Product review

Greatly Blessed is a sweet blog with lots of  predict reviews, coupons and giveaways.  This link is  for a Contest I won there for this great Argan oil.
I had never heard of Argan oil but my daughter has been using a few healing oils so I was really interested in this one.  When this oil arrived, I offered it to her and I thought she was going to take it but she didn't so I started using it, mostly on my hands and cuticles, sometimes on my feet.
My hands get very dry with all the cleaning and washing I do.
After using this Argan oil for just a few days, my hands were honestly softer than they had been in years.  It truly works better than any hand cream I've ever tried, and I have tried lots of them.

The bottle has an eye dropper and I just rub a few drops of oil onto my hands just before I go to sleep.  It absorbs quickly and has not stained our bedding or my nightclothes, I was a little worried about oil stains but I guess it sinks into my skin so fast, nothing rubs off to leave stains.

I talk about lots of frugal things but I do splurge sometimes, one is for manicures and I just got one today.  This red polish is quite patriotic looking and just makes me smile.

I also won a book on a rather new blog called Femme Frugality.  Link to Femme Frugality
I have not got it yet but it looks like a book that is right up my alley.


Lots of blogs have giveaways and contests. The smaller the number of entries, the better are the odds of winning so if I see a smaller blog with a contest for something I like, I usually enter.

Finances on Friday and more Mother's Day sweetness

I've missed joining in with Rebecca at Renaissance for several weeks and I don't really have a complete list but here are some highlights from the last 3 weeks or so

I found these giant cans of fruit cocktail for $2 - we mostly eat fresh fruit but canned fruit is well liked by my husband and grandchildren, these will come in handy, I am sure.

They aren't old, the can dates are use by 8/16. Not sure why they were so cheap.....

Got a free 8 by 10 print at Walgreens in one of their promotions before Mothers Day. 

My husband spotted free Tide samples at Crest Foods in Oklahoma City and got us each one. 

The weather has been frugal with mostly mild temperatures- we have run the heat a few times to warm up the house after a cool night and one weekend when it was in the 90s, the ac was needed, but for most part, no power has been used to heat or cool. 

For 2 graduations, I made cards with some graduation themed rubber stamps bought years ago, wrote nice notes and mailed them off with checks inside. It was much easier than trying to pick out gifts and get them delivered,  I think graduates like cash best anyway. 

I bought some heavy cream for Easter but did not use it then. So, a few weeks later I used it make a triple batch of freezer biscuits.  I also made 8 pie crusts for the freezer. 

In my hurrying to clean up, somehow the metal biscuit cutter with a porcelain knob screwed to the top for a handle fell into the garbage disposal. When I turned on the disposal, what a racket!  The knob broke into many pieces and one of the screws was lodged in the disposal. When my husband got home, he took off the disposal, took it apart, and pried out that screw. He had to spend about $10 on new  plumbing fittings when he reattached the disposal to the sink drain.  Thankfully, now that disposal is working good as new! 

I used $14 in CVS ECBs that were close to expiring on a second pocket hose for the backyard.  I usually roll ECBs into another deal that offers more ECBs but the recent ads have just not has things we are needing. 

Would you believe I have not been to a thrift store since my last finances on Friday post?

My daughter personalized this small insulated bag for us. When we do errands or take road trips, we always take bottles of water. This bag will hold 4 bottles.  She uses a Cameo and a Heatpress to put personalized designs on most anything and has had several sales through word of mouth and her Etsy shop.

This little book is so sweet! It has more pages but the picture shows 4 of them. 

it is one of those little gifts that will be kept and treasured always. 

My son bought a bunch of succulents and brought them over with potting soil and pots.

We had fun sitting at the picnic table and selecting which plants to put together and in which pots. He took some of the potted succulents  home and I kept some. We both think ours have already grown quite a bit. 

Retro - and quite delicious-strawberry pie

My mom found this recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook - I don't know what year but I am guessing a 1960s edition or so.  She made it often, especially for Sunday lunch.

I copied down her recipe years ago and cooked it yesterday for our lunch today.

Below is a photo of my recipe card- I had to make one change. Sliced and sweetened frozen strawberries, they used to come in a rectangle can- are not sold anywhere around here. So I used a pound box of fresh strawberries, chopped them in about 1/2 inch size pieces and added just 2 T of sugar. Then I stirred them into sugar free strawberry jello, as the recipe said to.

I used a 9 inch baked crust, instead of the called for 8 inch baked crust. 

Today, it was topped with cool whip but it would of been even more delicious with real whipped cream. 

Hope you all had a happy pleasant Mothers Day.  Some of our children were here today for lunch. I made this pie and quiche. My husband grilled chicken and my daughter cooked homemade Mac and cheese and 7 layer dip with chips. 

Strawberries are plentiful and low cost right now.

 If you need a quick dessert, I recommend this retro Strawberry Minute Pie.

Planting seeds and a new pocket hose

We needed new water hoses and I did some research on the new compact hoses.

After scanning the 2000 or so ratings for pocket hoses on Amazon, it sounded like it would work for us. 

Pocket hoses are not durable with high water pressure and with big yards. (We don't have either)

I was still a little wary so I bought one at Walmart so it would be easy to return if it was a huge failure. 

I used it today for the first time and I think it will be perfect for our small yard and for watering the outdoor plants. It is small enough to just wind it up on the faucet- no big hose reel or holder needed.

We've got an unplanted flower bed in the front and I think zinnias will be the easiest and least expensive choice. My husband picked out 4 packs of bright color zinnias. I mixed them all together and planted them in 2 rows this morning. 

So hopefully in 6 weeks or so, there will be a hedge of colorful zinnias. 

My mom always grew zinnias and I think they are so pretty and make really nice bouquets too.

But I don't see zinnias in other yards much - they used to be in most every yard. 

Flowers for cookies

My son needed cookies for a work event. 

Baking cookies is one of my favorite things to do so I baked 4 kinds 

He offered to pay me but I declined, I prefer to just cook because I like to cook. 

One of his events used this huge bouquet and afterwards, he brought them to me. 

I think they are beautiful - white hydrangea and daisies, red roses, blue flowers that I have no clue as to their name and a big gladiola coming out of the top. 

3 of the 4 batches of cookies - all decorated with red, white and blue sprinkles.  

Small gifts from the heart

Life seems to get more elaborate everyday, our houses are bigger, stores are huge,  parties and weddings are bigger and many gifts are big.

But some of the most meaningful gifts I've ever received are small, made with love gifts. 

This cross stitch book mark - I've kept it in my Bible since 1987.  Aunt Evelyn stitched patchwork hearts on one side and our names on the other. Isn't it so sweet? 

Son Bobby made this hanging heart from a wire clothes hanger- probably around 1992. 

Son Jimmy made this cross bookmark with variegated yarn and plastic canvas, free hand, probably around the same time his brother made the wire heart.

My Aunt Ann painted this light switch plate for me about 50 years ago - the plate is metal and I am pretty sure she used oil paints as they have been durable.

My mom made this little book for son Bobby when he was 1-2 years old. This was before fancy scrap book supplies.  It is just 3 large index cards folded in half and stapled together. She decorated it with stickers and cut out photos from my dad's farm magazines.  

It was one of Bobby's favorite possessions and was looked at and read so many times, I am not sure how it is still intact.

Gift giving season is starting- Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, weddings, spring birthdays and spring babies-  I think heart-felt little gifts can be wonderful. 

Do you have any  tiny love-filled gifts like mine?

Slow down week

It's been a very busy 4 weeks here with a big birthday party, Easter celebrating and house guests 4 weekends in a row.

The house was in pretty good shape Monday morning, and I was feeling a little tired, so I did not make my usual weekly to-do list. I plan to just do the upkeep that really needs done and in my free time, I will just do things I want to. 

Not that I am sitting around and just eating bonbons.....grands will here 4 days, I did laundry and changed sheets yesterday and cleaned the tile floors this morning.  

But I am not making a list and scratching things off, so I just feel more relaxed.  I am sure next week, I will be back happily working my to do list.


I sewed  a quick hack project this morning.
grand daughter Elizabeth had a queen size comforter that she wanted cut down to fit her toddler bed. 

so, I just cut off the size that would fit- I used the edge so there were just sides that needed to be finished off.  

a few weeks go, Elizabeth saw this Minnie Mouse blanket binding in my sewing room and asked if I would make her something with it.  It was perfect to finish off those edges - so I killed 2 birds with 1 stone. 

there was enough binding to go around 3 sides, which makes it look more balanced, and less of a hack job.  

That scrap of the binding is all that was left.  

hopefully she will have sweet dreams with this cozy comforter,  now just her size


we went to our favorite  thrift store Saturday.  

I found more spoons and knives and these are really nice,  Community Stainless. They were 2/25 cents.
Now we have more than enough flatware for big meals.  

2 dresses for me $3.50 each

and would you believe one more Ethan Allen piece? a tall hutch,  all maple and birch for $140!  

Thursday doings

No little grands here today so I am doing stuff that I can't really do when they are here.

In the crockpot, a big batch of pinto beans are cooking with jalapeños, cumin, chili powder and garlic. 

When they are cooked, I will make them smooth in the food processor for the most delicious Refried beans. We will have bean burritos and a big salad for supper, the rest of the beans will go in the freezer.
here is how I do them 

Yard work - first I mowed the back, then I planted the onion sets my brother brought. 

I put them in big pots, and enriched the soil with homemade compost.

While I was planting onions, I brought over the rest of the posts and planted them too. 

More tomatoes in 2, dill in 1 and flowers in the others.

For now, the pots with new seeds are under the pergola roof. They will still get quite a bit of sun but the roof should protect them from heavy rainfall we may get soon.
if you look close, you can see some of the cherry tomatoes I started from see are doing great and I put the support cages on them today. 

A close up of the katawpa tree- I think it is funny and looks like a drawing from a Dr Suess book.

in the yard, I found some eggs that the grands did not find Saturday - one egg was hanging from  our clothesline, I wonder which of my clever children or brothers hid it there? 

My list for the week is almost done!  :)

I am going to clean our bathroom, have some hot tea, and then I plan to sew all afternoon on 2 dresses and 2 tops for me. 

hope you are getting stuff done this week too!  

List update, today's shopping, and my 5 little ones

I posted my list yesterday and you all had some nice comments and some funny comments too- thank you!

I worked hard yesterday and surprised myself getting so much of the list done.

One year old JJ was here but he was so tired from the busy weekend that he took 2 long naps. That gave me lots of work time. He sat happily in his stroller with some toys while I worked in the front yard. 

Grandson Braeden is with me today. 

We did just a couple errands this morning. 

We stopped at Dollar Tree and got these

The Airborne is their item of the week. I don't like to swallow pills, especially big vitamin pills. This Airborne has lots of vitamins in it and will be easier to swallow. 

The next stop was my favorite  thrift store. Sorry, no amazing furniture finds today........

There were 19 of us here Easter Eve. I decided we needed to add some forks to our kitchen and was happy to find these - All 11 for $1.

Shorts for the youngest grandsons. Some were 50 cents, some were $1.

Little boy shirts

A 3 yard length of a heavy cotton knit for $3 - I think it could sew up to a great summer top

We had a very fun Easter Eve. The grands like hunting and dyeing eggs but after supper, they seemed to like playing with play dough the best.

Monday morning list

Good morning everyone

I like lists, they keep me on track. Here is what I need to get done and hope to get done this week. 

I could write more but my paper is full and realistically, I don't think I could get more done anyway. 

Hope you all have a good week and gets lots done. 

Anyone else writing out their to-do list this morning?

Easter 51 years ago......

The first little girl in this photo is me. The boys are my older brothers. 

We were all outside playing that Sunday afternoon.

Happy Easter everyone. 

Take some photos to remember it.

Finances on Friday

Blueberry muffins made with low priced Aldi blueberries.

actually baked these last week but I never got around to posting then 

my neighborhood has an addition-wide yard sale every spring.  My children have been cleaning out their homes and bringing their cast-offs here to get ready for it.  I don't need most of their junk but I was interested in this red plastic crate that one of them brought over. 

it fits perfectly on a shelf in our fridge and is so useful to hold all those extra condiments that tend to get lost in the very back.

it can be slide in and out, almost like a drawer. 

Our recent electric bill was the smallest ever in this house.  I think the switch from an electric range to a gas range has a lot to do with it. But I am not sure why it just showed up now, as we got the new range in December.  

Cashed out Swagbucks for $25 in Paypal and almost have enough to do it again.  

JJ's birthday quilt was sewn up completely with fabric, thread and batting from my sewing stash.  

not much shopping to blog about because all our recent groceries have come from Aldi but I do have a stack of coupons ready for Walmart and CVS that I hope will net some bargains.  You never know though....

Cut my husbands hair- I should say buzzed his hair. It is not my favorite thing to do but it is thrifty and quick and it makes him happy. 

Baked up a batch of banana nut muffins with some very ripe bananas and also a pan of cinnamon rolls. Both are in the freezer for Easter morning breakfast.  

Extra cooking this week as I get ready for Easter.- I made 4 pie shells and they are waiting in the freezer.  I also made a tray full of twice baked potatoes that are waiting in the fridge to be reheated.  

continued to bake all our bread in 2014.

Found these 2 Ethan Allen vintage nutmeg maple pieces at my favorite thrift store. The end table was $30 and the bigger piece was $45. I am thrilled with both of them and so is my husband. I will not be refinishing them and plan to keep them.
 My parents have Ethan Allen furniture pieces similar to these and so did my some of my aunts and uncles.  They just look and feel like home to me.

inside the drawers are the Ethan Allen stamp

We will be having our family egg hunting and coloring and a big meal to celebrate Easter on Saturday.

There will be at least 16 and possibly 19 here. 

To add extra seating for dining, I used a folding table that is same size as our dining table and put them end to end. Counting high chairs and the 2 chairs in the sewing room I have not moved yet, there is seating for 16 now.

The tables needed covered and I thought about buying fabric or vinyl table cloths but went with a thriftier and easier option. In that garage sale pile, I pulled out a full size flat sheet, off white with an tan stripe. It was the perfect size to cover both tables after I cut it lengthwise down the middle and machine hemmed those 2 raw edges. I think it was probably quicker to do that little bit of sewing than it was to go shopping. 

The brown doilies were all crocheted by my mom.

The white bunnies are thrift store treasures and the brown ones were made by a friend many years ago.

just using what I had makes for a natural neutral table and I am happy with it.

I hope you all are having a pleasant and thrifty week too.  

Linking up with Rebecca at Renaissance