Friday, July 18, 2008

Thursday, July 17, 2008

  • Currently Reading
    Queen Bee of Mimosa Branch: A Novel
    By Haywood Smith
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    Frugal Doings



    I have been following PennyAnn Poundwise and her frugal doings.  I don't have a breakdown of my savings but I feel like I'm doing my part to stretch our budget.

    Frugal Doings

    1.  Starting a new chocolate mint plant from a cutting.  I don't need more chocolate mint but I do need some ground cover instead of weeds.

    2.  A dinner and at least 3 lunches from 2 leftover portions of spaghetti sauce.  1 lunch from the left over penne pasta. 1 lunch from the leftover spaghetti squash and maybe a to-be-invented Italian Meat Sauce Salad (like Taco salad?) 
    Garlic bread made from hot dog buns that needed to be used.  Salad from my garden.

    3.  Making our Power Bars instead of spending the $12-18 they cost in the store.  And homemade are made to order (with or with out raisins.).

    4.  Constantly remembering to take my water in a refilled water bottle to work or when we go out.  My insulated mug keeps the large ice cubes I made from 1/2 cup plasticware, frozen almost all day.

    5.  Dinner from leftover potatoes, bacon, sale cheese and farm eggs = Bacon & Potato Frittata.  Toasted homemade bread and sale tomato/avocado salad rounded it out.

    6.  Clearance priced 2-gal roses!  Originally $15, on sale for $3.75!  I got a yellow & also an apricot-colored one.  They are putting out new growth and have just a little black spot.

    7.  Clearance priced day lilies.  Less than $2 each for field grade plants.  I bought 2 sets of 13.  It'll be a huge surprise next summer.  LOL

    8.  FREE veggies from a wonderful neighbor who brought me zucchini and cucumbers and promised me more.  (I passed on the okra.)  And he promised me some wild salmon later.  I offered him tomatoes later and will give him some basil.  He is also the only one with permission to  hunt on our land. 

    9.  Watched the sale flyers for a sale on face cleanser.  A savings of almost $1 but then the CVS store brand saved me another $1.  We were in town anyway and it didn't require a special trip.  Now I'm stocked up for a few months and won't have to pay full-price if we run out unexpectantly.

    10. Not sure how frugal this next one is.... Farmer-dear is considering buying some of his bulk chemical NOW for next year.  The price is expected to increase by at least $5-6 a gallon yet this year and probably at least that much again next year.  Multiply that by 100 gallons-plus and this is a big savings.  He's still thinking about it.

    11.  Purchased a book I've been wanting for 50¢ at the thrift store.  The retail price is $24!

    12.  Renewed my license NOW before my birthday, so if I'd happened to get stopped, I won't get a fine.

    13.  Used the last of the quart of paint our refinisher sent home with the old screen door.  I used this paint to paint the trim and so far have not had to open up the new quart I bought.  I'll return the unopened quart for a refund or credit.  Also with this.... took the time to clean my brush REALLY well, so I hopefully can reuse the brush.  (I have the worst experience with reusing brushes.  I can never get them totally clean.)

    14.  Have been making homemade bread and we're eating the loaves instead of it getting moldy like the boughten loaves were.  I used my big roaster on the back porch as a mini oven and that keeps the heat out of the kitchen.  I use my bread maker to mix and knead the dough.  Saves my time so I can get other things done.

    And 15.  Signed up to get coupons online.  I have 3 for our favorite yogurt and it is on sale for it's low sale price of 50¢ each this week.  My coupon is for 50¢ off six, which brings the price down to around 42¢!  I'll buy 2 cases to last us until the next sale.

    I hope this inspires you to share your frugal doings on your blog!  And a big thanks & hug to PennyAnn Poundwise for inspiring Me!

    In the near future I hope to have photos of my new roses & the quilt I just finished.  Until then....

    HUGS!
    Kay~

    -- "It is great wealth to a soul to live frugally with a contented mind."  ~Lucretius 

Monday, July 14, 2008

  • Currently Reading
    Quiltmaking by Hand: Simple Stitches, Exquisite Quilts
    By Jinny Beyer
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    Let me first thank the Academy....

    Wow!  I am astonished and thrilled!  Paula blessed me with this award, my first blog award!  Thank you Paula!  You made my week. 


    1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
    2. Link to the person you received your award from.
    3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
    4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
    5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you have nominated.

    I'd like to nominate:

    1.  Margaret  at Tea_Lady on Xanga.  I love her wisdom and way of looking at life as she deals with the day-to-day of homeschooling 4 children and her dh's working on & off the ranch/farm.

    2.  Polly  at PollythePatchworker on Xanga.  OM!  I can only dream about becoming the accomplished quilter Polly is!

    3.  Cheryl  at copperswife, again on Xanga.   I just love her way of telling about the day-to-day.  Her homeschooling, her grown daughters, her grands, her home.  I now have blueberry bushes because of her blog.

    4.  My sweet Terri  at PennyAnnPoundwise.  This lovely lady is wise beyond her years and a dear cyber-friend.  I learn so much about life, frugal living, being a more Godly woman and home-making from her.  She also has another other blog:  Chatting on the Front Porch  and a yahoo group:  GentleLiving@yahoogroups.com .

    5.  Linda at living, quilting and stuff.  I've known Linda, cyberly for  several years on a quilting group.  She is a warm, caring person who makes amazing quilts and other fiber gifts.

    6.  Brin at My Messy, Thrilling Life.  I've praised her blog before.  I am amazed at how talented this young lady is in home-making, life, Godly living and just being all she can be.

    and finally 7.  Ree at Confessions of a Pioneer Woman.  Another homeschool mom, and rancher's wife.  She is funny!  And takes the most amazing photographs!  And can cook too! 

    There are more blogs I read regularly but these 7 are the ones I savor and are sorry when there isn't a new entry.  Thanks to these ladies for the encouragement and giggles I get from their writing.

    And thanks again to Paula for the award.  Now what should I wear to the ceremony?  

    And now I'm off to read some of these blogs and then to start my Monday at home.  Potted plants & gardens to water, millipeeds to shop-vac, homemade pizza for supper and I've been granted "permission" by my quilting group to put the Geisha mess (i.e. quilt) aside for now and work on something else, so my brain won't explode!  That silly quilt is driving me batty and I need a break from it.

    Have a mahvelous Monday everyone!

    Hugs!
    Kay~

    -- "Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your week."

Sunday, July 13, 2008

  • Currently Reading
    Nigella Express: 130 Recipes for Good Food, Fast
    By Nigella Lawson
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    Vintage, Retro, Old, Antique, Part 2

    Alrighty then.... here is my post about all my favorite vintage things.  I took the time to photograph them.  Some may be repeats. 

    Here we go....




    Ok, this is a gross photo, I know.  This is our bedroom. Now don't go calling the Dept. of Health & Human Services!!!  This is an OLD photo from 4 years ago when we were in the midst of renovating it.  Why is it here?  Because I LOVE my slopey ceiling and my (OH CRAP!  Brain fog here----)  That little window above the door.   And if you look through the screen window, you can just see the little window that lights our closet (behind the closed door).  I live in an old farm house full of character.



    The above 3 are my newly refinished parlor door & old screen door. Love, love, LOVE them!! 
    Again, more character from my old Farm House.



    I almost forgot I had this!  It's tucked away upstairs in the storage room, but it's coming down ASAP!  My kitchen is going to be "Fluffed." (excuse the dust & dirt on it..sheesh!)



    The inside. 



    Some more Red & White vintage/retro favorites. 
    (Exactly what is the difference between "vintage" & "retro"???)
    I have several more red/white enamel saucepans too.



    Not a true Coke collector but I like these.  I have 3/4 of a box of these old Coke paper cups.  Too Cute!



    I LOVE this scale!  A thrift store find and I've never seen another one like it. 
    Yellow is my second favorite color.  And it works and I do use it.



    More dinginess but I like them.  The letters spell out "Merry Christmas"
     and the child's dustpan was mine (right, Mom?).



    This is a repeat, but I LOVE this red & white table cloth.



    A close-up of the design.




    This sweet little stove was one of my maternal grandmother's salt & peppers.  She collected them and I bought it on her estate sale. 



    Detail of the door.



    I love this ceramic transferware basket.  The small green flowers are repeated inside the piece.
    I got it at a local antique/BnB.



    And finally, my second favorite vintage piece.   My Hoosier Cabinet.  We had it refurbished last winter.  This is a "before" photo.  It has the original enamel sliding top and the flower sifter is complete as is the bread drawer (lower right).  This piece was out in the wash-house when we moved here.  I did a quick & very amateurish cleanup on it so I could bring it in the house.  It felt good to have it professionally done and it sits in a place of honor in my kitchen.

    And this ends part 2 of my favorite vintage things.  Keep watching for part 3.

    Now I'm off to spend some time hand-quilting my little sister's wall-hanging.  It's too nice a day to spend in front of the computer.  I'll be on the screen porch if you need me. 

    HUGS!
    Kay~

    -- "Be good.
         But if you can't be good, be good at it!"
  • Currently Listening
    Borderlands
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    Vintage, Retro, Old, Antique

    I want it.... I'm not ashamed to admit it.  I Want it!  I NEED IT!!  I will get it (or one like it...)

    What?  you ask.... THIS !!   (scroll down to the 6th photo)  See that retro red cake tin in the background?  I NEED THAT!!!  It's calling my name. 
    Actually alot of what's in "Thee Handworks"'s blog post, I WANT!  Those quilts, that butter mold, the Fire King green sugar/creamer (that she got, lucky girl!)....

    I'm obviously in a Vintage kind of mood....

    So, while it's a slow, quiet, cool (Thank You God!) kind of Saturday morning... I'm going to go take photos of my favorite vintage/retro stuff.  I'll be right back....

    Alrighty then... it is now 24 hours later....  Sorry about that.  Xanga was having "issues" with uploading my photos and then the Farmer-dude came home and then it was lunch and then his second cousin (I think....what is your dad's cousin to you?) came over and then Ds2 (I love that boy) called & needed his good slacks pressed and of course it was Mom to the rescue, because I love that boy! (Have I mentioned that?)  He came out and we chatted briefly about his new position at the plant.  I love that he is willing to take chances and try new things to better himself.  I love that..... well, you know.... 

    Then... it was doing some laundry, vacuuming up milipeeds who are trying to overtake mankind and are starting with my home!!!  

    Then I started making goodies for my sweetie after all the company left-- including a farm aerial photo salesman who needs a refresher course in good salesmanship--SHEESH!   I made him Scotcharoos.  Not at all healthy unless you consider the peanut butter & the rice cereal.  Also continued drying the basil prunings from the other night.

    And then... my sweetie told me to get "cleaned up"  (what?  looking at moi... I was clean I thought) and we'd go to the city for supper and Sam's Club.  Yee Haw!  No cooking!!     We checked out the farm store.  We're looking for a windmill to replace our weathervane that took a dive off the barn roof in a recent wind storm.  We both miss knowing the wind direction.  Guess you have to be a farmer to understand that... lol
    Then Sam's Club for Oxyclean (again, another farm thing-- stinky, smelly, sweaty farm clothes NEED this!); grape tomatoes; coffee creamer & biscotti (all for the Farmer's Wife so she will be a happy & healthy woman).  Poor man didn't get anything there!  But don't feel too badly for him.  He has Scotcharoos in the fridge and is very happy about that. 

    And then some YUMMY Carlo O'Kelly's food....mmmmmm~~~~   Chips & salsa (I only had 3 chips.  Dang that healthy eating thing!    )  And then a side salad with their yummy raspberry dressing (LowFat) and my entree was their Light Menu Pico Chicken Enchilada which has ff cream cheese, spinach, mushrooms and spicey chicken and is served with rice.  LOVE IT!
    The Farmer-dude had Combo Platter #4 (how exciting is that?  LOL) and all the rest of the chips (the pig!) and spent the rest of the evening paying for it.  Serves him right for eating those chips & salsa with such glee in front of me.  (I'm such a meanie.)

    By the time we got home and unloaded it all and put it all away.  [oh!  Forgot about the grocery store stop in there too.... cole slaw mix, ice cream bars (-- dang him again!), mixed nuts, drink mix for DS2, pudding cups for DS2 (ok so we spoil him--- he's my baby!  lol  Don't tell him I wrote that. ), and got a really good sale price on some .... ahem.... adult beverages.  (B & A!  We're set for the next 12 times!  You're gonna have to come HERE!  LOL  )]
    By all this was put away and dealt with it was time to head for bed.

    Which brings me to today..... a restless night (stupid TOM anyway--) and a sore back/neck and there was no way I was going to be able to sit in church & SS so we slept in a bit.  The Farmer-dude took the 4-wheeler to check cows on the other pasture while I had my coffee and a bit of selfish reading on the screen porch.  Took him "forever" to come back & I was beginning to wonder who was "out" where?  But about the time I was going to call his cell, he came back with his tale of walking the pasture, heaving dead/downed trees off the fences (we've had storms this week) and overlooking the cows until he walked the entire pasture, only to find them in the barn-yard.  poor thing...
    I felt sorry for him and so I made him waffles & bacon for brunch.  Now he's snoozin' in front of the tv.

    And I'm finally ready to blog about my Vintage stuff.  Head on over to the next post for that.  I think this one is long enough...don't you? 

    See you There!
    Hugs!
    Kay~

    --  "We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public."
           --Bryan White