Recycle Envelopes

When I was in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades I had Mrs. Blasienz for a teacher.  She would not let us throw away paper.  From her I learned to be economical in my use of school supplies.  I save or reuse almost everything.


We all get trash mail, and we want to immediately throw it in the waste basket.  Those companies that want you to get a new credit card or try their service or product often send you a clean envelope so you can respond in it.


If the envelope is reusable, I put a small label on the printed address and reuse it myself.  If not, I don't throw it away.  I glue it shut and then after it dries I cut it into four pieces.  The inside of the envelope is clean.  I cut the envelope into four pieces.  Voila, I now have four note sheets.  I can use them to write my grocery lists on them or use them as reminders. 


Whatever.  Those small pieces of paper are useful; they are just for me and don't have to be beautiful with little colored flowers on the corners.


And just think...if you do this enough times, you might be helping to save a tree.

Recycling

Several years ago we purchased a paper shredder.  We wanted to get rid of private papers without throwing them in the garbage where dumpster diving might occur.


After we shredded the paper...what to do with it?  At about the same time a friend of mine told me about putting shredded paper in flower beds.  She said you can put the pieces of paper where you don't want weeds to grow and then you can cover up the shredded paper with soil.


We did that.  We have a rose garden with paper under the soil.  Same for our oval garden.  By now it has decayed along with the saw dust.  I have dug in the rose garden to take out the invasive clover, and all I can find is crumbly soil.  After all paper is organic so that it should enrich the soil, and that will make our plants thrive.

Negotiate

I read an inspirational book by Herb Cohen, You Can Negotiate Anything.
In the book Cohen says that we negotiate daily: babies cry to get what they want; some women nag to get what they desire, etc.


He spoke of negotiations between countries, also.  I found the book to be fascinating, informative, and certainly of use to anyone and everyone.


Therefore, we-I-you-  can do the same thing.  We may use more sophisticated means, but we can get what we want.  After I finished the book I decided to try my skills.  I went to a store, not a high end department store, but a good store nonetheless.  This was in March-and I saw two winter jackets, which would fit my boys.  I told the clerk to allow me to speak to her supervisor.


I said something like this to the supervisor: "Winter is over and you are not likely to sell these coats for the $15 you are asking.  (This was 30 years ago.)  Why don't I buy them from you for $10 each?"


The supervisor said, "Great!"  And I walked off having saved $10, and my boys had new coats.  You can do the same thing.  First of all, read the book because it is important you understand several approaches and positions you must take, and, above all, you need to know the other person's position.


A very important component of Negotiating is realizing that each party must get something out of the negotiating.  Both parties must end up happy, not cheated.  If you cheat someone that person will never deal with you again, so what have you gained?

Bargains

Bargains

I needed some pots and pans to distribute to two of my children who were going to live in apartments.  I went into a store and found a shelf with clearance items.  Lo and behold there was a box which held a large set of pots and pans originally for $120 on sale for $30.  It turns out only a lid was missing.  I bought the set, and then I went to a hardware store and bought a lid.  Those two children, now grown, are still using the pots and pans.

Then I found out that other stores have similar shelves or corners where they place items at a clearance price.  Sometimes it is a rack they keep in a certain place.   One store with such a rack had two pajama bottoms reduced by 50%.  I took a coupon they had sent me that offered 40% off.  After using the coupon the pajama bottoms were $6 each.  Great gifts for two of my granddaughters.

A bookstore I frequent has Clearance Shelves.  That, too, is a great source for books which might interest a person.  I’ve bought former bestsellers and hobby books there for $1 each.

Once I went to a restaurant supply store looking for thick coffee cups which interested my husband.  The sales clerk told me the store was not open to regular customers; however, it did have a table in the back where they sold odds and ends.  I found coffee cups for $.25 each, cups which thrilled my husband.

Those are examples of bargains I took advantage of.  The main thing is to identify the places-corners, shelves, racks-where certain stores place their bargains.  Then check them out from time to time.   Good hunting!

Denim

 

Denim, recognized as a most durable fabric, originated in France but came to be used by men working the mines in California.  In time denim became a fashion statement.  It is still one of the most popular fabrics used to dress people of all ages.  And it almost never wears out.

And that is where a resourceful person comes in.  If you cut up an old pair of jeans, you will still find really good pieces from which you can make useful items, i.e., cushions, aprons, hot pads, quilts, etc.
I cut out all the heavy seams because most of our sewing machines were not made to sew over those heavy layers.  The factories making denim clothes, especially blue jeans, have heavy duty machines which are used for sewing those heavy fabrics.  Even so, I buy denim needles for sewing denim.  They are very strong and effective.

When I join two denim seams I just overlap them and cover the seam with a colorful trim.  No bulk.  No mess.  There are various web sites which will show you the many items you can make with denim.

Don’t throw away your old blue jeans.  Upcycle them with something you or someone else can enjoy.  Good sewing!

Doilies and Such

About seventy or eighty years ago when my mother did a favor for a neighbor she was usually rewarded with a doily or some sort of handwork.  She died and left many doilies, a tribute to her kindnesses.  And now the question: what to do with so many doilies.

Since I consider myself a thrifty and resourceful person I pondered over this question and came up with various ideas.  The most gorgeous pieces you can frame and give to grandchildren.  Others you can use as appliques on cushions you make, or if they are round, they can be one side of the cushion .  I took some rectangular crocheted pieces and made bathroom linens by sewing up a rectangular piece of white fabric and then placing the crocheted piece on one end.  Pretty.

Other crocheted pieces I placed under objects which might scratch coffee tables.  When I made a vest I used some of mother’s crocheted pieces.  Also, I took a denim jacket and embellished it with appliques and small crocheted pieces.  The contrast is interesting and striking.

Not only did I enjoy Mother’s work, I now buy crocheted pieces wherever I see them and then use them creatively.  Long live handwork made by dedicated folks!

About seventy or eighty years ago when my mother did a favor for a neighbor she was usually rewarded with a doily or some sort of handwork.  She died and left many doilies, a tribute to her kindnesses.  And now the question: what to do with so many doilies.

Since I consider myself a thrifty and resourceful person I pondered over this question and came up with various ideas.  The most gorgeous pieces you can frame and give to grandchildren.  Others you can use as appliques on cushions you make, or if they are round, they can be one side of the cushion .  I took some rectangular crocheted pieces and made bathroom linens by sewing up a rectangular piece of white fabric and then placing the crocheted piece on one end.  Pretty.

Other crocheted pieces I placed under objects which might scratch coffee tables.  When I made a vest I used some of mother’s crocheted pieces.  Also, I took a denim jacket and embellished it with appliques and small crocheted pieces.  The contrast is interesting and striking.

Not only did I enjoy Mother’s work, I now buy crocheted pieces wherever I see them and then use them creatively.  Long live handwork made by dedicated folks!

Cushions for Couches

I saw an ad in the newspaper in which cushions for couches were reduced by seventy-five percent.  Wow!  I ran to the store.  Yes, the cushions were reduced from $80. to $20.  I went back home.  I like cushions whose covers I can remove because I like to nap on the couch with our cushions and so does my family.  Well, the type of cushions on sale cost too much, and the fabric didn’t lend itself for removal and certainly not washing in a machine.  Perhaps they required dry-cleaning and who wants to sleep on a cushion that smells like chemicals.  No way.

I took out fabrics I already had and scraps of my husband’s old blue jeans.  Voila!  I combined all sorts of fabrics and came up with an assortment of cushions for my couch.  I mixed faded denim with regular colorful cottons; floral prints with eyelet; denim with lace; and a previously embroidered University of Texas logo on white fabric with a western print.  All were colorful and practical and most important of all, they suited my kind of life.

And I bought my filler cushions on sale at the local fabric store.  Savings?  Lots of money.

Dog Collar

An approach for a person seeking ways to save money is this:  Think about what it is you want or need.  What is it?  Can you substitute something in its stead?  Can you find it for less?  Or can you just do it yourself?  Brainstorm by yourself or with someone else.  Often there is a solution that will not cost money.  Try it.

My son’s dog needed a collar so he could carry  his IDs and license on the collar.  He told me what he needed.  I went to a place where I keep all my belts, most of them leather.  I found one that no longer fit me-no comments, please-and took it outside.  I tried it on the dog’s neck to get a good fit.  With a hammer and a large nail I several made holes in the belt and then trimmed it.  My, but that white and black spotted dog looks good with that red collar!  Another savings for this family.

For Gardening Folks

I have a very good hint for plant lovers and gardeners. If you wish to increase the number of flowering plants in your flower beds, do not despair. Ask your friends about flowering plants and you'll be surprised at how many have plants they are willing to trade with you. A friend gave me an esperanza plant, and we are giving her lariope plants. There...that is the way it works. The same goes for vegetable plants. If you plant using seeds you will more than likely have many small plants to trade with a friend or friends. In this manner you can have a vegetable and or flower gardens that will be outstanding. If you take your grapes as I do and make jelly, presto, you have a Christmas gift for someone who loves homemade jelly. My son makes homemade bread, and he gives some away to friends who have done favors for him. I, too, love his bread. There are so many ways to honor friends and relatives with gifts from your own home. And all you have to do is find the hobby you like. The product may well be your next gift.

Booklover

When I was eight years old I saw my first library. It was on the second floor of my school, and the sight of all those books covering three walls and going from floor to ceiling mesmerized me. To myself I said, "One day I, too, shall own a library."
And to that end I have worked for many years finally filling my den with books.

Enters the e-book industry. No matter. I still buy books, read books, discuss books, and recommend books. Sometimes I give books. And I buy them cheaply. I buy them at estate sales, garage sales, antique stores, etc. I also use Abe Books and Amazon.com. I also go to bookstores, especially Half-Price books.

People who sell at estate sales and garage sales often do not know the value of books. For example, recently (for fifty cents) I bought a new copy of Roget's Thesaurus, a priceless resource book. Also, I have bought past bestsellers and recent bestsellers. Not too long ago I bought many children's books and gave them away to a school so they could give them away to children who don't owe books.

So, if you love books, buy them and don't pay too much for them. Good hunting!

Saving Money

When my children were small, three, four and five years of age, I taught them to save their money. Then I took them to a bank (which incidentally had steps the children had to climb to reach the teller) to save their money. I told them about interest and compounded interest. They loved the idea that their money could make money. They read the statements and watched it grow.

When they became older they took jobs that paid them money. They saved that, too. Meanwhile, we supported them as all parents do. By the time they went to college they had money saved up, and to this day they still save money. I wouldn’t be surprised if they still have those first few dollars they saved as they walked up the steps so they could talk to the teller.

Children often do what the parents do and stress in life.

Gardening Tips

One day I was driving by a door-making company. I saw lots of sawdust and bags and bags of it. I stopped and asked about it. It was free! My son and I gathered about three bags and with the help of two men placed them in the car. We tipped them. It always helps to tip people in those type jobs because it means a little bit more money in their pockets and they will be happy to see you the next time you go by.
We placed the sawdust in a special place so it would have time to rot. Also, my husband likes to add organic material. So when he finishes oranges and such, I slice them as thin as I can so those scraps can mingle with whatever else is out there, lettuce, cucumber skins, potato peelings, and, of course the sawdust . We also throw dirt on top of the pile from time to time.
That soil, which we moved to a flower bed, is so rich that anything grown where the sawdust and other organic material is located, is bigger than similar plants in other parts of our yard.
IMPORTANT CLUE: If you have children and they are watching this type of lifestyle, they, too, when grown, will take care of their money and attempt to live a practical way of life.

Old Linens

Another project which has given me great pleasure is recycling old linens. If your creative mind is not working as quickly as you would like, go to a fabric shop or a book store and look at magazines that tell you about old linens, their care and their uses.
I have found crocheted pieces in New Mexico, lovely linens in estate sales and have also acquired lovely old pieces from my mother and mother in law. Of course the older folks are pleased you are interested in their linens. And I am thrilled to have them to work into my home.
The most obvious thing I’ve done is taken a round doily and placed it on a white background and made a round cushion out of it. I also found some crocheted squares in New Mexico which I took and sewed on to the bottom of a piece of waffle cloth. Voila! Linen towels for my bathroom.
Possibly the most creative and most pleasurable thing I ever did with old linens was to piece some and make an old timey summer vest, which I can wear with a dress or with a skirt. The back of the vest advertises a Rice product. It was a rice sack my mother had saved up and never used. The front of my summer vest has bits and pieces of her embroidered work. I also sewed ribbons diagonally to separate the linen scraps. I used colored ribbons for an additional color. Charming is what friends call it. I think of it as a piece of my mother. She is still “has my back”.

Working on Your Wardrobe

An effective and economical way of dealing with your clothes is the concept of working on your current wardrobe.
When I was in college I hired a dressmaker to make me a sundress using really good cotton fabric. When I began teaching I wanted to use the dress but it was not a practical garment to teach in. So I took out my scissors and cut off the bottom part of the dress, (it was a full skirt on the dress) and made myself a skirt to be worn with a simple blouse. Great result and no money spent as I already had the thread with which to sew.

While going through my mother’s things when she passed away, I found a beautiful blouse from Europe made with a batiste that behaved like a fine silk. The only problem was that a moth loved it too and ate a tiny hole near the shoulder seam. I brainstormed by myself as to how to utilize the blouse and I came up with this idea. I took some fine cotton lace and sewed it on both shoulder seams. Voila! I own the most beautiful blouse. Lace on the front, on the sleeves and on the shoulder seams. Mother has been gone twenty years. I hope she is looking down and saying something like…”she’s still wearing my blouse” and smiles as she notices.

One Way to Save

I don't necessarily recommend this method of saving money, but it worked for the parents of a friend of mine. She said her family lived in an apartment in a complex full of people. Her mother wished for a home, and she told the children, "We will have a home."

While her husband went to work and the children went to school, her mother took in ironing. Everytime she was paid, she put her money through a slit in a large pottery pig she had bought at a market. This money no one ever touched. The pig sat in the corner of her bedroom, and no one paid any attention to it.

After thirteen years her mother announced to the family at dinnertime, "We now have enough money to put a down payment on a house."

And my friend said, "And that is how we came to move out of an apartment and into our very own home."

I loved the story for it showed determination and patience. More power to those who wait.

Sewing Bargains in Bulk

Remember I mentioned how enjoyable and useful hobbies are. I sew a great deal and I have since I was a child. One day I went to a “sale”. An individual was selling fabric in her garage sale. I looked about and told her I wanted to purchase the plaid flannel. “How much of it do you want?”

After hearing the price, which was reasonable, I told her I wanted to buy the whole bolt. “Why?” she asked.

Because I just decided to make robes for all the men in my family and then give them as Christmas gifts. That included one husband, three sons, and one son-in-law. And that is what I did. Robes are very easy to make. No buttons and now handwork. Each robe cost me about ten dollars to make. And they were greatly loved and I see some of the relatives still wearing the robes.

Another time when we visited England I found some white linen at a very good price. I bought the whole bolt, which was much cheaper there than in the states. I knew in advance how much I needed because I had already measured my patio doors. When I returned I made simple linen panels that attached to the rod with grograin ribbon. The panels were copies of some curtains I saw from a well-known department store, but mine were much cheaper.

These are stories of bargains which resulted in little work but much pleasure. Hopefully you will get the idea and the desire to do the same thing.

Sewing Bargains in Bulk

Remember I mentioned how enjoyable and useful hobbies are. I sew a great deal and I have since I was a child. One day I went to a “sale”. An individual was selling fabric in her garage sale. I looked about and told her I wanted to purchase the plaid flannel. “How much of it do you want?”

After hearing the price, which was reasonable, I told her I wanted to buy the whole bolt. “Why?” she asked.

Because I just decided to make robes for all the men in my family and then give them as Christmas gifts. That included one husband, three sons, and one son-in-law. And that is what I did. Robes are very easy to make. No buttons and now handwork. Each robe cost me about ten dollars to make. And they were greatly loved and I see some of the relatives still wearing the robes.

Another time when we visited England I found some white linen at a very good price. I bought the whole bolt, which was much cheaper there than in the states. I knew in advance how much I needed because I had already measured my patio doors. When I returned I made simple linen panels that attached to the rod with grograin ribbon. The panels were copies of some curtains I saw from a well-known department store, but mine were much cheaper.

These are stories of bargains which resulted in little work but much pleasure. Hopefully you will get the idea and the desire to do the same thing.

Sewing Bargains in Bulk

Remember I mentioned how enjoyable and useful hobbies are. I sew a great deal and I have since I was a child. One day I went to a “sale”. An individual was selling fabric in her garage sale. I looked about and told her I wanted to purchase the plaid flannel. “How much of it do you want?”
After hearing the price, which was reasonable, I told her I wanted to buy the whole bolt. “Why?” she asked.

Because I just decided to make robes for all the men in my family and then give them as Christmas gifts. That included one husband, three sons, and one son-in-law. And that is what I did. Robes are very easy to make. No buttons and now handwork. Each robe cost me about ten dollars to make. And they were greatly loved and I see some of the relatives still wearing the robes.

Another time when we visited England I found some white linen at a very good price. I bought the whole bolt, which was much cheaper there than in the states. I knew in advance how much I needed because I had already measured my patio doors. When I returned I made simple linen panels that attached to the rod with grograin ribbon. The panels were copies of some curtains I saw from a well-known department store, but mine were much cheaper.

These are stories of bargains which resulted in little work but much pleasure. Hopefully you will get the idea and the desire to do the same thing.

Sewing Machines

I’ve been sewing since I was eleven years old, and I started sewing on a treadle machine. So you can imagine, my dear readers, how impressed I was a couple of years later when the Home Economics teacher Mrs. Sullivan assigned me to an electric sewing machine. Wow! It could go very fast. In fact, the teacher told me to slow down.

At age twenty-two I was finally able to purchase my first sewing machine. It was a brand new slant needle Singer and it cost me $150. I loved it and sewed on it for years as we raised four children. That’s lots of pajamas and many Christmas gifts for children and relatives. Finally, I gave it to my married son and it still works just fine.

While I still owned that slant needle machine I decided I wanted a machine that zigzagged, and a friend told me exactly where to find it. She took me to a used Singer store. I bought the machine for $100 and began zigzagging every opportunity I had. The machine was used and worked very well. I used it for years and then gave that to my daughter and it still works.

Time to buy another machine. I walked into a dealer of Bernina sewing machines. The salesperson told me I could buy a $1600. machine for $1000. And truth to tell, the former owner had barely used it. There is no doubt but that it was new, new. Someone had decided to buy it and then immediately bought a higher model. I took the machine home and it was great. It still works.

My point is this: if you need a sewing machine, it doesn’t have to be brand new. Save yourself several hundreds of dollars by buying a machine that is slightly used. They are tough machines and they rarely break down.

I wish I could say the same thing about other machines, but I really don’t have the experience. But as for sewing machines…shop around. Save your dollars and get a good deal. Then enjoy!