* Froze two single serves of leftovers.
* Closed the heating vents and doors in my girl's bedrooms when they weren't home. Turned their power points off too.
* Baked four loaves of wholemeal bread with extra goodness.
* Picked up some paint swatches ( cards ) from Bunnings to use in my card making.
* Filled up the dish washing detergent bottle and diluted the liquid. I noticed the pump was starting to break. I found a replacement out in my garden shed. I keep a bags of spare bottles, pumps and spray bottles as I never know when I'll need them.
* Made a pot of soup for dinner one night using chicken stock I'd made in the slow cooker. The chicken carcass used was from the catering job back in May. I think I still have another 8 - 10 carcasses left in the freezer. They make a very cheap meal.
* We started running out of cardboard boxes for packing up our kitchen, bookcases and fragile items. Bunnings was a great source of free boxes.
* When Jessica was packing up her room, she found a pile of envelopes. I cut them up ready to use to make some cards.
* Saved the shower warm up water for the washing machine. Saved the washing machine water for each next load. Saved water from the kitchen tap ( washing hands etc ) to rinse and soak the saucepans.
* Picked the first broccoli head of the season from our garden. Very yummy indeed.
* Made a batch of gravy powder.
* Gratefully received a fuel discount docket in the mail. Thankyou Tania xoxo.
* Made lots of cards to sell to a friend.
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| My temporary kitchen. |
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| Trying to have everything I'll need for two weeks |
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| Making the most of under the dining table |
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| Our broccoli |
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| More boxes |
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| Card making |
What did you do this week to save time, money and energy ?
Hi Wendy. How exciting about your new kitchen! You'll be using it before you know it! My frugal tasks this week weren't as long because we have been so busy. I don't even know where my week went! Here are a few things we got up to.
ReplyDelete- gratefully received a gift card which I can use at woolies, caltex, big w or masters. This will definitely come in handy!
- we had a warmer day during the week so we pulled back the blinds to let the sun warm our house.
- had three no-shop days
- turned off appliances at the wall as much as possible
- found some children's books discounted to half price. These will be good for Christmas.
- stocked up on half price tea and peanut butter.
- took advantage of the aldi baby sale and bought a jumbo box of nappies and wipes. They were only a bit cheaper per nappy than what I normally buy but it makes all the difference!
- there was temptation for take away one night after a really long work day and no sleep from baby the night before. I snapped out of that train of thought and reached for something I already had in the freezer. Phew!
Amy
Takeaway can be so tempting at times. Glad you had something in the freezer to eat. Think of the savings.
DeleteDear Wendy, a new kitchen is very exciting indeed! I can't wait to see photos! The broccoli looks fabulously mouthwatering and your sweet card is a work of art. What a great week, despite preparing for a demolition! Love, Mimi xxx
ReplyDeleteThankyou Mimi. We love to eat broccoli as much as possible.
DeleteWendy, how exciting ... a new kitchen! Your card making abilities are really good. You turn out some really pretty cards. The pipes running into our hot water heater had to be replaced today and thankfully my husband could do it himself. It saved us a bundle! We are always looking for ways to save money!
ReplyDeleteThankyou Patsy. Glad your husband is a handyman.
DeleteYou busy lady. I am quite envious of your new kitchen. I would love to update mine but it is still in working order even though it's 30 years old. There are other priorities for the money to be spent on first. Enjoy your new kitchen you lucky and very busy lady.
ReplyDeleteI understand the priorities bit. We were going to do the kitchen first then the bathrooms but then we realised the kitchen could wait and the bathrooms couldn't. The bathrooms were done 21 months ago.
DeleteDear Wendy, That is how we did without a kitchen too! Like camping almost! I hope it all goes well and look forward to seeing your new kitchen!
ReplyDeleteI had a pretty good week. A good visit to Aldi with lots of savings. My freezer is full and I have things in Mums freezer as well!
Have a lovely weekend! With love Annabel.xxx
I knew you'd love Aldi Annabel xoxo
DeleteYour broccoli looks so fresh. How awesome that you are able to eat things every day that you grow in your garden. When I was a little girl in the 70s my Dad grew all our own vegies. It's a skill I don't have, gardening, but I wish I did. I sometimes get fresh vegies from my daughter and son in law though. Last week I gratefully received zuhcinni, corn cobs, eggplant and bush lemons
ReplyDeleteSarah, things like lettuce, silverbeet, tomatoes, beans and broccoli are quite easy to grow. No special skills required. Just make sure you give them Seasol every now and then.
DeleteOh, oh....just hold your breath, block your nose and squeeze your eyes shut.....the kitchen reno will soon be over.
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil. If only it was that easy. The renos should be finished in 2 1/2 weeks.
DeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteYou've done so well this week. That broccoli looks yummy and I love the card you made. xx
Thankyou Mel. My list might be very short next week.
DeleteHi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteWow!!! So exciting that your reno starts tomorrow, good luck with it all, you look very organised. Love looking at your photos of your "make shift kitchen".
Well, I came down with a cold this week and it hit me from out of the blue for a few days but all good now, but I have been trying to catch up on things. Whilst I was ill, I watched a few You Tube Tutorials to do with card making. I ended up making my own templates for cards like circles, stars squares and a fancy boarder template as I don't have any punches of these. I made coloured Brads from Brads I had at home but I wasn't rapped in their colour so I changed them with Nail Polish. Now they're gorgeous!!! I also experimented with MOO double sided foam dots. I cut out the squares/dots (using an old mouse pad and foam animals which the boys used to use in crafting) but I'm still working on the best glue/sticky stuff to use on them. I also finished my cards for the August swap. Who said being sick is a time wasted.
I mooed bread, Banana bread and all meals.
Used the tank water for the washing machine.
We were given a bag of Chillies ,AHHH!! I don't eat them and I don't know how to extend their life as it's a big bag.
Filled up the Dishwashing bottle and did my shopping for the month.
I did a market research and received $70.00 for 45mins, putting this towards my craft slush fund.
DH received free tickets to the Soccer so he and Brendan went and took snacks, cheap outing.
Great tip about saving the water to soak the saucepans, didn't think of that.
Hope all goes well Wendy for this week, thinking of you and can't wait for the photos,xxx
Maureen
I'm so glad you are feeling better now Maureen. Great use of your " sick leave ". I love the idea of using nail polish to color the brads. I'll have to pinch that idea. My girls have truck loads of nail polish colors.
DeleteWe don't use chillies either except in the tomato relish.
Hi from the UK. My youngest has a kitchen just like yours, so far it has taken 6 weeks and another 6 to go, I hope yours is speedier. It will be worth it in the end.
ReplyDeleteThis week I have
Sewn a button on hubbies shorts
Put elastic in my pyjamas
Found 12 hot cross buns, 12 pain au raison and 2 packs of mini pastries at 1/2 price in the supermarket
Baked bread
Picked and dehydrated 2 1/2 lbs runner beans
Picked 6 corgettes and potatoes and carrots as needed
Eaten cake and quiche from the freezer
Did out said freezer
Knitted 2 sleeves of my cardigan
Line dried the laundry
Collected seeds from nasturtiums, poppies and french marigolds
This weeks most unfrugal decidion is to buy a new larger greenhouse in the fall the old one is 30 years old and our neighbours trees have cracked the foundations and bent the frame and a lot of glass hass brocken so it would cost a lot to repair.
I have never made cards how do you get started, can you recamend any you tube videos
Good luck with the kitchen
Hi Chris, Our kitchen and new flooring should be completed in about two weeks.
DeleteYou had a well rounded frugal week. The greenhouse will pay for itself over time.
I started making cards by gathering all sorts of bits and pieces from around the home. I have joined a facebook group called Card Making Tips. They are mostly experienced card makers but I think it's based in the UK.
I have a few card making posts in the craft section here on my blog. They will give you an idea on how to get started. I don't have an youtube video links as such. Google and Pinterest are great for ideas. See if you can join or make a card making group. That's where I learn new ideas.
Hello Wendy. I absolutely love your card- such striking colours. Could you please tell me the size of your card front. Also where do you buy the feathers from and approximate price please. I haven't been able to find any where we live (Taree, NSW) Your kitchen cabinets look gorgeous Wendy- just what I would love. Not long now till it will be finished.
ReplyDeleteHi Lorraine. I have my card making supplies packed away at the moment with all the renos here. From memory the card is A6 in size which is A5 in half. Kmart has just bought plain cards back into stock. They retail at 25 cards and envelopes for $3. $2 and $2 plus shops quite often stock colored cards and envelopes For $2 or $2.50.
DeleteThe feathers I bought from Spotlight in the lace and trim section. It is a trim and comes on a roll for about $14.99 a metre. I only buy 10 cm which gives me enough for 7 - 10 cards.
Let me know how you go Lorraine.
Oh thanks so much Wendy for the details. I will certainly be visiting Spotty soon and will post my card when made to show you. I bet you can't wait for your kitchen to be finished, must be nearly there. I made your whole orange cake last week and it was delicious. To save approx. $900-1000 my husband and I painted our 27 yr old dining suite, the ugly orange pine variety last week. It was a huge job with the slatted chairs, using chalk paint and wax. Looks great but I wouldn't tackle chairs like mine again. I also painted inside my wardrobe a bright white to help me see things better and doing loads of jobs in the garden before summer heat arrives- though it's 24 deg here today!!! Gorgeous weather. Thank you again Wendy, I just love your blog. Best wishes Lorraine
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see your cads. feel free to post a photo on my facebook page in the comments or as a message.
DeleteI know the types of dining setting you have. They were very popular.
The bamboo flooring is being installed today. The stone bench top goes in tomorrow morning and the plumber connects the sink and appliances in the afternoon. Friday the carpet is being laid in the three bedrooms and lounge. It's all happening here.