Making The Clothes You Have Into The Clothes You Want

Years ago, when I was first getting into teaching, I bought this lace cardigan to make some of my dresses work appropriate.  Unfortunately, it was the dumbest cardigan ever, in that the button was placed in a totally ridiculous position, & essentially covered up nothing.  It hung in the back of my closet for years & only for me to occasionally pull it out, try it on, &  become disgusted, again, with the ridiculous placement of button, & hideously large, accompanying button hole.

Finally, it occurred to me, that if the button & huge button hole were what bothered me, why not fix the problem?  I sewed the button hole shut, used a seam ripped to rip off the button, & had a somewhat close version of the cardigan I'd always hoped to have.  The neck is still a little odd for my liking, but for now, it's a vast improvement from the random button.  Sometimes, a little creative thinking, & a fresh perspective, is all it takes to make something new again. 

Make It Do: Creating a Shaded Child's Wagon

We've been spending a lot of time outdoors, & it has been absolutely wonderful being able to enjoy some sunshine & watch the girls play together.  The only unfortunate thing is our backyard doesn't get much shade, so while I'm hanging laundry & Harper is sitting in our little utility wagon, she's basically roasting in the sun. 

 

Rather than go in search of a more child friendly wagon, I decided to rig up an umbrella on the wagon in a rather ghetto fabulous way.  One rubber band, a large twist tie, & a safety pin later, the umbrella was secure, & the girls had some serious shade in their wagon.

Of course, by the time I got the wagon all arranged, Harper decided she wanted to get out and walk. Oh well, at least it will be ready when the next load needs to be hung! 

Ghetto Fabulous Flip Flop Fix

Bug's a little particular when it comes to her shoes, so after hearing her whine that her flip flops were indenting her heels, one too many times, I figured some action was necessary. 

I simply hacked off the elasticized portion with scissors.  A two second fix, & now she has two pairs of sandals she'll actually wear. 

She was so thrilled with the results, she insisted I take a picture & then she ran around the shouting, "I love my pwip-pwops!"  Who knew?!

Make It Do: Big Girl Undies In A Pinch

Once Emerson was potty trained, (Hallelujah!), I was shocked by the price of little lady underwear.  Even on clearance, underwear can run $2 or $3 a pair, which, in my opinion, is exploitation for the amount of cotton received.

While putting away laundry, the solution came upon me:  dress bloomers.  These underwear shaped little bloomers, which are designed to cover unsightly diapers are the perfect solution.  They run rather large, so I pulled out the 18 month bloomers & they are the appropriate size for our 3 year old Emerson. 

I just love solving a problem with things we already have!

Why I Mend Our Clothes

Back in the day people used to mend their clothes.  Back when people actually made their clothes rather than running down to the big box store to buy imported goods for a little bit of nothing.  My gram sewed, my grandma sewed, & her Amish relatives sure as heck sewed.  It's something that has been done for generations, & I have gotten into the habit of mending our clothes, & I'm not looking back. 

I'm not a great seamstress.  I don't think my skills ever improved past my 8th grade home-ec class, but I'm proficient enough.  I like the little labor of love sewing a button on JC's shirt, or mending the seam on a pair of Emerson's pants. I enjoy doing the same thing that my grandmothers & their grandmothers did for their families.  Our clothes last longer, our money goes further, & we put less in the landfill.  Mending our clothes is a simple act of love; love for my family & love for the Earth.  Simple. 

DIY Shoe Repair

I am a total shoe girl, so when my favorite pair of sandals started to fall apart I was super disappointed.  I couldn't find a cobbler in town, so when I found an adhesive repair product called Shoe Goo at Target, I figured it was worth a shot

 I simply followed the directions, applied the adhesive, & spread it around with a plastic knife.

I then secured the layers with clothespins.  

After a day, they were as good as new.  The repair was easy, environmentally friendly, & great for my wardrobe.  I'm thrilled to be able to cobble my own shoes!

10 Things We Don't Buy

I was inspired by MoneySavingMom's list of 7 things she doesn't buy & thought I'd compile my own:

• Paper towels/napkins/plates--We use cloth napkins, rags, & real plates at all times. 

• Electric can opener

• Shampoo/Conditioner/Body Wash--I use our stockpile, send away for samples, buy things when they're free with coupons, & use what we receive as gifts.  I haven't spent money on any of these things in years.

• Clothes--I made the commitment not to buy any clothes over a year ago & I've been surprised how little I've needed.  (I did buy 2 maternity shirts when I found out I was pregnant, one for $5 at Goodwill & one for $1 at Target on clearance with a coupon).  JC & I often receive clothing as Christmas presents, & JC spends about $15 every 6 months to get his shirts & pants professionally washed & starched.  It's well worth the money as it helps him feel super professional & keeps him from buying new clothes.  I've also quit buying for Emerson & use what we have on hand unless I can find something for $2 or less brand new. 

• A Minivan--Though it was tempting to upgrade when we found out our family was expanding we decided we just really didn't need a minivan/ accompanying loss of savings or car payment/bad gas mileage.  We're sticking with our 1996 Honda Civic & 2008 Ford Fusion, both of which are paid off, & will use a car topper when necessary for long trips. 

• Professional Hair color--The Troyer's go gray early, so I had to start coloring my hair when I turned 24.  I've been using Loreal at home hair color & with coupons & sales I only pay $3/box. 

• Laundry Detergent/Fabric Softener--I make our own, use vinegar, or we go without fabric softener

• Commercial Cleaners--I was able to get some 7th generation for free after coupons & rebate several years ago, but as that is getting used I simply rely on borax, baking soda, vinegar, & salt to get the job done. 

• Bottled Water--We've got a filtration system in our fridge & fill reusable water bottles.

• Candles/Air fresheners--I use a candle warmer to use up scraps of wax or I make our candles.  Instead of air fresheners we use old body splash that has been sitting around for years.  It works just as well & doesn't include any propellants. 

Things We Hardly Spend Any Money On--Many of these things I thought that we didn't spend any money on, but when I REALLY thought about it, I could find occasional exceptions.

• Cloth Diapers & Wipes--Despite using cloth diapers & cloth wipes that majority of the time, we do use disposable diapers for church & at night & use disposable wipes for nasty number 2s.  It's still a huge savings & it definitely saves on our trash output.  

Dryer--I air dry all of our laundry, but if & when JC does laundry, he does use the dryer.  I'd say we're 95% dryer free, which still seems pretty good to me. 

What do you go without?

Sweet Potatoes vs. Pumpkin in Baking

I'm trying to spend $150 a month on groceries, & one part of keeping that restrictive budget is making sure no food goes to waste.  So when I saw our bag of sweet potatoes looking a little weird (they're so darn ugly I never know if they're getting old) I figured I should cook them up just in case.  

The only problem is our family wouldn't go through a bag of cooked sweet potatoes before they rotted, so I figured I could use them in place of pumpkin in a muffin recipe.  Here's how I did it:

I simply baked potatoes at 450°F for 20-30 minutes or until the potato shrunk up from the skin.  

I then used a fork to pierce & remove the skin.  

Because my food processor is just god-awful, I had to chop the sweet potato, fork mash it, then add it to the food processor until it was pureed.  If you happen to have a decent food processor, feel free to skip many, many of these tedious steps.

Simply measure & use just like you would pumpkin.  It tastes the same & with canned pumpkin in short supply in recent years, this is an extremely fresh & economical alternative. Try it, you'll like it. 

DIY Fabric Softener

I haven't bought fabric softener in months.  We've run out of the Downy I bought several years ago for $0.99 a bottle & have just been making do without softener or  a splash of vinegar as necessary.  While I haven't have any trouble with static I must admit I do miss the smell of softener on our towels & sheets, but I figured I wouldn't buy any unless I could get it for under $1 after sales & coupons.

Then I read the following DIY Fabric Softener on HillBillyHousewife.com & figured I'd try it out:

3 c vinegar
2 c hair conditioner
6 c water

While this recipe looked great, it was a little large for me, so I used this recipe conversion calculator to reduce the amount down.  

I used hotel samples of conditioner that smelled like heaven, but were rather thin & after draining them in a funnel overnight ended up with 1/2 cup of conditioner.  

 While measuring the  1 1/2 cups of water, I funneled a little into each bottle so I could shake the remaining conditioner loose & not have any go to waste.

I then added 3/4 c of vinegar & poured all of it into a mason jar.  Shake the mixture until it is evenly incorporated & voila, you have homemade fabric softener!  I found an old measuring cup from coffee & intend to use that small amount (approx 1 T) per load as we have a HE washer. 

I'm not certain that this is the most economical recipe, but if you happened to have free conditioner on hand then this is a great solution. Add this to some homemade laundry detergent & you've got a frugal laundry habit! 

Happy washing!

Pregnant Lady Fashion Show

Dressing during pregnancy & finding clothes to fit make the word style all but impossible.  I've been trying to be more adventurous with my clothing selections & use of non-maternity items.   Here are a few of my looks of the last week.

Left:
Maroon & Brown Shirts--Hand-me-up (thanks sisters!)
Belt--Target several seasons ago
Skirt--Local Hippy Shop
Boots--Unknown origin?  They were one of the pairs I had resoled, needless to say I've had them a while.


Right:

Scarf--Gap
Sweater--Macy's
Leggings--JC Penney $2 after coupon!
Boots--Steve Madden



 Don't mind the incredibly poor picture quality & smudgy mirror, just a little reality for you...



Scarf--Unknown, Christmas present years ago
Sweater--Anthropologie
T-Shirt--Motherhood Maternity
Jeans--Calvin Klein// These are actually my regular jeans that are held up with the help of a rubber band & a belly band.  I've finally perfected that combo. 

Happy Weekend!

Resole Those Tired Old Shoes

Don't mind my fantasy shoes...

We don't have a cobbler around us, so when we headed to Indiana for Christmas I brought along all of my janky broken down shoes to be repaired at our local Meijer.  I had two pairs of leather knee high boots & a pair of heels that were down to little nubs instead of soles.

For the cost of $40 I had three pairs of shoes repaired & prettied up, far cheaper than even a single pair of boots.  Shoe repair is a totally green & totally frugal choice.  If you're able to find a cobbler near you, hit them up & get those  fixed, you won't be sorry. 

You Know You're Cheap When--Salvaging a Ripped Diaper

We only use disposable diapers at night & when we travel & I have to say I sort of hate them.  They're expensive & can occasionally rip into shreds.  While traveling home from San Fransisco I had a diaper tab become totally detached from the diaper.  Grr.  Even though I try to pay $0.10-$0.15 per diaper (after coupons & sales of course), I just couldn't see throwing away $0.15.

 I used packaging tape (scotch tape hasn't held in the past for me) to tape down the interior & exterior of the ripped tab.

Though it's unlikely that the taped seam will touch Bug's skin, I taped a piece of toilet paper down over the seam, just in case.  After about 1 minute worth of work the diaper was as good as new.  It might put me into the cheapskate hall of fame, but I think it's a totally worthwhile effort. 

Function Over Fashion--Staying Warm During Winter

I am generally freezing by nature.  We keep our thermostat at 68° in the winter (high, by some frugal standards), which means that frequently, when the sun goes down I'm cold.  While many, many frugal sites will just suggest layering I'm going to give you some practical & somewhat unfashionable specifics.

Wear a scarf--It's doesn't have to be a fashion scarf, it could be some hideous hand knit monstrosity.  It doesn't matter, covering your neck can make such an immense difference.

Poncho love--This warm & lovely blanket fashion statement is back in style.  Be still my beating heart.  Need I say more? 

Tuck in that shirt-- Keeping your stomach protected from little drafts can make such a big difference.

Invest in some slippers--Generally the thicker & more foot area covered the better. 

Wear a hat--This makes my head itch, but if you're a hat lover, consider this as an option. 

Bust out your bathrobe--I know a lot of people might this is bizarre, but I don't have a sweater that goes all the way down to my ankles & keeps me warm.  I do believe if I had a Snuggie perhaps I'd wear that around the house.  Anything in the name of warmth.

Wrap up under blankets--We always sit with afghans while on the couch, but most nights, once Emerson goes to bed we head back to our bed & sit under the covers while reading, watching tv, or working.  I honestly think the only times when I'm warm in the winter are when I'm in our cozy bed.



My philosophy in the winter is function, not fashion.  While I'm at home I don't care if I look like some sort of bag lady as long as I'm warm.  That's what home is for isn't it?

Make It Do: Backseat Car Organizer

Organizer for $11.99

I suffer from insomnia quite often.  It's absolutely obnoxious, but it is also a time in which inspiration usually strikes.  Last night when I couldn't sleep I got to thinking about our upcoming travels & how nice it would be to have some sort of an organizer in the car.  Then I got to thinking about a roll up travel case my OBGYN gave me & figured I could use it for that purpose. 

The top zippered portion has grocery bags & paper napkins.  (They're napkins leftover from our wedding 3 1/2 year ago--the last time we bought paper napkins!  haha)

The mesh portion has hand sanitizing wipes & Kleenex (from a sample, naturally).  

The bottom zippered portion has hand towels & extra bibs. 

 

All & all I think it should work nicely hanging in the car.  Not too bad for free. 

DIY Pregnancy Belly Band

I'm in that fun stage of pregnancy where I can't zip up my regular jeans, but I'm too small for maternity pants.  When I was pregnant with Emerson I bought a belly band--a sort of tube top to keep your pants up.  The only problem is it cost $17, I didn't use it for very long, & now I seem to have misplaced mine.  Rather than go out & purchase another one I figured I could make my own.

Simply take a pair of old pantyhose & cut off both legs. 

Then cut across the crotch until you have a sort of tube top left.   Slide over the top of your unbuttoned pants.  

   

Now you see it...

 Now you don't!  Piece of cake & a huge money saver.  Why didn't I think of this earlier?!

So Long Slippery Socks

We have hardwood floors throughout our home.  They're beautiful, but slippery, and Emerson is constantly falling down while she's scurrying around.  As we're transitioning from barefoot to sock weather, I started thinking about grippy socks & I figured I could make my own, inexpensively with puff paint.  

I simply took puff paint & applied 6 little dots to the bottoms of each of Emerson's socks.  She tried them out today & didn't fall down once! 

For $1.19 I was able to take all of Emerson's socks from slippery to grippy in no time.  A much cheaper solution than purchasing a new sock wardrobe. 

We Don't Need No Diaper Bag (Forgive My Poor Grammar, It's All Because of Alice Cooper)

I'm not really a bag girl, I'm a shove-everything-in-my-back-pocket-girl.  I'm just not very fond of lugging a purse.   I'm even less fond of toting around a bag covered in cartoon characters in the name of diapers.  When I got pregnant, rather than spending several hundred dollars to get a diaper bag I could actually enjoy hauling, I came up with the anti-diaper bag.

I simply took  a toiletry organizer my sister was throwing out & went to town filling it with the essentials.   It holds extra food, pacis, diapers, crayons, handi-wipes, napkins, all of the essentials.  If you don't have a toiletry organizer you could use Ziplocs, the bags that wrap onesies & blankets (save these, they're great for organizing), or any other small zippered bag.  Look at whatever you have on hand.

The best part is that it ties up neatly & can easily be removed for date night.  Additionally, once you're past the diaper bag phase of life you'll still have a purse you can use, rather than something that screams, "I've held spit up rags & poop filled diapers!"  Definitely a green, fashionable, frugal solution.