this weekend was an interesting mix of good & unexpected. we checked a few things off our ever-growing to do list, dirtied up a sink of dishes while baking the most delicious strawberry yogurt bundt cake, cuddled a handful of quickly growing chicks, savored breakfast at home, & managed to get out of the house for a day of fun just when we were getting a little stir crazy.
of course, as life so often happens, we experienced a bit of the unexpected, too. the weather wasn’t what we anticipated with the mix of rain, sleet & snow right outside our door & dampening our spirits. with unexpected trips to the mechanic, two cars & three new tires later, we spent a hefty amount more during our spring break than planned.
as always, we bounce back. these next few weeks we plan to go on a sort-of purchasing freeze to recover from our unplanned expenses & get back on budget. i journaled for a bit on sunday the many ways i could serve our family, stop spending & get a little creative with what we do have.
i am naming this week clean out the pantry week, a week of using up & eating those ingredients leftover or forgotten in the back of our cupboards & hidden in the fridge. i have several delicious meals planned, including storage winter squash stuffed with apples & sausage from the farm, homemade cornbread, split pea & sweet potato soup, roasted beet bites, omelets, tomato soup with grilled cheese, & sauteed kale from the garden.
my spirits can grow a little weary when i dwell on the unexpected hang-ups of life, but that survivalist in me loves a good, healthy challenge mixed with a bit of thriftiness. there is so much growth & goodness to be found in making the most from very little.
how do you creatively make the most of what you have?
love,
natalie
happy friday to you!
today luke & i have a big day planned & are calling it our “special spring break getaway day!” luke is off today so we planned on leaving town early to go camping this weekend. after an unfortunate look at the weather forecast calling for freezing rain & possible snow, we decided to scratch that. instead, we made a list of indoor activities we would like to do & picked our top two. today, we are doing those things!
my list:
– thrifty trip!
– dye eggs
his list:
– barnes & noble
– coffee shop date
so, it’s omelets this morning with bacon & coffee. then, we’re dressing up in our best date attire & hitting up our list for a day of fun!
& before i go, i wanted to share a little joy with you! i am offering 25% off everything in my etsy shop until tomorrow evening in celebration of spring! these bookmarks would make the perfect little addition to your spring easter baskets. the postcards are fun for sending happy mail!
just go here & enter “HAPPYSPRING” at checkout!
love,
natalie
this weekend i hosted a baby shower for a sweet, natural mama & dear friend. she was registered at a few places, but those were all out of my budget considering i had around $5 to spend {no joke!}. after a bit of exploring on pinterest, i decided to sew up a little owl for baby & homemade, all-natural laundry detergent for mama.
when my embarrassingly cheap gift was opened, everyone asked for the recipe. it was a huge hit! apparently homemade laundry detergent is a struggle for some… they want to make their own detergent but haven’t found that really great recipe.
of course, i am no expert in the field of homemade cleaning products {still searching for a good liquid dish soap recipe…}, but i have used this laundry detergent recipe for over a year & really love it. i thought i’d share my go-to recipe with you today. happy cleaning!
natalie’s all-natural laundry detergent
2 cups borax
essential oils
chop bar of soap into small chunks. add chunks to food processor and blend until little beads of soap are made. add borax and blend well. add washing soda and blend for two minutes more. remove lid from food processor & add around 30 drops of essential oils {i like lemon & lavender}. mix with metal spoon until essential oils are evenly mixed. store in jar & use 1 tablespoon per load. wash food processor really well after use.
make a cute label, use scraps of fabric & tie with ribbon. gift to a friend!
do you have any homemade cleaning recipes you love? please share!
love,
natalie
p.s. happy SPRING!