Great Balls of Dryer

While surfing the internet one afternoon, I came across a DIY project that piqued my interest. It looked easy, quick, and could save me money--Wool Dryer Balls.  One of the biggest energy hogs in a house is the clothes dryer.  Every month when we look at our utility bill we can tell what days I did laundry by the "extra" amount of energy we consumed.  As mentioned in the Runnin' Lean Field Manual, we do hang dry much of our laundry to cut costs; however, it is a necessary evil for us to use the clothes dryer to dry some items.  After looking at numerous websites and reading lots of reviews, I discovered that wool dryer balls could save me 25 to 50% in drying time.  Wow, I had to try them after reading those statistics!

To make your own wool balls, your need:
1 skein of 100% wool yarn (I used Lion Brand's Fisherman's Wool)
Pantyhose or knee-high hose
String 
Washer
Dryer


Little money-saving gems:  Wool dryer balls

1. Using the skein of yarn make 4 tight balls of yarn about the size of a tennis ball.  Be sure and secure the end of the yarn in each ball by wrapping them under and over several layers of yarn.
2. Place a ball in the toe of the pantyhose. 
3. Tie it off with the string so it does move.
4. Add the other balls and tie them off separately too.
5. Toss the ball-filled pantyhose in your washer and dryer with your next load of laundry.  The hotter the better to speed up the felting process.  
6. After the balls have been washed and dried, remove them from the pantyhose.  The yarn fibers should be fused together and  the ball should be more smooth!

That's it!  You've made  your own wool dryer balls!    Each time you need to dry clothes toss the balls into your dryer, too! 

Have a favorite scent?  Try scenting your wool balls with your favorite essential oils.  I haven't tried this yet but several websites have stated that the scent will last multiple loads.

Give wool dryer balls a try!  Those little gems will save you time and money!
I know because they balls have cut our drying time down by approximately 33%. 


LaRynda

The Eternal Flame

Everyone has a need for candles.  Whether it's simply another form of backup lighting for when the power goes out or ambience and a little extra warmth on a cold winter's night.  However, we've all had that one candle that's been a bad apple almost from the start.  You know the one I'm talking about.  It burns for awhile then douses itself out with its own hot wax and calls it a day.  Sometimes this is an easy fix--digging out the wick or adjusting it.   Other times, often towards the end of the candle's burning life, it's an ongoing battle that doesn't hardly seem worth the trouble.  The good news is you can simply melt that dude down and give him new life as an actual working candle (or even two or three new candles if you wish).  Below are the detailed steps to a very simple process:

All you need is a pan or can that you can set your old candle in to melt.  Of course, when you do this it goes without saying that you only put the wax portion into your melting pot, no holders of any sort.  This can be done on your kitchen stove or if you have a wood stove it's the perfect project for a cold Winter's day when you are running a good hot fire.  The candle will melt down in no time. 

Prior to this, you'll need look around the house and find something that you can safely pour your hot wax into and then burn your new candle in.  Mason jars are perfect for this as they are very heat tolerant and come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.  You'll also need to purchase some wick material for this mission, both inexpensively priced and easy to find at any local craft store (think Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc.).  Cut your wicks according to needed lengths.  The length will be determined by the height of your holders.  To set-up your containers so they are ready for pouring simply tie a washer on one end of the wick and drop it into the center of the holder.  The top portion of the wick will need to be tied tightly to a skewer of some sort--just something wide enough to fit across the center of your container's top (a pencil, chopstick, or even a wooden dowel). 

Once your old candle has melted back down to its original liquid state you're ready for the deed!  Simply pour a little wax in the center of your candle holders.  Let the wax cool just a little then press your washer into it.  This process will ensure that your wick will both stay at the bottom and stay centered as the hot wax is poured into your new candle holder.  Next slowly pour the wax into your prepared container. 

Once the holder is full, relax and let the wax cool.  Don't be alarmed if after the cooling period, your candle has a sunken spot in the middle.  This is normal.  To fix it, simply pour more wax into the holder. 

Freshly poured candles

Finally untie your wick from its skewer and bingo bango you've got yourself a brand new candle or several depending on how you decided to divide it out! 

The best part, you can refill these candle holders again and again either with troubled candles you already have around the house or with troubled candles that OTHER people have had that have been dropped off at your local thrift store.  Often times you can find these wax treasures bundled up in bulk and sold dirt cheap.  You're going to have a healthy stash of quality inexpensive candles...forever!!!

Ramens To Rave About

It wasn't long ago that I was sitting in the kitchen wondering what would be quick and simple to make for dinner.  Pickins were slim as we hadn't made a run to the grocery store in some time, but we still had all of the staples and as we all know that includes a few packs of ramen noodles (even if it's only for the use of the noodles themselves).  I went on the hunt for a solid and simple ramen noodles recipe that would be hearty enough to be called dinner...and I found one too:)  I actually adapted a recipe from Chef Roi Choi.  It's an incredible comfort food style recipe that fit the bill perfectly!

1.  In a sauce pan bring your water to a boil.  Add one pack of ramen noodles and cook them for 2 minutes.  Then add your flavor pack. Yes, you actually use that flavor pack;)

2.  Let your noodles and flavor pack cook for another 3 minutes then crack an egg into the mix.  Don't break the yoke or try and mix it in though.  Instead gently pull some of your noodles over the top of the egg and allow it to poach.  This will take approximately 3 more minutes.

3.  Carefully pour the noodles into a serving bowl making sure not to break your poached egg.

4.  Then add a pat of butter and some sesame seeds (I used a few drops of sesame seed oil instead because that is what I had on hand).  You then gently stir the mixture to incorporate all of the ingredients.  On the top add a little cheese of some sort and finally some chopped green onion to cap it off.

I have to say we've all had the experience of eating a package of ramen noodles and then being hungry 30 minutes later.  That's not the case with these!  They are very filling, incredibly tasty, and dare I say the only way I can think of to eat ramens and rave about them!!!

 

Ramen noodles . . . It's what's for dinner!

The Magic of Aladdin

There's nothing quite like burning an oil lamp and enjoying its warmth and glow on a cold winter's evening.  There is something, however, that's even better!  For a long time I had heard rumblings about how incredible the Aladdin lamp was.  I had held off buying one because to be honest I felt that their pricing was a little...well let's just say, "high rent"  especially when compared to your normal everyday oil lamp that many of us grew up with and still use today.  Upon watching several comparison videos though I came to the conclusion that they just might very well be worth that initial investment. 

For those who may not be familiar, the Aladdin lamp burner system is similar to that of the Coleman white gas lanterns in that its bright white light derives from a mantle.  Unlike the Coleman however, you burn regular (albeit clear) lamp oil to power the lamp.  There's is also no sound that accompanies the Aladdin when it is burning.  It is perfectly quiet when in operation and the best part...it gives off a crisp white light that is the equivalent of a 60 watt bulb!  It also produces a rather impressive amount of heat.  In fact it burns so hot that you will probably not notice the typical kerosene smell that normally wafts off of a traditional oil lamp.  This heat is a nice bonus in winter but would admittedly be a deterrent in summer. 

Searching for local dealers in our area I came up with exactly one option to choose from.  It was a local hardware store (the oldest in the area to be exact)and they carried the lamps and all of the needed and wanted accessories.  We picked up an Aladdin Genie II (the last one that they had in stock) for $99.  My understanding is that Aladdin has quit making this model; however, they can no doubt still be found online if you are like us and want to try out a starter model.  That's a price that's probably around 4 times what I would consider paying for a very nice old school oil lamp, but I have to say...this lamp performs as advertised!  It puts out an incredible amount of light.  I would say every bit as much as a 60 watt light bulb and while the cost of the mantles and accompanying wick may seem prohibitive what I've read so far seems to suggest that they are made to be burnt hours a day everyday for an extended period of time before replacements are needed.  This makes the overall maintenance costs pale in light of their performance.  So do your research, check out some of the Aladdin/oil lamps comparison videos that are out there then decide for yourself if the Aladdin lamp holds some magic for you too!!!


Our Genie II

Bows at a Bargain

As the holiday season approaches, bows are popping out everywhere.  You can buy them to top your presents, decorate your tree, provide color to your fireplace mantle, add cheer to your front door, and even to decorate your light post in your yard.  The problem is the costs of those pretty decorative bows can really add up fast.

For the price of a small package of bows, I now make my own customized ones and you can too! Being a serious bargain shopper, I found a Bow Master:  Let's Make a Bow kit at a local flea market for $5.  The kit included the Bow Master, an instructional video and book, ribbon, floral wire, and a rosette tool.  Since purchasing this tool, I've also seen it at the various thrift stores that we regularly visit.  Now if you're thinking that the ribbon is too expensive, let's do a price comparison.  An 8.5" x 14" red and green plaid indoor bow costs $9.99.  I can purchase that same ribbon at a thrift store for less than $2 roll or use a coupon to buy it at a local craft stores for $4.  In addition, I can make multiple bows and multiple sizes now for less than $10.  So for around $5 you can have your bows and at a bargain, too!  

LaRynda

The Beauty of Bannock

Recently I began reading a book entitled "Three Against The Wilderness".  It's described as a classic Canadian wilderness tale and was written by the man who lived it--Eric Collier.  I'm only about nine chapters in, but I can already tell you that it's worth the time spent!  There's an awful lot to be learned from what they endured and how they prevailed!  Eric and his family cut a path to what they deemed was a good spot in the Canadian backwoods and  proceeded to homestead.  Their experiences documented in this book were, as expected, trying to say the least, but they triumphed. 

One thing that is mentioned and that I've already tried is the making of Bannock.  Bannock is a form of baking powder bread that is both simple to make and hearty to eat.  There are many recipes out there on the web, but I went with the simplest I could find and we were very happy with the results. 

2 Cups of Flour
2 Tablespoons of Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon of Salt
Water as needed

That's it!  Mix your ingredients together to make a batter that is somewhere between the consistency of pancake batter and pizza dough.  Make one oblong flattened loaf or separate into two or more flattened loaves if you prefer.  Place on a non-stick or pre-greased frying pan.  Cook at medium-high for ten minutes on each side.  The cooking time may vary depending on how hot your stove runs and how many loaves that you break it into.  I made two and added another five minutes per side.  Chances are when it's golden brown on both sides it's done; however, you can always do the toothpick test to double check yourself. 

It's a heavy bread perfect for eating before a laborious, calorie-eating project and its consistency is such that you could break off a piece or two and just stick it in your pocket for later if you would like.  You can also add any number of ingredients to enhance the flavor, including fruit for your sugar fix or meat to make it a meal all by itself.  I added some ground turkey that I browned in a skillet just prior to mixing up the bannock dough.  Those loaves served with a woodstove baked potato made for a very simple yet both filling and satisfying dinner on a cold Fall evening.  Beautiful bannock indeed!   


To Book and Back

Well, it's been a long time now, but we're officially back at it when it comes to the blog here at Runnin' Lean! It should be noted that there was a good reason for the absence. A lot of time in the interim was dedicated towards the crafting and publishing of our companion book "Runnin' Lean: A Field Manual to Living on Less and Loving Less More" which is now available at Amazon.  There's a paperback version and a Kindle version. It should also be noted that in our overall timeframe, it was the name "Runnin' Lean" that came first, then the blog site (which was sort of a testing and learning ground at its start for us to share theories, thoughts, and practices) then the book. 

 

During all of this, other Runnin' Lean experiences took place.  We all know how the passage of time is.  Life went on...day by day, month by month, and year by year, but the plan always remained the same...finish the book then return here to the blog and make its updates a part of our routine.  Long story short, it's been a long process in getting back to the blog, but now that the book has been finished and published more continual attention will be placed on this site so please follow us, share info about the blog with your family and friends, and check back often for the latest Runnin' Lean projects and experiences.   

 

Should you choose to pick up a copy of the book you'll find that it is packed with Lean-tested theories and practices. If implemented, it will save you and your family money and hopefully spur your own Runnin' Lean adventure (the main idea of both the blog and the book)! If you purchase a copy and find it both enjoyable and useful please help us spread the word by telling those who may be like-minded about its philosophy. 

 

Thank you for taking the journey with us and let's keep Runnin' Lean :)