Thrifty Living Debt Free with Classy Style and Forest Style Suburban Gardening

My name is Clotilda Jamcracker. My husband and I paid off all of our debt through hard core saving.  I would like to share with the world just how to find the money needed to pay off debt.  I am also interested in hearing frugal ideas from other people.

I got rid of the debt in my life and decided to get rid of my grass as well.  The backyard is virtually grass free and is now in the first stages of being a food forest.  I have lots of gardening advice and would to help others learn about gardening and I am also open to take gardening advice from others.

I have a novel that I am writing posted on my website and I would like some input from anyone willing to read it.

I have two  amateur children’s books on amazon.com

The apple tree by Lewis Harvey

The Tale of Esperanza by  Lewis Harvey

340 responses »

  1. Hi Clotilda, thanks for the “like” on my post “Abortion????….An Unborn Child’s Plea”…..I think that paying off all of your debt is highly commendable…..I’m not quite there yet but I’m certainly on the way………….all the best with your blog……..Shalom!……..KIm

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  5. Hello Clotilda,

    Thank you for liking my post.
    Maybe you can make it and see our exhibition.

    I am sooo curious about getting debt free as it is a big subject in my life.

    Looking forward to your posts

    All the best

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  7. Thank you for visitng my blog and liking my latest post. Your blog is very interesting and I am now following you. We try to live debt free also – but we are still working at paying off the mortgage and the loan for our solar panels.

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  10. You’re weird and scary. Thanks. I also like to gardening and my grass I can’t get rid of so I’m just letting it grow but now I can’t find my dog because he’s short legged, as am I.

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  11. Hey there…thanks for the like…you’re very funny and witty. Where can I find your novel? I’d like to give it a whirl and I might ask you to return the favor very soon

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      • I wish I had a publisher…not so sure happy guy is the correct epithet but I’m trying to live up to it anyway. What’s your book called?

  12. Hello, Everyone is always so nice. Except for Mr Fields who said you were weird and scary. He may be right, but I’m still just confused. Clotilda Jamcracker? I read some of your stuff and…it makes me want to read more. Not sure why though. Your very interesting….I think.

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  15. Thank you for reading out my blog and liking it. I enjoyed my tour of your blog and your introduction of yourself. Debt free-it’s a goooood thing!

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  16. Thanks for stopping by and liking my post about Bruno Mars. Nice work on being debt free! I’m all for overpaying bills so the extra money brings down the principal.

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  22. I think you amazing.
    I wasn’t signed in so it came up as anonymus lol.
    But yeah, i like your blog very much.
    Xx

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  25. Thanks for coming by my blog, congrats on being debt free. I have been debt free and hope to achieve such status again. Really like your blog. I plan to visit again!
    Om shanti

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  33. So nice to meet you! Thanks for liking, “10 Reasons Why I am the Best Mom.” We, too, are working on paying down debt… but we’re not frugal so it’s a long process. :>

    I look forward to following you; LOVED the June posts that I read.

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  34. Hey Clotilda~~ Thanks for liking my post on Korea’s funky baby-making ad campaign 🙂 Your objectives are awesome— especially that food forest! I’m jealous—I live in an apartment and am making do with a little patio garden of herbs and succulents 🙂

    I look forward to reading your posts. And here’s a link to one of my own “frugal” projects:

    DIY Origami Air Fresheners w/ Coffee

    Since you’re a gardener, you could also recycle the coffee grounds, especially for stuff that likes acidic soil.

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  43. Hey, thanks for liking my blog. We recently paid off our last bit of debt (our car), and now enjoy getting a paycheck that’s ours! We’re just starting out gardening (by starting out, I mean figuring where to plant what, and when). It’s a work in progress!

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  44. Hi, thanks for visiting my blogs, love your illustrations and look forward to following your stories in more detail. Also loving the frugal living, tips and will be checking out tips for a more foodie garden 🙂

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  45. hi there thanks a bunch for hitting the LIKE button 🙂 I appreciate it…. I appreciate your blog “Love” your drawings… I have used you as an inspiration to my 16 yr old who I have been trying to get her to write & illustrate books for ever:) you also have inspired me to draw again … it has been literally 2 yrs since I have picked up a pencil and drew something or even painted 😦 either way I look forward to reading on your garden (as I have one myself) which is also a work in progress 🙂

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    • I bought some how to draw manga books from Michaels and I also look up rosemaling art, thai art, and scandinavian folk art on bing images and I just copy them. I color all my drawings with colored pencil. It’s cheaper than an art class. Oh. I also look up how to draw videos on you tube. I draw with all my kids. They have all written books. Its a great hobby that’s also a lot cheaper than soccer class. Have fun!

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    • I’m a mad gardener in the Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter sort of way. Don’t listen to me. I might make you go insane. I would recommend looking up Geoff Lawton and Food Forest on Youtube. I’ve been trying to grow things since I was knee high to a grashopper and I would say that he has the best advice ever because he uses something called Permaculture. Permaculture is permanent agriculture. It a self sustaining gardening method in which you can create a whole ecosystem. It’s the most amazing thing that I have ever seen in my life. I ordered his DVD on Soils and it just blew my mind away. This guy created a food forest in the desert by building up the soil and creating a way for the ground to absorb water. After a period of a few years, the rain started falling on the area and they no longer needed man made irrigation. I took pictures of my garden this spring and posted a few tips on my website. http://www.clotildajamcracker.com. Good luck with your garden. It’s my goal in live to spread the word about food forests. One day I am going to buy a huge piece of land and make a giant food forest. But right now, it’s just a tiny suburban plot in the Republic of Texas.

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  47. Thanks for liking my blog. I love yours!! I grow loads of my own veg, organic but not forest gardening. I’m interested in permaculture and try to follow some of the principles, but my garden is more traditional (organic) because I can manage it that way.. I also write for children. I’ll be stopping by and keeping in touch. Have you found Rhonda’s blog at http://down—to—earth.blogspot.co.uk/? She’s Australian and writes about frugality and simple living. I don’t contribute but I do read regularly. Will try to put some gardening stuff on my blog, keep meaning to, time runs away …. Best wishes, Amanda.

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  52. Thanks for visiting my blog!! 🙂 I hope you enjoyed it! Yours is certainly interesting… It may be helpful in my near future as I dive into adulthood! 😀

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  54. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and liking my brother’s birthday post !

    Congratulations on being debt free, and quite a blog you’ve got here!! Keep writing !

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  56. I recently started my first blog on the witness to my family’s lifestyle change. I noticed that you have liked several of my posts. I appreciate you reading them! You are my most interesting reader thus far! I was wondering what tips you have on becoming debt free and learning to live with less or “need” less. We depend on two incomes because of debt but I also know we could get more “thrifty” and I want to know how.

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  61. Hi, hey thanks for liking my latest post ‘Happy Birthday Ty’. I love your blog, it is going to take me a few visits to get through it all, oh and the drawings are really cool. 🙂

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  62. Thanks for liking my post and checking out my blog–www.doogen.wordpress.com–and I love your thrifty tips too! Looking forward to reading more!

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  63. Hi!
    Thanks for stopping by my blog! I’ll be stopping back to check out some of your posts and frugal ideas. This blog seems like its right up my alley. 🙂

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  64. Great blog concept! And thanks for stopping by and following by blog. I LOVE the concept of frugality and it’s a dream for my husband and I to be debt free as well. Good job, you guys! And best wishes for continued success – hope you reach thousands of people through your writings.

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  65. Your blog seriously has me LOL’ing for a number of reasons: 1) I lived in Utah…until you’ve lived in Utah you don’t even know cheap! Not to say you haven’t reached epic levels of fantastic cheapdom (cos you have in the best way possible), but I’m just sayin…cheap is THE way of life there. 2) I think in a very similar, not necessarily linear way. Everything reminds me of a story…then that reminds me of a story…which then reminds me I’m driving on the freeway, and I need to stop thinking about stories. Anyway…great work.

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  66. “Never give money to the poor and avoid as many social obligations as possible that waste your precious time and don’t directly benefit you” – I love this! 🙂 Infact that entire post was awesome, and thank you for visiting my page also 🙂

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  67. Hi there, thanks for liking my television post which seems feeble and immature compared to what you write! But thanks again and I’ve had a read through your blog and love it. Definitely worth a follow and a good few visits sitting with a cuppa 🙂

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  71. Thanks for stopping by and liking my blog post. You have a very interesting blog here, once I started reading I couldn’t stop. Good luck with your novel and congrats on living debt free, I’m looking forward to hearing about your food forest too!

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  73. Thank you for passing by, I love the idea of gardening, something I look forward to when I finally buy my farm in the future.

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  75. Watching the TEACHING video on pasta making – you are awesome making this with young kids all around . . I think it’s brilliant! The comments on learning Japanese or Mandarin or listening to music you enjoy are great . .and the video operator – videographer is brilliant, as is the “get the cat out of the toilet” comment. Family life is brilliant! (We have a family of 6, now adult, children, and involving them in the away you have is engaging, disarmingly honest, and a load of fun). Great posts ! David.

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  76. I have only recently began blogging – and I have hundreds of videos, both professional and fun family ones as resources to use. . . after watching your cooking one on pasta making I am going to add one of my cooking ones, with 2 teenage sons helping, cooking Mars Bar Muffins. Thanks for your comments on my Bringing Up The Rear Video. David.

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  77. Hi, Thanks for the like! I’m undertaking a new adventure in my blog, moving in from my regular creative writing and word smithery. I’ve enjoyed reading through a few of your posts and look forward to more.

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  80. Hey hi, thanks for liking my post. Hope to see you at the football blog. I assume you also follow “the beautiful game”??

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  83. Hi Clotilda, and thanks for stopping by my blog. I love your blog theme, and wonder if you have heard of either Steve Diggs or Dave Ramsey? Both of these guys helped my wife and I become debt free. Can’t say our success with gardening has seen the same success, but maybe that’s why I found your blog to follow. I look forward to it.

    Keep on keeping on.

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    • I haven’t heard of Steve Diggs, but my husband found Dave Ramsey on the radio one night and forced me against my will into paying off debt. It was horrible at first, but I found a copy of the Tightwad gazette and made some fun out of it. I washed ziploc bags and learned how to cook and sew and do all sorts of things like find interesting ways to avoid spending money. It’s fun.

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      • Haha, very neat. I was going to recommend those two guys if you hadn’t heard of them. Steve Diggs has written a good book called, “No Debt, No Sweat” that really helped us. I figured it would be some content worth posting/reviewing on your blog if you were to get your hands on it.

        Keep on keeping on.

  85. Thank you for the likes. I like your writing and will follow with interest.

    I too am paying off debts – can’t wait until that’s over!

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  88. Hey, Clotilda! Thanks for the ‘like’ on our recent post. I was just reading your blog and it’s entertaining, adorable and definitely full of life. Since you plan to garden, have you thought about growing Aloe Vera? Visit our webpage, http://www.newyorkcaribnews.com to read an article about it! Again, thanks, and we hope to see you back soon.

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  89. Love the idea of debt-free living and blogging about it. Wish I could say I am there but… am working on it. Thanks for stopping by My Hmmm Collection and clicking the Like button.

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  90. Hello, there. Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post. I find your blog to be most entertaining. You are certainly interesting and I look forward to reading more.

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  92. Hi Clotilda,

    Thanks for visiting my blog. I actually suck at blogging and couldn’t figure out how to answer you. But I like this post, so this seems like a good place to reply. With the exception of the apartment we just bought (NOT paying it off makes more sense at this point), we are also debt free, thanks entirely to the maniacal spending and saving habits of my wife (handling money is another thing I suck at). And I began container gardening this year, with mixed result (I do know what I can change before next summer).

    You mentioned that I “should go see what they’re up to. Maybe you’ll like their blog as much as they liked yours!” Do you mean at the Zeitgeist movie site?

    Thanks again for the visit,
    Al

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  93. Thanks for liking my blog post. I’ve enjoyed reading through yours too! We aren’t debt free yet, but we are credit card free and plan to stay that way. I look forward to reading more of your blog posts.

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  94. Clotilda, thank you for stopping by and “liking” my blog on The Wrestling Match this morning! Your blogs are interesting and funny and I’ve enjoyed reading them! God Bless!

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  103. Hi Clotilda – Thanx for the ‘like’ of my blog post on parables. I spent a long time going thru your blog and web site; pretty cool stuff. I hope your books do well and you can splurge once in a while and forgo frugality . . . just a little. God bless.

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  104. Hi! Thanks for the like, I have to say that while reading some of your posts I was lost(in a good way)
    Absolutely magical:)

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  105. I just shared your financial post w/ a young single mom who is struggling financially, and w/ my bud’s on face book tonight. thank you for taking the time to post your stuff! 🙂 DM

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  107. Just stopped by to thank you for visiting Cry and Howl. You’ve got a great blog site here, full of fun, family and life.
    I think your post Stop bugging me or I will kill you! is great … it’s the exact same thing my wife says to me all the time! 🙂
    I hope you and your family have a great 4th of July celebration!

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  108. Every time I come by WordPress, you’re there! You’re everywhere! Thanks for looking at my blog. Yours is killing me, and I only hope I live through the laughter long enough to read your next post! 😀

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  117. Hello, thank you for looking at my blog, just had a look at yours, I haven’t quite seen anything like this one just yet (pretty new to the blogging thing), love the illustrations. This line in particular ‘Blessed are the weirdos. For they shall learn the art of facial expressions.’ from your recent post was class.

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  120. Thanks for the “like” and the visit! Your posts are well-written and have a certain fresh frankness about them which I admire.

    Also, good job on the no debt thing. I just finished school so I’m swimming in it right now, but I’ve promised myself not to incur any more! (hopefully ever, but at the least until I get my student loans paid off!)

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  123. Thanks for stopping by “Unwalled” again and liking my post “Tonight I thank God”……I love your style of art……it seems perfect for illustrating children’s books……..not everyone can do that!

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  127. Hi there,

    Thank you very much for visiting my fledging blog and liking one of my posts. I really appreciate that. As you may have noticed I am rather new to it all. I am now going to look around here a bit more as I like what I see so far.

    Daniela

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  128. Thanks for visiting my blog! I love gardening as well :-). We didn’t rip out the whole back yard, but a third of it. I just keep digging up more space and planting more things. It is so satisfying to eat food that you picked only an hour before! Way to get out of debt, I am still on that journey myself, what a journey!

    Mary

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  131. Thanks for visiting my blog! Yours is fascinating! I’m 50% of the way to getting out of debt and so glad to hear there is a light at the end of my tunnel. 🙂

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  132. Thanks for visiting Keeping up with Carol! I love the story about the boys you grew up with! This is what I do to be frugel – 1) When we order a pizza, I have it cut into 16 slices, that way people think they’re eating more, when we’re actually letting it stretch. 2) When we go to a fast food drive thru and plan to go home and eat the food, we order soda with no ice – we can add the ice at home and that way we get a little more soda! 🙂

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  134. Hi Clotilda!

    I have noticed that you have liked some of my “business opportunity posts” (Forever Living Aloe Vera) Would you be interested to join my team?
    Please contact me through my website and we can discuss further! You will find my email address there as well. Believe its a great opportunity.

    Will be waiting for your email!
    Healthy regards,
    Victoria

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  135. Thank you for liking my post….I deleted it after you liked it because I had already posted it a few weeks earlier. But, thank you anyhow!! I love your blog!! I am headed over to your site now to check out your novel. And children’s books!! How cool. Looks like we have a lot in common. I am working on a novel and one day I would love to put out a few children’s books!! Oh, and getting out of debt is the way to be. I commend you and your husband both!!! 😉

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  141. Hey Clotilda thanks for visiting and liking my post! Looking forward to reading your blog… debt free free freedom – gotta love it. We share the joy. Also have turned our lawn into garden and forest (well… okay, not quite forest, but we like to think of it that way)…

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  146. you have a very interesting style about you! i have really enjoyed the posts I read. Thanks for stopping by my blog on genealogy. I have another, self-helpy-journaly sort of a blog also: oneyearsjourney.wordpress.com (that’s now on it’s second year…) I enjoy your advice on debt-free living… we have been working on it for so long, I will look into some of your tips and see if I can get the hubby on board! Thanks!

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    • Dear God Almighty, I’m cracking up. Love your comment. Yes, thank you for your great idea. I was thinking of publishing my blog and calling it The Book of Madness, but maybe I should call it The book of the Toilet. Perhaps. I’ll have to change all the names and figure out how to replace the yearbook pictures. Hmm. And I’ll have to get an umbrella policy with my insurance company just in case someone takes me to court. And I might have to book a few tickets to Egypt just in case someone tries to hunt me down and kill me for my slanderous evil deeds, but what they hey.

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  150. Hi Clotilda,
    Thanks for checking out my website. I like the philosophy of yours as well. After an accident several years ago, I decided to close the credit cards and hurry up and pay off the car. I got sick of writing check after check after check every month. Other than student loans, I am debt free as well, and I love it!

    Can you tell me, how did you find my website? I’ve been with WordPress for a few months now, but am dreadfully behind the times as to how to connect with others. I do not have (or want) a Facebook page. A WordPress website is all I want. People keep liking my posts, but I don’t know how they found me, since they are strangers.

    Thanks!

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    • We had $5,000 in studen loans, $30,000 in car debt, an Old Navy Credit card with $200 on it, $1,000 for a Rainbow Vaccuum Cleaner, $1,800 for the Orkin Exterminators, and $101,000 for the mortgage. I believe it only took us a year or maybe 9 months to pay off all of it, except for the house.

      I bought a copy of the Tightwad Gazette and tried every money saving tip in there. I dried all of my clothes on hangers and over the sides of the doors. (It saves a dollar a load). I made all my own bread and other foods from scratch and I never bought chips or junk food or convenience food and we never ate out. I wasn’t really on board with the idea of paying off debt, but I just got it over with. It was kind of fun once I got the hang of it.

      An interesting thing happens when you start to pay off debt and move forward financially, money just seems to come out of the woodwork. My husband got a raise and a promotion and a huge bonus that year. We also got some stock awards cashed in that we used to pay off debt. At the time, I think my husband made about $75,000 a year.

      The next year, we sold the house and moved to the Seattle area. And then we were completely debt free. We still had to pay rent though.

      Good luck. It’s easier if you just go hard core and get it over with. I hate it when things just drag on.

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      • Great info. Very helpful 🙂 This is the kind of info I’m thinking about for the book I emailed you about. Are you still renting or have you bought a house now in Seattle? Just wondering? Getting to know you! Mark

  158. Thought I’d join the bloggy group hug and give my thanks too. As I was reading your stuff it felt like I was spending time with someone I am fascinated by, but slightly scared they are going to get me in trouble at the same time. I’m sure that’s what you were going for : ). The prose style reminded me a bit of Kurt Vonnergut.
    Keep it up.

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  159. Thanks for liking my thinkinganddreaming.ca. You’re so amazingly creative it’s hard to believe – and so funny at the same time. And a bonus: you advised me to prune basil! Thank you so much for that! And I wish I’d had you to read when I was raising my kids 🙂

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  161. Huzza! You liked my post! Thank you. Thank You. Thank you! I saw you liked my post, and I wanted to thank you personally. If you have feedback, from love or hate, to just a string of expletives, and you wouldn’t mind hitting me with your thoughts, I would love to see them. Thank you again and have an amazing day.

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  162. Great work with ‘The Tale Of Esperanza’! Someday, I’ll start drawing again.
    Thanks for hitting ‘Like’ on my post 🙂

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  164. Hi! Thanks for visiting ‘The Teenage Jane Austen’ and liking Chapter One of ‘The Chronicles of Crazar!’ It means a lot to know that people are interested in what I am writing 🙂

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  166. living debt free is the way to go ! i am just starting in the direction !! i dont have greenthumbs though but as my unlce says that is my contribution to society by way of a flourishing industry of horticulture !

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  168. Hi Clotilda thanks for visiting my blog and liking my most recent post. I am still new to this, but I find your blog very humourous and interesting. I’ll check out your novel in the coming weeks.

    Thanks again!

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  173. Thank you, I actually left a bunch of debt in the states while I came down here for my internship in Punta Arenas, Chile. I arrived June 14, and will be here until March 2013. Now I have emails left and right saying please pay, please pay. My pay is not much at alll, but I am living the dream in Patagonian and absolutely love what i am doing. Do you have any suggestions on what to do about debt, try and pay minimum payments, ect?

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    • The longer you put off paying debt the bigger it gets. Paying off debt is no fun. Doing without the things you love so you can be rid of debt is painful and horrible. I only did it because someone made me do it. That’s really the only reason. It’s very nice to be on the other side, now. If you want no debt, then just don’t buy anything. Only pay off the debt until it’s all gone. Get it over with as fast as possible. It’s less painful that way.

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  179. hey,
    i just wanted to say thank you for sharing your beautiful work. i can’t seem to get enough of your extraordinarily wonderful artwork and your exquisite words, they make me grin… a lot. you got a great mind.
    looking forward to reading many more posts!

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  182. Hi — Thanks for visiting my blogs and liking my posts. I’m impressed with what you have built and are building with your sites and posts. And I just might need an illustrator for a kids’ literacy book I am developing. Cheers!

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  183. Thank you muchly for liking my post, though I JUST edited it because I accidently hit “post” a wee bit prematurely. I love what I’m reading so far in your blog, and hats off to you for paying off debt in today’s world! :]

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  189. You are so funny and I always love your offbeat posts. I for one would love to read what you are working on and give feed back, though I can’t find it on the site.. I’ve always done non fiction writing but recently have started exploring fiction writing myself. Thanks for the laughs!

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    • Hey wow. Thanks. I got the whole book finished and handed over to my friend the Drama Teacher who claimed to be an awesome editor. Then I looked at all the corrections that she thought I should make….and then I just wanted to cry. Now I think it’s absolutely terrible and I think I have to re write it, and I’ve already re wrote it three times now. She told me the dialogue is hard to read and ug. That’s when I stopped reading. Maybe I’ll repost it on my website. I could really use some help with this one. My writing skills are terrible.

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      • I don’t know your friend….and I’m sure she means well…but what I’m learning is that when most new writers let non writer friend’s ‘edit’ their work…plummeting self esteem and the urge to pitch projects inevitably follows. I have heard some stories! Yikes!

        I don’t think your writing skills are terrible! You write funny pieces….and they are addictive! You have an intriguing perspective and I can’t help but think you’d have funny imaginative stories to tell. If that’s the case….then all the other stuff…it’s just polish. I went to my first writer’s conference and left so uplifted. I was thinking my stuff was crap and was told that all writer’s originally write crap with a couple of promising bits thrown in. It’s 10% story and 90% rewriting.

        Let me know. 🙂

      • Thanks for the inspiration. I have to be able to get over my fear of rejection. I need some peace and quiet to sit down and re write. I will have more time when the kids are all back in school. I could use getting in a writers group. There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything that I’d like to do.

  192. Hi there! Thanks for visiting my blog. I’m reading your posts. I’d be happy if you visit my website^^ Thanks you!

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  193. Hello. Please forgive my tardiness, but I took too short trips and have lots track of keeping up with my blog stuff. I stopped by to (finally!) thank you for liking one of my recent posts. I always get a kick out of it, and I appreciate it. So—thank you. 🙂

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  194. Hey! Thank you very much for liking my recent post “Double Rainbow”. Glad I found your website. I’m a writer myself and it’s always great to read other peoples blogs. I’m also following your blog now. -Have a GREAT day! 🙂

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  196. I want to get rid of all of our grass for a garden, but my husband is not too keen on it. I’m enjoying your blog! Thanks for stopping by mine. =)

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    • It was my husband’s idea to have a garden instead of grass. He didn’t want to water the grass. He thought it was a waste of water, but I didn’t want to just have a dead looking ugly yard. Then I found some people who replaced their grass with garden on You tube. Then I kind of went crazy. I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s very time consuming and I think it’s made me crazier than I already am.

      Interestingly enough, , I somehow started a gardening trend in my neighborhood. Gardens are popping up all over the block.

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      • Well either way, I think its brilliant! So much water is wasted on grass that I barely ever walk on. It would be so nice to pluck food from it instead. Although I can imagine the hard work it must be!

  199. I have been recapping on all the new posts… I’ve had trouble with my Reader. Love your blog… whether they are true stories or not… it matters not to me… love every one of them! :-p

    Love & Light,
    Moon

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  201. Hi! Thanks for dropping by. Your writing cracks me up!! 🙂 You had me in stitches! laughing too loud in the middle of the night is not advisable….might just wake everyone up.

    Coffee, can’t live without coffee! Though I am trying….

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  205. Hi, Clotilda: I appreciate that you seem to LIKE every post I write and I am sorry that the fact I write every day has kept me from spending much time here – or on any other blog, for that matter. But what really mystifies me is this – what draws you to my blog? I read some of your posts and though I totally appreciate the attitude, we have very different world views. So I wonder why daily posts about the Bible interests you. Would love to hear back! Holiday

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  208. Thanks for liking my blog posts – I love reading yours, my fave so far the crazy grasshoppers and garden karma. Always fun to see clotilda updates come into my inbox 🙂

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  210. Hi! Thanks for checking into the NotionalYogini and liking my post. I love how open you are on your blog – strong voices remind us new bloggers to keep on the right track!

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  211. Hi Clotilda…i guess you already know about the nomination for the ‘very inspiring blogger’ award, but I owed you an official msg, so here goes… your words (loads of them!) leave me with a smile that reaches beyond my ears! The nomination is a ‘thank you’ for inspiring me to laugh again! 🙂

    Inspiration awarded!

    P.S: am eagerly waiting for her ‘funniest horror novel ever’!

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  216. Hey there, just wanted to thanks a bunch for the like on my post so I figured I’d return the favor and check out your blog and I must say there’s quite a bit of interesting things therefore my first instinct was “I have to follow this blog!” lol. I hope to hear and see more from you. Thanks again! 🙂

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  217. Hi There! Thanks so much for being one of the first to like our new blog! After perusing yours, we’ve found that we have so much in common with you. How delightful. Aside from our interests in home design we also share debt free living and sustainability as core values. Having recently moved to Mexico City from Canada, I myself, have found the lack of focus on the environment quite alarming. We have naturally been pointed in the right direction all along, but living in this amazing city has caused an explosion of sustainable urban living inspiration. Keep us posted on your backyard melons and cane, and thanks for checking out our Tiny Gardens.
    franciscoandmalkadesign.wordpress.com

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  221. thanks for the “like”. coming from you, it’s “like” an honour. Hence my acceptance speech:
    (in between sobs) I’d like to thank my mom and………….

    Have been trying to find your blog (rookie that I am), took some time but here i am….

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  222. Hi Clotilda. Thank you for stopping by my blog and liking my Do Over! post. I hope you will join us for the 21 Day Challenge…

    I am an author also and would love to read your work. I will go search out your website. Be Blessed!

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  225. Thanks for stopping by my blog and all the Likes! I’ve finally gotten around to reading your stories – I loved the cabbage patch doll story. I had an incident with a favored doll and a lamp when I was a child – melted plastic face is never good. Your blog has definitely made it to my follow list.

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  234. Hi there – thanks for stopping by my blog. Curious about your kid’s book … where’s the link to read more? I’m thinking about re-working a kids book I wrote in another lifetime and would love to learn more about how you got your stuff on Amazon, how its doing and the new book you’re working on.

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  236. Clotildajamcracker, Thanks for following my blog, Mormonismscam… and posting you like some of my posts. I have read your complete blog and I feel it is really creative, funny, interesting, and I can relate to it. Your blog also takes me back in time contemplating my life and relationships. Thanks for being a special person.

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  237. Hi Clotildajamcracker, thanks for liking my blog post. I haven’t read The Giving Tree Parody yet but I’m positive that it’s a great improvement on the original.

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  238. Thank you for visiting the Good Morning Garden often and for liking it. I like your passion and how it “flowers” in your writing and your graphics. 😉

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  240. Thank you for visiting To Dad With Love, and liking my latest post. I have read a few of your posts. You have an interesting and wonderful blog. Congratulations!

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  241. Hey Clotilda! You know, you’ve got just about the best blog ever. The writing! The drawing! I love it all.

    And many thanks for all your likes of the Lore. I really appreciate it.
    John K

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  242. You absolutely kill me! You are so prolific when it comes to blogging, I can get my daily fix of you and always get a good laugh. I’ve been meaning to thank you for the likes on my blog, but we’ve been busy with trying to move. We finally found a place and if the inspection is okay we’ll close the first of September and be moving. Then I’d like to talk more in depth with you about writing.

    There are sites where you can set up online writer’s groups. We need to talk!

    Until then, I happen to think people from Texas are special (I’m from San Antonio) and find it interesting that you mention the west coast, and most especially Washington quite a bit in your blogs. When did you live here? I’ve been here for over 6yrs and will be moving to Tukwila. (some of the names here just kill me too! Chuckanut, Skookumchuck, Muckleshoot,….Wouldn’t Chuckanut make a great squirrels name?)

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  243. Hi Clotilda! I wanted to stop by and thank you for liking my post, “Night In Heaven?” (August 7, 2012). I appreciate you taking the time to study my thoughts and perspective. Keep up the great work you and your family are pursuing. I’m liking your talent and zest!

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  244. Thx for visiting my blog and liking my post. I was reading some of your stuff. You’re hilarious! I love it! Never stop blogging. 🙂

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  246. What a lovely and interesting blog you have Clotilda. Love your sense of humour. Thanks for dropping by my blog, much appreciated:-)

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  247. Hi. Thank you for visiting my blog and liking my latest entry about “Acoustic Guitar in 7 Days”. If you want to check out some music, just visit my site every now and then. I might have something that would suit you well.

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  249. Thank you for visiting and liking a couple of my posts. I am currently living vicariously through you to vent my frustrations and anger against hoarding, stupid people and the minutia of other things that make mommy want to scream. I am quietly and patiently waiting for a few people to kick the bucket so I can post without causing more friction. It may be a while. I’m a chicken like that.

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  254. Hi, Clotilda,

    I just stopped by to say I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. If you haven’t received this yet, details can be found on my recent blog post. Thanks for inspiring me with your unique blend of quirkiness and a style like no other. You are very talented.

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  255. Hi, so glad you enjoyed reading about the intricacies of Lebanese culture! Your art is really interesting! keep up the great work and stay posted for more insightful (I think!!) writing on far off beautiful lands..

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  256. Hey there! I’ve nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award..whether it be through photography, content, or writing style the blogs I nominated make me smile, make me laugh, make me think, and inspire me. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog, thanks for sharing! 🙂

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  260. Hello 🙂 I cannot claim to have read your whole blog. It may take me some years. I haven’t ‘as yet’ looked up your books. I will, feel free, please, to remind me. Meanwhile I have advertised you on my FBook page, I hope that you do not mind?
    John James Boxshall shared a link.
    about a minute ago
    There are inspirational people out there: all around us. Amongst the wackiest words and the least punctuated are lines of wonderful wisdom and prose. Clotilda Jamcracker is surely not this ladies real name? I rest my case, read a bit 🙂

    (The following is under the WordPress logo and is your wording not mine).
    Thrifty Living Debt Free with Classy Style and Forest Style Suburban Gardening
    clotildajamcracker.wordpress.com
    My name is Clotilda Jamcracker. My husband and I paid off all of our debt through hard core saving. I would like to share with the world just how to find the money needed to pay off debt. I am al…
    Like · · Share

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  263. Good morning, Clotilda! I am new to blogging and today I posted my heart on my page – you were the first person to read it, and you actually “liked” it! THANK YOU! In turn, I came to your page to see who this was that read my words seconds after I made them public. I have to thank you again! I was blessed with the gift of laughter, touched by your words and artwork, and I wanted to be sure you know that today you are appreciated. I hope you’ll read more as the days pass & I’ve followed your blog because I know that when you do post I’ll benefit from your words. Have a blessed day & Smile BIG! You’ve made a difference in a stranger’s life this morning! 🙂

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  265. Dear Clotilda,
    If you liked my post, you’ll love the novel by Anna Purna, “Dr. Lumumba’s Dream of Incest” which, by the way, is not a dirty book.
    Smitty

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  269. Pingback: Thrifty Living Debt Free with Classy Style and Forest Style Suburban Gardening | lovelifebigtime

  270. Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post. Just earlier today I was contemplating starting a debt fast as a way to jump start my way back into being debt free and then you pop up! No coincidences! Thanks for the motivation! I also like to garden (but haven’t in a while) I am finding your blog dry motivating.

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  271. considering i am about to graduate from my under grad and go onto graduate school… this paying off debt thing will come in handy. haha

    thanks for you like! look forward to following your blog.

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  274. Hello. You have liked many posts on my blog and the likes came up so quickly that I doubt that you even read the post. Sorry for being so unpleasant, but sometimes I’m eager to know if WordPress is playing tricks on me.

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  277. Thanks for coming to my blog. I love your blog by the way. It’s really fun, helpful and full of your bright personality. Yay you. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

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  281. Thanks for the like!
    And I must say you have a very quirky, readable, interesting-tastic blog in the works here (not that you asked for my opinion, but nevertheless…) 🙂

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  282. Thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂

    I did a check on Amazon on your books. Have you drawn and written book all by hand? If so, how did you get to publish them? (scan..?). They look quite awesome!

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  284. Hi Clotilda. I just wanted to say hello and that I want to nominate you for the Reality Blog Award. I have always been captivated by the very passionate, colourful, and elemental drawings that you have created here with your rather unique world view. You can find the link to the Award and its information here: http://wp.me/p2qfuv-sz. I also figure that you will have some very interesting answers to the questions within this meme.

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  285. Thanks for popping by my site and liking my post on “Kapturing Koroit” – if nothing else, it has been great to have the opportunity to look around your site and have a bit of a read. All the best for the food forest (first crop of tomatoes for me for over a decade, now that we have some “dirt” of our own)…

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  287. Thanks for supporting my blog! I’m actually thinking of writing a children’s book as well, so you’re an inspiration. Love your illustrations, by the way ;).

    Hope you see you again soon!

    xo
    Teresa

    branchingowl.com

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  289. First, thanks for liking my post about recycling / reusing. Next, I’m happy to have found your site. I live very well with very little money. I have owned my 1911-built home for decades. Getting things for free is a favorite of mine. I’m also a gardener and other things. So, I thought I’d just pop by and say hello and thanks for sharing your wonderful writing and your right-on insights! All good to you!

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  291. Pingback: BLAHS #3: Women with an Attitude–You Pick It. – The Millennium Conjectures(tm)

  293. Thanks for visiting my blog and lad I found yours,started reading your posts and will be back to read more. Being one brick short of a load myself I couldn’t not follow you with that name!

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  300. Pingback: Essa Alroc – Undisputed (and slightly unethical) Winner of the BLAHS « Essa On Everything

  301. I have a grass-free yard too! But it’s full of life! Thanks for stopping by and taking a peed at my blog… I’ll be here to check back on you from time to time! xLaura

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  305. I follow your blog and your picture/icon is featured on the far right hand side of my blog showing people who read my blogs what I read, perhaps you would like to tell some of my readers something about yourself and your blog. I will go with the odd/even method of interviewing (which I just made up), one question will call for a serious answer the other a less serious answer.

    1. French fries: Shoestring, steak, curly, crinkle cut? What condiment(s) on them?

    2. How long have you been blogging and why?

    3. What odor/smell/fragrance to you is the most pleasant?

    4. Favorite things to read? What genre? (you may expand on this if you so desire)

    5. A boat you are riding in is about to capsize what did you do to contribute to this?

    6. What is the best thing about blogging?

    7. How much ground can a ground hog, hog, if a ground hog could hog ground?

    8. What is the worst thing about blogging?

    9. If you could force one famous person to read your blog who would you force, and how much would you force them to read?

    10. Where do you hope blogging will lead you too?

    Will be posting your interview on a Saturday if you respond. aaforringer@gmail.com

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  306. Laura your writing sucks. I feel sorry for Jason I’m sure you guys must be miserable with your antics & he doesn’t know what to do with you.

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  307. I’ll by a thousand amuture books & write awesome reviews even tho the art sucks if you jo get help & stop making Jason miserable he is a good guy complete opposite from what you are used to doesn’t mean to dog him out. No wander you write this horrible diary to deal with his infidelity you drive him to it you know.
    He looks not well you can see his physical health he looks frail your going to put that guy in an early grave. Question the safety for your children sometimes not from writing a terrible blog but how u really are in real life. Hope u get it together your husband & kids deserve better.

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