Weekly Goals Update: Week 52

This year went by fast and so brought so many changes.  I am excited to see what 2019 will bring.

1. Disaster Preparedness

I went as far with this one as I could.  The weekly tasks were helpful.  Since my area has had two major hurricanes over the past two years, I have been able to practice putting this into practice.  

2.  Makeover the Garden

I was able to finally plant the garden pea seeds this past week.  I also planted some milkweed seeds and parsley seeds.  I transplanted some mint and my thyme plant.  

3.  Organize Recipes - Done

I put this off way too long and am glad to have finished it.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done

I surpassed this goal and hope to spend less time in the grocery store next year.

5.  Focus on Saving

I tried to make saving more mindful after W was let go from his job.  I kept an eye out for sales and coupons on planned purchases.  Stuff became less important and people took center stage.

6.  Etsy Shop

I still have a long way to go with my shop, but I was encouraged by the start I had over this year.  I have plans to make it better in the coming year.  It is an ongoing learning experience.

There were my last round ups for 2018's goals.  Stop back by tomorrow to see what I have planned for 2019!

Weekend Book Review: The Minimalist Home

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker promises a room-by-room guide to decluttering and refocusing life.  I think when most people hear minimalist they think living in a bare space with few belongings.  I appreciated that the author takes a different view and focuses on keeping things that are important to each individual.  The ideas discussed are not necessarily new or ground breaking, but they are presented in an easy to follow format.  The sections on maintenance and future are helpful additions.  I wanted to read this book after my home began to feel cluttered after two years.  I am anxious to dive in to the steps now that the holidays are almost over.  The chapter on the yard is a good one as this area is often overlooked in most books of this type.  I am excited to put the guidelines outlined in this book into practice to create a more peaceful home for myself and my family.

disclosure:  I received a review copy from the publisher (WaterBrook) but was not otherwise compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

Deadly News by Jody Holford is the first book in the Britton Bay Mystery series.  Molly has moved to Britton Bay as editor of the town's struggling newspaper.  One of her new co-workers, Vernon, is less than welcoming to Molly.  After she pushes him to dig deeper on a story, he ends up dead, and Molly feels guilty.  She learns that small towns have few secrets, but the identity of the murderer is one that seems to be staying a secret.  The mystery is strong, and the book moved along quickly.  My only issue was the very fast moving romance.  The start of this series was interesting enough to make me look forward to the second book.


The first book in the Eleanor Wilde Mystery series by Tamara Berry is Séances are for Suckers.  Eleanor (Ellie) is a ghost hunter working to pay for her sister's medical care. She is approached by wealthy Englishman Nicholas to rid his family home of a "ghost".  Nicholas' mother is sure that Xavier is real, but Nicholas believes something more is going on.  Ellie finds more than she bargained for in the English village.  The book has a clever plot twist that I will not share so nothing is spoiled.  Ellie is a likeable character, and the basis for the book is different in a great way.  I look forward to many more books in this series.

Santa Puppy  by Lynn Cahoon is a short story which is part of the Tourist Trap Mystery series.  Jilly, owner of Coffee, Books, & More, has volunteered to host a pet adoption Christmas party.  Among the dogs looking for home is Baby whose nameless owner recently passed away.  Jill is determined to find someone who knew the deceased man and give Baby a new home for the holidays.  This is a touching holiday themed book that can easily be read in one sitting. 


disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday

W and I went out of town yesterday so he could deliver a couple of fishing rods.  We made plans to stop at a few stores not in our area.  My shopping was kept to specific items on my list.  I bought two ornaments on clearance for next year's ornament swap with my church's women's group.  I also bought Christmas cards.  I accept that I will not have time to make them since basic ones can be bought reasonably after Christmas. 


We ate Christmas leftovers. My family does potluck for meals and then everyone divides up what is left.  That way no one is stuck with way too much of one thing. 


We are expecting a week of rain and damp weather.  I did laundry on the sunny days so I could hang the clothes out to dry.  I will wash slightly smaller loads over the next week so I can hang them to dry inside.


W fed the chickens, peafowl, and turkeys a pumpkin.  We saved the seeds to plant this spring.


I used to buy a planner that included a daily chore list.  While it was helpful, I ended up not needing about half of it and found myself adding more in.  I am creating my own for 2019. It does not save tons of money, but every little bit helps.

Weekly Goals Update: Week 51

1.  Disaster Preparedness - Done
I went as far as I could before the lists got too far out there.


2.  Makeover the Garden
We have done some more work this past week.  We cleaned up a raised bed and moved another one.  W has a plan for making some additional raised beds in the coming months.  My plan for January is to lay out the garden for 2019.


3.  Organize Recipes - Done
This one was actually the easiest goal to finish, but the one I put off for the longest.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I did my last grocery shop for the year last week.  I plan to stay far away from the grocery store this week. 


5.  Focus on Saving
I used items already on hand to make table centerpieces for the church Christmas party.  I also used some items from my pantry to prepare food for the party.  I opted not to go crazy buying gifts.  Instead I focused on buying or making things I knew the recipients would like. 


6.  Etsy Shop
I have plans to work on items for my shop during January which is the coldest month here.  I hope to be more organized in the coming year.

Weekend Book Reviews

Killed on Blueberry Hill  by Sharon Farrow is the third book in the Berry Basket Mystery series.  Marlee, owner of the Berry Basket, is busy with the town's Blueberry Blow Out festival.  The competition among the berry growers is fierce, and it seems worst between her fiance Ryan and his rival Porter.  When Porter dies mysteriously and Ryan leaves town, Marlee begins investigating.  Her investigation leads to disturbing secrets about Ryan which make her question if she can really spend the rest of her life with him.  The berry themes of this series are fun.  I think Natasha might be my favorite character in this book.  She makes an excellent friend and side kick for Marlee.  I recommend all of the books, but this one easily stands on its own!

The second book in the Black Sheep & Co Mystery series by Anne Canadeo is Purls and Poison.  Suzanne is a Black Sheep knitter who is fed up with a co-worker at her realtor's job.  Following a nasty blow-up, Suzanne decides to stop and apologize to Liza only to find her dead.  Suzanne becomes the prime suspect, and her fellow knitters jump in to investigate.  Knitting is not the main focus of this book so if you are not into yarn crafts you will still enjoy it.  I do recommend reading the first book before this one to familiarize yourself with the characters.  Overall it was a fun cozy mystery.

Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott is the first book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series.  This was a nice start to a new series.  Addie has suffered several losses and moves into the home she inherited from her aunt.  She opens a book store which relates to her previous job of working with rare books.  The mystery was not particularly strong.  Addie is not the best cozy mystery heroine, but I do see potential for growth in future books.  I also hope to see the addition of more friendly supporting characters as the series progresses. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Freezer Challenge - On Hold

I would share an updated picture of the freezer, but honestly it does not look much different.  I took a few things out over the past week.  I have decided to hold off with the holidays fast approaching and start back up on January 1. 

Weekly Goals Update: Week 50

1.  Disaster Preparedness
I stayed with this goal until the weekly lists got too far out there for me. 


2.  Makeover the Garden
I started cleaning out the raised beds to plant garden peas.  No planting yet since we are expecting another heavy rain.  I hope to get the seeds planted next week.  I did order kiwi plants and passion fruit plants from Baker Creek.  They will not ship until the spring, but I wanted to get my order in before they sold out. 


3.  Organize Recipes - Done
I actually finished this.  I have no idea why I kept putting it off.  I finished everything in about an hour one morning while the weather was damp and cold.  Everything is organized, and I sorted through the recipes I want to try. 


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I did my last grocery shopping for the year.  I plan to skip the grocery store for the rest of this year.  We have more than enough to last this year and probably most of January.


5.  Focus on Saving
The last of the handmade gifts are coming together.  I took advantage of some deep discounts on autumn candles and will save these for Secret Sister at church in the coming year.  Gift giving does not have to be expensive when you plan in advance.  I shopped around for the best prices on some necessary purchases. 


6.  Etsy Shop
I am done adding any crochet items until after the holidays.  I have a few more winter items to add in January and will do a special order as well.  Most of January will be spent working on spring items to add.  I will be adding some stationery this week. 

Weekend Book Reviews

How to Bake by Nick Malgieri is another wonderful collection of recipes.  I like all of the helpful tips and information at the beginning of each recipe.  The cookbook is a good resource for both novice and accomplished bakers.  The tart section was my favorite of all.  The cookie chapter was a very close second.  Nick Malgieri's recipes and techniques are always hits.  The easy to follow directions give me confidence to try any recipe - maybe even croissants!

I was thrilled to get a preview copy of The Southern Living Party Cookbook by Elizabeth Heiskell.  It was everything that I expected.  The recipes are perfect Southern fare  I found myself marking recipe after recipe and immediately pairing it with an upcoming party.  The table and serving ideas were a great addition.  I loved the idea of using fig leaves in vases.  It was nice to have a traditional Southern cookbook.

Martina's Kitchen Mix by Martina McBride includes a mix of new style recipes and some Southern oddities.  I love that the recipes are fairly simple.  The slow cooker chicken tikka masala is on my to try list even though I will have to shop online for a couple of the spices.  The chipotle chicken taco salad will be a regular summer meal at my house.  Among the oddities is a banana and mayonnaise dish.  For you non-Southerners, bananas and mayonnaise are amazing together.  The pictures are a nice mix of the finished dishes and the author. 

Amy Andrychowicz's Vertical Vegetables makes me wish I did not have piles and piles of free range chickens.  Otherwise I would fill my yard with her vertical creations.  The book starts off with gardening basics and choosing what to grow vertically.  The next three chapters are filled with guidelines and plans for building a variety of projects including trellises and hanging planters.  My favorite project is the self-standing living art - a planter/picture frame combo displayed on an easel.  I will make a spot for one or maybe more of these in my yard come spring. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

Nipped in the Bud  by Sheila Connolly is the twelfth book in the Orchard Mystery series.  Winter has set in at Meg's orchard.  She and her new husband Seth are still busy with projects.  When a body is found on their land, they find themselves in the middle of a mystery that grows stranger by the day.  I enjoy this series, but this was not my favorite book.  It seemed to drag, and I had trouble with how clueless Seth and Meg seemed at times.  I am not giving up on the series; winter can be a dreary time for everyone.

Sarah Fox's Yeast of Eden  is the fourth book in the Pancake House Mystery series.  Marley's pancake house success is in danger with the arrival of the "waffle king" Wally.  Marley soon finds out the Wally has more enemies than friends in town, but she is shocked when he is murdered.  Her best friend, Lisa, is at the top of the police's suspect list.  The book is action packed with a strong side story in addition to the mystery.  This series gets better and better with each book.

The seventh book in the Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series by Lea Wait is Thread Herrings.  Angie tags along with friend Sarah to an auction, and she buys a very worn needlepoint.  When she discovers a very old paper in the back, she becomes immersed in finding out more about it.  This leads her to going on television with her reporter friend to appeal for information.  When the reporter is murdered and attempts are made on Angie's life, she finds it hard to believe a 200+ year old paper is worth it.  I enjoyed the history as much as the mystery in this book.

Murder in Her Stocking by G.A. McKevett is the first book in the Granny Reid Mystery series.  This is a spin off of the Savannah Reid Mystery series, but it takes place 30 years ago.  I enjoy the Savannah series, and Granny is one of my favorite characters.  I love how this series goes back in time but keeps the same charming characters.  This Christmas themed mystery focuses on the murder of Prissy Carr who is the town's scarlet woman.  This is a wonderful southern themed mystery.  I hope it is the first of many more!

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday

I waited to buy yarn until I found a sale and free shipping.  I do wish I had a craft store anywhere close to me.  I am glad for online shopping though.

We ate leftovers!  Is it always thrilling and exciting?  No, but they are still good.  I also appreciate the break from cooking a full meal.

We are still eating peppers, tomatoes, and herbs from the garden.  Even with a few frosts the garden plants are hanging on and producing. 

I gave some gifts to my aunt to pass along to my cousins.  She will be visiting them which will save me on postage fees.

I made elderberry syrup.  It is cheaper than buying it pre-made.  W and I take a sip each day during the fall and winter months to ward off colds and flu.  I know some people say it does not work, but I know it works for me.  I went from having bronchitis (at least) twice per season to not even catching a cold for almost 7 years now.  It is more frugal to take this than pay doctor bills.

Weekly Goals Update: Week 49 & Freezer Challenge

1.  Disaster Preparedness
I abandoned this one early.

2.  Makeover the Garden
Planting was and is still on hold as more rain is in the forecast.  I do have a plan for getting garden peas in the ground later this month. W and I have discussed some plans for next year's garden.  I just need to rein in my grand plans and settle on a plan that will work for the space we have.

3. Organize Recipes
Hmmm....I am beginning to think it is not going to happen.  The weather is definitely cooler, but I end up spending my time crocheting.  I do need to devote an hour to this each week and just get it finished.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I am going to stay out of the grocery store at least one more week before this year is out. 

5.  Focus on Saving
This year I have focused more on handmade gifts.  Unnecessary purchases have been kept to a minimum.  We have been eating from the pantry and freezer.  Decorations are things we already had on hand.  With winter fast approaching, I expect we will stay home a bit more.

6.  Etsy Shop
I got in an order of yarn this week so I can start making samples of some spring items - Easter baskets, baby things, etc.  I plan to be much more organized next year.

Freezer Challenge - I should have done a better job at keeping up with what I used from the freezer.  I remember a few things - ground meat, chicken, ham, peas, milk, eggnog, wheat flour, and beef broth.  I wish I could say I had made a huge dent, but I think things are going well. 

Weekend Book Reviews: Cookbooks

Cooking with Nonna:  The Holiday Cookbook by Rosella Rago and Adriana Trigiani has 150 Italian holiday recipes.  This cookbook has a good mix of recipes divided by holidays.  My favorites from the book were the dessert recipes.  The "bones of the dead" cookies were my favorite by far.  The grandmother or nonna profiles sprinkled throughout were interesting to read.  This would be a nice cookbook for Italian cooking fans. 

Elisabeth Bailey's The Make-Ahead Sauce Solution is an unusual freezer cooking method.  Rather than freezing entire meals or entrees, cooks can freeze sauces.  The sauces can then be used in a variety of ways:  over pasta, potatoes, meats, etc.  I think this is a good option for someone with more limited freezer space or for those who do not want 20 servings of the exact same thing.  The sauces are divided by type ranging from Americas, Asian, cheese/wine, Mediterranean, and pesto/salsa.  You are sure to find many sauces to fit your family's tastes. 

Dry by Clare Liardet is full of flavorful but non-alcoholic drinks.  When I first started reading through the cookbook, I found myself marking recipe after recipe to try.  The recipes serve from one to four.  They are perfect when you want a special drink for yourself.  They could easily be multiplied for a larger group.  A few of my favorites are the tropical morning smoothie, blueberry julep, roasted peach lemonade, and espresso mint martini.  This is one cookbook that I will definitely be adding to my bookshelf! 

Cooking with Scraps by Lindsay-Jean Hard teaches cooks to take the normally discarded parts of foods and turn them into delicious meals.  Many of the items will be familiar to extra thrifty cooks.  I commonly use my homemade bread ends or bread that did not turn out just right to make bread crumbs or croutons.  Apple peel/core jelly is a favorite at my house, and no good southerner would consider turnip greens to be scraps.  Even I learned some new things.  I never would have imagined making a cake with banana peels.  It is an interesting cookbook for those wishing to make the most of what they have.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Christmas Ornaments

This week I have a Christmas party to attend with my church's Women's Ministry group.  I knew I needed to provide two dozen cookies and a Christmas ornament.  I had a long list of to-do items and sort of pushed it to the back of my mind.  I knew I had plenty of ingredients on hand for making cookies. 


I did intend to pick up a Christmas ornament for myself and one for my mom while out running errands.  It completely slipped my mind though.  I headed to Pinterest for a handmade ornament idea.  I ended up with two nice ornaments.

The best part is that I made them with items on hand.  I had the plastic Christmas ornaments left from last year.  The glitter and ribbon/tulle were in my craft supplies.  I used my Cricut and some scrap vinyl to cut the words. 

I was happy with how both ornaments turned out.  I might try to bring one of them back home with me!

Freezer Challenge

Monday I opened my freezer to find something for dinner (lunch) and was greeted by this sight.

It was obvious that we have way too much food in the freezer.  It is impossible to really organize this so I decided it was best to start using it up.  I decided to challenge myself to use at least one thing from the freezer for the remainder of this month.


So far I have used:


Ham
Ground meat
Fish fillets
Tomatillo salsa
Thai seasoned ground chicken
Pasta with chicken and pesto


I am hoping to at least make a dent in it this month.  I do expect I will find some lost items that are past use.  So far everything has been just fine!

Weekly Goals Update: Week 48

1.  Disaster Preparedness
Ended early due to the weekly missions being too extreme.

2.  Makeover the Garden
We got about 5 inches of rain in just about 24 hours here.  I am very glad that I did not plant any seeds.  I am certain they would have been washed down into the creek at the back of our property.  Areas of the garden behind our house are under water.  I do not want to even think about the poor chickens.  Many of them have lakefront property.  Hopefully the excess water will be soaked up soon.  For now it is much too wet to think about planting anything.

3.  Organize Recipes
I spent all of my spare time crocheting.  I do need to buckle down or this one is not going to happen.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I skipped the grocery store again last week.  I will need to pick up a few things this week.  I am planning to skip at least one week around Christmas.  I try to stay out of the stores around the holidays.

5.  Focus on Saving
I did no extra spending this past week.  I was tempted to buy a few things but in the end decided that it could wait!

6.  Etsy Shop
I have been working on a few things to list this month.  I want to do one more push for winter items.  Then I will take a break and work on some general items and some spring things.

Weekend Book Reviews

Under the Knife by Arnold van de Laar takes a look at surgery through history.  I loved this book.  It was a mix of history, medicine, and quirky facts.  I found it amazing to read how we arrived at where we are in surgical medicine.  A few of the cases mentioned are a man who performed surgery on himself, Harry Houdini, and several royals.  This book was a touch on the gory side and a bit cringe worthy at times, but I loved it.  The author's writing style kept the topics from being dry and boring. 

Vannoy Gentles Fite's Essential Oils for Emotional Wellbeing is a comprehensive guide.  The author provides easy to follow recipes for a variety of products using essential oils.  I appreciated the extra information on choosing essential oils and using them safely.  This book contains too much information to take in all at once.  It will be an excellent reference guide.

Haunted World War II  by Matthew L Swayne seemed like a wonderful ghost story book that would mix ghosts with history.  The book started off well, but it seemed as if the author ran out of material.  It went away from ghosts and delved into the occult.  I found the historical information very interesting overall.  The ghost story information was pulled from other books.  It was a mix of hits and misses for me.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Frugal Friday

We stopped by a local motorcycle shop to pick up some tires.  We had seen them laying outside for weeks and weeks so I messaged the owner to see if he wanted to get rid of them.  He told me to take all I wanted.  We got the three smaller ones which we will use on our dragon fruit plant supports.

The weather has made line drying clothes difficult lately.  I have ended up washing items that can be dried inside on the rainy days.  On the sunnier days I wash as much as I can of clothes that need tobe dried outside. 

In the kitchen - We ate leftovers.  It gives me a break from cooking and means that nothing goes to waste.  I made breadcrumbs with some bread ends and hot dog buns that did not turn out just right.  I also made gnocchi from scratch.  I have actually never eaten store bought gnocchi since making it is so easy. 

Starting a new business is not particularly cheap.  I took advantage of the "Black Friday" sales to purchase patterns. I was able to stretch my money further this way.

I have been taking advantage of the Dollar General Saturday coupons to buy pet food and household items.  It is an easy $5 savings on things I am planning to purchase. 

Weekly Goals Update: Week 47

First an explanation for the total lack of posts here.  My dad ended up back in the hospital for the third time in just over a month.  He was worse than the previous two times.  Thankfully this time (after several days) he ended up with the right mix of doctors.  He had his gall bladder removed and is on the mend.  Life has been topsy turvy here, but I am expecting it to get back to normal. 


1.  Disaster Preparedness
I abandoned this goal after this weekly "missions" got too out there for me.


2.  Makeover the Garden
After everything that happened I did not get any planting done.  I do not have high hopes for this week either.  Life is like that some times.


3.  Organize Recipes
No - yet again.


4. Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I did skip the grocery store Thanksgiving week.  I expect to skip it a couple more times before the year is out.  Cold weather makes me want to stay home.  If I lived where it snowed regularly, I would never leave.


5.  Focus on Saving
I did very little "Black Friday" shopping.  I bought patterns on sale from Etsy.  I tried to think ahead to the coming seasons and take advantage of the sales.  I spent a fair amount, but it was patterns I planned to buy.


6.  Etsy Shop
I failed horribly on my list an item every day goal.  Between getting ready for Thanksgiving and everything else that was happening, it fell to the wayside.

Weekend Book Reviews

The Pint of No Return by Ellie Alexander is the second book in the Sloan Krause Mystery series.  Sloan is continuing to stay busy at her job at microbrewery Nitro.  With Oktoberfest fast approaching everyone in Leavenworth is excited.  To add to the excitement and chaos, a film crew arrives along with a handsome but annoying movie star.  When he is found murdered, the suspect list is long.  I have little interest in beer, but I adore this series.  Sloan is a strong female lead, and the mystery was equally engaging. 

The third book in the Merry Ghost Inn Mystery series by Kate Kingsbury is Be Our Ghost.  Things are going well for Melanie and her grandmother Liza at the Merry Ghost Inn.  The possibility of a tacky arcade being built in town has most other residents angry.  Still no one expected the developer in charge of the project to be murdered.  When Liza's friend, Doug, is named as the main suspect, Melanie and Liza are on the case.  The ghost is a background story line in the book.  There is an ongoing story from the previous books, but it is explained enough that first time readers will not be lost.

Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron is the fourth book in the Cajun Country Mystery series.  Following a flood in Pelican, Louisiana, a body is discovered behind the Crozat Plantation B&B.  The mysterious man is a stranger to the town, but Melanie wants to determine his identity.  Her venture is sidelined when she has to take over as one of the judges for the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant.  When one of her fellow judges is murdered, Melanie has two murders to solve.  This is a fun book which moved along quickly.  Melanie and her family are typical southerners which is a good thing.  I also enjoyed the historical aspect of the orphan train. 

disclosure:  I received these books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Etsy Sale

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I just wanted to let you all know that items in my Etsy shop are on sale through Monday. 

Weekly Goals Update: Week 46

1.  Disaster Preparedness
I had the same problem as last week with the suggestions.  This goal is pretty well done for now.  The website had good information, but it has ventured into areas more advanced areas of preparations.


2. Makeover the Garden
This week is supposed to not be rainy and just cool rather than cold.  I will get out later in the week and clean some areas for planting.  I still have time to plant lettuce and other greens.  I also have to decide if I am going to plant garden peas this year since that is done in late December.


3.  Organize Recipes
Not last week and definitely will not happen this week.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done
I will add one to it this week as I have no intention of going to the grocery store. Thanksgiving crowds make me nervous.


5. Focus on Saving
Shopping other than stocking up on groceries was very limited last week.  I have no real plans to much Black Friday shopping although I am holding out for some Etsy sales later in the week.  Not buying stuff remains one of the best ways to save!


6.  Etsy Shop
I missed this goal last week.  I only listed three items.  Things just got too busy, and it was easy to skip crocheting.  I hope to do better this week.  I do have plans for a sale for the holiday and will stop back in later this week to remind everyone. 

Flamingo Coffee Cup Sleeve

Giraffe Baby Photo Outfit

Newsboy Hat in Multiple Sizes

Mermaid Lip Balm Holder (relisted)

Busy Days & Giveaway Winner

First up the giveaway winner....Congratulations to Renee G. who commented "I love making caramel apples".  Renee G please contact me using the form on the left side of the blog with your full name and mailing address so I can pass it on to the publisher.  Thank you to everyone who entered.


I should know by now that November will never be a calm month.  I had good intentions of posting all week, but it seemed each day a surprise popped up that kept me from my original plan.  Thanks to some help from the youth at church I was able to get the 50 shoeboxes packed.  W and I dropped those off on Tuesday while out running what felt like 100 errands.  We did our big grocery shop so I can stay far away from the grocery store next week.  After dinner and feeding up I headed to the church to help sort donated clothes.


Yesterday I helped a homeschool student with geometry.  He had a great teacher, but she went on maternity leave.  He was having trouble with the new teacher's teaching methods.  He left in time for us to heat up leftovers for dinner (lunch).  All too soon it was time to feed up and then get ready to go to a community Thanksgiving service. 


Today was supposed to be a do nothing day.  Predicted cold weather with a chance of frost meant we rushed to get some delicate plants in the house.  That was mainly the dragon fruit plants which needed to be staked first.  A few other things were just moved to sheltered areas for now.  Cleaning the church took up some time as did cleaning up the house. 


On the plus side I did manage to finish up two crochet projects and hope to spend some time tomorrow on a couple more projects tomorrow.  I need to finish some things in order to keep up with my goal for this week. 


I am sure many of you are finding your days to be busy as the holiday season draws near.  Often I need to remind myself to stop and rest and hope you will do the same. 

Weekly Goals Update: Week 45

1.  Disaster Preparedness
The website I was following along has gotten more into long-term catastrophic disasters which is not my goal at this point in time.  My goal for right now is to use up the odd and end items in my pantry.  I want to use the grocery savings to then restock my pantry.


2.  Makeover the Garden
It was rainy all of last week here for the most part so I did not do any work in the garden.  There is just a slight chance of rain today so I hope to get a couple of beds fixed and seeds planted.  My problem is that most fall crops here are greens which chickens love.  I can see that for next year I will need some netted hoops to keep the chickens from eating everything I grow.


3.  Organize Recipes
The weather is starting to turn cold.  My plan is to focus on this goal after Thanksgiving.


4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done


5.  Focus on Saving
I waited until Saturday to do some shopping at Dollar General to take advantage of the $5/25.  I bought items needed to finish the shoeboxes as well as paper towels.  I need to start taking advantage of these almost weekly coupons.


6.  Etsy Shop
I hit my goal again this past week and listed six more items.  I am taking Sundays off.

Flower Trivet

Baby Football Cocoon (also in Pink)

Turkey Baby Photo Prop

Fitted Cloche Hat

Fitted Beanie

Slouchy Beanie

Weekend Book Reviews

Homemade Christmas by Yvette van Boven includes over 100 recipes for the holiday season.  The recipes included are best for more adventurous eaters.  The majority of them would not go over well with the crowd I host.  The pictures included are lovely, but the recipes are simply not for me.  I cannot imagine convincing my family to eat broccoli pot pie.  I did see a few dessert recipes that were good.  The Trifle with salty caramel, cheesecake cream, & chewy brownies sounds especially good.  I recommend you take a look at the recipes first especially if your family is not full of picky eaters.

Downright Dead by Pamela Kopfler is the second book in the B&B Spirits Mystery series.  Holly is expecting business at her B&B to pick up after a television show featuring footage of her ghost airs.  The show's host calls to say that are doing a follow up show after a debunker challenges the ghost story.  The problem is that the B&B's ghost has moved on.  The debunker and tv crew arrive and soon a murder occurs.  Flooding strands the guests at the B&B.  Holly must solve the mystery and save her beloved B&B.  The characters are engaging, and I enjoyed the ghost element of the book.  The mystery was strong and kept me guessing.  I look forward to the next book in this series.

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

Assault and Beadery  by Mollie Cox Bryan is the fourth book in the Cora Crafts Mystery series.  Cora has organized a mom's craft retreat with her friends Jane and Ruby.  When the director of the community theater is murdered, their friend Zee is the prime suspect.  Cora struggles to prove her friend's innocence while keeping the retreat guests in line.  I enjoy the crafty side of this series.  Each book gives background information on a particular craft which is beading in this book.  The guests were a bit on the "moms gone wild" side, but it was nice to see a bit of a crossover with another series.

The Dead Ringer by M.C. Beaton is the twenty-ninth book in the Agatha Raisin Mystery series, but it is the first book in the series that I have read.  I had heard great things about the series and was excited to read this book.  Unfortunately I was disappointed.  The story jumped all over the place with no true consistency.  They murders were not really investigated but only mentioned now and again.  The remainder of the book was full of Agatha chasing man after man after man and screaming at people.  Perhaps I should have read some of the previous books to understand more about Agatha.  I do not see the charm based on this book alone.

disclosure:  I received these books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

November Grocery Plans

Since I reached my goal of having 13 no spend grocery weeks already, I want to focus on using up some pantry items during the month of November.  I made a menu for the week by shopping my pantry/freezer first.  I will share next Tuesday how the first menu plan worked out.  This week I spent $21 on groceries.  I probably could have gotten by on less, but W requested a couple of meals and those used up a few pantry items.  What did I buy?


carrots
tomatoes
bananas (W's impulse buy)
mayonnaise
olives (for pizza)
chicken tenders
sausage
sour cream
cheese - 2
yogurt
frozen pot pies (for hectic day)


My menu is going to cover three meals a day for W and myself.  I am hoping for at least one meal of leftovers each week.  I would love to keep my weekly spending at around $20.  One of the main goals is to use up a bunch of odd things in the pantry. 

Weekly Goals Update: Week 44

1.  Disaster Preparedness
Week 44 was collapse investing.  The site says it considers events such as hurricanes.  With that in mind, their advice of having gold is just silly.  Following the last hurricane stores were only accepting small bills/coins and absolutely no gold - not that I knew anyone who tried. I feel like this goal is going by the wayside with some of these preparations.

2.  Makeover the Garden
The bantam chicks got into my swiss chard and spinach seedlings and had quite the party.  That means I need to fix the hole where they got in and replant this week.  Chickens are wonderful, but free range ones are very resourceful.

3.  Organize Recipes
I actually worked on this a bit last week.  I cleaned out some from Pinterest and printed copies of a few to add to my notebook.

4.  Have 13 No Spend Grocery Weeks - Done

5.  Focus on Saving
My plan for this month is to save on the grocery bill and organize the pantry.  We have piles of random things in the pantry.  I want to make a menu each week of this month with a focus on using what we have.  I will purchase any items to round out the meals and hopefully save some money.

6.  Etsy Shop
My plan for this month is to add an item each day (except on Sundays) to my shop.  I am off to a good start and will hopefully have a variety of items for sale in time for the Christmas season.  Last week I listed three items.

Beagle Coffee Cozy

Berry Stitch Hat (Doll - Adult Sizes)

Cloche Style Hat with Ties

Weekend Book Reviews

The Nightmare Before Dinner by Zach Neil features recipes from the Beetle House.  The book features everything from sauces to desserts.  I found the sauce section to be most interesting.  A large section of the book is cocktails which did not appeal to me.  Only one includes directions for a non-alcoholic version.  I did expect to see a few more recipes for main dishes.  My husband quickly nixed the burger which included chocolate covered bacon.  That might work well in a theme restaurant but not in the average home.  If you are a Halloween fan, you would enjoy this cookbook though. 

The Frighteners by Peter Laws takes a look at people's fascination with the macabre.  Peter Laws just happens to be a pastor who loves all things horror.  He takes a look at everything from ghosts to vampires to zombies.  It might seem like the two do not go together, but it was interesting to read how watching The Exorcist led to him being saved.  I enjoyed this unusual look at horror through the eyes of a minister.

The sixth book in the Candy Coated Mystery series by Nancy Coco is Forever Fudge.  A film crew invades Mackinac Island over the Labor Day weekend.  Allie is busy with the end of tourist season.  It seems that a murderer is taunting Allie after two bodies are found with notes addressed to her.  I figured the killer out early on, but I still enjoyed the book for the setting and characters. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!

Weekend Book Reviews

Final Roasting Place  by Devon Delaney is the second book in the Cook-Off Mystery series.  Sherri takes part in a cooking contest during a local morning tv show.  Her father is on hand to watch.  When the young co-host of the show is murdered with a tool from her father's ruggery shop, Sherri jumps back into another murder investigation.  This is a strong mystery with an equally strong female lead.  I enjoy both sides of the focus of this book:  the ruggery and the cooking.  This is quickly becoming one of my favorite series.

Book five in the Chocolate Whisperer Mystery series by Colette London is The Peppermint Mocha Murder.  Hayden is taking a break from her global chocolate whisperer job to vacation over the Christmas holiday in a small New England town.  She as invited by her financial adviser Travis.  Also along for the trip is her friend and sometimes body guard, Danny.  The small town is rocked when a murder is committed at the bed and breakfast where Hayden is staying.  The chocolate theme of the book is interesting.  I enjoy this series, but I am looking to see some growth in Hayden's character beyond her obsession with Travis while she strings Danny along. 

Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower is the third book in the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series.  Bailey is spending her first Christmas with her Amish grandmother.  She is looking forward to a simple holiday season.  That is sidelined when her ex-boyfriend shows up with a camera crew in tow.  He plans to rekindle his romance with Bailey in Amish country to save his floundering career.  When the shows producer is murdered, he begs Bailey to help find the murderer before he is arrested.  I love this series.  The Amish setting mixed with Bailey and her non-Amish friends is well done.  The ending was a surprise to me, and I am looking forward to book four. 

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!