I just viewed the Moore Family's latest DVD, More than Making Maple Syrup and I love it! Whether you really do want to learn how to make maple syrup yourself to save money or make it to sell to help build your family economy; or if you just want to see how it is done as part of your homeschool cur
[ read more ]
When our son was about 12, a fellow homeschool dad did a Survival Camp. They met once a week for 6 weeks and learned some very basic survival skills. They learned how to build a basic shelter in the woods, how to skin a fish, how to coat matches to keep them dry, how to start a fire without matches,
[ read more ]
Here is a wonderful, detailed tutorial about cutting your little boy's hair. And another tutorial for little girl's hair. *** We have this DVD and it is excellent: Bring It Home Beauty Hair Edition Volume 1 It shows how to style hair, how to cut long hair, bangs and a men's
[ read more ]
The ways to use pallets is endless! Here are some ways to make furniture with them: I love the practicality of storage here too! Here is a site with a bunch of ideas! Here are 4 other ways to use pallets as furniture. This one has a video to show you how. I love this bed a
[ read more ]
Last week I shared about a really cool bench. Did you know that: Approximately 40% of all hardwood harvested in the U.S. is for making shipping pallets About two-thirds of pallets are used only once before being thrown out 1/4 of all wood in landfills is from used pallets You
[ read more ]
I LOVE the whole using wooden pallets to make things for almost free! Not only that, but it is a great way to keep your high energy boys busy! Learning how to use a hammer and drive, in this case remove nails is something every guy needs to know. OR you could do it this way, but I think you
[ read more ]
Being self-employed makes buying insurance VERY expensive. A couple of years ago we decided to use Samaritan Ministries for our health care needs. Jeff is not on our family plan because he uses tobacco (cigars), so we carry a separate insurance policy for him, but our girls and myself are on a f
[ read more ]
If you want to make money you need to be skilled. The more skills you have, the more opportunities you will have to make money! You need to know more than one thing. You need multiple streams of income. Not to mention, the more you can do for yourself, the more
[ read more ]
It won't be long and most of us will have some fresh corn that we just husked. Turn off the TV and turn on come CREATIVITY by letting the kids make corn husk dolls, or flowers or anything else they can think of. Olivia made this one the other day. But you really need to see what and how these l
[ read more ]
This is a great story, a true entrepreneurial story!!! This is a story of a 13 year old boy and how he rolling in the dough! If you have any entrepreneural stories please let me know!
[ read more ]
Encourage enterprise, don't give the children everything they want! Let them find ways to make some money so they will appreciate the value of a dollar, the value of labor, and the value of good character. Children, just as adults, will not do things until they have to. :)
[ read more ]
When my kids were younger we'd usually take the month of December off from most of our book work. Between parties and holiday commitments it was just easier to set the books aside and still be learning in a more creative way. Whether it is simple crafts, holiday baking, special meals or gift givi
[ read more ]
The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. ~ Thomas Moore Last Friday Olivia gave me some beautiful yellow roses for my birthday. Sunday I trimmed them down and added some fresh basil and rosemary from the herb garde
[ read more ]
Dana (one of my favorite readers/Facebook Friends), commented on last week's post about cast iron pans: A local store carries the cast iron cookware--all of it--but I have no idea how you'd use a dutch oven with FEET unless you did use it outdoors....and then I'd have no idea how to do that! On o
[ read more ]
Most of what I have to set our table with, everything from the linens, to the plates, to the serving items I have gotten from thrifts stores and yard sales. It's amazing what you can find at such a small cost but still make a big impact at meal time. We bought these beautiful salt and pepper s
[ read more ]
Well it is that time of year when the gardens are really taking off. Last weekend was the opening of our county's Farmer's Market, there is not a lot of variety yet... but there is LOTS OF YELLOW SQUASH! Olivia and Samantha have been reaping their harvest. So they ventured out to the market to
[ read more ]
We have a big campfire circle that my amazing husband built about 20 years ago. The circle has hosted many, many cookouts and birthday parties! I love our fall cookouts when we have to pull our chairs up close to get warm. Although hot dogs are really bad for you, is there anything better than
[ read more ]
I LOVE THIS! Even if this is not how you would build/decorate your home, you have to appreciate his view on life! His view of teaching others skills, especially to the working poor (note he says "WORKING poor"). And if we will be completely honest, many (not all) people that live in huge, l
[ read more ]
A great way to get you or your kiddos some sewing practice and not spend a bunch of money on fabric would be to use what you have around the house; perhaps some old sheets or skirts that are not being used anymore. Or even better yet, how about using up those old jeans and denim shirts that
[ read more ]
The majority of Americans always want more...more of everything! Perhaps having less, WANTING less, and playing more simply is what we really *need*? One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing
[ read more ]
I love rag rugs. There are a few different ways to make them and you can make them from almost anything. I don't know about your house, but we go through throw rugs like crazy! No one here takes off their shoes when they come in and because our family works and schools from home it is cons
[ read more ]
Bartering is trading goods or services without exchanging money. We love bartering! In fact many times I'd rather barter than exchange money. I have been on a hand craft trading Yahoo group for years. I've traded my handiwork (crochet, quilts, marshmallow guns, etc...) for all sorts of th
[ read more ]
One mother/grandmother that attended our Saving Summit last Saturday said, " In all my 52 years I have never gone to a meeting where women were wanting to learn to save money." We all know women are famous for wasting money and being shopaholics, spending hou
[ read more ]
A couple weeks ago I posted the following: Necessity + Creativity + Persistence = Resourcefulness How about creating a little necessity in your children’s lives and don’t let them give up until they find a way to fill that necessity? Train those cr
[ read more ]
This is the first in our series of Encouraging Young Entrepreneurs. Today we are featuring a young man that has started a web based business selling old books. These are available as instant downloads. Enjoy his interview below and check out the special offer he has just for Teaching Good
[ read more ]
Necessity + Creativity + Persistence = Resourcefulness How about creating a little necessity in your children's lives and don't let them give up until they find a way to fill that necessity? Train those critical thinking skills at a young age!
[ read more ]
This is a WONDERFUL video clip, and talk about resourceful? This woman may have written the book on resourcefulness! In an age of everything being disposable, even our cars, we could learn a lot from this 89 year old. And girls...you need to know how to take care of your cars ju
[ read more ]
How to demonstrate Resourcefulness in the Home: *Control the clutter by being content! Clutter in the home, even if it is good stuff, can quickly overcome your home and overwhelm all those that live there. The older I get the more I realize how little I really need or want. &n
[ read more ]
The following is a suggestion from Character Journal (I love their stuff!), the comments are mine, not theirs. How to Demonstrate Resourcefulness in the Home Family members cherishing every moment together, however small, in order to build their relationships.
[ read more ]
He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. Proverbs 10:5 Whether you're harvesting your own fruits and vegetables, buying from the local farmer's market or buying straight from the grocery store, summer is the best time to stock up
[ read more ]
Here is an event for our local people. If you like the idea maybe you can plan one in your area with your own local 'experts'. :o) A Savings Summit Summit -noun 1.
[ read more ]
From our inbox- Lisa asked: How did you hang these? I found some great fabric to use and want to give it a try, but I have no idea how you installed them. Lisa, I folded over the top and sewed in a sleeve, like what you would have on a curtain. Then I just ran a curtain rod through
[ read more ]
Many of us in our circle of friends are doing all we can to try to live more simply and become more self sufficient, while saving money at the same time. Some are more dedicated than others, but the important thing is to learn and at least try to be the best stewards of our resources
[ read more ]
Washing Make Sure They are Dirty Make sure the clothes are dirty before you wash them. They need to look or smell dirty before they go to the laundry room. A couple generations ago when people had to conserve as much as they could they wore clothes several days before washing them. Wash i
[ read more ]
I saw this story on our local news over the weekend and I just loved it! It is about family business, and finding something you love to do. It shows a bit about the olden' days. Just thought I'd pass it along (wait through the commercial). I'm sure there are a lot of pros and cons in ha
[ read more ]
Money Management! Managing money is one of the most important skills you can teach your children. Is that not the most prevalent problem in our nation on ALL levels? Perhaps with the exception of salvation. Resourcefulness is all about managing what you have, and that is t
[ read more ]
At our church we LOVE families and we LOVE BABIES! Babies are viewed as blessings, not burdens. So very rarely do we have times with no new babies being born, Praise the Lord! I wish I could make a quilt or crochet a blanket for every baby born at our church and circle
[ read more ]
Jeff helped me make this ironing board for my quilting. When you are pressing yards of fabric at a time a regular ironing board just doesn't do the job. It's really pretty simple to make one. Cut and screw a piece of plywood to an ironing board, be sure to center it. You can get the olde
[ read more ]
As part of our cutting the spending at home and becoming more self-sufficient we are keeping the air off until June 1st..at least! One way to help keep the house cooled off some is to block the sun and heat. I looked at some window quilts on
[ read more ]
We spotted a beautiful crib size dust ruffle at the thrift store! Olivia and I immediately thought APRON! All I really had to do was add the bib, straps and a pocket. I used the surger which saves a lot of time. When you see a
[ read more ]
As I said yesterday, sometimes we need to return to the old paths to learn how to do some things for ourselves, after all there is nothing new under the sun. Here is an old book with TONS of neat stuff in it! Let your kids look through it and find something to build that would be useful
[ read more ]
I am all for new and improved ways of doing things but there are times we need to return to the old paths, sometimes we need to *experience* some foundational ways of doing things. Being frugal has always been a way of life for us, well at least I thought it had. Only recently have we c
[ read more ]
This is a 4 stall rabbit hutch Jeff made for some friends of ours. They will be raising meat rabbits. Carpentry is a skill that is so needful in manhood. I'm so proud of my man! On our Tools Page there ar
[ read more ]
I've had a few e-mails since my Buying Lumber for Pennies post and my Eggs post about chicken coops. I had planned on posting about this later but this seems like a good time! Jeff built these incredible, PORTABLE chicken coops for some friends of ours, he built two of them. The si
[ read more ]
My husband is very tight resourceful. He hates to pay full price for anything, he says it is because he works hard for his money, which I have to agree! Because he is so resourceful he knows how to get a good deal on just about anything! That combined with his carpentry
[ read more ]
These are plastic Maxwell House coffee containers. When I buy large bags of dry beans these are good to store them in. I just label them with a piece of paper and tape. They stack easily. A good place to store long shelf-life foods is in the far corners under the kitchen counters.
[ read more ]
Yesterday's post brought some good questions from our readers. Jean asks: On your blog you said you cut up and cook your potatoes for potato salad ahead of time. I could save a lot of time by doing this, but I am not sure how to store them. How do you store yours? I am just now l
[ read more ]
Here are a few easy tutorials for little girl dresses/skirt. Twirly Skirt Sunny Day Dresses The Shirt Dress (Made from a man's dress shirt) Button Shirt Toddler Dress (Also made from a man's shirt.) Pick up some dress shirts from a yard sale or the t
[ read more ]
Karen from Blue Barn Bulletin posted about how her husband planted his seeds... HOW COOL IS THIS? Great Idea Plants in a Bottle! Go HERE to read what you need to do to be part of the From Seeds to Harvest Gardening Challenge and get in on the giveaways! It&rsqu
[ read more ]
Our family's choice:
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
—