Make it Yourself: Reusable Gift Bags

December 3, 2012 By Sarah Leave a Comment

One thing I vowed to do this Christmas is to try to reduce the prodigious amount of waste this holiday generates by using only reusable gift wrap. It gives me the shivers to see so much paper, ripped off in a second, then tossed in the trash.

If you can sew a straight line (and I barely can), you can make your own reusable fabric gift bags. I don’t even measure. I mean, you can, if you like to be precise, but I’m kind of an on-the-fly girl. :)

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Fabric — I’ve used plain cotton as well as fleece and they both work well. If you’re just starting, you can get a yard or half a yard to try it out.
  • Coordinating thread
  • Coordinating ribbon
  • a sewing machine

First, you need a square or rectangle of fabric. Fold it over so that it’s double thickness. I like to make a variety of sizes to fit a variety of different gifts. Notice, mine isn’t even very square. I just either cut it straighter or sew the seams straighter.

Then, finish the top edge of the bag. Again, I don’t measure, I just pin it down about 1/2″ and then sew it with a straight stitch so that the opening edge is finished.

It should look like this:

Then, fold the fabric back into a square, with the wrong side out.

Sew up two sides of the bag (the third side is folded), leaving the finished top open. The just turn the bag inside out:

You have a finished bag, but you need something to hold it closed with. Stitch about 12-18″ of ribbon to the side seam (again, I don’t measure, just eyeball it), starting 2″ from the top. Use a zigzag stitch for extra reinforcement:

Voila! You have a quick, easy, and cute gift bag that you can use year after year.

Need to remember what’s in the bag? Just punch a hole in a cardstock tag and thread it on the ribbon to make your gift tag.

Pin It

This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this site.

Make It Yourself: Cream of Broccoli, Chicken, or Mushroom Soup

November 14, 2012 By Sarah Leave a Comment

As we head into November, my family starts asking me for comfort food: casseroles, pot pie, and my Green Bean Stuffing Casserole. But no one asks for MSG, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors. :)

My homemade cream soup recipe has been so popular, I wanted to give you even more options to customize it to use in your favorite recipes. Now there is no reason to reach for the canned stuff since it’s easy and quick to whip up a batch yourself with ingredients you probably have on hand. You can even freeze it to make things even easier.

Print
Make It Yourself: Cream of Chicken, Broccoli, or Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour, stirring constantly.
  2. Add the chicken broth, then the milk, stirring to prevent lumps.
  3. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to medium and simmer 5 minutes, continuously stirring.
    4. For Cream of Chicken:
  4. Add 1/2 cup of shredded chicken off the bone. Stir into the cream soup mixture on low heat until heated through. I make my own shredded chicken from whole organic chickens that I buy on sale.
    5. For Cream of Mushroom:
  5. Add 1/2 Cup sauteed mushrooms. I like to give my sliced mushrooms a couple of minutes in a lightly buttered saute pan to soften them and give them some extra flavor.
    6. For Cream of Broccoli:
  6. Add 1/2 cup chopped, blanched broccoli. Broccoli should be firm, but cooked.
    7. Serve immediately, or cool and freeze. I use these Ball BPA-free 8 oz Freezer Jars

Want to read more Make It Yourself Ideas? Subscribe to Mindfully Frugal Mom for FREE! You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Image with help from Vegan Feast Catering.

Pin It
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this site.

Apple Pie Filling – Homemade and Freezable!

October 4, 2012 By Sarah 1 Comment

Editor’s Note: This was originally posted October 2011, but has been updated.

There is absolutely nothing better than fresh, homemade apple pie. Even better if you pick the apples yourself, that morning, preferably wearing a gingham apron and singing some Disney tune.

If that image doesn’t describe your apple-aquisition habits, this post is for you. :)

Here in upstate New York, fall is apple season. The apples are fresh, local, and cheap.Making and freezing apple pie filling now saves time and money later — and it’s easy as the proverbial pie.

Apple Pie Filling

  • Peel and core, and slice about 4 cups of apples for each pie’s worth of filling you want to make. My son is obsessed with using the Apple Peeler! He loves it.
  • Toss all your apples in a big stockpot. Add the following:  2 tbsp corn starch, 1-2 cups water, 1/4 cup sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the apples), 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg. Simmer the apple mixture about 30 minutes until apples are soft and the sauce has thickened.

  •  Put about 3 cups of apple pie filling per ziploc bag, pop it in the freezer, and you’re done. You can double, triple, or whatever this recipe to suit your needs and your apple stock.
Pin It
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this site.

Make it Yourself Dishwasher Detergent with just TWO Ingredients

October 1, 2012 By Sarah 4 Comments

As with many household problems, the best solution is often the easiest. I have been trying many different so-called “eco-friendly” commercial dishwasher detergents, but mostly they just don’t work.  It’s really annoying to have “clean” dishes come out the same way you put them in (see picture on left, above).

One day I was completely out of dishwasher detergent with a full load of dirty dishes to wash. Since there was no way I was going to take out the dishes and wash them all by hand, I scoured the cupboards for a suitable substitute.

What I came upon worked 10 times better than the expensive “eco” detergent I had been buying, and only costs pennies per load. With just TWO ingredients: baking soda and Lemi-Shine (an all-natural citric acid), my dishes were clean and shiny for the first time in weeks!

It’s so easy! Combine:

  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1-2 tsp Lemi-Shine
  • 1 tsp water
It will start bubbling a little (kids love this part!):
Spoon the resulting paste into your dishwasher’s soap receptacle and wash as normal.
It’s quick, costs pennies per load, and is all-natural. Plus — it works! I was shocked by how shiny my dishes were after using this the first time.


You can see more green make it yourself tips here. Never miss a tip! Get Free updates sent right to your email or on Facebook.

Pin It
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this site.

Lose those nighttime fears with Monster-Be-Gone

September 20, 2012 By Sarah 3 Comments

Can you relate to this? It’s been a long day of parenting. You finally put your child to bed, turn off the lights, and sit down to relax with the Real Housewives (insert your own mindless guilty pleasure).

Then it starts. First the whimpering. You stay very still and hope you’re just imagining it. But it becomes harder and harder to ignore. The crying reaches a fever pitch and you click off the Real Housewives and trudge your tired limbs upstairs to see what your precious little snowflake needs.

If your child is hungry, or cranky, or just overtired, I can’t help you. But if they’re afraid of the dark, like my daughter is, then I have the perfect remedy: Monster-Be-Gone.

Here’s what I do. Generally Emma asks to keep her door open and the hall light on. That’s fine. But if that’s not enough, I go into my special cabinet and pull out the Monster -Be-Gone. With great drama and ceremony I spray it in every corner of the room. Then Emma knows that no monsters can bother her and I can watch Real Housewives (I personally favor NYC)  in peace.

Want to make your own? It’s easy.

Just add about 10 drops of Lavendar Essential Oil to 2 oz of white vinegar. Store in a dark glass spray bottle. Use with seriousness and aplomb.

You don’t have to use lavendar, but that’s what I use because lavendar has been shown to have calming properties. And it works for me!

Pin It
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this site.

Giftable Pancake Mix in a Jar

September 19, 2012 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Update: I originally posted this recipe on October 31, 2011. A friend recently reminded my about this recipe so I wanted to be able to share it with all of you who have been following Mindfully Frugal Mom in the past year.

The best part about this Pancakes in a Jar recipe is that it’s actually healthy, and can handle just about any substitution to accomodate a variety of dietary needs.   In fact, I originally got this recipe from a friend whose son is an extremely picky eater, but he loves pancakes, so she decided to capitalize on that and make them as nutritious as possible.  The recipe I’m posting makes one large batch of pancakes, but it is easy to double, triple, or quadruple this mix so you are able to make fresh, healthy pancakes any time.  Just makes sure to store the mix in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.  This would also make a really cute gift — attach a little recipe card and you’re good to go!

Print
Homemade Pancake Mix

Yield: 12 pancakes

Ingredients

  • Dry Mix (can be made and stored ahead of time)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ
  • 1/4 cup flax meal
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • *Optional: 3 tbsp Powdered Buttermilk -- if you use this you can omit the 1 cup milk from the final recipe, just be sure to add 1 cup of water.

Instructions

  1. Add 1 egg, 1 cup milk, and 2 tbsp oil to the dry mix and let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Cook on an oiled griddle about 3 minutes on each side.
  3. Serve with Maple Syrup or Fruit

Substitutions:

  • Instead of 1/2 cup white and 1/2 wheat flour, just use 1 cup of King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat flour (100% whole wheat, but with a mild flavor — it’s our favorite)
  • Instead of the oil OR the egg (preferably not both) in the wet mix, use an equal amount of applesauce (2 tbsp each)
  • Instead of the flax meal, add an additional 1/2 cup of wheat germ
  • Instead of the wheat germ, add an additional 1/2 cup of flax meal
  • Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree to the wet mix. If it is too liquid-y, add a little more flour, 1 tbsp at a time. Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the mix as well.
  • Use any kind of milk you have: soy, almond, and rice all work well.
Pin It
This post may contain affiliate links, which help support this site.
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »