The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Pantries and Preparedness. Prudence.

Monday night after Australia's terrible day on the stock market I sat up and watched the US market open. So I witnessed live the Dow plummet 1000 points in four minutes and saw the reactions. It is not for the faint hearted! I did witness history though! Various opinions became part of the news stream and one was from a former advisor to the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He tweeted three pieces of advice. They were to get cash now. Get bottled water and a month of food. Do not rely on banks or ATMs. That we need these things because of what could happen and that what he thinks could happen could be "twenty times worse to 2008".  Once I verified who this was and that he indeed held that position I re considered what we have.  And saw people who clearly had no preparations at all wondering where to start. Which made me want to cry as it meant they had no idea about the various things going on and why they should be prepared. 

Now we do not know what might happen but there are a lot of worried people and there is a great amount of volatility and uncertainty. Days are being renamed "Black Monday" actually I think we have now had "black Tuesday" and "black Wednesday"?

This brings me to the word prudent. It is a great word and I never appreciated it's meaning until I was repeatedly faced with the blog title "The Prudent Homemaker". Understanding it kind of snuck up on me. Now it is my number one word associated with preparedness. There are many scriptures that use this word and also about it. 

It means careful ie exercising caution, circumspect ie heeding potential circumstances, provident ie providing carefully for the future, responsible and wise.
You cannot be prudent without also being watchful. You cannot prepare for a coming storm if you do not know the storm is coming.

"The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty" Prov 22.3

And this is what I thought when I saw people going "oh, do you think I should prepare?"  I felt like screaming "well, yes that would be a good idea" at the screen! 
Prudence is also action. Just knowing things isn't prudent but acting, making a plan etc is.

It is really interesting how learning one word can make a difference! It made a difference in my understanding and my plans. It gave me something to aspire to!

It is prudent to prepare for a storm. If the storm passes you by then we have useful assets. If the storm hits you will survive.


Last week I posted about using inexpensive items for storage. I am saving baby formula tins for a new set of canisters but it is going to take awhile to get the six I am needing!
Vicky posted me some photos of how she made things to match her kitchen which is black and white. She has been getting large buckets with lids from her local bakery. These are wonderful. After cleaning them up they are very good storage for free. She purchased vinyl to cover them (I think we would call this contact?) and this one she has packets of noodles etc stored in...


I love it! How handy would some of these be!? Ask at your own bakery, take away store, cafe... they are around and free if you will wash them up. They have good secure lids and are air tight. They are strong and also stackable. And I am getting some! Andy currently is delivering goods to several restaurants. He said if I want these buckets they all have them! So I am going to use Vicky's trick and clean them up and make them over. 

Vicky cut down boxes to form trays to hold various packets. She covered these also and made labels. They look so nice!


As an extra storage space Vicky uses a tote that matches, it sits on her floor looking nice but is full of shampoo, conditioner etc.


When you think about it a tote, basket or trunk can hold an enormous amount and be used as extra storage space.

She made herself labels for the jars she had saved up as well...


Cans have the date written on them so she can rotate them successfully.

(I need to be doing this.)

And she uses clear tubs for packets. These can be stacked also.


One of the tips I loved :

"Rotating things in the pantry can be quite a chore at times and space a real issue so a few little things can make a big difference and save time as well. For example if it's too small make it bigger. 
And if i's too big make it smaller. Sometimes the packaging takes up valuable real estate in the pantry so what I did here is take pasta dinner mixes and downsize them to a plastic shoebox and cut the directions off the box and put I with the mixes." 


This is so true. Packaging can be so bulky and deceptive. I know I reduce a lot of boxes etc using my jars as the storage and getting rid of the packets. But considering if bulk packaging is worth keeping is a good idea. Vicky cuts out and keeps recipes and instructions from the back of packets but not the packets themselves. Good thinking! When space is important these ideas are really smart.

I just love seeing in other pantries! These were wonderful too because Vicky has done it all so inexpensively. I know she got more buckets from the bakery just the last week as she has been cleaning them up and building her collection. Thank you Vicky for sending these to me! 

I love practical solutions that look nice! 
At the Cheapskates workshop part of the discussion was getting non food items out of your pantry and finding new homes for them. Then your pantry has so much more room for food. When I did this I was shocked. My pantry "full" of food was in fact half empty. Suddenly I had so much space! This subject is Wendy's current topic on The Cheapskates Forum. I was able to re home all kinds of things and this made a big improvement to my pantry. Reducing packaging and re homing non food items combined to create a lot of room I never knew I had! It gives you a clearer idea of what you have.

Have a prudent and diligent week!  That's my new saying! Remember every little thing you do adds up! xxx

52 comments:

  1. I love this Annabel, and Vicky's contact vinyl and labels are very much 'me'...we must be kindred spirits...lol! I'm ashamed to say I am not even aware of this latest stock market event. I've been too busy playing with tulle and sequins for my daughters upcoming dance recital. And so it goes. This seems to happen on a seven year cycle, and each cycle catches everyone unawares like it's never happened before in the history of the world. But as you say, it's another reason to stockpile the things we can, and make ready, just in case. This was brought home to me on a much smaller scale just this morning when I realised that the same daughter had asked me to buy some feminine products yesterday and I'd forgotten. Of all things to forget, right? I went in and asked her how urgently she needed them, and she said 'it's actually okay Mum. I got some from the hallway shop', which is of course what we've named our stockpile! We laughed at this and more than ever, from her 15 year old perspective, she now sees the sense in having a home 'shop'. I love the advice on clearing non food items from the pantry too. So sensible. Great post! Love, Mimi xxx

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    1. Dear Mim, I love the hallway shop! That is excellent.
      You are right that there are highs and lows and a non surprising seven year ish cycle but what has happened in China is historical and has never happened before hence the shock/surrise as we have all views China as the big money maker. So really it has been watching history unfold.
      I have found contact/vinyl online in a huge range like I have never seen before also blackboard vinyl... I am thinking about what to get to do the buckets Andy is getting me. I think this is a great idea and Vickys bucket looks so designer! Lol only we all could have designer buckets!
      I hope you are having a good week! With love, Annabel.xxx

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    2. Gosh...okay. Must go and find a newspaper or Google the latest. Sounds a bit hair raising! I knew you'd like the 'hallway shop'...lol! Thanks for the info. Love, Mimi xxx

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  2. The stock market is so worrisome, our retirement savings are pretty much tied up in it but there is truly no other way our government allows us to put our retirement savings,

    The pantry ideas are great!

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    1. Dear Rhonda,
      In the GFC a lot of people I know lost a large percentage of their retirement funds. It is sort of enforced participation! I hate that. We do not rely on our "super" as we believe we will never see it. Here they up the age you can access it and it seems might restrict how much you can access and all kinds of strings attached. So we are skeptical!
      Thank you so much for commenting. I am copying some of Vickys ideas. I think they are so nice but also practical. With love, Annabel.xxx

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  3. Annabel, I'm starting to do an extra stockpile of food so that I dont need to do a big shop during Summer. Cath does this too. That means that I need more room in my pantry. So I had a look yesterday and removed a few rolls of foil and put them in the shed. I have one opend and one spare on the pantry door.

    My top shelf of the pantry is half empty and ready for extra packets of flour, sugar and cereal. Can't wait to fill it up with more REAL food. xoxo

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    1. Dear Wendy, I also like to avoid the shops in school holiday madness and have done Christmas shopping well before the crush. It gets horrible.
      After Christmas though I find the best bargains of the year. The last three years after New Years day I have found Turkey at $4 A kilo or under. These are not advertised specials they are mark downs. Also some hams very cheap. Last year Helen got gifts and ornamented for 5c each! I got luxury wrapping paper that had been $8 a roll for 50c and a lot of things I put away. So I am in between, I avoid the busiest times as I hate it but I go in odd times and look for these things. This year we had a roast turky once a month until July and then heaps of meals from the meat, lunches etc. I hope to find them again this season.
      I am about to start on dried fruits for the fruit cakes, hoping for some good specials. I get tinned pineapple too for these.
      Hope you are having a good week! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  4. Love the bucket idea, Kroger is the only place in town that has these but they won't sell them or give them away. They said it was company policy. But I do have about 15 popcorn tins (the kind you see at Christmas time) that I use for storage. I grow a garden and can all our veggies. I also have a hall shop and closet shop in the den.
    Just this month I closet shopped for b-day gifts. Saturday I canned 6 pints of pickled peppers and I notice my jars are getting low, thank goodness my garden is about done.
    Have a great week!!!
    Rue

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    1. Dear Rue, it is wonderful you have a home shop, a lovely garden and you can your vegies. That sounds so good to me. I hope you have had a good growing season. We are just coming into spring and I am planning my planting. It will be nice to see your jars and shelves filling up again as you harvest and preserve things. I am hoping for plenty this summer... We usually have good access to peaches, nectarines and plums from neighbours and my Aunts trees. That is a good time and busy! But I look forward to it!
      Thanks so much for commenting, love Annabel.xxxx

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  5. Annabel, we don't have much storage space at all and getting rid of non food items out of the pantry is a good idea. I am due to tidy up my pantry so I will check what is in there that can be rehoused.

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    1. Dear Nanna Chel,
      I had a gap between my fridge and cupboard and I found a basket to fit in that gap. It houses my baking trays and muffin tins... I put two big baskets on top of my fridge which hold things I rarely every use and they look quite nice and hold a lot. I also filled a trunk with blankets and pillows etc and freed up some of my linen press and made a shelf there for spare bathroom items... I got some plastic tubs and put some things in the shed... it was a case of one thing led to another but I was amazed at the space I found. My laundry cupboard now has a lot more stored in it as well. But the pantry is just food. It can be a big job having a re arrange but it is really good. ANd the get rid of bulky packaging trick. A lady on A Working Pantry fb page showed all her vintage tupperware containers and how she re did her pantry. It was gorgeous to see! I was kind of inspired by that!
      I hope you are having a lovely week. With love Annabel.xxx

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  6. Vicky's pantry containers are very chic! Thank you for spurring me on to building up my stockpile!

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    1. I am searching for nice contact paper so I can get started on mine Tracy. I am glad you are encouraged on your stockpile. Every little bit helps.xxx

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  7. I like those stylish storage containers! They look fabulous, Vicky!

    There is always something new to learn here each week. What a great idea from the workshop and of Wendy's challenge to get the non food items out of the pantry! I've got the top of my linen cupboard full of plastic tubs filled with bathroom or other overflow (non food) products, all protected from dust etc now and grouped together. I will have to have a re think of what else can be rehoused and where. It will be good to free up some more food storage space!!

    My stockpile is coming along nicely, but the stock at our supermarkets can be low on quite a few items I have noticed. Usually I buy half price items, and they can be low if you are not quick enough, but regular stock items were down in some products. This is a worry like you have spoken of here before, Annabel. It wouldn't take long if people start to panic buy to see it look like locusts have descended! All the more reason to keep a good stockpile at home. Also, the price increases are creeping up across a lot of products, so putting away multiples is a great idea to protect against that. Like you say, being forewarned is forearmed! Prudent and diligent :-)



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    1. Dear Kaye, Your stockpile is sounding very good. Don't forget rain checks when specials are low or have sold out. Then you can get as many as you want. Also I think they last for ages so then you can even save up the money for a big amount if you want them. Very often I find there are none left or just a couple of items when I want 12 or so. Rain checks are a wonderful thing!
      I hope you are having a good week! With love Annabel.Xxx

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  8. Dear Annabel,

    This is a very informative post.

    I have been concerned about the crashes going on. It is very scary. We all saw what happened in Greece recently when the banks and ATMs were out of action. People were left without money, and it's very hard to live without it!

    We have plenty of rain water, and I do have a bit of a stockpile so should be able to get by for a little while. I would have to make more vegetarian meals though as I probably would run low on meat. Think I might start stocking up on extra just in case...

    Those containers of Vicky's look very pretty, and so simple too. If we want some of the containers, we are able to get hold of them. Hubby's sister owns a deli and gets them regularly.

    Some great ideas shared. Thank you.

    Love Tania xo

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    1. Thank you Tania! I am glad you have your eye on things. You are really amongst the most prepared people I know between your fruit tress, vegies, rain water, pantry and also skills. These add up to a lot. Also being watchful is a good thing. I think there's a bumpy road ahead and what I saw the other night a dress rehearsal! However it was a major reality check. What can happen, in minutes and the effect world wide just like that! Talk about a delicate balance. We don't have shares and never would but it makes no difference, if banks fall over etc it all impacts everyone, like in Greece as you say.
      It was Gordon Browns advisor who said those things but there were many others saying the same thing. Do not be reliant on ATMs etc.
      We have been having a little review anyway and I think it has done us good.
      The buckets are fantastic. Andy has got me some lined up but hopefully there might be Bluebirds or Cheapskates ladies in SA who would just love some and that would be a big help to someone. Being strong and air tight really they are very good.
      I hope you are having a great week. Maybe we will get a little rain too hopefully! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  9. Dear Annabel,

    About 30 years ago we would buy the frosting buckets & lids/rings from bakeries in our area for about $1.50 each. Now we can no longer get them. They worked very nicely for us for many years.

    We now buy buckets with gamma lids from Pleasant Hill Grain. We still have buckets with the harder to open lids (long term storage), as my husband can still open those; I no longer have the strength. The Gamma Seal lids are easier for me to open. Guess as we age, we have to do the best we can :).

    Vicky, your buckets are very pretty. It's so much nicer to look at decorated bottles, jars, and buckets, as they bring warmth to the area's in which they reside.

    The worldwide economic indicators are very bad. If one follows the world debt clock and various economies, we see that the present conditions will never last forever. Whether this is the actual crash or just a forerunner, time will tell. Once the dominoes start falling for real there will be no stopping the effect one country has on another as our economies worldwide are so intertwined these days.

    Your preparedness posts have helped a lot of people, Annabel. With you, I encourage others to seriously store as much as possible now. If people store what they normally use anyway and we are spared the huge inevitable crash this time, then the stores will still be used and money saved as prices rise.

    Many blessings to you, along with love and hugs,
    Glenda

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    1. Dear Glenda,
      Thank you for your comment. You are always very observant and you think about both what is going on and what course of action to take. That is prudence!
      Also you are like eyes and ears on the other side of the world as are some of the otherUS ladies. I have learned an enormous amount from you.
      Reality and media reality aren't the same thing either! With many thanks, love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Glenda, are you in the USA? If so, you can buy 5 gallon food grade buckets at home improvement stores (I get mine at Lowe's) for about $5. They will be in the paint section, but it does say Food Grade and with lids that are tightly sealed. Just wanted to share that info with you and any other ladies in the USA who are looking for buckets to use for food storage. :)

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    3. Dear Glenda,
      I think if we like the space we are in it is easier to remember what is in that space. And since we tend to gravitate towards pretty things I decided my pantry could be pretty as well as being a storage space and has really helped me to remember what I have and where it's at. When it is all finished I will send Annabel a pic.The labels are more for grandbabies who are learning to read. LOL
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    4. If you live in the Southeastern US and have Ingles Supermarkets that sell their empty buckets from the bakery for $1. Just ask at the bakery when you are in there. Beware of using pickle buckets as all your food stored in them will taste and smell of pickles! Guess how I know!

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  10. Annabel,
    I would like to thank everyone fro their wonderful comments, I so appreciate them!
    Also if somebody has a lovely fabric they want to use you can use fabric on the buckets as well. After you cut the fabric to fit (if your doing the whole bucket) soak it in liquid starch and wring out the excess and then put the fabric on your bucket smoothing it out and once it dries it sticks to the bucket. The downside is if you have to wash it down you have to start over. I have done this in baby fabric as a shower gift and filled the bucket with baby stuff and put pretty bows on the handle.

    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Can't you also do that on walls, Vicky? Seems like I have read about that somewhere...

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    2. Yes! I did that one time, but instead of the whole wall I did a few squares and then hung pictures in the square and did garlands, but my household was predominately male so it got replaced with deer heads!
      XOXO
      Vicky

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  11. I just love what Vicky has done to the buckets to make them look pretty and fit in with her colour scheme, I used to have a few of those buckets will have to get myself a few more as they are great and hold a lot.
    We all need to stock up on our pantry supplies as things are not going to get better in a hurry. Like you I don't like relying on ATM for money after what happened in Greece.Then we have summer storms and flooding that have been more severe of late. There are areas of NSW that are flooding again so I am stocking up on things so we are not caught out like last time.
    Another great post Annabel, Have a great prudent week xx

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    1. Dear Debbie, I have seen such extreme weather and storms and flooding and it seems a funny time of year for it. The buckets are really great and they are waterproof too! They hold a lot. Tania said her family have a deli and they have them and give them away so hopefully this means you will have no problem getting some.
      Thank you very much your comments are always wonderful. Love Annabel.xxx

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  12. Love Vicky's storage ideas - very pretty and I think that helps a lot when it comes to mind set.

    I didn't catch Monday's problem, am having a break from the news at the moment but I was watching when there were major comments about China no longer buying the amount of iron ore and other products from Australia - we had become reliant upon them that we forgot that this was a scenario that could happen. That was when I started to build my pantry up, not that it is huge but over the months I have added to it with gust but only items that I know we will use or can be used for meals.

    Mimi and I were talking and she thinks I beat her with the smallest pantry - mine currently only has food in it - well the part that is the pantry anyway, some matches in a container and my vitamins are the only extra items in there and seeing as I take the vitamins twice a day there they have to stay.

    Just yesterday my husband and I were talking about the old days when my grandfather use to not trust banks and would pop his money in a tin and bury it in the backyard. He had been through the depression so I fully understand where he was coming from.

    We are expecting rain over the next couple of days - hopefully it will just be gentle rain and nothing that could cause flooding in our area, we are waiting for the guy to come and set up the pumps etc to stop our yard from flooding again.

    Busy day today - have to head over to our rental and see how bad things are after the last tenant has vacated - now that is someone who really has no clue as to what is going on in the world - I would be really worried if she was my daughter.

    Have a great day everyone.

    Lynette
    XXXXX

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    1. Dear Lynette,
      I think our Grandparents had seen a lot and they had so many skills we could well do with today. I wish I still had my Grandparents to ask questions.
      On that note the events in China were compared to the Great Depression and one of the days was called "Black" in reference to the Black Tues of 1929... basically the chinese stock market lost so much in one day it was akin to the crash of 1929. Since it has continued to slide despite a list of things they have tried to stop it including suspensions etc. As you say we depended on China as customers... all this has the world worried overall hence markets have been very volatile.
      I am glad to hear the tenant has moved out! It sounded like you had a lot of worries with that tenant. I am a bit worried how you might find things... I have seen messes like this. It makes you wonder.
      Many thanks Lynette I hope you have a good day, With love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Annabel the rental is a mess - we could smell it before we even got in the door. Holes in walls that have been patched incorrectly, holes in doors and then spray painted over, hot water service has holes in it and the list goes on. Thankfully we have good landlords insurance but we may have lost the tenant we had ready to move in.

      Lynette
      XXXXX

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  13. Dear Annabel, lovely post! We do need to be prudent! I'm glad we are all working on stocking our pantries! I use a lot of buckets, some with gamma lids and some with tight snap-on lids. The ones I use often for rice, wheat, etc. have gamma lids, as they are much easier to open. I also have 5 gal. peanut butter buckets (lots of scrubbing lol) but they work great also.

    Vicky, your buckets and containers are very nice! Mine are just white. I must think about making them look fancy. :)

    Annabel, thank you for keeping us informed. Things are not looking too good!

    Love, Teri

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    1. Dear Teri,
      I noticed your buckets in the photos you sent me of the various parts of your pantry. They really hold a lot! They are so handy and a good addition.
      I hope you are having a good week, I know you have a few things going on!
      With lots of love, Annabel.xxxx

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  14. Dear Annabel thank you for the wonderful post. You're right, I haven't considered what goods I am keeping in my pantry that are non food. Vicky's pantry containers are simply beautiful and stylish as well as practical.
    Love Helen

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    1. Thanks Helen. I realized Cath and Wendy were right about this, you can think the pantry is full and it turns out to be all kinds of stuff and not so much food! It is also amazing what space we can find and create!
      With love, Annabel.xxx

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  15. Hello
    Just thought some folks would be interested that Kmart Australia have those big buckets with lids for $ 9.00 each. Save your flybuys points and pay using those so they are free
    Regards Julie
    Ps love your blog xx

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    1. Thank you Julie very much! That is good to know. Helen has been telling me how good Kmart is and I havent been in a while but it sounds like I should. Thanks for this information and for commenting too! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  16. Any ideas on where to safely store large sums of cash? We have been wresting with that here.

    I think our stock market here in the USA was long over due for a correction as it has just been going higher and higher with no apparent end in sight. I think that a wise investor who has their money spread over many types of investments will weather this just fine. We are about 8 years from retirement and so the stock market plays a smaller and smaller role in our retirement savings here. My husband saw coworkers just freaking out and my thought was that they must be playing too dangerously with investments as is tempting to do when the market is running so high.

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    1. Lana,
      They make fireproof locking boxes for valuables and cash. If it is a really large sum I would get more than one and put them in different locations. Crawl spaces are a good example. Hope this helps!
      XOXO
      Vicky

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    2. Dear Lana,
      You are exactly right that if people dont put all their eggs in one basket they will probably be fine. It is amazing how many people have everything n one or two places. Eeek.
      A safe is a great investment I think. I have seen situations where people end up with no cash as the ATMS are down etc and they cant buy fuel or food or anything. In Australia we have seen this repeatedly in floods and storms and sometimes for weeks people have no money. It has never occurred to them that ATMs done work sometimes and if the bank is flooded well, they wont open either. Then they need petrol and the station is only taking cash and so it goes.
      I think keeping cash and a pantry are two major things we can do to be secure when things go wrong.
      Have a wonderful weekend! With love, Annabel.xxx

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    3. Thanks for the reply, Annabel. We are always reminded of the cash situation because we live in the southeastern USA where hurricanes can be a reality. Also gas cannot be pumped here if the power is out so we always fill all tanks when there is any kind of storm on the way. We are well supplied here for a disaster since our area is so storm prone. I am thinking we do have enough cash on hand on any given day so we are good. Enjoy your weekend!

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  17. Lana we have to keep cash on hand here because we do not have access to banks - we do not keep a lot at all because insurance will not cover a large amount. I am thinking of a safe, we can get smallish ones so I guess they come in various sizes, I have expensive jewellery and some heirlooms that need to be put away safely and also some extra cash.

    This works for cash as long as you are not expecting any interest on it. Otherwise anything with a bank guarantee (make sure it is also government guaranteed in case the bank goes belly up.

    Look at gold prices and see what they have been doing, sometimes that is also a better bet because you can sell some at a time.

    I know a lot of people over here have invested in housing as that has been going great guns BUT you have to be in the right spot to make that work for you.

    If you are looking at retiring to a specific spot, not where you are living now, then perhaps looking at what is available to buy in that area would be worth it if the price is right.

    Lynette
    XXXX

    Our rentals that we currently have will be the last ones for us as we are about the same length of time away from retirement and we do not want the angst and rubbish that goes with some of the tenants we have had.

    I must add that I would not have purchased this particular house that we currently have problems with, it was something that the real estate agent and my husband decided on and it has been trouble ever since.

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    1. Dear Lynette,
      I remember in QLD floods and storms how no cash meant so much trouble. In a flood, storms, power out etc people think they can still run to the ATM! They are caught out and in trouble. You are just sensible about this.
      I understand the worry with tenants. One time on the farm we had tenants move out. It was so bad and the house was old that in the end it wasnt worth fixing. You are amazed anyone can live like that. Another time people moved out and left a freezer full of food, turned off for weeks...
      I think a safe is a great thing. A god investment. And I think gold or silver is a wise thing too. I notice a lot of big banks (like JP Morgan) have huge stocks of silver...
      Thank you for your comments Lynette, with love Annabel.xxx

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    2. Lynette, Thank you for your reply. We do have a small safe but I think that unless a large amount of money is spent on a really good one that they are easily popped open with a pry bar, We only keep important paperwork in ours in case of fire. We do have $500-$800 on hand most of the time and maybe that is just enough anyway. We do not have a mortgage payment or any other debt to worry about so it would just be immediate need. We have decided not to risk real estate investments here in the USA as it just does not seem to even be as secure as the bond market. We would be terrible landlords!

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  18. I need to get some more flour and sugar into my pantry. We've been gradually adding to our food stock over several months, following ideas found here and your friends blogs. Just wanted to let you know I decanted the creams from the ugly chemist containers into a pretty depression glass bowl with lid. Love the idea and love the effect. Am on the hunt for more pretty containers, or containers I can prettyfy. Thank you for such wonderful and achievable ideas.

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    1. Dear Jane,
      I am so pleased the little containers will pretty up you day and make it feel more luxurious. The craft part of cheap shops sell lovely mini containers that make great travel sized pots for creams etc and they are super cute.
      I am so happy you are building up your pantry also. I freeze flour for a couple of days then store it and you never get bugs.
      I better get going on my Friday post! With love Annabel.xxx

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  19. Thank you for your post. :) I have noticed more and more people are finally waking up that we are heading for some rough times ahead no matter what country you may live in. I do feel sorry for those who are not prepared and find themselves wondering how they are going to feed their families.

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    1. Dear Debbie,
      I saw on your blog that you have been near the fires. I heard about them on the news and yes we sent some firefighters over. Fires are the main disaster we have been affected by. Near the city of Adelaide and also our farm. They are terrible and terrifying.
      Many of the US ladies are saying to me what you are saying. I agree with you I think it would be wise to be as prepared as possible.
      Thank you so much for commenting. With love Annabel.xxx

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  20. I have been seriously prepping since I turned on the TV and saw those planes hit the Twin Towers on 9/11.As it turns out, prepping has been a good idea. I suffered a catastrophic illness 2 years ago and lost my job but we managed to live and eat well from my pantries and freezers while I recovered and looked for another job.
    I too believe that hard times are headed our way and I suggest that everyone prep. Not just food, but make sure you have access to water, stockpile medicines and save seeds. Please don't take it for granted that the power will always be on. Think about home heating, lighting and how you are going to cook if the power goes out. And yes, don't stash all your cash at the bank! Think about Greece and what recently happened there - people made a run on the banks and were very limited in what they could take out. And dare I say it? Home defense - if things do melt down . civil unrest could happen and if people become desperate enough they will try to take what you have - I am not saying don't help your fellow man but be cautious.

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    1. Dear Rose,
      All the way over here in Australia I wont ever forget that day. The world kind of changed. I thought it might be ending that day!
      I am so sorry you were so ill. But glad you were well prepared.
      A lot of the US ladies are saying what you just said to me. I also agree with your observations. Yes we have to be prudent!
      Thank you so much for commenting. Love Annabel.xxx

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  21. Thanks for sharing your other-side-of-the-world perspective on the crash. (Ah, Spring. I'm jealous!) My great-grandmother and grandmother lived in a small U.S. community at a time when tending a garden and preserving the produce, butchering one's own chickens, and living prudently were simply a way of life. So many of those skills and values have been lost and I fear we're going to feel that loss very soon. I'm working on my pantry and prudence but unfortunately am not seeing a lot of others who are doing so. Things could get rough.

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  22. My great-grandmother and grandmother lived in a community and at a time when tending a garden and preserving the produce, butchering one's own chickens, and living prudently were simply a way of life. Most of those skills and values have been lost here in the U.S. and I fear we're going to feel the loss very soon. I'm working on my pantry and prudence but unfortunately don't know many others who are doing so. I'm afraid things could get rough.

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    1. I agree with you. I feel we are on the cusp of something right now. Basic skills and sensible living would be a big help alone. Like during the drepression, growing food, making inexpensive meals, living simply...
      Most people are not preparing and their eyes are shut. So ther will be panic. Even last week there was almost panic, there was stress and worry. Then the market smiled for a day and they said it's all ok. Now they are panicking again!
      You sound like you are aware. Just keep preparing and use this time as well as possible. With thanks, Annabel.xxx

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