Not as much has been done around the house with frugal tasks, but we are grateful for the life we lead. When life gets busy we go outside to spend a few minutes watching the chickens pecking away or to have a little potter in the veggie garden. We are truly blessed.
Here's what I managed to do -
* Picked lots of lemons off our tree and juiced them for the freezer.
* Picked some silverbeet to hide in my honey mustard chicken recipe.
* Made another batch of soap. I can't wait to try it.
* Bought a large gift bag from the $2 shop. It has images of vintage bikes and motorbikes. I should be able to make up to 18 cards from the bag.
* Sold some of our chickens eggs to friends.
* We ate out of the freezer for two nights. I'm still trying to make room for when legs of lamb come on sale.
* Made some floral cards for the Cheapskates card swap using supplies I had on hand.
* Filled up my car when petrol was $1.08
* Gratefully received a cake from a friend for our wedding anniversary.
* Turned the heater off for three days in a row ( during the day ).
* I built up my stockpile by buying grocery specials of Pineocleen, disposable gloves, and paper towel all at half price.
* Bought boxes of chocolates for $6 ( half price ) to be given as presents. My girls have been going to a few birthday parties lately. These are parties where 60 - 140 people are invited. When that many people are invited, the present doesn't need to be expensive
* Saved the washing machine water. Dried a few loads of washing on the line and the rest on clothes horses.
* Picked two big handfuls of snow peas from the garden and used some in a chop suey with our broccoli and silverbeet. YUM !!!
* Gratefully received a bunch of parsley and some bok choy from a friend's garden.
* Cooked from scratch every night except for our wedding anniversary ( 20 years ). Darren and I went out to dinner in the city and the girls had a $3 pizza from the supermarket. Everyone was happy.
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| Some cards for the Cheapskates card swap. |
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| $2 gift bag to make cards from. |
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| Flowers I learnt to make this week. |
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| Cards for the cards swap. |
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| I learnt to make a dress card this week. |
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| Snow peas from our garden. |
Loved the cards from bags idea, so inventive.
ReplyDeleteAnd cheap too Joy.
DeleteThe dress card is fabulous ! How effective. Aren't snowpeas just the best, I could nibble on them all day.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't think we had any snow peas to pick. They were growing in a mess. It was a wonderful suprise.
DeleteHi wendy. I love the $2 bag idea. I might have a look over here at the $2 store . Maybe i can have a go too at making cards!!
ReplyDeleteLove reading your blog!
Kathleen
Kathleen, making cards can be really easy when you find things like this. Wrapping paper is a great way to get started too. I buy packs of 50 cards and envelopes from Kmart for $5.50. A bargain.
DeleteI love the cards Wendy; do you have the instructions for how to make the flowers??? I would love to learn how to do it.
ReplyDeleteYou have had a busy week this week haven’t you but you still managed to make those cards, wow…they are so nice.
My week has been different this week. I had a surprise visit from one cousin and a planned from another. It was so wonderful..
I have also
Made orange and white chocolate biscuits
Made yoghurt
Made bread
Planted more seeds into the garden
I continued successfully to use sunlight soap for the dish washing.
Temperatures above zero and minus temperatures so didn’t need the heater very much at all
With cousins coming to stay (one I hadn’t seen for over 30 years) I got to work and made bread and apple pie and biscuits (which surprisingly turned out well). We had roast beef and veg for tea, followed by apple pie and ice cream. Luckily I had the freezer well stocked.
After a night of fun and laughter my cousins left this morning. I was the very grateful recipient of bulk beef supply (filled half my freezer), a couple of bottles of wine(I will use for cooking as we don’t actually drink ), a large batch of coconut ice(Hubby will have it for morning teas), a large chocolate/nut and white chocolate slice(if any is left by Monday Hubby will use it for morning teas…it is yummy), multiple bottles of homemade chutneys and sauces, 3 small fruit trees and lots of hugs and laughter.. But the most important part was that we were able to connect again as family.
Now I am about to join my husband for a skype call to talk to our grandson who is today celebrating his first birthday.
Have a great weekend Wendy
Linda
Linda, A lady on Cheapskates posts lots of card making things on the forum. She does lots of googling. I think I'll do a post shortly.
DeleteYou've truly been blessed with visitors and good food.
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary for Wednesday, hope you had a great night in the city.
Love the bag idea, will have to look out for things like that. Your flowers and dress cards look very pretty.
This week was busy with appointments so not much cooking but here are a few things i got up to.
Planted seeds in an empty mushroom container and covered it with an old plastic juice bottle. Washed out my bread bags to reuse, made yogurt, choc chip bickies and found a box of prawn crackers so i made these up for school lunches.
I picked another lettuce from the garden and some silverbeet. I did some sewing on my sons school uniform patching up things and filled up with petrol when it was $1.07. Continued walking and i feel heaps better for it.
DS1 is on camp and DH was away 2 nights so we ate from the freezer 2 nights and also DS2 has been sick all week so less food and utilities were used this week.
I joined the September card swap and made my cards ready to post next week. I also signed up for the card making workshop in September with Cath fro Cheapskates.
To all the Dad's, have a lovely day tomorrow,
Blessings,xxx
Maureen
Yes we had a lovely time in at Docklands.
DeleteI hope your son gets better quickly.
Another great week for you Wendy.
ReplyDeleteYour cards look fantastic, and those flowers you created are really pretty.
My frugal week went like this;
*Used a thermos for keeping water hot instead of boiling the electric kettle every time we want a cup of tea.
*Continued going through my pantry and taking things out that don't belong there. This has freed up some more room for food storage.
*Sold excess eggs
*Picked some kale to put in meals.
*Continued on with getting the veggie garden ready.
*Stewed up native peaches (quandongs) and put in the freezer. These will be used for dessert and are a very good source of vitamin C.
*Planted cucumber seeds.
*Baked a banana cake using bananas that were gifted to me.
*Wrote out as many meals as I could think of and decided on meals for a monthly menu plan.
*Shopped the specials this week.
*Three no spend days.
*Paid extra on the mortgage.
*Saved pre run water from house to water pot plants.
*Planted out fig cuttings into pots.
*Picked oranges, lemons, grapefruit and mandarins.
Wishing you a lovely frugal week,
xTania
PS Re your previous post Wendy,
It would seem that you are very well loved and have plenty of lovely people that call you friend and think you are an inspiration.
Keep doing what you do :)
God Bless you and your family xx
You always have such a wonderflu list Tania. You've been busy.
DeleteTania, I've made so many new friends lately through Cheapskates, the workshops, fellow blogger and from here too. Unfortunately we can't cut ties with some who don't like what we do. I will be pointing them to the post as I'm not explaining my family's lifestyle any more.
Dear Wendy,
ReplyDeleteYour cards are wonderful, I love the dress card! You are continually learning new skills. I am starting to wonder what next year will hold!?
I am late with my list on my blog due to being away. I am home now and will do it in the morning.
I cant for the lift of me think why anyone would give you a hard time or be unsupportive. I just read your reply to Tania.... if anyone is critical of you and not thrilled for you I just dont understand. As your friend I am so proud of you! Also I admire you. People who are foolish might find themselves coming to you for help in hard times. Then they will have to eat humble pie.
Also how do they measure success? I would be fascinated to know! You are a true Proverbs 31 woman and your husband and daughters already call you blessed. So I truly cannot figure these people put. You said to Tania you cannot avoid them but no one needs to come under attack and you clearly do. I hope you can find away to not let their negativity affect you. I know this can be hard. It has happened to us but in our case we just dont have to see these people and leave them to it. God Bless them and keep them far from us lol
You have had an awesome year! And its not over yet!
This was a good week! I cant wait to post mine tomorrow! With love, Annabel.xxx
Thankyou for your kind words and friendship Annabel. We know we are walking in the will of God. He gave us this ministry and we feel so blessed. xoxo.
DeleteHi Wendy I enjoy your blog so much and have learnt so much from you Just keep doing things just the way you do you are inspirational and are held in such high Regard by so many people I am sure anyone being critical is just secretly jealous of the wonderful life you have made for yourself and your family The secret is not to take their comments personally. You will find they treat other people badly as well. Shelley
ReplyDeleteThankyou Shelley. I won't be changing my lifestyle and I'll be blogging as long as I have something to share. xoxo
DeleteOff sick this week. However I cooked most nights. Picked up the shredder paper from work to use as kitty litter. Started to get the garden ready for spring planting. Started to get an egg every second day from our pullets. Reassessed our budget again to see where we can cut costs. Used a shopper docket to save on the vaccination of our big dog. Turned the heater off most days and only used it at night.
ReplyDeleteGet well soon Janine. It's always worth revising the budget.
DeleteHappy Belated Wedding Anniversary wishes Wendy♥ I just love your cards, especially the dress one:)
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Anniversary Wishes to you and Hubby
Your cards really have come a long way. I love the dress card and that gift bag will make awesome cards also.
This week I have
Cooked at home every night
Whilst doing a smaller weekly shop I found some bargain presents at Woolworths...$1.00 for Crayola water paints 8 pack and Crayola pencils 12 pack at $1.99
As DP's car is off the road I have had to be taking him out and picking him up and now a friend has offered their spare car for him to use on the next round..........so greatful for this offer
Hung all washing out to dry
Taken $30 of our shopping by putting a basket in the trolley and thinking about what is in there before heading to checkout
Started a 600ml bottle challenge with $2 on Saturday and have $10 already
Accepted the offer of looking after friend's chooks whilst they are away over school holidays
Opened the whole house up to freshen up
Have a great week
Aly xxx
Happy 20 yrs Wendy!
ReplyDeleteI've just found your blog Wendy and I love it. I also love to make cards and was wondering if you would share your pattern for the dress card? It's beautiful. Now to enjoy all your older entries. Lorraine
ReplyDeleteThankyou Lorraine and welcome to my blog. I'll try to find a way to download a pattern for the dress. I'm a bit tech challenged, so it could take a few weeks to find a way. Please keep in touch.
Delete