living simply and embracing imperfection
Did you know all the medical benefits of tumeric? The spice that gives curry powder its distinctive hue? Well, I didn’t until just a few months ago when I found out that tumeric has been traditionally known to reduce inflammation and that current medical studies validate this time-honored use of tumeric. And after using it [...]
Shopping at thrift stores has always been one of our favorite things to do when Brian and I are on a daytime date or visiting a new city. It’s pretty cheap entertainment, plus there’s the thrill-of-the-hunt factor. Sometimes we don’t find anything and sometimes we unearth a treasure. We found some pretty great things last [...]
Hey all! No Monday’s Menu today ’cause we’re playin’ it loose and easy on vacation. I know…crazy, huh? But I did want to let you know that I updated our Frugal Menu Planning post that was published way back in the dark ages (read: in the first days of this blog’s existence). We added this [...]
I recently found 5-pound bags of organic potatoes on sale for only .99 each, so of course I had to buy two. However, since organic potatoes are not sprayed with a sprout inhibitor, I was confronted with about seven pounds of sprouting potatoes about a week later. You know I try very hard not to [...]
Monday was rainy and dreary- the perfect day for baking! All of the baking pictured was done using my sourdough starter- I simply took it out of the fridge the night before, fed it, and left it on the counter so it would be active and ready in the morning. It took only one hour [...]
This is what I canned one day last week: Apple Butter, Marmalade, and Chutney. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you are probably wondering where I got apples from this early- our first apples to ripen, Gravensteins, won’t be ripe for a couple of weeks yet. This is a five gallon bucket full of Gravenstein [...]
In the first part of Frugal Cottage Ideas, I used a list from the Better Homes and Gardens website to see how our Oregon Cottage does interpreting the “cottage look.” In this second part we’ll look at the rest of the items on the list. So far, it’s been a lot of fun for me [...]
One of my favorite magazines has always been Better Homes and Gardens. I love the accessible decor, food, and crafts. Their website has always frustrated me, however, with articles and pictures that were slow to load on individual pages. I was so glad to read that they had updated and revamped their site, so I [...]
I cannot tell you how excited I am to be able to write about my success with a cast iron pan. Because for many years I was not successful. How many? Twenty years- and I wish I were joking. I aquired my cast iron pan shortly after Brian and I were married- I think it [...]
After sharing with you some things I like to make with peanut butter, you’ve probably guessed that we go through quite a bit around here. I like it on apples, too, and it’s a pretty good source for protein and snacks. I’ve always been a peanut butter snob, though, and have bought only real peanut [...]
I’ve always been drawn to amateur paintings at thrift stores and garage sales. Maybe it’s because I can’t paint worth a dime, but I like to think it’s because I find them pretty and I’m “rescuing” them from the trash pile. Not to mention that they are as close to owning “original artwork” as I’m [...]
I hope you have made your first bread and scoped out where you are going to build your first raised garden bed! Today we are talking crafts for Back to Basics Week. But not the kind of craft that makes you feel like all thumbs. No, we’re talking about making cards which easily falls into [...]
Are you wanting to save money, make nourishing foods, and do things for yourself and your family, but don’t know where to start? Or worse, you’re overwhelmed with all the information out there and give up before you start because it seems like too much work? Then next week, July 5th through the 9th, is [...]
I briefly mentioned my solution to plastic flatware for large gatherings last week when I gave some tips for frugal parties. I had so many comments that I thought the concept deserved a post of it’s own instead of being buried at the end of a longer post. I’ve always hated plastic flatware, but felt [...]
When I posted the recipe for homemade chocolate sauce more than a year ago, I mentioned that my husband, Brian, has drizzled it on the cappuccinos he has made almost every morning since our daughter was born. Fourteen years ago. I kid you not. Here’s the short story: we had received one of those new [...]
I’ve painted a lot. Walls, furniture, accessories, exterior siding and trim (finished a year after the house was painted, *ahem*). You name it. I’m not sayin’ it all looked pretty, just that I painted a lot. I’m sure my first paint projects were nothing to write home about. But there’s something to be said about [...]
We are in the process of redecorating our son’s room which we are documenting with a video camera to share with you all next week. In the meantime, I had to share some pictures of the solution to the lighting problems in the room. The lighting in this room was either cheap-looking or really dated. [...]
I made Mexican Layered Three Bean Casserole recently and thought I’d give you an update. Huh- why? Good question! I kept thinking about a comment from my bloggy friend Jenelle who said that she would’ve made this recipe too, but she didn’t have any peppers. Or I really should say, I kept thinking about the [...]
I just got the first of my seeds started last weekend. If you’ve downloaded the PDF of my Organic Gardening Checklist (located in the sidebar), you know that I’m a little late. *sigh* But I’ve mentioned before that the checklist is the ideal, and well, I hardly ever live up to the ideal. Like, never. [...]
I grew up using paper napkins. Cloth napkins were reserved for holidays and special occasions, if even then. When I married I was introduced to the concept of cloth napkins used daily by my lovely mother-in-law. Not only did she use them for “Sunday dinner” but also for every day (she was way ahead of [...]
When both our kid’s had shoes that were separating from the soles (but otherwise in good condition) and one of them were expensive track spikes, The Writer remembered a product called “Shoe Goo” that he had used once to repair some shoes. Sure enough, Target sold it right in the shoe section. We weren’t sure [...]
I’ve seen a lot of talk about “natural” skin care and not putting “chemicals” on our skin, but since I know that there is no organic certification for body products like there is for food, I wondered if it’s worth the price. First of all, a chemical is just “a material with a specific chemical [...]
I’ve always been wary of lots of kitchen gadgets. First, they cost money and second, I never seem to have enough room for everything I’ve already got, let alone add another thing. I know I’m alone on this in many areas and some people would never do without their ________ (insert favorite gadget here: rice [...]
Whenever I’ve gone to the dentist, they’ve talked to me about the Sonic Care brushes (or others) they sell and how good they are for your gums. I’ve been seriously tempted to shell out the $90 or so dollars. Compared to dental work for gum disease, it seemed like a bargain. But my inner frugal [...]
For years I have griped about all the throw-away items that companies have created and marketed as things we need. I was so amazed at how fast everyone bought these items. I’m talking about disposable dusters, mops (or mop heads), plastic air fresheners, and various things including the ubiquitous paper towel (I’m ducking now as [...]
I learned about Paula Begoun (aka, “The Cosmetic Cop”) years ago after getting her book “Don’t Go To The Cosmetic Counter Without Me” from the library. She provides information that is hard to find elsewhere, like what ingredients are in skin care products, what they do, and product reviews based on those ingredients. Over the [...]
Sometimes those old sayings are based on a very wise sentiment. This morning on Yahoo, I found this little statistic: “Prepare for shock and awe (and national embarrassment): According to government sources, roughly 25% of the food Americans buy goes to waste. That’s about one pound of food, per American, per day — thrown in [...]
I believe a cottage can be anywhere or anything (condo, ranch, farmhouse) as long as you have a "cottage mentality" which puts people above things, celebrates imperfections, embraces simplicity, and finds joy in everyday life. Thanks for joining me!
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