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)

When I have a huge task to do I feel so overwhelmed. So what I do is a little at a time. Because I have fibromyalgia I have limitations now to what I can do and I find it frustrating. I have to break things down like I can do this thing thirty minutes a day or sew a little each day or whatever it might be. This adds up quickly and then you're done. So too is it like storage, just do some every grocery trip and you will see how fast it grows.

I use this method as well when learning my skills. Life is busy and we are wondering just how we can do just one more thing. I found lots of reclaimed time in the car. Yep, I would take books with me and read on skills while I waited, I still do this.  

I have been battling a double ear infection and having several trips to doctor appointments this week. I chose to take a knitting book with me, better than looking at germy magazines. Plus I learn. I bet if you think about those minutes you can reclaim them.

I would take my girls to practice and work on things. Once I made hair scrunchies for the whole team, red to match uniforms. It just happened they all had long hair. I did this instead of just sitting. Practices did not have to be watched and cheered at but even at games I took knitting that wasn’t complicated. Now you probably work on your phones…what if you were reading on a skill you wanted to learn?? I bet you would learn a lot. A tiny thing to carry and so much to learn, what a neat gift and tool.

http://www.littlehouseliving.com/how-to-minimalize-childrens-clothing.html  When our girls were younger there was something talked about this, they used summer as an example and limited what clothes their kids had like six shorts and tops and a swimming suit kind of thing. This limited clothes on the floor and unworn laundry. We really can do on far less.

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2016/08/make-frugal-breakfast-sandwiches/ - thought you might like this.

This is the time for my favorite open face sandwich

Becky’s Frugal Summer Sandwich

Grill your buns (my favorite is onion) I butter and grill face down in frying pan then put them face up on your plate. In the same pan put diced zucchini, as much as needed, put a pinch or two dry garlic, same with dry onion. Cook till the zucchini is half cooked then add a diced tomato. Cook till it is tender then top with mozzarella cheese. Cook till melted, scoop on the buns - these are terrific.

www.gluesticksblog.com/2015/06/the-search-for-the-7th-minion-tote-bag-tutorial.html I saw this and thought how cute is this, good Christmas gift idea also good building of sewing skill.


http://sewlicioushomedecor.com/pot-holder-organizer-plastic-baggies-tutorial/ - this is a great idea

http://www.patchworkposse.com/microwave-bowl-potholder/ this is a handy idea, these could develop skills and are useful gifts.


www.bevscountrycottage.com/kitchen-potholders.html - this will help build your crochet skills.

Some stories to motivate and inspire you…

http://myfoodstoragefavorites.blogspot.com/2013/09/my-food-storage-story-experience-that.html

http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/2013/08/pictures-of-my-food-storage-room.html

http://faithtap.com/3050/25-food-storage-tips/


http://thesurvivalmom.com/food-storage-lessons-learned/ - interesting

www.pinterest.com/fsme/food-storage-gifts

There are many things to get you inspired.

Keep doing the best you can.

Reminder - Now is the time to build your winter car kit. The time to prepare is now not when you are in the crisis.

Monday Message

I made this dress out of fabric I had & can now use it as a pattern for more!

President Ezra Taft Benson - "Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account... We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now."

General Conference October 1980; and in that same talk, he also said…

“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the lasts days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.”

How are you coming on your storage? How are you coming on your skills? What frugal things did you do this past week? Drop a note in the comments below. 

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/reasons-cooking-scratch/ I cannot stress cooking from scratch - it's so important.

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/30-items-can-make-home-save-money/ - here are things you can make.

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2016/08/101-reasons-recommend-a-sun-oven/ I still have a sun oven on my "yet to get" list.

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/35-frugal-foods-buy-youre-broke/ - great idea
            
www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/recipes-grandma-knew - great recipes here

http://www.gracefullittlehoneybee.com/pan-fried-apples/ yums

http://storethisnotthat.com/dry-youll-like-dehydrating-class/ - in case you missed this, it is the best I have yet to see on dehydrating, so get out those dehydrators and dust them off!

When your produce is slowly coming in or fast use your dehydrator for your excess.

http://storethisnotthat.com/menu-planning-101/ this will help you when things get busy during the school year.

So one frugal thing I did in the last two weeks is I made a dress for me to try the pattern. Now that I have it just the way I want it I plan to do variations of it. I used fabric I had and did a little each day till I got it done.

I also have been working on Christmas and other gifts. It is not too soon to start. I realize most of you are in the busy time of getting kids ready and to school. Once they are back in school and you have more time get to work on your skills and also be getting in your storage.

Keep doing the best you can.

Monday Message

“From President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor, we hear: "Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food . . . and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free."
  
“We call upon priesthood bearers to store sufficient so that you and your family can weather the vicissitudes of life.”

Do you have what you need to be a bit more self-reliant?? Such as canning jars, water bath canner, pressure canner, lids and rings, dehydrator, and perhaps a food saver and the canisters. Of course, there are other items one could get as well but this is a list to start you thinking. Many can be found at yard sales and even Goodwill. You just have to keep looking. If your funds are low, I know you can find these things at yard sales as that is where I got mine, yep, I did. 

You might say I don’t can food or I don’t like to can, or some other reason, but I say it is a skill that you should know how to do and have supplies to do so.

I am sure you don’t like many tasks but we still need these skills, I have not heard we shouldn’t.

Yes, it is work but really who would turn down a homemade slice of bread with homemade jam on it?? Even those who need gluten-free can make bread the way required for them.

There are free canning classes offered around the area see if you can find one, if not, ask someone you know who cans to help you learn.

Skills are what we need to be working on…

http://www.vanillajoy.com/boys-neck-tie-tutorial-free-printable-tie-patterns.html

This would be a great item to practice and to learn basic sewing, and could be useful.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpCakyrVurw - this is a good idea, can’t you see all the guys wearing matching ties.

http://www.makermama.com/2010/03/tutorial-how-to-sew-simple-skirt.html - This too would be a good item to sew.

http://knitting.about.com/od/knittingpatterns/p/garterscarf.htm
knit this pattern easy, will perfect this skill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxrjkNTgbAA  good thrifting tips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUo_AFLpAJM great redo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hH2-rsaoPo  easy apron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9JqHYPYA1M  cosmetic bag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dr7nnONsUM  a vest jacket

I threw these in to show you how easy it is to refurbish clothing, so go through your closets and see what you can come up with.

One thing I have tried to do is get basic patterns when on really good sales, like a dollar a piece things I like but are classic so they won’t go out of style fast, so I got from sales and yard sales. Next I needed fabric so again sale fabric, or freecycle or yardsales or craigslist or those people who are downsizing. Then I always had collected buttons and the other week I mentioned sewing notions, these always are cheap.

Build your store is all hand in hand with building skills.

I make baskets and got enough supplies on sale to get started then freecycle or yard sales then others got out of it and gifted their supplies to me.

 Same with yarns which I weave and knit with, some were bought used, some from yard sales but lots were from an auction house. I got a pick-up load for $100.00 coned yarn, two had price tags that equaled that.

Having the things on hand in your own store helps save money. When I need a gift I can go to myself to gather supplies. I am not saying to be a hoarder, just letting you know how this has helped me.

Though I can’t afford new, buying used or gotten free has been wonderful.

So give this some thought.

Monday Message

Dying my own tatting thread is one way I work to be frugal. Check out that post HERE.

(Ezra Taft Benson, October 1973)
“The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.”
    
(W. Don Ladd, October 1994 General Conference)
    “We all need to build a personal ark . . . And we shouldn’t wait until it starts raining, but prepare in advance. This has been the message of all the prophets in this dispensation . . . as well as the prophets of old.
    “Unfortunately we don’t always heed the clear warnings of our prophets. We coast complacently along until calamity strikes, and then we panic.
    “When it starts raining, it is too late to begin building the ark. However, we do need to listen to the Lord’s spokesmen. We need to calmly continue to move ahead and prepare for what will surely come. We need not panic or fear, for if we are prepared, spiritually and temporally, we and our families will survive any flood. Our arks will float on a sea of faith if our works have been steadily and surely preparing for the future.”

I think we all have been through hard times. How did you do it? No doubt it was difficult. I think once you have been there you have compassion for others going through hardships. What can we do to help? I know we can’t take it away but there are things we could to do to lighten their loads.

We don’t have much income so it has to be used to the max.  A friend who knows this will get a few fresh veggies and fruit and shares with us. She might not think this is much but to us it has been wonderful and means a lot.

Look around you and see who can you help? Most people are private about this and won’t say, so you be led by the spirit.

Now though we cannot do this at this time doesn’t mean there are not other things we could do. Like we have an older couple in our neighborhood, I check in on them and when I bake we share. They don’t fix Thanksgiving meals any more and ours are cut back but we bring them half, it is a blessing to us and to them as they can’t get out much.

This is just one little thing.

There have been other things I have been able to do, not to brag, but only to give ideas. We had a family struggling on our block, at Christmas I was able to deliver a play kitchen I got for free and scrubbed it up and sewed stuff for it and the kids loved it as if it were new.

What things have you done or what ideas do you have? Share with us in the comment section.

www.Beingfrugal.net/ways-to-save-money there are ideas here, some can be even more frugal.     
     
http://www.beingfrugal.net/grocery-shopping-for-a-month/ this is great, filled with good info.

http://www.beingfrugal.net/frugal-tips-to-survive-a-recession/ I think you can find ideas here.

One important thing is to not let yourself feel… "oh poor me," moping will never get you anywhere. Roll up your sleeves and do what you can. Whining and blaming is hard on a marriage….think of how your husband would feel when all you can do is whine and place blame… think how your husband would feel when you find ways to stretch your funds and being so frugal… see what I mean? It is also good for you and your well being too.

Always be learning. We all might not be able to go to college but we can continue to learn. What I have learned over the years about being frugal is more than money could buy me. Life experience is priceless.

Being content with what you have is so important. Life will be richer. I see so many who are not content and they are sad and mad and some very angry. Don’t let yourself go in that direction. It makes a very unhappy home.

Use the yard sales, most of our house comes from yard sales - a used blender works as good as a new one.

Be frugal when you go to yard sales as well.

http://www.beingfrugal.net/yard-sale-bargain-shopping/ I pack water and snack but the batteries are a good idea too, on this note I always ask to plug it in and check the item.

But now is the time to go find school clothes, look for Christmas gifts too things - you can fancy up.

Those new marrieds can outfit the whole apartment.

It is a new time, we need to stay out of debt. We don’t need the newest next things, that won’t bring happiness.

I would rather go without than go into debt.

Again I mention cooking from scratch - a huge dollar saver.

http://www.beingfrugal.net/how-to-save-money-on-groceries/

Look for ways to be frugal.

One more thing I want to stress is if your income is like ours and you are needing to be frugal... I never want you to think you are not a good person, never feel you are a lesser person because of that. That is not what measures a person, so be happy and do the best you can. Keep working on your skills and storage.

Monday Message

You can get a link to this pattern HERE.

"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. ... We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months.  I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs." Gordon B. Hinkley, "To Men of the Priesthood," Ensign, Nov. 2002, 5.

www.foodstoragemoms.com/2016/07/get-started-food-storage-survival 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/middle-class-venezuelans-liquidate-savings-to-stockpile-food/2016/07/18/65933eb6-4d23-11e6-bf27-405106836f96_story.html I thought I would include this article about this family, middle class who had savings, name brand things, a seemingly comfortable life until something unforeseen happened in their country. Learn from it. If you are working on your storage, good for you. Put yourselves in their shoes...if they had storage they would not have to do this. This is recent and I am sure they never saw this coming. What is it like for the poorer people?

This is a huge event, you may never have to deal with this type but being prepared is what storage is all about.

How are you doing getting your storage in?

What would you do if you had to shelter in place? Would your storage last through any event?

I am sure some would say that would never happen here. They might be right but it could be something different. Keep in mind they probably did not see it coming. Often times we never do…it is all about being prepared.

This week our garbage disposal stopped working. Thinking that would be a costly fix we went online and found how to do it ourselves. It was fixed with a turn of an allen wrench, that was it, costing nothing. Simple blessings. Of course, we would and could have done without but I like this solution better.

How are you doing building your skills??

How are you doing with cooking from scratch? Send me some of your scratch recipes that you found bshook@huxcomm.net

One of my favorites is… in a 9x13 pan bake at 350 degrees for half an hour.

Green Bean Casserole

Brown one lb hamburger, drain (if I have left over taco meat I use that)
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans drained green beans
1 tbsp dried onion

Mix this all together

Then top with mashed potatoes

I like to put cheese on the potatoes, either way is great
bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till golden

This is a great food storage recipe as well.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=basic+sewing+how+to+adjust+pattern&&view=detail&mid=A7D000F578F6284A5041A7D000F578F6284A5041&rvsmid=8E2B90426D2F4544D0C08E2B90426D2F4544D0C0&fsscr=0&FORM=VDQVAP

I have been learning to alter patterns as the skill I am working on.
What did you pick to work on? Drop me an e-mail.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sew+a+little+girls+skirt&qs=PF&cvid=e7df8ac0062f48faba2b32b4f95eaf31&pq=sew+a+little+girls+skirt&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dsew%2ba%2blittle%2bgirls%2bskirt%26form%3dEDGNTC%26qs%3dPF%26cvid%3de7df8ac0062f48faba2b32b4f95eaf31%26pq%3dsew%2520a%2520little%2520girls%2520skirt&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=8D4E89C777DB577E0EF98D4E89C777DB577E0EF9&FORM=WRVORC - skirt for little girl tutorial. I love this gal, you can see that you are in control of how long it is. You can make it cute and modest, you don’t have to settle.

http://craftygeminicreates.com/ - get ideas

http://huppiemama.com/potholder-sewing-tutorial/ - tutorial on sewing potholders

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxRhVDH2AQ0tatting - reading patterns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmc4eWsX2A0 - tatting rings and chains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9xFCprGDpA - tatting join

I hope you found some good tutorials here also I hope you are inspired to get in your storage.

Love what you are getting done, keep up the good work and do the best you can.

Monday Message

"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.

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2016/07/easy-homemade-breadsticks/ easy bread sticks in place of dough enhancer, use same amount as yeast in vinegar.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/food-storage?lang=eng food storage video

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-0001-family-home-storage-meet-jean?category=food-storage&lang=eng food storage video

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-0002-family-home-storage-meet-maureen?category=food-storage&lang=eng food storage video

I can’t stress enough - cook your own homemade foods. I usually have six to eight a day food recalls come through my computer. Eighty percent of what I get are E-coli and listeria, the other twenty percent are milk and peanut allergy related. Those are the ones I hear about, how many don’t I see and hear about??

What gets one to wonder is last month there was a flour recall for listeria. I did not think about it as I had never heard of that brand but then the other day I happened to look up at the TV when they said Betty Crocker cake mixes on recall. I needed more information as I use some for a jar cake I make. It never reported so I went online to find it involved two flavors, carrot cake and rainbow chip. And the reason for this they said was that recalled flour was used. Yep. So while I thought no big deal, I had never heard of that brand. We need to think what products we purchase that do use the recall products hmmmmm.

Food for thought. That being said here is the recipe that I use to make the mix for my jar cakes….

Jar cake mix

One cake mix (any flavor - our favorites so far are strawberry, cherry chip, lemon, chocolate)

One package of a one step angel food cake mix. This is a mix you add only water, stir and bake not the two step where you have two packages, one you mix egg whites with water then fold in packet two - you want the one step.

I mix the angel food cake mix and regular cake mix. I store these in a two-quart jar.

When I get ready to serve I put four Tbsp. of this mix into a pint jar. Don’t grease or spray, then add two Tbsp. water, stir well and microwave for one minute only, then I top with fruit or pie filling or pudding and top off with lite cool whip.

For a quick dessert this is a healthy thing, convenient and the mix goes a long way. What makes it healthy is the angel food cake mix which is half of this mix.

Along this line…

When making an angel food cake from mix or scratch if you add a packet of unsweetened drink mix i.e. koolaide, my favorite is strawberry. Just add the packet in the cake with dry ingredients and what you have is a wonderful flavor and colorful angel food cake - terrific.

www.howtosew.com/blog/sewing-basics/how-make-custom-seam-guide - great to look at things that people come up with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGITrkYdjJs - part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU3JOK3prZU - part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ef--qhq25s - part 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOsuxTPzqXA - part 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBsddRoihVk - part 5

There you go for this blog post. Keep doing the best you can on working on your storage and building your skills.

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.