Tipsy Tuesday #2 at Harvest Lane Cottage

Hello!

  It's Tipsy Tuesday again. I sometimes have ideas and tips I want to share with y'all. I thought Tuesdays would be a good day for that. The posts will be short, and I probably won't do it every week, but it will give me an incentive to share good ideas. Here's the tip of the week.

  Save the shreds from you paper shredder!

You can use them in a number of ways:

1. Use them to as a cushion for breakables when you pack when moving.
2. Fill gift baskets in a super frugal way.
3. Put them in your compost (no glossy materials or plastic).
4. Put them around items that you need to pack and mail.
5. Write labels on them, and tape them on jars, shelves, etc.
6. Use like confetti.
7. Line bottom of cages.
8. Feed them to worms if you enjoy vermiculture.
9. Use them as fire starters.
10. Use them as a weed barrier around your plants.
11. Animal bedding
12. Nesting boxes for hens

 Just a few of many ways to reuse! After all we all need to use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!

Be blessed!

Laura

Living my slightly old-fashioned life

in my own little happy world 

A Few Ways to Enjoy Homemaking

1. Light a fragrant candle by your sink to enjoy as you wash dishes. I like strong fragrances of McCalls' candles. Their fragrances are strong enough to enjoy throughout my living room and dining room. I've shared a couple of nice fragrances below.

2. Listen to worship music, classical music, The Bible or an audio book you love as you work. I love listening on Scribd. It's an inexpensive way to listen to or read as many books as you wish in a month. Try two free months.

3. Clean one room at a time. Declare it off limits when you're finished with it.

4. Take frequent breaks to do something you enjoy for just a few minutes. Then get back to work. ~smile

5. Use cleaning products that either smell great or are homemade. Here's my super easy super quick laundry detergent recipe.

6. Be thankful for what you have. Thank your husband and the Lord for what they have provided.

7. Start looking at yard sales and thrift shops for things that fit in with what you would like your home to become. Oftentimes, you can find things that are just perfect for pennies on the dollar.

8. Think comfort in all you purchase for your home. Some styles may be pretty; but if you want a cozy home, comfort is what you really want.

9. Determine to be thankful for what you have now. Gratitude brings joy!

10. Ruthlessly get rid of the things that you don't need or enjoy. Think real estate investment!

11. Smile!

12. Pray while you iron.

13. Invite someone over. It's great motivation; and, God tells us to be hospitable. It's also fun!

14. Make time in your day for doing something you enjoy...knitting, sewing, crocheting, writing, reading, whatever it may be.

15. Place your favorite chair near your husband's favorite chair. Reach over and hold his hand. Remember how you did this in your dating days?

16. Seek friendships with ladies who enjoy homekeeping and love the Lord.

17. Try new recipes regularly.

18. Make useful things for your home and for your family.

19. Make things homemade as often as possible. There's such satisfaction in it.

20. Take time for tea hot or iced! Homemade lemonade is refreshing, too.

21. Use it up; wear it out; make it do; or do without!

This list is for me, too. I do many these things, but not all of them. I'm looking for ways to enjoy homemaking, too. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Just Something to Think About....
Blessings to you all from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....
Laura
Learning to Enjoy Homemaking More and More

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May I suggest?

Every True Wife

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* “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” 

081708

I'm in Awe!

Amy Lane Photography 

I am in awe of a Love 

that would choose to suffer so much for another. 

I am in awe of a Love 

that would not answer back to lies and false accusations. 

I am in awe of a Love 

that is so strong, it would not cry out for mercy when brutally struck and beaten over and over. 

I am in awe of a Love 

that would be silent when He could have stopped the torture at any moment. 

I am in awe of a Love 

that would love and ask God's forgiveness for His torturers, mockers, persecutors, and executioners because "they know not what they do."

I am in awe because He is awesome. 

I am in awe because Jesus is God's Son and He is Love.

I thank You God.

I thank You Jesus. 

 There is no way to express the gratitude I feel because I am in awe that You did this for me and for every person who will accept Your death and resurrection as payment for their sins.

I believe! Thank You for doing this so that we might have eternal life.

Amen

Just Something to Think About....

Laura

Blessed to be a Blessing

Over the Moon

041209

Surgery Update & Happy Easter

Hi,

Popping in for a minute to tell you Lowell's knee surgery went well. The doctor said he did great. He's in a lot of pain, but he's getting around in the house with a walker. The physical therapist will visit at the house daily M-F for the next week and a half. 

Thank you all for praying.

I will continue my break. Busy busy taking care of my high school sweetheart whom I married 32 years ago. In sickness and in health....

Happy Easter everyone!

Prayer Requested. Taking a Break....

This picture is from our anniversary last summer.
I just love how happy we looked.

My husband, Lowell, is having knee surgery at 10:30 central time Monday, April 15th. The surgeon is going to replace his knee.

I ask you to pray for Lowell, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and the staff that will care for Lowell. He will be in the hospital for three days.

I will be taking a break. This is my first time to be the caretaker. I've always been the one having surgery, treatments or hospitalization. I'll try to pop in with an update later this week. I have a post or two scheduled. 

Thank you for your patience. I'll be back. 

Thank you for your prayers, I know y'all are experts!

Be blessed, enjoy your Holy Week, and Resurrection Day!

Laura

Student Nurse

~smile~

Together We Make a Good Team - Please Pray!

My husband makes great pie crust. 

I make great pie filling.

We make a good team.

Prayer Request!

My Lowell is scheduled for knee replacement surgery on April 15th.

Please pray for him, for the staff, for the surgeon,

and

most of all

for excellent healing and pain relief!

Thrifty Things Lately at Harvest Lane Cottage #139

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Thrifty Things Lately at Harvest Lane Cottage!

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Hello! 

 I feel like I just wrote about this a couple days ago! How is time moving so quickly? It seems like there's always so much to do and not enough time to do it. We are planning to make a big purchase soon, so I need to start being extra thrifty. But, my husband is also having knee surgery on Monday. So, it will be hard to be thrifty about food. I'll have to give it some thought. 

Here's how my family has been thrifty lately

• I'm listening to Little Women for free on Scribd. (Using my link will give you two free months and me one free month.)

• I picked up an audio book from the library that I'd forgotten was on my request list. It's about how habits are formed and changed. I must listen to it in the car since I do not currently own a CD player.

• Eggs were cheap. I bought three dozen. Amy made egg salad for lunch one day. Always a money saver. 

• I'm knitting a hat using some yarn my friend gave me for charity knitting. Thanks Beth!

• I shopped at Aldi. I always save money there.

• I passed up the candy bars. Not a small feat since I was shopping hungry. (Never a good idea!)

• $2 cheeseburger  on half price burger night at Sonic yum!

• $2 off coupon for Moe's by filling out a survey

• Since I go to Moe's every week to knit with friends, I signed up for their rewards program. Most weeks I spend less than $3, but it will eventually add up.
• My husband's friend wired up our car window. It was down and wouldn't go up. It needs an expensive thingamajig to fix it. This will work for now.
• We were able to turn off the heat. It's getting chilly this weekend, though, so it may come back on. 

• We decluttered our games and gave away quite a few. 

• Invited a friend for some thrifty chicken and dumplings using chicken leg quarters. I served it with mashed potatoes.

That's it for now.
How about you?

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"The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe."

Proverbs 18:10

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♥♥♥♥

ღLauraღ

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

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

P.S.
Find something to smile about today!

Bad day?
Pray then act like it's a great day.

It makes a big difference!






Classical Homemaking

On My Needles... What I'm Reading... April 11, 2019

Just keeping it simple this week. Most of my knitting is on a little Bankhead hat in the toddler size. It's a free pattern on Ravelry.  It's actually a lighter lavender color, but my lighting is off. My friend, Beth, gave me a big bag of yarn for my charity knitting. Thanks Beth!

The 1934 Newberry Medal winner Invincible Louisa is fascinating! I'm reading it concurrently with listening to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Did you know that Louisa May Alcott's family was friends with Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne? Her father Bronson Alcott was a speaker who was a Transcendentalist and was anti-slavery. 

I borrowed Invincible Louisa from the library, and I'm listening to Little Women for free on Scribd. That makes for thrifty reading.

Have a handmade, thrifty week! 

Laura

Laura Lane

on Goodreads

2019 Finished Books

10 Fiction

6 non-fiction

3 childrens's  for review

HarvestLaneLaura 

on Ravelry

Joining with Yarn Along and Crafting On

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ April 8, 2019

Hosted  by Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

As I write ...   Very early Monday morning.

The weather....  It was in the upper 70s on Sunday. It's supposed to be warm today, too. 

Right now I am...   listening to the fan, water running, and the calm of late night/early morning.

Thinking...  God turned our life in a very definite direction last week in a matter of just an hour and a half.

A quote to share...

♥♥♥♥♥

 "If there's one thing I want you to take away from this study, it's that so much about living an abundant and fulfilling life has to do with your mindset and very little has to do with your circumstances."

Sarah Coller
 Now Purposeful Steps Toward a More Abundant Life
p. 21

 ♥♥♥♥♥ 

On my reading pile...   

• Little Women
• Invincible Louisa
• Murder at the Courthouse

Favorite blog post last week...  

• It is Where We Are by Grandma Donna
• Mini Bunnies and Bears, Two New Patterns by Little Cotton Rabbits

Something fun to share...  



On my to do list... 

• Get ready for my Lowell's knee replacement surgery next Monday. Please pray! It's his first time in the hospital.
• Prepping house for after surgery
• Pack up games
• Ironing
• Put away winter dishes
• Make a list of lists!

In the workbasket...  

• Reyna Shawl
• Bankhead hat for charity
• Alaska Hat

I finished the Helix Hat with the pom pom.
The Alaska Hat is still a work in progress.

• Looking forward to this week...  

• Meeting with my Trim Healthy Mama coach for the first time

• Monday - Line dance class... beginner beginner super beginner line dance class!

• Tuesday - Knit Night with friends

• Wednesday - Church  

• Thursday - Chai Tea Latte with a friend
• Friday -  Time with another friend
• Saturday -  Preparing for Sunday
• Sunday - Church and family dinner

Looking around the house...   


I've got a pile of games sitting on my buffet. I had the kids (17, 18, 19, 21, 28) pull them all out and we decided what to keep and what to give. I need to pack them up by Tuesday.

From the camera... 

I look forward to peonies blossoming again!

Devotional...   

• Rehearse the Right Lines! Speak God's Truth!

On my prayer list...

• My joint and bone pain to stop. It's a side effect from the medicine that is supposed to keep cancer from coming back.
• A stop to the madness of the invasion on our southern border.
• Peace of Jerusalem and Israel
• Wisdom, health, and protection for President Trump, Vice-President Pence, and their families. 
• Healing for our country so that we may be ONE nation under God.

My prayer for you, my reader...

Jesus, 
These ladies carry many types of burdens and responsibilities. Please help them to organize, prioritize, and get the important things done first whatever they may be. Give them strength and desire to work in their homes and yard.  I ask it all by the power of the Blood of Jesus, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Thanks for dropping by. Please say hello.

Laura
Trusting in God's timing, provision, and healing power


Joining with Sandra at Happy Homemaker Monday
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Thrifty Things Lately #138

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Thrifty Things Lately at Harvest Lane Cottage!

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Hello! 

 Can you believe how fast March went? I don't even know where it went. It just kind of blew through like a lion running wild. ~grin~ April promises to be full of beauty and celebration with Good Friday and Easter coming late this year.

Here's how my family has been thrifty lately

• $2 cheeseburger  on half price burger night at Sonic yum!
• $2 off coupon for Moe's by filling out a survey
• Husband got a great deal when he bought me and my daughter new cell phones. It was time. 
• My daughter and I shared a 3rd hand cell phone for years. It was pretty worn out. Amy's nearly 18, and often had my phone when she was driving.
• We received a trunk load of clothes from a friend to go through. We found some things to add to our wardrobes. Thanks friend!
• The rest of the items will be taken to the local rescue mission.
• I donated a pile of books to the library.
• I bought two new to me dresses on Poshmark for just $28.99. Get this—they belonged to Liz Curtis Higgs. I hope she left some of the Holy Spirit anointing on them!
• I borrowed a book from the library that was on my spring reading list.
• I borrowed a book from a friend. Thanks Kathriann!

That's my thrifty things lately.

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♥♥♥

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"The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe."

Proverbs 18:10

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♥♥♥♥
Find something to smile about today!
Bad day?
Pray then act like it's a great day.
I'm working on it!

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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Reader Tip Tuesday
Classical Homemaking

On My Needles... What I'm Reading... April 3, 2019

Hi Everyone!

It's a little backwards, but I thought that it would work better to start with reading rather than knitting this time. 

I shared my Rather Ambitious Spring Reading List yesterday.

I just wanted to add that you may keep up with my reading progress on Goodreads. I update my progress regularly. 

If you are a Goodreads member, you can send me a friend request, too. 

Please let me know that you're a blog friend. Seeing what friends are reading is a great way to build your want to read list. 

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I also mentioned that I signed up for a free trial of Scribd. 

I am so excited about Scribd! 

I am really enjoying listening to some of their great selection of books. My daughter and I are using it for school and for pleasure. We especially like the extensive list of audio books. Currently, I'm listening to The More of Less, Little Women, and A History of US War, Peace, and All That Jazz.

I am not affiliated with Scribd, however, they do give me a free month of service if someone signs up with my link. I was surprised to find out yesterday that I've already received three months free! Thank you for using my link ladies!

Scribd is a website/app where you can read or listen to books for just one fee of $8.99 a month with no limit.  Sometimes you might have to wait a bit for a book, but they don't charge for it. 

 Take a look. If you sign up from this link, you can get a two free months trial.  I've completed 5 books so far on audio since I signed up in February!

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On to knitting! Oh, yes, I've just fallen head over needles for knitting this past year.  Tuesday Knit Night is one of the highlights of my week. Its fun to knit, see all the wonderful projects and yarns, eating queso, and talk with friends. It's really inspired me to try new techniques.

My Reyna Shawl has come a long way since January.

On my needles...

I'm still knitting, purling, yarning over, and knitting two together on my Reyna Shawl. It seems I knit awhile, drop some stitches, can't pick them up, unravel, and knit again. I've had a love-hate relationship with Reyna since last summer when I first cast on! I call this the Reyna Rematch! Ultimately, it will probably be called Not Quite Reyna since I made some of my sections the wrong number of rows. Oh well, I've learned a lot along the way. ~smile~

Helix and Alaska

The hat on the left is a Helix hat. I used a variety of yarns left over from the past year's projects. It is sized for a young child. It will be one of my charity hats.

Alaska is the hat with the trees. I was going for a Northern lights effect, but I don't think there was enough contrast in color. I still have a few rows of treetops left, then it will all be the purple/blue color up to the top. I'm not sure if I'll put a pom pom on it yet or not. 

I have been wanting some new stitch markers. I made these with some charms that were loose in my jewelry box and some beads my daughter had on hand.

The crosses were from my mama and the gold one is an earring from my mother-in-love. Both ladies are in Heaven.It was so fun making these, I think I'll make some more one of these days. The possibilities are endless!

Just sharing my excitement!

Blessings,

Laura

Laura Lane

on Goodreads

2019 Finished Books

10 Fiction

6 non-fiction

3 childrens's  for review

HarvestLaneLaura 

on Ravelry

Joining with Yarn Along and Crafting On

Shared at The Homemaking Party REader Tip Tuesday