Tomorrow is the last day of school for B and as with many things in my life, I have procrastinated on an end-of-year teacher gift. I had many ideas but nothing that I ever started on. I could’ve run out and bought something but I couldn’t think of anything to get; I wanted something meaningful that wouldn’t get lost in the slew of other gifts. I opted for a simple card with a heartfelt handwritten note thanking B’s teacher for the past year. B wrote his teacher’s name at the top (I love watching him write!) and his name at the bottom, drawing a box in the middle of the card with a heart inside the box. He wanted to write a message too and instructed me to write "I love that you were being my special teacher," and "We made you some jam." My note went on the left-hand leaf of the card and I guess it passed the test because after he asked me to read what I had written, he said, "That was nice."

The other day I picked a bunch of rhubarb from the garden and today I turned that into Blueberry-Rhubarb jam along with making some Carrot Cake jam. I’ve tasted both and nothing beats homemade jam! A jar of the carrot jam will be accompanying the card to school tomorrow with B. Lastly, a pot of applesauce has rounded out the day for me. I’ve just finished putting that into jars. The day yielded seven jars of each type of jam and six pint jars of applesauce. I love how it all looks on my cold storage (more like just cool storage) shelves!

The difference in before and after is amazing! I was surprised, impressed, and excited to have conquered my fear of using a carpet cleaning machine.

Almost two years ago when I moved into this house, I replaced the raspberry sherbet carpet in the living room with a neutral beige-ish one, knowing it would be potentially difficult to keep clean even though we don’t wear our shoes in the house. The carpet actually held up a little better than I had expected but the traffic path from the kitchen was looking a little used. There were spots and splatters which I apparently didn’t do as good of a job cleaning as they happened as I had thought. Now? Now the whole carpet is like new both in look and feel; I love walking on it in my bare feet and feel like curling my toes into it (if the pile were longer).

A few weeks back I had been talking with a co-worker of mine and mentioned that I needed to clean the carpet before I replace it with laminate as my boyfriend is going to take it to replace his living room carpet provided mine fits in his space. She mentioned she had a Bissell cleaner (a Bissell Pro Heat), new in the box, and I was welcome to borrow it. Yesterday I picked it up and within a couple of hours my carpet was clean and beginning to dry.

Tightwad Tuesday for me this week is about saving money by a) cleaning my own carpet and b) borrowing (free!) a cleaner. It can’t get much cheaper than that. She even threw in a jug of the cleaning solution. I wish I had before and after pictures.

There are more frugal tips over at beingfrugal.net so scootch on over there and check them out.

It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve participated in Tightwad Tuesday and I have two things to post today, both of which were also accomplished today and one of which fits into my kitchen Make It Instead challenge.

You can see the empty spaces in the forefront where the resident chipmunk killed the seedlings
when they were just above the surface. I’ve re-planted those seeds.

This afternoon after another trip out to the garden to pull the few weeds that have popped up, I decided that it was time I had markers placed so I wouldn’t have to try and go by memory anymore or consult my layout on paper. Rather than go out and buy plant markers (which doesn’t make sense to me), I gathered up simple popsicles sticks, a Sharpie marker, my layout chart, added five minutes of my time and the garden is now labeled and so much easier to keep tabs on. Now, if only that chipmunk was so easily taken care of. I have a strong suspicion that he’s eaten at least some of my corn. I’m undecided as to whether I should let the remaining ones sprout so I know where to plant the new ones or if I should just go ahead and replant and pull out any doubles.

That pita bread recipe that I’ve been wanting to try also got printed out today and baked; we had tuna melts for supper tonight as I didn’t go in to work and so B was at home with me. 

These turned out pretty well. The unbaked dough was saltier than the finished product but next time I’ll reduce the salt. The next time I make these I think I’ll also make seven instead of eight. The recipe calls for eight wedges rolled into balls and then each rolled out to a six-inch circle about 3/16-inch thick. My eight were six inches in diameter (I used a ruler) but only 1/8-inch thick at best. They only puffed moderately in the oven and half didn’t puff at all. I don’t know how they’ll work as pitas yet since we just used two tonight at flatbread. Instead of two-and-a-half cups of all-purpose flour, I used one-and-a-half and then a half-cup each of whole wheat and multigrain flours. Again, next time I’ll reduce the white flour and increase one or both of the others. All in all, a great recipe and very simple to make.

I’ll be checking out beingfrugal.net for more Tightwad Tuesday ideas…

Actually, I’m not sure on the $3000 being completely accurate but I wouldn’t doubt it. What is the cost of siding a house these days? My house is small, approximately 790 square feet but even if it were to cost $2000 (totally guessing on both numbers), that’s 2k that I really don’t have to give away like that. Instead, I spent roughly $34 each for two gallons of paint, a few dollars for a tube of paintable exterior caulking, and a few dollars for rollers and brushes. The "hired" help is free as far as cash goes but I’m told I’ll have to pay in kisses. And, poor man, since our schedules are so completely incompatible to even seeing each other, that’s what he’ll have to settle for. The schedule thing is frustrating because it does not lend itself to family life. We would love to get the kids together more often, get us all together more often, do things as a family - the family we want to become - but nine times out of 10 it seems that if I have a night off, he’s working, or vice versa. He and I get more opportunities to see each other (but not many) than the kids do but that’s because we sometimes have days off together during the week while the kids are in school. B sees my boyfriend so much more than I see E, my boyfriend’s daughter, because B is only in school every other day this year. I’m digressing though. Back to the spending to save.

This is my house. The back of it. My very own, bought-it-myself, goal-achieved house.

Yes, that is how the sky colour was straight out of the camera. Matches my recycling box.

I really dislike that colour of siding. The house was built in 1950 or 1952 and the siding, while not as old as the house, makes it look tired. It was a pale, pale green to begin with but it’s faded even paler and just looks old and worn out. It doesn’t help that I associate this shade to old homes because of one particular area in town with older houses in the colour. I dislike the colour of the siding and all the scuffs on it however I do not have a few thousand dollars to give to someone to install new siding for me. And, equally important to me, I do not plan to be living in this house for many more years. A few years, maybe, yes, but not more than that. When my boyfriend and I marry, this house will be sold. Due to the market at the time that I purchased this house (in July 2007), I paid nearly twice for it than the girl that I bought it from did only a few years previous. It is still very much a buyer’s market two years later. The roof may need to be done before I sell but beyond that I cannot afford to put money into a house that will not benefit from it in a sale. Already the basement has been re-done, the kitchen expanded and re-arranged, and soon the upper level will have new floor coverings. The bathroom is also on the agenda as it is completely tiled and ugly and tiny and I think it would do it a world of good to see some drywall and paint, especially considering it is the only bathroom in the house. There are many other things that I would like to do - build a deck above that brick patio, re-do the eavestroughing and soffits, replace the weeping tile, re-surface the driveway, and put new ceiling tile throughout the downstairs, to name just a few, but it’s not feasible to do all of that.

Siding, however, I can do. The siding is in pretty fair shape so it’s just a colour change that is needed.

Not new siding, mind you, just a new colour. Paint, to be exact. A couple of weeks ago I was moaning about how I should just paint it instead of replacing it and was told that you could not paint vinyl siding.  Then, a few nights later at work, I was talking with one of the guys and he mentioned that he had painted his house last summer and it did wonders for the house and it’s held up just fine. I took myself over to Home Depot, picked up the same kind of paint he used (which mentions vinyl and siding on the label, among other surfaces), and so far we have one coat on the back of the house, not including the porch. It looks amazing! What a difference! Today took a little longer to get started on painting that I had hoped but we pressure-washed the house, did a bit of caulking, and unfastened a few downspouts. Tomorrow we will paint, hopefully, at least the two side walls of the house. Once everything is done, we will put on a second coat as well as paint as least some of the white trim to brighten it up; the trim around the newest windows should still be okay. I cannot wait to see the house completed. I’m amazed at how much it changes the look and takes years off its appearance just with the little bit we’ve done already.

So, we’ll see how it goes. If it completely flops, then I’m only out the $100, and if it works I’ve saved myself thousands. That’s a crazy good deal if you ask me.

Back in April, I blogged about my personal Make It Instead challenge. I’m happy to report that it was a success and that I’m carrying it over into May as well. I’m enjoying the feeling that comes with not buying certain foods just for the sake of convenience. I’m finding that at the grocery store I am more and more shocked at prices that only a few short months ago, I was more than willing to pay. One of the main reasons for my challenge was because I’m finding it hard to find foods that B can have with his no food additives "diet" and also because the things I find that he can have seem to cost an arm and a leg. I’m fine with paying more for certain things but others, like the things that I can make at home, I’m not so keen to shell out for.

Later this week or early next week I expect to make hamburger buns and hamburger patties. This week, however, I am making granola bars and possibly pita bread. The boy who made this cute little craft at school needs some lunchbox eats and granola bars fit the bill.

I’ve blogged before about the recipe I use. I found it over at quietfish. Tonight I used orange pulp (from juiced oranges) which I had puréed, papaya leftover and frozen from muffins a few weeks ago, and a few tablespoons of homemade applesauce to top it all up to 1/2 cup; I used that in place of the oil called for in the recipe. I put in the last handful of carob chips, chopped up some dates, threw in some raisins and dried currants, pumpin seeds, and some of the dried cranberries that I dehydrated a week or so ago. I also added in the extra 1/2 cup of oatmeal mentioned in the recipe as well as an additional 1/2 cup due to the liquidy ingredients being slightly over one cup but I think I could have left the last extra bit out. The granola bars look and taste fine but they didn’t need the extra oatmeal.

Pressed into the pan and ready to bake.

Kashi is the only brand I’ve found at my regular grocery store that is on B’s "list", but at roughly $3.50 to $4.00 a box for six granola bars, if I buy two boxes a month in order to put one in his lunch at school on occasion, I’ll be spending upwards of $96 a year on granola bars. (I included the summer months because he will be going to daycare for several days a month once school is out.) The ones I whipped up in my kitchen tonight cost me a fraction of that. I have not figured out the actual cost of making a pan of bars but seeing as I get 14 to 16 bars out of each pan, I know that it is nowhere near the cost of Kashi bars. (Please note that I do understand there are cheaper options than Kashi but B is not able to eat those nor am I impressed with the ingredients listed and their lack of nutritional value.)

Give it a try. Take just one item that you normally buy and that you know you could make yourself. Whether it’s granola bars, bread, yogourt, crackers, pizza, or any number of other things, ignore the extra bit of time it would take to make it (these granola bars take me 10 minutes to mix up at the very most and 25 minutes to bake) and think of a) the money that will be saved and b) the elimination of all those unnecessary additives like articial colours and flavours and all those unpronouncable preservatives.

Head over to beingfrugal.net for more Tightwad Tuesday postings.

I remember how much it made sense when I heard that the more you shampoo your hair, the more you need to shampoo it. Even with moisturizing shampoos you are stripping the natural oils so much that your hair works overtime to make up for it, resulting in the "I just washed my hair this morning so why does it feel so gross?" phenomenon. A couple of years ago I decided to try the No ‘Poo method and stop using shampoo altogether. I absolutely loved the results - soft, silky hair that I could run my fingers through at any time of the day or night and never hit a tangle or snag. My hair at the time was around the top of my shoulder blades and, as it has always been except for perming, poker straight and very thick. For some reason that I can’t remember, I quit the no ‘poo method and reverted to shampoo and conditioner. In the past two weeks, however, I’ve jumped on the shampoo-less bandwagon again. My hair is currently very short (think pixie-ish) and still very thick.

Using the No ‘Poo method saves almost a literal ton of money. You probably have baking soda at home as well as apple cider vinegar. And even if you just have regular vinegar (or lemon juice even), you can still do it. How much does a jug of vinegar and a box of baking soda cost? The amount you use each time to wash your hair is going to vary depending on what your hair prefers but I can guarantee that it’s going to be massively cheaper than a bottle of shampoo and conditioner. And it’s far more natural too. 

If you’re new to No ‘Poo, you may want to read this page for an overview as well as tips. The procedure itself is incredibly simple though it will vary from person to person as hair is different from one person to the next. My "tools" consist of a squirt bottle (it used to contain agave nectar) that I fill with water and a tablespoon and a bit of baking soda, a bottle of apple cider vinegar, and a cup  for mixing the water and vinegar. My procedure consists of wetting my hair thoroughly, squirting on my scalp some of the soda/water mixture (shaking the bottle well first; you’ll notice the settling of the soda in the picture above) until I feel like I have enough (very scientific, I know). I then massage my head and hair well. With my short hair, this isn’t difficult at all. When my hair was longer, I used to squirt the soda/water onto my hair instead of my scalp and then use my hair to massage my head. After I’ve even distributed the mix around, I rinse my hair again with plain water before taking the cup, which I’ve filled with about 3/4 of an inch of vinegar topped up with water, and slowly pouring it over my head, gently working it all over with my other hand. I then rinse out the vinegar, dry my hair, and I’m good to go. There is a decent amount of vinegar smell while my hair is wet but once it dries it’s gone. I think. My hair is too short to stick under my nose to check but I’ve had no complaints from either my son or my boyfriend.

I’m hoping to stick this no ‘poo method out. I see no reason to return to shampoo though I do still have 3/4 of a one-litre bottle of Tresemmé in my shower. Maybe I’ll use that as bodywash? Or maybe not. I’m loving my emu oil soap and hoping to make my own (non-emu) soap in the near future.

Give no ‘poo a try. What have you got to lose?

It’s Tuesday again and time for another edition of Tightwad Tuesday brought to you by beingfrugal.net. My tip today is a simple one yet it’s one that the me who existed two or three years ago would not have used: use more of your food than you already are.

My example for today (because I’ve just made a batch of muffins) is to use the pulp from fruit that you have juiced. Or use the fruit or vegetables that have been half eaten. In the case of it being bitten into, cut away the bites and put aside the rest for future use, whether you use it that same day or freeze it for another day. Kids are notorious for taking two bites of something and declaring that they are done. Toss those bananas in the freezer and save them for muffins. Save and then puree leftover vegetables to add to spaghetti sauce, whether homemade or not. Freeze them in ice cube trays and then pop them into a zip lock bag or non-disposable container if you need smaller portions.

I’ve also taken to saving the water from many of the vegetables I cook. When I pureed up some frozen broccoli and cauliflower awhile back, I saved the water I’d cooked them in and it will taste wonderful in soup. Same with the brussels sprouts I did the same thing to shortly after. Last night I cooked asparagus for supper by sauteing them in brown sugar and butter and then adding chicken stock and simmering them. I saved the leftover liquid to add to the sweet and sour sauce I’ll be making later this week for meatballs for supper. I’ll skim the fat off the top (the butter rose to the top and formed a layer) and toss the rest in.

I’ve just made up a double batch of muffins using orange pulp from a bag of oranges that I’d juiced a few months ago. I have a favourite recipe that I vary slightly every time I make it and it always turns out beautifully. (I’m pretty sure that this is the original recipe, but it’s been at least 4.5 years since I last made it as written.) Today, I changed up the sugar ratios and the additions as well as the fruit. Because the pulp was not a puree consistency, I put it in the blender with approximately 3/4 of a cup of pureed papaya (also from the freezer) and a splash of apple juice. I did mess up when doubling the ingredients and put in two teaspoons of salt instead of one but, while the extra salt is noticeable, the taste is still good.

It’s the little things. Things that, as I mentioned, I never would have thought of before (or would have been baffled as to why anyone would go to all that trouble). Why throw perfectly good food into the garbage or down the drain? Save it and create a delicious and healthy meal or treat a little later on down the road.

Tuesday is here and I need to jump in on Tightwad Tuesday again for a few reasons. I need the accountability of what I’m about to mention in the next paragraph, I enjoy reading all the other great posts in the pool, and, not a need but a want, I love seeing the picture below.

April is going to be a month of changes for us here at the little rainberryblue household. It is going to be a Make It Instead month, in which I will be making instead of buying when it comes to food. I posted on this the other day about how I plan to make granola bars, bread, yogurt, crackers, etc instead of buying them. I have some renovations I want to do this spring/summer including a bathroom reno (complete with adding a window) and replacing the floor that connects my kitchen and living room together. I also really need to start saving towards a car as mine is eleven years old and is on its way out. I’m not sure how much I want to put into a car that I will get nothing for at the end. So money-saving practices and activities are in full swing here. It’s been a concious thing for quite some time now, however the April Make It Instead personal challenge is new.

The day that I first posted about my challenge, I made a loaf of bread. And, as I plan to make another loaf or two tomorrow, I’m posting again on that. Tomorrow will be the third time I’ve used Crystal’s EZ Whole Wheat Bread recipe (Crystal is over at Everyday Food Storage) and I’m happy that after the first initial flop (I made two loaves and then were both full of holes and doughy in the centre), the second loaf (I made just one in case it flopped again) was wonderful. The heel is all that remains but as I don’t like the heel of the bread unless it’s eaten as soon as the bread has cooled, it will be kept for the birds. I already have a cracker jar and part of a bread bag full of breadcrumbs from previous store-bought loaves.

Brushed with butter while hot to soften the crust. No crusty bread here.

Crystal’s recipe includes wheat gluten, dry milk, and potato flakes. I figured out the substitution for potato flour and used that intead. The result is a beautiful chewy, moist loaf that slices perfectly and keeps very well. I’ve made bread several times over the years and used a variety of recipes but I’m really liking this one and can’t see myself changing it any time soon. And with bread in the stores here averaging between $2.69 and $3.69 Canadian per loaf for the non-Wonder Bread varieties (Dempster’s whole grain or COuntry Harvest), making your own is definitely cheaper even with the minimal work required. I’ve also never found a bread with a short ingredients list and often wonder why the need for all those ingredients, even in the bread that is made in the store bakery. I know what goes into the bread I make and I know that it’s fine for B with his sensitivities.

And is there any better air freshener than a loaf rising on the counter or baking in the oven? Save those pennies: bake a loaf of bread.

Or whatever you want to call it. Essentially, it’s cloth toilet paper and this is my first Tightwad Tuesday post ever.

Not all that long ago (I think it was within B’s first year of life) I made the switch from paper toilet paper to cloth tp. When I first heard of the practice in the forums at MDC I’ll admit that I was pretty grossed out. I had wrapped my head around using cloth diapers on my son and I cloth-diapered him part-time (at home) for awhile but I didn’t wash and re-use his wipes. Really though, there isn’t much difference and once I realized that, I was willing to give family cloth a try. As yet, however, I have not been able to bring myself to use it for anything other than pee but I’m happy with the way things are. It’s just me and B in the house so I’m the only one who uses it but I have noticed a HUGE difference in the rate that we go through paper tp. I buy Charmin double rolls (used to buy the jumbos but can’t find those anymore) in a 12-pack and they last me forever. Almost literally. I now buy toilet paper a few times a year instead of every few weeks even with being a pretty regular pooper.

My system is pretty simple and frugal too. I used an old flannel flat sheet that had been patched along one edge near the bottom. I cut it into 5.5x7.5-inch rectangles and then folded them in half into 5.5x3.75-inch pieces and serged along all four edges. As I was serging I wondered if they’d be too small but I find that I fold them all in half again just before I wipe so for me, the size is perfect. The flannel is so nice and soft and gentle on the girly bits too and no more lint balls where they don’t belong. Some people use old t-shirts torn up or other cotton fabric but I had this old sheet just sitting there and it felt good to re-purpose it.

A sheet re-born. Poor thing.

I have a tiny bathroom with no space out in the open to store the wipes. I had thought of putting them on the back of the toilet but nixed that idea because we do still use tissues and that’s where they were located and also because it seemed a little awkward to have to spin around to get a wipe. I suppose I could have picked one up before sitting down but… Instead, the wipes have found a home in the cabinet, which is immediately beside the toilet. I just have to open the door, lean over, and grab one. My rear never has to leave the seat even just a little.

All nestled in.

After being used, the wipes get tossed into a lidded crock that I picked up from Value Village for $2. I just throw them in with my regular towel load each time I run one. I’ve been using homemade laundry detergent (post tomorrow) for a few years now and it’s working out wonderfully. Some of the wipes are getting a slight stained look to them in spots but I figure a) they’re still clean, b) no one sees them, and c) they’re still in great shape so I leave them as is. I do have another 20 or so wipes cut out (left over from this batch’s first days) but not serged that will eventually find their way into the stash.

From grossed out to flannel toilet paper. Who would ever have thought. Not me, that’s for sure. It’s just part of me now. It’s what I do. And my boyfriend loves me anyway.

That’s my Tightwad Tuesday contribution.