The Vicky Challenge. Vicky's Victory Garden and Cellar.

My Vicky Challenge last week a bit quiet and I had a catch up week on ordinary things and cooking.
I wrote $350 in my savings book made up from $100 for lunches, mending clothes for Andy rather than replace them, things he bought from the op shop rather than new and all the cakes I made for upcoming Christmas gifts. So I am pretty happy with this.

This weeks savings subject is kind of two things.  Vicky and I were talking about how much we have done so far this year. We both think we encourage each other so much that we get heaps more done and it is much more fun as well as we report to each other how we are going with all our various projects. We celebrate with each other.
There is no doubt in my mind I have saved more all year because of the Vicky challenge and achieved more just because of her friendship and encouragement.
We really are as good as the people we associate with and it really makes a big difference.
Now it is not always easy to find such friends and they are thin on the ground sometimes as not everyone even values or understands the things we are talking about such as building up your home, building your pantry etc.
The thing is you can cast your net wider thanks to the internet. Vicky and I have never met but it makes no real difference to us. We met right here on this blog.
Having a savings buddy, someone to compare notes with and encourage you along really is wonderful. I know I have said these things before but this week I noticed it so much. I think this is because we are coming to the end part of the year and I am seeing how much Vicky has achieved and how much I have!

Now to show you what I am talking about the next part of todays post is going to show you SOME of what Vicky has achieved this year.

Over to Vicky:

I have decided to call this The Victory Series. 

For all of the regular readers this may be a bit of a repeat, but for anyone just joining in or starting out I hope there is a little inspiration and encouragement. 

Over several years we have had a lot of challenges thrown our way and history is rich with lessons and information for us to glean from as homemakers, mothers or career women. My husband's job loss and the doors still being closed on him has really opened my eyes that there is still so much to learn even if we are good at saving or being frugal and experience is the best teacher! And so comes The Victory Series...

The Victory Garden: 

During WWII women planted Victory Gardens to help on the home front so I decided that this year would be my Victory Garden. Although not the same set of circumstances we are at war with the economy itself. Some I know are having a hard time making ends meet so by planting and canning more my hope was to plant and can enough to help others as well. Which we did. It was hot and tiring and a lot of work, but I kept thinking about our foremothers who had to do the very same thing to have food to last the winter for much bigger families than mine. Who did it without indoor plumbing or electric. Who did it just to survive when there was no help from the government. During any war time it is truly amazing the ingenuity and fortitude that the ladies had and how they made do. From using carrots or plums to sweeten a cake because they couldn't get sugar or during The Depression the meals that were made with very little and very little money to be had. Could we do it? Could we today live like they did? So I challenged myself on this end. And glory be we had a great garden this year so my challenge started off right! 

The Victory Cellar:

My Victory Cellar really is a victory because with my Victory Garden and all of the canning I really needed space to store more. Having a well stocked pantry has gotten us through many uncertain times and emergencies and where there is a will there is a way. We had this cellar that I always overlooked because it was dark and gross and well when I had space under the bed why would I go in that spooky room! So I shut the door and forgot about it's existence. Root cellars were very common and our foremothers filled them up since it was cool and kept things well. I wasn't really sure about it? First I have to tell you that my husband is not the most romantic sort of fellow so when he surprised me with the fresh new cellar that he scrubbed and painted and put in a new bright light and shiny new shelves I was such a happy lady. 

Since the garden had done so well each day as I filled jars with all of the treasures we had grown I was in good company as I would think about all of the stories I had read about what women did to make and keep a household going. Not an easy task back in the day. 

I don't just want to say it I want to live it and experience it. I talked with my mom of how they did things when she was little and her love of picking tomatoes this year getting back to her roots. 

Everyday was involved with picking, washing, cutting and canning and you will see there are still spaces that is because at least 1/3 of what I canned went to others in need and just as much produce from the garden given to others who really needed it. I am also stocking water, oil, store bought sauce and things like that in there too so I am not completely finished and won't until every space is filled.

On a serious note though, being prepared and building a pantry is something all should consider. You can never know from day to day what is going to happen, but we can do our best to be able to get through the best we can if it does. The effort we put into things now can carry us through later and what is work now will be comfort later. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to some an expensive purse or fur coat is beautiful; to me rows of colorful jars filled tasty goodness is beautiful! 

And as soon as it is finished next will be Vicky's Victory Pantry! 

XOXO

Vicky

Well, I can't wait to see the pantry! I haven't seen it either but have heard about a lot of stages along the way. And you can see I am not kidding about A LOT of work and big things being achieved!  I can't tell you how much fun it is to see each bit of progress along the way but then also see the end result!

Vicky had a vision of what she wanted to do this year and it was huge and she did it!
I had a vision of painting my whole house myself and I have almost done that and will my niece helping me this week I think it is getting close!

It is funny that we both had a cellar that we ignored and never set foot in. I ignored mine for two years. I also thought it was scary and creepy. I never even went down the steps once!
And now we both have turned them into food storage and stocked them up and love them! What an asset!

With a step by step and day by day approach we can do great things! Friendship and encouragement along the way helps so much! Encourage one another! It works!

How did your savings go last week? As it is almost November ... have you had a big project or goal this year and how is it going?
Are you thinking about what your bigger projects and goals will be for next year? I am thinking about this.  Once I am finished painting I am going to have free time to tackle something else!

Have a wonderful week! xxx