It would be an understatement to say grocery prices have gone up. Particularly when some of these items have not only doubled in price; but tripled; over just the last couple of years. I find Springtime especially expensive. Any food items that we saved from our kitchen garden harvest, like apples and dried herbs, have mostly been used up. Preserves like canned tomatoes & relish are getting low and likely the jam is all gone. So how can we get everything we need this time of year; and also end our grocery trip having spent a little less money?

I start by looking at my shopping list. I keep mine on paper but some people use their phone or keep it in their head.

The food items are the most difficult. Sometimes you simply have to pay the price. But the best thing to do to avoid this (of course) is to buy these items on sale. I check the flyers (online & on paper) and only buy non-perishable staples at that time. If you can get your timing right (and have a few stores at your disposal), you can usually do this for perishable items as well. Some of the points programs are good too. But I'll only use them if they are truly free, offer a physical card and actually accrue enough points to offer money off, at least a few times a year. Don't forget to check the 50% off racks in the bakery, deli & frozen section at your stores. Store-made made pizzas and flat breads are often 50% off, and can be easily frozen.

But what about the other items on your list? There are actually many items we buy that can be eliminated with creative solutions. Or there are lower cost options. Here's some ideas. I can't help you with the milk though; unless you have a neigbour with a cow. Actually, I can! Most recipes will work just fine if you use 1/2 the milk and make up the difference with water.

Plum Sauce/Soy Sauce/Ketchup: Hey, you pay for those little packets the restaurant includes in your order when you've treated yourself to take-out! Save them in a bowl in the fridge. You only need 1 or 2 soy sauce packets to dress up rice. Plum sauce is great for dipping chicken & fries but a few packs also works nicely in a stir fry. We all know what to do with the ketchup! But it's also great on top of meatloaf mixed together with a little brown sugar & dried mustard. These little packages also work great in lunch boxes.

When you go over your shopping list, check each item and see if there's a free solution you hadn't thought of before. Or try and find a lower cost option.

Happy Shopping .. and Saving!

Hide the Silver!

Silver cutlery and dishes were once coveted and included in the home for their beauty, usefulness and of course, as a status symbol. But they also represented a practical investment.

Cutlery and dishes were a needed item, and silver was durable, long-lasting, could be traded, pawned, handed down to the next generation; and at the end of the day ... sold to be melted down and re-used. Hence the saying "Hide the silver!" when someone was expected to visit the household with whom you weren't acquainted; or had reason to be suspicious of their poor character. It is also why many buffets and china cabinets had locks. Real silver is often very heavy and is hallmarked with various numbers and symbols which are helpful in tracing their age, place of origin and value.

Affordable Silver Plate

Silver plate became popular as a cost-effective alternative to silver and made it more widely available for the common public to attain. It is physically lighter than solid silver (though can be heavy if it has an encased lead plug for weight and stability). Silver plate items range from unmarked to marked with country of origin, a declaration of lead mounts/plug and can also be hallmarked or include the company name. I am not an expert, but to the best of my knowledge the lead content is not considered dangerous as it is not exposed at all. The lead is a contained "plug" fully encased within the item (usually within copper with the silver plate over top).

I have found multiples uses for vintage silver plate other than serving food anyway. A few are shown here ... and I keep finding more inspiration with each piece I add! You can polish away the tarnish, which looks nice in the shabby chic, romantic home ... or leave the patina for the more eclectic, bohemian, dark or magically witchy home.

You will need:
2 handfuls of fresh rose petals
boiling water
1 covered dish
metal tea strainer and funnel
witch hazel
2 same size containers
1 dark glass bottle

Step 3.  Measure out an equal amount of pure witch hazel to your rosewater.  Pour both the witch hazel and rosewater together into a dark glass bottle, cap tightly and shake gently or rotate bottle to mix. Store in a dark, cool cupboard. Apply to skin with a cotton ball.

Rosewater is anti-inflammatory and has anti-bacterial qualities and so soothes irritated or acne-prone skin. As a natural astringent; it tones skins and tightens pores as well as reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It is also used to hydrate, revitalize and moisture all skin types as it balances the serum of the skin. Witch hazel has similar benefits as it pertains to toning, tightening and cleansing the skin.

And since the beautiful Queen Cleopatra is said to have washed her face in rosewater and indulged in milk baths heavily laced with rose petals; as part of her beauty regime ... I think that is good enough for me to incorporate some rosewater into my daily skin care routine!

Running short of money a couple of days before payday or trying to stick to a budget? Don't have time (or the energy) to run out to the store? If you've got a can of salmon or tuna, and a healthy spice cupboard, you might just have dinner.

This recipe is inspired by "Salmon Chops" from Patricia R. Wagner's "Depression Era Recipes" and I altered it a little bit to suit my taste ... and with what was available in my cupboard!  I often turn to her recipes as they are easy, use few or low cost ingredients, and make a good meal in a pinch. 

The beauty of this recipe is that you likely have most of these items already ... and the ones you don't have are easy to stock up on, and don't spoil by storing.  It pays to keep your pantry stocked up on basic items such as the ones used in this "Salmon Cakes" recipe.  The Depression was a time when people had to make do with what they had, and also what was available.  I like to apply that to today by just living simply ... which usually saves money to boot!

​
​Okay, now that I have just said something so radical that many may be literally falling off their chairs; something that seemingly goes against all current and popular way of thinking ... ​grant me the opportunity to share another viewpoint!

​But first, a sincere apology to those sputtering; "But I feel better when there is no clutter around!" or "My parents' / grandparents' stuff is so out-dated ... I don't want it!"  or "I'll have more time for experiences if I'm free from taking care of dust collectors!" And so on and so forth. Yes, I do hear these protests ... ad nauseam in fact.  It is pounded into my head constantly by posts on social media and by well-meaning individuals who truly believe in a minimalist lifestyle.  I believe their viewpoint resonates with many people for one very simple reason ... that there is indeed good value in clearing out useless clutter! But the keyword here is "useless".

The alternative viewpoint I wish to share is not to be so over zealous that we "Throw the baby out with the bathwater"; and instead to focus on "Sorting the wheat from the chaff".  (I do love old sayings!)

​

Here's the thing.  I love my "stuff"!  It fills me with great joy to be surrounded by sentimental items.  They jog memories that I thought forgotten.  They provide a warm connection to family, friends and pets who have since passed, to my family history and cultural heritage, and to travels taken.  And these items reflect back to me, a little of who I am, where I've been and what I believe in; thus providing a sense of grounding in a sometimes unstable world.


I wholeheartedly believe that this sense of belonging is something that so many people today are desperately searching for and that I believe, could at least be partially found, in celebrating their own personal (and family) story through that very "clutter" that is so often overlooked, devalued and discarded. 

The definition of clutter has recently evolved to mean basically anything and everything in the home - except for only the most necessary and (usually) neutral items.  Under current attack in the name of "clearing the clutter" are sentimental items, heirlooms and keepsakes.  We are also urged to discard books, records, videos, CDs, DVDs, photos and documents that can be transformed (or re-purchased - Aye, there's the rub!!) into digital form.  It has come to mean vilifying anything and everything that can't be used in the actual moment.  It has come with the illusion that new products are always better.  And it is this new definition of "clutter" that I don't actually see as clutter at all, but in fact, an attack on heritage, disdain for the generations that came before us, and an inability to recognize quality household goods that last and last. It is also a symptom of the "throw away" culture and goes against the goal of sustainability.

I hate to throw out food. It has just gotten too dear to fool around with!

Before Christmas and New Year's we purchase all kinds of groceries and goodies.  We bake and cook - sometimes a little too much in anticipation of guests (Note: 2020-not this year of course!), and just in the spirit of abundance that the Yule Season represents.  Hopefully, you have been freezing all your leftovers along the way - especially those best cuts of turkey.

I recommend taking a good look inside your fridge ... and now! Because that food is going to spoil if you don't get to it very soon.  It's too easy to forget about something you bought and didn't use and that is now buried in the fridge, which is overly-stuffed with bits and pieces and leftovers.  So do a proper clean-out to make sure you are saving as much of that food as possible.

Step 1:
What's in your fridge?
Take a good look on each and every shelf.  Push everything aside so you know what is really in there.  Remove all spoiled food and compost it, wrap up for the "green bin" (if your city provides that kind of recycling service) or toss out.  Don't forget to reuse all those plastic, glass or metal containers ... if you haven't been using your very own covered dishes that is!

Step 2:
What's left?
Now take a look at what is left and prioritize.  Do you have extra cheeses, vegetables and sauces?  Make them part of the next few nights dinner plans so they don't go to waste, with these ideas:

Various kinds of cheeses from cheese platters, sour cream, homemade dips =
"Put-It-All-Together" Macaroni & Cheese
Find the recipe here:  february-when-theres-snow-on-the-snowdrops.html

Cherry tomatoes from finger food veg platters =
Spaghetti sauce or addition to salads.  Or preserve and freeze to use as tomato sauce later on in the year.
Instructions here: january-make-even-more-of-the-food-you-buy-by-reincarnating-it.html

Left-over root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, carrots and potatoes =
Roast and serve as a side dish with meatloaf or fish dish.

Left-over vegetables like brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, celery and peppers =
Stir fries, soups, omelets or cut up for snacking with hummus.

Left-over tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream and cheeses =
Nachos!

I LOVE buying vintage items ... or just plain used!  It's a way of life for me - why pay more when you don't have to?  (Mother Nature will love you too for keeping good, reusable items out of the landfills!)

Gentlemen:
Everyone is keen on saving the environment these days aren't they?  Find some old over-sized vintage handkerchiefs for the boys.  Wash and iron them.  Even if he doesn't want to use them at work or at home, they're handy in the car for coffee spills or wiping a spot off the windshield.  Indispensable in his pocket while working in the garden or the workshop for wiping the sweat off his hard-working brow!

Children:
Young children are the easiest.  With usually boxes of toys to choose from, you can put together a nice little collection of toy cars, doll furniture or clothes, board games (check to make sure all the pieces are present) or some little stuffed animals.  Take them home and give them a good clean.  Plastic toys can be wiped down and the little crevices cleaned with a wet Q-tip.  Stuffed animals can go right in your washing machine, with mild soap and cold water on the gentle cycle.  Let them sit on a towel to dry.  Barbie and doll clothes can be washed in the sink in a similar fashion.  When dry, mend any little tears.  Put them all together in zippered toiletry / cosmetic bags or small decorative boxes from the dollar store.  Parents will appreciate that your gift comes with its own storage ... and not all that ridiculous plastic packaging that takes a hacksaw to get into!! (Seriously, this reduces frustration on Christmas morning too when the little ones have to wait for scissors to be found, packaging to be cut  ... not to mention cutting or untwisting all those superfluous tie-downs.  And then somehow removing the delicate plastic toy without breaking it!)

The wonderful thing is that when shopping this way, you'll find you think more about the person you are buying for.  What do they really like?  Would they be able to use this item?  What could I pair it with?  You spend less, yes, and save the environment too, but the result is actually more personalized ... and thoughtful, which is ultimately what gift-giving is all about!

May is such a magical month that the appearance of fairies in your garden should come as no surprise!  Even the staunchest disbeliever must do a double take when ... apple, pear or cherry blossoms float and swirl though the air, fresh new leaves rustle in the wind or the sun shimmers and gleams in nooks and crannies in the garden.  All these subtle happenings can be evidence of fairy activity ...

1.  Foliage
This is a biggie because fairies are like songbirds.  They love trees as this gives them little branches to cling to, or big branches for swinging and leaves to hide behind.  Not to mention that their older cousins, the Dryads, will often tell them stories at night about ancient times and places.  Plant lots of perennial flowers that will magically sprout up in the Spring, year after year, without any extra work on your part - bluebells, tulips, daffodils, forget-me-nots, Jack Frost, Lily-of-the-Valley, foxgloves - your garden will be alive with colour and sweet scents that attract the birds, bees, butterflies ... and fairies!

And for some fun, blow some bubbles from a bubble wand!  There is something magical about bubbles floating gently on the breeze ... and the fairies will be sure to notice.

Accept the magical world around you and welcome it into your garden.  It doesn't matter how big or small it is.  Whether you are charmed with a "back 40", a fantastically witch-y cottage garden, a "postage stamp" city plot or even an apartment balcony; you can always add in a little bit of nature - usually more than you think once you get started!  Prepare to be amazed at how special life becomes when your home becomes a safe haven for fairies to congregate and play.

Sometimes life lands you literally "flat on your back" and out of commission for a few days or weeks.  In such instances, you may need to rely almost exclusively on family, friends and caregivers.  But what if your ability to move around is only partially affected?  For me, an unexpected middle back injury has temporarily left it difficult for me to bend down, carry heavy items or drive - though I can walk and putter about the house - or even complete short errands ... but I can't lift anything or turn my head easily.  This has caused certain things to jump into sharp focus.  Beyond facing any personal assessment and conclusion of this incident; day-to-day life still carries on!  I believe in being prepared, but hindsight is 20/20.  Here's what I have learned, and a list of a few things that might help you to prepare in advance of a (knock on wood!), similar situation occurring:

List of household items to ALWAYS have on hand:

Own a button-up shirt
I prefer to wear shirts and sweaters that pull over my head.  It never occurred to me what is involved in that simple action!  Fortunately, I did have a couple of button-up shirts, way in the back of my closet and I guess I'll be living in those for the next little while!

Own a cap or hat
It's also useful to own a cap for walking in light rain.  Fortunately, I am fond of the Irish "newsboy" type of cap so I already had a couple of these.  I'll be using them a lot over the next little while since I can't carry an umbrella.  Hoods are no good with a back injury since they force you to turn your neck to see when crossing the street.

Own an old brass bell
Meadow Sweet Grove currently has two charming brass bells.  One is a goat perched atop the bell and the other is a little girl with a full skirt.  The goat is an obvious bell, but the girl could simply be seen as a decorative  figurine - but for the clapper under her skirt!  How useful are these in a three-story house when you need to summon help from someone other than the fairies?

Keep the receiving room clean
I have a bad habit of letting the housework slide ... piles of laundry, vacuuming, stuff laying around that I've been meaning to swap, sell or donate ... and general clutter!  But I have one very good policy - always keep the "parlour" clean - if nowhere else.  For us, that's the first room guests enter and right off the front door.  My logic was that even if the rest of the house was a disaster area, there was always at least one clean and tidy room that I could usher unexpected guests into ... and maintain some sense of pride.

Unfortunately, I let that wonderful practice slide and the front room has seen a few unexpected guests lately! And I haven't been able to tidy it up.  My advice - ALWAYS keep the room nearest your front door clean and tidy - you never know when you might not be able to - and that could also be when more people than usual will be showing up! 

Stock up on heavy items
Lately, I have been quite good at stocking up on non-perishable food items and emergency items such as candles, matches, duplicate keys and the like.  What I didn't think about was heavy items.  While it might be easy to walk down to the local store and buy toilet tissue ... it is quite another to lug home a bag of cat litter!

Time to Go Thrifting

Many people may have made a New Year's Resolution this January 1st to "clear the clutter" and get organized.  When taking those unwanted items in for donation to your local thrift store or charity stop - do make sure you check inside the store to see what's on offer.

Many people donate unwanted Christmas presents in January or donate the items that those gifts replaced.  Sometimes they donate better quality items than the new replacements they received!

For example, someone might donate their "out-dated" English bone china dishes or funky 70s Japanese stoneware. For the lover of antique, retro, quality or just plain eclectic dishware -- your local thrift store becomes a treasure trove!

Charity shops often have promotions too, like any other retailer, at this time of the year, to make up for low sales - so make a note of those dates and bring your donations in on those discount days.

Some Thrifty Tips

January is also a time of year when many people are cutting back on their expenses.  For some, there is more tax deducted off the pay cheque starting in January.  Others overspent at Christmas, or feel the need to take a holiday somewhere warm.  Whatever the reason for a light wallet in January - there are many thrifty ways to stretch your dollars.

~ Reuse food containers in your kitchen ~
Isn't it silly that we buy containers to freeze or store our food in - when we throw perfectly good containers into the recycling bin every day?  Containers that are already bought and paid for.  Recent news has led me to believe that many of the items we faithfully recycle are not being recycled at all - but shipped to other countries for disposal in their landfills and even oceans.  This, of course, defeats the purpose of recycling which is to keep the items out of Mother Nature's belly!

Here's a number of re-uses for those many containers that make their way into your home:

Glass Jars
The best!  Use for dry beans and lentils, pasta, popcorn and rice.  Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water and freeze homemade applesauce and crushed tomatoes (make sure you leave a good inch or so at the top for expansion).  Use for non-food items like:  nails, screws, tacks, beads, paper clips, seed pods and any other small items that need organization.

Plastic Tubs
Yogurt, margarine, sour cream, cream cheese, and those funky plastic take-away/delivery containers - anything that is packaged in an opaque plastic tub can be re-used.  Use them to freeze left-overs, extra tomato sauce and chicken broth.  Keep them handy to send guests home with left-overs, children to school with cut veggies, cookies and cupcakes for school parties and for numerous other non-food uses like:  crayons, craft/painting supplies, pet food - just don't get the two mixed up!    


Bread Bags & Cereal Boxes
Those many bread bags basically replace plastic wraps!  Okay, they don't "cling", but many food items we wrap up don't need that feature.  Use them to wrap cheese and to freeze extra portions of raw meat like ground beef and chicken.  Cut them in half and use them to wrap sandwiches and snacks for lunches.  Collect dry seed pods in the summer or fall and shake the bag.  All the seeds will collect beautifully in the bottom of the bag (I learned this trick from a wonderful old Yorkshireman).  Talk about thrifty!  He even cut up his empty cereal boxes for a re-use as shopping lists.





~ Join a Local "Buy Nothing" or "Gifting" Group ~
If you are on Facebook, do a search for a "buy nothing" or "gifting" group in your local area. The premise is usually that everyone posts pictures of items that they are willing to give away for free. Read the rules carefully as each group is different, but usually, you are required to post a picture and short description of an item you no longer need. People express interest by commenting on the post and you pick a recipient and leave the item on your doorstep for them to collect at a pre-arranged time. You likewise comment on posts of items that others are gifting in the hopes that you will be the lucky winner. I have met some wonderful people this way and have received many amazing household items ... and helped to de-clutter my own home in the bargain!
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
         
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018 / edited 2019 & 2023

~ Save your scraps ~

Set aside a shoe box or large envelope and collect scraps throughout the year.  Cut out beautiful pictures from magazines, cards, advertisements, tags, packaging, wrapping paper, stickers from address labels, stamps - you get the idea!  Save little bits of cloth ribbon from chocolate and nut packages, cut buttons off clothes too worn to donate and anything else you find pretty.  Once you get going, and truly look at everything in your hand before you drop it in the trash or recycling bin - you will be amazed at what you have available to you - for free!!  ​

Save Bits & Pieces of Cheese / Odds & Ends of Bread
Cheese is so incredibly expensive ... at least in Meadow Sweet Grove.  The fairies in Britain often come to visit their little cousins in the Grove and are shocked at the price of cheese!  So, every time you slice cheese for snacking, or grate cheese for a meal, make sure you save the little leftover bits, wrapped up tight in the refrigerator.  Start a bread bag in the fridge for left-over bread - that last slice no one seems to eat, the broken crust, etc.  Also, don't throw out that last bit of sour cream, cottage cheese or unflavoured yogurt - unless it truly is off of course!  ​

The fairies in Meadow Sweet Grove are an old-fashioned lot and they approach many of today's problems with yesterday's solutions.  Disposable items are not too appealing to them and only used when absolutely necessary.  

One disposable item that is easy to reduce in your household are throw-away paper tissues.  The use of a cotton hankie is a great way to love Mother Nature and save money!  And if you buy vintage, your footprint is even less, as the item was manufactured long ago and has already paid its due.  If you buy just 1 box of Kleenex every month, your yearly outlay is probably between $12 and $36.  Use that money to buy vintage hankies instead. They are usually available around $1-3 each, depending on the quality, and you then have a dozen hankies . . .  all ready to use for many years to come.  Every little bit helps and when you replace disposable items with reusable ones, you really do save $$$.

But what about germs?  Sometimes the concern is valid, especially around vulnerable individuals, but in most cases the risk is low.  If you are worried about germs - just don't use it when you have a cold but do use it in so many other ways.  My father and grand-father always carried a cotton hankie about with them, but I rediscovered hankies when my child was born and was given lots of "baby washcloths".  I wound up using them for everything - spills in coffee shops, wiping the corners of baby's mouth, wrapping up sticky pine cones and other nature treasures found on our walks, creating a make-shift tablecloth for eating at a park picnic bench - you name it!  Long after my child grew out of this stage, I found I was still using them for everything, but switched to hankies because they are larger and thinner than terry washcloth material.  I even tucked one at the back of my heel when a blister developed on a long walk to stop the rubbing!  You will find countless uses once you start carrying one and wonder how you ever got along without it.  Put one in your pocket, your purse and your car.  And when it's dirty?  Simply throw it in the wash along with everything else!  

My husband's grandfather had a lot of very worn and well-used hankies in his possession - a man who lived to 101 years old!  Clearly the germs weren't a hindrance in his case.  Old ways sometimes really are best. 

© Meadow Sweet Grove / V. Buchanan, 2016, edited 2019​