Monday Message

"Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

"Follow the prophet. He has counseled us to plant a garden and fruit trees. This year don’t just think about it—do it. Grow all the food you possibly can. Also remember to buy a year’s supply of garden seeds so that, in case of a shortage, you will have them for the following spring." (Vaughn J. Featherstone)

"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)

Time to be thinking about what you might want to plant in your garden...even though it is so very cold and feels like spring will never come, even that rodent said he we're going to have six more weeks of winter - grrrrr, no blanket for him.

I put some things in here to help improve your skills...

https://www.allfreesewing.com/Basics-and-Tutorials/Learning-How-to-Sew-Tips-from-Our-Readers-NSM-2017 - great tips from people who sew.

https://www.cheapthriftyliving.com/financial/How-to-Control-Spending-Habits - helpful ideas.

https://www.allfreecrochet.com/Tips-for-Crochet/Crochet-for-Beginners-How-to-Start-Crocheting - learn how to crochet and do the rug in the next site.

https://www.craftystaci.com/blog/braided-t-shirt-rug - a great recycle project.

This is how I am coming on the next project. I do have to say I am learning a lot and am pressing on.

I still have been in an organizing mood. With b-day funds I got plastic envelopes, I redid my unmounted stamps and my little die cuts as well. The envelopes have a velcro spot to close.

How are you coming with your skill building?

How are your mending skills? Since we're tightening our belts these days we will want to learn how to mend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVVawL1LD6Y - this is helpful for mending a knit.

https://idreamofjeannemarie.com/2015/02/10/tutorial-how-to-sew-buttons-on-so-they-look-like-a-flower/ - is sewing on buttons boring? Nope. Aren't these cute? It is learning and enhancing a skill.

Missy says that finding fun ways of doing things is a skill, like catching that laser light.

Gus says stay in and stay warm. You all don't have fur coats like he does.

Monday Message

"Concerning clothing, we should anticipate future needs, such as extra work clothes and clothes that would supply warmth during winter months when there may be shortages or lack of heating fuel. Leather and bolts of cloth could be stored, particularly for families with younger children who will outgrow and perhaps outwear their present clothes." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

I think anticipating future needs is a skill all by itself. It can go into every aspect of our lives. Since I live where it gets cold - very cold at times - I try to do this. When our kids were little, I would keep clothes in boxes that one would outgrow for the younger or get the next size up for the oldest. It meant always looking for coats, snow pants, boots, and winter gear at yard sales. I always would get the next year's school clothing.

I think having Nordic roots also probably means I do things that would keep one warm.

By my chair I have projects always going on. In this case a color-work hat. Look very close under the chair. That is a wooden turtle I use to hold the door open in the warmer months but if you look even closer, there is a cat toy mouse. I am guessing the cats thought the turtle needed a buddy.

I am taking the time to build my skills while staying inside away from the pandemic and now the cold as well brrrr.

Soups and breads are a fantastic to warm us up.

https://www.healthycanning.com/wp-content/uploads/Soup-and-Sauce-Mix.pdf - this is the one I use, cream of broccoli soup. It's fantastic.

https://www.healthycanning.com/soup-sauce-sos-mix - I saw this while getting the one above, I thought it interesting.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/07/monday-message.html - here is some helpful bread stuff.

This booklet has the best recipes ever, here's the link to them - https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/08/monday-message.html

I worked a little on my dish towel project. My plan is just to do this slowly and enjoy it.

I did a sock tube on the sock machine this week.

While you can do a whole sock on the sock machine, I still want to knit heels, toes and cuffs by hand, so here I am working one of the cuffs.

Here is the scarf I have been working on the table top loom. It looks darker because it is wet yet.

In the picture below you can see the fringe twister showing how I twist the fringe. In the scarf picture above you see the head supervisor looking on from under the weaving bench.

The other supervisor is looking on as well. She was inspecting my spinning project as I worked on it this week too.

That sums up what I have been working on this week. What fun things have you been working on? Let us know in the comments below.

Gus says he and Missy both agree that you all need to do something fun at this dark time of winter even if you are just twisting yarn. They also agree they hope you all will be very safe.

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 am on a list of knitters and twice now they were talking about grocery store shelves being empty from all over the world so it is just not a U.S. thing. I do not get a sense of panic yet, more like having to make adjustments to what they purchase.

That is what we need to do tighten the belt a bit. People have been doing this for a while now so we must be getting good at it.

Soups and bread go a long way and on cold days that would be a wonderful thing.

Breakfast for supper is frugal and yummy.

Casseroles

Puff pancake

Crepes

Shepherds pie is frugal

Pot pies

What are some frugal things you make??

Waste nothing. If you have a little veggie left do not toss it out, throw it in a container in the freezer and keep adding to it, when it gets full make a great soup. One lady was asking how long out of date cans were good for, they are good for a lot longer than it says. If they are bloated or rusting through, toss them but otherwise they're still good. We do not want to waste.

Cooking from scratch helps us tighten our belts. My favorite chocolate cake can be made with ingredients you already have on hand - http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2020/04/monday-message_20.html scroll down for the recipe!

The store I picked up groceries at had no English muffins across the board so when that happens here's what to do...

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2014/10/english-muffin-bread.html - we make our own. There are a lot of things we can make for ourselves.

http://makedohomemaker.blogspot.com/search/label/Bare%20Essentials%20Living - to inspire you.

https://frugalfamilyhome.com/food/recipes/make-your-own-groceries-35-recipes-to-make-at-home-and-save - here is a fantastic site.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCABC6LEy2nOwYyeADkaq8cw - she has more to see here.

https://www.youtube.com/c/Frugalfamilyhome/videos - lots and lots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zU-6ZO6Br4 - make your own taco seasoning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQlUt28iyg8 - more seasonings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bDYm9-QtHw - I love watching this gal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_MB4XKOWxY - she is very good.

I am moving right along weaving this scarf.

Missy says be content with what you have.

Gus says wear the N95 or Kn95 masks and be safe, we are not over this yet.

Monday Message

"As we do our very best, we can be confident that 'the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail.' We shall enjoy greater wisdom, security, peace of mind, and personal well-being. We shall be prepared, and because we are prepared, we 'shall not fear.'"  (Bishop Keith B. McMullin)

We got ten inches of snow at the time I wrote this, following it is bitter cold temps.

The funny thing is before the storm came I walked to the mailbox and look what I found in the garden...

Parsley! I could not believe it!! We have had temps that felt like -20 to -35. We have had snow storms and still it was there. I call that pretty amazing. Not something you would see here in Central Iowa in the middle of January.

With this current snow storm it was nice to be inside warping the table top loom. We call her Baby Bertha since the other loom is called Big Bertha.

Having extra on hand made it easy to stay home while the storm raged on.

The other thing is we need to all be safe. The cloth masks are not good enough protection against Omicron, use an N95 or a  Kn95. I heard on the news last night that the Omicron wave is heading to the Midwest. So I expect it to be much worse than it is now and now is pretty bad. We got an email from the hospital saying they were having a high volume of upper respiratory patients and they were having a list of what to do if you suspected you might have Covid. They also said wait times were going to be longer.

My doctor said things are really really really bad and not to go anywhere near a hospital right now so hoping we won't need to.

Missy said now more than ever be safe.

Gus says find a place to be cozy and stay put.

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 all see how long it takes to get supplies to people needing them. In emergencies, depending on the devastation, roads may be impassable. We want to be able to help others at this time so having a food storage helps not only ourselves but others as well.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/how-to-prepare-for-difficult-times.html - I love this gal and this post is very helpful.

https://www.favequilts.com/Beginner-Basics/Back-to-Basics-Quilting-Tips-for-Beginners - this is helpful if you are wanting to learn this skill.

https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knitting-Tutorials/Knitting-Class - this was a great find this week, it has a course you can click on in the post.

https://www.allfreesewing.com/Basics-and-Tutorials/Beginner-Sewing-Videos-Learn-to-Sew-Tutorials - here is one on sewing.

https://www.allfreecrochet.com/Scarves/Classic-Infinity-Scarf - this one on crocheting.

https://thesurvivalmom.com/cold-weather-survival-survive-in-a-stranded-car/ - I think we all saw that clogged interstate on the news. This is always something I think about a lot in the winter.

I have always thought having skills is a great thing.

I am writing this post the day after my birthday. Traditionally, I love to go to the used bookstore, it's something I always look forward to. But times being what they are and this not safe for us to do, I needed to think what else would I like to do?

So I decided to dye for my b-day. I had everything on hand. For years I have collected things I would need to dye fiber.

When we insulated the garage a few years ago I had to use this mask, when we were done doing the insulation I put it in my basket of things for dyeing.

When you use dyes in their powdered form you have to wear a mask.

Once the dye is mixed I could take the mask off. I wear rubber gloves as well.

I braided up some wool fleece and soaked them for about an hour.

I laid out plastic wrap, it is here that I will mention everything I use was collected to be dedicated to be used for only dyeing not for use in food ever. Like the pans, the jars, the canner, a scale, the salad spinner, the stir spoons - I keep all these just for dyeing only.

This pan was one method I used for dyeing.

This is the other method I used.

When I was done dyeing they then have to thoroughly dry. Here is what they look like...

When dry, I make these braids and when I am ready, I will spin them into yarn.

This was what I did on my birthday and you got to see what fun it was! Even my furry supervisors approved! So even though we have traditions that we need to change because of Covid, it is okay, we still can have fun and fun was had for sure.

Gus says still be very very careful!  It is not time to let your guard down.

Missy says that staying safe sometimes means staying in.