Amazing sandwich bread

Who doesn't love home made bread?
When it's warm out of the oven and melts your butter, with that soft fluffy inside and a crispy crust. Sooo good.
Unfortunately, the day after, it's not really the best sandwich bread. It's very crumbly and it only lasts about a day or two before it starts to get stale.
I love to make home made bread to go with a meal warm, but when I decided to make all my own bread, I decided that my recipe wasn't good enough to make all of our sandwiches with. I actually wanted it to be more like store bread.
 I've been searching for a while for the perfect sandwich bread recipe and I've actually found that they are pretty equal in their being delicious when fresh, but also in not lasting for days to make sandwiches.
This is actually not a recipe post.
I went back to my original recipe, a bit discouraged about making all our bread. In fact, I was about to start buying bread again when my awesome sister in law gave me a slice of her bread to try.
 It was perfect.
 I excitedly asked her what she did to it and she told me about this article she found:
Homemade Dough Enhancers, General Info
It gives a list of things that make up a great dough enhancer and it also explains why each of them works. I've yet to add everything on the list (just because I don't always have everything) but I can tell you that just adding a few (especially the first three) makes a world of difference!

So try it out, add some or all of these things to your favorite recipe, and I promise, it will last longer, and it will have a perfect consistency to be sandwiches without making them crumby. You won't be able to stop making it! (Especially if you have a stand mixer) 

Now if I can just get better at cutting even slices....

About me

Ok, so I have a confession. After my last post, I TOTALLY got hooked on playing Sims on my phone whenever I sat down. So I'm a game junkie. Sue me. I figured it has been so long that I should do another introduction. I am a young mom from Utah. I am LDS and I married my high school sweetheart. When I first introduced myself way back in 2012, I had been married for two years and we had a beautiful 1 year old girl. Well now that 1 year old is 3 and we will be celebrating our 5th anniversary later this year. We also welcomed another beautiful girl into our lives about 6 months ago. My, how time flies.
We are currently renting an adorable tiny house in the town where my husband and I both grew up, a mere 200 yards from my mom and about 4 blocks from his. We LOVE being so close to both grandmas, especially since the girls and I walk everywhere when daddy has the car. I work freelance hours at a reception center and my husband is busy running between work as an office assistant and full time school as a pre dental student, so money is tight. That's the biggest reason I started this blog, because my best friend, who is at the same stage in her life, wanted me to share all my penny pinching expertise with her. The best way to start is learning to think with that age old saying "waste not, want not". We live in a world where people throw away so much stuff. I'm glad that trends are starting to get back to a DIY, minimalist way of life. I'll do my best to share what I do and help you in your venture to save money and enjoy life :) please feel free to ask questions or share your own experiences in the comments.

Hello again

Hello blogging world, once again, I'm back. (Not that anyone noticed my absence, that's fine) I left this blog abandoned over a year ago because I just wasn't feeling it. I had approached this blog with the typical "how to/can do" voice that many other blogger moms use and I decided to stop for two main reasons, one being that there are tons of bloggers out there with the same voice and ideas and projects that actually have readers and I'm not one of them, but mostly because I decided that voice was theirs and not mine. I will still post stuff like that when I feel like sharing them, but seeing as I haven't had any readers (for good reason of having nothing new to read) for a very long time, I'm picking this back up mostly, if not solely for myself. It's something to do while I cradle my beautiful, nursing baby that feels somewhat more productive than playing Sims on my phone. So follow along with me or not as I post little spurts throughout the day of whatever I feel like posting. That is all :)

Cloth pads

That's right. I said it. And if you have the same reaction I did, you're probably not too interested in reading this post but hear me out. It's not as disgusting as you think. The first time I ever considered it was at a family function when my husband's grandma was telling me why she would never ever go back to cloth diapers and she asked me "would you ever go back to using the same thing as what women used for menstrual cycles before disposables?" And my answer was a disgusted "no". 

The first time I actually considered it seriously was on a trip to Costco. We were talkin about how much we could spend and our list of things to buy was longer than we could afford, one of the items being pads and tampons and I jokingly said "we don't need to buy those, I'll just make some". Well, the next day, my mom mentioned to me that she had been trying out home made ones (because she has found she is allergic to the latex in disposable ones.) Between talking to her and researching online/Pinterest, I decided it wasn't such a crazy idea after all. I saw a few different patterns and ideas and I was completely sold when I read a blog about it (sorry I can't remember what the name of the blog was or I would share a link) but basically this lady mentioned a few different reasons to switch, one of course being money. The average American woman spends 10-20 THOUSAND dollars on feminine hygiene products in her lifetime. That's a nice car. The second reason is of course going green. I'm not a major tree hugger or anything, but the less waste we produce the better, right? Of course right. Those are my two big reasons. 

So now what? Where to start? Well, I have tried a few different patterns and while I'm not quite ready to show you my own designs, I have a list here of links to patterns and tutorials (all courtesy of Pinterest)*


glue and glitter (this is a personal favorite, she shows how to make pads using reclaimed fabrics; you all know how much I love to recycle fabric!)


natural suburbia


whistlepea


shewhorunsintheforest


sewgreen



You can also buy cloth pads on  party in my pants, ebay, or etsy. Shop around, see what you can find. 

So now, I'm sure you all have one more question about this whole thing: how would I clean these? Easy. I keep an ice cream bucket under the sink in the bathroom (just when it's time) and it is full of cold water and a little bit of vinegar. When you use your pads, put the dirty ones in the bucket and put the lid back on. When you're ready to wash them (which shouldn't ever be more than a day or two after you use them) pour the bloody water into the toilet (careful not to lose any of your pads) and throw them in the washer with any load and wash and dry like you would anything else (if you're still a little grossed out about washing then with other things, you can wash them alone or prewash them before adding the other load) now for keeping them sanitary and safe to use: your dryer will totally sanitize your pads. I take them straight from the dryer to a ziplock bag (which I reuse and reuse to hold only clean pads) and that bag goes under my sink so that they stay nice and sanitary until I am ready to use them again. As for traveling, there are some who keep a ziplock in their purse, I simply chose to take disposables with me when I'm not at home. I realize its not totally green and I do still spend money on them, but I use disposables a whole heck of a lot less than I ever did before. 

Stay tuned for my own deisgns and more on cloth tampons

Cheap tricks: fabric

Sewing your own things can be cheap if you already have the fabric, or if you get it at a great price, but for the most part, making your own things are more expensive just from buying fabric. For this reason, when we are ready to throw away clothes, I save them. I never let my  husband toss a pair of jeans that are beyond repair. This is also a great way to use sentimental clothes. I showed you a while back how to up-cycle a T-shirt that you don't want to throw out. I have also made my little girl a dress from a bridesmaid skirt that I knew I wouldn't wear again. Like saving anything, use discretion when saving, have a purpose in mind or you will just be hoarding*. (There are a few things like jeans that I always keep because I can always make my girl another pair of jeans) on the other hand, keep it out for a few days so that you are thinking about it and see if you can come up with a project to use it on but if its just scraps or you can't think of anything to use it for, don't hold onto it.

So, that's using fabric you already had, what about things you want to make, not with fabric you already have? I can make lots if things for a little girl from our clothes, but I can't usually up cycle my clothes into more clothes for myself. Keep an eye open when you go to the fabric store; sometimes, they will have awesome sales when they get new stock in or at the end of a season, just as long as you're not too picky about your fabric, you can buy a lot on sale and use it for more than one project. 

Another way to get cheap fabric for clothes is to buy things at thrift stores and alter them to fit you the way you want. I haven't done this a whole lot, but if you have never visited http://refashionista.net/  then now is the time! This woman changes the ugliest things into cute clothes! Find something that you love the fabric of and get creative! 

*in my book, saving clothes is different from saving store bought fabric. If you have fabric left over from a project, hold onto it always. I have made so many things from that end that I cut off of a quilt backing or a dress that I bought too much fabric for. I even had enough left over from my wedding dress to make a baby blessing dress.

No sew hair accessories

Ok, so we all know that a girl could spend a LOT of money on hair accessories. Lots of people make their own headbands and hair clips; today I'm going to take that one step further and show you how to make one that can go on a headband or a hair clip. I got this idea from my awesome friend who cuts my hair. She has a whole box of these little beauties. *bonus=if you already have the supplies, this is a totally free project*

These are the ones I have already made and I am having so much fun that I can't stop! 

The best part about making them this way is that thy are totally interchangeable. You can slip them onto a headband or a hair clip, you could even use a bobby pin on the small ones. 

You can use felt, fabric, ribbon, tulle, anything! All you need is some sort of material, a pair of scissors, hot glue, and any embellishments you want to add (as you can see, buttons have been my favorite since I already have them and who doesn't think buttons are cute?) I'm going to show you a simple tutorial with fabric. Look around Pinterest and online to find more tutorials, and just add the last step I will show you to make them versatile. 

To make a fabric flower like these ones, cut about a 1in. wide strip of fabric, the longer you cut it, the bigger the flower will end up. Round off the corners. Start on one end and pinch it together in a ruffle. 

And glue. 

Once you get all the way around, start moving outward and glue the ends like this:

When you're done, flip it over and make any adjustments that you need to make the front look good. 

This one kind of ended up with a funny looking top, so I'm just going to make one more small ruffled circle and glue it on top. 

Now I'll add some buttons :)

This one wasn't my favorite up close, but when someone glances at your hair, they won't be looking too closely at the flower, just enough to tell you how cute it is ;)

Now for the part that you will do to any design to make it versatile.

Take a short strip of fabric and glue it to the back, just putting glue on each end and leaving a slot in the middle. Now you can slide it onto any headband or clip. You can also do this to clip it onto a baby headband. (I also like doing it this way because I don't have to buy a clip for each flower, I just use the ones I already have)

There you go, get creative and have fun!

Grocery budget

I've had a few people ask me how I keep my grocery budget down so I decided to make a list of things that I do.

•look at the price per ounce: my local grocery store actually lists the price per ounce (or per ea) on their price labels for most things and I love this because you may think you're buying the cheapest cereal, but if you look at that small print number, you will see which brand is actually the best deal. If your grocery store doesn't list it, it's easy to figure out. Pull out your phone, open the calculator, and divide the price by the number of ounces (or the amount of whatever is in the package) don't be afraid to compare prices. Write them down if you need to. It may take a little longer to consider everything you buy, but you'll get the hang of it and remember which brands are usually the best price and the little savings always add up. 

•don't be afraid to try a new brand: just because your mom always buys a certain brand of something or the commercial looks better, does not mean that the off brand or cheaper similar brand isn't as good. I will admit right now that sometimes, the brand does matter and you don't want to stock up on a brand that is strange to you, but give it a try and if you like it, it will save you money. On the other hand, don't forget to do your math because sometimes, the name brand is in sale and actually cheaper, so don't be afraid to check. 

•do your homework: shop around and find out which stores have the best prices/quality on which things and plan your shopping trips according to that. If there's that one thing in the next town that's cheaper it may not be worth it, but if you have a whole list, make the trip. For example, I know that at Costco I can buy milk, cheese, eggs, and butter for cheaper than maceys, so I plan to go there for those things (which isn't a big deal now that we have our own Costco yay) but I also know that chicken, diapers, Parmesan, and honey is cheaper (and/or the brand I prefer) at SAMs club, so I take a trip over there using my parents membership card every once in a while and sock up on all these things when I do. 

•meat: I almost never buy meat for more than $2-3 per lb. there is the occasional steak or brisket that we buy sometimes for a holiday or birthday, but other than that, I just wait for the meat to go on sale and then I buy a bunch and put most of it in the freezer. This is also a nice trick for quick meals sometimes, if you are freezing a bunch of meat, try preparing it for a specific meal, cut it and put it in marinade then let it sit in the fridge while it thaws and marinates. You could also grill some chicken in your favorite seasoning and then cut and freeze it for a casserole or soup later. Keep an eye out for meat thats on sale, if its going to go bad writhing a few days, then you can prepare it and freeze it that day. Make sure to put a date on everything and use the oldest stuff first. 

•buying extras: for the most part, we don't. We don't usually buy a lot of chips or soda or fun snacks just because, well,  we talk ourselves out of it. And let's be honest, if I'm not willing to spend the money on junk food, it also stops my family from eating it which is healthier. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't get treats every now and then, just be frugal about it. We usually only buy fun stuff when it's on sale. 

•make it yourself: I am always on the lookout for a good new recipe to make something from scratch because it is almost always cheaper. We never have boxed dinners, canned soup, or anything like that. Don't get me wrong, I know it can be a lot of work and I'm not trying to brag. Depending on your time availability, you may or may not be able to make very much from scratch, but the more you do, the better. If you have a hard time with dinners, try looking up some good recipes for mixes or frozen dinners that you can make a whole bunch of on a Saturday or something and have ready to go. Next time you make a casserole, make an extra and put it in the freezer. For the most part, the more time you spend on something, the less money you will spend on it. 

•sales: always keep an eye out for things that are on sale. If its less than you usually spend and it is something that is easily preserved, stock up. I frequently walk past things I don't intend to buy just to see if its on sale (if its not, don't get roped into buying it haha)

•snacks: ok, so before I had kids, I felt like snacks fell in the fun/unnecessary category. For some people that is the case, but with kids, you really can't make it through the day without snacks. There are a lot of things you can make yourself (I don't have a clue how to make fruit snacks, so we never have those, but I have a pretty good granola bar recipe) and there are a lot of things you can buy in bulk. I see a lot of people with the giant boxes of individually wrapped crackers, pretzels, etc. and this is a great start. If this is the case with you and you still feel like you need to cut back on the budget, skip the box of individually wrapped pretzels and go for the giant party bag. Take it one step further an instead of using a ziplock, use washable containers. You can buy small plastic containers, or save the containers from things like applesauce/fruit cups. (Which brings me to the next thing) for fruit or veggies, do the math and if its cheaper to buy fresh produce, it's not too much more work to prepare. Give the kids a fresh apple slice or banana. If you need it on the go, give your apples or pears a quick lemon juice or lemon lime soda bath. Oranges and cucumbers also travel well after they are peeled and/or sliced and kept in an airtight bag or container. Bananas are perfect any time, anywhere. (If there is leftover of a banana, it will stay perfectly good as long as its not peeled down all the way just slice off the exposed end when your ready to finish it) if you feel like you are spending too much on prepared/packaged snacks, look at each one and ask yourself how you could cut the cost of it. 

I hope these tips will help you in your quest to lower the grocery budget. My one last rule for you is a good ole "when it doubt, leave it out" if you aren't convinced that you need something, then don't put it in your cart. (This is also my motto for clothes shopping ;) )