Thursday, Thrifty Thursday with a twist

 Well, here we are again on Thursday, the day Kim lists all the ways she saved money during the week, but I am going to switch it up a bit and add things I spent money on that maybe were not the thriftiest things I could do but brought me happiness.  It is good to be thrifty, but also good to know that you or someone else is worth a little of your time or hard-earned cash.

Our daughter's co-worker had a miscarriage yesterday, so she was called into work, and I have Kelsa an extra day.  Which means I am not getting as much done as I would like, but that is okay.  I will just sew in the evening.

Yesterday I was able to get two going on three wedding dresses ready for fittings.  One came in at noon today and the other tomorrow. I sewed hard and did a lot of ripping and hand work, by the time Hub's got home from Oliver's I was done in.  We went and got a Jimmy Johns sandwich.  We have spent money eating out 3 times in the last month! Almost more than I have in the last year.  One time was for my birthday.  But I think as busy as I am this might be an occurrence that happens more often.

Sewing especially hand work is tiring. If I just don't have the energy to chop several veggies and get things ready so, be it.  I try to save on groceries every way I can.  The meals I cook are inexpensive and mostly from scratch. I can buy a sandwich when I am tired.

Today I chopped, onions, garlic, carrots, celery and browned them in a little olive oil then added the left-over chicken broth in the fridge and cooked them for a while.  Then added a canning jar of dried beans and legumes I had soaked all night.  Add water and some chopped leftover ham from the freezer and I have a large pot of every bean soup.  This is an inexpensive meal and will feed us for at least two days. I will toss a salad and maybe make some biscuits to go with it one night.

Last night Hub's needed to go to Walmart and get batteries, and chickenfeed.  I stayed home and set my timer and cleaned up the family room, folded laundry, vacuumed and straightened the kitchen before hubs got home.  I thought about sewing more, but I decided having a clean environment when Kelsa came this morning was more important to me than getting a zipper in a dress. It is all about what priority will bring me the most comfort.

Thrifty Thursday:

1. saved all my change 

2. saved all $5 bills so far this week, 45 in fives so total for the year is $640

3. saved a $1, $5,10, $20 bill

4. Paid $500.00 to Hub's hearing aid doctor to save on interest charge!

5. Used gas buddy app to save money on gas

6. cooked as much from freezer and pantries as I could.

7. used coupons and points to buy meat for BBQ

8. downloaded rect's to fetch

9. Told daughter to bring me a Mcd's diet coke when she came home for lunch.  Saves me money! I am a scrounge of a mother.

10. took care of seedlings that will later be food for us.

11. rebuilt back of wedding dress with a sleeve from another Wedding dress. Hey, saving things I cut off saves me money.

12. was able to get several hundred bridal buttons given to me by brides that ordered them in and didn't use them all. Saves me from ordering. I now tell brides to order their own things that way I am not paying for them, and they usually have leftovers. Okay double dipping here.

13. bought three pieces of fabric, for Indian skirts with a huge discount.  Will make money on supplies.

14. Put out all the outdoor pillows I made for the back yard. These were made from recycled pillows and sale fabric.  If you take care of things, they can last from season to season.

15. Got another contract for Indian skirts, I set aside two days in April for this work.

16. Helped Lil sis make things for daughter's wedding to save her money

This week, I donated $100.00 to a mission fund for a family in our ward that has 7 children and I know this will lighten their burden. It is not always about saving money but about spending your money where you want to.  I wanted sandwiches last night, I wanted to help this mom with her missionary bills. I want to drop and elderly gentle man's (in our church) favorite candy bar off at his house. I can afford a few butterfinger bars to bring someone joy.

I can buy 4 boxes of girl scout cookies; I can also eat them.

What did you do this week to save money?  Did you spend any money to bring you or another person joy?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative. 

Kim

Wednesday, Kim's very good, very bad day

 I was so proud to me, as I made everything ready for taxes and actually was able to complete them in record time.  It was about 3:30 and I took off to get my priority list done.  I was smiling there was sunshine.  The  hearing aid center was closed when I got there.  Oh no problem will just have to add it to tomorrow's list. Run to accountant to find out that the office I sat in for two hours to get an SSI problem solved was not the right office and yes they had to have the actual document and no they could not download it for me.  They could not use last years totals although they are the same they had to have new 1099.  

No problem I will run to the correct SSI office and see if I can obtain copies.  Office was closed.  Now it is dinner time and I need to run home and get something made for hubs. I was able to drop things off at goodwill and pick up a prescription so all was not lost, but the trip to Joaans for needed zippers and fabric would have to wait until later in the evening.

Since I would be going with Li sis, I would just run over to Joanns after we go to our appointment.  Lil sis and I make a run to Jo anns and it is now closing at 8:00 instead of 9:00. So no payment to Hearing aid center, taxes no resolved, no zippers that I need for this morning.  That is okay I can just get up earlier than usual and get these things done. Plus the taxes are done, big load off.  I also was able to transplant seedlings last night.

Three kinds of lettuces. These poor little things are in shock but should recover in a few days. I also transplanted some herb seeds.

I transplanted several pumpkins and squashes.  These will be planted in large pots this year.  Because we had such a hard time last year with a squash bed infestation, we are going to plant these away from the garden and isolate them from each other.

Cucumbers, were also transplanted.  See how many more lettuces I have?  If I have any holes in the other tray later in the week I will replace.  I get these seeds 4/1 well now $1.25 so throwing away what I don't use is not a problem and actually I will feed whatever seedlings I don't transplant to the chickens for a treat. I also have Lil sis and friends who will take what I don't grow.

I did not transplant the beans or the sun flowers as I will put those right in the ground in a few weeks.

So even though I had to take off this morning to get my list from yesterday completed, I still felt like I had the two most pressing things done. 

Headed out to SSI office first thing this morning, only to find the door would not open.  Again Kim moving too fast and not paying attention, you have to call an 800 number for appointments.  That is okay I will just call right now and see if they can get me in.  Well I had forgotten my cell phone.  Again Kim running like a chicken with her head cut off.  No problem I will run down to hearing aid office and pay bill and use their phone.

Used the hearing aid phone, was on hold off and on with several hoops and phone trees to jump through.  After 3 attempts to get through a busy signal, I finally thought I would be connected and but alas, they were not taking calls at this time. Now I am getting a little aggravated. I have to have forms in by tomorrow or I get charged double by accountant, as she goes into overdrive season.  This is totally my fault. I have procrastinated and put this off.  I am disgusted with myself.  But no self loathing, get to Joanns and get the stuff you need to complete today's work. I headed for Joanns, with no cell phone I cannot upload coupon so I pay $1.74 more for a zipper than I should have to.  Aggravation!!!!!

Now I am home and back on the line with SSI.  I get through!!!! They can allow me to come down for a print out but I can not have hubs.  He has to come in personally and he is sitting Oliver until 4. Also Hubs will have to have me with or at least talking for him, this is far to complex for him with his hearing issues.  But they can mail them and they should arrive by Friday, too late for accountant. I put SSI on standby and called accountants office, they said as they have the right totals the taxes can be done and all I have to do is bring in forms to be stapled to taxes and I would not be penalized. Deep breath in and I go back and tell SSI to mail forms.

Sometimes things that seem so easy, just are not.  One can begin to feel like there is a dark cloud following you.  But I refused to let it get to me.  I am moving on. Sunshine remember? 

After a light lunch of sourcream and cheese potato chips, and three girl scout cookies ( shh listen?  Can you hear Sissie screaming?) I can finally start my day.

I was very impressed by the different ways people prioritize and I got some great ideas.  I am going to try new strategies.  Now will the Kim lame brain snafu's be eliminated?  Not likely but I am better than I was a year ago.  Progress is progress.

Dinner tonight will be either split pea or lentil soup, as I have frozen ham out from the freezer and those two legumes cook up fast.  I also have a half a box of chicken broth that needs to be used up in the fridge.  I can use the rest of the ham in a quiche later this week.

Now I have to hit the shop and get a few things done.  I will likely sew into the night to play catch up but again that is okay.  The laundry still needs to be folded, the ironing awaits a later date. It will all get done. Lil sis will color my hair closer to the wedding, we set an evening, so that is figured out. I contacted missionaries and they are coming on Saturday morning to empty all my flowers boxes and refill with new soil so they are ready for planting. I

just for today:

1. get SSI figured out

2. go to jo anns

3. pay hearing aids

4. get doctors pants delivered

5. figure out dinner

6. call specialists office for appointment

7. check grocery adds

8. rip and wedding dress and get ready for a fitting

9. rip a wedding dress and get ready for a fitting

10. hem and alter a pron dress.

11. alter a prom dress

12. alter a bridesmaid dress

That's it for today folks!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.  

Kim

Tuesday, brain dump is needed, slowly .

 Cheryl and Cheryl's frugal corner had the best post today.  Go read it.  I really needed those soft spoken (I assume) words, of just be. 

You all know this brain rarely slows down, except when I hit the wall of exhaustion, or my body betrays me.  Which it does more often than I would like.

Cheryl has put me in perspective, just for today and maybe for a longer day, (like tomorrow).

There are so many things that are pressing me most of the time.  Right now, there are many things that are probably important.  But what is most important? Dump it all Kim.  What is most important?

Cheryl lost her beloved husband almost three years ago and coming back from that is dang hard. In fact, you never really come back, you survive. Your brain is constantly seeking for a place to rest free from pain and you just can't find it. It takes months to find a very small spot free from pain and then you visit that spot. After months and years that spot grows to a place where you can live. But you better not leave that place.  If you do the pain comes rushing back and then you have to search for the spot again.  If that spot is not big enough to find easily you will be stuck in the pain zone. This is grief. It is soul sucking.

She talked or wrote about looking for sunshine. Now my problems are not grief.  Our problems are our problems.  We each make them as big or as small as we like according to our mindset. It is very easy for all of us to overload. This can be caused by grief, panic attacks, worries about kids, health, money, the state of the world.  Hell, I had myself jumping off a cliff a few weeks ago because to Ukraine.  Just the pain those people are enduring causes me great suffering. How do we cope?  What helps?

Well, I have a strong faith and I do put it in the hands of the Lord, as I am helpless in so many ways. I also blog and take the advice of people who have a like mindset.  I do for others as in service we are closest to Christ. Today after reading her blog and pondering for a moment, I decided to brain dump. What exactly is your problem today, Kim?  Or what are these things so pressing you are in a tizzy?

Well, Sissie called and I talked her off a ledge, which she does for me all the time.  Sisters are the best. If anyone needs a sister I am here.

SO here is my dump in no particular order.  Just things that are weighing on me that need to be done.  But I can only do one thing at a time.  Which is the most important right now?  Is there one thing that is more important than the others?  Like do I have to go potty?  That would be pretty important with my 5 baby bladder. Okay TMI

1. fold two baskets of laundry

2. get something out for dinner pork chops/salad

3. taxes need to be in by the 31st

4. call a schedule a specialist appointment

5. hand hem a pair of pants for tomorrow pickup

6. call three clients

7. go with  Lil Sis to get some sun (tanning bed for her psoriasis, mine for deep tissue pain)

8. make dinner for hubs

9. get the ironing done, the basket now has its own time zone

10. lose some weight before Sissie sees me in April and makes fun of me.( where did I hide those chocolate Easter eggs?) 

11. make cookies to mock cookies due for wedding in April

12. make a mock up cake for wedding in April

13. seedlings for lettuce need transplanting

14. flower boxes need to be emptied and refilled with fresh dirt (missionaries are scheduled for Sat morning to do this)

15. get Lil sis to dye my hair set up for two weeks from now

16. go in for blood work

17. take a few things to good will

18. check grocery adds for sales that are worth it tomorrow.

19. pickup prescription that is out.

20. pay bills for the month of April

21. see what April budget looks like and where money needs to be shifted, will there be enough money? Always another worry.

22. Get Bank o' Sluggy a check for Panama trip.

23. pay Hub's hearing aid bill by the 31st

24.  Now consider the shop, what can you get done today?

25. get 7 boxes of books sorted to take to son in law 

See all that is swirling around in Kim's head?

It is enough to make one nuts.  All these things constantly eating at your conscience. My brain tells me to do them all, all at once.  I can't. I have a tendency to do things that are not important because I don't slow down enough to really think things through.  It is a problem I have.  Sissie got the organizational gene.  I got the get it done gene in no particular order.  

Because my mind is full of things I think I have to do right now, I can get really blue, or overwhelmed. THAT IS WHY LISTS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO ME. Put my brain into order. Keep the bad thoughts out.  The thoughts that tell me I am unorganized, and I can't do this. The thought that everything has to be done right now and that I am behind and will never catch up. Thoughts that bring me down and cause anxiety.  Anxiety brought on by a brain that doesn't focus well on one thing but wants to focus on everything. 

 So, I am taking Cheryl's advice and moving slowly through this list. Well, let's be honest, I will never move slowly, but I can sit and go over this list and prioritize, and then slowly do what has to be done to eradicate the most important things that will help to bring peace to my mind. Will I get everything done today?  No, that is impossible and I don't need to, no matter what the old brain is telling me. I don't need to feel bad that I can't get it all done.  I am not less of a person, the world will not come to an end. 

DO you ever get overwhelmed, with feeling and emotions and have toos?  What do you do?  Will a brain dump help?  Will slowing down and looking at a priority list help?

Let's see what I can do.

While I was posting Hub's called and asked me to sort the books with him, then he took the ones that were not saleable to the dump.  That is done.  My part was about 10 minutes.  It had to be done and it is done.  That is off my brain.  There!

I will have to go to Joanns this afternoon, so I will combine paying for the hearing aids and dropping things off at goodwill and picking up my prescription in that trip. Those will be off the brain.

In addition, I have constant interruptions to deal with that throw me off track.  Hubs just needed help cleaning the stain off his hands.  He needed mineral spirits and he is not allowed to work with these kinds of things without me.  He has a hard time with caps (remember the juice?) and I just went out and poured a small amount into his hands so he could thoroughly clean them and then took dish soap out to wash up under the hose. I have to regroup and get back to my priorities.

I will call the three clients, as getting things out of the shop is always important and will not take long, then hand hem the doctor's pants and again a short, sweet job that is off the list and he is flying out tomorrow and needs the suit.

I think the most important thing right now is the taxes, so to hell with everything else.  I am going to spend a few hours and get those done. Then if I don't get the seedlings transplanted, they will become top heavy and start to die. Those are the most important things.  The rest is gravy for right now.  Yes, I will have to stop and cook dinner and do a few odds and ends, but those laundry baskets can sit there. The ironing can continue to multiply. I don't need to worry about these other things today. Slowly, I will keep my thoughts at bay and get the things done that will make the most difference.  The things that are causing the most anxiety.

Thank you for the brain dump.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

 

Monday, First BBQ!

 Saturday had us up early and over to Lil sis's.  We had the missionaries come (5 of them) to help move a shed and get things cleaned up in the yard.  What would have taken 4 older people hours to do, was completed by these boys in less than an hour.  Amazing!

Then Hubs worked in the yard most of the day and I pooped around.  I also made a potato salad and a large acini d pepi salad.

We had BBQ in our back yard with 3 of the missionaries and another family from our church.  It was 74 degrees and a little overcast so we didn't have the hot sun, which was so nice.  We served a variety of meats, salads and chips and banana splits for dessert.

It was so fun.  Our friends brought a salad made with orzo, it was delicious. I have wanted to have this family over for a while, but COVID has put a hamper on entertaining.  They have three stair step girls like ours.  She is very talented and makes homemade soaps as a hobby/business. I could never be as meticulous as her.  I admire her work.  It was  just fun to get to know them better. Her eldest girl is the one that is going to watch Kelsa. They also come and feed our chickens and take care of our cat when we are gone.  I hope we can get together with them again.

I was able to get most of the things for the BBQ with coupons and points.  I save my Albertson's points and we get a lot of those because we get our prescriptions there. I only buy loss leaders at Albertsons, as far as groceries go. I do buy most of my meat at Albertson's.  I wait until I can find meat marked 50% off and then use points to get $7.00 off meat. I had 10 points allowing me two $7.00 off coupons, I had to go through the cash register twice to use them but this marked the meat way, way down. 

Potato salad  was made with free potatoes, and onions, our chickens laid the eggs. I pulled everything else out of the pantry. All of the canned fruit for the acini salad was taken from the storage.  The pasta has almost doubled in price, but I picked up an extra box for now.

 I had a coupon for $1. off ice cream limit two and then just picked up toppings , with bananas, and strawberries are a good price right now.  Anyway we fed 6 grown men and 7 others for a good price, plus we had leftovers for everybody to take home.  THE MISSIONARIES HAD TO LEAVE EARLY before dessert, so we ran the remaining of the ice cream and toppings over to their apartment later in the evening.  That way Hub's and I won't be tempted to indulge again.

I am making the grooms cake and the cookie favors for my niece's wedding.  I will be making Easter cookies with Schmills and I will do a trial run of the wedding cookies.  My nieces new name will me AX.  SO we ordered an ax cookie cutter.  I want to practice decorating the cookies, so I know how they will look.  Then I will put them in little individual bags with a ribbon the color of the wedding.  I also want to do a trial of the grooms cake. I don't want to be in someone else's kitchen trying to do something I have never done before. Or a pattern I have never used before. Using the chocolate cake recipe that I always use and just cutting it in the shape of an AX and putting it together. That does not scare me it is the frosting that makes me leery. I have a friend at church that does this professionally so I can pick her brain if I run into trouble. This will save my sister a ton of money.

Well today's work in the shop is the piles.  Lots of piles and at least 6 dresses to hem.  I should have a bridal pick up today and anew bride coming in.

1. patches on uniform

2. hem two levis

3. hem a pair pants

4. hem a dress

5. take in and hem dress pants

6. hem pants

7.  alter 4 blouses (started)

8. hem a bag of clothes I think 2 pants and 2 dresses

9. figure out how many bridesmaid dresses and prom dresses I have to get started on I think it is 8? ( 7 wedding dresses, 9 mother of the bride/prom/ bridesmaid dresses)

10. mend 3 pieces of clothing

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, another chart and medical costs!

Another chart and all three ball gown wedding dresses are out of the shop! It is so much nicer in there now.  I feel like I can move and breathe. Yeah! Color Kim happy.

I have another dress I hope to get out today.  I have about 2 hours of hand work on it and will get started right after this post.

Had a lovely birthday and thanks for all the well wishes. It was just fun and relaxing. Daughter and Kelsa and I went to three plant places, but I only bought a rosemary because mine did not survive the winter.  I am going to bring it in next year.  I also put in an order for some asparagus fern, which I was not able to get last year. They will call me when it is in. But I did receive $150.00 in gift cards to my favorite garden center.  So, I am excited to spend them later.

My daughter also came over with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Hubs is taking me out tonight, so the fun still continues.  Daughter had a three-hour rehearsal last night and I had a church meeting so Hub's watched Kelsa while I went to meeting.  It ran into the dinner hour.

Let's talk medical costs.  Hubs and I both pay $150.00 dollars a month for some of our coverage.  The state charges me $208.00 a month in addition, Hub's pays $97.00 for his supplement. He also pays out about $90.00 a month for co pays for drugs. I pay $100.00 a month for copays for drugs.  I used to pay nothing, but now have to pay $60.00 for the biologic and $10 for each of the other 4 drugs. This does not include any visits to doctors where we might pay a 10- to 40-dollar copay for the visit.  So, all told we pay over $800 dollars a month for our medical. It is scary.  This will never go away.  It is over a 1/4 of our retirement income.  25 percent of our retirement income goes to medical coverage.  Remember that you younger ones and save. My meds are over $6000.00 a month, hub's about $600.00 without insurance. 

Now we both have good coverage, and I will continue to have this coverage for another year. THEN WHO KNOWS? This is not including any hospital bills if we get really sick. I am so grateful I can still do some sewing to help offset these costs. But for how long?  I try now to dwell on it as it makes me crazy. You all know how frantic I get when I have a flare, when my wrists stove up and I can't move them.  I had to quit teaching dance because my hips and feet are so arthritic, they won't stand for the stress. I get around well as long as I am not in a flare.  It is a crap shoot I tell you.  So far, I am winning:)

Have you ever really added up the cost of your health care and meds?  Do you even want to?

 

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

 

Kim
 

Thursday, Thrifty, Birthday, progress!

 I finished another chart! So, onto #6. I actually had a really good day in the shop, and I could feel all the empowering thoughts. I had two dresses picked up so there is more room in the shop and that always makes me happy. Plus, money is a great motivator, at least for me.

The bride that did not pick up yesterday morning, texted me this morning and will be here tomorrow. It has really helped that I have instituted a policy for pickup of wedding and bridesmaid dresses.  They have 48 hours from the call and then I charge a $25.00 a day storage fee.  SO far it has worked.  It is one of the smartest things I have ever done. It is taking off a lot of stress I experienced last year.  And thanks for all the great advice I have been given on this issue.

I was really able to kick through my shop work, and even do some cleaning in there.  Then last night before Hubs came home, I set my timer for 15-minute intervals, and I cleaned the entire house!

So today is my Birthday!  I have a clean house and that always makes my day go better.

Daughter is coming down and we are going to look for flowers.  So, I am actually taking another day off. 

Last night, Signe' called me from the studio and told me that the mother that had agreed to alter costumes had come up with some lame excuse that she couldn't do the sewing.  So, I ran down and picked up 5 costumes that are all very easy fixes. I am only doing my daughter's things not the studios entire rack.  I put a stop to that long ago. See Kim does stand up for herself once in a while.

THRIFTY THURSDAY

1. SAVED ALL my spare change!

2. saved all the $5.00 bills, $65.00 this week it was a great week for 5's. total for year $595.00

3. saved a $1, $5, $10, $20 bill

4. used coupons at Joanns for sewing supplies.

5. picked up 4 pillowcases brand new with an embroider pattern already on them.  I love to embroider in the evenings and give these as gifts.  Cost was less than $5.00 Thrifting!

6. Picked up an antique vase for $8.00 sold for $60.00, Thrifting

7. cooked all meals from home.

8. only bought strawberries, limit one and cheese limit 2 for groceries this week.

9.  my seedlings are coming up, so that will save on garden planting.

10. Accepted a cute jacket from neighbor that she had ordered and could not return.

11.  Hubs cleaned chicken coop and rototilled the garden with it, so saved on fertilizer.

12. asked for gift certificates to the local nursery, for my birthday to save on purchasing flowers this year!

My little brother called and sang the Beattle's song to me about, "when your 64".  Like I needed reminded.

Well, I am off to get more fun!

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

 

Kim

Wednesday, I need a butt kick!

 

I kinda need a butt kick.  I took the day off yesterday.  Met up with an out-of-town friend and did all the secondhand stores and then watched a series on Netflix.  I felt very lazy and guilty at the same time. But I did it and now I have to play catch up.

I was supposed to have a bride here at 10:30 to pick up a dress and she is a no show.  I really need these dresses picked up.  I keep having cars pull in and I think that is her and it is just more work from another client.  So, I guess I am going to have to call her and nag, which I hate to do.

Just had a client drop off egg cartons and extra hangers, and boy am I grateful for both.  Did you know that you can buy egg cartons at the feed store here?  They are $1 a piece.  You can buy a dozen eggs for $1 most of the time.  I suppose you could order them in bulk for a lot less, I just don't have room to store 1000 egg cartons. Hangers are expensive so getting them from clients is great!

The house is a mess. It needs vacuumed and laundry put away, beds seen to, and just a general cleaning. I on the other hand need to be in the shop.  At least Hubs is up with Oliver today and has to be at the high school tonight, so I am left alone to get things done.  I have no excuse not to other than my energy slump.

I am going to call Sissie after this post for a good old chew out, that might help. But them again we will probably just gossip and laugh, and I will get even less done. What to do? what to do? Need some pointers on staying motivated here.  I am usually good at this, and a list will motivate me, but I don't think that is going to work today.

Maybe if I set a timer? Sometimes that helps when I get an attack of the I don't want to's. 

Things I must do today:

1. finish man's suit (it is ripped and ready to press)

2. finish a bridesmaid dress (started and needs the machine)

3. finish a brides maid dress (already started need the machine)

If I can get these few things done, I will feel better and then maybe I can convince myself too actually be productive.

I did fill the bird feeder and watched the birds for a while.  I did scatter birdseed over the fence and watched a little clutch of baby bunnies come and eat. I did check on my seedlings and some of them have sprouted. You know all necessary things that lead to work getting done.  Watching seedlings grow.

Come on do any of you ever get like this?  Blah!

Kim is talking herself into working. Kim is talking to herself..... send help quick.  Or at least make me laugh.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

 

Kim

Tuesday, crying over spilled juice

I just heard a commotion from kitchen, that sounded like baton twirling, soft swearing and splashing and then a loud thud. I did not want to go check, but I knew it was bad.  It was.  Hubs was making lunch and he is shaking (per usual)
he knocked a full bottle of juice out of fridge that did not have a tight lid (he has a hard time getting lids on correctly) so as it fell, he tried to catch it and all he did was twirl it around a few times splashing juice everywhere until it hit the ground.  I must say he almost emptied the 1/2 gallon.  I wish I gotten it on tape.

So, I spent 20 minutes on my hands and knees sopping up sticky and then going over and over the sticky with hot clothes.  Still do not know if it is completely cleaned up.  I am sure I will find sticky splashed later.  Hubs was so upset with himself and kept trying to help me.  I finally told him to go sit down and eat.  He cannot get down on the floor and clean it up, it just would not be done right.  I did not tell him that.  He is due back at the high school to meet another music teacher. Poor guy, I know he felt terrible.

I did not do anything in the order, I thought I would yesterday, but I have to say I was able to knock out quite a bit of work. I sewed until about 9:30 last night as Kelsa and Schmills left at 6.  I have 4 wedding dresses ready for fitting, and the three that are ball gowns are DONE!  All except cutting the top layers, which is done with the bride in the dress.  SO hopefully those will be out in the next few days, and I can have my shop back. 

I also was able to complete one bridesmaid dress and have the suit ready to alter.  SO today, I know what I want to get done.  I am just so happy that I pushed through on those dang dresses.  They are just so much work and so hard to handle.

I am going to do spaghetti for dinner as I am sure Hub's will be home after the school closes and then he will have to go back this evening for a concert.  I will have the evening to sew in peace which is always nice.

I talked my Lil sis off the ledge last night as she is going through the final preps for her oldest daughter's wedding.  Of course, they are over budget, and trying to cut costs.  I went to dollar store in a rush and picked up 8 spools of ribbon, to prove to her something could be made quickly to save over $70.00.  Also went through items one by one with her and told her, over and over again, we can do that ourselves.  And we can.  I know I can.  I fly in on a Wednesday and I can have many things done by late Wednesday and then when they are all out on Thursday at rehearsals, I and Sissie can knock out almost all the rest of the favors, grooms cake, and Friday we can do the flowers.  Got to keep that Lil sister of mine to keep that credit card in her purse. 

Well I am off to get something done, don't know what but I am sure I will find something.... yuck, yuck.  Just walked across kitchen and I  was thwack, thwacking, so I see a hot bucket of pinesoll and a mop in my future.  How about yours?  I hope yours is more fun.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, Spring came!

 

     Kim did not get a weekend. It was run, run, run.  Kim needs a weekend. Saturday was a church meeting and then working a fund raiser at Schmills school in place of Nathan as he was called into work for the State.  Then we took the kids home with us as Signe' had to stay at fundraiser to clean up and she did not get home until after midnight.

Up Sunday to make pancakes for Schmills and then Signe' picked up the kids before we left for church at noon. We rushed home and did the missionary loop to check apartments, which takes about 5 hours of driving.  It is done! ~  

We got home about 6:30 and it was still light outside.  I did not get to taxes, but I did get the St. Patty's Day stuff put away and the Easter things out. I wanted to do that with Schmills, and I am sure he will come and rearrange everything. I also did two loads of laundry, but that is the extent of what I got done. Oh no on second thought I did get my ticket to nieces wedding bought and that has been on my mind also.

I have 4 wedding dresses ripped and ready for second fittings.  Two have already arrived this morning and one is set for a fitting tomorrow, so just waiting on one more. I am trying to get caught up as the prom dresses will be piling in soon.  Them sometimes I think, just give up.  You will catch up next fall. I just don't like so much product in the shop. Three of the wedding dresses that are ready for fittings are ball gowns and they take up so much room.  I just want them out of here!!!!!

I am not sure where to start today, there is so much to do.  But I have to start somewhere.  I do have chicken breasts and burger out thawing. We are having the chicken today along with asparagus, some kind of salad and I am cooking up a package of spinach that will go bad. I will either freeze or put it in something. I am thinking a quiche. Now that dinner is figured out what is Kim going to do today?

1. get deco boxes put away in garage 

2. pull out something for dinner

3. shorten a white dress

4. fix a suit

5. hem and steam a bridesmaid dress (started last Friday)

6. alter a bridesmaid dress with new zipper and take in (started last Friday)

7. finish a wedding dress

8. pull lace motifs off a wedding dress and hem and bustle.

I doubt I get to all of this, but I am going to try. Altering ball gown wedding dresses is just over whelming sometimes as they are so large and cumbersome.  Like fighting a mad 2-year-old.

I am telling myself I can do it; I can do it.  I will do it.

How many of you have your taxes in? Please shame me so I will care about getting them done at all.  Please?  Pretty Please? I need lots of shaming. 

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, Already? Where did the week go?

 Wow, this week went fast.  I feel like it was just Monday.  I know I have been busy and that does make time pass more quickly.  It seems like I am up making lists in my mind of things to get done and then boom, it is bedtime.

Even with Kelsa here yesterday, I was able to get a lot of work done. I raised my two youngest kids while I was sewing for others and even though I had constant interruptions, I learned how to get things done.

I worked on wedding dresses (hand work) while she watched cartoons and colored, her new favorite pastime. Grandpa took her for a long walk, and she went to sleep. You just have to keep them entertained, while you work.  

The soup I made last night was delicious and filling.  I used four strips of bacon for flavoring, leeks from our garden, potatoes (from the bank) and little boxes of milk also from the bank they were going to throw out at the end of the day. I also added a 1/2 box of chicken broth and a homemade roux for thickening.  Served this with homemade bread.  So, a really low-cost meal.  I love to see what I can make using things we have grown or that I have picked up for free. (well a little work on my part)

We have a busy weekend ahead of us.  I have a church meeting tomorrow ( special woman's conference), then we have to be up to daughter's by 5.  Hubs will watch kids and daughter and I will work a school fundraiser.  Son in law was called into work, so he can't fulfill his duties.  Mom to the rescue.

I also have to get the taxes done this weekend.  I loathe doing taxes, but I have put it off long enough. As things change very little year to year and the numbers are always within a few dollars of last years or previous years totals, I am tempted to just estimate and not go through the hours of adding up expenses. If I was audited the difference would be so minimal I think they would just see it was a waste of their time and mine. It is not like I am some big corporation hiding assets. For instance the difference between 2019 and 2020 for heating was $1.13.  So I spent all that time adding up 12 power bills which I saved and put in order, for a difference of a $1.13?   SO much work, why?

I was able to complete a wedding dress yesterday up to the try on stage.  I will still have to finish the hem.  All the hand work is done.  Then I was able to get a really good start on another, which I will finish to a point today. I had some last-minute ref pants come in that I also completed last night.

Hubs works at the high school tonight, so he will have left over soup for dinner, and I will make him a BLT.  I am into those right now if you have not noticed.  I think it was the 3 months of no shopping and the cost of bacon, that has me just craving bacon with everything.

So I feel like I am ahead of the game next week, with two dresses ready for fittings, now if I can just get to a third.

today's list:

1. finish wedding dress I started yesterday to the try on point

2. hem two flower girl dresses

3. run to joanns for a zipper

4. start another wedding dress

5. alter a bridesmaid dress

6. alter a bridesmaid dress

7. pull out the taxes

8. do a one hour run through of the house.

9. clean shop again!

I don't now why I put clean shop on there, I think it is wishful thinking.  A girl can always dream right?

Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?  Like something that does not include taxes?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, Happy St. Patrick's day! Thrifty Thursday

 We had a lovely dinner with friends last night.  We had scheduled for today, but there was a conflict on our hosts part involving horses.  Only in Idaho.  Anyway, we ran over and had corned beef and cabbage.  It was lovely and then we played dominoes.  I had never played, and it was so fun.

They also had a pussy willow bush, and I was able to get some branches.  My mom always had pussy willows and daffodils in a vase in the spring.  As I now have the vase, I like to do the same.  Just a reminder of her and better times.

Time to switch out the St. Patty's and put out the Easter.  I think I will wait until Schmills is here as he loves that. 

I am going to do the potato and leek soup for dinner tonight as I didn't yesterday.

Did not get my list done yesterday, but as usual it was too long.  I always aim for the stars. 

St. Patrick's Day was such a busy time years ago.  Getting a sellout show open with up to 100 dancers.  Costumed and crazy.

I made over 50 of these suckers.  Full circle skirts.  SO much work, but great memories. St. Patrick's Day was a busy, hectic day, with the bagpiper's, the Irish band, and then on to the pub crawl. Do I miss it?  Yes, I miss the adrenaline, but not the stress of the work.  I miss the kids and teaching and the creative aspect, but again not the stress. Good times. Let's not even think about Christmas and the full-blown Nut crackers!

Thrifty Thursday!

1. saved all my spare change

2. saved all $5 bills, $40 this week total for year, $525

3. saved a $1, $5, $10, $20 in an envelope 

4. bought gas at the least expensive station, keeping vehicles full, to save on rising prices.

5. Cooked all meals but one from scratch, using what we had in pantry and freezers.

6. bought ice cream, with Albertson's app.  $2.49 limit 2 and then another was free with points.  So, three containers of Ice cream for a little over $5.00.

7. downloaded all receipts to fetch.

8. planted my own seedlings so I don't have to buy them for garden

9. When kids asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I always ask for garden center gift certificates to save on spring planting.

10.  Used coupons on Joanns for zippers, and things I needed.

11. worked at food banks came home with lettuce (now $4 a head here) two bags of romaine and two heads of leaf.  Also, prunes, pears, apples, potatoes.  They had to empty freezers and I was able to receive chicken strips, salad shrimp (can you believe that?), fish portions. Well worth working hard for a good cause for a few hours.  We bagged pallets, of onions and potatoes into 5 lb bags.

12.Used all leftovers and food scraps were fed to chicken's

13. Received a large free bag of bird seed for my birthday from a local hardware store.

Just had a gentleman call who needs ref pants shortened for tonight's game. Men are the worst for last minute.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

 

Wednesday, Okay stop already...

 Okay we all knew this was coming.  But now it is here, and Kim is declaring a Halt to all business in the shop.  She must catch up. All that whining a few weeks ago about not enough to do.  Sniff, shrug, sigh.... Now comes the season of Kim complaining about having too much to do.  Please feel free to unsubscribe from her trauma. I wish I had a button I could push.

Hubs is up with Oliver today and it was my job to feed the chickens as hubs got up late. I took out two pears that were past prime, and a piece of stale bread, one of Kelsa's half eaten apples.  Then collected 13 eggs.  The neighbors are starting to run from us. Too many eggs! But this does keep us supplied in egg cartons.

Kim is in protection mode now.  This morning I had a mother of a missionary call and ask if I would take a bunch of old very wide ties he had been given and make them narrower.  I do all missionary alterations free.  It is one less expense families have to face when getting a son or daughter out in the field. I asked her if he did not have enough ties?  She said no he had way more than he needed but he just liked these.  I told her no, nicely.  In my mind I was thinking.  I am not here to be taken advantage of, I am here to make your child functional, as in taken in pants, or shorten pants, make clothing fit not fashionable.  Was I right?  I just shake my head sometimes.

A man was in this morning with a 300-dollar fishing coat that the zipper was acting up on.  I looked it over carefully and determined that it was off track and the zipper head was too wide on one side to make a proper closure.  I needed my pliers and could not find them in the mess that is now my shop.  I know, I know I just cleaned it, ( I can feel Sissie smacking me right now). So in frustration I just used my teeth.  I told him this is what the Native American women did when they were out on buffalo hunts and could find their pliers.  Zipper worked fine, saving me the angst of replacing the darn thing.  I do this at least 5 times a week.  I never charge, I just say," Be gone peasant, Thou hast saved me the job of replacing the blasted thing."  Plus men when they are ready to go fishing always want the zipper replaced in less than an hour or 24 hours. Again this is part of protection mode.

Kim is protecting her time.  I have hired a  teenage girl who is home schooled and lives down the street, to come in on days that Kelsa is here. She will take her to the park, play outside, play with her and keep her out of the shop.  Daughter will pay the girl.  It works for me.  Kim is protecting herself.

Now I must make a list, I just feel a list is needed for my ADHD mind today.

1. fix outdoor pants

2. replace zipper in an outdoor coat

3. go to JOanns

4. hem two jeans and fix a stuffed animal's arm

5. mend and alter a pile of clothes

6. find staple gun and recover two chair pads

7. run with scissors

8. alter another wedding dress for a fitting

9. hem and fix straps on two flower girl dresses.

10. mend shirt

11. hem a pair of suit pants

12. alter a bridesmaid dress and steam

13. replace zipper in carhartt overall leg

There we will see if I can get through this. Shhh don't tell Sissie but I had two donuts for breakfast and there is a third one.  Asking if I should eat that?

Hubs dug all of last years leeks from the garden. (leeks need two seasons to grow).  I am making leek and potato soup for dinner yum! Leeks are do expensive and they have such good flavor.  I am excited.

Well I am off to go to Joanns to get a zipper and then into the salt mine I go.

After I eat this donut.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Tuesday, I thought Hub's retired?

 This is the image I saw in my head when hubs retired.  Today's schedule: Go to church to help a woman's group set up 10-12, get to a volunteer program to unload wheelchair ramps, 1-3, get to high school to set up and run tech for a parents meeting. 5:30 to 8? He gets to grab something to eat in between.

I had a bride at 11:00, a pickup at 1:00 I have to run a neighbor to a food bank at 1:30 , then another fitting at 4:00, then I work at a local food bank tonight at 6.  I hope to get some sewing in between trips.

Last night I did all the hand work on a wedding dress after Kelsa left. I was sewing until midnight.  It was a mermaid dress covered in lace that had to be taken in all the way down.  So lace had to be picked off the three layers underneath taken in and then all that lace hand sewn back on, it seemed to take forever.  But it is out of the shop and I have another I am going to work on hopefully before I leave.  I also have piles to do today.  Have to keep those piles done.

Weddings and wedding attire take up most of my time during the high season, but the piles are year round and I need them during slow times. They are my bread and butter.  Right now I have 6 bridesmaid dresses in the shop that need to be altered, so I am going to set aside a day for them.  Hopefully this week.

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning ( which I should have done Saturday).  But the house is mopped and vacuumed.  It will hold for another week. Plus Kelsa just follows me around, while I work.  Hubs did take her for two walks in the stroller yesterday, which she enjoys. And grandma enjoys having her out of the house.

Schmills picked out an apple pie with grandpa and when he got home form school he had pie. I had hubs pick up three items that were his that I had dry cleaned. One sport coat he wears to church quite often and two Filson wool vests he wears al the time in the winter.  It was almost $40.00.  But those vests are about $160.00 a piece and I was not going to try and hand wash them. I knew it would be high but even that shocked me.

I have quite a few red potatoes left over from dinner last night  and I am going to fry them with some bacon, onion, eggs, and cheese.  We called this pitti pan, or pity pan.  As every farm in Sweden had these ingredients. I actually love it. I will serve with home made bread from the freezer.

Well I am off to get a bride dress taken in for a fitting tomorrow.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Monday, Another chart!, Pie day! Pi day!

 Well with three wedding dresses going out last week, I completed another chart.  I was surprised.  But it is now catch-up season. As in the shop gets bombed and Kim spends the rest of the season trying to catch up!

 That is okay I will take it.  I have a trip to pay for and a wedding in St. Louis.  My Aunt in Minnesota seems to be going downhill and I am thinking of bringing her out here, where it is warmer.  She has always suffered from asthma. The cold affects it. She really needs to be in a warmer climate at least in the winter.  But all her kids and grandkids live in really cold climates.  At 87 I think some decisions just have to be made for her. Just one more thing to add to my already over burdened life.  But family is family.  Plus my father's ghost, will not be good to me if I let this ball drop.

Had a talk with Sis today about maybe, splitting the winters with Auntie at her place and my place. We will have to eventually do something. 

I had a great weekend.  I did not do some of the things I planned, but it was still nice and lazy.  I did not clean house at all and boy is it a catch up today. With laundry and such.  But that is okay. 

It was very warm and beautiful on Saturday.  I slept in and hubs and I pooped around the house and then went to the hardware store, where I got a large free bag of bird seed with my birthday coupon.  Then we came home and I planted my seedlings.  Hubs and I put out the portable greenhouse, and we also pulled grass from the rockery on a major strip behind the house.  

Then we took the dog for a long walk on the levy.  The first one of the year.  We didn't even wear coats. It was 65 and so lovely. We then walked across from the levy park where they have opened an eating place that is just trailers and tables.  All outside.  We had dinner.  Ordered Mexican and it was so good, and then had caramel bear claws for dessert.  Went to the pharmacy to put in orders for meds and I bought a couple of bunches of daffodils. It was a splurge.

My daffodils!  Kim in her overalls, wearing what makes me happiest. 

So, I got out of cooking Saturday, and Sunday after church I made homemade pancakes and eggs.  I took a good long nap Sunday afternoon, as daylight savings always kicks my butt. Daughter came by late in the afternoon with Schmills and Kelsa.  Daughter and I took another long walk on the levy, while grandpa watched the kids. Not as warm and nice as Saturday, but warm enough.

I kept Kelsa last night and she is here all day.  Hub's will pick up Schmills from school and they have been instructed to go a buy pie(s). It is National Pi day.  I know I should be making them, but this grandma has too much to do and Schmills will feel special getting pick out his own Pie.

Yum, pie! I am letting Schmills and Hubs choose, they are to surprise me.

So I have the last load of laundry in the dryer, and the other two loads that are dry are on the bed. I really need to get in the kitchen and do some wipe down and cleaning. Have no idea what is for dinner other than pie.

I need to do a general pick up and a good vacuum of the whole house, then get to some hand work on a wedding dress that was tried on this morning.

I open at 10 and by 11:30 there were 9 different people here.  So it is busy. Plus I have more fittings today. Makes me think I should have been a little more productive on the house this weekend.  Oh well.  You need to just do nothing once in a while. Found out one of the local proms is the 16th of April, which is good as I will not be gone then.  If all the prom are before I leave at the end of April, it will be a lot less stressful for me.

Hubs just got home with a sleeping Kelsa, so I am going to hurry and get some things done before se wakes. Then try and get this wedding dress done and another started.  Well maybe two more started wouldn't that be nice?  A girl can dream you know.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, Finally, Let's get some fun.

 Kim wants some fun.  She is going to get some. She is going to finish up a wedding dress, which just needs 5 bustling hooks and a trim on the tulle in front and that should not take long.  Bride is due in after 4 Then three pairs of pants to hem and a good start on another wedding dress and I am out of the shop today.

Of course, I do have the house to think about, but I want to go to the grocer and get a large tomato and some avocados.  Craving a blt again. Also need some cream cheese, ripe bananas if I can find them and some green chilis.  Need to get some more crisco also.  Kim's big grocery list.

I am planning on planting my seedlings today or tomorrow.  I am looking forward to that. Also want to do a run of the secondhand stores.  I need nothing but do crave the entertainment.

No real plans for the weekend.  So far have not been called by the kids for childcare duty.  Which come to think of it is a little weird. Need to check on Kelsa, as she was so sick last time, she was here which was Monday.

I have sewn very hard this week and there is no end in sight.  But right now I am calling  a halt to the work and I am just going to do the things I want to for a few days.  How does that sound?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Thursday, Thrifty Thursday

 It's Thrifty Thursday!  The day Kim blogs about all the ways she saves money throughout the week. This is boring and repetitive. Feel free to skip. 

I just want you to know it took about 3 hours for me to get through the piles yesterday and then I am almost done with a very hard wedding dress, which I will finish today and get onto the next very hard wedding dress.

I did treat myself last night by getting my nails done.  I also had to take some aleve in the afternoon to cull a backache brought on by sewing.  It worked and I was happy.

I really need to do some housework, but I am going to ignore the messes until at least two wedding dresses are ready for try on. 

Dinner tonight is fried cabbage, pork chops and homemade applesauce. Hubs actually heated up the last of the roast last night. I was going to scare up some dinner, but he arrived home from Oliver's at 4:30 and had to be at High school at 6:00, which did not give me time to cook with a bride coming in at 5.  I had a bowl of cereal for dinner.  Love it when that works out. It was a long day for Hubs. With an active 18-month-old all day and the then a High School play.

It is very cold here and I spent most of my day yesterday a little chilled.  I actually wrapped myself in my Sluggy donut blanket while I did hand work. We are supposed to be back to normal temps by the end of the week and I will not complain. Although the sun shone all day yesterday and it is also shining today.  Just beautiful out if you can stand the temperature.

Thrifty Thursday:

1. saved all my spare change

2. saved all 5 dollar bills now have $200, up from $150 last week total for year $485.

3.Filled my $1, $5,$10,$20 bill envelopes for the last 4 weeks.  I was behind but catching up.

4.put $1000 back into Hub's savings that I took out to down pay his new hearing aids.

5.Used coupons  at Joanns for sewing supplies

6. went to Wal mart to save money on sewing supplies, much cheaper than Jo anns

7.accepted food from neighbor who worked at a food bank and took home leftovers

8. downloaded all receipt's to fetch

9. cooked all meals from home except one

10. used pantry and freezer storage for most meals

11. cooked from scratch, crepes, biscuits, pancakes.

12. turned thermostat down 2 degrees once it warmed up, but now regretting it.

13. always looked for cheapest gas when filling car/truck

14. had kids bring diapers, wipes, formula to house rather than buying ourselves.

15. looked for sales in papers, nothing except cabbage at .49 a pound which I will go buy a few heads.

16. Ate all leftovers in fridge so no waste.

That is about it.  Yes boring but also saving.

I am off to get some wedding dresses done.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Wednesday, Another chart!

Onto # 4.  After I delivered the skirts yesterday, I came home a started on a Mother of the bride dress, that was a killer.  All the over lace had to be picked off and then the dress taken in and the lace resewn by hand back onto the dress.  It was painstaking work, let me tell you. Took the wind right out of my sails. 

All the plans I had for piling through the piles went out the window.  SO today I am faced with the piles and a very bad case of the I don't want to's.

I have no excuse as Hubs is up at Oliver's and I have the house to myself' and no interruptions except the door and the phone. 

DO you ever have a load of work and just not enough want to to do it?  When you work for yourself you have to be very disciplined. My discipliner( made up word) seems to have broken. Another diet coke is not going to help. Might have to call the Sissie to get her to yell at me over the phone.

Okay I am making a list and it is going to be a short one as Sluggy says my lists are too long.

1. go into shop

2. sit down at machine

3. do something

4. do anything

I don't think this is working for me.  How about you? Is it working for you?

Let's try this again.

1. hem three pairs of pants

2. hem 3pairs of jeans, and two tops

3. hem a dress

4. hem 2 dresses

5. hem another dress

6. fix some outdoor pants

7. put 13 patches on a leather vest

Okay if I can get this done in the next few hours I can start on the hand work for a wedding dress.  Yippee!

That is my reward for getting the list done.  I get to work on a wedding dress.

No wonder my desire to work is gone.  Now if I had a hot fudge sundae or a doughnut at the the end of the pile....

If Sluggy were here, she would make sure I had a doughnut.  Sissie would just holler at me. 

Okay I am going to stomp into my shop. Stomping in protest will make me feel better. 

Stomping now.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim who is stomping.

 

 

 

Tuesday, I finished!

I wish I could run again.  I loved running. 

I finished the skirts, at 12:30 last night.  Well, I still had elastic to put into 5 of them, but I saved that until morning. I am a night owl so staying up that late did not bother me at all.  I took a hot bath and was in bed by 1.

It was a marathon, and I am glad it is over.  I used to sew like this all the time when I was costuming.  You would take a mockup into a director, and they would approve and then say I want 12 of those. I loved one of a kind not 12 of a kind, but I did that for years.  Just different sizes.

I would sew for 15 hours straight no problem. Now, I am hurting at 4 hours. I am sure it is age and my arthritis that does not allow me those long sessions at the machine.  Remember when I went to daughters and did 12 boned dance bodices, with full skirts, for a Dega dance piece?  I sewed all week for hours of the day and then I told her never again.  Luckily those costumes are very easy to alter (I made them that way) and they have been used repeatedly.  But again, I say NEVER AGAIN!

I delivered the 14 skirts, and the owner was thrilled.  I had 4 pieces of material that had a remnant on them.  I made those 4 remnants into little skirts for toddlers.  So, like a mother/daughter skirt set. I did not want to waste the material and they went together fast.  She did ask me to make more, but I told her to sell these first and then contact me. I might be in for another marathon next month if it pays Hub's $500.00 hearing aid bill.

I laughed at hubs this morning, as he was trying to fit things into his schedule.  He was on the run.  Going from, hearing aid adjustment appointment, to school to check a stage, then to the church to be the watchman for an activity, then back to district office, to turn in his time sheet.  All before noon. I told him he should retire as he is so busy.  

Hubs and I went to Wal-mart last night, so I could get bridal buttons, elastic, and interfacing.  We also picked up what I needed for starting all the seedlings for the garden. I hope to get that done this weekend. It is not warm enough yet to put out the portable green house.  In fact, we are supposed to have another cold snap tomorrow.  Hubs is out putting the heater on the chicken's water and draining the hoses. But I think this will be the last freeze. Or I hope it will be the last.

Well, I have a long list of alterations to get done before I start on hand work for wedding dresses.

First, I am going to get my savings envelopes done. I don't want to accidently spend the money. I ran to Albertson's today when I was out doing errands.  I wanted to get a package of Au Jus mix to make French dips with left over roast. A one-use package was $2.09 for a package that made 1 cup of Au Jus.  I said forget that.  I went two blocks to a restaurant supply store and bought a bag of au jus mix for $4.96 that will make 3 quarts.  Not that I will ever make that much, but it won't go bad, and I will use it for other things.

Sissie and I were also discussing bread going stale in our freezers.  Yes, these are the things we discuss along with world peace.  She and I both discovered that we would buy a bag of hot dog, Hamberger, or sandwich rolls, use 2 or three and then freeze the rest, only to have them get freezer burned and we then throw them out.  I love buns and rolls fresh baked that you can buy individually but refuse to pay the cost of .69-.89 a roll.  Now these are really so much better than the bagged rolls.  But you get 8 rolls in a bag much cheaper per roll.  Then you use 2-3 and freezer burn the rest.  So, we are now purchasing 2-3 rolls when we make special sandwiches. It might not be the most frugal thing, but it does make more sense.  Plus, the sandwiches are so yummy. We are worth it.

Do you ever pay more for something, that you could get in bulk cheaper, to keep from wasting?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Back to the Salt mines I go.

Kim

Monday, Kim's doings

Is this Monday? It was a hectic weekend.  Both Kelsa and Schmills have that foot, hand and mouth virus. It is a miserable virus, all kids go through, and it is rampant here right now. 

I took Kelsa Friday night so daughter could catch up on sleep and she was a bugger.  She has cold sores on her lips, and I know she was miserable. But having her, put me behind for weekend plans.  After daughter picked her up it was run to catch up and I did not get done what I wanted, but alas I always over plan.

We had the missionaries here for dinner. I did a large pot-roast with mashed potatoes, carrots, homemade biscuits and salad.  They requested crepes for dessert.  We have leftovers, so no cooking today.

I did get the house cleaned and the laundry done, but not as much sewing as I would like.

I need to get savings envelopes done and get my book work completed, but I am going to finish a sewing project first.

I am making ribbon skirts for a shop downtown.  I told her I would give her so much of my time and that is it.  This will bring in more than enough to pay Hub's hearing aid bill this month.  SO, I felt it was worth it.  It is easy assembly line stuff.

Ribbon skirts.  I have done them before.  They are easy and mindless.  I will get these done today and then have that out of the shop and onto the next thing.

I do have two wedding dresses that I need to get ready for fittings tomorrow, but they should not take long.  I also have another mother of the bride dress to get done before tomorrow.  So it is a busy day and I am glad I don't have to cook dinner, that will save me an hour and 1/2.

I still have not gone to Joanns or Walmart to get sewing supplies that I needed Friday. Maybe later this afternoon, I can run out, but who knows?

Wedding dresses are coming in like crazy, so I need to keep them going out. I hope to get 3 out this week maybe 4.  This is on top of all the other alterations that have come in.  I am blessed.  I think?

I was able to get the $300.00 tax sinking fund for last month and this month put in the bank last week.  SO I was happy with that. If I can get Hub's hearing aids paid for, I will be able to catch up and maybe get ahead.

The Nez Perce Store wanted 50 ribbon skirts and I told her I would do 10.  Then I would see where I was in the shop.  I am not going to drive myself crazy.  Kim a couple of years ago would have signed the contract.  But no more.  There are only so many parts of me and so much time.  See I am learning.  I think.

Gas is over $4.00 a gallon here, but I did score a few good buys on meat this last weekend.  I was able to get really nice beef roasts for $3.45 a pound. We just have to find different ways to save and keep going.  But all of us are so truly blessed.

You know I watch/listen to vlogs while I am sewing and I see these women putting 3 different kinds of products into their laundry.  A detergent, a softener, and smelly good beads.  Is that all necessary? All I can think of is how expensive those products are.  Then there is the clean the bathroom, with wipes, and a wand that has a disposable head for cleaning the toilet.  What happened to rubber gloves and ajax? Also using paper towel for every single thing you do in the kitchen.  Wipe the counter after spraying it with 2 products, washing, and then drying it off with paper towel. Paper towel after paper towel used to clean a kitchen.  I use a dry towel.  Am I weird?  Does everyone use all these products?  

Is it just that I am frugal that this seems excessive to me?  Just thoughts that run through my head as I am such a deep thinker.

Well I am off to sew ribbons and then more ribbons,  Wish my luck.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim

Friday, Busy with blessings

 It has been a busy week and continues to get busier.  I had another wedding dress come in yesterday plus a ton of alterations. I did get three things done on my projects list, they were little and easy but now are out of the shop.  Hallelujah! 

I have a wedding dress hanging ready for pickup and also a bridesmaid dress. They are coming about 4 to pick these up and I also have another bride dress coming in.

There are three wedding dresses ready for fittings for next week and I hope to get them out by the end of the week.

The neighbor worked at the food bank this morning and came over with two big boxes of produce. Celery and onions which I needed.  Also cauliflower, carrots, peppers, beautiful red pears, apples,2 pounds of cheese, lettuce,cherry tomatoes, oranges. 

So I am redoing my menu to include those things. I am so blessed.  Went to  Albertson's last night after teaching and bought burger at $2.99 a pound, and two large packages of bacon.  There is another store that has thick sliced bacon for $3.99 a pound no limit and I might hit that up today if I have time.

I am craving Blt's with avocado.  Just sounds so good to me right now. I need to run to Joanns for some interfacing. I also have other errands to run.  Will have to squeeze this in after my 2:30 bridal.

Right now I am going to put together a couple of Nezperce Indian ribbon skirts.

Are you counting your blessings?  I know I am.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

 

Kim

Thursday, I am sore, savings catch up!

 This was me when hubs got home last night.  Even though I had defrosted chicken for dinner, I told him we were going to get a sandwich.  I was done.  I know I said at least three times on the way down to Jimmy Johns that my back was killing me.  It was throbbing.  All that bending over made me pay a price. I was $275.00 richer, and I could afford the $18.00 for a couple of sandwiches.

I also had not eaten more than a handful of potato chips, I was starving.  If I get busy, I often forget to eat.  Not a good habit as it leads to low blood sugar.

I dropped off bills that needed to be mailed and then took others to respective locations to save on stamps.  All bills are paid, and I think this month will be better financially.  I might even catch up.

 

It is Schmill's birthday today!  I cannot believe he is 6. We will celebrate tomorrow with family. Me loves this boy.

It is also my mom's birthday and boy do I miss her today.  She was such a pain at the end, but I remember how stinking funny she was.  She could make us laugh.

Hubs and I took a load of things to the dump, that I did not think were worth saving.  When we moved here, I tried to downsize, but I had loads of things I did not need to hold onto.  I piled things in the front room in categories to sell and then decided to just donate the lot to different places.  The sewing things will go to Goodwill to bless them and others. The jewels and beads and trinkets will go to a home school art site. The dresses will go to a resale site run by a woman who has MS.  You can make money there, but I will donate it back to her. 

I am going to load all this into the car and take it later today and also drop off a box to mail to my brothers' girls. 

The pile on the ironing board is the beginning of today's work. I made a list of several things that I need to get done for family and friends.  I am going to try and get at least 4 of these done a week, so I can get extra stuff out of my shop.  I need room.  Another wedding dress came in yesterday and I have one due in today and tomorrow.  We have now reached the point in the season where more will come in weekly than I can get out, so I really need to stay on top of things. I am blessed.

A hallway you can walk down.  This was completely blocked last night. Now I just have to keep up   Sissie says I need to clean up every night, but I am not sure I am that disciplined. Right now, I am just excited to be able to sew in a decent environment.  I found my bridal cording that I had lost and also my zipper foot which went rogue last week.   Broke out my last set of new scissors as I could not find any scissors.   I am stoked.

So, let's talk money as in Kim's savings plans.  I have not had a post for almost a month, with being out of town and sick on my Thursday post days.  It was also a sick month for saving challenges.  I have rethought my strategy and have switched it up a bit.

I was taking all my 5's and putting then on the house. That is not going to continue happening.  I was paying an extra $1000 to the house loan and that is not going to happen for a while.  I was saving $100 a week in my 100 envelope challenge.  I have not been able to do that for three weeks, but I do plan on catching up. I will not be putting this extra money on the mortgage for a while.  I have caught up on the $1,$5,$10,$20 challenge and I will continue to do this for now.  

Both Sissie and Slug's (she was nice about it, as in no bruises that show) both told me I was making myself crazy and I do this every year at this time.  I start out fast and then start to falter as the first quarter of the year is always my hardest financial time. I need to earmark extra funds to other sources and then get to the house later in the year after I stabilize.

So here goes the new for now plan.

Put the $1000 you borrowed from Hub's savings back.  That is going back this afternoon. Next month put the $1000 in your emergency fund that you depleted at the baby's funeral. Here I chastised Rhitter for no emergency fund for her car repairs and I didn't have one either.  Bad, bad, Kim. That 100-envelope challenge, I can do as soon as all my bills are paid, not before. I am sure I will catch up here now that we are going into busy season.  But I am going to do what makes sense.  Not Kim sense.

Thrifty Thursdays:  OR savings for the last three weeks

1.saved all my change in my coca cola bank

2. saved all my 5's now have $150 for the last three weeks or a total of $435 for the year. This $150 is just going to stay here for now and might be used for my trip to St. Louis for niece's wedding coming up the end of April.

3. Saved a penny a day in my penny can. $25.08 for the month

4. saved a $1,$5,$10,$20 bill ever week.

5. Ate out of freezers and pantry as much as possible.

6. always looked for the least expensive place to get gas.

7. used up berries that would have gone bad to make jam

8. used scraps from wedding box to fix other dresses and made extra money

9. used coupons at Joanns

10. downloaded all receipts to fetch

11. tried to cook treats from scratch for goodies around the house.

12. Picked up steppingstones for pathways in yard from Facebook marketplace saving $200 over retail.

13. found good sales on different clothing items for brother's two little girls while I was in Twin Falls.  I will mail them each three new outfits today.

14. Found a total of .26 over the last three weeks in change!

15. found $275.00 while cleaning the shop, it pays to clean folks

16. Found an old huskavarna machine deep in closet and I remembered it was in good shape, but the foot petal had gone bad.  Just ordered a foot pedal for $22.80 and it will be a great spare machine, or I can give it away to someone who needs it.

 

With everything that is going on in Ukraine I have decided to quit complaining about the price of gas and of groceries.  Yes. they are going to continue going up.  Yes, I will continue to try and find ways to save money. I will do all my normal things. 

When we go get gas, we have gas.  We can buy it.  We may not like the price, but we are free to go get the gas in a safe country, this is a blessing the Ukrainians don't have.

Groceries are high now and will continue to go up.  But we have food.  We can choose to buy it or not. We have something to buy.  They do not.  Neither do the Russian people who were forced into this by their leader. Shelves are empty.

We are all paying a price for this war.  We are paying a price for their freedom and for me it is worth the price for the blessings I have.

I have enough, I have more than enough. Prayers for these people and the Russian people who live under the imposed sanctions brought on by this war.

No more complaining, just counting my blessings.

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim