Picking Up the Peas and Taking them Home to the Third

Well yes I am taking the peas and it's content back to the Third. The Third is my home zone and the place I hang the most. While the peas has my head the Third has my heart and head ...

So if you want to see the Peas content just bring yourself over to the Third and say gday.

My best, le

A funny thing happened ...

So in recent days I have been contemplating putting my peas back into the deep freezer as I seem to be time poor and cannot make the proper effort with the wee peas.

My vision for the peas was a frugal, simple, go slow space, based on the format that JenX67 manages to create for gen x content over at her place. Part me, part grabs from other simple life bloggers and the main stream media.

The only thing I have managed thus far is the 'go slow' part. Go slow on content that is. Blah.

So I had just decided the peas would have to migrate back to the Third and join the general population when I went to a BrisStyle market day with my darling mum today.

And two funny things happened ... one I bumped into an old work buddy who reads the Third and who may well have discovered BrisStyle from here, from me. And two, three of the stall holders asked if I was Le from Cold Peas .... ohhh my little heart soared to have some blogging connections spin over so nicely into 'in the flesh' life.

So many of the BrisStyle girls are gen x mums looking for creative outlets, mothering balance and self expression, that I just long to see the best things happen to them. And if so cross promotion from this blog space helps well fabbo.

So Cold Peas has been granted a stay of execution. I need to work out a simple format that allows me to do the Third, do the Peas and do you girlie and boy bloggers as well - read you I mean.

By the way the market was excellento - I will post the fruits of my market trip soon. Cheers le

Powerful Prose

Emily, over at Remodeling this Life, has written another powerful piece about her moves forward to create the life she aspires to.

I loved it - and hope you will take the time to visit and read - well worth it - cheers le

The frans are found objects from my morning walk - see what Emily says about fresh flowers in her post.

Soon I will post at the Third about the simple pleasures of my walks in the hood ... stay tuned.

Modish Me - Yes Please

Wow Weee .... words hardly adequate to describe the November give away at Modish - go here.

I am so loving this site - indie producers and hand made treasures abound.

I have spent way to long browsing and looking and compiling mental 'would love' lists in my head ....

So go have a peek if you feel like Christmas should come early - cheers le

Frugal Falcon Ware

At the time of the Christmas dress purchase I also found these.

Royal Falcon Ware, five plates - smaller than mains, entree size maybe - for $10. Made in England, cira 1930-50s I think.

I understand I could have gone to Target and done more with my dollars. But I like the sense of recycling someone's treasures.

I like the wee step back in history too. And to be honest I just love the motif - the black outline flowers with two shades of green, yellow and the touch of orange red in the centre of the flowers.

The size is perfect for our dinner portions too.

These plates give me a mild sense of occasion which I enjoy. Reminds me of Sunday lunch at my nana's place.

So I think it is a win-win. I have lovely plates that work for us, at $2.00 a pop that has to be a frugal amount for the sense of joy they bring me. Money well spent yes.

Anyone else own any Falcon Ware, or hand me down china ... if so lucky you :) Le

Red Velvet for Le

So one of the ways to save the dollars and slow down at the same time is to home bake. Hence my persistence with the scottish fudge.

We have gluten free, sugar free children and MIC is a GF zone too, so my baking is limited.

One cake I have always wanted to try is the US Red Velvet. I don't know the history - yet - I will google it before I put this post to bed - but I am thinking for some reason it is from the south.

So I put the call out to good buddy BJ - the divine Texas blogger from Don't Overthink It, and she came back with this ... so give it a bash and tell me how it goes ... I will put it thru the le test kitchen next time I need a gluten full baked item. Thanks BJ :)

FROM THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES COOKBOOK:

1/2 C. BUTTER

4 T. COCOA

1/2 C. SHORTENING

1 C. BUTTERMILK

2 C. SUGAR

1 TSP. VANILLA

4 EGGS

4 T. RED FOOD COLORING

2 1/2 C. ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TSP. BAKING SODA

1/4 TSP. SALT

OVEN 350.

GREASE AND FLOUR THREE 9" CAKE PANS.

CREAM BUTTER, SHORTENING, AND SUGAR. ADD EGGS, ONE AT A TIME, ADD BUTTERMILK.

COMBINE FLOUR, SODA, SALT AND COCOA, GRADUALLY ADD FOOD COLORING BLEND WELL.

POUR INTO PANS AND BAKE 25 MINS.

COOL AND FROST.

FROSTING

16 OZ. POWDERED SUGAR

4 T. WHIPPING CREAM

1 C. MARGARINE

1 TSP VANILLA

1 TSP. RED FOOD COLORING

1/2 CUP SHREDDED COCONUT (OPTIONAL)

BLEND SUGAR, MARGARINE, VANILLA AND CREAM UNTIL SMOOTH.

FROST LAYERS AND ASSEMBLE, TINT COCONUT WITH FOOD COLORING AND SPRINKLE OVER THE TOP.

PUT ON THE COUNTER SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT AND OOHH AND AHHH AND SAY WHAT A GREAT COOKER YOU ARE. SEND ME A PIECE

Thanks BJ - you are a gem :)

And here is the history lesson and pic ... adapted from here.

Sometimes it is hard to trace a recipe's origin. Take the Red Velvet Cake. There are many theories; some say it comes from the South, others say it originated in the North. But in actual fact all we really know is that it has been a favorite for decades, not only in the States but also in Canada. It is a very dramatic looking cake with its unusual bright red color that is sharply contrasted by a creamy white frosting. A Red Velvet Cake is really a Devil's Food Cake that has red food coloring added to it. John Mariani tells us in his book "The Dictionary of American Food and Drink" that the name 'Devil's Food Cake' is so called "because it is supposedly so rich and delicious that it must, to a moralist, be somewhat sinful."

If we look beyond the striking appearance of this cake, we will find that it has a mild chocolate
flavor with a moist and tender crumb. The mild chocolate flavor comes from adding a small amount of cocoa powder to the batter and the moist and tender crumb is obtained by adding buttermilk. If you are not familiar with buttermilk it has a nice thick creamy texture with a rich tangy buttery taste that makes baked goods tender. Whereas in the past buttermilk was made from the liquid left over after churning butter, it is now commercially made by adding a bacteria to whole, skim, or low fat milk. You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar, cider vinegar, or lemon juice to 1 cup (240 ml) of milk. Let this mixture stand 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Fudge Follow Up

So some time back I wrote about a delightful Scottish tablet fudge. I was inspired by Alison from Before Our Time to give it a go.

Well first time thru I made caramel sauce. I froze it and ate it spoonful by spoonful as my mid afternoon 'pick me up'. Very frugal of me ...

So I went into battle with the Scots again and made a better effort of it this time.

I had thought the err in my ways was insufficient 'rapid boil time'. I was right. I am victorious. I have seen, I have made, I have ate, I have none left even for a photo .... you see it was a 'test batch'. And I tested it good and proper ...

So now - on the next child free Wednesday I will make the batch for xmas pressies for my hand made gift swap with the school girlies ... I am the Queen of the Scots - they were always frugal yes ..... :) Le

Simple Beach Story

Emily is one of my fav simple life, frugal bloggers. She was part of the inspiration for me to rethink parts of my life.




Today she writes of a family beach outing that to me typifies a simple life encapsulated into actions that any of us can emulate -hows that for a series of big words (just for M) - so if you like go here and read it for yourself.

Cheers Le

Picture courtesy of Free Nature Pictures - thanks

Marketing in a Frugal World

When seduction is replaced by coupons is it time to throw out the satin naughty nightie and find the cotton pjs ? Just for the record MIC and I tend to be nudie sleepers .... it's a skin thing for him and a less washing thing for me.

The New York Times tells me seduction is out, coupons are in. Read the full story here.

I loved the thought, expressed here, that marketers now have to focus on the value story over those whimsical, aspirational product 'qualities' that really amount to very little in a tangible sense. So now maybe we will have to sell the sausage and not focus solely on the sizzle.

..... “marketers were hesitant to bring up value overtly because they were worried about it diluting the aspirational aspect of the product,” .... but now they “have to try something, because nothing else is really working.” OUCH !

The article went on to say .....

... in October. Almost every chain, from purveyors of haute couture to practitioners of the philosophy of piling it high and selling it cheaply, suffered percentage declines that reached double digits.

And gave examples of high end perfumes, furs etc now being either discounted or coupon-a-fied. I think the States are much more 'coupon literate' than we are here in Australia. But we are getting the hang of it, my mum for one is a bit of a shopper docket queen.

Where are you on the coupon front ? I am willing to snip and save for sure ! Le

Ps while not bought with a coupon this wee bag was found during the same excursion that secured my Christmas dress. It will now wait till March and be given to First Born's best friend at birthday time.

Frugal Third

Pop on over to my home Third on the Right and enter your wee selves in the great Aussies creative giveaway ...

Open to the whole blogger world - not just Aussies - this wee give away aims to showcase some delightful talent in the lead up to Christmas.

And who knows scoring a give away gift is a very nice way to start the silly season ... and frugal at the same time :)

Oh and if you don't win all the give aways are nicely priced to fit in a frugal budget. My best Le

Recessionista - are you one ... Michelle is

I was never a fashionista ... but I do smile at the tag of recessionista.

One, because I like new words that reflect social and cultural change. Two, because I can feel a tee shirt slogan coming on ....

There is even a blog, authored by Mary Hall called http://www.therecessionista.blogspot.com/.

Started to chronicle Mary's cheap and chic choices, she now tells me the first lady elect is a recessionista ... go here and you be the judge.

So bring on your own inner recessionista - if it is good enough for the first lady, it is good enough for me :)

Tis the season to be merry ....

So around this time of year I usually look for a Christmas dress.

Something to wear on xmas day and new years day.

And here it is .... DB and I paid a visit to a local Lifeline shop and now I have my dress. We were just popping in for a quick look see and look what I saw. Pretty eh.

And a pretty price too - $7.50.

Now before anyone says I could have gone to a factory outlet and bought for a similar dollar value, let me add for me, part of the joy of thrift shopping is knowing the dollars I leave behind serve a greater purpose.

I love the grandma volunteers, I love the hit and miss nature of what you find.

I love that we also walk out with a $2.50 nude barbie with hair down to her ankles, a wee girls bag and a brand new pair of shorts for DB at $3.00. I love that here small change can make a difference.

It's all good :) le

ps I am officially a recessionista ....