Search This Blog

Monday, February 27, 2017

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ February 27, 2016



The weather.... bright and sunny... a few clouds on the horizon... 48°. 

 Right now I am... enjoying a quiet house.

Thinking... about about just how good God is and how to make peaceful spots in my home.

A quote to share...


“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” 

Corrie ten Boom  

On my reading pile... 
  • Kenneth Hagin's Bible Faith Study Course
  • 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart
  • The Elusive Miss Ellison
  • Grow in Grace

Favorite blog post last week...
Some encouragement from Aunt Ruthie.

 Something fun to share...
I think this looks fun. I'd like to do it with my girls before Easter.

Blog hopping...
I'm reading through these blogs from beginning up to the present.

 On the menu for this week.... 
It's not fully planned yet, but I'm thinking about these things. I'll round things out with salads and veggies.

On my to do list...
  • Bible Faith Study book
  • School records and planning
  • Balance checkbook
  • Polish my shoes
  • Laundry

In the workbasket...
Looking forward to this week..
  • sewing
  • reading
  • church
  • homeschool co-op
  • lunch with a friend

Looking around the house... Everyone is studying or working, so it's quiet. There's laundry to catch up on. Gasp!

 From the camera...
My little Tiger knows how to relax.
On my prayer list...
  • Peace of Jerusalem and Israel
  • Safety and wisdom for our President, Vice-President, and leaders
  • Salvation for family members
  • Direction for my kids for their futures
  • My husband
  • Praying for Kristen, my friend Cheryl's niece. She's expecting a baby, has a blood clot in her lung, and has developed tachycardia. Please pray, too. 
Devotional... Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
NKJV

Be blessed of the Lord,
Laura


Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday.
~~~~~
Related Posts:
~~~~~
Monday
Mommy Moments  Amaze Me Monday - Living Proverbs 31 - Mommy Monday The Art of Homemaking    Modest Mondays Wednesday Wise Woman Christian Blogger 
Wednesday 
Homemaking Party 
Thursday Weekend Blog Party
Written by Laura Lane at 40 comments:
Labels:

Friday, February 24, 2017

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #94

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. 

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage

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

♥♥♥
Hey Y'all! 
  It's been a spring-like week here in southern Missouri. Seventies and eighties all week! I've seen crocus, daffodils, trees budding, and a tulip tree in full bloom! Folks around here are saying it's spring, but I remember well over a foot of snow in March! I remember it snowed once in May! It's Missouri. Anything can happen. But... No More Tornadoes! Joplin was enough.

Mark 11:24

“Therefore I say unto you, 
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, 
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” 
King James Version (KJV)

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
Here's my thrifty week or two!


Just for the record...I hate all the I, I, I, but I haven't figured out how to write the list without it. ~smile~
  • I enjoyed reading a book for review—The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller. 
  • I cooked fried chicken thighs for dinner. The package was marked $1 off, so I only paid $2.27. There were six thighs for my family of five. Yes. We would all have liked a second piece of chicken, but with veggies, it was an adequate meal. Sometimes we can save by simply limiting our meat portions.
  • I bought antiperspirant, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste at the dollar store. 
  • I put orange peels in vinegar to make cleaner.
  • My husband went shopping at a discount store. He bought a really nice, $46 dress shirt for $2.99! He also bought a $279 black suit jacket for $27.90!!! His thriftiness far outweighed mine!
  • I made a new dish for dinner this week. It was thrifty since I used free gift chicken from the freezer and my husband made the seasoning from spices on hand. 
  • A friend sent me a couple boxes of books. I kept some and gave some to a friend. Thanks Karla.
  • I altered a blouse my husband bought for me.
  • About four cubic feet feet of real estate cleared. I took some things to the local shelter

Well, that's my thrifty week. 
~~~~~
What are you doing in your home this week?

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

Have you been mending?
~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

ღLauraღ

Written by Laura Lane at 34 comments:
Labels:

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Filling Tummies in Hard Times ~ Simple Potato Soup

Hard times, tough times, lean times, whatever you call it, it takes patience, prayer, creativity, and hard work to make the best of it. A little help and encouragement from friends, family, or church members as well as thrifty tips are great, too. 

Our family has gone through hard times. We've faced periods of unemployment, underemployment, and financial pressure.  The sweetness of this is that I have learned to pray and depend on God ever so much. I've also learned to be creative and resourceful with feeding our family. 



 What do you get when you take some potatoes, an onion, some wimpy celery, some water, some milk, and some butter and call it dinner?

 Potato Soup of Course!

Sometimes an exact recipe is not as important as knowing how to cook with what you've got. Measurements don't really matter too much in this soup. I never measure, but put in what looks right to me. Here's how I do it.
  • First peel a whole bunch of potatoes. I have a great big 10 quart pot and a husband and three growing kids to feed; so, I use a lot of potatoes. Use what you have. You should have quite a few potatoes in the pot compared to the other ingredients.Rinse the peeled potatoes and put them in the pot with water to cover them. Turn the heat on medium-high and bring the water to a boil. I don't cut up the potatoes because my husband likes the soup chunky. The potatoes will break up on their own when you stir them later.


  • While the water's heating, chop up an onion and add it to the pot. I use a couple of small onions or one large onion. Just think about your family's tastes and add accordingly. You can also add some minced garlic at this time, according to taste. Sometimes I add it; sometimes I don't.


  • Clean your celery and chop it up in bite-sized pieces. It's fine to use some of the leaves, too, if you like them. Again, if you really like celery, add a little more; if not, a little less.


  • Lastly, don't forget to add the salt. I probably use a little too much. You really need some for the flavor of the potatoes to be good.


  • Now, after the soup comes to a boil, turn it down just enough to keep a gentle boil going. Check the potatoes every once in awhile to see if they're getting soft, just like when you make mashed potatoes. When they're soft, drain most of the water through a colander into a big bowl. This broth can be used in another soup or to thin your potato soup when you serve the leftovers. It's really quite tasty to drink as well.


  • Turn the heat to low. Add a big chunk of butter to the potatoes. I know. It's not good for you; but, you can use a smaller amount if you like. It just improves the flavor so much. Real butter is best. Stir to break up the potatoes a bit and to help melt the butter.


  • Add milk, or a combination of milk and cream if fresh milk is available, until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Stir to break up the potatoes to your preferred thickness. I always add pepper at this point as well as a bit more salt. You can add more of the broth as well if you wish.

This is a very forgiving recipe. Use what you have. If you don't have much milk or cream, use more broth. I only use the cream if I can get fresh from the cow milk and skim the cream myself.

This is one of my survival in tough times recipes. Even a small amount, with a simple homemade biscuit or two will fill a hungry little or big tummy.
♥
~~~~~
A few years ago, life depended on me baking every day and making very simple frugal meals.   http://bit.ly/2laF6O8 (Tweet) 
~~~~~
♥

 Whether these are good times or bad times is often dependent on how we look at things and how resourceful we are. Lean hard on the Lord. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Pray for creativity to do with watcha got.

 God bless!
Laura
Happy at Home
~~~~~
Related Posts:

This article was featured in issue #131 of
The Christian Home Magazine.




Written by Laura Lane at 33 comments:
Labels: ,

Monday, February 20, 2017

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ February 20, 2017



The weather.... dreary... threatening to rain again... 66°. 

 Right now I am... enjoying a quiet house.

 Thinking... about doing a little ironing.

 On my reading pile... 

  • 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart
  • The Elusive Miss Ellison
  • Grow in Grace

On my TV... not a thing. I don't have t.v. reception by choice.

 Favorite blog post last week...
Wishing for a Valentine? Got One? Listen Up! by Amy at Living in Faith and Fun

 Something fun to share...
Blogging for a Very Long Time by Roxy at Living from Glory to Glory

 Blog hopping...
The Transformed Wife

 On the menu for this week.... 
It's not fully planned yet, but I'm thinking about these things. I'll round things out with salads and veggies. I made the cocoa for my husband this afternoon. 

On my to do list...
  • Insurance and medical papers
  • school records and planning

In the craft basket...


Looking forward to this week..

  • sewing
  • reading
  • church
  • homeschool co-op

Looking around the house... Everyone is reading, studying, or working... except the dog who is napping.

 From the camera...
My dear step-momma Annie and me.
On my prayer list...

  • Praying for Kristen, my friend Cheryl's niece. She's expecting a baby, has a blood clot in her lung, and has developed tachycardia. Please pray, too. 
  • Salvation for family members
  • My friend Laurie's husband, Tommy, has a horrendous case of pneumonia that was complicated because he has Asbestosis. He is home from the hospital, but his asbestos spots are getting inflamed, and he has to get CT scans daily.
Devotional... Romans 15:13

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." 

Be blessed of the Lord,
Laura


Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday.
~~~~~
Related Posts:

~~~~~

 Warm Hearts Share Your Cup  No Rules Weekend Blog Party 
Written by Laura Lane at 38 comments:
Labels:

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Saving Money on Clothes by Mending ~ How to Get it Done

Saving Money by Mending Clothes


 A stitch in time saves nine. Have you heard that old saying? Housewives of old knew that a little job grows bigger when neglected. Mending clothing is a time honored way of saving money on clothes. Torn jeans. Split seams. Missing buttons. Clothes that cannot be worn, but we don't want to discard.  Why do we let them pile up wasting our precious real estate?

Often, our little mending projects pile up simply because we procrastinate. Instead of stitching up a tiny hole or tear, we wait until we have a full sized rip. We go without a favorite blouse, pair of slacks, or dress, sometimes for months, because of a lost or loose button.

Looking at the growing pile can be discouraging, so we just put it off for another day. In truth, most mending is rather simple.  Most projects take only a few minutes if we catch the problem while it's small. 

Here's how you can take control of your mending pile!


  • First, gather everything you can find that needs mending. You can add to the pile as you find things in the laundry that require attention.
  • Go through the items, and see if anything just needs to be thrown away.  I once spent an hour on a rather difficult fix for my son's jeans. I was so proud of myself—until I found out he had outgrown them! If there's something beyond your skill level, consider whether you want to pay to have it mended. If not, toss it. Your pile may be a bit less daunting now!
  • Next, make two piles.  One pile is handwork. This would include buttons, small seams or rips, loose hems, anything you can do with a needle, thread, and a little time. The other pile is for machine work. This might include patching jeans or mending larger seams.
  • Gather your supplies—a needle, some thread, and whatever mending supplies you might need together in a box or basket.  Put it someplace handy. 
  • Utilize small snatches of time.  Use your minutes. When you notice a missing button, it's easier to replace it right away if your supplies are handy. If you'd rather sit down and work on a pile of mending, put it all in a basket. I like to mend while listening to the Bible, a podcast, or watching a movie.
  • The key is to mend regularly. Don't let the basket get full!


Let's take care of the little things before they become big things...good advice for mending...good advice for life.

Be blessed, snatch some quiet moments, and mend!

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage
Happy at Home





This article was featured in issue #130 of
The Christian Home Magazine.



Create Bake Grow and Gather





Written by Laura Lane at 49 comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

My Daybook ~ February 14, 2017

______________________________

For Today

Looking out my window
It's dark!

I am thinking
of how I'd like to spruce things up for spring around here. I saw Mrs. Olson's basement kitchen and loved the red and white. The bead board would definitely look nice in my kitchen.

I am thankful
that I have a safe place to live with my family.
One of my favorite things
coconut meringue pie. I baked a couple this morning for Valentine's Day. One for us and one for a special order.


I am creating
an apron using an old tattered apron for a pattern.

I am wearing
a denim skirt, black shoes, purple and navy top.


I am reading

I am hoping
for SNOW!

I am learning
about marriage in The Art of Marriage class at church.

In my kitchen
it's quiet after a morning of baking pies and supper of leftover chili and corn chips.

In the Boardroom



A Favorite to Share
I'm a contributor.

A Quote

"There's no great loss without some small gain."
~ Pa in Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

A moment from my week
Lowell and I won the candy unwrapping contest with mittens on!
Have a wonderful week. Remember, you are loved with an everlasting love by the creator of the universe, Father God, Jesus His Son, and Holy Spirit. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.
Laura

Written by Laura Lane at 26 comments:
Labels:

Saturday, February 11, 2017

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #93

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. 

A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage

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

♥♥♥
Hey Y'all! 
 It's an absolutely gorgeous day here in Southwest Missouri. It's like an early spring day with sunshine, a nice breeze and 77°!!! It's glorious. 
 If I have my way, though, it will snow next week. ~grin~ Still waiting for our first real snowfall of the winter. Missouri has such fickle weather. After months of looking forward to winter, I just cannot let go of my hopes yet!

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, 
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
Proverbs 13:12
~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
Here's my thrifty week:

  • I cut my husband's hair. I've been cutting his hair for over twenty-five years now! This is a big money saver!
  • I cut my own bangs. I keep my hair long and usually have it cut by a stylist only once a year.
  • We had a super cheap meal of "fried rice" with 3 cups of cooked rice, chopped celery, leftover frozen peas, and leftover cooked broccoli. I scrambled 6 eggs and added them to the mixture and heated it through.
  • Ground venison that our friend gave us made chili a cheap meal.
  • I bought a small one ounce skein of acrylic yarn to use in a project at Walmart. It was the perfect size and the perfect price at just fifty cents!
  • Last week, I used a 40% off coupon to buy more cotton yarn for one of my numerous dishcloths. I make them for shower gifts, Christmas gifts, and for our family's use. I might just start putting some in my Etsy shop. It's time to start adding some inventory!
  • I cleaned and organized my main food cupboards. I threw out some pectin that had been around way too long. Last year I didn't make any jelly or jam since I was working part-time. If I make jam or jelly this year, I want the pectin to be fresh. 
  • I received a new book for review—The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller. 
  • I worked on making an apron using an old beloved apron that is getting tattered. I'm making a tutorial as I go.
  • One foot of real estate cleared. I took some things to our homeschool co-op and gave them away.
  • Price Matcherz alerted me to some Aldi sales. Baby carrots $.49 lb bag, yellow onions $.79 for 3 lb bag (I bought 3!), oranges $1.99 for 4 lb bag, red grapes $1.98 for 2 lb bag, and 6 on the vine tomatoes for $1.69.
  • My daughter, Amy, made some delicious guacamole using avocados I got for $.40 each at Walmart. We substituted white onion for red since I already had it on hand.
  • My daughter, Emily, made some delicious butternut squash soup from some squash her friend gave to her.

Well, that's my thrifty week. 
~~~~~
What are you doing in your home this week?

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~
A peek into my life...


Making Clothes Without a Pattern
I prepared my favorite, tattered apron to be used as a pattern.

~~~~~
♥♥♥
~~~~~

ღLauraღ
...doing what I can with what I've got
where I am on a short shoestring budget!

~~~~~
Written by Laura Lane at 40 comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)