Change~

 

 “Change is the only constant in life.”

~ Heraclitus

Hello and welcome back! 

I wanted to pop in and let you know that I have decided to stop writing dedicated posts on my "Frugal Five", opting instead to write about my frugal endeavors by incorporating them within other posts. I came to this decision after much reflection and embracing the conviction that I don't want to focus on and wear "lack" as part of my identity. Although I do believe that frugality can be a useful tool in the creation of abundance and even wealth, I don't want it to be the greater focus here. Knowing that what we focus on and give our attention to grows, I would rather focus on improving and growing the abundance we already do have. 

I sincerely hope that you will consider continuing with me on our never-ending journey, with all of it's ups and downs and detours through life. After all, that's what keeps it interesting, no?

Thanks for stopping by! 

💋xo, 

TJ

A Peek Into Last Week (August 27-September 2)~

 endeavor:

authentic•oldfashionedvalues•lowtech•slowliving

~livingsimply~

September is upon us, school is back in session here, and it's still hotter than a Texas bonfire outside! Whew! As long as our air conditioners keep on blowing the cold, I am good with laying low and doing indoorsy things. After several days in a row of rain, for which I am extremely grateful, we seem to be living smack dab in the middle of a mosquito hatchery. I rue the times I walk out the door not having had the forethought to apply my lemongrass essential oil, dabbing it on liberally like so much eau de parfum, to repel those tiny vampires.

While I was busy fanning myself and tending to my mosquito bites, I did jot down a few notes of the things I managed to accomplish this past week. Let's take a peek, shall we?~~~

What I'm cooking, baking and eating ~ 

Tomato and basil chicken sausage served over garlic cauliflower mash, enchilada casserole (Since I was making this in a 9"x13" pan-I don't have the size pan called for in the recipe-I used 12 corn tortillas rather than 8. I substituted pork from this recipe that I made in the past, portioned out and froze for future meals. The black beans were big batch cooked in the past as well, divided up into 1 1/2 cup portions and frozen. I substituted green enchilada sauce for the red, as that's what I had on hand. I also added about a half of a cup of salsa verde that I had in the freezer to help stretch the saucy part to accommodate the extra corn tortillas and larger pan. I also used more cheese on top than one cup-maybe 1-1 1/2 cup more), a little garlic powder and a bit of salt.😋), "power food meal", devil's food bundt cake, chocolatey chip yellow snack cake (using up cake mixes I bought at a great price several months ago)

Homekeeping ~ 

this Mainstays candle from Walmart has the most delightful Autumnal scent!

This weeks focus was the master bedroom and closet. I straightened up my shoes and organized a few things on the closet shelves. 

What I'm watching/reading~

After reading this article I decided, after getting away from reading fiction in recent years, to revisit a long lost favorite author of mine and tackle some of her books that have been gathering dust on my bookshelves. I used to devour Ms. Steel's books back in the day. Now, I don't know if they qualify for the fiction Dr. Restack meant but hey, baby steps😉.

Ghost Diving USA I love that they are upcycling the lost nets into other items while helping to clean up the ocean floor!

Arctic Daughter: A Lifetime of Wilderness

and

Rewilding Kernwood, both on Prime Video. The two documentaries were a fun mental escape-sentimental, real and raw from the perspective of Jean Aspen and her husband, Tom Irons.

Garden ~

Haha! Do you ever feel the way Miss Sourpuss does when those never-ending bumper crops keep coming through the door while you feverishly work to put it all up? I know I shouldn't get frustrated and overwhelmed at the work the blessing of the bounty creates,  but I do sometimes if I am to be perfectly honest 🙄. Thankful? Most definitely. But I am after all, only human.

I harvested a few spinach leaves from a volunteer spinach plant and some basil that I used to make some basil ice cubes that will be easy to throw into our favorite Italian dishes.

Create~

After spending all of last week working on trying my hand at my own watercolor rendition of Monet's Water Lilies on a small scale in my traveler's notebook, I thought this was an appropriate quote to salve the frustration that can come with trying to learn something new...

"When I'm working in the barn or house I often think of all the errors I've made in my life. But then I quickly put that behind me and think of water lilies. They will always eradicate unpleasant thoughts. Or goslings are equally comforting in their own way."

 ~Tasha Tudor

Thinking of water lilies and trying to paint them are two totally different things, lol! 

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ 

A Peek Into Last Week (August 13-19)~

beginning attempts at watercolor 

Another week has flown by! Even though we lead a quiet, slow life, when you love what you do, the days still zoom by in a blur. This past week was a low energy week for me. I'm guessing it was the heat that got to me but I did what my energy level allowed, and made peace with the rest. 

What I'm cooking, baking and eating~ homemade refried beans that were used for burritos and nachos for several meals, Mexican rice (can you tell we love Mexican food?), chicken salad, pineapple cake, white bread, corn dog casserole (I used this recipe for the filling and this recipe for the cornbread topping as I didn't have a cornbread mix on hand).

This week was a very noshy, snacky kind of week, as I wasn't up for much cooking or heating up the kitchen and house. Thankfully, hubby and I are both more than fine with that.

I'm focusing on using foodstuffs that we have put by in the freezer for snacks and meals before buying more that would need to be frozen. I have begun to fear an avalanche when I open the freezer door. That is not bragging. It is more a matter of disorganization, and things being put in there quickly and haphazardly when putting groceries away after coming home from the store.  I would love to spend time organizing the space but the upright is in our garage which is a very hot space right now and I don't wish to bake myself to death. That project can wait for cooler days ahead.

What I'm watching/reading~

Hummingbirds on Prime Video was so fun and informative to watch (I did not know bees were red/green color blind!). The little creatures lead a fascinating life that I was totally unaware of before this video.

I've been enjoying a variety of watercolor tutorial videos on YouTube.

Homekeeping~

This week's homekeeping focus is the kitchen (yes again-theres a lot to be done in my kitchen and I like to give myself some wiggle room in case I need more time to tackle projects), dining room, and breakfast nook. 

I edited the contents of, and wiped down one section in, the buffet in the dining room. 

I had a charity shop donation pickup. It feels great to get those boxes out of the house but I have already started another one. Decluttering is never ending!

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."

~Thomas Moore 

Garden ~

I'm still harvesting sweet potato leaves! 

I am experimenting with smothering a tree that we had cut down but is determined to live and grow again. I don't like to use harmful chemicals if I can avoid them, so I cut it back as much as possible and covered what remains with a tarp held down by bricks. We shall see...

Create~

first strokes

I prepped more pages in my traveler's notebooks. I love to use up bits and pieces of all sorts of things-that might normally end up in the trash-to decorate my pages. I was able to disassemble the packaging that my Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds order arrived in to decorate several pages. I also continued playing with watercolors which I am enjoying very much. Considering I am using brushes I have on hand and Crayola Washable Watercolors (that I bought to see if I would stick with the new hobby before investing in proper tools and paints), I am pretty pleased with my beginner attempts. I will be researching and adding painting goodies to my Amazon wish list and will purchase what I can, when I can, because I am hooked!

Highlight of the week~

So. Many. Days. Of. Rain!

And cozy, rainy day morning Dollface snuggles. 

How was your week? I hope this upcoming one is wonderful for all of us! 

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ 

The Slow, Sweltering Days of Summer~

I have been doing very little in the garden lately.  Even in the early morning and late afternoon to evening, it is still very warm and, most days, uncomfortably humid. I prefer to take refuge in the cool of our home.  Those times when I simply must get out to run errands can leave me feeling a bit on the faint and queasy side.  I'm beginning to think it's age but I'm not really sure, as I've never been a fan of the heat. I'm fairly certain that I should be living in an area that is mainly rainy and cool, sheltered by the shade of a thousand trees in the spring and summer. And chilled by brisk autumn winds and icy cold snow in the winter. But...God in His wisdom, that is much greater than mine, saw fit to plant me in an area hot & steamy enough to cook up a mess o' crawdads.  It is well...

I mentioned last week that I took some cuttings from the one & only chartreuse colored coleus that I have, in hopes of making more. That is it pictured above^^^. I love it and think it is just beautiful! It is rooting nicely and is just about ready to spread it's little toes in some soil.  There I will let it grow some before putting it in the ground.

I also transplanted some mina lobata, some well established sage & the big mama chartreuse coleus.  The sage and coleus had been sharing a pot for far too many seasons and were desperately in need of repotting.  It was originally the sage's home and the coleus just popped up out of nowhere, as most of my coleus plants have.  (I may have told this story before, but I tried and tried and tried again to grow coleus from a package of seeds with no luck for the longest time.  I had all but given up when, suddenly, coleus was popping up everywhere!  In spaces between concrete slabs, in craggy rocks...here, there and everywhere!) 

Back to the transplanting business...I always do my transplanting in the cooler temps of the evening, but I always wait with bated breath until I am sure that they are going to manage in their new home.  This has been especially so with the mina lobata since they were very tender new seedlings (a few didn't make it, despite my efforts to baby them by shading them from the harshest rays of the midday sun and keeping them well watered).

I reseeded some things that didn't germinate.  I experimenting with sowing seeds inside this time around.  I still think the seeds may be too old to be viable but hey, it doesn't hurt to try!

my plant haul! (rosemary plants not pictured)

I set out one day on a mission to buy a new rosemary plant since I have really missed having one.  Their scent reminds me of Christmas trees and winter, and because of that, it is probably my favorite herb.  (I love them but apparently they don't love me, as I've never successfully been able to keep one alive.)  Anyway, four stores later, I finally found some! The store also happened to have many plants on a major sale, some as low as fifty cents each! So...two rosemary plants and six other plants later😶, I made my way home, happy as a clam.

I'm going to take a cue from our public library and plant one of the rosemary in a sunny spot on our property that is reminiscent of a tiny Tuscan hillside micro climate. The library has had some swoon worthy rosemary plants out front for as long as I can remember, so they must be doing something right.  I think I may have been loving mine to death...ya know, to mush watering and whatnot.  Wish me luck!

Even though I'm pretty sure it's not the correct time to prune my grapevines, like Edward Scissorhands, I took to snipping "the freeloader".  After doing some reading on grapevine care, I'm thinking that maybe I had let him run amock and take advantage of my good graces for far too long. "It is for the best", I whispered soothingly, "I will use your beautiful vines to make a wreath so that your beauty will be admired for years to come.  Just think!  You will be making a contribution to the home!  And next season, hopefully you will also contribute to our bellies."🍇 He wasn't convinced. I took away all his glorious, flourishing leaves.  He's now embarrassed.  He feels naked.  He'll live.

still pretty skimpy. i will add to it as i get more vines

I hope you had some lovely garden adventures this past week!  I would love to hear about them.  And if you have any rosemary growing tips, PLEASE send them my way!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

Behold the Lowly Dishcloth

I crochet and knit. But I am only at a beginners level. I have made many, of what I am sure is a beginners project, dishcloths. I found that most patterns that I have tried create a dishcloth in a size that, when wet, becomes heavier than is comfortable for my hand strength and just larger than I can comfortably deal with in general. So I decided just to make myself some smaller, nothing fancy, dishcloths. They work for me. (:

{The larger cloth was one of my first dishcloths made from a pattern}

{the smaller dishcloths were "freestyle"}

Feeling Crafty? Save $ @ Michaels!

Since I was planning to stop by Michael's today, this coupon couldn't have come into my sights at a better time!

Great Grocery Saving Tips & Updates!

I'm always looking for ways to save money (so I have more money to spend on other fun stuff! ...I should say SAVE instead of spend, right?) and I find the grocery budget one of the easiest areas in which to save money. I got this great email today & thought I would link it up here.

Update on my exercise & scrapbooking/crafting: no & no. I'm just so far off track right now but I'll get it together. Soon. The family's schedule is just still not back to normal & when they're home I just don't seem to be able to follow my hard & fast (*giggle*) rules I set for myself. But then again, I guess that's why I'm home; to be available for my family. I have been getting some (a little) sewing done for my shop though so I've not been totally unproductive in that area.

I think this may go hand in hand with my exercise goal: I have gotten back on the Somersize saddle again and though I've fallen off a time or few, I get right back up on it! And since I've been following that WOE, I've managed to lose a couple of pounds over the holiday season rather than gain. I'll take that any day!

I'm making a list...

I have, for a long time now, used a "just one thing" principle to keep things in my life from getting behind or building up, whatever the case may be. For instance, when I walk into a room, I do "just one thing" that needs to be done. In the kitchen it may be to take out the trash or as trivial as putting away a lone clothespin (that we use to clip bags shut) lying on the counter. Sometimes, if I have time, I may do more than one thing but ONE THING is my minimum. It helps to keep clutter down so that it doesn't slowly overtake us like so much quicksand.
In the spirit of this principle, I have decided to work on different areas of my life that need improvement and attention, (such as exercise) in the same fashion. So, I've begun to examine what those areas should be and so far my list is very short:

1. Exercise-for just 15 minutes a day. Every day. I can do that. It's a start. (After two foot surgeries recently, I became very complacent about exercise. So now, I'm going to get back into it with baby steps.) Just one exercise session, fifteen minutes a day.

As I add to my list, (and it will not be more than three things~don't wanna overwhelm myself!) I will post them here. I just want to do things that will make the most impact or things that I always wanna do but just never get around to...

Ding, ding, ding! I've got it!

2. Scrapbooking/crafting!!! (it just came to me as I was typing!) I can give that fifteen minutes a day as well. Every day.

Now, what will number three be? Hmmm...

Progress/Update:

I have done 15 minutes on the treadmill today!

I did not scrapbook but did finish some mending work on my very first quilt so I could finally, after months, give it to my grandson! So, since I've procrastinated on it for so long, I'm gonna let that count.

Haute SHOCK-ol-ahhhhhhh!

Last Friday, I set out to make up some hot chocolate mix gifts. Ya know, just a little something to give to co-workers, acquaintances, etc.
I got off to a really good, organized start. I assembled the ingredients...
began dumping and mixing...

and then it happened. A powdered sugar explosion...

And what to my wondering eyes should appear? It got all over my britches. Me, the apron maker. Did. Not. Have. An. Apron. On.
Well, I learned my lesson and scurried over to grab one of my most Christmasy aprons...

and got back to work...


I used some Christmasy fabric and traced around a saucer on it to get "perfect" rounds to top off the jars with. I used pinking shears to cut the fabric~helps keep it from fraying and just looks pretty.
The little snowmen tags are from a Christmas past that I bought at Walmart. They are stickers so I just used some scrapbooking scissors to give scrapbooking paper a pretty edge, stuck on a snowman, punched a hole in the top corner and strung the ribbon through to tie on the jar.
The green tag peeking out from under the snowman gift tag? It's a sheet of scrapbook paper that I printed the recipe on, cut with a pretty border, puched a hole in the corner and tied it on with the ribbon. The ribbon? Its from my stash. I save just about everything.
Where did I find this most delicious recipe you might ask?

From Miss Tammy, the most hospitable woman I can think of.

Go ahead, make someones day. Give 'em some of this lip lickin' hot chocolate for their very own.

Resources:

You can get FREE cute gift tags (not pictured here) by going here. Just pull out some cardstock from your scrapbooking/crafting supplies to print them on. So cute.

Laundry Room Lamp

I found this little lamp at a yard sale a few months ago for 50 cents. I ran across a shopping cart full of faux flowers at W**M*** one day for 25 cents a bunch. Put them both together (with a glue gun) and...

a happy little lamp for my laundry room! (for less than $5!!!)

Laundry Day

Ahhh...laundry day...

It's gotta be done...

So, what's a girl to do?

Decorate the laundry room with bright, cheerful, colorful things that make you smile, of course!!!

This is a work in progress but just this little bit of fun has already made laundry day just a little bit sweeter!

I would LOVE any tips or suggestions and how YOU have made your laundry work area just a little bit "sweeter" to work in! Thanks!

The Wayward Crafter-Christmas Gift Tags

For your viewing pleasure (or displeasure...whatever the case may be. *giggle*) I thought I'd share a few of the gift tags I created out of my "stuff"- aka the scrapbooking goodies I've picked up here & there along the way:

For You
Fold cardstock in half, stamp, fill the heart in with color, punch a hole for the raffia, stamp my nephews name inside.

Done.

BZ

Cut an oval with an interesting edging, stamp, punch hole.

Done.

No Peeking

Fold cardstock in half, stamp, attach Christmas-y what not, stamp niece's name inside.

Done.

Max

Use a pre-cut tag, place an "M" at the top, stamp the remaining letters of name, tie a knot on piece of ribbon after inserting through hole of tag, place & glue strategically on pre-decorated gift box.

Done.

A Gift for All Y'all
Cut three circles (I used red, dark brown & a gold-ish paper)each getting a bit smaller than the last, stick a Christmas-y embellishment at the top, dig through buttons, find one & glue at bottom, Use stickers for first letters of each name & the "&", stamp the remaining letters of names.
Done.

These were fun & easy and used stuff I already had on hand.

Well, I hope you enjoyed (that I bared my crafting-101 soul to y'all & hope you don't laugh at/mock me all you black belt crafters you) this little tour through my Christmas gift tag gallery.

Please come again!

"Wouldn't Ya Know It?" Giveaway

(yay! a photo of the apron finally added today, Friday!)
Just as I was preparing to do a long overdue giveaway, we began having computer issues and I am, so far, unable to upload pictures of the giveaway items. So if you will bear with me please, I'm going to forge ahead and just describe the items and will add photos when (if?!) I am able.

1) a precious little (white with green trim) childs apron from years gone by (previously owned and loved by some sweet little one so a little love may show ;-) ) I didn't make this one.

2) 2 new, small, hand crocheted (by me) wash/dish cloths, one in solid yellow & one in a cheerful multi of yellow, blue & green. You can get an idea of the colors in a similar cloth here.

All you have to do is leave a comment on THIS post and if you mention this giveaway on your blog, let me know about that in your comment and I will give you two entries. That's two times the chance of winning and double the fun!

I will draw the lucky winners name on Saturday, April 25th @ noon central time.

Good luck!

*updated to add: Rachel is having a giveaway too~~an apron!!! Be sure to stop by and enter!!! Thanks for sharing Rachel!
~~~AND, I'm thinkin', if I bat my eyelashes & ask real sweetly, I may be able to talk hubby into trying to figure out why I can't upload pics when he gets home from work. I haven't wanted to bug him while his back was in pain and he was working out the other, more important computer issues. ;-)

"I'm Giving Away My Sweet Heart" GIVEAWAY!!!

Irma's Rose Cottage, you won!

Just email me (email address in sidebar) to let me know where you would like it sent. Congratulations!!!

And to thank ALL of you for taking the time to enter and comment, I am offering 10% off anything in my etsy shop for the month of February to all sixteen of you ladies~just to say thank you. Email me and I will give you the "secret code word" then, just convo me on etsy with the code word and what you would like to order so I can adjust the price for anything that catches your fancy.

And...coming soon...The People's Choice Giveaway apron giveaway...stay tuned!!!

**************************************************************************************

Today is my mother's birthday~~~Happy Birthday Mom! Thanks for all you've done for me over the years!!! God couldn't have put me in a better family.

****************************************************************************

No, not my husband, silly~~~this one...
In celebration of the month of love, I was inspired to give away one of my handmade hearts by a bloggy neighbor. I was sad to miss her giveaway but inspired to do my own! Thanks for all the inspiration you give Cindy (which also happens to be my sweet sister's name)!


Why? Because we all deserve to have a Sweet Heart!!!

***To enter just leave a quick comment, nothing fancy, so I can (hopefully) draw your name! I'll draw the name at the end of my day on Friday, February 6, 2009. Good luck! ***
(just another view)

(psst...just between you & me...the "People's Choice Giveaway" apron giveaway is in your near future!)

The Wayward Crafter-Feeling Crafty

I've been cutting, sewing & knittin'...

"to stock the shelves" at TJ's Sweet Home

You may remember this post...

I made this for my kitchen...


Not sure of the exact spot I'll put it in but I think I have an idea!

Have a great weekend!