Friday, February 12, 2010

Frugal Friday

Rainy Day Farm
This weeks Frugal Friday is showcasing my new favorite book The Encyclopedia of Country Living.

I have wanted this book for several years now, but never put up the money to get it. Then last summer on one of my garage sale trips I found this for $1.00. Well worth the wait. I was giddy with happiness! Let me tell you that my hubby and I have been thumbing through this book lately and it is the best book ever. I am pretty sure that at some future date this book is going to save our lives somehow. It is the best reference I have ever seen on doing things yourself.

In this book, Carla Emery, teaches you just about anything you might need when it comes to doing things yourself. Or as she liked to call it, homesteading. Don't think I am going to move to some remote piece of land and start wearing denim jumpers and get a Michelle Dugger haircut, but I think it is fun to learn how do to things myself. In this book you can learn to:

1. How to make a quilt frame

2. How do dip beeswax candles

3. How to plant and harvest oats.

4. How to shred a coconut.

5. How to can pretty much anything.

6.How to dress,cook, and eat pretty much any

sort of wild animal, including beaver tail.

7.How to tan leather.

8. How to start a beehive, including catching your own wild hive of bees.

9. How to catch a goose

10. Everything your need to know about any farm animal. From sexing (telling which is male and female) a chicken to handling a rabbit.

If I ever need to live off the land and change my name to Laura Ingalls, this is the book I want to have with me! Not everything it is is going to be useful to me, but it sure is nice to know that if I need the knowledge, it is here. Go check out this book from your local library and see all the treasures of knowledge it contains. You won't be disappointed.

I also wanted to share a recipe that I found on the Grocery Cart Challenge for making your own baby wipes. I have not made them myself, because a threw out our baby oil a few months ago and need to get some more. I am going to add it to my shopping list and try these babies out.

Homemade Baby Wipes

Take a roll of Bounty Select-a-size (I have only used Bounty so I don't know how generic holds up) and cut it in half. Remove the center cardboard tube. Save the other half for another batch.Mix into a Ziploc or Rubbermaid container:
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons baby wash
2 tablespoons baby oil
1 tablespoon alcohol (optional - but I have always used it)
Place the paper towels in the Ziploc with the solution and start pulling from the center.

I use baby wipes for lots of things. I have found they are the best stain fighters on the planet. You spill something on your shirt and a baby wipe will get it out guaranteed. I also keep these in my car for wiping dirty little hands when we are out and about.

6 comments:

Megan said...

Wow, homemade baby wipes! Very cool. I'm anxious to hear - have you made any Pioneer Woman cookbook recipes yet?

Boyd Family said...

I had a friend in Florida who made her own wipes and they were really cool. She said her kids seemed to have an allergic reaction to all of the store bought ones, but her homemade ones were GREAT!!

wendy said...

Seriously -- I HAVE TO HAVE THAT BOOK
how awesome and fun would that be

Cara@HomespunKitchen said...

Ooohh! I will have to check that book out at the library, thanks for the recommendation! I have always made my own baby wi[es too. I cut the toll in half and put it in a tall Rubbermaid container, add some Dr Bronners Sal Suds (my kiddos had sensitive bums) and 2 cups water, that's all:)

Cara

Amy @ Keep'n The SunnySide said...

Sounds like an interesting book. Gotta love finding it on the cheap! I have seen this baby wipes recipe before. I have no use for them now, but when mine were young I think I bought about 14,973 boxes. This would have come in handy. I was using a clorox wipe the other day, cleaning the bathroom counter wishing their was a way to make these to save money. Have you seen any "recipes"? You can buy paper towels now in the 1/2 sheets, there has to be someone out there that has done this.

Tina❀ said...

That book sounds great!!! I'll have to keep my eyes open. It sounds like a must have.
If I only had blog land when my son was a baby! Great idea for moms of wee ones.