Hi everyone! I know I'm a day late for Thrifty Thursday. But, oh well.
1. Pantry stock up: I did a big pantry stock up this week, topping up the pantry to have a year's worth of nonperishables like rice, beans, pasta, sugar and canned tomato paste. There were a few items that I don't quite have enough of, like tuna and pasta, but I will work on topping those up in the weeks and months to come. Still, I feel very happy with where I'm at in regards to the pantry. Last year my goal was to buy 6 month's worth of food, and this year I've expanded that inventory to a full year's worth. 2. Thrifting: I spent about $10.00 at the thrift store on books and sewing supplies (see the picture above). I want to restock my zipper collection this year and beef up some of my other notions. These days I buy thread whenever I see it, because good thread at Walmart or Joann's will cost a couple of dollars, but often I don't need a whole spool to complete a project. The spools I found at the secondhand store were about $0.25 each. 3. Centerpiece: I cut some forsythia and lilac branches to make an arrangement for our kitchen. I'm hoping that the leaves will at least unfurl, if not flower. In the past I've had good success with the forsythia branches flowering, and they are such a beautiful, spring-like yellow color when the whole countryside is still dull and brown. Twigs are so easy to arrange, and you can always find an abundance of them here. Of course it's nice if some bud out and flower, but even if they don't, it's still visually interesting and adds a touch of nature to your home. I was reading a piece in the Epoch Times several weeks ago about decorating with nature or nature-themed items. Studies have shown that being in nature provides a sense of calmness, lowers blood pressure and heart rate and inspires a feeling of well-being. Even when a direct connection with nature isn't available, even imagery of nature has positive benefits; so, for example, pictures of leaves, bark, snowflakes or ocean waves would have some effect. And twigs. Twigs have an effect. 4. Book: I found a biography of William McKinley at a discount store for $4.00. It seemed fitting for me to buy it, since the biography I'm working on now is Edith Roosevelt. I'm also exited to read it, given that McKinley was apparently one out of two Enneagram 2 presidents. Some day I would love to read at least one biography on each president. 5. Garden: I've been harvesting beets and parsnips from the garden, and trying to use up most of our pantry stock from last year; canned and dried produce (of which the wasn't much to start with), frozen produce, and also what's left in cold storage; a cabbage or two, onions, butternut squash and a few apples. When I first set a goal to garden year-round, I had no idea what I would do for the months between November and May, since midwestern winters can be so harsh and long-lasting. Somehow, each year I find new vegetables to grow, or new ways to keep those vegetables fresh. Last year in March, all I had was a fistful of lettuce and a couple of parsnips. This year I have enough parsnips for two per week, March-April. In addition, I have a couple of beets out there still, spinach beginning to grow, and even a bit of swiss chard that I haven't dug into yet. Last year's lack of canning lids really forced me to be creative in how I preserve or keep produce, and the results this spring are amazing. I'm still buying potatoes, but I've quit buying nearly everything else. That's all I have for this week. Blessings, ~Prudence~
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Hi everyone! I missed last Thrifty Thursday because I was gone all weekend. But I'm back now!
I have been busy cleaning up from our trip, decluttering, and am getting ready to do a thorough spring cleaning. Here are a few things I've done since my last post: 1. Infinity scarf- I turned a regular scarf into an infinity scarf by sewing the ends together. Perhaps I just lack skill in tying regular scarves, but infinity scarves are much easier for me to pull off while doing everyday twisting, turning, and bending over activities. This winter, I've really come a long way in my goal of dressing more feminine. First I started pairing leggings with shorter skirts, then with short, summery dresses. If you add leggings, a cardigan, and possibly an infinity scarf to a warm-weather dress, it magically transforms into a winter dress. I think it was also easier to wear dresses and skirts this winter because I didn't go outside or travel much, and the leggings made it feel like I was still wearing pants, which is what I'm used to. My goal now is to wear a dress or skirt every other day. 2. Made puff pastry. I used a recipe from a book by the Culinary Institute of America, called The Professional Chef. 3. I also invested in two new chef knives and a beautiful French rolling pin this week. I have a boning and paring knife from the same company, and wanted a chef knife to round everything out. I couldn't decide between the 7 and 8 inch knife, so I bought them both. They were very expensive, totaling about $260. The thrifty part was this: in the process, I also learned a few tricks on how to make knives AND wood cooking tools last longer. You're not supposed to put them in the dishwasher (which I already knew), nor let wood-handled knives sit in water for more than a few minutes. You're also not supposed to use the knives with plastic cutting boards, and when I take them back to the store for sharpening, I need to specify that I'm left-handed. As far as the wood goes, it supposed to be conditioned every so often with cutting board oil... and apparently, wood cutting boards are supposed to be conditioned as well. News to me! I'm going to keep my plastic cutting board for onions and meat, but now I know not to use it with the high-end knives. I have one well-used, thrift store wood cutting board and also a fancy personalized cutting board that I've rarely used. Now I will probably use the fancy board a bit more, and the plastic board a bit less. One thing I've learned about buying nice things is that you take care of them better. When you spend $300.00 on three kitchen items, you're not going to let them go to pot. Those things are going to last me the rest of my life, and hopefully someone else's life!! In addition to spending the $300.00, I also spent another $10.00 on a knife sheath for the larger chef knife that wouldn't fit in my block. With any other knife I would have just thrown it in the utensil drawer, but since I paid so much for it, I was like, "What's another $10.00 to keep it nice?" I also spent $8.00 on cutting board oil for not only the rolling pin, but also my wood cutting boards and a few wooden utensils I own. When this oil is gone, I will look for a good DIY recipe rather than buying another bottle, as the ingredients were pretty straightforward. 4. Read a library book for my own book research. It's called Sass, Smarts and Stilettos, by an American-Italian woman about the Italian lifestyle. I took a whole page of notes for my book, and also some action points that I'll probably put into practice this year. It was a fun and informative read. Some parts were a bit cringe-worthy for me, but overall I'm glad I read it. 5. Started decorating for spring. I finally (finally!) got down the rest of the Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras decorations, and began decorating for spring. I bought an olive-green, new-to-me tablecloth at a thrift store, and arranged doilies that I already had with a candle as the centerpiece. Blessings, ~Prudence~ |
About PrudenceI am a Christian homemaker who lives in the Midwest. I enjoy sewing, gardening, reading and thrifting. Archives
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