Lovely Links: A Whole Lotta Random

If you haven't noticed by now, I have a weakness for vintage posters from the 1940s and 50s.  I just Google image searched "victory garden" and found a treasure trove of old images.  You'll be seeing a lot of them. Just thought I'd let you know.

Anyway, I thought I'd give you some of the links that have come my way this last week or so. There's no theme or anything to them. Like the title of the post says, just a lot of random things. But variety is the spice of life, so here goes...

How to Make the Best Zucchini Bread Ever -- Simple Bites
I'd say it's about that time of year when the surplus zucchini comes.  I never have room to grow it (I guess I need yet another garden box), so I always offer to take others' extra zucchini off their hands.  This post is great not only because it has a recipe, but lots of tips and suggestions.  {This is where the victory garden picture comes in; see how they're related?}

An Inside Look at My Real Food Grocery Budget -- Saving Naturally
I'm a big believer in spending more for groceries (as in, organic when possible, responsibly raised beef/poultry, cage-free eggs, etc.) because I believe it translates to better health.  But that belief seems to contradict lots of mainstream views of saving money on food.  Anyway, over at Saving Naturally, there is an interesting post that gives an in-depth look into one woman's grocery budget and how she saves money buying organic and natural products.  I think I'll do a post like this someday, but I figure hers will suffice for now.

How to Make Brown Sugar - Joy the Baker
This is a great way to make brown sugar in a pinch. Bet you didn't know it was this easy. Or maybe you did. In any case, it's a good thing to know.

12 Ideas for Frugal Artwork - Simple Mom
Some decorating ideas for those who don't have a ton of money for nice artwork or who aren't married to an amazing artist like I am.  My favorite of the twelve ideas: framing children's book prints. Just scan pictures from your favorite children's books and then frame them. How simple and cool is that?

Parenting: Touching the Hearts of Our Youth
Not exactly about anything frugal, but a nice video that touched me this week. A great reminder for everyone.

Have a great weekend!