Why I Thrift and The Tricks I Use To Win The Thrifting Game

The entire contents of the bag cost less than $8.00.

If you admit to someone that you love to shop at thrift stores, you get a variety of reactions depending on the person. Some people think that it is a brilliant idea and they love the thought of saving money. Others wish they could shop at thrift stores, but they either don't know how or where to shop. While there are others out there that are entirely repulsed by the notion of wearing previously loved clothing. Thoughts of all kinds of unsavory things come to mind and they can't get past it. 

I began shopping at thrift stores way back in the 1990's when I was a teenager. At the time, I didn't go to the Salvation Army and I rarely went to Goodwill; but when I did go, I was with friends and we always had a lot of fun. Back then, grunge was the fashion, so I loved the idea of buying old flannels, cardigans, and jeans and refashioning them to make them look edgy. I also LOVED the vintage clothing that could be found. Over the years I've collected some amazing handbags and gloves. I think my favorite aspect of thrift store shopping is the surprise finds and I especially adore accessories. At first, the thought of wearing someone's old clothes made me a little nervous, but then I remembered that I grew up with hand-me-downs. While yes, I certainly wore new clothes, I also got a lot of hand-me-downs from my older sisters and cousins. This was not at all unusual for mothers to do. It was a way of saving money and helping each other out. Back when I was a little girl my aunts ( and for a while my mother) used patterns and built dresses by hand for their daughters. After putting in so much love and time into making those dresses, they weren't about to toss them in the garbage once the dress was outgrown. So, the dress was passed on to a niece. I wore many handmade dresses, something that happens less and less these days.
After considering that I basically grew up wearing a lot of previously worn clothing, it simply didn't bother me to dive right into thrifting.

One pair American Eagle shorts, one Gap denim skirt, and three pairs jeans- Ann Taylor Loft, Levi's, and Style & Co.

The world of thrifting has certainly evolved over the past twenty years and my approach has certainly changed as well. These days, there are so many different types of thrift stores or charity shops. Some are mass chains, like Goodwill and others, are privately owned. Every store has their own method of pricing and they also donate the proceeds to various causes. What I really like about thrift stores is that the clothing is not piling up in a landfill, it is a form a recycling where money can be raised to help others and you save some money too. Since my taste is far more expensive than what my budget allows, I indulge in thrift store shopping.

Five sweaters some wool blends, some cotton. American Eagle, Aeropostale, Ann Taylor Loft, St. Johns Bay, and a brand I've never heard of before.

 Some shopping trips are dedicated to finding items for craft projects, some I focus my energy on finding material to build costumes, sometimes I need to find a last minute outfit for an event and can't be bothered to go to a larger store and sometimes, I just want to update my wardrobe without going broke. That being said, I should add that while I do buy a significant portion of my clothes from thrift stores, I still get new items at places like TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory, and a local warehouse discount store. For special occasion items, I buy online using gift cards.

Four t-shirts and a blouse. Izod, Forever 21, Arizona, Lucky Brand and Fat Face.

 I'm in my late thirties and I have never been into super trendy styles. I prefer a more classic look, which is best for thrift shopping. When you stick to classic looks, you're going to get more bang for your buck. At the same time, I like to add flair with accessories and key items. For example, when I was in college, I purchased a 100% Wool Fairisle sweater from TJ Maxx for around $20.00. I paired it with a dark blue mini skirt that had built in shorts and I finished the outfit off with knee high chunky biker boots that I bought from Delia's catalog. The skirt and the boots are long gone, but nearly twenty years later, I still have that sweater and it still fits! Like I said before, I stick with the classics.
Which brings me to another essential topic, fabric care. This is a big deal when purchasing clothing. If you don't closely inspect the tags, carefully examine the item or are shopping in a poorly lit shop, you might find some surprises when you get home. A very pilly sweater is easy to spot, but a small hole or a tear, a nickel sized spot or the dreadful dry clean only tag can be a bummer. However, don't be too worried about these little hiccups. I've found that spot cleaning is an easy fix and light mending is easier than you think. If you don't know how to fix a tear or get out a stain there is a wealth of information online to help you out. Careful care of clothing makes all the difference!

One Gap knit dress for the Fall.

Here are some of my rules and tricks that I've developed over the years.
1) Just because it's inexpensive doesn't make it a steal. It could be more trouble than it's worth.
        -How often will you actually wear it?
        -Do you love it enough to overlook the dry clean only tag?
2) Certain items I won't ever buy at a thrift store...ever!
       - No lingerie.
       - No swimwear.
       - No leggings, tights or socks.
       - Usually, no shoes, unless they are barely worn leather boots (clean the inside with disinfectant and a rag) or boots with the tags still on.
3) Avoid any sweater with excessive pilling.
4) Don't bother with brands from local shops. I can buy it new for nearly the same price.
5) Invest in a decent sewing kit.
6) Have on hand: 1- a drying rack, 2- a sweater shaver, 3- Woolite* or Dreft* 4- Dryel* (**NOT SPONSORED)
7) Another good thing to have handy- some sort of leather cleaner or a saddle soap. These are useful for handbags, belts, and boots.
8) When purchasing handbags, I always examine the outside first. I look at the bottom for any wear and tear or dirt. I check out the threading and look for any loose threads. I look at the handle and see if it's still clean and sturdy, Then, I look inside and check out the liner. Is the fabric clean, free of damage, or soft? Old or poor quality fabric will be a bit stiff. I do look at the label, and look to see if it is real or a knock-off. To be honest, even if it's knock-off as long as the bag is in good shape and made with some decent material, it's likely nicer than a bag that you can get a local big box store. Since I'm paying a thrift store price and not being deceived and the money is going to a thrift store and not a dishonest vendor, I can overlook it. Generally speaking, I rarely encounter knock-offs.

My love of thrifting has not died, and I still have a tremendous time when I shop. I usually go to a store in my hometown, when I visit my parents. They are one of those small thrift stores that let you fill a bag for a few dollars. Some specially marked items cost more and accessories are priced individually. I've found a few cute leather handbags there, over the years. It allows me to have the thrill of shopping while keeping my wardrobe fresh, without spending a lot of money. I have a nice stack of cashmere sweaters that I've collected over time. I love cashmere, but could never afford it. Even if I could afford it, the sticker shock would be too much to justify the purchase. That's the great thing about thrift stores, there's no such thing as sticker shock.

My husband thinks my quarterly shopping trips are a hoot. He knows that I like to be frugal and he understands why I do it. In fact, when we were going to go on our first date, I ran to the thrift store to find a nice handbag and a cute blouse to wear with a skirt that I already had. I spent less than $5.00 and felt adorable!  The kids would likely think it was weird. They love the mall, which is totally normal. However, if I can update my wardrobe for less than $10.00, then I don't feel guilty about getting something for myself. My clothing certainly doesn't look raggedy. Unless I told the person standing next to me where I bought my shirt, they'd never know the difference, nor would they care. I think that is the key to thrifting, your attitude towards it all. If you look nice and put together and you feel great, why worry what others might think?

So, if you like to save money, have an open mind and are a creative thinker, I think you'd love thrift shopping. It's a lot of fun for crafting and finding holiday decor. If you have a sewing machine, a glue gun, and some paint you could find a craft project waiting for you at any thrift store for any weekend project. It's all about saving money and having fun. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Hello Summer, Goodbye PLL

You know it is officially summer when you're able to finally get fresh strawberries and rhubarb. My father cut some rhubarb from one of his plants and he bought some strawberries from a local farm. I could wait to make a strawberry rhubarb pie, one of my favorite pies to make and eat! I discovered last summer, that the trick to a perfect rhubarb pie is the addition of an egg. I found this by accident when I was looking for a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe and the one I used happened to include an egg. What makes this so essential, compared to other recipes that omit the egg, is the way the fruit and sugars bake. The egg absorbs a lot of the juices and makes a thick sauce. I have had many strawberry rhubarb pies that tasted wonderful but were incredibly runny. By simply adding an egg along with the sugar to the fruit and mixing thoroughly, you get a nicer pie in the end. I had so much fruit, I ended up making two pies, one for my parents and one for myself. This is one of my favorite things about summer, all the pies that I get to make!

I repurposed pallets to make a compost bin.

Now that summer is in full swing, I have been putting a lot of energy into the house and the garden. It can get pretty exhausting, but it will be well worth it once winter arrives. The weather has been so gloomy lately. The week before was perfect weather, the week before that was nothing but humid and horrid. This past week, the weather has been partly cloudy with a chance of showers, almost every day. One day, I was trying to clean and organize my garage and that was tricky because the rain kept coming and going. in between rain showers it would be nearly sunny, then it would rain again. If I were just cleaning the garage, it would be fine, but I like to keep my dogs in our fenced in area of our yard. That way, they aren't left inside where they can get into all kinds of mischief. My goal for Monday is to get the garage cleaned.

I was very happy to finally get my compost bin built. It was very simple to do. I looked up a number or ways to do it on Pinterest and Youtube. I decided to take an easy way. I had my husband help me move the pallets to rest behind the garage. Then, I stood one next to another and tied the sides together using a thick yarn that is meant for macrame. I found that tying the upper and lower corners of each side was the easiest way. Then, I tacked a mesh material to the bottom and I used scrap wood slats to weave through the front and side of the bin and that created a brace for the mesh. The point of the mesh at the bottom was so that air could circulate all around the compost and allow it to break down properly.

Once the bin was built, I took all the leaf piles that we had throughout the yard and transferred them to the bin. I also added the extra apples that I had in the basement over the winter and the compost from the kitchen. While I'm tidying the garage, I hope to create a special area for the recycling and I'll be one step closer to getting the house organized. All of this is to help the household function better in the colder months.

What happens to abandoned dolls. It hardly seems dignified.

PLL SPOILERS! If you haven't watched the final episode, don't read this!

So, after seven years of faithfully watching Pretty Little Liars, the show came to and end. I have mixed feelings about this. It's bad enough that my beloved Orphan Black is heading towards the sunset, this was just too much. The only reason I started to watch PLL, was because House wasn't on one night. With nothing to watch, I found myself channel surfing and stumbled on Holly Marie Combs, so I assumed that a re-run of Charmed was on, so I settled on that. What I thought was one show, turned out to the pilot of the new show Pretty Little Liars. The show had a bit of intrigue and being the sucker for Agatha Christie that I am, I couldn't stop watching it. The show had its hooks in me. After that, I couldn't miss an episode. As an adult watching the show, I thought that many aspects of the story line were disturbing. "Ezria", for instance, was very creepy. I don't care about the fact that the teacher was fresh out of college, it was beyond inappropriate and also totally illegal. Yet, most fans wanted those two love birds to make it. Was it because he was charming and had a baby face? The relationship was a bit reminiscent of The Thorn Birds, but also a bit Lolita. It was very toxic and the relationship continued to grow more and more disturbing. Yet, in the end, fans gushed when they finally made it down the aisle. 

Poor Wren, that's ll I have to say about him.

The final episode was long and the first part of the episode seemed to drag a long bit. I honestly think the show would have been better if it had ended back when CeCe was revealed, but I don't think they ever should have made her A, in the first place. If the show was going to end, I think that it would have been okay to end the show on episode 19 with AD driving away. It would have really angered the fans, but if they had AD look into the rearview mirror, revealing their face, that would have been enough for me. However, the writers wanted to tie up loose ends and explain it all. The problem is, it seems like there were a lot of holes throughout the story, The never explained why their therapist had an existing file on Aria, or why AD favored Aria over the other girls. They tried to make three different A's, one picking up from the other. Also, when AD was revealed, it wasn't too shocking as many fans had picked up on clues from previous episodes of the final season. However, when it was revealed, they actual character, was annoying to me. As much as I like the actress, the character felt too much like a rip-off of the Sarah Manning character from Orphan Black. A London punk, grifter, with cockney accent takes over the life of a woman who looks exactly like her, taking her boyfriend and her friends. It wasn't direct theft, as this is a common story used in books and film, but the similarities were enough to irritate me. At the end of it all, I was glad it was finally over, not because I hate the show, but because I didn't like the way the story was going. I'm glad it had a happy ending, but I just wish it ended differently. I did love the last bit with Mona, she was a fantastic character. That part of the ending did have a bit of a Hitchcock flair.

With the show done, I will be a little bummed when winter comes and there won't be a new season. However, there is always Netflix and the books to read. So, if I ever need my fix, I can turn on the show while I bake cookies.  I will look forward to watching Lucy Hale in her new show, this Fall. It actually looks kind of cute and it would be nice to watch to balance out the emotions endured after watching Supernatural. 

That pretty much sums up what's been happening in my world. Gardening, cleaning, watching tv and trying to build a quilt. It may not be crazy exciting, but this is what happens when the weather isn't reliable. Also, the end of the school year was tremendously hectic, so I'll take the boring for a while. Things will be picking up again, soon, it is summer after all. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

When It Rains.......

I must admit, I am very happy to see that winter has finally come to a close, it was a very dreary winter. This spring has been a wild one. We had a long stretch of rain in early May. I know the saying about April showers and May flowers, but in APril, it was still snowing. Where I live, it is more traditional to expect our rain falling down in May. Still, after what seemed like an endless rain storm, we finally had some great days. Prior to the long stretch of soggy weather, we did have one really great day. The rest, however was pretty bleak. Over the weekend, I was able to enjoy the sun and do some yard clean-up. I have vegetable plants started and in a few weeks, I will mark out where I want my vegetable patch to be and I'll get that tilled for planting. So far, I've been cleaning the yard and getting flowering plants ( roses, lupines, peony) into the ground. I must admit, the yard work is very exhausting and it takes me twice as long as the average person to do and it runs me down much faster, too. My kitty, likes to watch me work outside. However, I think he prefers to have me inside.

When have a nice flowering bush by our back entrance. We needed to prune it and groom it a bit, but it really is lovely.

I haven't noticed any perfume wafting from this, like you would from a lilac or an apple tree, but it's pleasing to the eye.

The other morning, I was having my morning latte and I happened to look out my kitchen window and was delighted to see a hummingbird hovering around the blossoms. I was so excited, that later in the day, I set up my hummingbird feeder. I see and hear many birds in my yard, particularly the chickadee. It is nice to listen to all of the birds in the morning.

Lately, I've been trying to work on other projects during the gloomy days. I have a new quilt project that I am hoping to finish over the summer months. I like to sew patches while I watch shows on Netflix. Last week, I watched the new CBC series Anne With An E. If you can watch it without comparing it the the Kevin Sullivan production, you might be able to really like it. While it does deviate from the books, it still is a good adaptation. At the end of the week, last week, I accidentally closed my fingers in the garage door. It was very painful and it makes it difficult to type. I've broken fingers before, so the pain is something that you get used to. The fingers don't hurt so much now, as long as I pay attention to what I"m doing and I don't hit them on anything. Sometimes, tapping the keyboard stings a bit. So, I won't make this too long. I will post more when my hands feel better and I have better sensation in the tips of my fingers. I'm sure you're wondering how a person manages to close their fingers in a garage door, well it takes a clumsy and distracted person to accomplish something like that. I am that kind of person. I'll end this by saying that it was just that kind of week. More on that in another post. Until then~Toodahloo!

T-Shirt Refashion

 This week has been a doozy! Most of the week consisted of days that were grey, windy, sometimes rainy, while other days we had flurries. It was a good week for working on projects. Today, it is actually sunny and calm. This is a great day to inspire me and to give me the boost that I needed to sit down and compose a post. IN the spring and summer months, I stay as far away from pants as possible. I prefer skirts and dresses to shorts. I reserve shorts for nature walks and gardening. I made a group of listings on my amazon wishlist for summery dresses, all of which looked comfortable, were modest and inexpensive. The problem with the dresses was that most of them came from China, so getting the correct size was proving ot be tricky. The reviews that I read were also very inconsistent. I think that part of the confusion comes down to the fact that women have varying ideas of comfort and fit. What might be too short or too clingy for one woman, might be exactly what another woman looks for in her dresses. Ultimately, I decided to find similar styles at the thrift store. I found a nice pile of cute dresses and a skirt at Goodwill. However, there was one dress that I knew I'd never be able find a duplicate for, so I decided to make one myself.

I visited my local thrift store, where you can fill a bag full ( I mean FULL) with clothes for $3.00. It's fantastic for crafting. I think I'll post about my thrifting in another post. Otherwise, this post will be way too long.

I was able to find a collection of shirts that had similar color tones and tossed them in the bag, not knowing how I'd pull all together. I figured I would decide the design once I brought the shirts home. From the pile of shirts, I selected a black crop top, a purple long sleeve t-shirt and then a grey and purple polo shirt. 

At first glance, the two shirts with the purple were the exact purple. The lighting at the thrift store isn't spectacular. When I inspected the shirts at home, I was delighted by the subtle pattern in the purple long sleeve shirt. Ordinarily, I would pair a pattern with a strip, but in this instance they work.

I left the crop top as it was, and decided to base the rest of the dress off of that, keeping in mind the dress that inspired this dress. I cut the purple shirt one inch below the armpit. That shirt had thin strips, which made it easy to cut a straight line. Then, I cut the polo shirt to the length that I thought would be appropriate. Again, the polo shirt had a stripe, so it was super simple to cut in a straight line. I left the bottom of the polo shirt as it was, that way I'd have a clean hem line. For the sleeves, I cut the sleeves off of the purple shirt and added them to the 3/4 length sleeve of the crop top.

I matched the purple shirt to the crop top, right sides facing each other and pinned them in place. I used a zigzag stitch with a heavy duty needle and slate colored thread.

When I was finished with that, this is what the top of the dress looked like.

Next, I joined the polo shirt with the purple shirt, right sides facing, and I lined the polo shirt just under the finished hem of the purple shirt. This way the shirt would be bulky. I also, trim the excess fabric after the shirts were joined.

Finally, I added the sleeves to the drop top and cleaned up the cuffs.The shirt dress still needs to be washed and ironed before I wear, and that is okay. After all, it's still only in the 40's here. This will be a comfortable dress to wear on those days that are a little cooler, a bit less sunny. I really do like the end result, it is similar in style to the dress that I wanted and I know for certain that it will fit me. Best of all it was a lot cheaper to make than to buy.

My next sewing project will likely be a new quilt. I want to have a new, lighter in weight, quilt that will be perfect for the warmer months. Also, I want to make a quilt that will pull up more of the colors of our bedroom. I am going to get some fat quarters, today, and that will be my focus of the week. I have been wanting ot do a post on makeup palettes, but I'm still waiting on a palette that is shipping from China, so it could arrive any time this week. My fingers are crossed that it arrives soon! When it does, I'll play with it a bit and then do a post on that. Until then~ Toodahloo!

It's Nearly April and It's Snowing

I feel like hiding until the snow disappears, too!

The title of this post is, regrettably, not a metaphor. This spring time snow must be payback for having such a mild January. We were lucky to barely experience freezing temperatures in January. At the time, I thought it was great. However, usually St. Patrick's Day is my marker for finally being able to relax, to take a sigh of relief, knowing that the snow is melting and all is right with the world. I have been fooled, many times, in my lifetime, when it comes to spring. Spring time in Maine is never terribly predictable. Sometimes, we have an early thaw, but having late snow isn't at all unheard of. I do remember seeing snow covered tulips when I was a little girl. This too shall pass...

While I sit and wait for spring flowers, I can't help but lose myself in the splendour of Pinterest. An innocent search into purple perennials, turns into a full hour of flower pinning, soil and herb searches and plotting out the perfect summer garden. I already have my seeds and bulbs ready to go!
I'm also looking forward to tackling the garage. It hasn't been the same, since we moved into our new home. I still need to have my kitchen floor finished before I can move on to working on the dining room. Just when I think I'm close to having the floor put it, something happens to change the plans. I know that it will be done within the month, at least. In the meantime, I plan on doing some paint
touch-ups and some cleaning and organizing until then. Of course, I also have my list of craft projects that I wish to tackle. So, it is clear to me that I have plenty to keep me busy into the blooming season.

In other news, I got a new camera. So, the quality of my posts should see some improvement....I'm very excited. Finally, if you haven't noticed, I am slowly phasing out my original screen name. Originally, I presented myself as "Lady Toesocks." This was appropriate, because I had an extensive toe sock collection. However, I don't really wear toe socks anymore. Also, on my Facebook page, I began noticing some traffic from people who may have misunderstood exactly what kind of blog I write. So, I removed the images of my toe socks and I'm switching out the name. This is tricky to do all in one swoop, but will be permanent, soon. I figured the name "Caffeinated Housewife" was far more appropriate and it sums me up much better than my previous name. I hope you understand and I thank you for being so very patient. Hopefully, my next post will show you something crafty, but who knows what might inspire me between now and then? Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Early Spring Cleaning

After the holiday season had finally calmed down, we still had numerous birthdays, Valentines Day and the Superbowl to experience. It seemed as though I was spending a great deal of time either planning special dinners, baking desserts, planning parties or cleaning up after parties. When everything finally calmed to a slow crawl, I realized that I couldn't wait for Spring to finally get here. Even though Punxsutawney Phil declared that winter was still here, I was ready to see it go. Then, we had a blizzard... I mean, really?  In an effort to fool myself into thinking that Spring was here, I decided to get a jump start on my Spring cleaning. That way, once the season does actually change, I can focus my energy on other projects. I have been organizing my kitchen. When we moved into the house, we were focusing more on moving in and less on making things perfect. Now that we have everything here and (mostly) unpacked, I can move things into proper order.

 I really wanted to get my kitchen in order, since I spend so much of my time in that room. I wanted to make it more organized so that I would have an easier time when I am baking and cooking. In a cupboard next to the stove, I keep my spices, herbs and baking supplies. The contents of the cupboard were sort of organized, but not in a way that I felt was tidy enough. I went to the Dollar Tree and purchased small bins and I used those to hold loose items and to wrangle my herbs and spices. Now, the middle shelf it dedicated to cooking items, while the bottom shelf is reserved for baking articles. Everything it easily within reach and much easier to find.

Inspired by a Pinterest pin, I organized my measuring spoons. I always had a difficult time finding the size that I needed. I have several collections of measuring spoons and they were all thrown into a drawer. I attached mountable hooks that I found at Walmart onto the inside of the cupboard door and organized all my spoons by size. Now, when I need a 1/2 teaspoon, it is so much easier finding one. I also added a list of substitutions that I had printed, out long ago. This way, if I ever discover that I am missing an ingredient, I can quickly look up a substitute. It is very handy having everything within an arms reach. 

Now that my cupboards are tidy, and I've moved my measuring spoons, my kitchen drawers are far less of a mess. We will be putting the new flooring in the kitchen soon, too. This will make the kitchen renovation nearly complete. Hopefully, by the time Spring actually does get here, I will be able to share before and after pictures of my kitchen. It certainly has come a long way! I look forward to sharing it with you. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Resting and Preparing

 I had high hopes that I would blog each day of December, leading up to Christmas. I managed to do this, quite successfully, a few years ago. However, this year has proven to be very busy and I am exhausted. I have been working around extreme temperatures and trying to insulate the "mud room" which is going to be converted into our dining room. I was hoping to get the room ready for the holiday so that we could eat our Christmas dinner in there. I had no hope of getting it painted, but I at least wanted to get it warm enough in there. Over the weekend, we had a substantial amount of snow come down and we had artic temperatures, reaching beyond -30 degrees. 

I was happy to get some more shopping done on Sunday. I still have some last minute shopping to do, plus getting all the groceries needed for the weekend. I still have a few packages coming my way, too. I do have a very decorated home and that makes me happy. We got our tree at the beginning of the month. I do love the lights and garland. I made homemade stockings for the family, using recycled clothing from the thrift store. I can't wait to fill those on Christmas morning. Last night, I made my first ever attempt at making marshmallows. I have yet to see how it worked out I did have a minor hiccup during the process, so I would be very surprised if they worked out.

Today, I am going to pace myself, as I have all week, I decided to get tasks accomplished but not go overboard. Since I've been so tired lately, I didn't want to risk getting sick around the holidays. I have been binge watching episodes of Victorian Farm Christmas and now I am watching Wartime Farm Christmas. I think I will watch Avonlea Christmas and Edwardian Farm Christmas, if that exists ( I think it does). I know that on Friday, I will be very busy baking and making homemade candies.

That is my December wrap up! I hope to share more on Friday! Until next time~ Toodahloo!

The Living Room Make Over

In early September, we were able to begin work on our house. When we first toured the house, we could see that a lot of work would needed to be done. We understood, that the bathroom would need to be gutted, the walls would need to be scrubbed-primed-painted, the floors needed work and the kitchen needed a whole new look. We saw a lot of potential for the house and were eager to begin. We had a very teeny tony budget, so we had to be very creative. Fortunately, I was able to get a lot of ideas from the internet. Often, I would come up with an idea, and check Pinterest to see if it was at all plausible. This helped us save where it counted.
The floors in the house were either covered with linoleum or wall to wall carpeting from 50 years ago (or more, yikes). We were hoping that underneath the linoleum and carpeting lied wood flooring. The first day that we were able to get into the house and begin the renovations, we pulled out the carpets. Every room, aside from the bathroom and kitchen, had carpeting- even the stairs! When we removed the covering, we discovered that the floors were masonite. This was a bit of a let-down, but not the worst news ever. So, after some brainstorming, we decided to live with the linoleum on the kitchen floor, until the budget afforded for new tiles. We also decided to paint the bedroom floors and add area rugs and we'd put new flooring in the living room.

We bought several sheets of sanded pine plywood and cut it into 8 inch planks. Then, I divided the planks into three piles and stained each pile a different shade. All of the piles were of a deeper stain, one more red than others. I did this so that we would have varying degrees of color and it would look more natural. We were lucky that my in-laws already had a stash of wood stain, so that we free! My husband and his father installed the flooring by simply screwing the wood onto the floor. Everyone, but my husband and I, seemed nervous about the outcome. We figured that if it did n't work out, it still be functional for sub-flooring. However, the cost of this compared to laminate flooring was huge! After buying the materials needed, this project was around $100.00.

After some light sanding and filling in some chipped bits, I was able to apply the polyurethane. My dad helped me with this. One gallon was used for this floor, which provided two coats! After a few days, I was able to start adding the furniture! Prior to finishing the floors, I had to clean the walls, paint the trim and paint the walls. I used black oops paint, which I purchased at a deep discount and I blended the paint with white paint that we had on hand. My mother-in-law primed and painted the ceilings. I chose grey, because it worked well for that room and I like it as a neutral. I think that tans and taupes are overly used as neutrals. I do think that I probably was influenced by watching Steven & Chris for years. Yes, I understand that grey seems like such a gloomy color, but it really it a fantastic color to use for walls. I think that it is easy to switch out throw pillows, blanks and curtains- it is easy and economical. However, the walls are harder to change.

Here is the end result, with the furniture in the room. There is an electric fireplace in on corner and it makes for a very cozy room.

This is some wall art the I made, using a book of flowers and frames from the Dollar Tree, total cost of wall art = $14! I am happy to finally have the room done. We are still working on the bathroom, I'll tell you all about that when I'm almost done with that. Until then~ Toodahloo!

Criss Cross Applesauce

When I first toured my home, I fell in love with the yard. One of my favorite parts of the yard is the apple tree, right in front of the house. Growing up, apples were a big part of my life. Initially, I was allergic to apples. I always felt a little left out when I watched my siblings bite into a fresh, crisp apple, while I snacked on a harmless banana. Eventually, I out-grew my allergy and was able to enjoy them, too! My father grew apple trees as a hobby and the kitchen in my childhood home has an apple themed decor. There are numerous orchards in the sounds towns and throughout the state. No fall is complete without a trip to an orchard for an afternoon of apple picking.

I was excited to tell my Dad about the apple tree in front of my new house. He was very pleased to see the tree and the variety of apple, a Northern Spy. Apparently, it's a nice sturdy apple, late to ripen and it has a long life in proper storage. Late, one warm October morning, my father came to pick the apples off of the tree for me. I helped him and we divided the pickings between us. We both decided to make apple sauce. He used a very different technique than I, but mine comes from how I was taught years before. One day, when I was in the third grade, my teacher brought in homemade applesauce. Up until then, I thought it was something that you could only get in the store. She told us how she did it, and I went home, that day, and made my own apple sauce.

Not the prettiest apples, but perfect for cooking!

I gathered an armful of apples from my stash and peeled them. Then, I cut out any bad parts. I used a handy tool that cores and slices the apples, all at once!

After all of the apples were peeled, cored and sliced I placed them in a saucepan and added enough water to cover the apples. Basically, I cooked them like I do potatoes, when I want to make mashed potatoes. However, it takes far less time to boil apples than it does to boil potatoes. When the apples were fork tender, I removed them from heat. It only took about 5 minutes.

Peeled, cored, sliced and ready to boil.

After draining the water from the apples, I added cinnamon (a few shakes) and a pinch of nutmeg. Then, I added a tablespoon of honey and I added a tablespoon of butter, after which, I whipped the apples with a hand mixer. It's best to use a hand masher, first, before you use the mixer. You could also use a food processor to really blend the sauce. The apples can be blended as long as you prefer, depending on how smooth you like your sauce. The end result was smooth, thick, applesauce with a few random chunks of apple. So tasty! The recipe that was taught to me when I was 8 years old, still holds as a great lesson. It was a wonderful way to learn a tradition and to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I really need to make some more. 

Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Post Thanksgiving Tidy

I am turkeyed out. As much as I love turkey, I just need a break. I bought a 16 pound turkey, hoping to feed the family for the holiday and yield plenty of leftovers. I certain accomplished that goal! After Thanksgiving, I continued to enjoy a few turkey sandwiches and turkey with gravy over mashed potatoes. Today, I decided to freeze the rest. I divided the remains of the turkey and I split the poultry between two freezer bags. This will come in handy when I want to make something for dinner throughout the next few weeks.
I also needed to figure out what to do with all of the leftover cranberry sauce that I made. My husband has always consumed canned cranberry sauce on the holidays, but that was not my tradition. Since we were combining our traditions, I made the cranberry sauce. This is a task that I have done the night before Thanksgiving since I was a teenager. As such, I am accustomed to having to make a lot. In my family, growing up, everyone piled on the cranberry sauce and they still do. On Thanksgiving, only my husband and I ate the sauce. So, after snacking on the cranberry sauce as much as I could, I decided to re-use it for a treat. I modified a recipe that would typically be used for raspberry bars, and substituted the raspberry jam with the cranberry sauce. I can't wait to eat a bar with some tea!

I also baked a batch biscuits to have for supper, tonight. I decided to make biscuits and gravy, and my husband was happy to go along with that. Today, I spent the day cleaning and preparing for tomorrow, as I intend to break out the Christmas decorations. While I was baking, I listened to my Spotify Christmas playlist and it put me in such a delightful mood! It felt good to get work done after taking a breather over the weekend. The holiday weekend really wore me out, so I took it easy yesterday. I just didn't feel inspired to do much, especially with such gloomy weather outside. Today was perfectly sunny and just right for being industrious.
So, I have been eagerly waiting to watch the new Anne Of Green Gables movie, which I will do tomorrow. I have also been anxious to watch the new Gilmore Girls episodes. Most people, ahem (women/girls), that I know who watched the show binged the entire day after Thanksgiving. I only watched one episode. I prefer to enjoy them a bit at a time, savor them, really. So, I think I will go sip some tea, eat a cranberry bar and watch another episode of Gilmore Girls. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Daylight Savings Time?

Daylight savings time is upon us, the tradition of falling back and getting an "extra hour." However, it always takes a couple of days for my body to adjust to the new time shift. Lately, the sun hasn't been rising until after 7 am, so it will rise after 6 am, giving me more daylight hours. It just seems like there is never enough time in the day to do all that I want to do. Being a homemaker, people assume that you have all the time in the world to watch Judge Judy and play online games. If I had a maid, I could possibly do those things, if those things were at all interesting to me. This supposed "extra hour" evades me.
As I began writing this very post, I had to save it and set aside for the night so that I could make supper. Now, it is late afternoon, the following day. I have a chicken roasting in the oven and the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice is playing on the DVD. There just never seems to be enough time to get everything done in a day. Perhaps, I make too long of a list for myself. I suppose I care cut things back a bit. With the holidays fast approaching and a house that still needs to be finished, the list remains long. The bathroom is nearly finished. I should have my washer and dryer installed in the bathroom by the end of the week' which will be very nice as I've been doing my laundry at my parents' house for the past month.

Over the course of the past week, I've been working on smaller projects around the house, which I will share once I can figure out why my phone refuses to load photos onto my laptop. I was happy to go to the old thrift shop in my hometown, on Thursday. There, you can fill a bag full of clothes for $3.00. I gathered sweaters, plaid shirts and plaid skirts to repurpose into stockings and pillow covers for Christmas. It is likely that I will share the details of that in December. I am thinking of blogging each day in December, leading to Christmas, as I did a few years back. I rather enjoyed doing that. The Hallmark channel is already airing their Christmas movie marathon. I admit, I have been scanning the pins on Pinterest in search of more Christmas ideas and it is making me very excited for the holiday.
In other news, I discovered that my kitten is a boy an not a girl, as was told to my husband when he fetched her/him. So, we had to change. His official name is Paddy Murphy, but we call him "Murr" for short. The kids are very pleased that he is a boy and not a girl, as they believe male cats have better personalities. I've never had a girl cat, and my old cat Merin was delightful. Murr is a very loving and social cat and I have no doubt that he will remain so.
Halloween came and went. I didn't get at chance to decorate the yard, but I will next year. If you saw my picture on Instagram, you know that I dressed as a cat. It was a very last minute costume. My husband passed out candy while wearing a rainbow clown wig. I listened to my Halloween song list on Spotify and kept the dogs from getting too irritable. I was surprised by the number of trick-or-treaters who came to my door, as our neighborhood is so quiet. The next day, I went to the store and stocked up on half-off candy. It should keep my sweet tooth content until Christmas.
As soon as I can resolve my technical difficulties with m phone, I will be able to share my latest projects. Hopefully, everything will mend itself, soon. Until then~ Toodahloo!