It's summer and it's berry pickin' time - strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, I pick them all. I don't know when I got so hooked on picking berries because I know I used to buy them already picked a few years ago, no more of that for me, maybe I'm more frugal now, why pay somebody else to pick them when I'm perfectly able to do it myself!
The season started off with strawberries.
Then it was the raspberries..
Both of those were picked at farms. But the blueberries, now, that's another story, blueberries grow wild in these parts, you don't have to drive far to find some of these delectable morsels. I've been picking twice and if the sun shines today, I might go pick some more. I love to have a surplus of frozen blueberries and I just might pick some for my kids too!
I looked up when I was picking last week and this is the sight I saw..
Blueberries galore...
All those berries mean jam - jam to keep and jam to share..
Last night I SMASHed a jammin' page...
Homemade jam is the best!!!
I bought a few things in the past week - here they are - good buys, every one of them.
It's funny how it goes with the Vera scarves - it's either feast or famine - it has been feast with me in the past week.
This morning I found a scarf at a yard sale - which is a rare thing to happen, only once before has that even happened. It was the black and gold diamond one on the left, it was priced at $4, I said would you consider a cheaper price, she said no, I said I can buy those scarves for $1 at Salvation Army, not those scarves, she replied. I said, yes, those scarves, I collect them and that's what I pay - so I gave her $2 - imagine a scarf for $4 at a yard sale - she wasn't very friendly after I questioned her!!! On Thursday, I found three at Salvation Army, I feel so happy when they turn up like that and especially when they're $1. I made my first purchase ever on Instagram, that's the check mark one, it's a beauty!!
I came home with more Christmas, they are having Christmas in July at the Salvation Army, it's a whole room set up with Christmas, I was there the week before and got nothing, this week I bought these cuties, 25 cents each!!!
The winking Santa is a Lefton, made in Japan, with the Giftcraft tag still attached. The other Santa has a Norcrest sticker attached, crafted in Japan.
I had to buy this - that's all I can say - $2.99 at Value Village, really, who in their right mind could pass up a Butterprint 444 bowl, especially when they don't have one and especially when it's in perfect shape! I was shocked to see it sitting there!!
Just because my kids had these puzzles, I had to buy these for those future grandchildren, they really look like they were never used.
So, that's it - my thrifting for the week!
The last couple of Saturday's I didn't go to the post where they advertise all the yard sales, it gets so discouraging driving around and seeing the same old junk, I know I've found a few things lately, but it's hard pickin'. This past Saturday I was on my way back from the grocery store, I saw a sign behind this old store that is no longer a store!! I pulled in - it was mostly junk and nothing old that I could see, except this..
This is not your normal variety of vintage magazines, these were all publications that the store received - the advertising is completely different from magazines since it was geared to the merchant. These magazines are from the 40's and 50's and notice the old box for Wabasso sheets!!
The majority of the magazines are Canadian but there are a few American ones as well.
War time ads regarding rationing..
Even a sample of the butchers paper...
I think this was a pretty neat find and it was a fundraiser, so payment was by donation.
I'll be using some of these for SMASHing but I'm thinking that maybe some of these ads might sell online....
I was thinking about how there used to be so many offers in magazines to send away for - maybe save up some labels or just send some money and you could own something pretty nice -probably some of these things we thrifters wish we could find now!!
I started going through my vintage magazines, offers have been around for a while, in the older magazines it was usually booklets that were offered. Then, bigger items became availalable, for next to nothing!! I'm using only summer issues for this post - it's a fun one, hope you enjoy it too.
The earliest offer I found was from a 1957 Woman's Day issue. Isn't this a strange advertising promotion - meat for perfume!!
Woman's Day from 1960 offered up this insulated baby bottle bag - I hate to say this but Mom had one of these for me, it was pink and it's still hanging around!!!
This might be my favourite of the bunch - The Hot Dog Rollster for $1 and the neckband from Kraft Barbecue Sauce. It's from Woman's Day, 1961.
This "Bummin' Bag" was a nice deal - bag, tablecloth and apron - for $1.50 and the plastic top from Accent - from Family Circle, 1968.
All you had to do to get a roll of color film was turn in the coupon on The Del Monte juice can - from Family Circle, 1968
I like this one too, a lucky ladybug daisy pin or a tie bar - the tie bar was Sarah Coventry - it's another funny promotion - it was offered by Hudson Sprayers and Dusters. This offer was in Woman's Day, 1969
If you were reading the Canadian ladies magazine, Chatelaine in July 1970, you might have sent in for this fondue set - with $2 and one wrapper from Chipits.
Things are getting more expensive in 1972 - $4.95 and one seal from a Kotex product for this underarm shaver - from Family Circle.
You had to save up 6 package fronts from Green Giant frozen vegetables or $1 and two fronts for this Green Giant bag - that's pretty cute! From Family Circle, 1973.
Woman's Day, 1973 had a couple of offers - notecards from Virginia Slims -no cash, just four package bottoms.
No labels were involved in this offer from Jean Nate - just cash - $13.99 for a caftan worth $30.00.
This was a pretty good deal, $1 for each Disney doll and a Close-up toothpaste carton - from Woman's Day, 1974.
This handsome tote bag featuring jet-set styling and around the world durablity could be yours for just $5.50 and proof of purchase from Bonine - from Woman's Day, 1976.
The newest offer is from a 1981 issue of Family Circle - that's a pretty stylish running suit for $9.75, along with your cash register receipt showing purchase of Sugar Free Dr. Pepper. Now, that's the way I remember sending away for things like this, with the cash register receipt.
Did you ever take part in mail in offers? What did you get?
Linking up with Dawn's Home and History Party at We Call it Junkin
When I was out this morning, I thought I'd take a drive down the road to check out the blueberry situation, blueberries grow everywhere around here and the people that sell them out of their vehicles in parking lots are already set up. I didn't go out with the intention to be picking berries, I had sandals on and no basket - once I see those blueberries, I can't help myself, I have to pick some!!! I saw plenty and I had to pick!! All I had was the car garbage can so that is what I used - I just wanted to pick enough today for a batch of muffins, turns out I have enough for two batches. I told you I can't stop - and if it hadn't started to rain, I would have been out there longer.
I really thought I had blogged about this recipe before for these muffins but I can't seem to find it - it is just the best!! The original recipe came from All Recipes but I'll write it down for you right here so you don't have to waste time doing any more clicking, you can get right down to baking these delicious morsels! These are fresh out of the oven!!
To Die for Blueberry Muffins
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. vegetable oil\
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
1 c. fresh blueberries
TOPPING
1/2 c. white sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter, cubed
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 - grease tins or use muffin liners.
Combine 1 1/2 c. flour, 3/4 c. sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with the flour mixture, fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
Crumb Topping - Mix together 1/2 c. sugar, 1/3 c. flour, 1/4 c. butter and 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Mix with fork and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
I ended up with 9 muffins and lots of crumb topping left over, so I'm keeping the leftover topping and will make another batch.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. SO GOOD!!
The other day I came upon a fundraiser that was running all week, if I would have known about it, I would have been there the first day. You could donate what you wanted, I came home with some Christmas goodies, some went straight to the garbage but I ended up with a few things and for that I'm happy.
This is what I saw right away, knee huggers, well, of course, I have to buy any of these I see and a dwarf, he's pretty cute too!! I am feeling really lazy today, I couldn't be bothered to get my good camera out, these pics are all taken with my iPhone, for anyone following me on Instagram, a couple of them have been on there already.
More cute vintage Christmas
The angel isn't in the best shape, but her face was so cute, I can use her for something.
Finding some Made in Japan reindeer is always good!
I just love this picture I took of this Santa - I know a lot of people out there think these Santa's are creepy, personally, I like them!!!
Not too bad for a stop on the side of the road!!
I also bought this book which even though it's a teen book, I'm going to read it. For any Canadians out there that grew up in the 70's, they might remember this CBC television series, "Adventures in Rainbow Country" which ran in 70/71 - the thing that is amazing to me now is that I now live in the area where this show was filmed, "Rainbow Country" is close to where I live now - it's the North Channel area of Lake Huron - that was a world away from Prince Edward Island at the time. I opened the first page and there were local place names, this was a fun find!!
This is a shout out post and a great big thank you to Paulette, the gal behind the blog, Cheerful Thrifty Door - Paulette has been decluttering in her basement, she thought of me when she was in the process, these beautiful Vera scarves arrived in my mailbox yesterday. How generous is that? You know I love my Vera collection and these are just such pretty additions. Blogging friends are the best, I'm so grateful!! Thanks, Paulette!!
Isn't that heart one the sweetest? That might be my all time favourite in my collection right now!!
Linking up these lovely scarves with Share Your Cup
Last week I hit the strawberry field - two baskets for me, one for an older lady I know. The berries are plentiful and the picking was easy.
I made my usual two batches of jam when I got home.
My little rhubarb plant actually had enough to pick yesterday so I made a rhubarb strawberry crunch dessert and was it good!! I pinned it a few days ago, the original recipe comes from All Recipes - you can see it right here - I didn't make any changes to it, it's delicious.
I bought a new small kitchen appliance that is going to be so great for summer - Yonanas- The Healthy Dessert Maker - have you heard of it? I hadn't until a few weeks ago when Joann wrote about it on her blog - Woman in Real Life, I took the plunge last week and bought one - we tried it out yesterday - it's going to be great and so nice for a hot summer day.
It uses all frozen fruit, the main base is the frozen banana - it makes a fat free dessert, a dairy free dessert and it's all fruit - what could be better! The worst part is waiting for the bananas to get to the cheetah stage - at that point, you freeze them and then wait....
We made banana strawberry - we shared it for lunch - it was just enough and so cool and refreshing.
I bought mine at Walmart, it was $29.94CDN - it was less expensive than when I looked at them in June. I think we'll get our money's worth - peach, raspberry, pineapple, chocolate - I want to try them all!!!
