Five Star Frugal #11....

An InLinkz Link-up

Victoriana Cards....so sweet....

 

My daughter and I have been making Victoriana inspired greeting cards. Inspired by all things Downton Abbey (and can you believe that Series 6 will be the last....gasp and sob!!!), we made these sweet ones to give to friends who have birthdays coming up.

 

We found the images online and simply printed them out, cutting them to fit our designs....

 

....some black cardstock, and paper serving doileys, make a gorgeous cameo inspired combination....

 

 

.....along with pink or black velvet ribbon and some classic black and white spotted satin ribbon, and some sweet rhinestone look scrapbooking buckles gifted to me by my friend Annabel...

 

....some really pretty effects were achieved....

 

How are you spending your Sunday?

 

...Mimi...

This weeks insourcing #8....

 

This week I made my own Greek yoghurt, then drained it by scooping it into a fine mesh sieve lined with a new, rinsed Chux cloth. Cheesecloth or muslin would achieve the same. I mixed it with honey, and it looks just like soft serve I think, don't you? I use a recipe that only needs 2 tablespoons of the Easiyo starter instead of the whole packet so this makes it so economical, and it's utterly delicious. Yoghurt is eaten daily here, so I estimate that I save up to $15 a week by making my own.

 

 

I then popped some into tea strainers, set on top of cups in the fridge, to drain it even further, and ended up with what appears to be scoops of icecream, but is actually yoghurt for healthy banana splits for my daughter and her friends. Saving on Baskin Robbins ice cream treats for them....around $40....really!

 

I propagated about a hundred succulents and echevarias including this frilly one which is my absolute favourite. I bought it at a country nursery and I've never seen another one like it. Savings without doubt in the hundreds of dollars. Each succulent or echevaria sells for the most astounding prices, from $10-$70, which is just downright cheeky once you know how easy they are to grow. Succulents can be grown just by breaking leaves off and sticking them into soil. Each leaf will grow a whole new plant. Echeverias need beheading (sounds violent doesn't it!). If you behead it close to the base of the rosette and leave it to dry out over a new pot, roots will form, allowing you to replant it. Meanwhile the stalk from which it's been trimmed, will form two or three new rosettes which will become entire new parent plants. Honestly you could start a plant nursery with just one of each variety and make a killing if you so desired! I can't really estimate this one as we've propagated literally hundreds, but lets for today be conservative, and call it $500 saved in buying plants for landscaping our large garden over the next few months.

 

I found these gorgeous Victoriana images online to use for card making, saving up to $10 per card for similar sweet and olde worlde type greeting cards over the next few months. Can you believe the cost of greeting cards now? It's crazy! I'll call that at least $100 saved.

I made bath bombs to for my daughter to gift to her friends for Easter. Not the best photo, but I thought you'd like to see them. I wished I'd done more of the teddy bear ones, which are actually done in bento sushi moulds. Aren't they cute? That's saved me probably $50 in bought chocolates, not to mention the savings to their parents in dental work.

 

I made a Frangipani Pie for a friend, who was feeling sad. Frangipani Pie is so named because it's yellow and white like the traditional flowers, not because it's made from them! It's just a sweet shortcrust pie shell, lined with crushed pineapple thickened with coconut milk and cornflour, with a meringue topping, baked until golden. It's an Aussie favourite. Saving on a similar bought treat, about $20.

 

So my tally for insourcing things this week, that I would have had to buy were I not a happy and productive Home Manager, is $725. I would have had to earn that much money outside of the home, in addition to whatever was required to keep body and soul together.

 

I'm happy.

 

 ...Mimi...

Five Star Frugal #10...

An InLinkz Link-up