Welcome to another thrifty week at Harvest Lane Cottage. I am glad you've found me! Each week I share my thrifty and frugal projects, ways of saving money, and my blessings from God.
I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!
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Hey Girls!
We've made it past the busy-ness of Christmas with sweet memories and happy times. I hope you remember all the good things and forget all the bad. It's about our focus isn't it?
"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."
I'm working on this one! I do have a tendency to see the cup half empty. I hope, with God's help, to change that this next year.
I'm glad to report that I was able to complete nearly everything on my bucket list this Christmas season. I didn't get to some of the baking I wanted to do, but the days marched on while I was still trying to get in the mood. When we got a light frosting of snow, it helped.
Well happy new year! I hope you find time to put your feet up, think, pray, and enjoy your family and friends.
Laura
Dreaming of a White Winter
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Since last time I wrote:
- I invested in about 9 cubic feet of real estate. Much of this was in the form of old papers from the filing cabinet and miscellaneous junk from the basement.
- We ate odd bits of leftovers. In fact we ate a lot of odd things in order to save for Christmas dinner and extras.
- I ordered another gift card from Swagbucks for 2200 bucks instead of the normal 2500 bucks. The first $25 card you order each month is reduced in price. I earned enough Swagbucks to get a Bath and Body $25 gift card for each of my girls. I'm now well on my way to getting a $25 gift card for my son for his birthday in January. I am not sure which kind I'm going to get this time. If you're interested, click to learn and earn more. (Yep, it's a link that will help me earn more SB too. It doesn't cost you a penny.)
- We watched Christmas movies that we've collected over the years.
- We reused the gift bags we saved from last year.
- We enjoyed a progressive dinner with a group of friends. That's when you go from house to house and eat part of the meal at each house. We offered salad.
- Bought disposable bowls at the dollar store for the party.
- I made Snickerdoodles with things I had on hand rather than buying expensive ingredients for the cookie swap.
- I gave one of my like new review books as a gift.
- I reused packaging materials to send things I sell on Ebay.
- I gave a gift of homemade soap, pocket tissue holder, and snowman ornament.
- Bought a ham on special for $5 off.
- Bought two like new sweaters for my husband at the thrift store.
- Made soup with chicken that was given to me, potatoes, peas, corn, thickened by boxed mashed potatoes that were also given to me.
- Made Cranberry Wassail with cranberries bought on sale. I substituted ground cinnamon for the sticks.
- Bought several packs of chicken breasts that had been marked down.
- I gave home crocheted dishcloths and a big bottle of dish soap for a wedding gift.
Money was tight this year. It often is. That's okay. God showed me how to stretch the money I'd saved. Then we received a gift card from a friend that helped round out both the gifts for our four children and our dinner. God is faithful and good even in the little things.
Well, that's it for now.
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What are you doing in your home this week?
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A peek into my life...
My daughter, Amy, learning a bit about pottery from our friend, Chris Lorenzen. Check out her Etsy shop!
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A peek into my life...
ღLauraღ
...doing what I can with what I've got
where I am on a short shoestring budget!
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Hello Laura, lovely post and excellent verse.
ReplyDeleteI liked your way of thickening soup with instant potatoes, I must try that.
What a beautiful photo of your daughter with the potters wheel, makes me think of Jesus working in my own life, molding and refining me into His image.
In our home this week, my husband and I are enjoying three of our grandchild children. It has been a time of great outdoor winter fun and play.
We are blessed to have them during their holiday break.
May the New Year bring you much joy and peace as you faithfully walk with jesus.
Sounds wonderful Debbie. I hope you'll find the same peace and joy. Hugs!
DeleteLaura
What did we do/are we doing in our home this week?
ReplyDelete--Weeded and seeded the common area of our front lawn ourselves. Got a nice rain immediately afterward.
--Added a front basket to my bike by using zip ties. Baskets like mine sell online for $40+. Mine was $12, handmade in the Philippines.
--Making our traditional New Year's Day dinner of roasted chicken, black eye peas and rice, curry sauce, cranberry and slaw. I made a cheesecake for dessert.
--Stocked up on jellied cranberry sauce ($2/can; good Guam price)
--Making soup with the roasted chicken carcass.
--More stash busting:
• a pair of baby girl booties using a free pattern offered by a blogger
•fabric envelopes in preparation for Valentine's
•lining for my new bike basket
•felt squirrels with heart-shaped noses for Valentine's
--Made wall art for our bedroom using free tree limbs.
--Hung a vintage Missouri-shaped ash tray on the wall behind my kitchen sink to act as a splash guard. In its former life, it served me well as a magnetic pin "cushion" in my sewing room.
--Constructed six baby boy quilt tops (40-inches square). I've collected 30+ of my husband's old plaid cotton shirts for several years, cutting the good parts into 5-inch squares. They'll be Gramps Quilts for the grandsons we don't yet have... I've never quilted before, but with the machine, these work up in less than one hour each when all the squares are ready.
--I bought plaid shirting on sale online at Hobby Lobby to back my baby boy quilts. For one piece, I used their 40% off coupon.
--Hubby is making me a portable quilt frame. We found a simple tutorial online.
--I'll turn some apples into a pie.
--I got away with no crust for our Christmas Breakfast Pie but simply spraying and flouring the pie pan. Each piece (like a quiche) came out of the pan as if it had a crust.
--I got rid of one whole box of Christmas stuff I don't need.
--My husband and I write a Christmas Love Letter to each other as a gift.
--I planned my Daniel Fast, Jan 11-31.
Happy New Year,
Kelley~
Oh girl! I am amazed at all you've done. Please tell me you didn't do it all in a week or even two!
DeleteYou inspire me!
Happy New Year!
Laura
Laura, you did well my friend! Your Cranberry Wassail sounds delicious. My mother used to make Wassail at Christmas when I was growing up and I don't think I have had it anywhere but in her home. It was always a favorite and something that I looked forward to. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was the first "wassail" like drink I'd had that wasn't apple cider based. I will make it again. I still have cranberries in the freezer.
DeleteThanks for sharing your memory!
Blessings,
Laura
Lovely, thrifty ideas! I will have to check out Swagbucks. I have heard of it, but never really looked into it. Will use your link when I do. Thanks and Happy New Year to you!
DeleteThanks Deb. I appreciate you using my link. I'm getting close to another gift card!
Delete...money is always tight around here...and hopefully, in 15 months or so, I will have a job and bring in money and it wont be so tight, smiling.
ReplyDeleteHave a Happy New Year and thank you for the tissue holder....smiles
I hope so, Linda. You're welcome.
DeleteBe blessed in the new year my friend!
Laura
Great thrifty list! I would love to try your crochet dish cloth pattern. Is it easy? I made some a couple of years ago and they are my favorite. I made from regular yarn. Are yours cotton?
ReplyDeleteHave a great new week in the New Year!
Just double crochet! Easy peasy. Let me know if you want details. Mine are cotton. Don't use the Peaches and Cream from Walmart. Try to get the I Love Cotton from Hobby Lobby. It's softer and keeps its color better.
DeleteHappy new year!
Laura
So happy you and family had a wonderful Christmas , and now on to a Happy New year.
ReplyDeleteLots of savings.. and you did a great job on making things work.. hugs.
Thanks, Judy. Be blessed in this new year my friend, as you immerse yourself in God's word and in worship.
DeleteHugs,
Laura
Sending you love and hugs this beautiful New Year's Eve, sweet friend. :)
ReplyDeleteHugs and love to you, too, Cheryl. I loved my box of goodies. Thank you! Happy new year!
DeleteNot a lot here, we had leftovers from Christmas to eat a few times. Used some coupons for a few things. Skipped a few trips out, so we saved some gas. Watched new movies from the library. Bought a few books from the library for a quarter each.
ReplyDeletePulled out an old home movie, videoed it, and sent the videos to face book as a Christmas surprise to my siblings. That was their gift from me, It had scenes of our Momma, and two late brothers in them. Made sure to stay out of the thrift store, no spending there on purpose.
Cleaned out some old food stuff, it needed to be, it was lingering too far in the back of the cupboard for too long. Made a new fruit cake recipe, chocolate milk fruit cake, that was good, and didn't buy anything extra to make it. I used fruit I had saved back in the freezer, and cupboard. Then gave it all away, so we didn't eat it, smile. Our Christmas food budget turned out much less than usual, to take to the inlaws, but I still was able to supply quite a lot to the feast. It was a different way that I approached it, by changing items that I took, and it saved a good amount of money.
It was a wonderful week, all the way around, I spent much less, but adapted what we had.
Wow, that was a wonderful week, Annie. I'm inspired to get busy and do with what I've got!
DeleteBe blessed my friend,
Laura
Hello Laura, I finally rejoined Swagbucks and did so using the above link. I didn't really see where it asked who referred me..so hopefully you get the credit! Have a blessed week friend, Karla
ReplyDeleteYes, I just checked. Your name is listed under my referrals. Thank you. Be sure to use the nCrave every day to get some swagbucks. When you go to fill out the surveys, under Answer, be sure to click show more. It will show surveys from Peanut Labs. I find I get approved for more of those, and they are generally a little shorter for a higher payout.
DeleteBe blessed!
Thank you for the helpful tips. It's been probably close to a year since I was a member, and I have noticed some changes. I don't have a lot of "idle time" to spend on the computer, so the more productive I can be the better.
DeleteWelcome back Karla! I'm planning on writing these posts weekly this year. Hope you find helpful hints.
DeleteBlessings,
Laura
love your list, Laura! reading about how you used items you had on hand inspires me. 2017 is going to be a tight year for me and I appreciate the reminder and encouragement. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteIt'll be tight for us, too Linda. God's so faithful when we do with what we've got... especially when we do it without grumbling. I'm still working on that!
DeleteWishing you a very Happy New Year Laura! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Necessity is the mother of invention as they say, Suzie. We do what we must. I'd love to hear what you've been doing lately.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you,
Laura
Thank you Laura for your inspiration it is so like how I grew up and appreciate your thoughts and that you stopped by to share your blog with us on Oh My Heartsie Girls WW. I hope to see you again soon, have a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Karren. Have a lovely week.
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