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Maybe you have or haven’t noticed, but I haven’t been able to post any home decorating projects lately. Most of what I have posted are smaller decorative or craft projects. The reason is because I have to watch my spending. A year ago my husband’s job was cut, thanks to the economy. We have been living off of his severance package ever since, but that soon goes away. We still have one daughter in college, so her tuition is our priority right now. I work in retail display and if anyone works in retail you know the pay scale sucks is VERY LOW. I basically work full-time for the health benefits.
When I get home all I want to do is connect with you, but I am pretty tired as I am climbing up and down ladders, moving and dressing mannequins, and running around the store all day. It is a very physical job. When I was a stay at home mom, I did so many projects while my daughters were at school. Now, that I work full-time, I realize how I took that life for granted. I was very lucky to be at home for 20 years, while my husband’s position provided us with a very nice lifestyle. Until we know what is in store for us, using my creativity in thrifty ways is how I am coping with living in limbo.
Over the past few months I have become thrifty, thrifty, and even thriftier than my usual thrifty self. I have been re-thinking everything, even down to creating delicious, yet cost effect meals for my husband and I. When I was going through cookbooks for ideas, I wanted to have something pretty to mark the recipes I plan to try. Since I am trying not to spend $$$, I decided to create cookbook markers myself. They look so much prettier than scraps of ripped paper I normally would use. Using them also makes my daily chore of cooking visually more appealing.
I have included them for you to download and & print onto card-stock.
Download Cookbook Marker’s here
If this link doesn’t work, please contact me using the contact button up in my nav bar and I will e-mail the pdf. file to you.
Print out a few sets. One for you and another set to give to a foodie friend. I printed this set on ridged paper and wrapped a paper strip around the set.
To create the wrapping strip:
Cut a 3/4″ x 6″ strip out of card-stock.
Cut a 1/2″ slit on the bottom edge 3/4″ from the end.
Cut another 1/2″ slit on the other end, but this time from the top edge.
Wrap around the cut-out markers and place the slits into each other to close.
Tip:
When you have a favorite recipe in a cookbook, create a card for your recipe box with the name of the recipe, the book, and the page. It will save you lots of time trying to find which cookbook the recipe was in when you need it.
Bon Appetite’
I am linking this post to:
Motivate Me Monday – Keeping It Simple
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are fun, thanks for sharing!
These are adorable…thank you! Hugs to you as you juggle and thrift. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a stay at home mom for 12 years now…and know my days doing this are numbered. With 4 kiddos headed to College one day, I know I’ll need to get into the workforce again to help dh. I’m trying not to think about it, but make the most of each day and try to be as thrifty as I can. Would love to hear about your thrifty tips too!
Julie
Thanks for sharing the adorable book marks. Sorry about your husband’s job. Your creativity is amazing and I wouldn’t be surprised to see you parlay it into something more. Pioneer Woman took what she does and it’s expanded into a cookbook and more. Love your blog!
Hi Julie and Ann-
Thanks for the kind words. I wish that there were a few more hours in each day. I would put them to good use. I will try to keep doing what I love and see where it takes me.
My best- Diane
I just want to take a minute and thank you for your generosity. I think it is amazing that while you are having problems in your life you are swtill thinking of others. Thank you I LOVE the markers. I am making a set for my daughter also. Hang in there and stay HAPPY!
LOVE your markers! And the presentation idea is great, too! What a lovely idea for a gift!
Thanks so much for sharing this. We are in the same place in life. Hubs job was cut last May after 30 years in the same industry. We lived off severance which is now gone. He had a company car and Insurance which are also gone. He has been unable to find a job paying even half of what he was making so he has started his own biz. Of course no money as yet.I was a SAHM who did faux painting part time for fun money,(those jobs have dried up w/ the economy) now I am selling jewelry at home parties and we took retirement money to exist for a year. 2 in college also.I have several 50 something friends in the same place as well. Love your attitude. I feel this is a bump in the road and a great way to rethink our lives and remake our future into something different but better in the long run. Hang in there! We can all lift one another up by showing grace in adversity.
These are so cute! Thanks so much for these, I’ll be linking. I love your resourceful attitude during this difficult time. It’s so inspiring to see the fabulousness that results!
i think more and more people are finding themselves in this place. my dh had an accident 7 yrs ago and we have been slowly finding our way out of it all. he went back to school to change careers since he can no longer do what he did, and is graduating this May. there are NO JOBS out there tho if you aren’t a 20 something grad. so sad! he was even turned down from a head hunters company!!!
we have become very frugal as well and are always looking out for short term income opportunities to help out.
thanks for the cookbook bookmarks–so cute!