January 21, 2017

B2B Book Reviews 5: DIY and Frugal Living

Yesterday I reviewed two of the low-tech and off-grid living resources in the Back to Basics Living Bundle. Today I'll show you some of the "do it yourself" and frugal living offerings in the bundle. My readers know that Dan and I do for ourselves whenever we can, but even so, this year's Back To Basics Living Bundle has some new how-tos for even us.

Like this one by Caleb Harris, The Broke Bladesmith: Acquiring the tools to begin making knives on a budget. I love that this book busts the myths of needing expensive professional equipment to make superior quality knives. You'll learn about vises and clamps, hammers and tongs, forges, grinders, the quality of various woods for knife handles, wood shaping tools, how to find an anvil for cheap or free, and where to get steel for knife making. He also discusses shop safety and where to find more information including links to his website and videos.

I also like The Complete Guide to Using, Laundering, and Sewing Reusable Cloth Products, by Danielle Pientka. About a year ago I was discussing replacing plastic storage bags in my "Eliminating Plastic: Part 1 - In the Fridge" post. In it I linked to a post on making reusable food wraps. Well, this book is right up the same alley: cloth diapers for children, adults, and pets (well designed ones, including cloth swimming diapers, not just the cloth rectangles I used to use), cloth wipes, nursing pads, unpaper towels, Mama cloths (menstrual pads), handkerchiefs, napkins, wet bags, refrigerator liners, reusable snack bags, and fabric gift bags. The author presents some very convincing arguments for switching from disposable to cloth products, how to make them, and how to clean them (including how to clean without electricity). Includes some nifty storage ideas and a recipe for homemade diaper rash spray.

100+ DIY Projects to Make with Fruit Scraps: An Old Fashioned “Waste Not, Want Not” Recipe and Resource Book by Jes will warm the creative, frugal heart in every one of us. This is not simply "waste not want not" but kitchen crafting at its finest.

The author begins with how to stock your kitchen-crafting pantry, useful supplies, labeling, bottling, and beautifying (for gifts), and then details a master list of dried ingredients and infusions to keep on hand and how to make them. Recipe sections are divided into bath and body, cleaning closet, embellishing the home, kitchen table, medicine cabinet, pantry, and miscellaneous. Those 100+ recipes include things like: lemon honey bee balm, mulling spice soap bars, citrus disinfectant spray, orange peel roses, moth repellent sachets, herbed citrus butter, poor man's popsicles, haymakers punch, four thieves antibacterial vinegar, vitamin C elixir, apple jewel jelly, spicy seasoning blend, and banana peel fertilizer (to barely scratch the surface.)

The Back To Basics Living Bundle will be available through midnight tomorrow and includes 73 homesteading, self-reliance, DIY, and preparedness resources plus about a dozen bonus offers. You can choose online access to download the bundle for $29.97, the flash (thumb aka USB) drive option for $54.97, or both for $59.97 (one for you and the other as a gift).


BONUS: If you buy it through my blog, I'll gift you with your choice of one eVolume from my The Little Series of Homestead How-Tos. After you place your order simply email me at 5acresandadream @ mail. com, and let me know which one you'd like. I'll send you a link to download a free copy.

Tomorrow is the last day the bundle will be available, so I'll touch on some of the eCourses, memberships, and other extras included in the purchase price.

B2B Book Reviews 5: DIY © January 2017 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It looks great! Will have a look on it!

Leigh said...

It's definitely got something for everybody. I only wish I had time to review them all.