Frugal Living Swap (SIGNUP CLOSED; MAIL BY 2/6/2010)

[Tanza]

you can use lupin seed instead of flax seed, rice or corn.

I have found it stays heated for longer.

I make mine in different shapes for the kids, bunnies, bears etc. I made a uterus shaped one once.....sent it unstuffed as it was coming from Aust.

I like the big square bottom shopping bags they hold more.

I also thought, not that I need one, a purse organiser, great for school bags too if you make them a little bigger, that way you have all you need and can just drag it from 1 bag to another.

I need to make a new handbag, with lots of pockets. I bought 3 leather bags to hack up to do it, just need to motivate.

Tomorrow is a good day to start, boxing day is always a good day to get to it.

[guacaMolly]

I made a rice heating pack for my bf... I don't think it smells... yet... but how much do flax seeds cost??

Oh, I'm sure his warmy sack will be fine! I think it's just with some rice and over a long period of time, I'm really not sure as I've never had a rice one myself, and I'm just talking of complaints I've heard from other people who have had them. I don't think the smell is unpleasant to everyone. Rice bags are still wonderful alternatives to medicine and falling asleep with heating pads (like I used to do!). I purchase non food grade flax seed in bulk at my local seed & feed store. A 50 pound bag is $46, and I use about 1.5 pounds per warmy sack, so it's not too bad if you plan on using a lot of it. I'm not sure about finding smaller quantities. 

[kaz814]

Now I want to make some of these warmy sacks ... mine smells like flowers - which isn't unpleasant necessarily, but there are some times when I am not in the mood for flowery.

[Mizell]

yay I'm in! This is going to be an awesome swap!

[lydiaharper]

Wow! I haven't checked this thread since yesterday morning, and boy has it boomed!  I am really excited for this swap.  I think I'm gonna check more into Dave Ramsey (brought on by pp suggestion). 

[psychonmemphis]

merry christmas everyone! i promised myself i would stop doing swaps for like a month but i could not help it lmao since this ones sign up ends on my b-day i had to it was a sign lol

[cjclark]

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Ours here was great.. we had snow in Dallas (Texas). Our first white Christmas in 85 years!

I have a little list going of ideas for this swap. I can't wait til we get partners and I can start getting specific for my partner!

[mammallama]

I just signed up for the swap but I need to get CHATTY!!  LOL!  I guess I'm the quiet type.  I don't have 15 posts yet.

Off to read the rest of the thread and then I'll come back with some ideas. 

 

[kaz814]

Welcome, mammallamma!  You'll get up to 15 in no time - there are so many good ideas on this thread, it's almost impossible not to comment!

Oh and thanks to donniesgirl for posting about Dave Ramsey!  I just opened a savings account in order to get a credit card with a lower rate (gah, citibank ... 24%??? Really?  Now I'll be down to 9.9% ... easier to pay off sooner!) so his site's gotten me ready to rethink my budget in the coming year!

[mammallama]

Ok.  I just skimmed through the rest of the thread.

Amazing ideas!  LOVE the plarn thing.....if only I knew how to knit or crochet.  I wonder if you could hook it like yarn hooked rugs?  

I love to recycle/upcycle items that would otherwise be trashed.  My hubby works in the OR and they frequently use surgical packs that contain cotton towels  (also called huck cloth) but they throw the unused, sterile towels away!   My hubby started bringing them home and I started grabbing them up!  

I've made baby burp cloths, dish cloths (cotton on one side and nylon mesh that some produce comes in on the other....great for scouring pans), lavender sachet bags, gift pouches, lunch bags...all sorts of things, out of the towels.  They wash up beautifully.

I also like to repurpose clothes.  I'm looking at a pile of felted sweaters as I type.....going to make a pair of wool slippers for my dad and iphone cases for my sisters.  

Mincemeat....I don't think I've ever tried mincemeat.  I'm a pretty adventurous eater, though.  

I've seen things made out of wrappers/juice boxes, etc.  Those always intrigued me but I haven't tried any yet.  

Those soap savers sound great.  I recently have discovered wool felting and have wet felted a few bars of soap.  I must say...my hands are definitely softer.  

Would love to join the swap!