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.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
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.
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”.
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”.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, July 8, 2011
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.
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.
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.
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