August 2015 Frugal Chatter thread

[SassyAshley]

Nancy nice haul.

I will admit I got a good supply of cotton from Michael's it was on sale plus Mom got her employee discount so I was happy and it keeps me busy. Although I am a little afraid to go in myself and see all my options as I might go a little crazy so maybe sending Mom is the better option.

Interesting note I a tight knitter yet a lose crocheter who knew. I am currently using You Tube and Pinterest to teach myself to crochet, so far so good I have mastered the single crochet and will attempt the double tonight. I got 2 what looks like full balls of yarn plus a set of needles off Varagesale which I am using just to practice stitches in both knitting and crocheting so hopefully soon I can move past a dishcloth. I have my eye on some slippers and arm warmers (oh how I want these for winter in my office as we usually sit here trying to figure out how to wear our gloves and type, it cannot be done we have tried).

Also as a surprising note I am taking next Friday which means I will have a 4 day weekend. We have the new furniture coming next week so I will spend the weekend building sorting and trying to get as organized as we can granted the situation. The tricky part is we have no where to move stuff to work since all the rooms are jammed packed but figured it was time to bit the bullet as my bed was on sale and if we keep waiting for everything to be perfect lets face it, it will never happen so hoping this is the push we need to get it done. Now if I could just get the furniture out of my basement we no longer want which would make room for the new stuff. Our original plan was to do the cake room first then craft room but this so will not work as everything is mixed in boxes not to mention all the furniture we do not want is the cake room half of the room. I have a plan will see tonight if I can execute it as Mom is working so if it does not work no one ever needs to know it will be my own little secret. Next week we will be getting a second dresser for my room, my bed which comes with under the bed storage (this makes me want to happy dance I will finally have storage in my room, I could almost cry) plus we will get 2 large bookcases and 1 small bookcase for the basement as well as 2 sets of wire shelves.

Have a great day everyone off to see what today will bring.

[Natalka]

Hi, everyone!

JnC - so awesome that you got all that fruit! I would love to have some rhubarb.
Most importantly is for me to find a good source for dill - I had tons frozen for the past two years, and am down to my last two little packets. I use a lot of dill! Where we had gotten it before was at church - someone just brought garbage bags full of dill to share!

Have a Lovely Thursday, everyone!

[Andit]

Good morning, everyone.

Critters are ticked, cause my friend didn't feel up for a visit. So, I've had to tell them that we're going for a car ride this afternoon (bff is coming over later to drive us out to my Mom's - we'll be there for the weekend, so I'll be awol ). Now, both of them are waiting by the door.

Better get things in order and pack for the mini vacation (but no home cooking, sigh, Mom won't be home til next week ).

Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[sweet sparrow]

@jasperandchar : On ripening pears (and most other things), my mom told me to use paper bags, with the fruit inside and the openings folded over. This traps the ethylene gas and ripens the fruit quickly. If you need it done even faster, leave it in a bag with other fruits that produce the same ripening gas, like apples or bananas. Check daily because the process is fairly quick!

Mom never finished high school but she knows her food chemistry. Go figure!

You can get the paper bags at the grocery in the loose mushroom section. I miss the days when there were giant boxes of loose mushrooms. Now they're commonly all saran wrapped in their own containers and not near as fresh.

For the knitters, thanks for the advice. I'll keep an eye out for Michael's sales, but for now, I'm having second thoughts about the pattern. If you use dishcloths or give them as gifts, how large do you make them? I'm looking at a pattern that is 9.5 x 9.5" and I'm thinking that's too big for things like narrow cups and toddler sippy cups.

[Frugalbigmama]

@Sweets parrow- We can still buy loose mushrooms. Guess it depends where you shop.

[Frugalbigmama]

Happy Thursday! A good work day it shall be for me at work. I'm treating it like a Friday and getting a large project done this morning and then this afternoon wrap up all the small things and get them off my desk. Then I'm ready to tackle whatever I decide tomorrow.
DS starts his job tomorrow- Wooohooooo! And he already has 3 shifts for next week. Glad he will have a decent 1st paycheck. Told him to blow the 1st one but then he needs to put minimum 15 percent away for savings (not to touch) and another amount for planned savings (he wants a new guitar). So excited for him!!

[Lynn49]

@jasperandchar: On ripening pears (and most other things), my mom told me to use paper bags, with the fruit inside and the openings folded over. This traps the ethylene gas and ripens the fruit quickly. If you need it done even faster, leave it in a bag with other fruits that produce the same ripening gas, like apples or bananas. Check daily because the process is fairly quick!

Mom never finished high school but she knows her food chemistry. Go figure!

You can get the paper bags at the grocery in the loose mushroom section. I miss the days when there were giant boxes of loose mushrooms. Now they're commonly all saran wrapped in their own containers and not near as fresh.

For the knitters, thanks for the advice. I'll keep an eye out for Michael's sales, but for now, I'm having second thoughts about the pattern. If you use dishcloths or give them as gifts, how large do you make them? I'm looking at a pattern that is 9.5 x 9.5" and I'm thinking that's too big for things like narrow cups and toddler sippy cups.

Here's my "go to" site for dishcloths...from the easy to the difficult (fyi: don't do the yellow bird one! Oiy!) Enjoy!
http://www.knittinghelp.com/free-pat...hes-potholders

[avoncallingu]

Lynn, you are a veritable font of knowledge!

Folks, I can pretend that the only reason I am not doing all this canning, etc. Is that I am in Denver instead of home, ha! I used to do quite a bit of jam-making and sell it at my mum's craft fairs, so I had all the equipment - but, it got lost in the shuffle, as well as my energy.

I so admire all of you!

I AM hoping to freeze some peaches in Apple juice when I get home. I LOVE frozen peaches in the winter time!

Well, my tummy is growling. Time for a new day!

Have a great one!

[Lynn49]

Lynn, you are a veritable font of knowledge!

Folks, I can pretend that the only reason I am not doing all this canning, etc. Is that I am in Denver instead of home, ha! I used to do quite a bit of jam-making and sell it at my mum's craft fairs, so I had all the equipment - but, it got lost in the shuffle, as well as my energy.

I so admire all of you!

I AM hoping to freeze some peaches in Apple juice when I get home. I LOVE frozen peaches in the winter time!

Well, my tummy is growling. Time for a new day!

Have a great one!

Aw, shucks...{{{kicks sand}}}....knitting dishcloths is such a super way to learn new stitches and play with yarn without committing to a sweater! LOL!! Would you believe that when my Hubby and I were dating I knit him an entire cabled fisherman sweater?! Not THAT'S love! Since then I've never wanted to cable anything again!

Enjoy your visit in Denver with wee Kasey, I'm so happy she's feeling better! I hope you and your Hubby can take a little time for those 'touristy' things, too.

Well, one more laundry load into the dryer, ironing done, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies done for "the boys" for camp (our DD and her Hubby will have company visiting them at camp for the weekend with their 10-year old son who gets along just great with their guy)...most of the clothing packed, groceries set aside...I wish I didn't have a doctor's appt this afternoon...it would have been so great to head out earlier...gr.

Hope you're all enjoying your day!!

[coupon girl]

just got home from out and about running around
-got 10.50 for my son from his clothing at plato
-got the huge bags of robinhood flour 8.88-1.00 cpn=7.88 at foodbasics and coffee too 4.99 after cpn and snapsaves for folgers reg 10.99 when not on sale I got 2
-gonna bake muffins from scratch -then I freeze a few
-and help hubby sand the rasiling before we coat the deck on Friday /sat-cool out now -nice break from the heat

-my daughter is 33 today -I called her at 8.00 a.m cause last night she told me she would be doing some work at home from 6.00 a.m to 8.00 a.m before she went into the office
-then I came up to bed and cried a tear -I am so emotional not cause she is 33 but cause she lives in Toronto -I wish she was here in my city sometimes but hey -just want our grown kids to be happy and she told us she/her hubby will always live there and raise one child there someday

[sweet sparrow]

@Sweetsparrow- We can still buy loose mushrooms. Guess it depends where you shop.

I still can, the box is just now the size of a large shoebox. It used to occupy the same space as tomatoes or oranges, at least where I shop.

DS starts his job tomorrow- Wooohooooo! And he already has 3 shifts for next week. Glad he will have a decent 1st paycheck. Told him to blow the 1st one but then he needs to put minimum 15 percent away for savings (not to touch) and another amount for planned savings (he wants a new guitar). So excited for him!!

My sister did the same for her DS, spend the first, save the rest. That's very exciting!

Here's my "go to" site for dishcloths...from the easy to the difficult (fyi: don't do the yellow bird one! Oiy!) Enjoy!
http://www.knittinghelp.com/free-pat...hes-potholders

Oh, why not? I was actually looking at a different yellow bird on that website, the "beginner" one.

Aw, shucks...{{{kicks sand}}}....knitting dishcloths is such a super way to learn new stitches and play with yarn without committing to a sweater! LOL!! Would you believe that when my Hubby and I were dating I knit him an entire cabled fisherman sweater?! Not THAT'S love! Since then I've never wanted to cable anything again!

The only thing I've ever knitted was a scarf. It was good to practice tension and the stitches over and over again. Dropping stitches while trying to knit with slippery needles at the bus stop was horrible though! I switched to bamboo needles very quickly. I haven't knitted since, but I thought I'd try a few dishcloths so I could buy less sponges.

[sweet sparrow]

-my daughter is 33 today -I called her at 8.00 a.m cause last night she told me she would be doing some work at home from 6.00 a.m to 8.00 a.m before she went into the office
-then I came up to bed and cried a tear -I am so emotional not cause she is 33 but cause she lives in Toronto -I wish she was here in my city sometimes but hey -just want our grown kids to be happy and she told us she/her hubby will always live there and raise one child there someday

Aww. I think moms miss their babies more than babies do. But, she is promising you a grandchild so you can fill your extra time with knitting blankets and booties. When the LO comes, you can say, "see, that's how I feel about you". And then she'll beg you to move in as the babysitter.

[momof5boys]

Happy Thursday! A good work day it shall be for me at work. I'm treating it like a Friday and getting a large project done this morning and then this afternoon wrap up all the small things and get them off my desk. Then I'm ready to tackle whatever I decide tomorrow.
DS starts his job tomorrow- Wooohooooo! And he already has 3 shifts for next week. Glad he will have a decent 1st paycheck. Told him to blow the 1st one but then he needs to put minimum 15 percent away for savings (not to touch) and another amount for planned savings (he wants a new guitar). So excited for him!!

Congratulations to your son!

I think that we parents are probably just as excited as our kids when they land that first job

[lizzie bargain]

J and C-all your bushel baskets etc remind me of growing up in Ontario. Seems I just see cardboard boxes/baskets of fruit here in AB. Great haul on the pears and rhubarb-that will be nice to have on hand for winter.

[sweet sparrow]

I don't go into dollar stores as a way of budget control and also because I can't buy any groceries there. Last week, I did go in to pick up a bunch of things as donation gifts. I bought two items with a $3 price tag in the corner. I peeled off the tag and there was a laminated $2.50 price tag on underneath, that can't be removed unless you cut into the blister packaging.

Oh my.