourself.

http://homemakers-journal.blogspot.com/2011/01/easy-outdoor-cooking-recipes.html#.U7Sc6pUg9jo - thought I would throw this in as something you could learn in family home evening. You could construct then learn to use it as part of family-preparedness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEOjwcI5M9U  this shows how to sew on knit fabric

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfwKTUay6UA I love the way she explains things.

This next one is different and shows how to do your elastics in different ways https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ZD88zs6eU

For those who want to put that beginner knitting to work, this is the best practice and very useful items. 

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2012/06/easy-striped-dishcloth.html - I like the size of these over other patterns out there. I too need to get busy on more made. When you are stressed and need some relaxing, this is soothing for sure. Once you use them you will be like me and they will be what you look for first in your dishcloth drawer.

Here is some helpful information and a good skill to try...

http://www.commonsensehome.com/fresh-homemade-mozzarella-cheese-in-30-minutes/

I find it costs about the same to make as buy it but I think it is good to know how to make.

This one is on how to make cottage cheese also a good thing to know - http://cheftessbakeresse.blogspot.com/2009/08/homemade-cottage-cheese.html

http://www.cheesemaking.com/CreamChz.html this shows how to make cream cheese. You can also take plain yogurt and place it in layers of cheese cloth and hang over your sink overnight.

Put different things in your cream cheese, like shredded carrots or dried cranberries, or chopped onion or dill or finely chopped radishes or green peppers or chives or walnuts. The things you can do are endless!

Spreads for crackers…..
one package 8 oz package of cream cheese and two tbsp dry ranch dressing & mix. This fantastic on crackers!

One 8oz cream cheese and two tbsp of honey and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts great on crackers.

These are a few to get you started!