But I Can't! Can I?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

I am blogging on the Inspired Bliss channel at Blissfully Domestic today. Please stop by and leave a comment for me there!

Vintage Crochet Patterns

As an avid crocheter with an interest in "all things vintage" I was delighted recently when a friend of mine let me go through her crochet patterns and borrow any I liked!
My friend is in her 70s and enjoys crocheting as much as I do, so we often compare projects and share ideas.When I mentioned that I had been enjoying making crocheted flowers lately, she was sure she had some patterns I would like. And she was right!These are the covers of some of the books I borrowed. Aren't they just delicious? The cover price on most of them is 10 cents! Can you imagine?
Which pattern do you like best?

10 Tips for Frugal Living

This month's challenge for Marriage Monday is to share 10 Tips for Frugal Living. With the way the economy has been headed lately, I thought that was especially timely so I wanted to share some tips that work for us.

To be honest, I almost forgot that Marriage Monday was this week, so rather than spending a lot of time deliberating over what would be the top 10 things I could recommend for frugal living, I offer you the first 10 that popped into my head! Don't you feel special?

In no particular order:

1. Make menu plans. It is cheaper to cook from scratch, but that's hard to do if you don't plan ahead. It takes discipline to sit down and do this once a week, but I have found that it really does pay off in both the grocery budget and saving time.
2. Use your crockpot. I shared about this last week. This ties in with menu planning, but it also saves money because slow cooking is ideal for cheap foods like dried beans, and cheaper cuts of meat: chicken, round steak, pork roast, hamburger.
3. Buy staples in bulk, but be sure to check to make sure it really is cheaper. I found oatmeal in the bulk bins in the health-food department of our grocery store for 69 cents a pound. That comes out cheaper than buying a box of oatmeal, even of the off-brand. We just bought a 50-pound bag of rice at Costco for $20 which comes out to 40 cents a pound. My experience has been, though, that not everything is cheaper this way. And, of course, it depends on if you have a place to keep all that rice (or whatever)!
4. Buy off-brands. That one's pretty obvious, but I've been surprised at friends sometimes who are stuck on a particular brand and don't realize that the store brand is often just as good, or at least acceptable.
5. Check thrift stores and garage sales before you buy new. This past weekend my husband was building a computer from spare parts he had lying around. (Yes, he's a geek!) He needed a DVD-drive and was headed to Best Buy to get one. I decided to ride along, and managed to convince him to stop at the thrift stores to see if he could find what he needed before going to Best Buy. He was very impressed to find a whole computer (sold "as-is") for $20 at St. Vincent's. It had the DVD-drive he needed! Then when he went to check out he found out it was 50% off day so he got the computer for $10! That was a savings of $40-50, plus it gave him parts to spare! (Just what he needed!)
6. Subscribe to Free Cycle in your area on Yahoo Groups. I have been amazed at what people give away for free! It's also a great way to pass along items you no longer have a use for, but they are too good to throw away.
7. Check out Craig's List for larger items. We have bought some pieces of furniture we needed for bargain prices this way. Also, they have a free section, as well.
8. Use your public library. I have been a big fan of the library since I was a little girl! All those wonderful books you can take home to read at your leisure. Not to mention a wonderful selection of audio books, and movies you can check out for free! I have also been known to take my laptop and ask for a study room when I need a quiet getaway.
   
9. Cut back on travel expenses. My family loves to travel, and while we find we do need to stay home more than we would like these days, it is possible to save money when you travel. One of my earliest blog posts back in 2002 was on Road Trips on a Budget!
10. Switch to cell phones. It may not be cheaper (or practical) for everyone, but we found we actually save money on our phone bill by dropping our home phone and only using our cells.

What tips can you add to my list? I'd love to know!


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The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... fall has arrived! It is cool and damp today.

I am thinking... that having teenagers is way more delightful than I was led to believe!

From the learning rooms... we have been reading about the early church and Christian beliefs.

I am thankful for... a comfortable home!

From the kitchen... hot oatmeal with real butter and brown sugar for breakfast. Perfect for a cool fall morning!

I am creating... a crocheted draw-string market bag.

I am wearing... a blue chambray jumper and a white long-sleeved t-shirt... and socks! My feet are cold!

I am reading... Understanding the Times, Wild Goose Chase, and A Beautiful Fall.

I am hoping... to go camping once more this season. We'll have to wait to see what the weather's like this weekend.

I am hearing... the girls going about their chores.

Around the house... I want to finish getting my office/library organized and decorated. I am loving this room!

One of my favorite things... brightly colored mums and pansies that defy the cooling weather.

A few plans for the rest of the week... nothing definite beyond the normal routine.

(My "picture thought" is at the top of my post.)

Visit ~The Simple Woman~ for more simple "daybooks"!

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Don't forget about the weekly book giveaways
going on at my book review blog:
Another Road to Ramble.
Winners announced each Monday!

Vintage Library Blessing

Being the book hound I am, I couldn't resist this quaint framed blessing when I came across it at a garage sale this summer:
I just love the verbose pompous wording! "O God, the Lord of all knowledge, mercifully bestow thy blessing upon this library that it may be protected from fire and all other evils; grant that at times it may congruously be enlarged and that all those who resort hither officially or for the sake of study, may advance in divine and human knowledge, and in love of Thee through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

I especially like the part about, "...grant that at times it may congruously be enlarged..." And anytime you would like to "resort hither officially or for the sake of study" just let me know!

The interesting thing about this piece of art-work is that the wording was printed (on a printing press) but the "O", the scroll, book, flowers, border, and "Amen" were painted by hand. I wonder how old it is? And I wonder where it originally hung?

It's hanging in my office/library now.