Laura Lately A Thrifty Week or Two or Three

 

Thrifty Things Lately: 

• I requested the book, In This Moment, by Gabrielle Meyer for review from Bethany House. It's the second in the Timeless series. I reviewed the first book, When the Day Comes, and I really enjoyed it.

• We are eating out of our cupboards and freezer as much as possible. 

• I'm taking Earth Tones Girl's free No Fear Sock Knitting Class on YouTube. It's a top down shorty sock pattern with a heel flap. 
  

• I'm using some purple sock yarn scraps my friend,  Missy, gave me. My knitting friends know that I like to knit scrappy socks. I'm knitting this pair toe up.

• Our lawn mower wouldn't start. My husband wanted to buy a new one. Instead,  he purchased an air filter and a spark plug and fixed it for $12! Hundreds saved.

• We still drive and enjoy our 2002 Buick and 1989 Mercury. 

• Chia seed pudding for breakfast.  1/2 c milk, 2 T chia seeds, 1 t maple syrup,  and 1/2 t vanilla. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes.  Stir again and refrigerate overnight. 

• I've been real estate investing in our home a.k.a. decluttering. 

• We're had a yard sale this weekend with our adult kids. We didn't make much money, but we did clear out a lot of real estate! We have half or less in our garage than we did.

• I made homemade bean burritos with storage beans, onions, garlic,  a small amount of cheese and leftover tortillas from last week. I crisped them in the air fryer my husband received for Christmas. 

• I bought chicken legs half off. I boiled them, then chilled them and the broth separately in the fridge. The next day, I debunked the chicken, reserving a cup for a future meal.  I heated the rest with bbq sauce  and served it on leftover buns. There was enough for my lunch the next day, too. Lastly,  I made a chicken soup using the cup of chicken, broth, rice, veggies, and spices.  Two meals and a lunch from a $3.50 package of chicken legs!

• I cleaned out my knitting and crochet cabinet. I was looking for size 2 knitting needles. I didn't find them, but I found that I have yarn for my next several pairs of socks, and I organized my supplies logically and concisely. I also pullet out some needles and yarn that don't bring me joy for the sale.

• Made a roast. Ate dinner with my husband. Made to lunches to go. Then I froze enough beef to make another meal— soup, sandwiches, bbq, or a casserole.

• I started a new sock with some leftover yarn a girlfriend gave me. Thanks Missy!

All in all, it's been busy lately with subbing at the schools and trying to get ready for the sale. I already know that there's a whole 'nother layer of things that I will find to eliminate. But, no more garage sales for us for a long time... maybe ever. They're messy, hard work, and when you figure it by the hour, very unprofitable. However, we'll sell and give away individual items in the future.

 I hope you all have a great week and get some things done on your spring bucket list! I've updated mine. We've only a few weeks left of school, then I'll be in full summer mode.

 God bless you all!

Laura 

Happy at Home

and working on being

super thrifty again!

Unlimited Link Party

Good day!

 Good day!

I'm gearing up for a yard sale this weekend. Major real estate investment decluttering! We cleaned out the garage last weekend. It's now filling up with things from our kids and our things for the sale. I'm fully aware that it will need another go through after this. Maybe next month! Getting rid of extra things happens in layers for me as well as for many of you. It's a lot less painful if we give ourselves the time we need on certain items to realize they're no longer a useful part of our lives. 

I made a mistake when we planned the dates of the sale. I didn't remember to write it down on my calendar, so when I was asked to substitute teach Thursday and Friday, I said yes. Oops! The kids (adults) and my husband will have to run the sale Friday. It will all work out. Hopefully they'll enjoy the time together. 

Well, I just popped on to say hello before I start working on cleaning up and decluttering our back porch workroom. My desk, computer, two sewing machines, craft supplies (not including knitting), some of my husband's office overflow, cookbooks, and plants are back here along with my totally disorganized recipes in every form. That will be a job for another day! I'm thinking of writing a cookbook. Would anyone be interested? A lot of frugal recipes along with some old family recipes mostly.

Well, I'm off for now. Be blessed! Laura

P.S. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @lauraofharvestlane for frequent updates, especially on my knitting.

On my Needles & What I'm Reading April 19, 2023

 Hello everyone!

It's Wednesday again. It's finally acting like Spring here in southern Missouri. I'll be honest, I haven't felt much like using on my Spring bucket list. It's just been cold. I know some of the northern and Eastern States have still had snow. I am way over tha

So...

What's on my needles?

I'm taking a YouTube class from Earth Tones Girl. It is  No Fear Sock Knitting. She's teaching a beginner friendly class for making a heel flap shorty sock. 

Ah, this is a photo of my To Be or Not To Be sock. I named it so, because I couldn't decide if I liked the yarn. I was well past the heel when I found I had dropped a couple of stitches a few inches back. After spending over an hour on the fix, I realized that I didn't feel joyful. My motto is Knitting for Joy 2023! I ripped out the project and and decided that it is Not To Be.

I finished these socks a few days ago. The yarn is by Freckled Whimsy. I called them my Joyful Socks.

Grandbaby sock!

This yarn will be Field and Forest socks. I cast on with size one needles and was well into my toe when I realized that the fabric was too dense. I pulled it out and plan to work with size 2 or maybe even 2.5 needles when I cast on again. 

What have I been listening to? 

• Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson
• The Family Garden Plan by Melissa K. Norris 
• The Nazi Conspiracy:  The Plot to Kill Roosevelt,  Stalin,  and Churchill by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
• Old Testament 

What have I been reading?

• Homespun Devotions Volume 2 by Cheryl E. Smith 

I recently finished:

• The Power of Praying for your Adult Children by Stormie Omartian 
• The Orphan's Wish by Melanie Dickerson
• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Volume One by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 

Much of my reading these days consists of listening to books while working around the house, driving, or knitting. I don't have as much sit down and read time as I'd like. I am going to start keeping a book with me though for the times when I can snatch read.

Well, that's about it for now. I need to get busy around the house again.

Make it a great day!

Laura

Shared at: Love Your Creativity

Review: Homespun Devotions by Cheryl E Smith

I've been reading Cheryl Smith's blog, Homespun Devotions, for many years. Cheryl has shared so much of her life, her love of God, and her wisdom through the years. It's been an honor to get to know her. She has also become an email friend who has been there for me through some really tough things with encouraging words and prayer. 

It's hard to read this as a devotional book... just one story a day. I just wanted to read one more story and see how Cheryl would see God in every situation. That is key, because God is always there waiting. 

Cheryl sent me Homespun Devotions, Volume Two, for review several weeks ago. It's a collection of fifty devotions curated from her blog, Homespun Devotions. I found myself unable to read and review this volume at my regular speed. Cheryl has a gift for bringing God's truth to the every day of our lives.

There were too many selah moments— times when I needed to stop, reflect, and ponder. 

That's what a good devotional book does. It makes you pause and really think about the scripture given, the example shared, and how that truth is relevant and revelant to one's life and circumstances. 

Once will not be enough to read this book for me. I expect to go back through it with pen in hand. 

I highly recommend this book. Thank you Cheryl, for allowing me to review it for you.

Laura Lane

Five Stars

I was given a complimentary book for review purposes. Opinions are my own.