Hi, I’m Maggie, a headcovering, homeschooling, modest dressing Christian lady. I have 2 grown daughters, 2 teenage sons, 1 baby granddaughter, 4 fat cats, 2 fat dogs and 1 beloved husband. Fred and I have been married for 20 years. I used to own Hillbilly Housewife but felt the Lord telling me it was time to let it go. Now I own Frugal Abundance and feel it suits me better these days.
I’ve written extensively on homemaking, modesty, biblical submission and headcovering over the past decade. I’ve been published in magazines, both print and on-line. I’ve done a radio interview and been approached by half a dozen different producers about appearing on TV. So far I haven’t found a show I was willing to associate my name with, but if it ever happens, I’ll let everyone know.
I’m 38, have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a metabolic disorder that makes one gain weight and makes it especially difficult to lose weight. I’m on an eternal quest to reach a healthy weight and God willing, I intend to reach my goal.
24 responses so far ↓
Amanda Coers // February 25, 2008 at 4:55 pm |
I just wanted to tell you how much your site has meant to me. Currently I work full time as an office administrator, I’m the mother of three children and a wife to a wonderful, but often neglected husband.
I have been led to become more – thank GOD! In June, I will leave the workforce and begin homeschooling my children. I am striving to be a better mother and a better wife. These are huge steps for me and your site has inspired me to fully realize my glory as a woman living for God and serving her family.
I am just now learning how to budget money, prepare weekly menus, and manage my household. It’s intimidating, but extremely rewarding. I’m even looking at raising chickens and sheep! This is a true make-over for this ditzy city kid.
I know you must be terribly busy, but I felt I needed to let you know that you are helping so many moms and wives with your wonderful website. Thank you for sharing your blessed knowlege and insight!
ella jones // April 9, 2008 at 12:33 pm |
Dear Miss Maggie,
I recently refound this site ,as I was slightly unsure with your ‘old’ wesite. . not been same.I am homeschooling Mom of four living in U.K. I was glad to see you are still ,handing out message of how to be frugal. With everything happening we need as many more like you.
Here in U.K I think we are on verge of recession..Gas is ten dollars gallon , electricity and gas have gone up 80 and 90% in last two years. Food prices have gone up about 15 % in last six months. We have called ‘credit crunch’ as banks will not lend to each other. Things look similar to early 1990’s. But jobs are not been lost yet.
I am lucky my house is mine so is all my cars,no credit cards or loans. Well blessed, unlike so many. My Mom grew up in Canada during depression before returning to u.k before WWII. So between rationing , depression both my parents were Phd in how to stretch budget and food. so much knowledge has been lost in this instant world, .. I was taught to cook at home and in school alongside basic nutrition.
Now we are hearing of malnutrition alongside record levels of children been obese. During late 1980’s I came across book on how to feed family for £4.00 a day .
Even with all thing I knew could still learn many more ways to extend and feed family for less.This started love of frugal cookbooks . Odd thing to collect I know. But it is my special intrest .All are British with exception of articles from yourself and others on web.If you are intrested in anything let me know as it easy to convert british imperial to american measures. Please keep good work and God bless you and your family for your effort.
dzitterbart // April 25, 2008 at 5:46 am |
Miss Maggie,
Good Morning! I just wanted to take a moment to tell you what a blessing you are. My husband and I are Independent Fundamental Baptists, I wear only modest dresses every day, I am very convicted about headcoverings and have been praying about that part of my Christian walk. I found you first when you were running Hillbilly Housewife, what a blessing, we have used your emergency menu on more than one occasion. It is so encouraging to see other Christian women living modestly both in dress and financial matters. My daughter will be 2 Saturday and we are getting our homeschooling material in order, I figure if I start now then I won’t have so much to do when she actually “officially starts” school. Your new blog is great as well as Frugal Aundance. My only question is whether or not you will move some of your Hillbilly Housewife Recipes over to your new site or are you laying all of that aside? I know it takes a lot to run a website but Hillbilly Housewife is so eaten up with advertisements that it is very distracting, but that is very superficial, I know. I still frequent it quite a bit in spite of my disappointments.
Thank you for being so eager to offer your words of wisdom and plethora of knowledge through your websites, it is a blessing to have solid information from a Christian lady.
God Bless you and your family Miss Maggie!
Donna
frugalabundance // April 25, 2008 at 10:33 am |
Hi Donna,
I won’t be moving any of the recipes from there to here, I’m sorry. I hope to add new recipes and articles to this site over time. The new owner of HBHW owns the recipes there until January 2013. At that point she’ll still be able to use them, but they’ll also revert back to me.
It’s so nice to meet another IFB who dresses modestly. We’re a small group, but we’re growing.
Shoshana // May 1, 2008 at 7:54 pm |
I am an old convert from HBHW days who finally found this new site. Thank you so much for all the work you do. I love all the recipes and love to get inspiration from your life.
frugalabundance // May 1, 2008 at 9:22 pm |
My pleasure Shoshana, happy to oblige
other daughter // May 5, 2008 at 12:06 pm |
Please help me find a pattern number. I know it exists and is still in print.
It’s the Simplicity fitting pattern. I have the McCall’s and the Butterick fitting patterns. Each pattern company makes all of their patterns from their individual slopers. The fitting pattern is in reality their sloper and when I alter it to fit me, then I can use that to make all patterns of that brand to fit without going to the trouble of individually altering each pattern. A great time saver and it always gives good results.
And if anyone wants to have good results in sizing patterns to fit her, then look for an old, out of print book by Nancy Zieman called “The Busy Woman’s Fitting Book”. I would try Abes Books on the net. It is the simplest and the most easily understood method of fitting patterns I’ve ever found. I’ve been using it for about 16 yrs and I love it. So very much easier than slashing and spreading paper patterns.
And, Maggie, it must be something in the air, because I’ve been going through my fabric stash this spring pulling out cotton to make summer pajamas. They are so comfortable. For years I’ve worn tricot gowns and they are so hot and sticky in the summer, so I decided that this summer I was going to be cool and comfy in cotton. So far I’ve made 3 pr. and I’ve not bought a single item. Just pulled out fabric, thread and patterns from my stash and have been so pleased with the results. And you know cotton, the more it’s washed, the softer and more comfy it becomes.
And if you have a favorite pattern that you want to keep using, then use a warm dry iron and fuse interfacing to the back of the pattern. This will strenghten it for many, many more uses. (You might want to protect the ironing board cover with aluminum foil so you don’t fuse the interfacing to the cover). Just trim the interfacing from the pattern after it’s cool and you may be able to reuse the scraps of interfacing for small pattern pieces.
Hope this helps someone.
And please, if anyone knows the pattern number for the Simplicity fitting pattern, please let me know. I have a Simplicity’s Simply The Best Sewing Book and there’s a coupon to send in for a free Simplicity pattern but I don’t know the number and it’s required.
TIA
OD
frugalabundance // May 5, 2008 at 1:06 pm |
Hi Other Daughter, I haven’t seen Simplicity’s Basic Fitting Pattern. I’ve used Butterick’s but I didn’t even know Simplicity makes one. I hate to seem redundant, but have you looked on E-Bay? That’s the only place I can think of. Sorry I couldn’t be more help, but delighted that you’re enjoying your sewing.
Amber Lee // May 19, 2008 at 10:29 pm |
I didn’t realize you were IFB. My mother’s family is a conglomeration of IFB and Old Regular Baptist. I took the heathen path and became Anglican
I couldn’t find a way to email you, Maggie, and so I was hoping if I could learn from you great advice before I’m a solo young lady on a very tight budget this fall. I mentioned in your most recent post that I am bipolar and a quality, disciplined diet is essential to my well being.
JJ // May 31, 2008 at 12:45 pm |
I was looking for an email for you, but couldn’t find one. Anyway, found this while looking at food sections this week and thought you might be interested since it’s about GF http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2008/05/31/features/food/food01.txt
I also know that Kim from the Washington Post blog A Might Appetite http://blog.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/ has also written a bit about GF stuff and you should be able to search there and find some stuff too.
JJ
Miss Maggie // June 1, 2008 at 9:48 am |
Thanks JJ. I’ll check them out.
CanCan // June 9, 2008 at 9:14 pm |
I’m so excited that I have just found your site. I am starting my son on a GFCF diet because he has had ADHD symptoms since birth (starting with never sleeping…seriously EVER! A newborn!)
Anyway we are a missionary family and always pinching pennies. I look forward to more of your homemaking wisdom.
akhomeschoolfun // July 11, 2008 at 12:38 am |
I never realized you were the old owner of HBHW. No wonder I like your writing. I was first convicted of modest dress by reading the Apron Evangelism post there. Thanks for the gentle push in the right direction.
As far as links between diet and behavior, I’ve cut out most processed foods plus any kind of food additives (but I do need wheat gluten for our homemade wholewheat bread) and that has helped greatly. Today we ate out lunch (pizza) and tonight my son is bouncing off the walls. Luckily my sister in law is here to take him for a long walk.
Shannon // July 11, 2008 at 6:35 pm |
Dear Miss Maggie,
I used to tune into ‘hillbilly housewife’ a lot, then about a year ago I moved and had another precious baby and have been too busy to check out your new site. I must say Dear Miss Maggie that you are AMAZING!! Thank you so much for this wonderful resource.
Barb // August 24, 2008 at 10:13 pm |
I found the blog after someone in an online homeschooling group posted the link to the Old Fashioned Education information. Wonderful information, and so well-researched & detailed! I’m still learning about the rest of the site.
For help with health issues, I encourage you to check http://www.drmcdougall.com. A woman who lives 40 minutes from me is listed on the “Star McDougallers” portion of the site. I contacted her and struck up an email relationship. She is a Christian, and regained her health with help from Dr. McDougall. She encouraged me to email him for help. I did, and he answered me back. I’m currently following instructions and have seen improvement, although it has only been 1 week. Like this site, Dr. McDougall’s site has an incredible amount of information for free, including recipes. Thank you for your willingness to share the results of your efforts with others. May God bless you.
amberpeace // September 10, 2008 at 1:48 pm |
Maggie, I am never good at finding email addresses – I bet it’s on here somewhere.
I think I remember you posting on making grocery lists and menues for the week and how to keep it low cost. I’m looking for it because i’m on my own for the first time (!) in graduate school and so now I’m responsible for keeping my own kitchen.
Did that make any sense??
frugalabundance // September 10, 2008 at 3:00 pm |
Hi Amberpeace. You can email me at frugalabundance@cox.net. I’m not sure I have written anything recently on that topic, you might need to check the old HBHW site.
Robin // September 30, 2008 at 10:31 pm |
Hi Maggie,
I too have been using HBHW for a long time! Thank you so much!! I too am an IFB who dresses modestly! PRAISE GOD FOR THAT!!
I am so thankful for this new site! We have to live a GF diet also. But I have found it impossible on my budget. Three of my children have Celiac’s Disease and I am Gluten Intollerant.
I look forward to using your site OFTEN!!!
teresa // October 14, 2008 at 10:29 am |
Thank you so much for all you do In helping other mothers out! You have been a real blessing to me!!
Mike Burlingame // January 14, 2009 at 7:10 am |
Feedback on Frugal Abundance
I visited your blog, Frugal Abundance located at http://frugalabundance.wordpress.com/ recently. I must say, I’m quite impressed by the blog’s content. In particular, I really liked http://frugalabundance.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/menus-for-approximately-2-weeks/.
Good job!
I’d like to know if you’d be interested in having me as a guest writer for your blog. I am a features writer working with MiracleFruitPlus.com. I’d like to write a free 300 to 400 word blog entry for you. I have a few years experience and would really enjoy writing one or two guest blog entries for your blog.
If you’d like to take me up on my offer, please send me a topic and a quick outline of what you’d like the article to say. Please give me as much detail as possible so I can make the blog entry meet your specifications as much as possible.
In exchange for this free blog entry, I would like to request a linkback to MiracleFruitPlus in the body of the blog entry somewhere using the title tag “miracle fruit.”
I look forward to your response
Best Regards,
Mike Burlingame
Angela K. Marvin // February 24, 2009 at 11:21 am |
(I tried to send this to your email address listed above, but it got returned?)
Hi Miss Maggie!
I have been following your websites for several years now. Thanks for all that you do! Anyway, I’m writing because I believe that I also have PCOS and I can’t remember what websites you recommended. Also, didn’t you try a low-carb diet to help treat it? (I believe that some doctors do recommend this?) Do you find that the GFCF diet helps more? I’m not sure which way to turn! I have always lost weight and felt pretty well on low-carb diets, but if a GFCF diet works better for the PCOS, I may try that. (Although, I was a vegan last year for a while, so I was CF-free for several months, and I didn’t notice any health benefits from it at that time.)
Anyway, I’d appreciate any help. Thanks in advance and God bless!
Grace and peace,
AKM
Victoria Goins // July 19, 2009 at 12:23 pm |
How do I reach you? Your posted e-mail doesn’t work. Please e-mail me at bandvgoins@aol.com. Thank you.
August // August 1, 2009 at 4:27 pm |
Finally tracked you down – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
pomegranatetea // September 6, 2009 at 4:21 pm |
Hi Maggie, I found your blog via your old-fashioned education site. I am only 20 at the moment, but your thorough curriculum has encouraged me to homeschool my children when I have a family of my own! Thanks for the inspiration.
Jade