Ha. See what I did there with the funny pun for a title?
Seriously, though--I'm here to update you on how that experiment with the bay leaves turned out.
More Food Pondering
It's been a lovely weekend. Mr. Scrimp and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary! That's right, we've been married for a whole year, which is next to no time at all to those of you who have been married for a while, and an eternity to those of you who think marriage is terrifying.
All in all, I gotta say I'm pretty happy with the deal I got, by which I mean that Mr. Scrimp is the best and I wouldn't trade being married to him for anything in the world.
I was mulling over things I could talk about on the blog today, and then I drifted into daydreams about our lovely anniversary picnic yesterday (we went to the beach. There was grass! There was sand! There was water! There was a picnic!). So I figured I'd talk to you a bit about food, which you know is a favorite topic of mine.
How much do you spend on food each week?
All in all, I gotta say I'm pretty happy with the deal I got, by which I mean that Mr. Scrimp is the best and I wouldn't trade being married to him for anything in the world.
I was mulling over things I could talk about on the blog today, and then I drifted into daydreams about our lovely anniversary picnic yesterday (we went to the beach. There was grass! There was sand! There was water! There was a picnic!). So I figured I'd talk to you a bit about food, which you know is a favorite topic of mine.
How much do you spend on food each week?
DIY Summer Top
Newest item on my list of wicked cool things? Sew Mama Sew, a repository of hip patterns, design ideas, tips, tricks, and techniques for sewing. They also sell some really beautiful and unique fabrics and maintain a blog with inspiration photos, links, and advice. What's not to love?
I'm particularly enthralled with this pattern, which I'd like to try very soon, especially because Mr. Scrimp and I are getting ready to take a trip to the beach, and I'm going to need something cute to wear there!
Doesn't this look like it will fit the bill nicely? I'm a fan.
I'm particularly enthralled with this pattern, which I'd like to try very soon, especially because Mr. Scrimp and I are getting ready to take a trip to the beach, and I'm going to need something cute to wear there!
Doesn't this look like it will fit the bill nicely? I'm a fan.
Eww...
Summer is here, and with summer comes my least favorite group of creatures--bugs.
There's a long list of critters that I hate, hate, hate! Spiders, centipedes, cockroaches, flies, ants--I can tolerate them outside, but when they get inside my house, I am not a happy Mrs. Scrimp.
Unfortunately, ants and flies have both arrived in our house--mainly in the kitchen. Our kitchen has a door that leads into the back steps and then right out into the driveway, so it's not really a surprise, but it definitely is an annoyance.
The problem is, I refuse to even let chemical insectisides into my house. So, what's to be done? Well, I did some poking around online and have some ideas.
There's a long list of critters that I hate, hate, hate! Spiders, centipedes, cockroaches, flies, ants--I can tolerate them outside, but when they get inside my house, I am not a happy Mrs. Scrimp.
Unfortunately, ants and flies have both arrived in our house--mainly in the kitchen. Our kitchen has a door that leads into the back steps and then right out into the driveway, so it's not really a surprise, but it definitely is an annoyance.
The problem is, I refuse to even let chemical insectisides into my house. So, what's to be done? Well, I did some poking around online and have some ideas.
New Layout
Hey guys! Check it out! Scrimpalicious has a new look!
Be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you like it!
Be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you like it!
Reader Feature: Jill
It's long been a bloggy hope of mine that people will send me photos of projects they've done (or meals they've made, or gardens they've planted, or what-have-you) so that I can feature them here on the blog and share them with the world.
Today, I'm happy to present the lovely handiwork of Scrimpalicious reader (and personal friend to the Scrimps), Jill!
Today, I'm happy to present the lovely handiwork of Scrimpalicious reader (and personal friend to the Scrimps), Jill!
DIY Reusable Shopping Bags
Mr. Scrimp and I have a growing collection of reusable shopping bags. I like this. They're stronger than the paper bags we get at Whole Foods (and often hold more), and of course they sharply reduce the amount of plastic bags that we use.What I don't like is the fact that every time I use one, I'm advertising for someone. Granted, if I bought a bag from them I'm probably ok with giving them a little shout-out, but I'd be just as happy having something prettier that I can take anywhere. I only use my branded bags for shopping. I don't use them, say, for a trip. Call me picky (I am). I don't wear many brand-name clothes either.
Well, now I know what to do about it! Living With Punks has posted this spectacular tutorial on how to make your own reusable shopping bag, and I love it!
She even managed to find cute shopping bag fabric at JoAnn online, so as soon as you read her tutorial you can order some fabric and prepare to get started.
(via CraftGossip)
Why Organic?
One question I've never been asked is why Mr. Scrimp and I make an effort to eat organic, local, and/or unprocessed food whenever possible. I think that's because, particularly amongst our 20-something age group, eating organic and local has become a very fashionable thing to do, which makes it a very unfashionable thing to question.But, I think it's worth discussing our reasons, because I know there are so many people out there who aren't doing it, and I believe it's very valuable.
So, here's a list of the reasons we changed our lifestyle like this.
Recipe(s): Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert
This week's CSA delivery included a pound each of rhubarb stalks and strawberries. Well, every Mrs. Scrimp knows what to do with those two fresh ingredients... make a pie!
I knew I'd be doing it as soon as I picked the food up on Friday, but I also knew that Mr. Scrimp and I would be camping in West Virginia for the weekend (I came home with literally eighteen--eighteen! I counted!--bug bites on my right arm alone, and that's after practically bathing in citronella). So, I washed and dried the rhubarb and put it in the fridge, and I washed, hulled, and halved the strawberries and froze them for the weekend.
On Sunday, we were invited to a barbecue, and I knew it was time for some pie action. But I had no recipe... so, I made up my own.
I knew I'd be doing it as soon as I picked the food up on Friday, but I also knew that Mr. Scrimp and I would be camping in West Virginia for the weekend (I came home with literally eighteen--eighteen! I counted!--bug bites on my right arm alone, and that's after practically bathing in citronella). So, I washed and dried the rhubarb and put it in the fridge, and I washed, hulled, and halved the strawberries and froze them for the weekend.
On Sunday, we were invited to a barbecue, and I knew it was time for some pie action. But I had no recipe... so, I made up my own.
DIY Maraschino Cherries
There are few drinks more evocative of childhood than a Shirley Temple. I can remember countless trips to restaurants with my grandparents and parents, plunging my fingers as discreetly as possible (read: not very discreetly) into the icy depths of my ginger ale to fish out the impossibly red cherry at the bottom.
Even as an adult, I'm a huge sucker for maraschino cherries. However, I rarely eat them because they're full of sugars and dyes and weird things, and I never buy them.
But I see no reason not to buy fresh cherries, and if I happen to also buy a little maraschino liqueur to soak them in for a few weeks? Oh well. I will blame NPR, because they're the ones who told me that I could make grown-up, original-style maraschino cherries at home and forgo the gross processed stuff.
(Note: for readers with kids who don't want to give them alcohol-soaked cherries, the page also has a non-alcoholic version of the recipe)
Even as an adult, I'm a huge sucker for maraschino cherries. However, I rarely eat them because they're full of sugars and dyes and weird things, and I never buy them.
But I see no reason not to buy fresh cherries, and if I happen to also buy a little maraschino liqueur to soak them in for a few weeks? Oh well. I will blame NPR, because they're the ones who told me that I could make grown-up, original-style maraschino cherries at home and forgo the gross processed stuff.
(Note: for readers with kids who don't want to give them alcohol-soaked cherries, the page also has a non-alcoholic version of the recipe)
Container Gardening Experiment: Phase Two
Well.
A few seedlings have sprouted.
Some of them are already dead. In this case, because they got a little too much sun and dried out, poor things.
I'm going to give the rest another few days to see if they sprout, but then I'm going back to the nursery and just buying plants already-started. Clearly, I continue to be no good at gardening.
BUT...I have fresh inspiration. Want to know what it is?
A few seedlings have sprouted.
Some of them are already dead. In this case, because they got a little too much sun and dried out, poor things.
I'm going to give the rest another few days to see if they sprout, but then I'm going back to the nursery and just buying plants already-started. Clearly, I continue to be no good at gardening.
BUT...I have fresh inspiration. Want to know what it is?
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Frilly Wreath
Want a quick, girly, summery decorating project on the cheap? Of course you do!
My favorite for today is the book-wreath-inspired coffee filter wreath, made by Lynda at Sports Mad Southern Girl. I love how it looks like a giant mass of carnations.
I may try this with unbleached filters instead of white ones, as I think it would match the aesthetic I'm going for a little more. Man, there is just never enough time to do all the projects I want to do.
My favorite for today is the book-wreath-inspired coffee filter wreath, made by Lynda at Sports Mad Southern Girl. I love how it looks like a giant mass of carnations.
I may try this with unbleached filters instead of white ones, as I think it would match the aesthetic I'm going for a little more. Man, there is just never enough time to do all the projects I want to do.