When you have to use a clothesline you should have a clothespin bag

A non foodie post.... I just had to share.  LOL

Our dryer has been broken for almost 2 months.  We had other expenses so the repair was put on hold until we could afford to call a guy.  This really is not such a big deal because it was easy to put a clothesline up in a pinch.  I did, however, have to go and buy some clothespins because the wind kicks up and things blow off the line around here a lot.  Wooden clothespins are about $1.80 or so at Walmart.  They were not a huge expense.  

I decided to make a bag for the clothespins using scraps I had in the fabric scrap box.  The fabric was leftover from when I recovered the trailer cushions this summer.  I don't think I shared those with you!  I need to do that.  They turned out really cute.  Anyway... outdoor fabric, some leftover velcro and about 10 minutes and this is what I got.  It is not perfect but it does the job.

I liked the idea of closing the bag to keep dirt and bugs out while it was in use on the line and it is easily opened and pinned to use when I need to grab pins out while I load the line.

See... open...

and closed

and the line

I am considering installing a permanent line now because I really love the way my stuff smells when it comes off the line.  The crunchy towels remind me of my grandmother's line in her backyard.  I can picture her bathroom cabinets full of freshly line dried towels and washcloths and her sheets were always stiff and fresh smelling.  I used to love roaming around through the sheets and towels when I was a kid, too, hiding from my brothers of course!

Homestead skills make me more frugal and simple

When I say the words frugal and simple I mean that we save money and choose to live with less complicated systems.  It does not happen overnight but it is slowly happening over an extended period of time.  I posted a little picture a few years ago and I still try to live by this list...

I am following this philosophy this week as I am making a costume for my youngest for our annual Halloween Pack Meeting.  We don't typically do the trick or treat thing and never really have but we celebrate with our scouts so they can show off a cool costume and get a little bag of candy and just generally have a great time being together.  

I am digging through my fabric box this week and using what we have to make this costume.  

Three things will happen when I do this...

1.   We won't spend any money to put this costume together because we are using what we already have.

2.   We will, in turn, be clearing out the box and make the pile smaller.

3.   The boy can be involved in the whole process of helping design the items being made.  

Is it more work for me?  Yes... and that part may not be considered "simple" but for me it is enjoyable so I don't mind one bit.  I get to be creative and use up what we have and not spend a dime on it in the process.  The less complicated system comes when I don't have to leave my house to go and shop for this costume... I can stay home and not have to drive all over town looking for something specific when I have no idea where to look for such things.  We get exactly what we want without stepping foot outside the front door. Since I am a homebody this is very simple for me... 

The rest of my list this week looks a lot like cleaning the house and clearing out more stuff to give away.  We are also planning on making a new water system for the chickens and, again, we are using what we have to make it ourselves and youngest gets to work with tools!  Win!!!