Homegrown Frugalities Week Beginning 15 March 2015

After preschool snacks - fruit skewers.

Tom Kitten helped me make the skewers - he was very proud to tell his sister that!

On Sunday afternoon the children and Mr Provincial made scones.

A small haul from the op-shop all destined for various Christmas stockings - My First Paddington was 50c, Hot Wheels car 20c, Candles 20c (turning 5 and 3 in the next month so the perfect number of candles in the packet), Flower Hook 50c,  finger puppets 50c the pair and Pirate Hoodie Towel was $3.

 
Harvested potatoes and tomatoes from the garden.  Had 3 meals which used these potatoes and chopped and froze the tomatoes for cooking soup when I next make chicken stock.

Mended Tom Kitten's toy rabbit which had stuffing leaking out of it.  My husband repaired three of the children's wooden toys.

We washed and clipped Monty our dog.

Mended 2 pairs of Mr Provincial's work pants.

Watched a season of Downton Abbey borrowed from the library, as well as reading an Inspector Montalbano mystery borrowed there.  

Made chocolate chip muffins to use up some bananas which were past their prime.

Saved stamps off a letter that came unfranked.

Removed stain off one of my handful of maternity tops - I always seem to cop stains on my extended stomach during pregnancy!  I couldn't soak the top this time because it was elasticated fabric so I used my Mum's suggestion of applying stain removing powder directly onto the wet fabric.

Picked up various supermarket specials - Cadbury choc chips at Coles (per Wendy's suggestion), Mayver's peanut butter at Woolworths (only contains peanuts, no added oils) and honey which was half off on the clearance trolley at Woolworths.

Dried all washing on the line.

Attended the annual warehouse sale at St Vinnie's in Canberra.  I was able to purchase a handful of presents for the kids, nieces and nephews for 50c to $1 each.  The presents for our kids will be used for their upcoming birthdays or put away for the christmas stockings.  Also found two single bed girl doona (quilt) covers.  One matched a pillowcase I had already thrifted for Ginger years ago (with fairies on it) so will give her the matching quilt cover for her birthday, the other will be put away for the new baby when she is old enough.  In addition I picked up a 3m panel of green corduroy ($4) and 2m panel of blue corduroy ($3) - both of which I intend to put straight to use for children's winter/birthday outfits.

Had success at our local op-shop with the above haul of children's gifts.

Listed 6 items on Gumtree.

Baked bread.

Made some hair ribbons for Ginger's birthday.

Purchased two crates I had a raincheck for at Woolworths.

Made bread and butter pudding to use up some stale bread rolls and squishy peaches.

Have started putting butter in the butter dish in the pantry again now the weather is cooler - much cheaper than buying buttersoft!