Once upon a time, sewing was a widespread skill common to the poorest and richest of women as well as men of many professions. The reason for the former popularity of sewing is that it is a skill both basic and necessary. Nowadays, because of manufactured clothing and looser fashions, we are more inclined to search for clothes that we fit into rather than have clothes made to fit us.

Compared to the apparent convenience of purchasing ready-made clothes, a great number of people wrongly believe that the sewing of clothes is either an antiquated custom, a hobby for “creative” people, unreasonably difficult, or simply a waste of time.

Logically the process of manufacturing products en masse seems the cheapest way to get things. This is true: manufacturing in large quantities is the cheapest way for large companies to get their products. But all the savings from using cheap labor and bulk supplies do not become your savings but someone else’s profit. Manufacturing is not always the cheapest way for you to get things, especially clothing.

Below are some of the first items of clothing we made when first learning to sew. Each item cost no more than $1.00 to make.

 

A wide variety of fabrics appropriate for clothing are available in a range of $1-$10 per yard. I have seen simple sleeveless tops in stores priced at $40 or more and consisting of less than ½ yard of fabric. One half yard of satin can be had for $2.50, stretch velvet for $3.15, and cotton for $1.50. A long-sleeved shirt with approximately 1½ yards of fabric, can cost as little as $1.50 (plus buttons and thread) with sale or bargain fabric.

Hats, which cost $20+ in the days when I used to buy clothing, require even less fabric and can be sewn from what is left over from larger projects. By purchasing fabrics on sale you can save even more money and compensate for the time it takes to sew an outfit.

The time spent sewing is actually equivalent to time spent earning. For example, that little satin top I mentioned above can be made in about 1 hour. The difference between $40 and $2.50 is $37.50—so you would be $37.50 richer for 1 hour of work. Plus, you would have paid less sales tax for $2.50 than for $40.00 (you would pay 93.75% less sales tax).

These days, the cost of a domestic sewing machine is very reasonable, and while models with many fancy stitches are available, you don’t need more than what the most basic models are capable of. The cost of the machine will soon pay for itself by the money it will save you, and it has other uses such as mending clothing which might otherwise be unused or thrown away, and making other things such as curtains, pillows, blankets, Halloween and play costumes (for children), etc.

We find that a lot of purchased clothing and bedding tend to fall apart sooner because the buttons are machine stitched without the threads being fixed or knotted, and seams are often serged, a loose stitch that tends to disintegrate. So, the lives of items you have already purchased can be prolonged with the help of a sewing machine.

As for the cost of sewing patterns, patterns for everyday clothes come very reasonably priced. A simple pattern can be had for as little as $2.00 from sewing and craft stores. Designer patterns are a little more costly, but still much more cost-effective than purchasing designer clothing, as several outfits can be made from one pattern. You can also find pre-owned patterns in good or unused condition at thrift shops and on the Internet.

The number of articles you can fashion from one pattern is without limit. Some ways to achieve new looks with the same pattern are: changing color, changing fabric type, adding trims, using different fabrics for parts of a garment (e.g. velvet dress with sheer sleeves), lengthening or shortening, gathering, altering the shape of neckline or hem, shortening the skirt and adding a ruffle, etc.

You can also figure out how to make your own patterns by using basic store-bought patterns as a starting point. Notions (buttons, threads, etc.) will not cost you much if you are truly frugal, but you may splurge a little on fancy buttons or embellishments and still spend less than buying a garment.

And unless humans have significantly genetically altered within the past century, most everyone is capable of learning to sew. After all, poor uneducated persons once learned to sew salable clothes without the help of the standardized patterns and illustrated instructions available to us.

You do not need a professional skill level to sew for yourself or your children. Slight imperfections in your finished projects are evidence that you made them yourself as handcrafted items are valued and admired in this age of manufacture. And an additional benefit to saving money is escaping the danger of showing up in the same dress as someone else.

Related posts:

• Finance Blog Carnivals of Late
• Save Money on Clothes: Shop the Juniors’ Department
• Our Favorite Sources for Affordable Fabrics
• Patchwork Berets from Fabric Scraps
• The Frugal Art

My spring cleaning therefore begins with using up these scraps as fast as possible and disposing of the remaining shreds. One easy way to use fabric scraps is to make patchwork berets which are highly individual and as colorful or demure as you choose. My recent hats are very colorful as I have a large variety of small pieces to deal with, but I intend soon to make some with fabric choices limited to one or two tones.

 

I have two styles of patchwork berets pictured here. Each beret is a 16 inch circle gathered onto a 22 inch band and took less than half of a day to make. The brims are optional and stitched on afterwards. The first beret is composed of truly small scraps of pretty fabrics (velvet, satin, cotton prints, suede, & corduroy) appliquéd to a circle of an ugly blue-green cloth that we once purchased for some inexplicable reason. The stitched edges were concealed by sewing white lace on top, which gives the whole piece a sugary, frosty look. You can use other trims such as ric rac, ribbon, or dimensional fabric paint to cover these edges. I opted for a white satin bow at the top instead of a pom pom (fitting for children) or a silk daisy and finished it off with a pieced together brim and three buttons in different colors.

The second hat is made of five pie-shaped pieces sewn into a circle. I made the pattern on my computer using the simple drawing tools common to word processing programs and added ½ inch to each edge for sewing. I then joined two or tree pieces of scraps to get a piece from which a section could be cut. These five piece were joined, lined with flannel (two leftover pieces joined together) and gathered on a patchwork band. The brim is made from leftover suede, stiffened with iron-on stabilizer. A button tops off the hat.

These hats are possibly too colorful for some people, but they are nice when worn with conservative clothing such as white shirts and coats. They can also be pieced together entirely from scraps of one fabric or the remnants from sewing a garment which becomes a matching accessory. Lining is optional and can add warmth or durability. The flannel pieces I used were from sewing a nightgown and old-fashioned ruffled caps. Other good fabrics for lining hats are: fleece, cottons, satin & faux fur. When you have enough hats for yourself and your family, produce them as Christmas, birthday, and baby gifts, saving the money you would spend buying presents.

Related posts:

• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Affordable Storage Solution: Covering a Cardboard Box to Make a Treasure Chest
• Our Favorite Sources for Affordable Fabrics
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• The Frugal Art

Originally posted 2008-03-27 16:48:57.

My suggestions are divided into the following subsections:

• Summer Hobbies – activities with lasting benefits and meaning
  
• Summer Studies – develop skills that will be useful in life
  
• Summer To-Do’s – a few ways to get your life or home in order
  
• Summer Fitness – ways to keep cool and stay fit
  
• Summer Pet Bonding – make your pet happy and you healthy

Summer Hobbies

Here are some ideas for catching up on tasks that may have been neglected during the year.

• Write in your journal
  Write about your past year, what’s on your mind, who and what you like and dislike, your daydreams, anything. In future years you will be glad you did it and also amused by your younger self. You think you will always remember what happened when, but as time goes by, memories do fade and become forgotten. (Trust me, I’m speaking from experience and I’m not yet 30 and have a memory better than most.)
• Make a family video
  Go around the house and take a video of your family going about its regular business. You will be glad for the memories one day.
• Scrapbook
  Organize family photos, report cards, birthday cards, artwork, concert programs and other keepsakes from the past year into a scrapbook.
• Reading
  Reading (even fun fiction) can help improve your mind, vocabulary, grammar and writing skills. If you go to the library, you can read in an air-conditioned environment without having to pay for the air-conditioning or the books.

Summer Studies

Yes, summer should be fun, but there’s no reason it can’t be both fun and productive.

• Learn a new language
  The benefits of learning languages are endless. Learning a new language can help you to:
  • Get ahead in your career
  • Make new friends from different parts of the world. When you show an interest in someone’s language or culture, they are often appreciative and take an interest in you in return.
  • Improve your English (or first language)
• Learn to play a musical instrument
  Music enhances the mind in many ways. Studies have shown that children who study music at an early age do better in school than those who don’t. Aside from that, it is also just plain fun.
• Learn to sew
  Sewing is a very useful skill to have regardless of your gender. You can learn to mend clothes, make your own clothes and other things for your house, which can save you a lot of money. Older and more skilled children can even make their own clothes for the coming school year. Check out one of our earlier articles for more info: Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes.
• Take a computer class
  Learn to type properly, use a spreadsheet or database, design websites, make presentations, etc. Most jobs these days involve computer use, so knowing as much as you can about computers might help you get a higher salary.

Summer To-Do’s

A few suggestions for improving life at home and getting ahead on the coming year.

• Get a head start on your Christmas shopping
  This could save you time and money because you can shop at your leisure and take advantage of summer sales. Leaving your shopping to the last minute usually costs more because you are up against a deadline and usually have fewer options.
• Sort through your stuff
  Go through your clothes and things and prune out those you no longer want or need. You could donate the things you no longer need or hold a garage or yard sale and make some money to put into your college or retirement savings.
• Re-arrange your room or home
  Re-arranging your room or home can have a positive impact on your life. A change can be uplifting and produce an overall feeling of well-being and accomplishment, renew your energy and increase productivity.
• Clean out your computer
  Ideally you would do this several times a year, but if you use the internet and download a lot of things, it’s a good idea to clean out your computer on a regular basis. If there are programs you don’t use, uninstall them. If there are files that you no longer need, delete them. Clean your registry if you’ve had the computer for a while. Keeping your hard drive from getting too full will extend its life.

Summer Fitness

A few suggestions for staying cool and healthy this summer.

• Mall Walking
  Walking in an indoor, air-conditioned mall is a great way to get exercise away from the heat and smog, and you can also save on sunscreen. You can even window-shop during your walks, but if you think you might get too tempted, leave your money and credit card at home.
• Swimming in an indoor pool
  Swimming is another low-impact exercise (safer than running) which increases endurance, muscle and cardiovascular strength. Try to swim in an indoor pool whenever possible or wait until early evening to avoid sunburn.
• Ice Skating
  Not only does it let you get away from the heat, but it’s a good low-impact and aerobic exercise which will help strengthen your bones and cardiovascular system. Taking some lessons and learning to skate properly can be worth the money.

Summer Pet Bonding

If you have a pet, spend some quality time together. Not only will you make your pet very happy, he/she will help make you healthier. (How Pets Help People)

• Take your dog to obedience school
  Obedience school is good for socializing and teaching discipline. There is nothing wrong with repeating obedience school for fun and refreshing both your memories.
• Teach your dog new tricks
  There are lots of fun tricks you can teach your dog: beg, spin (in both directions), roll, speak, catch a ball or frisbee, etc. You can also teach your dog to be helpful around the house: closing the door or brining you something you dropped. Dogs enjoy feeling helpful and learning new things can keep mature dogs’ minds sharp.
• Take your dog for long evening strolls or hikes
  If going hiking, be sure to take another person along, bring lots of water and plastic bags, and make sure your dog’s feet are protected from rough terrain. For your dog’s and other hikers’ safety, never let him off-leash on a hiking trail.
• Enter your dog in a 4th of July costume contest
  Make a fun costume for your dog and enter a costume contest or parade. (Sorry, for the self-promotion, but if you don’t want to make your own costume, check out some of our patriotic dog clothing and costumes at Franga Designs.)

Well, I hope some of these suggestions prove helpful in making your summer both fun and productive. Vas-y t’amuser!

Related posts:

• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• No-Air Conditioning Summer Part 1 – How It Started: No-Heat Winters
• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• Frugal Thermodymics Part I: Limiting Sources of Heat in the Home

Originally posted 2008-06-09 05:28:43.

Our Favorite Sources for Discount Fabrics

• Walmart
  Some Walmart stores have discontinued their fabrics departments, but if a store in your area has not done so, it is the best source for affordable fabrics. While they carry many “fiber content unknown” fabrics, they also have many good quality fabrics suitable for clothing in the $1.00-$2.00 per yard price range. When some of their pricier fabrics run low on the bolt, they often lower the price to $1.00-$2.00 to clear it out – usually with between 1-3 yards left on the bolt, which is ample for making a regular sized outfit. Even the “fiber content unknown” fabrics can be used for some projects such as home decoration and miscellaneous crafts.
• Jo-Ann Stores
  The physical Jo-Ann stores, especially the superstores, carry a huge selection of fabrics for all sorts of purposes – clothing, costuming, upholstery and crafts. While regular prices are often in the $3.00+ range, they often have large sections of quality fabrics on clearance for $1.00-$2.00 per yard. Joann.com often has free shipping promotions for orders $35 and above; just do a search on RetailMeNot.com for a coupon code.
• Fabric.com
  Our preferred online fabric supplier is Fabric.com. They carry a wide range of fabrics at reasonable prices, and often have a lot of good fabrics on sale or clearance from as low as $1.50 per yard and up. Be sure to check their clearance category frequently and check out the Fabric.com Coupon Corner for current promotions. We have ordered from them several times and been pleased with the quality of the products as well as the service. Their warehouse is located in Georgia, so shipping via UPS usually takes a week to the West Coast, and we usually receive our orders within 9-10 days of our order. (Prices quoted in our original article Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes were obtained from this site.) Fabric.com also offers free shipping on orders $35 and above.
• Jo-Ann.com
  Joann.com carries a variety of craft supplies and fabrics, though I find their online selection of fabrics limited and not as well priced. However, they sometimes do have very good sales on fabrics with prices as low as $2.00 per yard. Their sale fabrics often sell-out very quickly, so you have to act quickly when you see them. They also frequently offer Free Shipping promotions for orders over $35, but they can be a little slow to ship. (We once waited over 2 weeks for them to ship an order.)

New source (added October 4, 2009):

• Hancock Fabrics
  We have yet to purchase from Hancock Fabrics, but it seems like a reputable company and they have good prices and offer free shipping on orders $75 and up.

We haven’t purchased as much fabric lately as we have stocked up a lot of fabrics over the past few years. When purchasing fabrics, it is best wait to buy them on sale as it is rarely an urgent matter. With fabrics, when you see a good deal for a fabric you have a plan for and are certain to use, then snap it up before it is gone, because it most certainly will be gone very quickly. Just don’t snap up every bit of fabric that catches your eye. If you can’t think of a good use for it in the immediate or near future, or if you already have a lot of fabric sitting around waiting to be used, then it is best to let it go.

Related posts:

• The Frugal Literate’s Guide to Affordable Reading
• Patchwork Berets from Fabric Scraps
• The Frugal Art
• Elegant French Memo Board from Thrift Shop Picture Frame
• Frugal Thermodymics Part I: Limiting Sources of Heat in the Home

Even while growing up in very comfortable circumstances, I had a fascination with the potential of objects to be used as they were not intended. This interest may have begun with finding furniture for a doll house from household objects and making clothes for my dolls and cats from old clothing and yarns.

My pursuit of improvisation in furniture and clothes was furthered by literature such as novels by Charles Dickens which portray extreme poverty with infinite charm. There is also a children’s series by Mary Norton describing the lives of resourceful little people called Borrowers who see caviar tins as bathtubs and postage stamps as wall art. In one instance of borrower-like behavior, I used for a drawer pull the steam control knob from a clothes iron which had suffered a fall. Close examination will reveal that the knob bears the words “Max”, “Low”, and “Off”. The other embellishments used on this drawer were 2 pieces of star anise and untidy swirls of hot glue under a coat of paint.

A few years ago, while reading about Commedia dell’Arte, I learned that the colorful look of Harlequin costume originated from the practice of medieval jesters and fools, who were poorly treated and probably poorer paid, to fashion clothing from found scraps of fabric for the simple luxury of keeping warm. The romance of the pathetic significantly increased my fondness for patches and deliberate mismatching. The result is that some of my favorite clothes and household items are made entirely of materials left over from other projects.

 

The project I would like to describe in this post is after the example of jesters an fools. I have a favorite dress for wearing about the house because it is short enough to stay out of my way and has no sleeves to get wet when I clean. Over the years my favorite dress has been worn very thin and full of holes. The original green color became drab with accents of bright orange where it had met with bleach. There were also splashes of paint in attractive colors and not attractive colors. In recent years, I referred to it as “my favorite rag” and acknowledged that a sensible person would consign this former garment to the trash as it was not even fit for donation. However, I could not part with such an old favorite and so resorted to plans for resuscitation.

The first priority was to deal with the hideous color. Since the problem was uneven bleaching, I decided to bleach it until the whole was uniform. It took several days for the green to become orange and the orange to become pale pink—a pleasant surprise. And now came the unpleasant surprise. I laundered the pale pink thing . . . twice . . . possibly thrice . . . and it still smelled horribly of bleach which rendered it unbearably unwearable. After leaving the fuming rag in a heap for some time, I recalled once reading that UV rays in sunlight could break down toxic chemicals trapped in carpet. My toxic dress was then successfully rehabilitated after lying before a sunny window for about a month.

The next step was the fun part. I selected fabrics of various colors and textures from the leftovers of many sewing projects. These scraps were trimmed into squares, triangles, and whimsical shapes and sewn over the holes in the old dress. Scraps of leftover lace joined together covered the fraying hem and neckline. The spaghetti straps which were in the process of disintegration were reinforced by a satin ribbon which came to me wrapped around a Christmas present from my cousin and happened to be the exact length for this purpose.

The resulting garment is whimsical and wearable, and if unfit for promenading downtown, is quite sufficient for lazing and working at home or running to the mailbox. As more tears develop, I expect to continue adding patches until the original dress exists only as a lining. My favorite dress will, however, last forever.

I hope this account might encourage a few people to mend or renovate clothing. Sewing machines are very affordable nowadays (as little as $90 for a basic model) and sewing by hand is not unpleasant or very difficult.

In the near future, I will relate how my sister and I made use of our Christmas tree rather than throwing it away after the holiday and how this traditional annual botanical experience can leave you with a yearly asset instead of a waste disposal dilemma.

Related posts:

• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1
• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal
• Our Financial Lent: Giving up Chocolate and Ice Cream for a Month to Save $14
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)

I have no trouble with the yarn I purchased for myself; these I keep in resealable plastic bags organized by fiber type. The real trouble is the accumulation of “interesting” yarns which my grandmother—a highly skilled knit and crochet artist—gifted regularly to me as a solution to her own yarn buildup. These yarns come in a larger variety of fibers than I usually buy and range in appearance from extremely beautiful to frightfully gaudy. There is rarely enough of one type of these miscellaneous yarns to make a whole project.

I have now resolved once and for all to reclaim the hours I spend reorganizing yarns for more profitable use. Having just become aware that many people are troubled by yarn accumulation and resort to giving away or donating materials which had cost them money, I would like to share my solution for disposing of yarn without waste.

Convert yarn into useful items

Yes, this is done by knitting or crocheting. You may say that not having time to knit and crochet was the cause of your problems. I do not insist, however, that you make the project you planned when you purchased the yarn. Instead of painstakingly following patterns and counting stitches, easily dispose of your yarn of by forming them into square or rectangular shapes. Knitted or crocheted squares and rectangles can be sewn into charming pillows. These pillows may be plain or trimmed with lace crocheted from more of your extra yarn. Crocheted squares make very charming blankets, large or small, for yourself, children, or pets.

It is logical to use one type of yarn for one project, but I did make one blanket from an incredible hodgepodge of my grandmother’s old yarn including silk, wool, natural & synthetic fibers of all colors and sizes. I expected the resulting blanket to be quite ugly, but was proven wrong. Each crocheted square has a resemblance to something such as strawberries, owl feathers, Japanese kimono fabric, etc. The whole is unified by a white border and is only slightly lumpy due to the combinations of so many types of fibers and has been machine washed and dried without warping or shrinking. This blanket which rid me of a great box of yarn is my favorite throw for reading in the winter.

These easy projects can be done while watching television and made shorter by the use of large crochet hooks or knitting needles. I myself knit and crochet in the evenings while watching a DVD and pedaling an exercise bike. Avoid wasting the money already spent on your yarn and save extra money by making something you would otherwise buy. Some easy rectangular projects are: blankets, pillows, scarves, arm and leg warmers, bags and purses, square pockets or patches for clothing, bed skirt or ruffle, curtain valance.

 

Uses for odd bits of yarn

After you have made useful things out of your yarn, roll the leftovers into neat balls and store them on a basket for miscellaneous use. Some possible uses of yarn remnants are:

• Tie yarn around rolled up paper containing handwritten or typed messages. This is a economical substitute for greeting cards, note cards, and gift tags. Insert a sprig of herb or small flower under the yarn for a special touch. 8.5” x 11” papers look fine, but smaller pieces such as 3” x 4” are prettiest.
• Use yarn instead of ribbon to tie around a present. Two strands in related or contrasting colors look very nice.
• Tie around papers such as computer printouts, research papers, poetry and manuscripts to keep them together.
• Use to secure sets of stationary and envelopes for attractive storage on your desk.
• Bind notes, music, recipes, & scrapbooks by threading yarn through punched holes in paper. I use this method to secure sheet music in manila folders. Paper bound this way can be easily added to, reorganized, or taken out for use. Attractive covers can be printed on card stock.
• Crochet trims such as ruffles, lace, or furry cuffs onto plain sweaters and gloves.
• In crafts such as with plastic canvas which can be purchased for about $0.3o a sheet, creating attractive small storage solutions (see monogrammed suitcases pictured).
• Yarn can often substitute for twine and string.
• Stitched with blunt needle to secure braided hair on your head.
• Hang Christmas ornaments or Easter eggs from ceilings, windows, or other places.
• Use as embellishments: threaded through fabric or baskets, in bows, tie closures for clothing and boxes, curtain tiebacks, decorative stitching.
• Holding some desperate broken thing together.
• Replacement shoe laces?

Related posts:

• Free Printable Templates: Gingham Mini Carrier Bags
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Originally posted 2008-02-29 15:55:08.

So here are a few basic points and tips for the young and frugal. They may not help you climb the social ladder, but keeping them in mind and practicing them in whatever you do can keep you from falling off, and maybe help you to climb up, the financial ladder. And remember that basics are not just for beginners. They are taught first to beginners not because they are easy and therefore less important, but because they are the foundation upon which to build everything else.

Basics for the Young and Frugal

• Frugality is a Virtue
  This is not just another feel-good phrase to make you believe something that’s not true. The word frugal actually comes from the Latin word for “virtue” or “virtuous,” “valuable,” “worthy,” “deserving,” and many other good things. Check out my post and see for yourself. You should not be ashamed of being frugal; in fact, you should be proud that you are thinking ahead and planning and saving for the future – be it a down payment on a house or car, your retirement, a family, etc.
• Frugality entails sacrifice
  You will have to give up some luxuries if you truly want to save money. This doesn’t mean you have to give up every single joy in your life, but you will have to cut back.
• There is nothing wrong with staying home
  A little extra time to yourself at home is good. You’re paying rent or mortgage on your home, why not actually use it for something other than sleeping?
• It is never too late to take up a new hobby
  If you’ve always wished you could play a musical instrument, speak another language, sew or knit your own clothes, the sooner you start, the less time you’ll have for regrets and “if only’s” later. Invest in a useful hobby that will benefit you in later life as a professional or a parent, and stay home and practice it. For example, when you are a mother with a handful of children and not enough time in the day, you will be glad that you already know how to sew and mend clothing rather than having to learn to sew at that time.
• True friends will respect your choices
  If your friends put you down for your frugal lifestyle, then it’s time to find some new friends. Friends who really care about you will not repeatedly ask you to make sacrifices to feed their need to spend money. You don’t have to sever all ties with such friends, but there is nothing wrong with making new friends who share your values and can help you stay on track in your frugal lifestyle.
• It is never too early to think about your future
  Even if you are still 40 years from retirement age, you must start thinking about and take responsibility for your future. What if you’re lucky enough to live another 40 years after retirement? And this is assuming that all goes well and you do not need to take early retirement for any reason.
• A penny saved is a penny plus interest earned
  Check out my previous article and learn just how just a few dollars saved per day can turn into a small fortune over the course of 1-40 years.

Check back soon for suggestions for frugal activities and hobbies.

Related posts:

• April 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Blog Carnivals
• Make It Do: Frugal Forever
• Motivating Children to Practice Music (Part 2)
• Friday Fun: Meme Me! 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Me (Penelope Pince)

Originally posted 2008-03-25 16:36:19.

Tiny leaks and evaporation put a constant drain on your resources. As discussed in our previous post, From Pennies One Million Dollars Grow, a few cents saved here and there can add up to be a significant amount. Here we offer 101 suggestions for plugging expenditures in various aspects of your life – around the house, in your personal care, transportation, recreation and more. Most of these ideas we currently use or have applied in the past.

101 Drops in the Bucket

Saving on Utilities

• Minimize electricity use during peak hours (weekdays during work hours). Do laundry, use hot water, etc. in the evenings.
• Cook enough for several meals at once.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
• Turn off shower when shampooing and soaping.
• Work or read in the same room with family members or roommates to consolidate light usage.
• Take advantage of natural daylight to get your work done. Sleep when it’s dark, get up as soon as it is light (before sunrise).
• Hold off on personal phone calls that can wait until evenings and weekends when rates are lower or free.
• Wash things on the lawn to water the grass at the same time.
• Water the lawn or garden in the early morning or after sundown. Skip watering on windy days.
• Use curtains to keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter.
• Keep thermostat lower in the winter and wear extra layers.
• Don’t separate colors in your laundry; instead, hand wash items that bleed. This way, you can reduce the number of loads. Saves water, electricity and soap.
• Keep thermostat as high as can be tolerated in summer without harming your pets, antiques and musical instruments.
• Drink lots of cold water to keep cool and reduce need for air conditioning.
• Turn off air conditioning in late afternoon, open doors and windows and turn on fans.
• Using ceiling fans in summer and winter (reverse directions to push warm air down).
• For laundry, set a shorter dryer time. It’s better to have to do a touch up instead of using unnecessary gas or electricity. You’d be surprised how little time some clothing need to dry. If taken out still warm, damp things can still air dry quite quickly.
• Cancel cable, purchase a few DVDs a month (which cost less than cable and leave you with an asset) and watch current shows online at Hulu or network channel websites.

Saving on Food and Health

• Eat smaller portions to avoid waste and overindulgence.
• Eat foods of substance that hold you over longer (i.e. proteins).
• Take baking soda instead of over-the-counter antacids (unless you have other health conditions that are affected by sodium intake).
• Put away leftover food immediately to prevent spoilage.
• Do not overfill refrigerator as food goes bad faster due to poor air circulation.
• Do house and yard work for exercise.
• Get an exercise bike for $150-$200 or pedal exerciser for under $20 and some hand weights instead of a gym membership.
• Water down juice to reduce caloric and sugar intake as well as make the juice last longer.
• Make a pot of tea with a teabag instead of just one cup.
• Opt for stainless steel silverware and cookware without plastic parts as they last indefinitely.
• Use a hand whisk instead of electric egg beater to burn calories and save money.
• When baking – cakes, casseroles, etc. – use a cookie sheet instead of aluminum foil to cover the pan or casserole dish.
• Combine a box of Jell-O with a pack of unflavored Knox Gelatin for lower sugar content and cost.
• Buy quart-size yogurt instead of individual serving cups. They often cost $2.00 per container and save a lot.
• (Cont. from #78) When finished with the yogurt, save the container for storing food, cut fruits and leftovers, or use for various projects around the house such as mixing paint.
• Bring treats home. For example:
• (Example 1 for #80) Instead of going out for ice cream, buy a gallon and a pack of cones and enjoy several ice cream cones at the same cost.
• (Example 2 for #80) Instead of ordering delivery pizza, bring home a frozen pizza. The most deluxe frozen pizza such as Freschetta still costs a lot less than delivery plus tip.
• If you cannot decide between a low-carb and low-fat diet, low-fat is usually cheaper.

Saving on Household

• Use old clothing to make rags, pillows, blankets and pet beds.
• Use a home dry cleaning kit instead of a professional dry cleaner.
• Use less laundry detergent unless your clothes are very dirty to extend the life of your clothing.
• Turn clothing inside-out when washing to preserve the appearance.
• Use rubbing alcohol to sanitize doorknobs, exercise equipment, refrigerator handles, etc.
• Hold the insecticide. When you see an ant or other little bug, wipe it away with a soapy sponge and discourage further visits by cleaning thoroughly and caulking any cracks and entry points.
• Use rubbing alcohol to kill insects such as ants, spiders, gnats, silverfish.
• Use vinegar to kill tougher and larger insects. Vinegar in a spray bottle is also the best and cleanest fly swatter.
• Use vinegar in place of more expensive cleaners.
• When the oven is on, set dishes or other items to dry on top of or near the oven (keep safety in mind).
• Repaint or varnish furniture you already own for a new look or to give it second life.
• If throwing or cutting up old clothes, salvage buttons, zippers, drawstrings, bows and re-usable trims for mending other clothing.
• Rinse dishes before soaping to save dish detergent.
• When doing dishes, put the dirtiest at the bottom so that soap and water can run over them while you’re washing other easier dishes first.
• If you dry your hands or face on a paper towel, set it aside for cleaning floors and other things.
• Use cold water to clean on hot days to prevent getting overheated and save electricity or gas.
• Follow the The Life Stages of a Dish Sponge not only for sponges, but towels, clothing and anything else that applies.
• Use plastic shopping bags instead of buying trash bags. The small size will also encourage you to take the garbage out more often.
• Use small holiday buckets that can be purchased half-price (around 25¢-50¢) after a holiday for trash cans/waste baskets or cleaning buckets. These small buckets can be set on the counter near the kitchen sink to keep dogs out of the trash.
• Water down dish and hand soap. You often pump out more than you need.
• Learn to perform minor repairs around your home such as lighting a pilot light, replacing a thermocouple, etc. (We once saved $70 by changing the thermocouple on our water heater ourselves instead of calling a repairman.)
• Redye color-worn clothing to give a second life. Fabric dyes can be purchased in the laundry section.
• To save your septic system, instead of pouring cooking oils down the drain, pour them into empty glass or plastic bottles, close tightly and throw away.
• To extend the life of your septic system and reduce frequency of pumping, throw toilet paper in a trash can lined with shopping bags (and take it out everyday).
• Instead of replacing your pillow, launder in hot water and dry on thoroughly on high heat (to kill dust mites). You can even cut one seam open, fluff the material by hand, and sew it shut. No one will notice if your stitching is untidy. Consider a pillow cover if you suffer from allergies.
• Use pillow and mattress covers to prolong the life of your bedding and facilitate easier cleaning especially if you have pets or children.
• Use a push reel lawn mower. It is cheaper to buy, efficient to store, requires no fuel, has fewer parts to maintain and repair, and provides for refreshing and fun exercise.
• Use a wind-up clock instead of a battery or electric clock.

Saving on Personal Care

• Opt for a low maintenance and shorter hair style to save on shampoo and hair products.
• Make bar soap last longer by unwrapping and letting it dry for about a week before using it. (You could set it in your closet during this time to make things smell fresh.)
• In personal grooming, wherever practical, pluck instead of wax as a one-time purchase of a good pair of tweezers lasts for years.
• While using a facial scrub, exfoliate your hands (and maybe even your elbows) before rinsing off.
• Accept free samples of products that you use and would purchase – soap, deodorant, shampoo, lotions, etc. – so long as it doesn’t require you to pay money or register for some sort of membership. A sample is usually enough for several uses and can put off need to purchase them.
• Dry your hair naturally to save electricity, heat damage to hair, and sweating. In cooler weather, wear a small towel, scarf, or flannel cap until hair is almost completely dry.
• Curl your hair without electricity. Cut rectangular strips from an old t-shirt, roll up sections of damp hair and tie in a knot. This method has been used for many centuries and gives a very charming style of curl. Mousse can be applied before curling if desired.
• Keep good quality ribbons from gift wrap and packaging (such as for candy, food, and cosmetics) and use these as hair ties for securing the ends of braids, tying a bow over a plain rubber band, or stitching hair styles on your head (with a blunt needle).

Saving on Hobbies, Recreation and Entertainment

• If there are 2 or more of you, wait for the DVD release of a film instead of going to the theater, especially if you like to watch a film more than once. The purchase of 1 DVD is less than the cost of 2 movie tickets.
• Buy DVDs instead of renting. You may see fewer films in a year, but will have assets to reuse or resell.
• If you have a piano, consider learning to tune it yourself, which can save about $160 a year. The one-time purchase of a good tuning kit and manual is about $110. Tools could be had for less, but good tools will better prevent damage. Refer to: Tuning Your Own Piano: A Skill With Many Unexpected Benefits
• Use the library to borrow books, audiobooks and music and rent movies for $1-$2 a week. See The Library Card: Your Other “Rewards Credit Card” for more ways your library can save you money.
• Buy a small potted Christmas tree instead of a large “dead” one. When Christmas is over, plant it in your yard to increase your property value or keep it for next year.
• If you need paper for crafts and projects, request paper at the grocery store checkout. We used to use paper bags for testing clothing sewing patterns. Horse feed bags are great for patterns, too.
• Use reading as a frugal leisure activity that will improve your writing, grammar, and vocabulary which is advantages in all walks of life. The Frugal Literate’s Guide to Affordable Reading.
• Stop paying for classes, lessons, and activities if you or your children do not attend, practice, or enjoy them enough. A break might revive motivation or provide a chance to discover new interests and talents.

Saving on Shopping

• Shop online whenever possible and take advantage of free and low shipping costs to save gas and time.
• When shopping, always check unit prices. Don’t be deceived by packaging size.
• Don’t buy junk food if you’ll regret it eating it.
• Use cash back rewards credit cards wherever and whenever you can.
• Try to limit purchases to things of lasting value such as books, classic literature, reference books, classical music, conservative fashions and acoustic instruments instead of electric.
• Purchase furniture made of real wood and not laminate or particle board. If items contain particle board, at least make sure the framing is constructed of solid wood. Particle boards will bow, causing shelves to collapse, and swell and become permanently damaged when wet.
• Choose latex and rubber toys for your dogs. They outlast plush toys by several years and are more sanitary.

Saving on Miscellaneous

• Use online postage printing and carrier pickup for mailing packages.
• Turn of wrist watches when not wearing them to save the battery.
• Pick up all loose change.
• Use open source software.
• Resist pressure from peers and solicitors to donate to causes you do not feel strongly for or cannot afford.
• Close your bank account and open a credit union account with higher dividends, no minimum balance, unlimited free teller visits and checks, and fee-free accounts. Why Credit Unions Instead of Banks
• Choose credit cards with no annual fees. You could be spending or earning interest on that money.

Saving on Transportation

• Walk wherever and whenever you can.
• Consolidate errands.
• Plan your route to avoid left turns when driving.
• When driving, take your foot off the gas when anticipating a stop ahead.
• Park in the first vacant space you find.
• Plan downhill routes to and from your destinations.

Hurrah! We made it!

Related posts:

• Our Fourpence Worth has moved. Please update your feed readers.
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #9
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #11
• Put Your Brain Where Your Money Is: Think to Save

While browsing the WiseBread Forums today, I came across an interesting thread in which a member asks: Is “Simple Living” Just Another Term for “Giving Up”?

Several members responded with various opinions:

• There is a difference between simple living and forced poverty.
• Not everyone enjoys the rat race.
• It’s a choice.
• It’s a form of retirement.
• Some live the frugal life because they have no other choice.
• Frugal does not mean “easy,” but instead takes work and ambition.
• It’s the means to an end.

I thought I’d add my own opinion to this and go more into why we live the way we do – sort of a continuation/elaboration on Our Family Financial History which tells how we came to be where we are today. The answer to this question, as evidenced above, is different for everyone depending on your station in life – age, personal goals and lifestyle preferences.

For us, the last answer, “It’s the means to an end,” is closest to our view of “simple living” or “frugal living.” For me, simple living is not just another terms for “giving up.” I like to think of it as “saving up” and making it possible to “live it up” in future years.

Though, I think this has much to do with where we are agewise in our lives. Madoline and I are in our late twenties and we have many years ahead of us. But for someone at midlife, retirement or late-life, it would probably be different.

Our Reasons for Frugal Living are:

• To pay off our house as soon as possible
• To save up to attend graduate school
• To save up for a replacement car when the time comes
• To make sure we and our pets have enough (or more) to live on in later life
• To be able to live as comfortably and healthily as possible in later life
• To be able to help extended family who may need assistance
• To be able to travel and see the all the places we’ve been wanting to see
• To own a small farm on which to keep horses, sheep and dogs
• To be free of debt and worry
• To be able to have the things we want be they large or small
• To be able to pay our taxes – sad, but true

Frugal Living as a Choice

At this time in our lives, we cannot really afford to not live frugally. Our business is still in its development stages, and we are still considering other career paths. Because we prefer to avoid debt and our business is small, we have been using our cash to invest in sewing machines and materials for the business.

So for us, frugal or simple living is a choice because our present lifestyle is also a choice. At this time, we’d like to have a shot at making our business work because we prefer to work for ourselves and be able to work from home so we can be with our dogs who are our closest family. This is the reason we bought our house where the closest city is 40 miles away. We could move to a large city and get full-time jobs if we really wanted or needed to, but for now, we want to try to make our business work.

Frugal Living as a Means to an End

One of the ways in which we hope to make our fortunes is by investing. This also requires some capital other than regular savings and and emergency fund. So that is another reason we live frugally – to save as much money as possible to invest.

How about you? Do you live frugally? If yes, what are your reasons? And if no, why not?

Related posts:

• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Pecuniary Links ~ August 2009 #1
• Short Term vs. Long Term Savings with Bulk Buying
• Resisting the Urge to Splurge
• No-Air Conditioning Summer Part 2 – How We Stayed Cool Without A/C

As for actual gifts, we believe most mothers would appreciate something you made or put some thought and effort into. Below are some suggestions for Mother’s Day gifts. Ideally, you would do some of these things all year round, but Mother’s Day is a good time for them too. Not all of these ideas will suit everyone, but hopefully some of these will work for you and your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, wife, or any other maternal figure in your life.

Note: Not all of these suggestions are really “frugal” as in “cheap”, but they are frugal in that they are ideas for prudent, useful and practical, but still meaningful gifts that show you’ve put thought and effort into it and, therefore less likely to go to waste as many commercial Mother’s Day gifts tend to.

Hobby Gift Baskets

A few suggestions for baskets you can assemble. You can often find nice baskets at dollar stores or at thrift stores for a very low price. Many of the items recommended in the following list (i.e. books and music) can be purchase used and still in good condition. Used items often clean up nicely with a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. And even purchased new, these items still make useful gifts with lasting benefits.

• For the Literary Mom
  If she likes to read, scour used books stores and library sales for books she would like (mysteries, vintage books, classics, etc. – paperbacks suggested) and assemble a book basket. You could even include a few snacks to enjoy while she reads (cookies, chocolates, cocoa, tea or coffee mix).
• For the Crafty Mom
  A basket of yarns, fabrics, sewing, knitting or crochet supplies. You could pick out a craft instructions book, find a project she might like and assemble the necessary supplies for that project.
• For the Musical Mom
  CD’s, sheet music, and music books. You might pick a particular theme such as Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, romantic piano, or Italian opera or music from her youth. For older moms, you might have to include a CD player. For pianist moms make or buy a cushion for the piano bench (the unpadded ones are incredibly hard even for young bodies).
• For Moms with Pets
  Assemble inside a new litter box or pet bed: treats and necessities such as grooming supplies, pet vitamins, hair catching tools, odor control, collars and leashes, training equipment, hair bows, super odor suppressing cat litter, car restraints (seat belts), and/or an obedience class paid for by you.
• For the Gardening Mom
  An assortment of seed packets with flowers, spices, fruits, and vegetables. The frugal mom may save a lot of money growing her own produce. For areas with insect problems, herbs such as lavender may deter bugs from the home. You can also include a book on using herbs for health and beauty and include seeds for the plants described.
• For Culinary Moms
  Collect free recipes online to present on index cards or a handmade book. You might choose recipes based on a theme, such as appetizers, a certain ethnicity, a favorite ingredient, or health benefits. You might wish to include few kitchen gifts like a baking pans, knives, silverware bought on clearance (we got ours for under $5), cheese graters, rolling pins, seeds for herbs or young herb plants. Instead of a basket, you could give a blender filled with fruits and smoothie recipes.
• For the Scrapbooking Mom
  Scrapbook supplies and the promise to provide future memories for her to document. Look for creative scrapbook materials such as pretty paper salvages from greeting cards, gift wrapping paper, and nice packaging from things you buy. Ribbon, beads, lace, small toys, letters of the alphabet cut from magazines, cards, and used books. Doilies and decorative embellishments can be purchased at half price or less after a holiday. Glue and scissors might be useful too.

Home and Garden Help

• Clean her house for her (this is one of those that may not suit all personalities)
• Tidy her garden or yard for her
• Go through her house and look for things that need minor (or major) repairs and maintenance and fix them if you can, or arrange for professional assistance if necessary
• Clean all her windows, inside and out. This is a sure way to brighten a life.
• Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries if needed. Install a carbon monoxide detector if she doesn’t have one.

Favors and Services

• Make a nice breakfast and clean up afterwards
• Wash her car, vacuum the interior, clean the upholstery and carpet, take it for a tune up and oil change, check and inflate the tires if needed, and preset her favorite radio stations.

Flowers

• Buy some flowers to plant for or with her (small plants and flowers are often available for under $1.00 at garden centers and even drugstores like Rite-Aid)
• Instead of cut flowers, which while nice, are not very frugal because they only last a few days, you could give her a vase for putting flowers from other flower gifters (this way she’ll think of you every time someone else gives her flowers)
• Give attractive artificial flowers that last all year round. You could even fashion them into curtain tiebacks or trim a hat with them (just use hot glue).

Health and Fitness

• If she doesn’t get enough exercise due to weather, time, environmental or other constraints, consider a Pedal Exerciser that she can use while sitting at home – i.e. on the couch while watching TV. (We bought one of these for ourselves when we lived in the Bay Area where it was cold in the winter, and our grandmother took it because she said it was perfect for her situation.)
• Dumbbells in a pretty color. For the non-athletic mom, you might get a pair of 2 lb. dumbbells.
• Make slipcovers for her stationary bike, treadmill, or other exercise equipment.
• Spend the day with your mom, watching DVDs and pedaling or doing some other aerobic exercise.

Pets

While pets are not considered a frugal gift for the giver or recipient, they can bring a host of other benefits that make the cost worthwhile. Pets are especially good for elderly people who live alone and can use the companionship and are capable – physically, mentally and financially – of caring for them. If your mother lives alone and is fond of animals, a nice gift would be to help her adopt a pet. There are thousands of cats and dogs in need of good homes, and studies have shown that pets bring many health benefits, both physical and mental, to their owners including:

• Lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol
• Lower stress and anxiety levels
• Fighting depression and loneliness
• Faster recovery after illness
• Overall better health and fewer doctor’s visits

However, don’t surprise her with a pet. Rather, discuss it with her ahead of time and if she likes the idea and is sure that it is a commitment she is capable of taking on, go to a local animal shelter, pet rescue or other pet re-homing organization together and spend some time choosing a suitable pet for her. Be sure the animal you choose is suitable for in various ways:

• Type of Pet
  While both dogs and cats provide companionship, dogs tend to be more interactive and require more attention and maintenance than cats. Cats and dogs are not the only types of pets to be had, however. Birds, mice, gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas and guinea pigs also provide a presence and can help fill the space and quiet of an empty apartment or house.
• Size and Weight
  Make sure the animal is a size and weight that she can handle. If it is a dog, it should be a weight that she can easily control when walking on a leash.
• Age of Pet
  For elderly persons, mature pets are often more suitable, as they do not require as much physical interaction and activity as young animals, and will have reached a more stable mental, social and emotional level.
• Home Environment
  Make sure the animal will be compatible with the living space. Size isn’t necessarily the only factor to consider, but disposition. A small but high energy dog may or may not be suitable for a small living space, and there are older and larger dogs that can live happily and comfortably in smaller living spaces.

There is no end to the benefits and happiness pets can bring people, especially elderly people who live alone, so if you think your mother might be a suitable candidate for pet ownership, here are a few links to websites with more information on pet ownership for the elderly:

• How Pets Help People
• Animals and Your Health: The Benefits of Pet Ownership
• Safe Dog Breeds for Elderly People
• The Pets for the Elderly Foundation
• The Importance of Pets for Elderly People

Again, remember that pet ownership, regardless of the size or type of pet, is a responsibility not to be taken lightly and sprung on your mother without prior research and consultation with her.

These are just a few suggestions. Whatever you choose to do, remember that what your mother will appreciate most of all is the thought and effort put into the gift and not the monetary value of it.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Related posts:

• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #3
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)
• Frugal, Unique and Meaningful Valentine’s Day Gift & Date Ideas, Plus Budget Tips

Some objects do not need any modification to take on the new role of cabinet. For example, I have for many years used a faux antique birdcage to store attractive books. I also have an attractive wire puppy crate that is no longer in use which could store and display childhood stuffed animals. Other things can be become cabinets with simple additions and changes. Wooden boxes can have lids attached with hinges or wire. An unused aquarium can be polished or painted with glass paint and given an improvised lid. I have often contemplated the potential of spiral bindings from old notebooks to serve as hinges and have yet to try it.

Because looking expensive is not our first priority, my sister and I have a hobby of making cabinets from pine boards, scraps of plywood, and found items. These handcrafted cabinets can be used alone, stacked, mounted to a wall or placed on shelves and furniture. They add whimsy to our rooms and are ideal places to stash things which would otherwise accumulate on horizontal surfaces. Please allow me to introduce a few of our favorite cabinets.

 

• The blue and white cabinet which we call “Little Paisley” is decorated with 2 pretty note cards received in the mail, framed with lace and varnished. The handle is twisted wire. It holds rolls of paper for drawing.
• The yellow cabinet has a glass door made with a picture frame from a thrift shop and decorated with a scrap of velvet and fringe. It currently resides near the piano and contains songbooks.
• The white cabinet with star appliqués holds bags of polyester fill and sewing supplies. It also has a twisted wire handle.
• The “Kennel” cabinet with wire doors contains infrequently read books and 3 miniature dogs which my real dog used to steal off my shelf. I meant to buy wire for the doors but decided to use some more of the big coil of wire we already had. Instead of hinges, I hammered dowels into drilled holes. I don’t mind the slight crookedness.
• The littlest cabinet with the pink interior has a birthday card glued and varnished to the door. This one keeps my bedroom closet pretty by holding odd items such as lotion and rubbing alcohol. My bedroom closet is actually my personal library (my sister and I keep our clothes in the master bedroom) so this cabinet also serves as a bookend.

We are very fond of our cabinets for their flaws and individuality. They are versatile and easily change location or purpose as needed. Those who like projects of this sort should assign drawers or containers (or cabinets) for the purpose of tidily accumulating materials. Potentially useful items are:

• Greeting cards people have sent you. These are often rather expensive and should be given a permanent use.
• Any paper with tasteful patterns or artwork for decoupage. Old calenders can be recycled here.
• Attractive things that are inherently useless, fallen or broken off other items: silk or plastic flowers, miniature and doll house items, buttons, charms, rope, ribbon, pebbles, puzzle pieces, playing cards, party favors, old hair accessories, non-genuine jewelry, etc. Just about anything you fancy that can be affixed by glue will do.
• Things that can serve as door knobs or handles: large beads, teacup or mug handles, ceramic figurines, chess pieces, golf balls, small thread spools, interesting caps from perfume or cosmetic bottles, anything that is easy to grab and pull. Handles can be entirely decorative or absent if you wish.
• Potentially interesting doors are: old picture frames, wire shelving from small refrigerators and ovens, actual doors apparently fallen off other furniture or houses, art on canvas or in frames, book covers abducted from large old books (make sure the book is truly badly conceived, badly written, and in bad condition before harming it!), anything relatively flat and attachable. If you find a great door, make a cabinet to fit it.

Related posts:

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• DIY Step Stool Cupboard
• Switching to Paperless Statements to Save Money, Time and the Planet
• How to Save on Paint for Home and Craft Projects
• Our Family Financial History

Originally posted 2008-02-28 15:39:39.

While Madoline and I no longer buy clothes due to knowing how to sew our own, we did enjoy clothes shopping when we lived in L.A. where we often walked the malls for exercise to avoid the smog and sun. Being 5′3″, I always included the juniors’ section when browsing department stores.

I suppose one advantage of young girls wanting to dress like their big sisters or favorite movie star is that juniors’ fashions greatly resemble grown-up fashions and could therefore pass as “in style,” or at the very least not “out of style.”

While the adult clothing sale racks at stores such as Macy’s, Bloomie’s, Nordstrom’s, etc. often boast great prices, the juniors’ sales racks are even better. I have found tops on the juniors racks for as little $4 to $6 apiece and they don’t look much different from adult clothing.

My 5′3″ height and medium-large bone structure allows me to wear most L and XL junior sizes. I once purchased a dress from the junior section for $12. Madoline (5′4½”), the more lady-like of the two of us, has bought skirts from the junior miss department, and I, being a tomboy, used to browse the boys’ department for shirts.

As to the quality of the materials, I really don’t see any inferiority compared to that of adult clothing. In fact, I’m inclined to think that juniors clothing might be made to hold up under rougher wear than adult clothing. Maybe the material isn’t as fancy as adult clothing, maybe not. Either way, I hate the idea of spending $20-$40 on an item of clothing that I’d have to worry about getting dirty or torn in my daily activities (I am what some might call “a klutz.”)

Of course, a grownup can’t possibly outfit his/her entire wardrobe from the juniors department, but for casual, everyday wear, I don’t see anything wrong with it. And of course, not all juniors designs (artwork, logos, etc.) are suitable for grown-ups, but there are many conservative enough so as not to make one appear juvenile or eccentric.

So, if the shirt fits, wear it and save.

Related posts:

• Pecuniary Links ~ July 2009 #2
• Our Favorite Sources for Affordable Fabrics
• Shop
• Home is Where the Money Is
• It Never Hurts to Ask: Getting Late Fees Removed

Wise Bread: Carnival of Personal Finance #205: Pay it Forward Edition included our post DIM (Did-it-Myself!) Country Kitchen Storage Shelf.

Almost Frugal: The Carnival of Pecuniary Delights No. 8 included our post Sewing: A Frugal and Fulfilling Hobby – Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes.

I Pick Up Pennies: Carnival of Pecuniary Delights No. 7 included our post The No-Budget System

Stretchy Dollar: Money Hacks Carnival – Otter Pop Edition included our post Use Amazon Price History Tracker to Make Sure a Sale Really is a Sale.

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• Pecuniarities is Hosting the Carnival of Pecuniary Delights This Week!
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• May 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals

For those of you who were around you might remember our name being Our Fourpence Worth. We have come a long ways in many ways and have had a great time sharing our thoughts and ideas with you. We’d like to thank you, our readers, both old and new, for being with us, especially those who have been with us since the very beginning. We’ve gone through a name change, domain move, hosting move,  site re-designs (2 of them), some of which went smoothly and some not so smoothly as I am still an amateur at web design.

I’ve learned a lot this past year – about blogging and about frugal living. We participated in many blog carnivals and have hosted 5 blog carnivals here.

The Best of Pecuniarities/Our Fourpence Worth

Here are some of our articles that received some good attention (mentioned by MSN Smart Spending, blog carnival Editor’s Pick, lots of link love, StumbleUpon and search engine traffic) over the past year:

• 101 Ways to Save Money in Your Everyday Life
  
• Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account
• The Frugal Literate’s Guide to Affordable Reading
• Beautiful Homemade Christmas Ornaments From Eggshells
• Using Nature’s Gift Wrap: The Eggshell
• Simple Solutions to Staying Out of Debt
• Resisting the Urge to Splurge
• Closing Your Credit Cards Can Hurt Your FICO Score
• Economical Pet and Child Safe Ways to Repel and Kill Ants, Spiders and Other Insects
• Frugal but Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Yakisoba (Japanese Chow Mein)
• Free and Frugal Things to Do in Los Angeles
• Our Family Financial History

A Year Ago

At this time, allow me to point out a few of our very earliest articles that, due to the newness of the blog, didn’t get much attention. If you’ve got some time on your hands, have a read-through and feel free comment.

Penelope Pince

• Honestly Frugal: the Ethics of Saving Money
• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• Language Lesson ~ Finance: A Fine Word
• The No-Budget System
• Save by Knowing Your Shipping & Mailing Options
• Credits Cards Really Aren’t So Bad
• Frugality 101

Madoline Hatter

• The Life Stages of a Dish Sponge
• Cabinet Secrets: Uses for Useless Things
• Thinking inside the box: Some Uses for Cardboard Cartons
• Patchwork Berets from Fabric Scraps
• Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes

Thanks again to all of you for sticking with us. We look forward to an even better year ahead of us.

Related posts:

• Announcement: Our Fourpence Worth Store
• Thank you!
• The Life Stages of a Dish Sponge
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #7
• ‘Tis Not a Crime to Pinch a Penny

Easy, inexpensive, elegant, and durable

This year, I made my Christmas ornaments out of eggshells because there is something whimsical and magical in the shape of a natural egg. They can look just like regular glass ornaments or Fabergé style eggs. An eggshell is stronger than you would imagine and even stronger after being coated with a few layers of enamel. I have accidentally dropped my shells from heights of 3 to 4 feet during and after painting without breaking any—which no glass ornament I have known could have survived. And because you will eat the inside of the egg, the shell is virtually free.

I painted my eggshells with surplus nail polish from a manicure set given to me by a coworker five or six Christmases ago. If you don’t have unwanted nail polish, cheap brands with pretty colors can be bought for under than $1 a bottle.

Emptying the Egg

The common method of emptying an eggshell is to poke a hole in each end, stir the contents with a needle and blow it out. I find this method requires a larger hole than attractive so I prefer to use a syringe and needle to empty my eggshells. You can get syringes for refilling ink cartridges, but make sure they are new and clean because you want to eat the egg.

Pierce the top and bottom of the egg with a heavy sewing needle and use the syringe to draw out the contents. If the syringe seems to get stuck, you have caught a piece of membrane. you simply have to keep trying until the membrane peeps out of the hole and you can pull it out with your fingers. Injecting a little water into the egg and shaking it thins the contents and makes it easier to empty.

Wash the eggshell in dish detergent, drain and leave to dry. Then bake a cake or have scrambled eggs for dinner.

Making a Hanger

You can add the hanger before or after you decorate. Wire hangers make nice handles while painting. Ribbon and string are also ideal hangers, but if they are fancy or delicate, put them on last to avoid stains and accidents.

You can attach your hanger to either end of the egg with hot glue or fabric glue (I prefer glitter fabric paint). Wire hangers can be bent or curled at one end and inserted inside the hole.

Painting and Decorating Your Egg

Nail polish is the best paint because it dries quickly and has a pretty shine. It also strengthens the shell and reduces risk of breaking if the ornament is dropped. I even used some calcium fortified clear polish as a topcoat. Plain nail polish eggs really resemble traditional glass ornaments. You can also decorate them with glitter, lace, cords, and fabric trims. Eggs are relatively inexpensive and healthy so feel free to experiment. And you might just take them out again out when Easter rolls around.

Below are some examples of the variety of colors and styles you can use on your eggs.

 

You could even try making ornaments with eggshells broken open. How about a Fabergé egg Santa sleigh or cozy winter village. An eggshell igloo, snowman, or polar bear?

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• Holiday Blog Carnivals

A few months ago, we put a link on our blog for Dogs in Danger, a website featuring shelter dogs who are due to be euthanized if they do not find a home very soon. We had hoped placing the link would result in some adoptions of needy dogs. Well . . . . good news! It worked! Although we didn’t end up with one of the dogs on this website (the suitable ones being too far away), looking at all the pictures and descriptions of poor homeless dogs made us finally decide to adopt. After all, an adoption would benefit all parties. It would provide a home and family for the dog while making our business more efficient and hopefully more lucrative.

Another reason for adopting at this time is that foreclosures are causing many owners to give up their pets. By taking a dog out of a shelter, we could make room for another, reducing the euthanasia statistics by one. When the digit 1 represents a life, it’s not such a small number after all.

We began searching online for dogs at local shelters who might be a clothes model, pet, and little sibling for Luwie and Wolfie. There were so many cute ones that we were actually tempted to take two . . . or even three. But finances being a consideration, we had to be practical and choose only one.

There was a dog at the Lancaster Animal Shelter who instantly caught our eye. She was listed as a chihuahua, though we think she is half Italian greyhound or whippet. The poor little dog had actually been recently adopted and returned with the complaint that she was too big for a chihuahua and was very nervous and unhappy to be back at the shelter. Not only was she physically perfect for the job, having a neutral color and clean outline, but she was (and is) incredibly sweet and submissive, and went limp like a ragdoll when picked up.

With a payment of just $38.00, this little girl became our Sophia (pronounced “so-FYE-uh” in the 18th century way), Sophie for short. And we are glad to announce that everything worked out happily. We are fond of Sophia, who is our first toy dog, and she seems quite satisfied with us. Wolfgang is delighted to have a new friend and Ludwig is beginning to get curious about her after raising his eyebrows (he really does) and saying “What’s this?” for 24 hours.

Sophia has started a new life as a little princess with a big wardrobe and has reached the happy ending of the doggy fairy tale which is a “forever home.” Of course, we couldn’t wait to dress her up and already made her two new outfits. Isn’t she lovely?

* * * * * * * * *

Related posts:

• Yes, Dogs Can Catch Colds … and it’s Messy
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• Introducing Frugaltroph
• More About Us

This first writing project deals with the circumstances, people and events in our past which have led to our present financial habits. I proposed this topic as the first of our group writing project as I had been planning to write something about our background and why we live the way we do.

We are one of those people who have a somewhat complicated history. In our first 25 years, we had lived in 3 different countries and called approximately 20 different places “home.” After several hours of attempting to put it all in prose, we have finally given up and decided to put our family financial history and relevant events in timeline format (and with authentic pictures), for your sake and ours.

A note before we begin: The time periods used to head each section are names of actual time periods from history; however, they are not all in correct historical order, but rather arranged to fit eras of our lives.

Pre-History

• 1978 July – Oakland, CA
  Mother, an art student from Taiwan, marries a young engineer and flight instructor from Japan whom she feels sorry for because he is poor and alone.

Ancient History

• 1979 March – San Francisco, CA
  Penelope arrives.
• 1980 November – San Francisco, CA
  Madoline arrives.
• 1978-1980
  Father cannot find decent work and receives gifts of money and private airplane (in hopes of stimulating flight instruction business) from our maternal grandmother.
• 1981-1987 – Tokyo, Japan
  Father moves family to Japan for better work opportunities. Father becomes a workaholic and makes a lot of money, buys himself computers and other gadgets but won’t give Mother money for food or clothes. Mother relies on grandparents for help and begins giving English lessons to neighborhood children after learning Japanese.
• 1987-1988 – Taiwan
  Father tells mother to leave and take us with her. Mother files for divorce and we are sent to live with various relatives in Taiwan while Mother works to build up a successful multi-level marketing business in Japan and Taiwan.

The Middle Ages

• 1988 July – Kauai, Hawaii
  Mother marries a spendthrift, workaphobe, and tax evader among other things disguised as a romantic gentleman in a ninja suit.
• 1988-1994 – Several locations on Oahu, Hawaii
  Mother continues to work at multi-level marketing business, Forever Living Products, bringing in as much as $10,000 per month for several years. Stepfather also helps by dressing up in business suits; however, the level and efficacy of his participation is questionable. 

  For the first we few years, we enjoy an idyllic childhood living in nice houses, one with a swimming pool, with a menagerie of pet cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, mice, fish and birds. As we get older, our mother begins to share her worries about our stepfather’s shopaholicism. He goes through one expensive phase after another – chess (during which he buys several costly chess sets and strategy books), golf, motorcycles, guitar, etc. She is also constantly worrying about his tax debt and his refusal to do anything to remedy the situation.

• 1991 – 2000 – Family Business
  Staring around age 12 and 10, Madoline and I become partially responsible for helping to manage the family business, as Mother and Stepfather become the area General Managers and run the warehouse for product inventory. Our duties include helping customers (called distributors) with product purchases, explaining the various purposes of the products, taking orders, retrieving and carrying products to customers’ cars, monthly inventories, compiling and mailing monthly sales summaries to the main office. We continue to help out in this business till around part-way through college, at times running the business solely in Stepfather’s place in later years.
• 1994 December – Hawaii Kai, Hawaii
  Mother is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with 6 months to live. She begins preparing a will, appoints Stepfather legal guardian, names a trustee to set up our trust funds for the life insurance policy left for our future and education – $100,000 each for our education, $500,000 for the purchase of a permanent residence. Knowing Stepfather’s spendthrift nature, she allots $100,000 for his personal use. One month prior to Mother’s passing, the trustee of Mother’s estate is changed to Stepfather.

Imperialism

The following take place in several more locations on Oahu, Hawaii each successively less expensive than the previous.

• 1995 October
  Mother passes away, Stepfather collects the life insurance and begins spending money immediately. He purchases a new car – on credit so as to retain the cash for investing – and ignores calls from lawyer to set up trust funds.
• 1995 November
  Stepfather meets a man called “Grandpa” who has the investment opportunity of a lifetime; give him $250,000 and he will receive $6 Million in 2 months. Stepfather gives “Grandpa” $250,000 – without our consent, of course.
• 1995 November – Early 1996
  In anticipation of millionairehood, Stepfather spends money as if already a millionaire – takes a party of 10 to the Superbowl (including airfare, hotel and $1,000 tickets), takes entire family of which he is the oldest of nine to Phantom of the Opera, hosts a presidential campaign in Hawaii, etc.

The Great Depression

• 1996 Spring
  “Grandpa” proves by all appearances to be a fraud, though Stepfather continues to hope and chant “Our ship will come in.” All $800,000 is gone, new car is repossessed despite Stepfather’s efforts to hide it a ten-minute walk from house. IRS comes calling for back taxes dating to the 1970’s. All that is left is a modest residual income which would be sufficient for us all to live on if he didn’t spend next month’s check before it arrived.
• 1996 Summer
  Stepfather pushes for me to go to college one year early. When I do not want to do so, he resorts to asking for charity from a classmate’s affluent father. (We are unaware of this until after graduation.)
• 1996 -1997
  Stepfather begins to use the word “frugal” in family discussions, a concept he manages to abide to in theory; in practice, he continues to purchase computers, surfboards, and miscellaneous useless things which are somehow supposed to make him rich.

The Age of Enlightenment

• 1997 May
  I graduate high school and win the Sterling Scholarship for Foreign Language and receive a check for $4,000. Because Stepfather needs money, I endorse the check to him.
• 1997-2002 – Higher Education
  Madoline drops out of high school 2 years early, and does one year of independent study by correspondence in order to save Stepfather $16,000 in tuition, and enrolls in college one year early. We graduate college (with honors ) with the aid of scholarships and the residual income left by our mother. Even though the income is enough to support our very modestly priced education, getting the money from Stepfather to pay our class fees and insurance is like pulling teeth.
• 2001-2002 – My First Job
  I enter the work force after graduating, my first job being a contract 9-month receptionist/secretary for our college’s admissions office. I earn $9.00 an hour and work 30 hours a week. It’s a great first job where I discover I have an affinity for administrative work and enjoy counting how much I make every minute as I work (15 cents per minutes ).

The Great Schism

• 2002 June
  At the time of Madoline’s graduation, we sever ties with Stepfather due to a number of irreconcilable differences. When Madoline graduates and my contract ends, we get full-time jobs together. By sharing a house and all our expenses, we are able to put away about $1,000 a month. After a year at this job, we decide to leave Hawaii and try our luck in California.
• 2002 July – 2003 January
  We hire an attorney to help us deal with Stepfather and manage to transfer Mother’s residual income to us. By this time, the business has dwindled and the income is reduced to about 10% of what it was when our mother was alive and developing the business.
• 2003 February – Tokyo, Japan
  Biological Father now decides he wants daughters again after almost 20 years because he finds himself $80,000 in credit card debt from eating out and buying expensive presents for his girlfriends, and suddenly realizes family is important. Unfortunately for him (and for us), we have long ago stopped considering him as our family. Also, he asks us to help pay his debts which does not sit well with us.

The Age of Discovery

• 2003 May – Our First Apartment
  We decide to try living in the Bay Area, where we had been born. Because we will use up almost all our savings on the move, we look for the most inexpensive place we could find. We find a tiny place on Craigslist – and by tiny I mean 240 sq. ft. – an apartment behind a couple’s garage that will let us arrange the rental over email and let us bring all our pets for $650 a month. (Right: Approx. 1/3 of our First Apartment)
  We pack up our things (3,000 lbs. worth of furniture including our piano which we have had since childhood and couldn’t part with, books and mementos of childhood and our mother) and pets – our 4-year old dog, 16-year old cat, and 22 mice. The apartment is so small that we barely had room left after moving all of our things in.
• 2003 May – Our First Car
  After a couple of scary and extremely uncomfortable experiences walking in our new neighborhood to run errands, we decide we need to buy a car asap. Knowing almost nothing about car shopping and credit, we get tricked into a 24% APR.
• 2003 June – Our First Real Frugal Experience
  Having used up all our savings on the move and down payment on the car, and our monthly check having been delayed, we have $100 in the bank. One night we dig through all of our things, pockets and purses for spare change to buy groceries. Even after our check arrives, we go about setting up our apartment as inexpensively as possible because the amount of the income is unpredictable and unreliable. We begin to find creative alternatives for thing we need.
• 2003 Summer & Fall – Our Second Apartment
  As we are still trying to figure out what we want to do, we temporarily apply for and get jobs as sandwich makers at Togo’s Eatery. After a month, the owners of Togo’s offer us managerial positions at a new upscale pizza shop they are opening in Fremont. The apartment turns out to be in violation of several California building codes, and gets extremely hot, with temperatures above 100 degrees on the hottest days. As we are about to start our new jobs in Fremont, we upgrade to a 400 sq. ft. studio apartment. 

  As limited space continues to be an issue, we go to Lowe’s and bring home a carload of lumber and build ourselves a freestanding 8′ x 6′ loft over our beds with for our computer, cushions and other diminutive furniture. This loft is disassembled for a future move, and later recycled into cabinets, this computer desk (with hand-carved feet shaped like horse hooves), a shipping supply cabinet and beds for our dog.

• 2003 September – Our First U-Haul
  To save money, we rent a 10′ U-Haul for our short distance move from Hayward to Fremont. It’s my first time driving a truck, which is quite scary, but when it’s all done, we can’t help but feel just a little bit proud that we’ve done it all ourselves (except for the piano).
• 2004 March – Our First Credit Cards
  Ever since the car loan fiasco, we have been trying to learn about credit. A regular customer of our pizza shop who works for Bank of America advises us to apply for a credit card. We apply for and get our first credit cards and begin building credit histories. Biological Father wants us to add him as an additional user. We say “no.”
• 2004 Tax Time – Our First Time Filing Self-Employment Tax
  Our first tax season is a disaster. I have no idea about where to start and what forms I need to fill out for the income from our mother’s business. I spend days reading the IRS website and countless forms and instructions. I finally figure it all out and mail out our return on April 15th.
• 2004 June – Our First Loan Paid Off
  We have been saving up to pay off our car loan early (23 months ahead of schedule).

The Dark Ages

• April 2004 – Los Angeles
  Our 16-year old cat is diagnosed with kidney disease in November 2003. He becomes seriously ill in February 2004 and needs constant and costly care. As our pizza shop job does not pay very well due to business problems, we decide to move to Los Angeles for more employment opportunities.
• April 2004 – Our Second U-Haul (Actually Budget Rent-a-Truck)
  Again, to save money, we rent a 15′ Budget Rent-a-Truck for the move from Fremont to Van Nuys. This time the experience has gotten old, and the time constraints to return the truck in 3 days is more than a little stressful. We load the truck and hire a Bay Area piano mover to put the piano in the truck on Day 1, make the 8-hour drive and check into the apartment on Day 2, unload the truck and hire a Los Angeles piano mover to unload the piano on Day 3, and return the truck before 9:00AM on Day 4. We swear then and there as we rub our sore backs that this is the last time we ever U-Haul it.
• 2004 Summer – 2005 Summer – The Lost Year
  Having lost our dog to an accident and our cat to kidney disease in early 2004, we suddenly find ourselves a little aimless. Where we used to be content to stay at home and read or watch DVDs, we now find ourselves restless. For a few months, we wander one shopping mall after another as soon as we get off work (a depressing sales job working for a bald man who shouts a lot), buy more clothes than we need, and are reluctant to go home to an empty apartment. 

  Then we decide to quit our jobs and enroll in some arts classes at the local community college, and re-settle into our frugal habits. We become so frugal that we literally don’t do anything or go anywhere except to the library and to the grocery store. We stop going out except to walk the malls for exercise and window shopping.

The Industrial Revolution

• 2005 July – Franga Designs
  One day, while shopping for a Star Trek Enterprise model for my cousin, I discover eBay. Thus begins Franga Designs, our dog and horse clothing and costuming business named after Mother, which later becomes an online store.
• 2005 October – House Hunting
  Madoline’s designs are an instant hit and we begin to receive many requests for custom designs. Our one-bedroom apartment (638 sq. ft.) is completely covered in fabric, patterns, sewing and photographic supplies that we barely have room to walk. We decide it is time to expand our work and living space, and after all the moving around, that it’s time to buy a house and settle somewhere permanently.
• 2005 November – Homeowners
  We find a charming 3-bedroom house with a nice yard in California City. We make an offer and escrow closes November 22, 2005. To celebrate being homeowners, we go to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (matinee), which to this day remains one of my favorites.

The Modern Era

We are still in the process of settling in our home; with our frugal and DIY mentality, it takes longer to get things done. So far we have replaced all the carpet in our house with our own homemade flooring made from plywood that we sawed into floorboards, built a wall-length and -height shelf for our books and fabrics, and fixed up second hand furniture.

We try to save money wherever we can and build up our savings. Having been privy to our stepfather and our biological father’s mistakes and our mother’s constant stress over finances, we are paranoid about spending and debt.

If you are interested in finding out more about us, please visit the More About Us page.

* * *

About the PF Bloggers Group Writing Project

The Personal Finance Bloggers Network currently consists of 8 active personal finance and frugal living blogs. The Group Writing Project is a monthly project wherein each blog will write a post on a pre-determined topic and publish it on the same day of each month. Be sure to visit the PF Bloggers Group Writing Project page for the others!

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(This list will be updated to include future inclusions for the month of April 2008.)

Descending chronologically by inclusion date

• April 16, 2008
  The 8th Edition of the Money Hacks Carnival
  Article: The Frugal Literates Guide to Affordable Reading (Double thanks for the editor’s pick!)
• April 15, 2008
  The Make It From Scratch Carnival!
  Article: Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes
• April 2008
  Festival of Frugality #121 – Tax Day Edition
  Article: 7 Cost-Cutting and Safer Alternative Household Tips
• April 13, 2008
  Carnival of Money, Growth and Happiness #40
  Article: Basics for the Young, Single and Frugal

• April 7, 2008
  Festival of Frugality #120
  Article: Homemade Coin Bank for Saving Wayward Coins
• April 7, 2008
  Carnival of Personal Finance #147: Q1 Financial Advice Edition
  Article: Closing Your Credit Cards Can Hurt Your FICO Score
• April 7, 2008
  Tax Carnival #34: Big Tax Dance
  Article: Tax Form & Publication Guide for the Newly Self-Employed
  
• April 3, 2008
  Carnival of Ethics, Values, and Personal Finance
  Article: Honestly Frugal: the Ethics of Saving Money
• April 2, 2008
  Carnival of Living Cheaply – April
  Article: Pay Bills Online and Save
• April 2, 2008
  Carnival of Music Lessons–3rd Addition
  Article: Playing Slower for Faster Results (Motivating Children to Practice Music Part 3)
• April 1, 2008
  Festival of Frugality #119: The Quitting My Day Job to Blog Full Time Edition
  Article: Thinking inside the box: Some Uses for Cardboard Cartons

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The Box

1. Leave the top of the box open to start.
2. Draw a line around three sides of the box at the level you want the box to open.
3. Using a box knife, or other old knife, carefully cut the lid on three sides.
4. You can now flatten the top, which skews like a parallelogram.
5. On the fourth side, score only halfway through the cardboard to make a hinge.
6. Tape the top of the box shut and you have your chest with a flip top.

Covering the box
Either fabric or paper (gift including wrapping paper) is suitable for this. I usually use white glue, but you may prefer wallpaper paste or decoupage medium as being more durable. It is easiest to cover a chest in several pieces. Have a little extra covering to wrap around the lip of the chest for a nicer finish. I used a navy twill which had to be withdrawn from my costuming business because of imperfections. A lighter or floral print material would give the box a completely different air. if you so desire, you may apply one or two coats of clear varnish to protect the box.

Trim (optional)
The edges of your chest can be trimmed with fancy paper, lace, fabric strips, fringe, ric-rac, other sewing trims, or things found around your house. For sewing and upholstery trims, hot glue is the easiest method of application. The same trim can be used to make matching handles on either the top or sides of the chest.

Closure (optional)
This chest will stay closed on its own so closures are optional or purely decorative unless you intend to carry your chest by a handle at the top. Closures can be as simple as two pieces of ribbon or cord to tie together or around a button. Clasps and buckles can often be salvaged from an old purses and bags. The button and loop on my navy blue chest are non-functional.

Lining (optional)
If you want your chest to be really fancy, or intend it as a gift, it can be lined with additional paper or fabric. The lining can be simply glued on like the outside covering, but who wouldn’t want a chest padded with a little polyester fill and lined with satin?

Savings

By using boxes, fabric and paper you already have around the house, you can create attractive storage boxes for little or no cost. If you don’t have enough of one type of fabric to cover a large box, you can piece together various scraps to make a collage. As for paper, use any paper you already have in the house – leftover gift wrap that’s just sitting around taking up space, construction paper, etc.

Compare with commercial storage box prices:

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• Untangling Yarn Troubles

I started with a fancy picture frame from the thrift shop and cut a piece of black velvet slightly larger than the board which backs the frame. This velvet, padded with a piece of old fleece, covered the board and was glued to the back with hot glue. Black satin ribbons were arranged in an even lattice and glued securely in the back and crisscross points. The board was then re-inserted in the frame which now hangs on the wall.

An additional benefit from this project was that the glass cover from this picture frame replaced another which had been scratched.

Endless fabric combinations and styles are possible in making these memo boards. They can even have buttons or faux pearls where the ribbons cross. Those who do not have or wish to purchase fabric can salvage material from old clothing and bedding. Worn or faded fabrics may look shabby on a person, but acquire a vintage dignity when used in decorating.

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• Shop