Category: Homesteading Skills

Homemade Stamp Ink Pads

A few weeks ago, I discussed how storing a variety of rubber stamps could be beneficial to preparedness and homesteading efforts.  To follow up with that, this post will instruct on how to make your own stamp pads to use with those stamps.

Now, if you have stamp pads already, great.  No problem, then.  But this post assumes a scenario when you would have to come up with your own supplies.  This could be due to an emergency situation, supply constraints, or just simply household budget concerns.  On another note, maybe you just wish to use all natural ingredients.  Whatever the reason, if you wish to learn how to make your own stamp ink pads, then read on. Continue reading “Homemade Stamp Ink Pads”

The Usefulness of Rubber Stamps

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This time of year has a lot going on.

For one thing, it is “back-to-school” season, and many who have children at home are in the throngs of hoarding school supplies for the upcoming year. This could be true whether their children go to a public school, a charter or private school, or if they are educated at home.

For another, it is also canning season. That, by itself, can make this a busy time of year. Many are preserving harvests from their gardens.  Others are trying to fill their pantries for the coming months.  Really, canning is one self-sufficiency skill you shouldn’t do without.

Finally, if you have been shopping anywhere lately, you probably have also noticed that the holiday season is just right around the corner.  Depending on how important the holidays may be to you, you may have gift-giving, parties, and card exchanges here shortly.

If you are anything like me, you use a computer to help organize and complete many of the above tasks. Printing labels, cards, etc. is a very easy thing to do with technology, but did you ever stop to think what would you do if technology was no longer available? Continue reading “The Usefulness of Rubber Stamps”

Making Your Own Ink

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Some of you may be wondering if making ink has anything to do with preparedness.  Well, it does, although the reasons may not be so readily apparent.

Why make ink?

We need to communicate all of the time.  We speak to others by voice, we send electronic messages by computers and texts, and we even continue to write messages on paper.  In a grid-down scenario, it is still possible to communicate by all of these methods, but many will still find the old-fashioned pen/pencil and paper to be very convenient, especially if operational security is a concern.

Besides sending written communications to others, one may wish to keep their own written records, to label foods, supplies, etc., or to otherwise write down information to remember.  Home education is another area of preparedness where homemade supplies may be needed due to a scarcity of materials, and having something unique to barter with may be another use as well.  Really, for any situation that you can think that you may need to write something down, the need for something to write with arises. Continue reading “Making Your Own Ink”

Needlework Necessities for Long-Term Survival

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In a long-term, grid-down event, things will inevitably wear out.  In this situation, you will need the skills to either repair or replace what you will need.  Clothing, fabric, and canvas items are no exception.

Do you have the skills needed to repair or replace them? Continue reading “Needlework Necessities for Long-Term Survival”