Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

This and That

Cookie and candy baking came to a halt this week.  Money flew out of my wallet as fast as it flew in.

With Hubby's work schedule the truck is not yet repaired, and the ignition went out on the car that was handed down to our daughter.  So...$230 (so far) for the truck and another $160 for the car.  Talk about frustrations and headaches.  I know this is not a happy update, but it's reality.



Zuri is modeling a dog scarf I crocheted for Jesse (Vet Tech daughter's dog).  She loved it, but King tried to eat it off of her, being jealous and all.  I guess, sigh, I'll have to whip up one for all our dogs and one for "grand dog" Mia too.  They are made to fit so they don't slip off when the bend their heads down. Jesse loves to eat snow. You always know where he's been because there is a tongue mark between his paw prints in the snow, ha ha!


Update on Tiger.  Blood work ($175.00) ruled out most types of cat cancer.  They are saying it could be an allergy of some sort, so he's getting kids allergy medication and he hates it.  They don't make it for cats, so he gets what kids get these days.  He spits it out, sneezes it out, whatever to avoid swallowing it.  Poor guy.  I hope it makes him feel better.  If not, it's back to square one again with him.

It's cold out, but the wind and sunshine helps keep my electric bill down.

Someone is slacking in the egg department. 

Christmas goodie recipes were dug out, and a grocery list written.  Here's hoping to get a few holiday treats soon when vehicles are up and running. I'm picking maybe two recipes this season.

Crochet work continues, and all standing orders are finished.  My hands are very sore today, and I have one scarf to make for a daughter, so I'm taking a break today.  I only have my muscle rub to work with, so here's hoping it helps.  I am so close to ordering dried organic arnica, but I may have another idea if the "muscle rub" I made doesn't work.  I really need something that will help the joints too.

It's freezing cold here, so I tossed my hens some more fresh straw last night, and stuffed their roosts with warmness. They were not out in their run yesterday, on account of another fox sighting. I heard him early morning, and daughter saw him the night before.  Sigh.  I am hoping that after a few days, he'll/she'll move on up through the woods.


Monday, December 11, 2017

Teabag Tidbits


I have been drinking organic, store bought dandelion root tea.  I have depleted my homegrown stash of dehydrated root.  I love the little tags that come on them.  So inspiring.


I finished another scarf order last night, and have one left to do.  Then it's onto making new stuff to add to the inventory, plus one daughter's requested scarf.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Sorghum Molasses Candy ~ Tidbits


Sorghum molasses candy is one of our family favorite Christmas candies to make.  Once I started making it, I stopped making toffee for several years.  Although much of my family loves them both.  I just may make some toffee yet.  The sorghum cooks into a honeycomb type candy, is broken up, and then coated in dark chocolate.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Homemade Smoked Almonds

Hello?  Anyone out there in "cyber" land?

I love smoked almonds.  However, the ingredients in them are typically bad for good health.  Usually, they include bad oils and a form of soy.  In my opinion, all soy, unless it's organic/non-gmo, is bad for good health.  Very bad. If you saw how many times they spray the soybean field in my state, you'd never eat anything with it again.  Anyway....

I decided to make my own.

First, I made homemade celery salt using dehydrated organic celery leaves and salt. I had about 1/4 cup of dehydrated celery leaves, so I ground them up with a small amount of salt.  I didn't measure.  I just "eye-balled" it. 

Tip:  When you purchase organic celery with leaves, to freeze celery for winter, dehydrate your leaves for celery salt or to simply use in soups/stews, pastas, and other dishes too.

Then I made the almonds with the celery salt and other ingredients.  How did they taste?  

Delicious!  I used all organic ingredients and the egg white from one of our layers.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Cats to the Vet ~ Harry Potter Scarf ~ Calendula Cream Update ~ Cashew Brittle Recipe

(these are older pictures, but you can see who is who)

The cats have both been to the vet this week. Somehow, with the "car shuffle" we managed it.  Jasper had to be seen because of his teeth.  He has gum disease.  He's going back for a teeth cleaning to prevent it from getting any worse.  There is no cure for gum disease in a cat sadly.  He's on antibiotics until then, and he's not liking getting it.  




Tiger is sick.  He started to vomit all over the house, so we switched his food, and he'll only eat one wet type (and it has to be cold).  He was keeping it down, but now his back bones are sticking out too much, even though he was eating.  Now his hair is falling out in large clumps.  The vet looked him over, and blood work is getting processed.  We'll get results soon.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Random Tidbits ~ Cashew Brittle

Hubby and I had a long Monday.  Who puts events on a Monday evening anyway?!  Well, the public vocational high school, that our youngest daughter will attend next year, held their "career" night Monday night.  She is the one kiddo who will go to school to learn to be a full service cosmetologist.    

More vehicle troubles - Hubby's brake line broke while driving home on the highway.  We went to fetch daughter's old car (still need to transfer title), but she let the tags expire.  So....back to square one.

"Grad" Daughter got herself a second job.  She was hired during the first interview for Christmas help in a retail clothing store.  She is super happy.  She will need the money to pay for her car insurance.

Not much to update in the sense of homesteading lately.  I miss our goats right now (for some odd reason, maybe due to lack of outdoor garden work?).  The hens are continuing to supply me, so I am stashing some for Christmas baking.  It's been raining and cold, so the barn wood job is on hold for a day or so.  It's been cold too.



Cashew brittle was made.  I haven't made it in years, so it was due time this year.  I made two trays, but I think I will make one more.  It's not a hard rock brittle, so it's easy on your teeth.  We love it.  And of course I use organic/non-gmo corn syrup to make it.  One kiddo said, "Wait? you made it this early??"  Ha ha!  I told her, "you do realize there are only 20 days until Christmas?"  Hubby already found my stash and ate a good handful or two.  I'll have to re-stash my stash.

I decided to send the next finished scarf off to CA, considering the length of delivery time, and work up the next four for the local sales.  I'm saving the gifted one for my other daughter last.  I have only a few more rows to finish another scarf today, then I'll start another one.  I also sold another mug set and 4 dishcloths.  

Its a brisk 29°F out (feels like 17) and it'll only get up to a high of 40 today.  Yesterday we had almost zero sunshine, but today we should get some.  Ever so thankful for that sunshine too.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Barn Rubble ~ Tidbits

The crazy weekend has ended.   The weather warmed up again on Sunday, and we needed some R and R.  You bet, we took off on a motorcycle ride.  We needed coffee, so our ride was to the grocery store, ha ha!  We just took the long way home.

Hubby and I are back to cleaning up the barn rubble.  I am back to removing nails to prepare some siding for delivery (and put another dent in the clean up).

I told Hubby life would resume to normal after the craft show.  Well, it will be another week or two for me, ha ha!


Here are just a few photos from the Christmas craft show.  I totally forgot to take many, as I was crocheting the entire show.  I had some hand stitched cards, photo cards, facial scrubbies and cup cozies leftover from the Farmer's market, so the girls helped make price tags.



I also had pin cushions leftover, and one sold.  We had much more on our tables  - necklaces, keychains, all sorts of handicrafts.  


Here are some of the bottle cap charms I created 3 years ago.  I put them on necklaces and keychains.



I also had these granny squares made for keychains and necklace charms.

I also have some embroidered bottle cap necklaces to sell.  You can see a photo on my other blog here:  Bottle Cap Embroidered Necklace.

I sold one of the mug sets the very first minute we opened (the blue one).  I sold one wine cork (painted) necklace, and a few other items, but nothing to brag about.  It was a very long 9am-4pm day, in which we really didn't get a lot of customers.  I didn't sell one scarf either.  We made enough to cover cost of tables, and donated item, but it wasn't a best show.  Hubby wants me to find one more to do, but  guess what?


I completely finished the "Harry Potter" scarf for my youngest daughter's birthday.  She loves it.  While I was crocheting at the craft show, my "Vet Tech in training" daughter eye-spied it and wants one for Christmas.  So, with no customers, and a few hours left until the show ended I started another one.  

And.....because I was crocheting it, a customer placed an order for one (I don't even have a price yet, ha ha!).  Then...yes there is more, my cousin in CA, sent me a message that she too wants one.  As of this morning, I have 5 orders for the "Harry Potter" scarves, and one for Slytherin colors.  I will have to make a trip to the yarn store today or tomorrow.  I had no idea what "Slytherin" colors were either, so I had to look that up too.  

So, although the show wasn't that great of my time spent, I got orders for two scarves I'll be getting paid for soon.  I got one order just by my youngest wearing hers in a store.  The cashier ordered one for her sister. 

It will warm up even more today, but later this week we will be getting back below 20's at night.  Brr.  I'll try to squeeze in some outdoor time to get some more vitamin D today.  We are also cleaning house for someone's 16th birthday party soon.  My evenings will be busy with crochet work, ha ha!  I hope I can get enough yarn for all of them.