Monday, June 16, 2008

Idea

Having summer here and Amy home somehow makes me feel like the world is full of possibility, and I am thinking about starting another blog focusing on money-saving ideas, recipes, mom-ish tips, and so on.

Every clever title out there seems to be taken--Frugal Mama, A Penny Saved, etc. So I am thinking about this:

Sugar Sack String
The rationale here is this: my Grandma Yoder was a very frugal woman, refusing to light the gas lamps until the house was so dark you could hardly see the pie on your plate, for example. And she would carefully pull out the string when she opened sugar and flour sacks and roll it into little balls and keep them in her kitchen drawer. And then she actually used them; she didn't just collect them because it felt good.
Or if Sugar Sack String has too many S's, we could also go with Flour Sack String. But I don't want to divert people into the whole subculture out there that's into the old fabric flour sacks.
What do my wise and creative readers think?
Quote of the Day:
"Doesn't that give a false picture to always try to look like something you're not?"
--Ben, when I asked him to help me get the seats off the grass and back in the van so we wouldn't look so redneck

10 comments:

  1. I don't have any "creative titles", but whatever you name it, I will read it! I so enjoy your blog....eagerly look for it each day!!

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  2. If someone ever writes a similar blog for men, they could call it Baler Twine. Surely others remember a fence post loaded down with loops of twine hooked over it--beyond all hope of disentanglement. I thought of "Stringing it Out." You can read a bit of a pathetic tone into this, but I like it in the sense of making it last, whether it's baler twine or sugar sack string or money in your wallet. Miriam

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  3. Sugar Sack String is perfect. It piques interest and you can't go wrong with good aliteraton in a title!

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  4. Definitely Sugar Sack String.

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  5. Sugar Sack String is great and Baler Twine beats all for men.
    or for more ideas;

    Rag Rug Ramblings

    Bread Bag Plastic(instead of plastic money)

    Bread Bag Blessings
    The reuse of plastic bags was a staple in our "eco" rural frugal homes.

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  6. I like Sugar Sack String. It's cute.

    Does rural living do this to you? I have begun saving bread bag twist ties. There must be a use for them! LOL

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  7. Go for it, lady! I love to read how one can be more thrifty.

    I, too, grew up in an era where thrift was/is a virtue. I cringe when I see modern women throw good things away with no second thought...like new zip-lock bags that have been used only once....
    Sandra Miller

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  8. My dad taught me how to open a feed sack so that I could get the whole sting off in one zip, but do you think I can do it today?????!!! No. There are times I get something that has the string sewn across the top and I want to do it like my dad, if nothing else because right now.. what WOULD I do with the string? He faced the bag a certain side away from him, started from the left, tore a certain stitch with a nail he had in his pocket and presto, the bag opened cleanly with no tear and the string was hung across a nail for future use.

    I feel like I've betrayed my past by not knowing how to open a feed sack anymore, or any other kind of sack.

    Ilva

    And I hate needing to do word verification

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  9. I love the 'Sugar Sack String' title! You inspired me to check out Craig's List when our 20 year old washing machine went on the fritz last week. I am the owner of the newest washing machine I have owned yet--3 years old--and it was only $100. (That's less than the probable part after researching my 'sick' machine's parts list.)

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  10. Here's how to open a feed sack. (My dad taught me this too.) The feed sack should be in front of you with the single line of string on the side facing away from you. (The string on the side toward you will be all looped together.) Then go to the left side of the side toward you, undo a few stitches till both strings are free and pull all the way across. So satisfying.

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