Frugal Living

Hate Grocery Shopping? Stock up the Pantry this Fall!

September 3, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

Do you hate grocery shopping as much as I do these days? Here’s how to go about preserving the summer harvest this fall.

stocking up the pantry with homemade salsa

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

WATCH THE VIDEO

This video is more like a podcast, so you can tune in while you wash the dishes or tidy up the living room. If you dig my vintage style, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more vintage-inspired fun!

STOCKING UP THE PANTRY THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY

Once upon a time, grocery stores weren’t the primary destination to put a meal on the table. Soup didn’t come out of a can, a helper didn’t come out of a box, and fast food had to be caught. Families worked long and hard together to store up enough food to last them through the winter, and the majority of that supply was produced on their own land.

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Making Homemade Vanilla Extract (Edible Gifts)

July 3, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Making vanilla extract from scratch is a reward all on its own. Whether it’s to save a bit of money, to enhance your baking experience, or to make a thoughtful handmade gift, there’s something special about extracting your own vanilla flavour.

This Homemade Vanilla Extract post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

HOMEMADE VANILLA EXTRACT VIDEO TUTORIAL

In this video, I will go over everything you need to know about making vanilla extract. To find more videos like this one, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

MAKING VANILLA EXTRACT FROM SCRATCH

To some, making vanilla extract from scratch seems out of the realm of possibility. The truth is, it couldn’t be easier to make! No matter how many different ways you roll the dice, vanilla is expensive. Taking the DIY approach, however, will save you a few bucks and give you a cool kitchen project. All you need is a handful of vanilla beans, a half-pint mason jar, 80-proof alcohol, and six month’s worth of patience.

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Why Everyone Should Forage (and 7 beginner tips)

June 5, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 8 Comments

Learning how to forage is like learning how to raid Nature’s pantry. Here are four simple reasons for why everyone should forage and some best practices to keep in mind.

THE FORAGER’S PATH

My foraging journey began two or three years ago when I lived by a forest trail.

It was a beautiful respite from busy living and I walked there frequently, delighting in the rich canopy of green.

Sometime after the Pokemon GO! game came out, I was walking through the woods trying to catch Pokemon (I am SO ashamed to admit this) when I stopped dead in my tracks and came to my senses.

Why was I putting so much time and energy into imaginary critters when I didn’t even know what was growing around me?

I loved the woods, but I was a stranger.

Why was it that I could identify Pokemon and corporate logos, but not something real and tangible?

Something needed to change!

RELATED: Things you can do with violets

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Preparing for a Food Shortage the Vintage Way

May 22, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

When preparing for a food shortage, it isn’t a bad idea to revive the vintage skills that sustained our ancestors through many a tough season. They knew what to do when times got tough and so can you. Self-sufficiency is everything!

ARE WE IN FOR HARD TIMES?

I don’t want to be an alarmist, but we may be in for some tough times. At the time of writing this, there are signs that the food supply chain is breaking down. There are fast food joints that can’t make everything on the menu because of supply issues.

In Canada, there are now “flexitarian” burgers up for sale that mix ground beef with veggie ground round to stretch the supply. The price of meat is shooting up so fast that it’s leaving people dizzy.

Believe it or not, I wrote this article a year ago, and the headlines are still telling the same story .

These are uncertain times, there’s no doubt about that. Instead of getting worked up, let’s prepare ourselves.

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Cracking Open a Coconut (and what to do with it!)

April 21, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Cracking open a coconut for the first time is quite the experience. If you have a coconut sitting on your kitchen counter that you don’t know what to do with, let me walk you through it!

“I GOT YOU A COCONUT”

This is not what I was expecting to hear when my husband came home from doing errands while I was filming.

Normally he surprises and delights me with chocolate, kombucha and cinnamon rolls from the local bakery, but a coconut? I wasn’t expecting that one.

What was I going to do with it? Throw it?

My little boy did. He thought it was a ball.

It can be intimidating, being presented with something new.

I mean, I adore coconut, but it’s usually already flaked, shredded, or creamed, so I don’t need to do anything.

If I want coconut water, I go to the store and buy it.

Instead, “I got you a coconut”.

The coconut sat on my counter for a week, patiently waiting for me to come around.

I didn’t want to give it the time of day, but then when I was filming my videos for perfect scrambled eggs and pesto tuna melts, my husband suggested I crack open the coconut on camera.

Well, okay. Here’s what I did.

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Old-Fashioned Skills We Should Reclaim

February 18, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 12 Comments

Here are 15 old-fashioned skills worth keeping alive to start saving money and become more self-sufficient. How many are you proficient at?

harvesting herbs practicing old-fashioned skills

This post on old-fashioned skills may contain affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase something after clicking on one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

15 OLD-FASHIONED SKILLS VIDEO

Not in the mood for reading? That’s okay, I’ve got you covered with this video. To check out more of my videos, head on over to my YouTube channel and remember to subscribe while you’re there!

OLD-FASHIONED SKILLS FOR ENRICHING YOUR LIFE

If you’ve been with me for a while, you will know that I’m a strong advocate for simple living. While there’s nothing simple about simple living, it does come with a reward. Simple, old-fashioned living is about self-sufficiency, gratitude, and connection. I think this video of mine says it best if you’re looking for a definition. In any case, this collection of 15 old-fashioned skills offers ways to live more simply and abundantly,

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