One Hundred Dollars a Month - Page 10 of 2232 - I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

York Public Library – Hooked Rug Exhibit

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By Mavis Butterfield on November 13, 2019 · 19 Comments

Yesterday I spent the morning in York, Maine and one of my stops was to check out the new exhibit at the York Public Library. Through December, the walls on the main floor of the library are covered with new works by the Seacoast Ruggers, a longstanding local rug-hooking group.

I had seen a small ad in the local newspaper for the exhibit, but was genuinely surprised at the amount of rugs on display when I got there. Every single wall, alcove, reading room, you name it, had a handmade rug on display.

I’m more into the “primitive style” of rug hooking, and using larger strips of wool in my projects {which makes hooking the rugs go a lot faster}. Most of the rugs on display were hooked with a much smaller cut {of wool} than I use, but holy canolies, the amount of detail work that was squeezed into the rugs by using the smaller strips of wool was pretty amazing.

Look at this salmon! I don’t think I would have the patience to hook something like that, but man oh man is it cool or what? That takes some talent, that’s for sure.

Anyway, I know most of you reading this won’t be able to go check out the exhibit yourselves, but if you are in the area and even remotely interested in rug hooking, I think you would love seeing all these {and oodles and oodles more of} rugs on display at the York Public Library. You could even take a friend, and make a morning of it and stop for lunch at Stonewall Kitchen.

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone,

~Mavis

York Library
15 Long Sands Rd
York, ME 03909

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Cheddar and Chive Scones

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By Mavis Butterfield on November 12, 2019 · 6 Comments

I love me a good scone. And while many prefer a sweet scone, I love a good savory one too. And this my friends, is an excellent savory one!! Great on it’s own or alongside a cup of soup, this recipe is a keeper for sure.

Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, grated
2 cups heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine dry ingredients {first 4} in a mixing bowl. Add in cheese and chives. Stir the mixture thoroughly to combine.

Slowly pour in the cream and mix with a fork until a sticky dough clump forms. Knead dough about 10 times and then press the ball onto a floured surface, pushing down until a circle about 8 inches is formed {the dough should be about 3/4 inch thick}.

Cut into 8 triangles. Place the triangles onto the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush top with some cream and then bake about 20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!

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How Much We Spent on Groceries and What We Ate – Week 45 of 52

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By Mavis Butterfield on November 11, 2019 · 16 Comments

Well hello Monday, you’re looking beautiful so far. 😉

All I want to do this week is dye wool and bake cookies. That sounds like a good plan, don’t you think? As much as I love gardening, it’s so nice to feel like I can finally have a proper time out and not have to worry about the outside until spring. Or at least until late January when I’ll need to start a few seeds under grow lights {or in the case of lavender, the refrigerator}.

When we first moved here, I thought for sure that I would build a row of vegetable garden boxes across the backyard. But now I’m not so sure. Yes to the raised beds of course, but the more and more we’ve worked in the yard tidying up {moving a giant pile of wood and then bricks, trimming bushes and trees, planting a boxwood hedge, a row of peonies and then planting 900 bulbs etc.} I’ve decided to wait to make any plans for the backyard.

Loaf of the Week: Potato and Rosemary $7.00

Waiting until there is a nice blanket of snow covering the backyard seems like a good idea, don’t you think? A sort of blank canvas if you will. For some reason, to me at least, it’s much easier to imagine what a garden could be with an even layer of white over it than with grass {and someone else’s plants} exposing itself to you.

Recipe for gingersnaps.

But enough about the garden. Let’s talk about food.

As I was looking over the photos I took last week I noticed a pattern. Everything we ate was a comfort food. Stir fry chicken, boxed mac and cheese {I’m think I’m good on that one for a year} homemade cookies and scones.

I used the leftover juices and bits of meat from the Mississippi Pot Roast from last week and added spinach to make a simple soup. If you haven’t already made the Mississippi pot roast yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? I’m not sure what I like better, the pot roast itself, or the leftovers.

A lasagna that lasted for 2 days.

Roasted butternut squash. I like to toss mine in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and thyme. How do you make yours?

Hannaford $11.52

On the baking list for this week: a new recipe for white chocolate biscotti with macadamia nuts, and I’ll be trying another new biscotti recipe with dates as well. Also, a new creamy tomato soup recipe and a pumpkin coffee cake.

Baking season, it’s here and I plan to welcome it with open arms.

How about you? What’s baking in your oven these days? Have you tried any new recipes lately that you absolutely love? Curious minds want to know.

~Mavis

Total Spent on Groceries last week $18.52

Total Spent on Groceries in November $147.11
Total Spent on Groceries in October $218.59
Total Spent on Groceries in September $249.15
Total Spent on Groceries in August $253.38
Total Spent on Groceries in July $300.74
Total Spent on Groceries in June $259.12
Total Spent on Groceries in May $262.39 {More meat!}
Total Spent on Groceries in April $284.56 {My husband bought a smoker and a BUNCH of meat!}
Total Spent on Groceries in March $321.69
Total Spent on Groceries in February $220.92
Total Spent in January on Groceries $41.19
Total Spent So Far on Groceries in 2019 $2569.84

You can go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories

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My 22 Goals for 2019 – Week 45 of 52

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By Mavis Butterfield on November 10, 2019 · 3 Comments

My 22 Goals for 2019

Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love

Little Miss Lucy Goose met her new vet this week and absolutely loves her. The fact that they give Lucy little treats while she’s getting her mani/pedi has something to do with it. Also, she is having a blast running around the yard now that it’s all fenced in. And just in time too! Three days after we finished, the ground froze.

Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden

The day before the ground froze we planted a row of arborvitae trees along one side of the fence and moved 6 peony bushes to the side of the house. I would have liked to have gotten more done before the weather turned, but I am so very much ready for winter and all the calmness it brings to life here in New England.

Having 4 true seasons, rocks. And I am looking forward to a restful winter.

Goal #3 — ~~Plant an Orchard {Calling it Quits on this one.}~~

We are almost there!!! The first harvest could be anyway now. I’m just waiting for the color to deepen a bit.

Goal #4 — ~~Gussy Up the Potting Shed~~ Done!

I gussied up the potting shed at our old house, but I would like to add some sort of “potting station” to the backyard here somewhere, but I’m not sure where I would put it yet.

Goal #5 — ~~Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500~~ ~~at my little roadside vegetable stand.~~

It was totally my intention to grow a ton of fruits and vegetables to sell at the farm-stand when I made my list of goals for 2019 last winter, but then we moved. So, that whole goal was sort of a bust.

Goal #6 — Finish Every Single Unfinished Rug Hooking Project in My Pattern Bin + 10 Things from back Issues of Magazines/Books I’ve Been Meaning to Make.

This week I didn’t hook a single rug, but I did hand dye and put together about 100 bundles of wool for my Etsy shop. I still have a few more colors to do, but after that, my Etsy shop should be stocked well into next year and I’ll be able to start hooking in earnest again.

73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 27}
183 hooked flowers {finished 150, now down to 33}
10 “things” from back issues of magazines {finished 0}

~~Goal #7 — Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns {with at least half of them being large ones}~~ DONE!

So far this year I’ve added 12 new rug hooking patterns and 13 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.

New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:

Rug Hooking Kits

Busy Little Bee {in 2 different colors}
Folk Art Heart
Small Nantucket Whale
Primitive Crow
Miss Robin {in 2 different colors}
Simple Kitty
Primitive Flowers
Sunflowers
A Basket of Spring Posies
Fat Brown Hen
Chicky’s Garden

Goal #8 — ~~Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next Winter~~

All that firewood! We sold it. 😉

Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone

Down to 2867.

Goal #10 –~~-Lose the Muffin Top~~ Done!

I’m declaring Muffy gone. Thanks to the stress of moving and just getting outside and walking around more and working in the yard, Muffy has melted away.

Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, ~~10k~~, Half Marathon and ~~Marathon~~

You are not going to believe this. The Girl had to work on Saturday, and so I asked my husband if he would do the 5K with me and he said YES. I couldn’t believe it. Luckily I had chosen a 5k with a run or walk option and so with it being a whopping 28 degrees outside, we weren’t the only ones there in jeans. 😉

The proceeds of the race went to Honor Flight Maine {a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s Veterans for all their service and sacrifices. Honor Flight Maine transport America’s heroes to Washington, D.C. to tour, experience and reflect at their memorials.}

Now all that’s left is the Pastry and Tea Half Marathon before I can check this goal off my list.

Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {21 down, 5 to go}

Still listening to Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan.

Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:

Marilla of Green Gables #1 Still my favorite
The Great Alone #2
The Aviator’s Wife #3
Before We Were Yours #4
Secrets of a Charmed Life #5
Where’d You Go, Bernadette #6
Carnegie’s Maid #7
The Gown #8
Unbroken #9
Drama#10
The Alice Network #11
The Shape of Mercy #12
Will’s Red Coat #13
Big Little Lies #14
Mr. Churchill’s Secretary
Born to Run
I Feel Bad About My Neck
Bunny Mellon {Doesn’t count because it was my second time}
On Writing {Doesn’t count because it was my third time}
Walden
Finder’s Keepers
Delicious!
Following Atticus

Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.

33 down, 19 recipes to go. Last week I shared a recipe for Turkey Salad. It’s the perfect recipe for using up those last pieces of turkey from Thanksgiving dinner.

Goal #14 — Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog

9 down, 44 to go. I should get moving… because at this rate, I’ll be in the kitchen cooking the entire month of December. The poor bakeries. They’re going to suffer because I won’t be able to leave the house.

Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 48 down, 52 to go.

No canning this past week and because I want to finish getting all that wool dyed, I won’t be canning anything this week either. Oddly enough though, I’m totally not even worried about reaching this goal. Peeps need their holiday jam, I’ll get it done. 🙂

So far this year I’ve I canned:

Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House

I found a cadet blue vase at the thrift store this week {I found a pretty good one in town I like to pop in and check out every week} and brought it home. I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do with it yet, but I like it and didn’t want someone else to snatch it up.

We also hung a reproduction vintage map of Maine that was printed with the E.B. White quote “I would rather feel bad in Maine than feel good anywhere else” in a handmade barnwood frame on the wall in the family room. I am going for a coastal look in there and things are starting to come together. I still need to make the roman shades and find {create?} a few more things for the walls, but I’m on track to get the room completed by the end of the month.

Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {38 down, 14 to go}

We went on a lunch date to The Cheese Iron and walked a 5k together. 🙂

Goal #18 — ~~Take One Adult Education Class~~ Done {I’ve taken 3!}

Block Printing Class with my neighbor.
Spoon Carving Class with Heather.
Mini pottery lesson {I loved it! and now I want to sign up for a full class}

Goal #19 — Secret Holiday Project{s}

One of my secret holiday projects this year was block print towels and another was to make a few seed packet wreaths. I do have a couple more projects that would be perfect for gift giving up my sleeve, and plan to share those on the blog soon.

Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters

6 down, 6 to go. I need to get my game on. Seriously, I am running out of time.

Goal #21 — Visit 12 General Stores

9 down 3 to go. The HH and I have plans to check out another one this week. 🙂 🙂 🙂

H.B. Provisions in Kennebunk, Maine
Chase’s Daily {I think it should count}
Squam Lake Marketplace
Harrisville General Store
Dodge’s Store in New Boston, New Hampshire
Zeb’s General Store in North Conway, New Hampshire
Dan and Whit’s in Norwich, Vermont
Hussey’s General Store in Windsor, Maine

Goal #22 — Compete with Carole….. Get on My Front Door Game On

Much to the horror of my husband, I stood out on the front porch this morning in my pj’s wrapped in a blanket and puffy coat to take this photo. 🙂 🙂 🙂 The corn, along with the big pumpkins on the porch will stay until the day after Thanksgiving. Absolutely NO Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving. Leg lamp included.

Front Door Bling I’ve Made So Far This Year to Compete with Carole:

Late January : Valentine Heart
Late February : Shamrock
Late March : Giant Carrot
May: White wave petunia hanging basket
June/July: Tin Star and Flag Bunting
August : Sunflower
September: Indian corn and pumpkins
October: Pumpkins and spinner do hickeys
November: Indian corn and big pumpkins

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How about YOU? What are your goals for 2019? If you told us about them HERE, check in! We want to know how you are doing. Because seriously, it’s so much easier to get those goals checked off your list when you have people rooting for you! 🙂

Have a great day everyone,

♥ Mavis

You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.

Have a Great Day!

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.