I know the purpose of this topic and forum is to find frugal ways of doing things. But sometimes frugal is more work and/or less than satisfactory. Several years ago, I bit the bullet and bought a Brother P-Touch labeler. They have several products and some are reasonably priced. But I went "whole hog" and bought the most expensive one which cost me $100 at the time. The current similar model is much cheaper now - around $50, I think. You might try eBay. I bought it to make labels for my perennials. Everything else I have tried which have been mentioned here have to be redone frequently and each time time you lose much of the original plant info. The beauty of this printer is that it hooks up to your computer! I make the labels on the computer, same the label to a file on my computer, then print them out. These labels stay perfect in any weather and sun Forever! If you lose the label, you can look up the label in the computer and print out another one anytime. So you never lose all the original info for your plant. I know this isn't a frugal idea but our time is valuable too and saving time is as important as saving money. I still use mini-blinds but when you break them or your chickens run off with them, its so easy and quick to print up another one. You can make the type size as large or small as you want which is great for me now that I am older and I can't read the old labels with the smaller type size so make another and enlarge the type. Its an investment just like all your other good garden tools and worth it in the long run. Its handy to make labels for everything and they even have iron-on labels. Think about it, Barbara

Followingup on Lilod's point re handwriting vs typewriting for remembering, I completely agree. I redo my address book every few years. One year I typed it all neatly and it took me twice as long to locate a number. The old book had names/numbers crossed out and rewritten, info added up side of page, several colors of ink, arrows and underlinings. I could instantly locate what I was lookng for, though. Sometimes just visualizing the messy page jogged my memory and didn't even have to use the book. Fortunately the newly typed pages soon had handwritten additions/corrections...LOL I've since gone back to handriting my new addressbook. josh

Well, you cannot imagine how wonderful it was to read all your postings and with such good ideas......getting a "craft" book at Michaels is a wonderful idea, in that like you said, all the materials will be there, and will help in zone in on something or things I really would like to do. You girls are the greatest. AND I mean that so much. AND Oddie, again thank you for such a wise decision.....post it. And then reading how you got so many good things, cheaply, like a sewing machine for minimal needs, a toaster oven for crafting and such. I have two appointments at the hospital tomorrow.....that's what it is when you are a cancer survivor, and then off to the craft store.....so exciting...I can't wait. THEN, the next thing is to get my courage up and post. I owe it to you guys to at least let you see what I make. Special girls...that's what you are! *** Maddya

I'm such a packrat,I don't throw anything away,so I must have the pattern somewhere,but I made those bears over 20 years ago,they still have little newspaper pirate hats(I took it off for the photo)I got the pattern out of a magazine,I do remember that. The quilt was a worn utility quilt made from feed sacks,quilted in a Baptist fan from the strings saved from the feedsacks. The cushions were made from a commercially made/sold quilt,like you see at Dollar General or Freds,and I bought it for a dollar,it was covered in ball point ink when I got it,cheap hairspray took the ink out.I sprayed it with Scotch Guard to kinda keep it clean. I got another store bought quilt in maroon and hunter,to make cushions for winter for Christmas,only paid 50 cents for it. I'll look for the bear pattern,but I may never find it! lol