On My Needles and What I'm Reading... June 16, 2021

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  On my knitting needles... in my Scribd app... on my book pile! Knitting and reading in my free time and little bits of snatched time are two of my favorite ways to enrich my life.

   Hello everyone!  

  What are y'all up to lately? I enjoyed a caramel frappe this morning with my daughters at the local coffee shop. Yes, I did that last Wednesday, too. Not planned... but... am I sensing a pattern here? While Sugar Cookie used her computer and Ginger Snap did homework online, I read a few chapters of Everybody Fights by Kim and Penn Holderness. Watch for my review by the end of the month. I can already tell this one is really good and down to earth. They use real life examples from their own lives. I'm still reading Come Back to Me, too. Gotta love good fiction!

Read one.
Knit two.

Just got this in the mail!
I hope to start this book next week!

  The blue, purple and green sock hasn't grown much since last week. Well, it did, until I found a mistake and had to pull out many rows. Good think I like knitting and like the yarn. I don't know what it is. It is some leftover yarn from a friend's project. I think hope I have enough to make a pair of ankle socks. We shall see! Yarn chicken! 

  I wish you happy reading this week and happy stitching, crafting, baking, making do, gardening, putting up, or whatever you're doing to be busy with your hands and mind.

 Don't forget to be in God's word. I'm in Hebrews right now. 

 Hugs to all,

 Laura

 Hopeful in all things

P.S. One of my favorite things is listening to audio books on Scribd. This month it is Alice in Wonderland for my book club. I keep telling you about Scribd, because it has been such an game changer for me. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

  

Fiona the Hippo Stories ~ Richard Cowdrey and Donald Wu ~ Zonderkidz ★★★★

This post contains affiliate links.

Hello everyone! If you're looking for a gift for a new mother, a toddler, preschooler or beginning reader, this new series from Zonderkidz about Fiona the Hippo is a great idea. 

★★★★ 

Adorable beginning reader book. The illustrations are fun and bright and cheerful. Lots of animals, and the Fiona character is based on a real baby hippo at the Cinncinatti Zoo. I wish I'd had this when I was teaching my children to read. Instead, I'll give it to a friend who teaches her children.

Well done Mr. Cowdrey and Mr. Wu. Thank you for adding a great book the Zonderkidz I Can Read series. 

Meet Fiona the Hippo (General Market)

9780310770947 | Softcover | On Sale Date: 2/9/2021

Meet Fiona, the adorable hippo who became a worldwide internet sensation. Learn how Fiona came to live at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and what this fun, fearless hippo hero loves to do!

★★★★ 

Fiona Saves the Day is a is a little learn to read book that tells the fantastical story of a little penguin that needs help and how Fiona rallies the other zoo animals with a plan to rescue the penguin. With an adorable little baby hippo and her cute animal friends, the little story will be one that youngsters will enjoy.

Great for beginning readers.

Fiona Saves the Day (General Market)
9780310770978 |Softcover | On Sale Date 2/9/2021

Fiona the Hippo must do her best to save her friend Mango, a little blue penguin who is stuck on a ledge! But if there’s one thing we know about Fiona, it’s that she is one fearless hippo.

★★★★ 

This is another book in the Zonderkidz I Can Read! series. Mr. Richard Cowdrey and Donald Wu wrote and illustrated a sweet story of a little hippo who wants to be like everyone else but just cannot do what the other animals can do. The other little animals are encouraging and supportive. It's all about being who she was created to be. An engaging story with bright, playful illustrations make this a great learn to read book.

Fantastic Fiona (General Market)
9780310771005 |Softcover | On Sale Date 6/1/2021

Everyone is special. Join Fiona at the zoo as she discovers what makes each of her animal pals so special. And what makes Fiona so special too.

★★★★ 

Fiona and the Rainy Day by Richard Cowdrey with Donald Wu is another Beginning Reader I Can Read! book from Zonderkidz. This series, in partnership with the Cincinnati Zoo is a bright little story both in text and art. It's very appealing with cute little animals and a reassuring storyline.

I enjoyed it. I don't have any grandlittles yet, but I will be happy to give it to a friend with little ones.

Fiona and the Rainy Day (General Market)
9780310771036 |Softcover | On Sale Date 6/1/2021

It’s raining, but Fiona wants to be with her friends. Can Fiona hang out with her friends and enjoy the rain too?

★★★★ 

This is a high quality board book from Zonderkidz. It's great for toddlers and preschoolers. For that matter, it would make a good cuddle up with baby and read book. Since it's a bedtime story for Fiona the little hippo from the Cincinnati Zoo (based on a real hippo), it's also a great bedtime story for little ones. The soft colors and calm scenes show lots of sleepy animals to point and identify. It's a really nice book that would make a terrific gift.

Fiona, It's Bedtime (General Market)

9780310767749 | Board Book | On Sale Date: 5/18/2021

It’s time to go to bed, but Fiona can’t fall asleep! Help your favorite hippo say good night to all her animal friends at the zoo before she snuggles up with her mama and settles in for a warm and safe slumber in this cuddly, read-aloud, board book---a follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Fiona the Hippo and A Very Fiona Christmas.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these books free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I use the Goodreads star system.
★               Did not like it
★★            It was okay
★★★         Liked it
★★★★      Really liked it
★★★★★   It was amazing

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #164

  Welcome to another...

Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!

Post includes affiliate links.

 I'm so glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God. 

Harvest Lane Cottage
Est. 2019

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

Do say hello!

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♥♥♥

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  Hello everyone! I hope you're seizing this lovely early June week. I walked outside yesterday and found that we need to eat some salads this weekend, because our lettuce is growing quickly. We only have four plants, but they're doing well. It's going to be awhile yet before we have tomatoes, squash and cucumbers. I look forward to some paninis with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden along with some mozzarella cheese. Mmmm... it sounds so good. 

  Last week, I committed to writing these thrifty posts weekly again. This week, I found myself much more attuned to the things I was doing that were thrifty or not! I find that keeping a list of what you have done can be truly motivating. So, I look forward to sharing many thrifty things over the coming weeks.

  I'd love you to share your list with me in the comments. Helpful tips would be awesome, too. I'm feeling back to myself. No surgeries on the horizon, and I'm ready to get back to using it up, wearing it out, making it do, or doing without to stretch my husband's income.  

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A Verse for You

" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Philippians 4:8

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♥♥♥

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Here's my thrifty week!

~ I had some bananas that were getting very ripe. I made a scrumptious banana pie using a very old recipe that I've had since I was young. My husband made an easy and  thrifty oil pie crust. See his tutorial here.

~ I am trying to use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without, or declutter it! I have a pizza box that's filled with scrapbook paper that's been lying around for years. I needed envelopes for the stationery that I made from scrap paper and washi tape. So I took an envelope apart and used a scrap of thin cardboard to make a template. Then I traced, cut and assembled the envelopes. I was out of glue, so I used transparent tape to put them together. 

~ We made chicken and dumplings for a family meal and ended up feeding two extra people. Chicken and dumplings can be made with just a little chicken, bones and scraps from a baked chicken, or pieces, or a whole chicken. It can be as thrifty as you want or need it to be. We were extravagant and used a whole chicken this time. But, it was still thrifty, because we fed eight people with a chicken, flour, eggs,  amd mashed potatoes. The whole meal probably didn't cost more than $8.  We ate it to fast to photograph it!

~ A college student joined us for dinner and mentioned that she'd been wanting to bake a pie, but she didn't have a pie pan. I reached into the cupboard and gave her one of mine. She was happy, and I have a bit more room in my cupboard, too. ~smile~  Give and it shall be given to you.... 

~ Nothing beats ice water for keeping hydrated! But other things are nice too....

~ I made mint ice tea with 1 family sized Lipton tea bag and 1 personal size peppermint tea bag from Bigelow. This made 2 quarts.

~ I've been enjoying books I received to review for free. See my reviews of  The Nature of a Lady and Dusk's Darkest Shores. DDS has a giveaway included that ends June 15.

~ We did some real estate investing and cleared out half of our garage! My husband can park his car in there now.  That's at least 30 cubic feet of real estate. At around a hundred dollars a square foot, that's $3000!

~ I made our house ice tea with 1 family sized Lipton tea bag and 1 personal size Constant Comment tea bag from Bigelow. This made 2 quarts.

~ I blocked a pair of short scrappy socks I knit recently. I knit them entirely with scraps from other projects. 

I knit this pair the same way. Yes, I wear them with my denim skirt and a top. I haven't found shoes that I think really show them to their best advantage yet. Maybe some Mary Janes?

~ I am currently knitting these vanilla socks with yarn that a friend gave me.

~ I received two more kids beginning readers from Zonderkidz for review. I'll add them to my gift box when I finish. 

~ I decluttered my silverware drawer. 

~ I started a new book last night—Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund. Yes. It's a review book. 

That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?

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♥♥♥

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ღLauraღ

...doing what I can with what I've got

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

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♥♥♥

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One thing that helps me keep busy is listening to audio books on Scribd. 

It's only $9.99 a month for unlimited audiobooks from major publishers, books, magazines, sheet music, podcasts, and documents as you want.

I get well over $9.99 a month in value. I love it.

You can get a free 2 month trial by using my Scribd  link. I'll get a month free, too, so it's win-win to try it out. 

In love since 1981.

For richer or poorer since 1986.

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♥♥♥

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BIG, BOLD, AND BEAUTIFUL ~ Kierra Sheard-Kelly

This post includes affiliate links. 

Big, Bold & Beautiful
Kierra Sheard-Kelly
A Review

My Thoughts:

Big, Bold and Beautiful is a book for young ladies to help them to accept themselves as they are and to remake themselves into the ladies God wants them to be. It's written in a frank, forthright way that will appeal to the younger generation. For that matter, she gave me some things to think about, too! The struggle to be what others think we should be, or should look like or believe is real. Kierra gives young ladies a roadmap to find who they are meant to be and to embrace it and grow.

From the Publisher:

Big, Bold, and Beautiful: Owning the Woman God Made You to Be (Zondervan YA)

Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Christian, gospel singer, shares her wisdom for young adults to help them to identify and nurture their goals, talents, and gifts and keep them on the right path.

In this immersive and inspirational book, Grammy Award-nominated singer Kierra Sheard shares her hard-won advice on body positivity, spiritual self-care, goal setting, finding your joy, and living boldly in faith, empowering you to grab the life you’re meant to lead.

Every one of us was born to make a difference. But do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the things the world prioritizes, thinking you don’t match up or you don’t fit into the mold? Or do you wish you had a more supportive family, or positive role models, or access to the things you need emotionally and spiritually to keep going? Kierra Sheard sees you and will teach you how to:

• Identify your goals, talents, and gifts so you can survive and thrive
• Deal with societal expectations and focus on what really matters
• Truly love yourself and find out who you really are as an individual
• Live your faith loud and proud

Inside Big, Bold, and Beautiful you’ll find:

• Short and easy-to-read chapters with deep advice for teens and young women on navigating life, and insightful questions to help you find your path
• Illustrated feature pages containing stand-alone graphics that highlight key topics for easy reference when you need a boost
• An ideal gift for those who need encouragement, as well as graduates getting ready for a new phase

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

On My Needles and What I'm Reading... June 9 , 2021

  On my knitting needles... on my Scribd app... on my book pile! Knitting and reading in my free time and little bits of snatched time are two of my favorite ways to enrich my life.

  How are you all this fine June day? I enjoyed a caramel frappe this morning with my daughter at the local coffee shop. I listened to a teaching on decluttering and cast on a pair of shorty socks as part of the Summer Sock Camp Challenge by The Crazy Sock Lady. I'll count these socks for the Knit at Home Sock Knit Along by Rain Cloud and Sage, too. 

  

  I'm a toe-up gal most of the time. Since I have limited yarn, I want to be sure I don't run out. Knitting toe-up works well since you can always see how much yarn you have left over. Those are Addi Flexi-Flips in size US 1. I'm finding them a bit fiddly. I learned with the Magic Loop method with one set of needles on a long cord.

  I opened Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund last night. I'm already on page 60. It is an intriguing mystery. 

  I am also knitting another pair of socks. I'm just beginning the ribbing. 

    I'm listening to another mystery in my Scribd App.

  Well, it's time to write a letter and cut out the fabric for a project bag. Have a homemade, handmade, heartmade thrifty week! 

Laura

P.S  If you use my link, you'll get a 2 month free trial of Scribd, and I will get a free month as well. I'm not an affiliate, it's just a neat perk that they have for their subscribers who tell their friends.

Laura Lane

on Goodreads

2021

17 Finished Books

Goal 50

HarvestLaneLaura 

on Ravelry