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Sunday, October 30, 2016

THE THRILL OF THRIFT

Hello dear friends!  Didn't October just fly by?   I've been puttering about here trading out the orange and gold decor for more muted colors, transitioning into an early winter scheme, since some parts of our state have had snow, I think it's time to really  get serious about making things cozy.  Ran and Jamie were busy this week splitting and stacking wood as we purchased a couple more cords from the village.   As always, it's been a pretty quiet week here, if you are looking for excitement, you've come to the wrong place!  Each passing year I crave more and more serenity in my life.  For me, a thrilling day is finding a great deal at the grocery store or discovering a new spot to forage.  Or coming up with a clever way to use leftovers.

THE THRILL OF THRIFT

A few posts back, Leslie mentioned getting excited about discovering a new place to purchase groceries inexpensively.  Leslie and I think alike!  A few months back we found an Amish-run scratch and dent grocery outlet.  Not only is it an adventure because it takes us down some roads lined with Amish farms that is like stepping back in time,  but the store itself is like a wonderland to me.  You just never know what you will find.  This week we purchased lasagna noodles at fifty cents a pound and some K-cups (we have a Keurig but mainly use it to have a quick source of boiling water) ten cups for $1.75.  I'm wary of the canned goods, but some things such as pasta, coffee, tea and sugar are certainly fine with us if they are slightly beyond their expiration date. I guess our palates are not that refined.  They also had apples for thirty cents a pound, fresh picked from the orchard next door.

I remember in my younger days before the discovery of scratch and dent  and bulk food stores, I used to  buy the Sunday paper and study the sales and coupons like they were a treasure map;  making menus that took advantage of what was cheap, mapping out my route so that I could do my shopping in the least amount of trips to conserve gasoline and time.  I get as much thrill from the hunt  of a good bargain as I would  on any safari.

What fun it is to go outside and forage for pinecones  and twigs to decorate  our home.
What a thrill it is to find the perfect something  at a garage sale or thrift store that speaks directly to your heart.  All the ironstone and pewter in my china cupboard was purchased for less than one dollar each.  The penny rug was made from woolen casts off.   Even the cupboard was a garage sale find that we repainted to look more colonial (it was baby blue when we got it).

 We  can't help feeling tenderhearted towards our little cottage when someone compliments us on how pretty it is; everything except the mattresses has been either purchased from thrift or garage sales or Ran has made, often using scrap lumber and thrifted hardware.  Goodness!  Even the house itself was a bargain.  We searched the internet for several years until we found a Dutch Gambrel type house within our very small (under $60,000) budget.  It was a wreck when we bought it, so much that it had been on the market for years, which all the more pleases us now that strangers stop to take pictures of "the cute little gray house".  There's such a joy in reviving something that everyone else could not see the potential in.  

The anticipation in waiting until you find that perfect item within your budget is better than Christmas!  I cannot explain how pleasing it is too find the perfect sweater than goes with all your skirts at the thrift store or a brand-new-with-tags-still-on-it cashmere sweater from Bloomingdales,  for the same price of $3.47, as the ugly Barbie pink and turquoise one from K-Mart.  I always say that when it comes to the thrift store it costs the same price to dress well as it does to dress cheaply.

Could Starbucks serve up a better cup of coffee than this?
I doubt it could be as cozy as our own, served in a pretty Villeroy and Boch thrifted cup and saucer with some nice homemade toast sitting beside the fire.  All this to say, go out and make each day your best.   Live richly and savor every moment. You can either find thriftiness a dreary chore or you can find it an awesome adventure.  I vote for adventure!

KNITTING

Another thing that brings me much joy is using up my yarn stash to make Christmas presents.  I knitted these  little slippers and a hat this week.
The hat pattern can be found in the Winter 2015 edition of Love of Knitting magazine and the slipper are a free pattern that can be found here.  I also finished this scarf:
Can you believe that it's been sitting in the bottom of my workbasket for two years?  I only had twelve rows to knit to finish it!  It's the same pattern that I wrote about way back here.

FREE KNITTING PATTERN

I also knitted these two dishcloths:

The yarn came from a cotton sweater that I unraveled.  It has pretty lavender specks in it that reminds me of some beautiful handmade writing paper I had a lifetime ago when people use to send letters.  Unfortunately, the sweater didn't work out for me.  Aren't cotton sweaters the worst?  They're so heavy and by the end of the day they are so stretched out the sleeves are practically dragging on the ground.  So I was thrilled to re-purpose the yarn for dishcloths.  The directions on how to unravel and re-purpose sweaters for the yarn is in the same link as the scarf above.

Anyhow, here's a quick and easy pattern to make the dishcloths:

Cast on 5 stitches.
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: K 3, YO, K 2
Row 3: K3, YO, K3
Row 4: K3, YO, K to the end of row
Repeat row 4 until your diagonal is as wide as you like. Now decrease:
 K2, K2 tog, YO, K2 tog, K to end of row.
Repeat last row until 5 stitches remain. Bind off. Weave in loose ends.

The size of the needles and the number of rows depends on what type of cotton yarn you use.  I would suggest that you use the size of needles that is suggested on the yarn's label and just eyeball the width.  It is a dishcloth after all!

I think some of these dishcloths will make a nice hostess gift when combined with some homemade soap and tied up with some red and white kitchen twine.   Maybe a handmade apron too?

RECIPE FROM THE PANTRY (KIND OF)

Well!  I couldn't let October pass without posting one pumpkin recipe could I? Here's a recipe for a pumpkin coffeecake that's quick to make up:

Pumpkin Coffee Cake
1 3/4 C. biscuit baking mix
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. butter (1/2 a stick)
2 eggs
1 C. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves

Combine all the ingredients and beat for 3 minutes.  Spread batter into a well-greased 8" pan.  Sprinkle streusel over top of batter.
Streusel:
1/2 C. coconut
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/4 C. biscuit baking mix
1/4 C. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Combine until moistened.

Bake cake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

DON'T BUY IT, MAKE IT

I know that "biscuit baking mix" or as we call it around here, Bisquick, may not be a pantry staple but it does come in handy from time to time.  I used to make a lot of those "impossible" pies; as in cheeseburger impossible pie, lasagna impossible pie, etc.  It made for a quick meal, I will not lie.  But did you know that you can make your own Bisquick from items you already have in your pantry?

Homemade Bisquick Mix

6 C. flour
3 tbsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. salt
1 C. shortening

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combines.  Cut in the shortening until it resembles fine crumbs.  Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to four months.

The beauty of making your own is that you can control the ingredients, i.e.: non-aluminum baking powder, sea salt, better quality flour and shortening.  Plus you don't get any of the ingredients that you don't want like non-caking compounds.

THRIFTY THINGS WE DID THIS WEEK

Bought half a bushel apples from the Amish store for 30 cents a pound.

Bought 2 more cords of wood from the village for heating.

Knitted two Christmas presents from the yarn stash.

Finished a scarf .  One less work-in-progress.

Ran carved a pipe from some scraps of black walnut.  What will he think of next?

Turned down the thermostat and wore sweaters and slippers and heated the house via the woodstove.

Made some delicious pumpkin chili from our own pumpkins.  This was so filling we only needed to eat one meal on the days I served it.

Played card in the evening for entertainment.

Our neighbor gave us a bag of cat food to help support the strays.

Gathered some twigs, rosehips and pinecones for decorations.

Hung our laundry on racks inside to dry.

Baked a large batch of baked beans that also heated the house while the oven was going.  (We always leave the oven door ajar after baking - free heat)

Well, that's another week at the old Zempel boarding house!

From ye ghoolies and ye ghosties,
and ye long leggedy beesties
And things a'go bumpe in ye night, 
 Good Lourde delyver us .
Amen!

Happy Halloween!
Hugs
Jane












62 comments:

  1. Hi Jane! You are getting to be the Sunday read that we all look forward to. So sweet, your ending prayer! I appreciate that Bisquick mix recipe (because it is silly to buy a box of it!) Your knitting is beautiful! I did want to learn the washcloths last winter and never got around to it...maybe this winter! Nine days counting down here with all our belongings except a few clothes and dishes packed....eating t.v. dinners for now on until the move. Your house is beautiful. It is a shame homes are so expensive; I feel for young people starting out. My rural hometown always had cheap homes but now they are even higher than they should be! Hugs,andrea

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    1. Hi Andrea! How are things going? Did you get the water problem fixed at your new house? Sometimes I think it would be nice to just eat TV dinners! Just think of all the time you'd have with no cooking or clean up. Hope you the move goes smoothly! Thanks for your friendship! I'm still hoping that once you get settled you'll return to blogging.

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. Hi Jane! Oh yes, the water problem (water sneaking in under the front doorstep down to the basement ceiling). They agreed to give us the money to fix it. Which we are happy with since we will make sure it is fixed correctly! Problem averted! T.v. dinners might give me too much free time...taking away most of my "job" duties..ha..I am craving soups right now. Well you never know...about blogging. Hugs,Andrea

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    3. Well that's good! Like you, I'd prefer to have the money and make sure the problems is fixed correctly. Ran has taken over so many of my "jobs" that sometimes I feel a tad bit lazy. The trouble is, he's better at most of them then I ever was or will be!

      J

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  2. I love reading about life in your little cottage. I would love to see a full photo of your pretty cabinet sometime!

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    1. Thank you Isabella! I will try to get a picture up on the next post. It was so dark today pictures were impossible. No wonder that late Fall gets such a bad reputation as being dreary. I also have to remember to post a picture of the strays for Shirley. REally need to write things down!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. I also forgot to say that your knitting is gorgeous. The scarf looks SO complicated!

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    3. Thanks Isabella. Actually it is quite an easy pattern and goes pretty quickly once you get into the rhythm for it. Anne Budd's pattern are usually pretty clearly written. Do you knit?

      J

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  3. Homemade mix, this is one recipe I will save. I do not like the bought ones, I think they taste of soap!! Lovely scarf and other knitted goodies, the time before winter is harmonious with knitting, storing up the firewood, and having soup on the stove.

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    1. It only takes a few minutes to mix up so it's convenient too. It's amazing how much more time you have for things when you aren't out in the garden and canning all the time isn't it?

      Hugs
      Jane

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  4. Hi Jane!
    Oh yes, there IS a huge thrill in thrift! I couldn't tell you how many times I've experienced that particular feeling when scoring something wonderful from a really good sale. I bought a beautiful blue and white (floral) linen table cloth awhile back for next to nothing. It's holiday dinner worthy, and I love it to pieces.

    You are such a fast knitter - love the scarf, hat and slippers! You pumpkin display is gorgeous, and I love your "twigs" in the vase. So pretty. I need to do something similar soon. I haven't decorated anything in months. I looked and looked but can't find a picture of the walnut shell pipe you mentioned. I don't smoke, of course, but do appreciate fine craftsmanship.

    Hope you have a wonderfully thrifty week! (No doubts ;)
    Toni

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    1. Sounds like a great score Toni! What dinnerware are you going to use with it? That's OK that you haven't decorated in months, I decorate enough for the two of us! HA!

      I didn't have a picture of the pipe so you wouldn't find it. :) I have to admit I love the smell of cherry vanilla tobacco. My father used it. Every once in a very great while, I like to have Ran light some up just so I can smell it. Crazy, I know! Hope you have a beautiful first week of November!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. Jane, the more I think about it the more I think I may just have the blue and white tablecloth on the table between meals so it doesn't get stained during our gobble fests. I have 13 thrifted place settings of Staffordshire Liberty Blue though, along with the milk pitcher, Covered Casserole with the Boston Tea Party on the lid and a few other pieces. LOVE it. I'll probably use Butterfly Meadow for Thanksgiving dinner, as usual. *sigh* Which set will you use this year?

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    3. Ha! Isn't that the way it goes? I always make the guys put a placemat over the tablecloth when they eat and tell them "don't you dare spill anything"!

      Butterfly Meadow is very pretty but the Staffordshire would be great for pure Americana. I use Johnson Brother's Autumn Monarch for Thanksgiving well because when else are you going to use china with big turkey's on them? And I always use a natural linen tablecloth. I've got the routine down pat. Isn't this fun? Who else has a clue to what we are even talking about?

      J

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    4. Jane, you are just a smarty girl! I would not have thought of putting placemats over the tablecloth. Experiencin' a duh moment now. ;) lol
      Oh yah, dishes and all things domestic, save cleaning, are a 10 on my fun scale! How fun it is that you like them, too. Have I confessed to 12 place settings of Old British Castles here, yet? *blushes* But, my youngest and I are forever envious of your Friendly Village settings. They're glorious. Hmm, I think there may be several other gals noddin' their heads and raisin' their hands and thinking about their dishes, now. ;)

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    5. Used to have a few settings of Old British Castles in pink! Or was it red? I had to downsize my china collection when we moved to this tiny house and am still kicking myself for not keeping at least a few settings of Johnson Brothers Margaret Rose. I did keep the demitasse cups and saucer from Spode's Wicker Lane though. They were just too cute! Friendly Village will always hold a special place in my heart because our neighbor had a set and even at 4 I was impressed with fine china. It was so pretty compared to our turquoise and pink Melamac. Even at that early age I knew that a person could enjoy the fine things in life!

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  5. dear jane,
    love the blue china in your beautiful cupbord.like the villeroy and boch cup and saucer. i have some pieces of villeroy and boch dishes.it's very high priced in my part of world.your knitting is so beautiful.the little slippers are pretty.the scarf is amazing!!!! dishclothes can you never have enough.
    thanks for the recipe!
    wish you a nice week,
    hugs regina

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    1. Hello dear Regina!!!! Can't tell you how happy I am to hear from you. Was very worried about you.

      Villeroy and Boch can be expensive here too, but every once in a great while I get lucky at a thrift store or estate sale. As a matter of fact a few weeks back I bought the cutest little V&B piece from our St. Vincent's de Paul (charity) store for $3!

      I intended to have the scarf for a give-away but ruined the bottom stitches by pressing it. Ugh! So the give-away will have to wait until after the holidays when I'll have more time to knit another.

      Hope your recovery is going quickly!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  6. Great post Jane! Your knitted scarf and little shoes are amazing. You are quite talented, in many areas.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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  7. Oh I wish there were Amish close to us. A scratch and dent store would be great to go too! You are so right about serenity just reading your post is so calming. We have lots of stray cats here too I'm glad your neighbor is helping. Have a great week.

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    1. It's fun even if you don't find anything Vickie. It certainly has some unusual things. The last time we were there the Amish lady that works there was singing some Amish hymns while she worked. Don't get that at Meijers!

      The strays are so adorable and lovey that they've become a neighborhood project. The little one we call Jolly is positively fat! They are the most spoiled strays on the planet. Hope your cold is getting better!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  8. I'm happy to have found your blog. It is a lovely place to visit. I had to laugh, as I also think finding "treasures", either thrifted or a great deal at the scratch & dent store, are also pretty exciting. I've made the bisquick mix a few times, & may have to do that again. I've been gathering fall leaves and adding them to a grapevine wreath on the door, so we can enjoy them as we come and go. Happy Halloween!

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    1. Hi Laurie! If you don't find the scratch and dent store exciting there's something wrong with your sense of adventure! Ha!

      I bet that makes a pretty wreath. Fall got off to a slow start but the leaves eventually ended up being especially pretty this year. I wish there was some way to preserve them without fading. Happy Halloween too!

      HUgs
      Jane

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  9. Jane, you and I have a lot in common. :) My husband and I love to find thrift store treasures, garage sale finds and use them in our home. My husband used to work construction and would bring home windows, doors, cabinets from remodels and use them in our home. He replaced most of the doors and windows here with those. He has also taken cabinets and and added shelves, trim and paint and made them into something all together new. :)

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    1. That's the ultimate in re-purposing Debbie! It's a good thing my husband never had such a job or I'm afraid we would have a lot of small buildings on our property. I'm always dreaming of cute little outbuildings to build with cast off windows. That's how our shed came about. Always had a dream to build a home completely from salvaged materials. Have a wonderful week!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  10. It is a thrill to find something that makes your heart skip a beat when out hunting around in thrift stores Jane. I have often found that serendipity plays its part and I have found something in stock in a thrift store that I have had on my mind.

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    1. Hi Sherri! Isn't it funny how serendipitous these things can be? That's why I always check the thrift stores before buying retail. Like you, I often find just what I was looking for when I need it.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  11. Dear Jane,
    I was channeling your spirit last night! I live in a historic village in a small town and because the houses in the village get all the trick-or-treaters for the whole town, the other houses donate candy to us because otherwise it would cost hundreds of dollars to provide enough treats for the over 500 trick-or-treaters who come a'knocking. So last night I sorted through the candy and set aside all the m&m's and plain Hershey bars to use as chocolate for baking cookies. There is always candy left over so I figured I would plan ahead what I would end up with! Made me think of you.
    I have about one more week of life being super-crazy and then it should quiet down just in time for Advent (my favorite season). Like you, I yearn for slow, peaceful days. I've also caught the thrill-of-the-thrift sense and find myself tickled whenever I save a day on after school care because my daughter goes to a friend's house, or my girls go to a slumber party and that means I don't have to make dinner that night (thereby saving it for another day).
    Tomorrow I plan to also take down the autumn decorations and bring in the quieter ones for November/Advent. I've been keeping my eyes peeled for the bushes with red berries that grow in marshy places on the sides of the road. I will head out with clippers soon! I always put a bunch of them with some evergreen clippings in an old sap bucket by my front door and its good through Christmas.
    By the way, your knitting is beautiful! Whoever receives those gifts is blessed. I hope you have a lovely week.
    Cheers,
    Dana

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    1. That is so something I would do Dana! As a matter of fact I used to comb through the boys trick-or-treat bags and put away a lot of the chocolate for Christmas fudge. They didn't care because they were into Laffy Taffy and Skittles back then.

      Advent is a favorite time for me. I enjoy the quiet time leading up to Christmas more than the actual day. Your decorations are the kind I enjoy. I was saddened to find my foraging spot for wild rose hips was plowed up. I'll miss my rosehip wreath this year
      Last year we putting the trimmings from the evergreen in the flowerboxes and they lasted from Nov through March. We pruned the corkscrew willow and put aside the bare branches for the urns on the porches once the mums fade away. To my eye natural is the best.
      Hope you are having a great week!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  12. Cute stuff! Love the slippers♥

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  13. I especially enjoyed this post. We have a 'salvage' store nearby in the Amish/Mennonite community. As you mentioned, the stock changes quickly and shopping is an adventure. I find coffee there that we like and keep the unopened pkgs in the freezer. I check the dates on any canned goods and if they aren't far out I have no qualms about using them.
    Quite often there are odd lots of pricey shampoos and lotions greatly discounted.
    The Amish produce farm up the ridge from us gets in pallets of such things as cheese, yogurt, fruit juice--usually brought in on the week that the 'sell by' date is close.
    I do admire your beautiful knitting--I have to stick with my sewing machine.
    As for the arrangements with dried twigs and pods--I used to gather such bits every fall and create pretty things--our current cats in residence feel that every such thing must be taken out of the container, strewed and chewed!

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    1. Your Amish salvage store sounds wonderful Sharon. Wish our got cheese and such. They do have the occasional oddball thing that makes it so much fun.

      If I could quilt like you, I'd be content to stick to the sewing machine. Anyone can knit!

      It's a toss-up between cats and husbands to which can do the most harm to a flower arrangement. Ha!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. No--I don't think 'just anyone' can knit!

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  14. We love to thrift too and fix up old things. Probably why we live in an old 1883 farmhouse :) My hubby is just finishing up a good sized woodshed to put the firewood. He got all the framing wood and the galvanized metal siding from our neighbors fallen down cows loafing shed. No charge but a lot of sweat equity. I too am getting my outside chores finished. Got the garden tilled over the weekend. Split that into 2 days as I am getting "old" :) Saturday our broilers are ready to be butchered so we'll soon have lots of chicken in the freezer. Our oldest grandson had a birthday last week and we got to celebrate it yesterday. I gave him a box of snacks including some homemade cookies and his younger brother said, "That's what I want for my birthday too." His birthday is Dec. 9th. I also give them a little money to put on whatever their wishes are. I am loving this fall weather so much. Canning is not done as I am still doing applesauce and want to do more canning of dry beans. I like to have them all canned up so they are ready to use for soups etc. That is so easy to do too. Enough about my life. So glad to read your weekly posts. Nannie

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    1. What a wonderful windfall, Nannie! We tilled the gardens a few weeks back and now the deer are snooping around looking for what's left behind.

      I want to can up some beans too. I just bought 10 pounds of kidney beans from the bulk food store last week. I have to can ham tomorrow, got a nice 10 pound one for 99 cents a pound.

      I'm giving the grandkids something handknit and some money this Christmas. It's too hard to keep up with their likes and dislikes. By the time you buy the gift and send it to them their ideas change.

      We didn't get very many apples this year. Glad I canned some last year. Last year I canned some slices in simple syrup just as you would peaches. Made for a quick cobbler and sometimes I throw them into baked beans. I guess we could eat them just plain, but, who would want to do that? Ha!

      Sounds like managing very well, hope you have a pleasant week. Hope all your jars seal!

      HUgs
      Jane

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  15. Your fall decorations are just beautiful. I'm not sure which is my favorite - the white pumpkin in the dough bowl or the crock with the sticks/twigs. Both just reach out to me. It is a perfect fall day here in VA with temperatures in the upper 60s and fat, fluffy yellow leaves falling and swirling around. A perfect night for the trick-or-treaters. These are perfect days for me and even more so than normal after a particularly miserable summer. Happy Halloween!

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    1. I'm glad you are having a wonderful Fall, Shirley. We had a heavy frost this morning but that's to be expected this time of year. Inland they had snow the other day. I don't know why I love Fall so, it is seldom as you described. But we live for that one perfect golden day! Happy Halloween to you too!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  16. Your knitting is so beautiful. I wish I had that skill and patience. The only "knitting" I ever managed were those popular scarves a few years ago out of a skein of that webbing looking stuff called Sashay from Red Heart and that even challenged me.

    I find it interesting how there are times when you want/need something and the exact item surprisingly appears in the used realm. It's almost unbelievable. (And will always keep my in the treasure hunt!)

    I have a large "scratch and dent" store near me for groceries and I have to be careful. The prices are good enough I can spend a lot if I'm not paying close attention to what I really need. I start looking at some really low prices for things I want and can leave the store thinking "why did I do that??" Most recently for some cheese spreads, fancy sausages and chocolate. The price was rock bottom but I most certainly didn't need to buy it all.

    We have another day of heavy rain here. The news says we are experiencing the wettest October ever. I hope it lightens up tonight for the trick or treaters. Have a good week! -Sharon

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    1. There's not too much to tempt us as our scratch and dent store, Sharon. The young Amish man that runs it also has a harness shop on one side of the store and a farm next door. Sometimes he has dirt smeared all over himself. We have to laugh that the health dept. clearly isn't inspecting this place! But at least he passes the good buys onto us, so who are we to complain?

      It's rained a lot here too. Why couldn't we have had some of this in Summer? It's starting to get dark so early too. Sometimes I feel like we haven't seen daylight in weeks! Hope you are having fun handing out candy to the trick or treaters!
      Hugs
      Jane

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  17. I always love to drop in, Jane! What a great week! I love your thrifting. I wish we had the treasures you have... The pumpkin coffee cake sounds fabulous. I will try it this week as we have guests coming. It will make a wonderful breakfast and looks like it will keep well. Beautiful knitting, too!

    Have a great week! As ever.. m

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    1. Hi Matty! No one has the thrift stores we have locally, I've discovered. We were out of town yesterday and stopped in at a couple downstate and the were horrible! No wonder thrift stores get such a bad reputation.

      The coffeecake is a great keeper as it is nice and moist, but it usually doesn't last long enough to find out. Ha!

      Hope you have a lovely visit with your company!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  18. I'm so flattered you mentioned me in your blog. Yes, its fun to get a good deal anywhere. I asked my husband out on a date later in the week, so I could catch some good grocery deals at the market across town. Yes, we go on dates to the grocery. And why not? Couples brag all the time in magazines about antiquing together. Of course, our food is not too old. ;)
    I went with my husband to the hospital for some tests as he's needing those "mid-life exams." So we were watching a show on HGTV where people buy "farms". We were blown away by what they were willing to pay...$600,000! Over 1/2 a million?! We bought our 4.3 bare land for $6,000 and then spent $8,000 to build a cottage. And look at what you paid. Crazy! I'm motivated to stay on the frugal train.
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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    1. You built your home for $8000?! That's amazing! I'm impressed.

      Dates at the grocery store - Since we live in a remote area, once a month Ran and I take a drive to the "big city" 70 miles away to do our grocery shopping. It's our big day out. We usually eat at Subway and also go to the thrift stores. It's better than any fancy dinner at a restaurant to me.

      The funny thing about those outrageously priced homes is that they never seem to have any personality. When you pay that much I suppose you have to be concerned about the resale-ability but gosh they are boring. They all look alike. It's much more fun to own a house that is worth nothing, that way you don't have to worry about ruining its value by painting the walls something other than white. Ha!

      Hope you are having fun this week!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  19. Greetings Jane, so good to hear from you, as always!I'm with YOU--you truly couldn't PAY ME to live in one of those big cookie cutter homes! We adore our sweet small little cottage and sure it's been a challenge downsizing the past 8 years since all the kids grew up but it's been a fun adventure. We raised them in a big old fashioned slightly beat up Victorian and it was perfect for us THEN at that stage. We had lots of kids, their friends, the neighborhood kids, so many doggies and kitties and we needed all that room in that wonderful "drafty old house" (It's a Wonderful Life)...but nowadays we dont need the room nor the bigger costs of heating/cooling, taxes, insurance etc. This cottage is basically a miniature of the big Victorian, I make that comment so many times a week and it's true, so we are happy. I learn so much from your wonderful blog and love the tips. I am not patient enough/didnt learn to sew or knit or crochet (well JUST THE BASICS back in "Home Ec"--when that was actually a class, LOL)but I CAN DO so many of the other things you write about. We enjoy a day of yard saleing and thrift shopping a thousand times more than store shopping--it's so much more an adventure and we've always been that way and really just can't imagine being any other way. I've often remarked if we were to somehow become wealthy it would not change the way we shop--I still love being frugal and we have no desire to "keep up with" anyone. I enjoy seeing your thrifted dishes, what treasures! That is how we furnished our home all these years. Not that we don't enjoy nice new things at times too--but it's so much more fun to seek out a bargain isn't it? The Amish store sounds quite intriguing! I'm pretty sure we dont have anything like that here. You're right--"thriftiness is not a dreary chore--it's an adventure!"

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    1. Morning Debbi! That's something we have in common; we raised our children in a big old drafty Victorian too. Just when we finished renovating it and were finally getting to the fun part of decorating, we were forced to sell it, as Ran's job required a move to another state. Looking back, it was a blessing because we sure wouldn't be able to afford the upkeep and heating these days.

      It's a Wonderful Life is one of my favorite movies. Did you know Georgie our little Corgi name is George Bailey? He had a brother named Longfellow Deeds. I love Frank Capra movies.

      A miniature Victorian sounds cute. Have you ever taken pictures of it for your blog? The "big city" that I mention often has an avenue of huge lumber baron mansions, but there's one teeny tiny Victorian tucked in between them. It's my favorite house in the entire neighborhood. It looks just like a dollhouse.

      I really don't have very many before and after pictures of the house. The day we bought it, we started ripping and tearing and never thought to take any pictures.

      It's always fun visiting with you, Debbi! Hope you are enjoying some cooler weather now that November has arrived!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  20. PS...you mentioned how your house was a "wreck" when y'all bought it--I'd be so interested to see the before/afters....what you started with and how it's changed and how y'all worked on each project. Not sure if you've already had that on your blog, perhaps you have? We did projects slowly when we had the Victorian, there was no rush, and it was alot of fun (as well as hard work) to search things out and get the best deal and find ways to repurpose old things. it was a good time of life and now we are in a new season that is for sure--not up to projects THAT BIG anymore. ha ha LOL

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  21. I made your Pumpkin Coffee Cake this morning using a gluten free baking mix. When it cools I'll let you know how we like it :) And reading about cheap houses, we got our 5 acres with a livable house, well water, septic all in etc. for $15,000. We thought it was a true miracle :)Nannie

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    1. Hope you like it, Nannie. That's a pretty unbelievable price. You couldn't even buy 5 acres of vacant land for that amount around here.

      J

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  22. Tastes like pumpkin pie. I love it. And you couldn't buy this for that price anymore probably. This was bought from an older couple, on land contract at first and we later switched to a bank loan, but this was back in 1987.
    Nannie

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    1. Glad you liked it, Nannie! Even for 1987 it was very good fortune, I'd say. You must be very good to be so blessed! :)

      J

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  23. Hi Jane....yes it is me again. I've returned thanks to your friendship and encouragement! (I know...I am awful about quitting!) hugs,Andrea

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  24. Oh Jane, you are wonderful with all the things you do be thrift. That is the way we all should strive to be. I love what you said:" For me, a thrilling day is finding a great deal at the grocery store or discovering a new spot to forage." I am the same, except that I can not do foraging around here. Hugs!!

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    1. It's always nice to meet like-minded people, Angela! Too bad there are no foraging spots near you. Nothing like finding something in nature that does the same job something man-made does.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  25. Love this post! You are amazing and inspiring! The pictures you have posted of your home are beautiful. Your hat and slippers and scarf are so pretty. Thanks for the recipe; I'm going to try it if my pumpkins finish ripening. Thanks for the baking mix recipe too. I used to like making those impossible pies too; so quick and easy.
    I went to a thrift store this week as my favorite purse was coming apart. Found an aigner bag in like new condition for less than $5, so I was happy. Also picked up a couple of glass mugs for my son to make what looks like root beer candles for presents.
    Have a great weekend!

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    1. Good find, Kathy! That idea about the root beer candles sounds like fun. It's always interesting to see what others are crafting for gift giving. Hope you have a great weekend too!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  26. Oh I have just stumbled upon your blog, it's lovely!

    Here in Australia we tend to do pumpkin as savoury rather then sweet, one of these days I will actually make pumpkin pie or something sweet with it!

    Beautiful knitting, those sweet little boogies made my heart melt.

    Xx

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    1. Thanks Emma! If you knit those little booties are easy peasy and a really quick knit.

      Well you know, us Yanks tend to take something healthy and turn it into something bad for us. We invented potato chips, after all. Ha! But I'm glad for it, pumpkin pie is my absolute most favorite thing to eat in the world. Hope you visit often!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  28. Buying in bulk and canning are great ways to save time and money and still eat healthy. And I really like the idea of making homemade Bisquick!

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    1. It's a basic principle of economics, Justin. If you ever read the ingredients for Bisquick and other baking mixes, no one would ever buy them. Anti-caking ingredients are plain old nasty. Plus most pantries have the ingredients to make them anyhow. Thanks for leaving a comment!

      Hugs
      Jane

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