Thrift Thursday--Pink Sewing Box

Love at first sight! This time-travel pink sewing box was on the thrift store shelf for$1.50, and went straight into my shopping basket.

The wicker box measures 11" across and 7" high, and is in amazing condition. The masonite lid opens over to the side on the cord handles. From the decal and the color, I figure it must date from the early 50's.


I'm keeping the box by my chair in the living room, set up with all I need to tempt me to work on my on-going Christmas blanket embroidery project.

You can just see the panel of organizing pockets I made from a matching vintage print fabric, glued to the font inside. I've had this ancient Sucrets tin in my craft stuff since I was a child--now it holds a book of needles and some knitting markers. A couple of the thread holders are missing, so I used one of the holes to anchor my embroidery scissors with a ribbon.

On with the project!

Homemade Bread--Cost Factors Again

Mama Squirrel brought up an interesting point in her comment on an earlier post--how much does the cost of power affect the cost of baking a loaf of bread in the machine?

An internet search told me the cost of power locally--in the winter months, our electrical cost is 8.7 cents a kilowatt hour, and there is a sliding scale for the warmer months here. (I'm wondering how this compares to other areas.)

A calculator on the internet figured that for 600 watt usage, average for breadmakers, our cost is $.07 for an hour--I'm assuming that would be for the baking part of the cycle. (In comparison, the cost to run an electric oven would be about $.26 per hour here.) A good part of the 3.5 hour cycle is inactive, however.

So the answer is: I can't say definitively. Somewhere between 15 and 20 cents for the power cost? Input, anyone?

One plus for the machine is that it just might keep you out of the grocery store to avoid further spending!

Miniatures Monday --A Lazy Day

Since my happy discovery that the LPS Blythes can use my old dollhouse furniture, the tiny girls are living in the lap of luxury!

Agatha is having a lazy afternoon on the couch with snacks, magazines, and the remote.

This little Indonesian carved wooden sofa is one of a set that came with a quantity of darling little colorful, carved animals to sit about on them--a gift from daughter Lol, and of course from the thrift store! The rug, pillow, snacks, cookie platter, and magazine came from my dollhouse collection. Agatha's darling outfit was made by my daughter, Care, and she's wearing Polly Pocket boots. I think the remote was originally Barbie's cell phone.

This is the life!

The Cost of the Loaf. . . More Bread Machine!

In thinking about the bread machine, I began to wonder how the cost of a loaf of bread actually compares between a home-made and a commercial loaf. So we got out the calculator!

I recently re-stocked my flour supply, and paid $7.80 for 25 pounds. (I'm wondering how the price of flour varies in different locations--my price was apparently a pretty good buy, since on the same weekend flour was $10.00 for 25 pounds at the local grocery, on sale.)

Hubby and I calculated the number of 1-1/2 pound loaves the bag of flour could make, by weight, and divided the price of the flour by the number of loaves. Price of flour was about $.30, so with the other ingredients, we figure the cost is between $.40 and $.45 per loaf from this bag of flour.

Just for interest's sake, we figured the cost of a loaf from a $10.00 bag of flour--flour cost was $.50, so the cost of a loaf is $.55 to $.60 per loaf.

The rock-botton price for a 1-1/2 pound loaf of balloon bread this weekend was $.99--looks like there's a considerable savings on a home-made loaf, and the homemade bread actually tastes good!

Note: it hurts me to compare a flavorful, good-textured loaf of fresh homemade bread to a fluffy, washed-out loaf of commercial balloon bread, but since balloon (or Wonder-style) bread is the least expensive option, I'm willing to use it for comparison! Savings on actual bread would be much greater!

Thrift Thursday--Bread Machine, Part 3!

Please allow me to introduce you to my beloved thrift store West Bend bread machine! I do love this bread machine! It's my favorite of the 6 or 7 machines I've tried--one of its big advantages is that it makes a traditional shaped loaf-- a huge plus!

I got my first machine in this model some years ago, when I needed to replace my old worn-out tall-loaf machine. I came across the West Bend at a yard sale, and picked it up for $10.00--with the manual, fortunately--and just loved it. Besides the loaf shape, another favorite feature is that the machine opens in the front rather than at the top--and there's a good window in the door. It's easy to reach in and adjust the dough if needed, and the pan and the paddles (it has two) are easy to clean. The pan releases well.

Homeless bread machines seem to abound at thrift stores, and my girls and I have watched for this model ever since. We've so far found three other machines like it, and we've paid anywhere from $8.00 to $12.00 each--about the going rate for thrift store bread machines around here. This machine come in two versions--the one I'm using now is a little more deluxe, and has a 'quick bread' cycle as well as all the standard cycles the other model has. (FYI--if you don't have the instructions, the manual is available at westbend.com).

I have to say that I think it's hard to utilize the machine well if it's not stored where it can be used--I suppose this is one big reason for the number of homeless bread machines out there. My machine measures 17-1/2"wide by 11-1/2" high by 11" deep--a little bigger than some standard machines, I think. Too much valuable space would be taken up by keeping it on the counter in my small kitchen, but I found a place for it on top of my vintage cookbook shelves, next to an outlet, where I can use it anytime. Poor Kitty lost her favorite viewpoint to the machine--but she's found a new spot!


I'm afraid I'm gushing . . . and I still have much to say! More later.


Another FYI: West Bend also makes conventional tall-loaf machines--while doing an internet search, I was fascinated to learn that some of them have been recalled due to fire danger! I believe these were all older, conventional machines, but it's easy to tell by tell by the machine's date, which is stamped on the back. Info is at
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml95/95106.html

Scrap Project--Hippo to Mermaid

Joy-joy called to say her beloved hippo, Tasha (one of the Backyardigans), desperately needed a mermaid costume, so Tasha came to my house for a visit via U.S. Postal Service.


Being a sitting hippo, Tasha has some interesting fitting problems! I started by taking a pattern from her original sleeveless a-line dress for the bodice, then figured out the lower back by tracing around her as she sat. The back bodice connects to the lower back in a curve around her. . .ah, hips.

I shortened the front bodice pattern piece to about her waistline, then figured out the lower front--the lower front piece attaches smoothly to the upper front in a curve, then flares out to allow some space for her big hippo feet. The extra width in the leg area is controlled by gathers and stitched to the flat bottom piece, and the finished tail is encased in that seam.

I have to admit that if I ever make another hippo mermaid costume (and I don't really suppose that need will arise!), I will change the tail a bit--it could be more exaggerated and fabulous! Tasha started her journey home before I could get a back photo, but the center back closes with velcro.

Tasha's tiara is made from a scrap of memory wire and some beads from my stash. Her outfit is completed by a glittery, stretchy bead bracelet and a 'jewel' stitched to her finger for a ring!

It's all a scrap project--or maybe a stash project--since I only used materials used on previous projects.

Hope she and Joy-joy have fun!

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread--Cons?

Since I've praised the bread machine, it's only fair to look at the other side--there must be a few minuses, since thrift stores are always full of rejected machines at bargain prices!

First: the machine may not automatically turn out perfect, tasty loaves.

Second: counter space being valuable real estate, the machine can be a space hogger--especially if it isn't turning out tasty treats.

Third: on the other hand, if the machine isn't easily accessible we are much less likely to drag it out and use it.

Fourth: the usual tall machine loaf is not nearly as satisfactory as the traditional long loaf shape. Slices can be too big, and they're more fragile.

Fifth: the bread machine does only make one loaf, which may not be enough for bigger families.

Difficulties--and I suppose someone really might be tempted to just toss the machine out. That said, I have to admit that in my mind, none of these difficulties outweighs the benefits. I have much more to say!