After searching for what seemed like hours (32 minutes) and countless places (2), my hope was fading. I couldn’t bear the thought of returning to my humble abode empty handed. I continued to walk along the dyke. Suddenly, something drew my attention, like the eye of Sauron but sexier. I curiously gawked but my shyness quickly broke the eye contact between us. Innocently, a smile crept along my face as I stared at my feet. I knew in that moment, it was to be mine. Nothing could deter me from owning it; I didn’t care if the size was imperfect or if the parts were faulty. My heart had chosen. Unless the price was outrageous, in which case ill find a different one.

How does this perfect love story end one may ask? Well my bike and I are blissfully happy if you must know.

English: A plate of cellentani (also referred to as cavatappi) pasta with pesto and tomatoes as prepared by the photographer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hello and thanks for following my blog. Today I build on my earlier post and provide some ideas for variations to the basic pasta recipe. You can find the post here: http://frogandcount.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/basic-pasta/

If you take the basic recipe you can, in theory, add anything you want to change it to your taste. I usually stick to herbs and vegetables as it is easier to mix in and it has less effect on the cooking time than meat or dairy.

Choose what you would like to add and mix it (with a blender where possible) into the egg before adding to the flour.

Remember that if you add a more liquid substance then you will need to add less liquid later to make the dough stiff. It’s a case of experimenting and adding more flour or water until you get the ideal consistency.

Here are a few suggestions of things to add to your mix but don’t forget you can add your own.

Why not try:

Dandelion leaves

Spinach

Grated carrot

Fresh vegetarian pasta (2528005054) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

½-1 tin of tomatoes (will need to blend this with egg to get a smooth paste)

Pesto (I prefer red, you can use shop bought or homemade)

Mixed herbs

Or for a less savoury alternative:

Grated orange zest

Cocoa powder

One sweet pasta recipe I would like to try next time I have friends for dinner is Bittersweet chocolate ravioli:  http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/36/Bittersweet_Chocolate_Ravioli44066.shtml

This shows that you can do whatever you like once you have mastered the basic recipe. Sweet or savoury budget and imagination are the only limits.

Good luck and please share your own unique pasta recipe alternatives.

Best wishes

Rachael

Related articles

• Make Your Own Roasted Butternut Squash and Herb Ravioli (lotsofnicethings.com)
• Shauna James Ahern’s Zucchini Noodles with Spinach Pesto, Feta, and Sunflower Seeds (seriouseats.com)
• Pasta with Asparagus, Peas and Pesto (andreasgardencooking.com)
• Summer Salad Recipe: Spinach Pesto Salad (thegunnysack.com)

Latina magazine, (2) Parenting magazines, American Photo magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Mac World magazine, Horse Illustrated magazine, Keurig tumbler with $2 off coupon, Hylands children’s cough syrup, Lipton tea bags with .75 off coupon, Venus razor with coupon, (2) Fiber One bars, Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion shampoo and conditioner, coupon for a free International Delight coffee creamer, coupon for a free 2.5 oz. of Wheat Thins, and coupons for Always products

Interested in receiving freebies at your doorstep? Check out how to start here.

Here is the link to the most recent free magazine subscriptions.

Last spring when 2 mama deer decided our fenced in backyard was a perfect spot to have their babies. They thought it was great. I thought something completely different. since then there are a few deer that frequent the back yard every day…. munching their way through this and that (including all the native and “deer resistant” plants I have back there.

I know there is never a guarantee to the “deer resistant” things, what makes me so mad is that things were going along great until these two mama deer had their brilliant idea.  While these deer make their daily and nightly visits one of them favorite treats seems to be the lily pads and water lilies!  Well, I fixed that. I put a piece of hardware cloth over each water garden. HA! it isn’t the prettiest things, but the lily pads and water lilies are able to grow  and do their thing.

This was a great quick fix. One of the water gardens has a metal cage around it and the hardware cloth is raised up above the water lever about 7″ giving the water lilies room to pop up out of the water and flower. The hardware cloth on the other water garden sits right on the top and the water lilies try to come up and bloom, but are scrunched and squished. So my husband built a quick little frame that would raise the hardware cloth up a bit so there is enough room for the water lilies to bloom.

What is great about this little renovation is that everything we already had everything that we needed sitting around waiting for just such a project! We didn’t have to buy a thing – that is always a great thing.

My husband built a PVC frame that would raise the hardware cloth up higher and then he bent it down on two of the sides and trimmed excess off one end and added it to the front. That enclosed three sides so the deer couldn’t nose their way in between the top of the frame and the water garden to get at those scrumptious lily pads! So far, so good, The water lilies are able to pop up and bloom with all the room they need and we get to enjoy them.

One very small REAL Renovation success for us!

Do you have to protect something in your yard from deer or dogs? What is your solution?

Sincerely, Emily

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

• 2 chicken breasts diced to bite size pieces
• taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup enchilada sauce
• 1 – 1.5 cups of cheese (Monterrey, pepper jack or Mexican)
• 2 green onions sliced

Directions:

1. Coat the chicken with taco seasoning thoroughly and sauté
2. Place the cooked chicken pieces into a small casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350ºF
3. Layer the enchilada sauce, cheese and green onions on top
4. Bake covered in the oven for 10 minutes and then uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is golden
5. Take out of the oven and let cool.  Serve on a tostada, tortilla or hard taco shell and bon appétit!

This is a picture of my gorgeous raggy quilt which didn’t cost a single penny to make…

The whole quilt front is made from old cotton shirts that were either my husbands or were given to me.

I call it my ‘Garden Quilt’ because I embroidered it with garden motifs. I thought about what said ‘garden’ to me and made some sketches then simply sewed them onto some squares.

The backing was an old flannel sheet which had worn so thin it had a big hole in the middle – but the edges were still sturdy enough to use. The border fabric is calico which was left over from another project and the wadding was made up from all those little bits which so often end up in the bin.

Being made of ‘already used’ fabric the quilt started life wonderfully soft and cuddly and is definitely one of my favourites

Do you have any ‘free’ quilts’?

Now, on the other end of the scale I have just started on a VERY expensive project for a friend which fills me with excitement and trepidation! This is the fabric – pure dupion silk. I have zero experience with working with silk so any tips out there would be gratefully received  :)

Until next time,

Chris x

This project is a team effort: The hives were donated by New Seasons Market’s longtime partner GloryBee. Two nucleus hives came from local apiary Foothills Honey in Colton, Oregon and were installed by veteran beekeeper Damian Magista, owner of Bee Local. James Fitzpatrick, a New Seasons Market staff member who works at the Happy Valley store’s “Solutions” counter, is an amateur beekeeper and will work closely with Magista. Through this partnership, Fitzpatrick will earn his master beekeeper certification.

Through daily observation and a bee-cam, the New Seasons team will watch the bee boxes closely and, assuming the colonies thrive, will install two additional hives at another store this spring.

For the whole article about bees on the roof at New Seasons Market, click here.

If you’d like to know how to start an urban beehive in your own yard, click here.

If you’d like honey bees on your property, but don’t want to do the work yourself, check out ‘host a beehive’ programs in your area.  Here are a few examples of programs available:

New York City

United Kingdom

San Francisco California

Corvallis Oregon

Sidney Australia

Seattle Washington

Using too much soap will shorten the life of your appliances. Photo via flickr by David Locke.

No one wants to flush money down the drain. But think about how many household soaps you use that you may be overusing. Do you know exactly what the dishwater needs? The washing machine? Shampoo? Face wash? Hand soap? If you’re anything like me, when the bottle is new, I end up dumping out way too much. And then when the bottle is almost done, I’m scrimping the last bits to get out a drop to finish the job.

The best thing to do is make a conscientious effort to find out how much is an appropriate amount of soap for the job. Read the dishwasher and washing machine instructions. Or at least the back of the bottle or box of soap. Technology has advanced rapidly. High efficiency soaps and machines need a lot less product than you may have used in the past. It’s even the case that the recommended amount of soap can be halved in most machines. Contrary to what most of us think, lots of suds means way too much soap in washing machines and dish washers. If you don’t think you are using too much soap, run these tests to see what your results are. Most likely you’re using too much soap.

Front loading washing machines need very little soap. Photo via flickr by Editor B.

Not only is too much soap in washing machines and dishwashers wasting money on your soap product, but over-soaping wears out the machinery faster by gunking it up, creates mold and mildew (you wouldn’t think as it is soap!), wears out your clothes faster and leaves your dishes filmy.

As for shampoo and other liquid soaps, unless they come in a pump bottle, it’s too easy to dump out twice as much or more than you need out of the original bottle. I recommend getting a pump bottle for your shampoo and conditioner to be able to control the amount of shampoo and conditioner you dole out. Squeezing it out of a standard flip top bottle leads to a lot of waste. How much shampoo you need really depends on your length of hair. For chin to shoulder length hair, which is the standard for most bottle instructions, it would be a portion of shampoo the size of a quarter (2.5 cm). But for shorter hair than this, it would be less, closer to nickel size (1.5 cm) and longer hair would be a little more.

Bar soap is cheaper and less prone to overuse than liquid soap. Photo via flickr by Horia Varlan.

For body wash and hand soap, I would recommend getting rid of liquid versions altogether and using bar soap. Bar soap is cheaper, and you are much less likely to overuse the soap. Contrary to some thinking, using a bar of soap for a household doesn’t transfer any bacteria or germs. Especially if the bar is given a clean off rinse after use. The only drawback to bar soap is the filmy wet scum, which can be combated with a good soap dish. If someone in your household is really attached to liquid body wash or other liquid soaps, a pump bottle if it doesn’t already come in a pump bottle is a good idea. Don’t be afraid to use only half a pump if that’s all you need.

Once you start watching your soap use, you can make your soap products last twice as long or more by using the appropriate amount of soap for the job at hand.

Click here to view this week’s ad.

How can something be ‘fancy’ & ‘frugal’ at the same time, you might ask?  With a bit of creativity (& sometimes craziness) you can WOW your friends & family on a dime.  Let me show you how!

Place a few drops of your favorite essential oil inside the cardboard roll of your toilet paper.  Every time the roll is used, it will release a lovely, faint scent. Lavender & Jasmine are a couple of my favorite scents for the powder room.  I purchase all of my essential oils off Amazon but you can also snag them at your local GNC.  A bottle costs around $10 and lasts a long, long time since you are only using a couple of drops at a time.

Thanks for stopping by! Inspire, create, enjoy!

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Welcome to the Baby-BeeHaven Giveaway

Hosted by Miss Frugal Mommy and Sponsored by Baby-BeeHaven

Baby-BeeHaven offers four products that make your life as a parent easier. To learn more about one of their amazing products, read Miss Frugal Mommy’s Cush ‘n Go Review!

What a great review written by Miss Frugal Mommy!

One winner will receive a Baby-BeeHaven product of their choice. Giveaway is open to US only. Please enter to win in the Rafflecopter below, all entries will be verified, good luck!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Miss Frugal Mommy and WEMAKE7  is not responsible for prize fulfillment. I was not compensated for this post. This giveaway is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. If you have any questions/concerns or would like your product featured in a giveaway, please contact Miss Frugal Mommy.

I recently bought a footstool for £5 in a local charity shop, it looked fine as it was however it needed a revamp. I was lucky enough to have had just enough of this fabric to recover this footstool. I absolutely love it! Previously I was thinking of getting rid of it, but I won’t be now! I have found new love for the item!

I was recently lucky enough to be gifted an old butler sink using the Freecycle Network. Perfect for keeping my living herbs for cooking. I am very pleased with it. My eldest daughter is hoping that I will tire of it so I will donate it to her! (not likely!)

For information on a location near you see: http://www.freecycle.org/group/UK/Wales

Money Money Money!!!! Money!

you want and give them to you free of charge. That’s crazy! I also don’t mind people coming over to buy stuff from my stock for 50% off retail. Lots of people think it’s okay to ask me numerous times for stuff that I’ve gotten, “Hey I want some of those!!” “Can I have some of these?” “Hook me up”. No! I also don’t appreciate people referring to me as a hoarder. In no ways am I even close to being a hoarder. I actually use the items I have in my house and if I’m not planning on using them, I give them to family members. For example, my bazillion razors in my linen closet, sure I won’t be using them cause I honestly hate disposables but my mother in law and father in law both use them so they will be stocked up for a long time.

Don’t try to tell me that I should donate all of my stuff. I got the stuff for a reason, I use it. Yes I have 100+ boxes of cat food but they don’t expire till next year and my cat will be able to eat most of that. If not, I’ll be feeding the homeless kitties outside. Yes, I know it’s great to donate and I do give somethings to friends and family members but if I donate all of what I have, then I  have to spend money to buy more of that item for my family. I’m on a really tight budget and that just won’t cut it. I’m not being stingy because I do give people things that I’ve gotten for free or cheap.

If you want to learn how to coupon and are SERIOUSLY interested in it and don’t plan on wasting my time, then ask. I’ve tried to help people save money who have a low income and who could actually use the help but there is only so much I can do. I’m for sure as hell not going to do all of the couponing for you to save you the money. You’re on your own. If you don’t want my help, that’s fine too. I personally love couponing because it’s an easy way for me to provide for my family. I know it’s a little time consuming because you have to get the inserts, organize and clip them before you go to the store. It does take time getting the hang of it but in the end it’s rewarding. Yes, there are some items that I get that I will never use but if the store is paying me $0.78+ for the item, then I’ll be getting it and using the overage toward items I need that I can’t always afford.

Example: The 61+ tubes of Poligrip. Yes I don’t have a need for the poligrip but my grandma, father and grandmother-in-law do. Each box gave me $0.78 overage. That’s a whopping total of $47.58 that I was able to put toward snacks, fruits, veggies, meats and other items I needed. I couldn’t pass that up!

I know a lot of people don’t want to get into couponing like I do because of a lack of space to store everything. You don’t have to buy such big quantities as to where you have no room for anything. Always research before you buy and see if a friend or family member can use that product. It’s helping you out and helping them out. If you can get an item from a store and be paid $0.50 for it and put that $0.50 toward diapers, shampoo, food…then why not? The poligrip was one of the best things I’ve been able to coupon for. Not only did I use the overage on things I really needed but now my grandma, who’s on a strict budget, will be set for quiet awhile on a product that is sorta expensive to buy when you have to buy 3 a month.

Still don’t believe the power of couponing? Ask me questions and I’ll gladly answer them. I’m here to help you out, if you need or want the help.

The basic ingredients for pasta are: flour ( I use basic plain although you can get wholemeal, gluten-free and other types if you want to adapt the recipe to your taste), eggs, salt( a very tiny amount) and water (some people use oil) which helps bind the dough together and stop it from becoming too stiff.

How I make pasta:

I take two pre beaten eggs, a pinch of salt and 3 ½ to 4 cups of plain flour and place it in a large mixing bowl.

Then I use a silicon spatula to mix it first but it is fine to use a metal spoon or clean hands.

Once the egg and flour is mixed begin to knead together by folding and pressing the mix until it becomes a stiff, thick but not too sticky consistency.

If the mix is too sticky add a tiny bit more flour or if the recipe is too floury use a bit of the water. Make sure all the dough is well mixed together.

After this I usually cover my bowl and leave the dough to rest for a minimum of half an hour.  If you’re planning on saving some for later then let it rest in the fridge.

Divide the dough into sections and roll out to the desired thickness on a floured surface (pasta swells when it cooks and thinner pasta cooks faster). I find it easier to only roll in one direction and then flip the dough as it prevents it sticking and ensures a more even thickness.

Cut into the required shape either by hand or use a pasta machine. I cut mine by hand and find that squares are the easiest shape to get even size pieces and it is far less fiddly than trying to cut straight lines.

Very lightly flour the pre-cut pasta you want to save and place in a box/ bag into freezer.

The other pasta is ready to cook now. Boil some water and cook for 3-5 minute’s. it will float when done. Serve immediately with the sauce of your choice and enjoy.

Finally stick your feet up and let someone else do the washing up.

Dough (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Other ideas

This is a recipe from one of my favourite sites that suggests measurements for serving eight: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/2984/fresh-pasta.aspx

For those of you wanting to try something a bit more extravagant that still won’t break the bank why not try making potato pasta (gnocchi). I found an easy step by step recipe which I intend to test myself here: http://www.delallo.com/articles/making-homemade-gnocchi-step-step-guide

I haven’t tried making vegan pasta yet, but someone who has is Vegan Dad. Why not check out some of his recipes at: http://vegandad.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/easy-fresh-vegan-pasta.html

If you want gluten free alternatives to your favourite recipe there are some fantastic suggestions available here: http://www.delallo.com/blog/recipes/transform-your-favorite-recipes-gluten-free-recipes

Related articles

• Homemade Fresh Pasta (ginskitchen.wordpress.com)
• Thirty Minute Potato “Gnocchi” (smallworldsupperclub.com)

I have been thinking abou where my money can go to after I pay off my CC. Savings, Wedding account and putting more money into my IRA.  For now I am saving as much as I can and not spending so much. 

Looking at new jobs and revamping my resume this month. Gotta make more money to live.

Why not present a Mother’s Day gift that complements her Eco dedication?

MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS FOR THE GREEN ENTERTAINING MOM

Bamboo Napkin Rings – Bambeco.com

The Bamboo Napkin Rings could look great on her dinner party table. Created from a most durable variety of bamboo.            Set of 4

$15 bambeco.com

Dragonfly Napkin ring – Bambeco.com

Or, the Dragonfly Napkin Ring might be more perfect for Mom’s table. Each hand carved from horns of domesticated water buffalo. $11/each bambeco.com

As mom serves wine, she can tell her guests that Colombians handmade these Recycled Glass Wine Goblets from recycled glass. 

Recycled Wine Glass Goblets – UncommonGoods.com

Sturdy and strong wine glasses that even the macho guys won’t mind holding. Set of two.

$19 $35 uncommongoods.com

Recycled Wine Decanter – UncommonGoods.com

The Recycled Glass White Wine Decanter might better fit her needs. Its open ice chamber keeps wine frosty without dilution. Also handmade in Colombia with recycled glass.

$58 uncommongoods.com 

For local purchase, Pottery Barn offers the 6 set Recycled Goblets for $60. 

For potentially faster shipping, Amazon.com also has Recycled Wine Glassware.

Recycled Wine Goblet – PotteryBarn.com

West End Sake Set – Bambeco.com

Mom more of a sake woman? The West End Sake Set blends well with any décor. Created from sustainable earthenware. 

$45 bambeco.com

These Record Coasters might bring back memories. They will certainly be a conversation starter. Made from actual recycled records.

$18.00 uncommongoods.com

Record Coasters – UncommonGoods.com

Sears and Amazon also offer similar record coasters.

Reclaimed Record Bowl – TheNewEnglandTradingCompany.com

The Reclaimed Vinyl Record Bowls makes a nice complement to the coasters. Or, stand alone as a cute addition to a casual table.

$20 thenewenglandtradingcompany.com

Amazon also offers a similar bowl for $27.

MOM KNOWS IT’S PRETTY BEING GREEN

Reclaimed Gold Necklace –    Green3apparel.com

Would a Reclaimed Gold or Silver Necklace bring out Mom’s beautiful smile? These will complement spring/summer outfits. Both made from “post consumer” jewelry.  Each unique and made by cognitively disabled adults.

$50 green3apparel.com

Mixed Metal Wrap Bangle Bracelet – eco-artware.com

The gleaming Mixed Metal Wire Wrap Bangle Bracelet might fit Mom’s style. Crafted and hand-made from recycled aluminum wire, it includes two gold-colored ball accents. The balls are also made from recycled aluminum. This one is pretty and striking.

$40 eco-artware.com

Penny, Nickel and Dime Bracelet – eco-artware.com

Or, the Penny, Nickel and Dime Bracelet might be charm her. The sterling silver bracelet uses actual historic coins.

$96 eco-artware.com

Tee Panel Scarf – green3apparel.com

Would she love a scarf made from unused, reclaimed cotton T-shirts?  Bonus with the Tee Panel Scarf: cognitively disabled adults helped create these super-soft accessories. Each one unique.

$30 green3apparel.com

Green3 also offers a Shirt/Tee scarf made from men’s dress shirts for $10.

Verde Bath Salts – bambeco.com

Organic extra virgin olive oil gives the Verde Bath Salts their fresh, green scent. Packaged in a 32-ounce Italian glass olive oil bottle.

$25 bambeco.com

Verde Olive Oil Soap

Couple the bath salts with the Verde Olive Oil Soap for $10. Handcrafted and organic; and made of naturally occurring glycerin.

Verde Spa Collection

Or, give Mom the Verde Spa Collection for $82. Includes bath salts, body wash, hand & body lotion and olive oil soap.

 MOM IS AN ACTIVE STEWARD OF HER ENVIRONMENT

This Mom will likely devour Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet. The book provides a blueprint for sustainable living. It also lists product and services resources.  Perhaps you could bundle this with one of the green bath products above.

$18 amazon.com

The Organic Dried Fruit Tray makes a beautiful, vibrant presentation. It’s also healthy and, I imagine, delicious.

The 16 ounces of fruit is not only nutritious, organic and sustainably grown—the gift includes a wooden tray crafted from old peach trees.

$30 ecoexpress.com/

Organic Dried Fruit Tray – ecoexpress.com

 Mom might prefer to make her own dried fruit. Get her a dehydrator. Prices range from $30 and up; available at many outlets, like Wal-Mart, Sears, Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, etc.

Wine Bottle Grow Kit – bambeco.com

The Reclaimed Wine Bottle Basil Grow Kit is two eco gifts in one. Mom gets fresh, culinary herbs at her fingertips. She also knows that one less restaurant wine bottle went to the landfill. Easy to follow instructions included. $38.00 bambeco.com

Fiskers Rain Barrel – homedepot.com

The green mom is acutely aware of the water issue. Though utilitarian, the Fiskars Holden Rain Barrel might delight her. The contoured barrel holds 48 gallons. Stylish rather than garish.

$70 homedepot.com (can be shipped to store)

Bamboo Three-Arm Fountain Kit – japanesestyle.com

Mom will appreciate the Bamboo Three-Arm Fountain Kit‘s simplicity. Also, that she can use it with any shallow container. She’ll love the sound of flowing water on her bedside table or office desk.

GIVE ECO-MOM SOMETHING TO ENHANCE ENJOYMENT OF THE OUTDOORS

 Mom love lavender? She might prefer to grow her lavender from seeds. The Lavender Growing Kit includes detailed instruction meant to make growing lavender flowers in her garden easy and fun. 

$20  gifts.redenvelope.com

Lavender Growing Kit – redenvelope.com

Solar Tea Laterns – bambeco.com

 One or more of the Solar Tea Lanterns could be a welcome addition to the ambience of Mom’s next patio gathering. Powered by the sun, these lanterns give off “a natural and inviting glow.”  Hang or sit on a surface.  

$25 bambeco.com 

The Wine Bottle Oil Lamp Kit gives Mom a noble purpose for emptying those wine bottles. Fill the clean empties with lamp oil (not included), insert the long-burning wick and cover with the glass flame. Includes two wine lights and two flame protectors; and instructions.

$30  wineenthusiast.com/

Metro Moka Picnic Basket – bluestonegarden.com

Mom might enjoy an occasional picnic with Dad, the grandkids or whomever. If so, the insulated Metro Moka Picnic Basket makes a perfect gift. It’s fully collapsible, water-resistant, and made of durable canvas.

$34 $50 bluestonegarden.com

 The miniature Organic Wine Grape Bonsai gives Mom a little of the outdoors inside. A product of California’s wine country. Includes care instructions and ceramic planter.

$50 ecoexpress.com

Organic Wine Grape Bonsai – ecoexpress.com

Also check out these posts for additional gifts for the Eco conscious:

Frugalista Gifts for the Eco Minded (general)   

Frugalista Gifts for the Eco-Minded: Down Time

Frugalista Gifts for the Eco Minded: Practical Types

Frugalista Gifts for the Eco-Minded: Home and Health  

HAPPY FRUGALISTA MOTHER’ DAY SHOPPING.  MAY YOU FIND THE PERFECT FIT TO DELIGHT MOM.

© DLewis 2013 All Rights Reserved

http://www.bluestonegarden.com/images/P/LG-645-00-104-000-0.jpg

Related articles

• Frugalista Gift Ideas: the Yo’ Moms Is So… Series (frugalistagiftguide.wordpress.com)

Honestly, the overwhelming emotion I felt was relief.

At first, the job was a dream come true.  Then they start adding things to it that were never mentioned in the interviews or the written offer; if I had known from the start what the job would actually entail, I would have turned it down flat.

“Oh, as of Monday you’ll also be doing A, B, and C.”  “Oh, starting today you’ll be doing E and F.”  “Oh, didn’t you know?  You’re supposed to be doing G, H, I, and J.”  “Oh, by the way, person T has left and person S is going to be part-time, so you’ll be taking over all of T’s work and half of S’s functions.”

The real kicker was when they added some accounting functions to my workload, even though they knew I have absolutely zero training or experience in anything accounting-related.  I tried, I really did  -  I even took Excel classes at the library, at my own expense  -  but I just couldn’t handle it properly.  But since I kept trying and wouldn’t just quit, eventually they admitted that things just weren’t going well.  I think the manager was really surprised when I agreed with him!  I was very cool, calm, and professional during the whole process, and was very careful not to burn any bridges by saying what I really thought … but I don’t think they’re going to have much luck finding someone who can successfully take over everything they expected me to do.

If anyone had asked for my input, here’s what I would have told them:

* When you interview a candidate, tell them everything they’ll be expected to do.  Don’t spring two-thirds of the actual job on them as surprises weeks into the job.

* Make sure the trader they’ll be working with actually bothers to show up for the interviews.  Let the candidate talk a bit with the trader and get some idea of what that trader is like and what they’re going to expect from the candidate.

* Make sure the candidate actually has experience and/or training in all the functions you’ll be assigning them.  Don’t, for example, dump accounting procedures on someone who already told you they have no knowledge or experience in accounting.  Oh, and if the candidate tells you they’re not very good at something  -  believe them!

* Don’t try to get two jobs done properly by one person.  And if you must triple their workload, pay them more.

* Impress upon the trader that browbeating, demeaning, belittling, and humiliating an assistant does not encourage the assistant to work harder.  Neither does changing your mind about what you wanted after they’ve just given you exactly what you asked for.

So once I got home yesterday morning, I talked it over with Big Guy for a while  -  he knew I’d been struggling and that I wasn’t happy with the difference between what I was hired to do and what I was actually doing, so in the end we agreed that this is the best outcome I could have hoped for.  Though it would have been nice to get a couple more weeks under my belt first, to better my chances of qualifying for EI.

We had a quick lunch, and I dropped my ROE off at the local EI office, deposited my final paycheque at the bank, and spent the rest of the afternoon letting my “network” know that I’m back on the market.  Now it’s back to spending at least four hours a day looking for work; top priority this morning was reconnecting with every agency I was listed with to let them know I’m looking again.

*  *  *  *  *  *

On the lighter side, the weather this week has been beautiful!  Big Guy has almost the whole side fence between us and the neighbours paneled, I have a second load of laundry drying on the outdoor clothesline, and at least half the seedlings we started in cardboard egg trays will be ready to put outside as soon as he finishes the new planter boxes.  The first crop of rhubarb is ready for picking, the fruit trees all blossomed lavishly, my raspberry canes made it through the winter in great shape, and the patio is almost ready for herb planters.  It’s even warm enough at night now for the guinea pigs to go into the big outdoor hutch.  Oh, and the geraniums on the back steps are starting to bloom.  I’ll try to remember to take and post pictures as soon as they’re all flowering!

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After a lot of thought and discussion, J and I are swapping rooms next week (her “weekend” is Monday and Tuesday).  Yes, I know that puts me back into half the space I have, but it makes a lot of sense for both of us.  She will, in exchange for a bedroom she can actually move around in, pay me more each month and take over the weekly bathroom cleaning.  I can go back to putting up my layout table in the living room when I’m sewing  -  it’s annoying but it won’t kill me  -  and frankly, right now I need the extra dollars more than I need the extra work space.  But I did make her promise not to paint anything!  Having the bigger room means that a lot of her boxes can come up from the basement and be unpacked  -  mostly cookbooks, I think  -  which frees up the space for stuff of mine that won’t be going back into the smaller room.

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Another happy note (can you tell I’m doggedly chasing silver linings here?) is that now I’ll have more time for sewing and knitting projects.  And roller skating with P.  And trips to the library, and leisurely rambles in nearby parks,  and catching up on my reading, and catching up on my video lectures … all the frugal, enjoyable activities I put on hold while I worked early and worked late and went to classes and brought work home on weekends.  It may sound a little odd, but I feel as though I’ve lost a job but gained my life back.

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Saturday is going to be a very good day.  My friend D is going to a function just south of Seattle, and very kindly offered me a ride to and from my best friend J’s home in Everett.  I can’t wait to see what she’s done in her garden!

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Since I posted last, the only food waste has been one lonely little baked potato that rolled off the rack into the dark back corner of the oven and was found a week later.  I don’t consider the strip of fatty gristle that I peeled off my steak last night to be wasted … I can’t chew it, and Dog loved it!  And the fat is good for his coat, too.

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I love how easy it is to be frugal in the summer!  No lights burning all day, no furnace going all evening, fresh fruit and veggies right outside the door, enough blackberries and salmonberries in the parks for a year’s worth of jam, lots of meals barbecued over free firewood, cheap camping trips ending with lots of fish for the freezer … even laundry is easier when I can hang so much more on the outdoor line than the little line in the basement holds.  And of course, now I can walk with my “bag lady” cart to do almost all of the shopping and errands, instead of driving because the weather is too nasty to haul the cart around.  Free healthy exercise!

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After spending a small fortune on ‘car’ bedding and wall art etc for my sons bedroom, he decided he wanted a change! (nice for him!)

So Dinosaurs it is! However I decided that there was no way I would spend so much money again. So I set to work on renewing his wall art which was previously a car canvas. I used an old pillowcase and used one side to cut up dinosaur figures. I then found a colour co-ordinating spare pillowcase to make the dinosaur pillow case re-usable again.

Once I had the dinosaur pieces I stitched each on onto some unused curtain fabric (appliqué) and then stapled the fabric onto the old wall canvas. My son was so pleased with the end result and it co-ordinates with his bedding! (bargain!)

So, I have fallen into the craze of Etsy. I plan on adding pieces that I have had featured in my strange blogosphere as well as some weird shit that has been chilling out in my closet for a while. If anyone likes Dr. Martens, I have two pairs of oxfords up for grabs right now! Totally don’t plan on being a weirdo and promoting my items from my shop on my blog–that’s not why I have a blog!–but, just letting ya’lll know what’s happening in my personal economy.

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The MAGIC of FULL FRAME

Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra Wide Angle Lens

- ISO 100, F13, 1/60 sec, 16mm
- Time @ 13:59
- Elevation 1954.7 m
GP-E2 GPS Receiver for location

My downstairs bathroom is more for spring / summer use as it is too cold to use during the winter!  So now is the time to update & re-fresh the bathroom. I decided to cover the unsightly bathroom window (which really needs replacing!).  I am really pleased with the outcome! I must say I have been really resourceful, especially using willow branches for the top of the blind!

This was so easy to make on the sewing machine & didn’t cost me anything to make, as all the things used I had hanging around the house!

Do you get fed up of your wall art? Well all you need is some material, some imagination & a staple gun

My son had a rather large wall art in the playroom, he thought he would rather dinosaurs so the Noahs ark canvas ended up on top of my wardrobe until I realised I could revamp it without spending heaps of money! I had not long purchased some bargain curtains which were very long, so once they were shortened I then had left over material to use for the wall art.

I had a skirt which I had ruined due to sitting on bleach (please don’t ask!) so I cut the flower off the skirt to reuse for something else. It just so happened the colour was right and so I appliquéd the flower onto the left over material with my sewing machine & hemmed all the edges then used my trusty staple gun to fix the material to the canvas frame. 

I would now consider doing this instead of purchasing any wall art in future. It saves a lot of money & your creation is unique, no one else will have the same item in their home.  Go on give it a try! You will be amazed & so proud of your creation!