Yes, I am cheap.

One of my favorite things is planning our menu. It is fun because I plan our leftovers. They are either used in a meal the same week or I can /freeze so I can use it up during the next year.

 

 When I bake a ham for "Feast" we have a leftover mean, then ham and bean soup and I have enough for 2 meals during the week and still can put up 5-6 jars for my pantry. 

 

 

Baking a chicken gives us a "Feast" meal, a leftover meal, Chicken and Dumplings or noodles, and still I can put up 3-4 jars of chicken soup for use during the next year.

 

A standard Pot Roast meal can be used later for Hot Beef Sandwiches, Beef Stew, and Chili to can.

When you plan your menu with the idea of using leftovers you end up saving money in the long run. Even if all you do is turn it into lunch meat you will save money.

Super Bowl Sunday

I missed last week but there wasn't much to post so I don't feel too bad.

This week I have finished my slouch hat and cowl and want to put them here.

I also picked up my "new" treadle sewing machine.  I paid for it last November, but ran into a few problems in being able to get it.  Mostly, between having the septic freeze up while we were gone in November, and having to have my brake master cylinder replaced (which meant I had no rig), I didn't get to get the machine until this week.

When I called about picking it up, the clerk told me that she didn't remember me paying for it so it was sold, but she had another left (she had received 5 as trade-in on a new embroidery machine in November) and would let me have that one.  I wasn't sure but decided to go look at it.  I guess that I was supposed to have this Gritzner because I felt the easy action of the wheel on the machine itself and the absolutely beautiful balance and smooth action of the treadle wheel and pedal and fell in love.

I believe I did get a better deal because, the sewing shop had been run into by a car and bent the wall.  Both of the treadle machines (the first one I paid for and the one I actually got) were thrown over and had damage.  The pictures of the one I had paid for were pretty bad.  But the reason the person took it was because the table on the Gritzner had been knocked completely loose and the machine had to be removed.  When I first saw the Gritzner, the sewing machine had been removed and the table was upside down.

Notice the small hole on the right side of the table base?  We filled it with glue and toothpicks so we will be screwing into something that is more solid.  The only original part missing is one of the 8 screws for the 4 metal pieces that hold the table on.

We are waiting for the glue to dry so we can put the tabletop back on.

This is the underside of the tabletop.  The two black pieces on the left of the hole are the hinges that keep the sewing machine from falling through the hole.  I can hardly wait to start using it.  I know that the machine works because I ran a couple of stitches through it by turning the wheel on the machine.

I believe that this machine is from the 1920's but I have no proof.  The only thing that I have found on this machine are the letters "VG" and 345621.

The site http://fiddlebase.jimdo.com/german-machines/gritzner/gritzner-by-serial-numbers/ has a list of Gretzner machines and the numbers seem place it between 1920 and 1925.  Again, no proof.

January 24, 2016

For this past couple of weeks I have completed a really simple hood that I can tuck inside my winter coat.  I tend toward earaches and covering up my whole head helps to prevent that.  Anyway, the pictures of it follow.

This is a very simple knit piece done in a long piece with a seam up the back.

Since I don't reverse my work when I knit it is rather difficult to explain how I made this.

Simply decide how wide you want each side, I used 58 stitches.  

The first three rows were in garter stitch, knit 1 row, perl 1 row, knit 1 row.  

Row 4 is perl 2 stitches, knit 2 stitches, repeat until the end with 2 perl stitches ending.

Row 5 is all knit.

The rest of the rows are 4 and 5 for as long as you want it.

The last three rows are knit, perl, and knit.

Sew up the back and you are done.

I also managed to make a doily and a couple of coasters for one of the grandkids hopeless chests.

Last Friday I shipped off the slouch hat for my daughters birthday.  I also shipped the hat/basket that was the first one I made.

This is the slouch hat and the Mad Hatter Basket follows.

My next project is as follows:

I hope to use up my leftover #10 thread in assorted colors.

Last week I completed only a few projects.

I made a crochet table mat with two coasters for one of the hope chests:

They haven't been blocked yet but that is the next step.

I am now finishing a pair of pillowcases for Christmas 2016.

And I have finished a pair of pillowcases for my aunt.

Pillows that came with the cross stitch pattern already on them.

This is the detail for the crochet edging.  An old pattern from the late 1800's.

I am also working on a knit hood that is made in a long panel, folded in half lengthwise and sewn up the back.

Have to go get my treadle sewing machine.

Ta-Ta for now.

THE MAGIC BANK ACCOUNT
THE AUTHOR IS NOT KNOWN. IT WAS FOUND IN THE BILLFOLD OF COACH PAUL BEAR BRYANT, ALABAMA, AFTER HE DIED IN 1982
The Magic Bank Account
Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has rules:
The set of rules:
1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
3. You may only spend it.
4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.
5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,“Game Over!". It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?
ACTUALLY, This GAME is REAL ...
Shocked ??? YES!
Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can't seem to see it.
The PRIZE is *TIME*
1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds
as a gift of life.
2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is Not credited to us.
3. What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.
4. Yesterday is forever gone.
5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can close your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING...
SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!
Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start “spending”....
Have a blessed and happy new year.

Today is the first Sunday of 2016, January 3 and I am starting everything fresh.

I have set up my planner for the year and decided what I hope to accomplish personally and for others.

I don't believe in "New Year Resolutions" because they set you up for failure.  After all, a goal without a plan is just a wish.  so I set up my plan.

Personally, I plan to grow as a human and in spirit.  Enough said about that.

Helping others includes my family and some volunteer work when I figure out what I want to volunteer for.  I will be adding to this weekly so will record what I decide and what I actually do.

For the grandkids Hope Chests I have several projects in my planner...Christmas linens, bedding, etc. along with cookware, flatware, and the like.  Even if they never get married they will still have the necessary items to set up their own homes.  Even my grandsons, because EVERYONE should be able to take care of themselves.

I will put up pictures of my projects as I get to them.  I will include directions as well as the finished projects.

Currently I am working on table runners and placemats for Christmas.  This is what they are supposed to look like when I am finished.

These are the directions from "The Great Christmas Crochet Book" published in 1981.

This is where I am on the table runner.

I am also going to crochet a slouch hat for one of my daughters' birthday.  I will also post that when I get the yarn and begin it.

The planner that I have decided to use is found at - http://www.theconfidentmom.com/weekly-household-planner/.  I have printed it out and am using a 3" pressboard binder as my cover.  I have several of them and use them for many projects, including my pantry inventory, my library inventory (we have over 1,000 books), my preparation information as well as miscellaneous other books and projects. Being organized really helps keep you on track and that is one of my major plans for this year; to stay on track.

Next week I will have created a more organized layout for this. 

I'm BAACK

Been trying to get stuff done in my house.  Cleaning, sorting, finding space for some of the foodstuffs that I am trying to have on hand for when the grandkids come to visit.  

I did got a GREAT birthday gift from my husband.  It is a lamp that has a magnifier and clamp to hold directions.  It is from Joann's and I love it.  I can finally see my counted cross stitch.

The stand that holds my frame is one my husband made for me so I can sit in a good chair and have my work in a convenient location.  Gotta love a Handy Man.

'

As you can see, I have done a little bit more on my wolf family.  One of these days I will get it done.

Well, that is all for now.