Reclaiming The Home

Sewing School Clothes (with tutorials)

Hello friends!  Its been much too long.  Things have been incredibly busy since Kevin has been on TDY to Ft. Knox.  We have been busy decluttering the house in preparation for the move, which has been such an encouraging thing for me.  I love looking around and feeling less burdened by the clutter, disorganization and an overwhelming amount of stuff.  Don't get me wrong, I can clutter-bug along with the best of them, but it is really refreshing to feel like things are where they should be and its less that I have to worry about.  *whew*.

We have been doing a decluttering challenge over at the Ravelry version of Reclaiming The Home.  If you are not a member of ravelry (or even if you are) feel free to to join us over at the Proboards forums for RTH as well for a decluttering challenge, or just write about your decluttering pursuits on your blog, and link it here so we can see what you're up to.  Photos of my decluttering successes to come soon. :)

A big part of getting everything ready for the busy upcoming months, as well as decluttering the stash, has been sewing up clothes in preparation for the girls to start school in the fall. 

Those of you who know me, know that I much prefer an open-ended tutorial to a rigid pattern, so that is generally what I work from. I find that they allow me a lot more freedom in interpreting things to my own design, and I feel less like I can fail at it, as well, since the instructions are usually pretty open and fluid.

This top for Anna was made using the peasant shirt tutorial over at Just Tutes.  I altered it a bit by not adding elastic to the sleeve. I figured that while things were still warm out it would give a little more ventilation, especially in this humid climate.

(excuse the wrinkles and the grass that needs to be swept.  With hubby gone i've let the yard work go a bit - oops.  Anna was also only sad because she couldn't find her shoes, and wouldn't believe me that they were in the car - which they were - about 2 feet away.  Tears ended instantaneously.)

To go with the shirt I sewed a ruffled skirt to match, from the tutorial over at Grand Revival Design.  I LOVE this tutorial.  I will be making a lot more of these in different girly fabrics soon.  This was my tester, and I used leftover scraps from the march quilt kit to make it.  Because I sold some kits using this fabric, the proceeds more than paid for the fabric so I'm considering the materials for this outfit "free."

Abbi's outfit started with the same peasant blouse tutorial, only I added the elastic to the sleeves this time.  It worked well with this particular fabric (an old, white sheet that I found at a thrift store for 75-cents!). 

The skirt was INCREDIBLY simple.  I bought an old valence for 99-cents.  The lace came pre-attached.  To create the skirt, I simply threaded elastic through the top casing and sewed the two short edges together.  Easy peasy, and now she has a beautiful linen and lace skirt to wear to school.  If you want to make something similar, but don't have a valence, the Twirly Skirt Tutorial over at House on Hill Road is *fabulous*.  We have used that tutorial several times for super-cute skirts for the girls (and will definitely be using it again!)

Total cost of the valence outfit? $1.74.

(oops - more grass to sweep! - sorry)

This outfit was made using a Women's size L tunic that I bought at the thrift store for 75-cents.  It fits about a 4T little girl (isn't she cute??).  The pants were made using sleeves.  Here's my tutorial for sleeve pants, as I did them.
 
The shirt was done without a pattern or tutorial as well.  I will be working on a tute for that coming soon, using the body of the shirt for the fabric, so keep your eyes out!

I also have two other tutorials in the works for clothes I made for Abbi recently, so those will be coming over the next couple days as well.  My hope is that others can feel inspired to make some clothes for the fall, and to not feel overwhelmed by the increasing prices of clothing for our kids, as school starts!  All of the outfits that you see in this post cost a total of $2.49.  One needn't break the bank to dress their children well.

Enjoy, and be sure to let me know if you use the sleeve pants tutorial !  I'd love to see what you do with it!

 

Bloomers Tutorial

1. For short bloomers, cut pillowcase in half.  If using the closed end of the pillowcase, cut open the closed end so that it forms a “tube”

2. Measure your child’s inseam (this would be from the top front of the diaper or undies, through the legs and around to the top back of the diaper or undies on your child).  Take this number of inches and divide it by two.  Then add 2” to that number.  With your fabric laid out flat, using the number of inches that you got from the inseam calculation, measure from the top of your “tube” down on either side edge.  So if you measured 12” at your final calculation you will measure 12” down and mark this with a pin.

3. With your inseam marked on either side, you will need to cut a short bit from the bottom of your tube on the sides, in a line up to the pin.  Do this along the outer edges/seams.  This will determine the crotch/leg areas.  Once you have this part finished, its on to the sewing machine! 

4. If you have a serger, it would be a good time to go around and serge all of the cut edges so that they don’t fray.  If you don’t have a serger, zig-zag stitch the cut edges.  I do have a serger, but for this project am showing it with the zig-zag stitch.   If you prefer, you can iron over a ¼” hem and sew that  over all of the raw edges.  I just prefer this method, as it is faster and usually leaves me with a little more fabric.

5.  Pin the cut bits together that you cut in step 3.  In this step you will be sewing the front & back of the legs together, and giving the bloomers a “crotch” area so to speak.   Please note that you want to make sure that the seam from the pillowcase is on the *outside* at this point.  This will help your seams to all be on the same side of the garment.

When you are finished with sewing this area, it will look like a large pair of shorts.

6. Pin down the top of the “shorts” about 1”.  Sew about ¼ inch from the edge of the fabric, giving you about ¾” pocket.  Make sure that you leave a 1” opening for the elastic to work through because This will be the sleeve that your elastic will go in later.

7. Repeat this with each of the legs as well, making sure to leave an opening for the elastic to come through.

8. Measure your child’s waist (near or just below the belly button, all the way around the waist.  Cut a piece of ½” wide elastic the same size.

9. Measure around your child’s thigh (just below the crotch area, and around the entire thigh.  Cut 2 pieces of ½” wide elastic the same size.

10.  Next you need to feed the elastic through the opening at the waist, and to do this, you will want to clip a safety pin onto one end of the elastic to feed through the sleeve.  Then clip a second safety pin onto the other end of the elastic, and pin it to the fabric just above the opening for your elastic to go through.  This will help your elastic’s “tail” not to get lost inside the tube. You will need to have both ends once you feed it through.

To feed the elastic through the band, push the first safety pin through the opening, scrunching the fabric down over the pin as you go.  With your left hand, hold the tip of the pin.  With your right, gently pull the fabric so that some of the elastic feeds through the sleeve.  Continue this all the way through the sleeve until it comes out the other side, making sure it doesn’t twist.

11. Once the elastic is fed through, pull both ends taught so that you have several inches of elastic on either side.  Once again, make sure that you don’t twist the fabric in this process.   Place the elastic pieces on top of one another about 1” overlapping.

12.  Zig-zag stitch  in 3 different places over the overlapped elastic.  This helps to secure it very strongly so that it remains sturdy and elastic without separating.

13.  To re-insert the elastic into the  sleeve, gently tug on the waist, until all of the elastic is in the sleeve.  Adjust the bunched up fabric until it is fairly even throughout.

14. Using your sewing machine, stitch closed the little opening you used to insert your elastic.

Repeat steps 10-14 for the legs as well

14. Flip inside out, and enjoy your new bloomers!

If you like this tutorial, feel free to use it, and you are also welcome to link to it.  I would absolutely love to see any bloomers that you make using this tute!  It takes at most 90 minutes (if you're photographing and writing instructions along the way).  I would say it takes under an hour in most cases! :)

Enjoy!

**editing to add** - Lisa asked in the comments of THIS POST if I make all of the girls' clothes.  The answer is that I have not made all of them in the past, though I did always have something handmade in their wardrobe.  This year I have a goal of making all of their summer clothing, along with a few select thrifted items (jeans especially). 

I figure I only have a couple of years left where I can dress them however I like, so I'm going to enjoy it while I can, and hopefully it will help them to love handmade clothing too (which is of course not to say that new clothing isn't fun and super-cute - this is just something I personally really enjoy).

Big News!

Here at Reclaiming the Home big things have been going on behind the scenes.  The needles have been knitting, the sewing machine has been sewing, and bits of craftiness are showing up everywhere around the house, here and there.  Because of my cold, the only cooking that has gone on was done by the infamous Mr. Rose with some buffalo cheese dip that he was quite proud of.  I'll have to ask him for the recipe so that I can share it soon!

The big news though, comes in the form of the new public Reclaiming The Home forum! 

My goal for the forum is to be a community of people who care about their homes and the gentle home arts.  There will be tutorials, resources, and information that will help us all to learn to be better Reclaimers, while providing incentive and motivational games in a fun atmosphere where we share our love of the home with one another. 

It is a place of friendship that welcomes people from all walks of life, where we all get to be ourselves, get to know one other better, support each other, and share our joys as well as our sorrows.  You don't have to be a mother, a wife, or stay at home to enjoy homemaking.

I know you will find real community here, grow friendships, build each other up, learn new things, and just enjoy hanging out at the forum.

If you have a moment, stop on by and take a look. There is so much to be found there and so much more to come, including a big surprise event for all of the forum members that will begin within the week! 

This idea has been in the works for some time, and I am so pleased to say, has finally come to fruition.  So many people were involved in its creation.  A big thank you to Caitlin, Pam, Diane, Audrey, Rachel, Robyn, Danna, and SO many more lovely women who helped to make this part of my dream a reality!

Chalkboard, Pillowcase Shirt, and Twirly Skirt Goodness

I have been truly enjoying all of the submissions so far for the Grand Giveaway!  You all have such fun ideas for names, and such interesting stories about what you named your own cars.  Thank you so much to those of you who have joined in on the contest, and for those of you who have not done so yet, be sure to pop on over and put in your entry by Friday!

Sadly, with the sun shining through the windows on to all the laundry waiting for me to fold it up, I simply can't spend much time here today.  (Secretly I love the soft feel of clothes all cozy warm from the dryer, and the smell of fresh laundry!) 

Before I run off to fold however, I did want to share some creative goodness that I whipped up last night while the babooshkas were sleeping.

This cute little chalkboard was picked up at the thrift for 59-cents!  A quick coat of paint and a little personalization and it is now a great sign that will be hung by vintage ribbon next to the girls' bedroom door.

This cute little outfit took a total of 90 minutes to plan, cut out, and sew.  I didn't use a pattern really.  I did use the tutorial for the twirly skirt from House on Hill Road as a guide for the skirt (though I altered it a bit).  The top is based off of the basic pillowcase dress, only shorter and with a little added trim. 

What is even better is the fact that this entire outfit cost less than $2 since those fabrics were snagged off of the discount table at the fabric store!

I am also going to be stalking Sew, Mama, Sew for the Girl's Clothes Tutorial Round-Up, and the Boy's Clothes Tutorial Round up (friendly stalking of course)!   Such cute, fun, and easy ideas to help me in my destashing efforts!!

What crafts do you do?  Sew?  Paint?  Knit?  I'd love to hear it!  Also - what projects do you love to do to help destash a bit?

homemade gifts, painted toes, and SOS

A certain two year old is getting mighty grown up, and I am loving every minute of it.  She is so girly and so so sweet.  I could just nibble those little toesies but I won't.  She absolutely adores getting her toes painted.  Her daddy usually does it for her, but she insisted I do it today, and well.... who am I to argue with cute toes like that staring me in the face?  She wiggles her toes when she gets them painted, so they're all sorts of silly, but I think that's just part of the awesome fun-ness of being two and having pink painted piggies.

Right after we finished her mini pedicure, the mailman brought me some amazing goodness!   My dear, dear friend Robyn sent me some awesome birthday presents - a Priority flat rate box stuffed full!  Here are just a FEW of the goodies she put in there for me!

Let me tell you, there was so much more, but for the sake of those of you on dial-up I'll just tell you - the package was FABULOUS! :)   Thank you Robyn!  You're such a sweetheart!  I had so much fun going through everything, and the girls and I spent the afternoon batting the balloons around the apartment together... at least until Anna crashed on the couch for her afternoon nap and Abbi got distracted with a movie  :)   Thank you, my friend :)

In other news, I sat down tonight and made out the grocery list for all of the recipes from the Recipe Contest!   As I was on my way out the door  to go shopping I realized that I didn't have my wallet in my purse.  We looked *EVERYWHERE*.  I mean ev-e-ry-where.  Not one stone left unturned. 

Under the couch - *check*
Peek in the laundry - *check*
Look in the fridge? - *check*
In every possible hidden crack in the car?  - *check*
Inbetween kids' mattresses - *check*

Its probably someplace obvious.

I had to call and cancel my cards and will be ordering a new license and all of that soon.   :(   Poo.  That said, I will have to wait to go shopping until this weekend when hubby can go with me and use his card.  I'll start making the recipes then.   I'm so so sorry for the delay - I am craving them.  Big time.

Since I couldn't get to the store tonight, we had a staple dinner for most any Army family.  Sh!t on a Shingle (also known as SOS).  Its basically beef & gravy over toast.  It may not look delicious (or sound so, by the name), but it REALLY is comfort food, SOOOO tasty, and cheap to boot.  I used *THIS RECIPE* just to make sure I was getting proportions right.  I hadn't ever tried it with worcestershire sauce before - it was a nice addition!  If you get a chance, give it a try!  Its also GREAT for breakfast using sausage instead of chipped beef or hamburger.  (note: chipped beef is the "traditional" way of fixing SOS, but that's mostly because it can be dehydrated and rehydrated easily.  I prefer the taste and texture of hamburger or turkey burger, but you can use whatever strikes your fancy! - ENJOY!)

Dinner Challenge! Southern Sausage Apple Bake

Over at the Sommer Designs blog, she has posted a 5 night Dinner Challenge! I’m going to take her up on it starting Friday night! I’ll be sure to post photos and recipes here.

Are you up for the challenge? If so, post here, and be sure to link us up (and on Sommer’s blog too!) when you do post your dinners! Photos are optional! Yum!

To start out, gather your ingredients.  You'll need:

~4 apples
~1 Tbs olive oil (not pictured)
~1 pkg of kielbasa (or any similar type sausage - turkey kielbasa works great and is low fat)
~2 pkg of cornbread mix (we used Martha White this time, but have also loved the Jiffy Mixes and they are also SO cheap!!)
~1 cup milk (can substitute for water if needed)

The first thing you'll want to do is peel your apples.  Be sure to keep your peels & your cores to make potpourri later (i'll post a pic & instructions at the end of this post!)

Once you have your apples peeled, you'll want to slice them into thin slices.  Put them in a pot that has been drizzled with olive oil, over medium heat on the stovetop.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occassionally.

While your apples are simmering, slice your sausage into 1/4 inch slices, and preheat your oven to 400*F.

In a medium bowl, mix your cornbread mixes with the milk, stirring well. (note: 2 year olds think this is the best part)

Once your apples are done, you'll want to pour them (and their juices) in a 9x13" baking pan.  Add in the sausage and distribute evenly throughout the pan.  Pour the cornbread mixture over top, gently spreading around with a spatula or back of a spoon.

Place entire thing in the oven, and cook for 20 minutes (or until top is lightly golden) at 400*F.

Makes 6 hearty servings!  (and always gets rave reviews around here!) :)

Now... to make the potpourri!  Use your apple peels and cores (dont worry about seeds, etc, its all fine).  Put them all into a pan, sprinkle with cloves (crushed or whole are both fine), and about 1/2 cup water.  Put on simmer, and enjoy!

Audrey's Knitting Needle Tutorial!

We have been very fortunate to have  a guest speaker today!!  Audrey, a dear friend, inspiring crafter, and world-class relcaimer, has agreed to share her knowledge and skill in creating her own knitting needles!! 

If you've ever wanted to give this fun craft a try, it is truly worth it, and with Audrey's instructions, completely doable for anyone at any crafting experience level! 

Here are Audrey's wonderful instructions!

To make my DPN’s: I used common household bamboo skewers. Sharpened both ends in a pencil sharpener, sanded the shaft and points until smooth, and then polished them with a white crayon and a sheet of notebook paper.

Materials:

Dowel rods or skewers (chopsticks could work too)

Sandpaper: 100 grit – 400 grit (3-4 different grits)

Plain paper

White crayon or wax

Knob or button to top the needles. (In a pinch a rubber band)

Pencil Sharpener

Choose Your Weapon

When choosing your dowel rod you may find it helpful to have some sort of measuring device. In this way, you can get exactly the size you want. I did not measure mine at all, so whenever asked, “What size needle is that?" I told people “skewer”. Please learn from my mistakes. It will make me feel better.

If you purchase your dowel rod from a large chain store, they can cut it to your specified length. I used kitchen scissors, and had to deal with splintering.

Getting to the Point

Once you have your rods cut, you will run them in a pencil sharpener. Do the same to both ends for double pointed needles, just one end for standard needles.

True Grit

Next is the sandpaper. In this step, you will sand the needles using progressively finer (higher #) grits. By doing this you will get the rid of the splinters and burs in the wood. Be sure to sand the shaft and the point, paying special attention to the tip. The tip and the point receive the most activity when knitting and it would be a shame if your yarn kept being snagged. I found out how frustrating it could be to have to go back and sand each of my DPN’s. I have already made all the mistakes for you.

The Debate

This part is optional. I have seen some who do not polish their needles, yet I cannot tell you which way is best. If you choose to polish your needles, here’s how. Rub the entire surface of the wood with a white crayon. Then use a sheet of paper to smooth the needle, just the same as when you were sanding the wood. Once again, pay careful attention to the point and tip. 

 

The End

This is the last step, unless you have made DPN’s. This must be my favorite part. Finding that special something, that tells the world “This is custom!” Make your needles as unique as you want them to be. Glue a river stone, glass bead, or drawer pull to the end. Shove on a plastic toy or pencil eraser. Let impatiens rule your life and twist a rubber band to it. I have done that.

Congratulations

You now own, custom, one of a kind, original, not to be found in stores anywhere, hand crafted knitting needles.

When I asked Audrey to share a bit about herself with you all, here is what she said!

Name: Audrey

Husbands Name: Brian

Age: 36

Occupation: Stay at home mom/Homeschool mother

Hobbies: Knitting, crocheting, cooking, gardening, and sewing

Number of Teeth: 28

Allergies: Cats, mold and people who don't cover properly

Favorite Food: Sushi

Favorite Color: Green

Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz

Favorite Animal: Cat

Favorite Candy: Chocolate peanut butter cups

Her husband was able to add a bit more about her, so that you all can see a piece of the amazing gal that she is.

Audrey grew up in Brooklyn and Coney Island NY. As an adult her family moved to Hillside NJ where she attended Kean College. She earned a BS in business management with a minor in technology. She met her husband, Brian, in college and got married in 1995.

 

In college she worked for Adolph Gotcho as an assistant purchasing agent and later moved onto working for American Products as a purchasing agent and expeditor. She additionally held jobs as a sales rep in a sporting goods store, as a teacher’s assistant in a grammar school, as a worker in a laundry mat, offered a job making costumes for the renaissance festival and co-owner of an organized recreational camping business.

 

For most of her married life she has been a full time home builder (mom). Audrey began homeschooling her children in Kindergarten and continues to homeschool them today. The managerial skills she learned in college and her business life greatly help her run the home school.

 

Being a housewife and a homeschool mom she has taught herself how to hand sew, machine sew, crochet, knit, become computer savvy, repair almost everything broken in the home, cook like a short order chef, learned how to cut corners and save money, and much more.

THANK YOU Audrey!! :)  We surely do appreciate your contribution to the group!

(a few tips after trying this with the tutorial!!  You can find pre-cut dowels in some craft stores, so you may not have to cut them yourself!  You could also use candle wax or beeswax to finish off your needles if you would like to do that instead!)

Ladies (*and gents*), be sure to leave her a comment if you found this to be fun, informational, interesting, or any other number of adjectives!  :)  Thanks

Mutt Muffins and Crayon Cookies

The holidays are upon us and the gift making rush is a big part of that for me (and a part that I love, I might add).  Our family is coming to stay with us this Christmas, and they have two lovely little doggies they're bringing with them as well.  I say little, but one of them weighs more than my husband!  Anyhow, all this means that we will have four dogs, one cat, four adults and two kids here for Christmas!  My goals are to do something handmade for everyone!  I'm going to share what I've been doing for the doggies and the kiddos since they are slightly less likely to read the blog!

I have been really trying to find a good doggy treat recipe that both of my boys love.  I tried a new recipe the other day, called Mutt Muffins.   As usual, I made a few changes based on what I had on hand.  Instead of honey, I used sweetened cinnamon applesauce in place of plain to make up for the sugar. This also substituted the spices since the applesauce was already spiced!  They turned out wonderfully, and I wound up with about 4 dozen small Mutt Muffins. 

I would recommend using only one heaping tablespoon per muffin cup, like I did with these.  Even with these smaller muffins my Golden Retriever, Buddy found them to be a bit chewy (which he liked) and quite the mouth full!   We got two-paws-up from Buddy, though Jack (our Terrier) was not nearly as impressed with my baking today!

I have also been working hard on some unique gifts for the kidlets!  I have really been looking forward to making them each a set of Crayon Cookies (called such not because they are edible, but because of their shape and size)!

Many of you know that my oldest daughter has developmental delays and Autism.  She has a hard time with her fine motor skills so its hard for her to hold a crayon correctly.  These will hopefully help that, as they are bigger and easier to get a grip on!  Here is how you make them!

STEP 1: Find yourself a lot of crayons!!  I got my bag at Good Will for $2.99.  There are enough in there to make at least a dozen crayon cookies!  Probably a few more.  What you see here is what is left after making one batch of 6 crayon cookies.  The crayons do not have to be new, and actually, it is usually better if they are not, since I love to look at this as a way of recycling and reusing as well!

STEP 2: Peel the paper!  To do this you will have to follow two steps.  One might ask, "What is so hard about peeling crayon paper?"  Let me tell you - after the fourth or fifth one, I could tell you exactly what was so hard about it!  Some of the crayons were very tightly wrapped, others seemed almost glued on (most likely from heat melting the wax of the crayons to their papers).  I have also learned that Crayola crayons are the most difficult to unwrap.  I still managed however, and its okay if there is a little bit of residue.  It does not have to be perfect.  The easiest way to get past this is to A) Cut down the side of the crayon, very carefully with a knife or pair of scissors (adults only please - no kiddo injuries!).  B) Peel away the paper from the slit that you cut down the side of the crayon.

STEP 3: Put It In the Pan!   BUT! Before you put the crayons in the pan, you will want to spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray.  It is also important to choose a pan that you don't mind using solely for crafts.  I chose one that I have been using for crafts for a long time (and looks pretty pathetic, so please excuse its condition - it works for this purpose LOL!).

Then you will need to decide how you want your crayon cookies to look.  Do you want them to be a big jumbled bunch of colors, showing every color in the box?  Would you like them to be sorted by color exclusively?  Do you want a few hints of like colors together?  (i personally chose to put like colors together.  So for example, my yellow crayon cookie has some orange and some green in it.  my blue crayon cookie has some purple and some green in it.  My red crayon cookie has some purple and some orange in it, and so on!)

(again i'm sorry about the ugly pan!  believe it or not, i'd washed it just before this picture... its mostly stuck on glue or paint or ink... its not gross, i promise!

STEP 4: Bake it Baby!  Set your oven to 400* and immediately put the crayon cookies in (do not preheat).  Let it bake for 10 minutes and remove immediately.  It is totally fine if they don't melt completely.  Let cool until they are no longer runny.  Here are what mine looked like as they cooled:

STEP 5: Freeze It!  Put the entire pan in the freezer.  DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THEM WHILE WARM!  I made the mistake of trying to remove the crayon cookies while they were warm, thinking they would be easier to get out.  FALSE!  They fell apart.  I put the remaining 3 in the freezer and went back to them 2 hours later.  They popped out VERY easily, by just tipping the pan upside down.  If you DO get some that break, don't fret!  spray your pan again with non-stick spray, and re-bake them to melt together once again in the proper shape, and freeze. 

Here are some photos of what they look like in their finished sizes!  Notice how they nest in one another and stack so well!  Imagine the wrapping possibilities!  You could also probably store them in a reclaimed and decorated Pringles container!

Have fun reclaiming, and do let me know if you try either of these crafts! :)

Reclaiming Yarn, Electricity, and Family Time

This is what I have had my hands in the past week!  I spent a couple of days just listening to audio books and unraveling away at this beautiful angora sweater that I picked up at the thrift store for $3.95 over a month ago.  It is now a delicious pile of yarn waiting for me to put it to good use!  I love the idea of turning something that someone else cast off as unusable and turning it into something beautiful and full of possibility!

We have also been spending as much quality family time as possible since my husband will be out in the field at work this week (camping on site), so it will just be me and the girls starting tomorrow.  We wrapped presents today and put them under the tree, which just gives such a festive feel to the tree (it no longer looks naked LOL!).  I still have a few things to work on this week while hubby is away, to add to the Christmas goodness since I'm trying to do a lot of homemade things this year.  I'd post them here, but I dont want the recipients to find out what they're getting this year!!

I hope you all are enjoying the season, staying warm, and finding creative inspiration as well! 

And as a quick follow up, I am THRILLED to report that Christina finally got her power on today!  Its amazing how much we all take for granted with electric heaters, our ovens, microwave, lights, television, computers, washing machines and dryers.... my heart really goes out to all of the families and individuals without power as a result of this ice storm this season... sending up prayers, and an extra thank you for finally warming my dear friend and her family with the blessing of electricity! :)

Getting that Grocery Budget Under Control

This post is inspired first and foremost by the discussion currently going on the Reclaiming The Home group on Ravelry.   

Secondly, I was really pleased by my grocery haul today, even with the Thanksgiving shopping!  By using coupons for items that I needed, and shopping specifically at a store that doubles coupons, I was able to save $59.84 on my grocery bill.  I spent a total of $87.14 for two weeks!! 

There have been SO many wonderful tips from the gals at Ravelry too!  Here are just a few highlights!

Bapple shared that she loves Cook's Illustrated.  For a meager $25  per year she says she is able to search recipes by rating and has never had a bad recipe from this site!  She said the best part is the organization aspect.  If you choose your recipes on the site, it will provide you with a grocery list, itemized by section (produce, meat, etc!)

Another site to check out that provides something similar (but free) is Recipe Zaar!

DianeToo had some wonderful suggestions too: "check to see what is on sale each week and build a few meals around that? For example, if chickens are 79 cents a pound... you can roast one, cut one up for any recipe calling for chicken pieces, make soup, etc.                                        

When chickens were on sale I used to spend a bit of time being "the butcher"... I would turn them into legs and thighs and wings... boneless skinless chicken breast... and put what remained into the stockpot and make soup. Several chickens turn into quite a few packages of "dinner in the freezer"

                                       

Stock up.  If you buy spaghetti when it is "Buy one get one free" you are getting it for half price. 

                                       

Use less expensive ingredients and substitute. In season fruits and veggies are often the most affordable. Take advantage of them.

                                       

Check if there is a "scratch and dent" (I don't know what else to call it) grocery in your area. I have one... and while you have to check to see if stuff is in date, etc., I have gotten remarkable buys there. I get tea at 2 for $1, cereals are usually $1.25 - any size... well guess what - I buy the big ones! LOL

                                       

Find some less expensive recipes that your family likes and use them regularly. There is a crock pot thread going on with some great ones!"

She also suggested trying generic, and even going so far as to do a blind taste test between your favorite brand name and the store brand to see which you like better.  She was pleasantly surprised!

AuntPam said, "I am a big coupon/sale shopper and get the Sunday paper delivered every week just for that reason. (and not on any other day) I go through all the circulars and jot down items that we can use that are on sale and where ... then I go through those coupon fliers and cut out any we can use. I plan the next week's meals based on what we've got & what's on sale. Every time there's a meat sale I stock the freezer. My shopping list is a necessity ... and I never let my DH do the shopping!

Karne is a moderator over at Frugal Homemakers on Ravelry, and suggested that members take a peek over there as well for some great frugal ideas!

Isrbrown suggested checking out Saving Dinner from Flylady's LeAnne Ely

DustinAC mentioned that by going by herself and not taking hubby or the kids, she has saved money from not having as many impulse buys!

Caednkat said, "what really helps my dinner budget is to get to know the managers in the meat departments of the grocery stores you shop at a lot. They will let you know when they usualy mark meat down. The marked down meat is fine as long as you either cook it or freeze it within the next day."

nicolethegeek suggests buying meat in bulk, even possibly a 1/4 or 1/2 of a cow, or a pig.  Many places will package it ahead of time for you, and by buying a side of meat you are supporting local farmers, as well as getting a good deal on meat that will last you a long time.  Just make sure you have plenty of freezer space!

Tastyyarns suggested growing your own vegetables and herbs in a garden.  Not only is it healthy and frugal, but it is so very tasty and satisfying knowing that you grew your own food!

Ladybugmom suggested not going grocery shopping while hungry, because you are more likely to buy unneeded and unhealthy items (so true!)

Joni noted that after cutting out most processed foods from her diet, the grocery bill dropped drastically, even though they were purchasing more produce!  To try out her system, try shopping around the edges of the store, which has primarily fresh vegetables, meats, and dairy.

In addition to the INCREDIBLE suggestions by these amazing reclaimers, I have a few tips to share!

Watch your portion sizes!  In today's culture it is very common for us to eat 2, 3, or even 4 times more food than is necessary for our bodies to flourish!  A meat serving is about the size of a deck of cards.  Imagine a large steak feeding a family of 4!  That can surely help the budget stretch, and the waistband tighten!  Healthy in all respects!

Bake your own bread!  I love this recipe and with the small amount of yeast used, it winds up being incredibly cheap!  The taste cannot be beaten, its beautiful, and there is just something wonderful about the smell of fresh bread being baked in the oven.

A note about buying whole chickens:  If you buy a bone-in chicken, whether whole or in pieces, you can carve off the skin and fat at home without much effort, and save a lot in cost, if you are a frugal gal (or guy for that matter). Since this is a thread on lowering the grocery bill, this is a wonderful way to help drop the cost.  I try to keep my chickens bone-in for more than just monetary reasons however! I love to make chicken stock. Bone-in chicken is wonderful for that!!  If you roast a whole chicken for example, you can boil the carcass after you are finished carving the meat off (this applies to any way you cook it really - roasting was just one example). Then, remove the carcass from the water, and refrigerate the broth. If it turns to gel, you've created your own delicious chicken stock (if not you still have a yummy broth you can use!). You can freeze it, can it, or use it right away. This is a fantastic addition to just about any dish.  You can make gravy with it, make soup, add it to rice for flavor, or use it as a substitute for anything calling for chicken broth. You can literally throw the stock in the crock pot, add a couple leftover veggies that need to be used in the fridge, pour in some noodles, and a bit of seasoning, and you now have chicken soup. YUM! The wonderful thing is that you can do this with red meat as well. I save my bones in the freezer until I have enough to make beef stock. (can we say beef stew - YUMM).

Last but not least... a few of my favorite links!!!

Mothering.com - Meals on the Cheap - Under $2 meals

Hillbilly Housewife Emergency Low-Cost Menu & Meal Ideas

Hillbilly Housewife Best Bets for your Budget

So.... do you have any tips to share? :)