Homemade Christmas Gifts And More - Review

Kindle Exclusive

Once again, Susanne, the Hillbilly Housewife has done it.  She has compiled a trove of frugal Christmas gift ideas, old and new, into one handy volume.  At only $2.99, this Kindle exclusive will save you hundreds of dollars on Christmas gifts, not to mention hours of shopping and stress.  

With some inexpensive yet up to date packaging - ideas included in book - cookies, coffee mixes and bath goodies become coveted gifts for family and friends.  The best part is, these don't take all year to make.  In just a couple of sessions, you can easily assemble several bath and body gifts or baked gifts and homemade mixes.  Crocheted and sewn gifts may take a bit longer, but not much if you keep it simple.  Susanne has all kinds of ideas there, too.  There are even simple gifts for kids to make and receive.

I was very happy with the recipe section for baked gifts and mixes, and also the gift basket ideas, but a little disappointed in the handmade section.  There are lots of ideas for handmade gifts, but no directions for any specific crocheted, knitted or sewn gifts, although links to other sites are included.  Also, I would have hoped for a little more in the section of gifts children can make.  That drawback pointed out, I still love the book for the price, and have plenty of other resources for kid stuff.  

I have given many of these gifts myself over the years, yet having it all there in front of me reminded me of how easy and inexpensive gift giving can be, and gave me some inspiration for those on my list this year.

For lots of frugal tips and recipes for low cost home cooking from scratch, see Susanne's website http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/.

To purchase Homemade Christmas Gifts and More, Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas for the Whole Family, (c) 2012 by Susanne B. Myers, visit Amazon.

The Death of the Camera

It started about two years ago.  The flash on my wonderful, digital camera folds down and snaps when not in use.  One day it decided not to fold down anymore.  No problem, didn't hurt the camera any.  The lens had been having issues with dust making it not want to spin up and open, so I had been cleaning it periodically and had still been able to take plenty of pictures and videos.  The last straw came the other day during a miscellaneous photo shoot.  The lens refused to open no matter how much I cleaned, coaxed or pommeled it.  

I have now resigned myself to the fact that my lovely Samsung NV10, 10.1 mega-pixel camera with the Scheider-Kreuznach lens, which has taught me so much about digital photography, needs replacing.  Although I have already found a similar model, with more up-to-date features, for a price I can afford within the next few weeks, I am thinking that maybe I would like to upgrade to a more versatile outfit.

My Samsung fits neatly in my pocket, and doesn't take up any room in my purse.  But I am longing for the optical zoom and more precise focus of one of the better cameras on the market now.  I am certainly not going to pop for a professional set-up, which I don't have the skill to use anyway.  I have just about decided to save up for a few months and get a nice, mid-priced camera, which may be too big for my pocket or purse, but should allow me to take some awesome pics and videos, to help bring my blog and website up a level in usefulness and enjoyment to you, my readers.

Until then, please be patient with my recycled pictures, and know that I am working hard to make Mrs. D's more interesting for all of us!

Whatever Possessed Me?! - FREE Download!

It's finally here;)  Chapter 1 of "The Working Mom's Parent's Guide to Homeschooling" is now available for FREE download!  For a limited time only (a week or so...), so click on the link below, or the button on the sidebar and get it now!!


The Working Parent's Guide to Homeschooling Ch. 1

You CAN homeschool your children!  Even if you are single, working, low income, or don't have a college degree.  The Working Parent's Guide to Homeschooling, Chapter 1, will introduce you to me, a single, working, low income mom, who moved her kids to the country and started homeschooling, while still working.  Learn:  Whatever Possessed Me?! and Where It All Began...

This is a PDF file, that should be readable on most ereaders and computers.  The link or button will take you to a secure site, where the file is stored, and will give you a link to click on to download the file.  Hope you enjoy it!  Now to get Chapter 2 ready and keep working on the rest of the book.