My Frugal Ways this Past Week 12/16/18!

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Here are the ways I've saved this past week:

I finished furnishing the doll house for my granddaughter  I made the little blanket, pillows, and sheet set from scrap material, I crochet the rugs, and found more furniture at sales and the dollar store.   You can see more pictures here.

This is the off week for our grocery shopping.  Although I didn't make a post we spent just $30 picking up essentials.  At Adi's we spent $10.00 -which included Bananas, pork rinds, lettuce, and a gallon of Milk.  At Walmart we spent another $10 for 2 packages of Koegel Bologna.   We also spent $10 at Amazon buying Truvia with our rewards money.   This makes our total spent this month $200.80.  


I've been watching our electric use and part of that watching has been going onto our energy's website.  They show our electric use per day, month, and year to compare costs.   I visited their site multiple times but I think I've figured it all out.  I'm calmer now but it's still a surprise to me when one day is significantly lower or higher than the other.  I wish I knew for sure what to pin it on.  Was it the dryer or the oven?   Why can't they just tell that..ha ha.  Of course it doesn't matter, I can't stop using either one.  

I also have found out that our electric bill last month was the same as last year at this time.  Which really wasn't too bad since it has been colder and there was a extra day added.  We keep unplugging and turning off as much as possible.  Although I don't see a drastic reduction as I hoped, I'm glad that our bill has been on a even keel. 

  

Sorry about the low light picture,  I forgot to turn on another kitchen light!  😊

I made some sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast burritos and banana muffins for make ahead freezer breakfast meals. I also made greek yogurt and our own half and half. 

I received my pawpaws seeds from the Kentucky Dept of Agriculture.  They were sent to me free and I can't wait to see if I can grow a tree here in Michigan.  

My goals for this week:

Make one more fleece tie blanket and then I'm through!  Well I didn't get this done last week.  

Mail off all packages.  It seems like I'm always late on this one.  They will get there though.  


What are the way's you've saved this past week?

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Free Kindle Books for Today 12/15/18!

The links in this post may contain affiliate links.   When you order from something from one of my links I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.  You can read my  full disclosure policy  and privacy policy here.   Thanks so much for helping support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! 

Free Kindle Books for today 12/15/18  Make sure you check the price before you buy, Amazon prices can change frequently. If you don’t have a Kindle you can download your favorite Kindle Book on any tablet or smartphone with a free Kindle Reading App

Gathering Bittersweet (The Distant Shores Series Book 3) 

Amazing Grace 

Tackling the Fields (Southern Hearts Series Book 3)

Afghans: Vintage Afghans To Crochet (Vintage Crochet Favorites Book 1) 

Everything about flower garden: Ideas, Plants and Design

Dirt Poor and Lovin' It!: Learning to live on minimum wage painlessly

You Stole My Name

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The Dollhouse is Ready for Christmas!

The links in this post may contain affiliate links.   When you order from something from one of my links I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.  You can read my  full disclosure policy  and privacy policy here.   Thanks so much for helping support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! 

We were given a dollhouse for our granddaughter a few years ago from a wonderful neighbor. She was way too little then but now she is really interested.  How do I know that for sure?  She peeked a couple of times as I was furnishing it!  

  

Here is the outside.  The dolls are Melissa and Doug Dollhouse dolls that I bought them on Amazon.  A whole family of poseable dolls including Grandma and Pop.  You got to love that!  

The dollhouse came with some of the furniture and I found more at estate and garage sales.  The material from the blanket and pillow on the bed came from one of the Fleece tied blankets I made.  I also crochet the rugs and sewed a few pillows.  

The dresser came from the dollar store.  I got a little excited hoping to find more but that was all I ever found for dollhouse furniture there.  

It was a lot of fun making and gathering things to complete this dollhouse.  How I always wanted one of these when I was little!  

What have you made someone special for Christmas this year?  

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Free Kindle Books and Deals for Today plus Kroger's Free Friday Download 12/14/18!

The links in this post may contain affiliate links.   When you order from something from one of my links I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.  You can read my  full disclosure policy  and privacy policy here.   Thanks so much for helping support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! 

Free Kindle Books for today 12/14/18  Make sure you check the price before you buy, Amazon prices can change frequently. If you don’t have a Kindle you can download your favorite Kindle Book on any tablet or smartphone with a free Kindle Reading App

The Rebel's Return 

Effie (Cowboys and Debutantes: Historical Book 1)

GOD Has A Scrub Brush: Making Room for Revival

Amazing Pool Noodle Hacks

Decorative Stone Art: 5 Steps to Being a Rock Art Star

Prayer Inspiration for Children

A to Z with the One True King 

Great Deal!

NIV, Adventure Bible, Polar Exploration Edition, Full Color, eBook  Just $1.99! You can read my review here.

Kroger's Free Friday Download! (Even if I don't use these products I get them anyway.   They are great to donate to food banks or give to someone who likes them.

FREE High Brew Cold Brew CoffeeFree

FREE High Brew Cold Brew Coffee
Receive ONE (1) FREE High Brew Cold Brew Coffee (8 fl oz). A... more

Exp 12/30/2018

Be sure to sign up for my daily email list and never miss a post!  You can also follow me on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook,and Bloglovin where I share my frugal list, gardening, recipes, Free Kindle books, and more

3 Devotional Book Reviews by Elle Claire: The Earth Is the Lord's, and Everything In It: 365-Day Devotional Journal, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (365-Day Devotional Journals), and Peace Begins with Me Journal: A 365-Day Devotional Journal (365 Devotional Journals)

The links in this post may contain affiliate links.   When you order from something from one of my links I receive a small commission with no extra cost to you.  You can read my  full disclosure policy  and privacy policy here.   Thanks so much for helping support Vickie's Kitchen and Garden! 

All three of these wonderful devotional books have beautiful covers that will entice you to pick them up and start journalling.  High quality hard cover books that each have their own bookmark to help keep your place.  The marbled effect on Peace Begins with Me is perfect with it's calming waves of green, the floral design on Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus makes me think of taking a walk through his garden, and the cover of  The earth is the Lord's and Everything In It with the beautiful peacocks on the cover reminds me everything and everyone matters to him.   Each devotional page is adorned with part of the cover design also.  Strong sturdy pages will have you writing your thoughts to your heart's content.

Peace Begins with Me Journal: A 365-Day Devotional Journal (365 Devotional Journals)

We pray for peace. We beg for it from others. We make speeches about it. But in the end, the only peace most of us can control is that little portion we display for the world to see. If we are at peace, the chaos around us seems to calm down. Our peace affects others. And the Giver of peace awaits to give us the gift that can change our world. It begins with a prayer. It begins with me.

My thoughts: 

This devotional speaks right to your heart and makes you think how we need to slow down and just praise the Lord.  With that we can accept his gift of peace and spread it to others.  

My favorite devotional listed in the Peace Begins with Me Journal, was the Best is Yet to Come Phillipians 3:21.   Just think of that verse when your wore out and tired from fighting your every day battles. We will someday soon be praising the Lord with a brand new mind and body! Just imagining that will go along ways to help provide the peace you need.  

After I had a peek inside I was excited to be able to give this devotional to one of my good close friends for Christmas (I have two).  I hope she will have a wonderful year of reading each devotional and writing down her thoughts. 

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (365-Day Devotional Journals) (Lifestyle Journals)

A 365-day devotional journal to help you spend time with Jesus through quiet time, prayers, and reflection.

When life gets busy, it's easy to forget to spend time with God. This 365-day devotional journal offers encouraging meditations to help you spend a few moments turning your eyes on Jesus before your hectic day begins. After short devotions and Scripture for each day of the year, you will also find light journaling lines and ample space to record your thoughts, hopes, and prayers -- just what you need to start each and every day with the reminder that God is always by your side

My thoughts:

Some times we are so busy we don't think we have time for God but this devotional give us smaller quick powerful messages each day to think about.  Turn Your Eyes will make you feel like you spent quality time with God in just a few minutes of your day. It makes the song,  Turn your Eyes upon Jesus...  Look full in his wonderful face, come to life.  

I loved reading the devotional Making the Bible Your Own, Psalms: 1-3.  Read the bible and consider what it means.  Spend time studying and not just reading the words.  It's better to understand and put it in to practice in your life than reading the Bible in a year.  

After I had a peek inside I was excited to be able to give this devotional to one of my good close friends for Christmas (I have two).  I hope she will have a wonderful year of reading each devotional and writing down her thoughts. 

The Earth Is the Lord's, and Everything In It: 365-Day Devotional Journal (Devotional Journals) 

From the small whisper of a snowflake to the large circumference of a baobab tree, all of nature is the creative expression of God. When we embrace His creative nature by taking the time to stop, notice, and connect, our hearts are encouraged and souls refreshed. Respond to the devotions, add your own creative writing, or keep track of prayers on the journaling lines.

My thoughts:  

The Earth Is the Lord's, and Everything In It: 365-Day Devotional Journal has a little different take then normal.  On each page your given an current day short story along with a corresponding bible verse.  They are like mini sermons to me.  The stories so far have spoke to my heart and I've wrote down so many things that have happened to my life   The very first page, Peacocks of Happiness, made me remember all those little things that have brightened my life this past week.  There was a lot when I thought about it.  The Bible verse given that day was perfect: Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. Psalms 40:5

These are just the right stories to get my mind rolling and remember the wonders of his love.  With so many thoughts to write on each days devotional, my only complaint so far is that I feel like it needs more journaling lines.

I know this journal starts in the new year but I couldn't wait till then.  Really, you can start it at any time of year and on any page you that speaks to you.  So don't put off starting this devotional till next year!  

I received these books free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.