"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Friday, November 17, 2023

Homemade Cleaning Spray ~ Money Savings Tip

 You'll need a sprayer bottle to make the homemade cleaner.  I just picked one up at our Dollar Tree to try this cleaner out.  



In the sprayer (24 oz) add 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, and fill with water. Leave room to add only 3 drops of Doctor Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap.  Shake and spray to clean surfaces.

Note:  We have well water, so I filled the sprayer with distilled water.


Money Savings Tip:  

SOS pads - where ever you buy these at a low price, lower that cost more by cutting them into smaller pieces.  It's a one time use item, and will last a lot longer for scrubbing your sink or whatever you use them for.

I last purchased a box of 10 at Ollies for $1.99.  Cut those in half or in 3rds and you get a better bang for your buck.

Thursday, November 16, 2023

This and That ~ Something I Learned


Just when I was getting the scissors to cut my under-the-sink mat, I opened the cupboard to eye-spy another leak on the other side of the sink. 

I'm awaiting a new gasket for that side, before I can clean up my kitchen floor (again). 





I am starting to bring my craft totes downstairs.  The inventory is being packaged and priced.  There is a lot to sort, so this is taking over the living room, while I try and take advantage of the outdoor weather for those projects.  Anxiety at is best, ha ha!

Not sure if I mentioned this, but the store on the island that sold my crocheted camper Christmas ornaments closed it's business recently.  The museum that was selling my dish scrubbies, jar openers and soap saver bags had a major flood last Christmas, closed for repairs, and asked me to pick up my items.   I have called local market stores where you rent a space, and they are no longer taking new vendors.  The general store about 20 minutes away also told me they are not taking new vendors.

Anyway, I had purchased the packaging for said stores, so I am packaging these ornaments, but I do have a question.  I am packing up make up washcloths, face scrubbies and such, but would you buy packaged hot pad sets, or should I just price them and not package them?  I'm thinking people will want to feel the thickness of them, and same with the knitted dishcloths.  


Something I learned:

Homemade Buttermilk (preparedness item):

-4 1/2 oz. dry powdered milk

-2 Tbsp. Cream of Tartar

Whisk well.

To make:

-4 Tbsp. of dry mixture with 1 cup of water = 1 cup of buttermilk

If the power goes out, you can make buttermilk, but you will need a way to cook via a generator, wood cook stove or camper propane stove.


Purge this week:

-crocheted cat blanket donated to a daughter

-donated a cookbook to a daughter

-donating 3 more fiction books

-one decoration from a bathroom went in the donation box