Yes, this made me happy! And they weren't too expensive. When you find something really awesome, you just want to share. My personal income has grown a tiny bit, through blogging (ads on the page), and I am very happy to turn some of this around in the form of giveaways to you. I have something in mind for next month, too! (Yeah, I know, you're saying to yourself, "there are ads on the page? Where?" I never notice the ads either! So I'm amazed that they ever get clicks.)
Chive blossoms!
Sprinkled over salads, making chive blossom vinegar, and saving the seeds from the blossoms for adding to bread dough or topping rolls before baking
The family cook-out!
This is a summer tradition for our family. A few times per month, beginning in May, and running through September, we have a fire in the patio firepit and roast hot dogs and make s'mores. It gets us all out of the house, into the fresh air, and enjoying the sights and sounds as night begins to fall.
Freezing eggs!
I froze 3 dozen eggs in muffin pans, and froze 1 dozen eggs, 3 to a container, for making quiche later this spring and summer. These were eggs bought for 99 cents/dozen just before Easter, that's half what I would have to pay if not on sale. So for every dozen I buy and freeze, I saved $1! That makes me happy!
Brightening up the dining room!
Searched through a pile of table linens to find something "springy". Not much there -- but did find this mint green table round, and square card/game table cutwork cloth from my grandmother. The round doesn't fit perfectly, but it's good enough. I added the spring basket that I made last year, plus these 25 cent canning jar candles for decor. Now I think that says spring.
I accidentally left the yogurt to culture overnight -- and loved how it turned out!
I had been incubating yogurt for 3 to 4 hours. Leaving it for 12-13 hours got me into researching long-incubation for yogurt-making. The yogurt was thicker and more tangy than 3-hour yogurt. And as a bonus, long-incubation reduces lactose even further, a boon for those of us lactose-intolerant. But, for batches since my goof, I've been most happy with 7 hours of incubation. In case you're needing some hints on making yogurt, I have a rather lengthy post here.
Experimenting with making mustard!
I've made 4 batches, so far. My first batch was super hot! My second batch was slightly sweet with the last of the honey added afterward. The third batch, I made to be a hot dog mustard, so added turmeric, and cooked the mixture to moderate the spiciness. And the fourth batch was an additional yellow hot dog mustard, as we seem to go through it quickly. (The day I made this last batch of hot dog mustard, I also made ketchup -- to have with bbq's this month.)
Homemade mustard can be tricky. An interesting thing, if you want mild mustard, then you heat the mixture. If you want hot mustard, then you use only cold ingredients. And either way, mustard needs to mature for at least 24 hours to get rid of the bitter taste.
Potting up the violas and pansies that I found on the clearance rack at Home Depot for 19 per plant!
I bought 48 little plants. They bring cheer and color to the deck and entry of our home.
~~~ no photo here. Do you really want to see my socks? I think not!~~~
Socks! Socks! Socks!
I used 2 $10 coupons, one to Kohl's the other to JCPenney's, on socks! For a grand total of $2.63 I got 6 new pairs of socks for myself. I chose 1 package of Adidas, and 1 package of Nike socks. So far, I like them both. We'll see which ones last the longest.
Making Rhubarb Crumb Muffins and Lemon Balm-Mint iced tea!
A delicious springtime treat.
What frugal things made you happy this month?
