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~

Showing posts with label Crafts and Activities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crafts and Activities. Show all posts

Sunday, July 9, 2023

. . .from the handiwork journal


My recent attempts to soak in some porch time, have been short due to 90 degree days here lately.   The bugs are terrible, and I'm guessing from the recent rains we have had. 








 . . .the second doily for the living room.  I honestly forgot about this project.  It was in my on-the-go bag.  I need to get this finished.



. . .current status on the current large blanket.  It's too hot here to work on such a large project.





. . .finally finished this (top picture) dishcloth.  Started another one.  Finished that one.









I used the leftover yarn to crochet two hand sanitizer holders, and then used the very last of the yarn.....


...to make 4 granny square centers.  I have just a wee bit of yarn left.  


How this project started:  I was cleaning up the very last box of craft items in the living room.  I had a crocheted strawberry for a keychain for one daughter.  I went to the utility room (next room to get a complete extreme cleaning) to open a craft container to get a key ring for the strawberry, and saw 4 of these snap clasps (still in their packages).  

I think I bought the clasps about 5-6 years ago (or longer, as that Hobby Lobby closed).  Anyway, I went to my yarn stash boxes, and came up (took me about 5-6 trials) with a self made pattern, for a cuff bracelet.  Leave it to me to create a pattern with yarn that is discontinued ha ha!  I've had this crochet thread for many years as well.





. . . crocheted 4 cuff bracelets.  My husband was impressed.  Not just with the finished project, but that it used supplies I already had.  By the way, the clasps are not leather, they are faux leather, and can still be purchased at some craft stores.  They are almost double the price however, from when I purchased them.

I have plans for these already.  I would like to get one made with two more color I do not have.


. . .lap afghan on the crochet hook.  It's my current "on-the-go" project. Recognize the yarn?  Leftover small balls from my own recent blanket, the one that was ordered after that blanket, from Christmas ornaments, recent crochet hats, and from other projects.

The very small balls of yarn are then donated to the local school art teacher.  Do you have any suggestions for the smaller balls of leftover yarn?  They could be used to make granny squares I guess.


. . .sold this oversized hot pad (these are approx. 7 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches, made per the request of my Mom).  Funny story about this sale.  A long time friend from high school, messaged me a photo of an oversized dishcloth, and asked me to make her another (she was using it for a hot pad for 9 x 13 size dishes).  

I told her, that was not made by me, and I make double thick.  She was embarrassed that she never bought from me, but wanted my last one in my inventory.  Odd color I used, but she bought it.  I have had one more request, so I will be doing an inventory check on any cotton cone yarn I have.



I used to make them like this.  I have this one in my kitchen, and have used it almost daily for the last 13-13 years or more.  It's about 12 x 10 3/4 inches.  I may make a few more of these as well.  They are great for  9 x 9 dishes, cookie sheets, pizza pan, etc.  However this was my very first one, and it was single crochet.  I now have longer Afghan hooks.

. . .  I decided to donate all of these jars I made so many years ago.  I recycled jars and crafted them to fill with homemade granola for my side of the family (many, many years ago) for Christmas.   It just never happened.   These jars will find a new home.   



Question:  Where is the best place to buy a board for crocheted granny squares?  I may be doing a large blanket with granny squares next summer (maybe this summer).  I do not have one yet.



Like this one.  (source Walmart).  I am looking to get one large enough to have space for 4 stacks.  


Sunday, May 21, 2023

. . .from the handiwork journal


Warmer days are arriving, so this may be put on the back burner until fall.  We'll see, I guess.  It's still in progress.



Another wire crocheted/beaded pair of earrings, but this may be the last.  I am donating all the beads I have soon.


On good weather days, I'm spray painting these last small clipboards.  I will add magnets to the back for fridge note paper.  I just wanted them done and ready for gifting if needed.  I should have just donated them, but it's getting done.


. . .still working on the other square doily for the living room.




. . .and lastly (that I know of ha ha!), this scarf is finished!!!  However, I have a bit more yarn, so a matching hat may be my go-to, on-the-go project soon.



 

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Tales of Grandma ~ I Learned Something New!

 







Years ago, my Dad gave me a container of "crafty" items from his mother (my Grandma).  She lived through the Great Depression, and was very creative on recycling "trash" into items to sell (above is a magnet she made).

She used to recycle egg cartons, but punching holes out using a single hole punch.  She would make many things with them, and in the container, along with several bags of punched circles, was a magnet she made with other styrofoam trays.  My biggest memory from these punched circles, was her necklaces she made with them, using dental floss to string it and other beads.  Several years ago, I wrote about it.  You can get directions on my S.C.R.A.P. blogspot.

She also made beautiful beaded jewelry.  I have completely emptied that container, sorted it and boxed most of it up.  It will be donated to a home where they house women recovering from mental/health and addiction/recovery issues.  They are very "crafty" and were asking for craft donations.  


The business also asked for beads as well, and that container had a lot of beads.  Some of them were such a beautiful color, I was hesitant to let go of them.  I mean the container has been stored (and not opened) for over 20 years now.  I probably would have made something with them, had I even remembered they were in there.

However....he he he

I learned something new this year!!  I try to learn something new ever year, but this was completely spontaneous.  I had the wire (the exact size wire oddly) in my own stash, and well....learned how to crochet with wire.


First, it used a lot of wire to learn this.  Second, go slow with wire (vs. yarn), and third, watch all the YouTube videos you can to get all the tips and tricks for beginners.  

I had the earring levers already, but I have learned in this process, that the tools I have in my own stash are not that great for this.  The wire cutter especially.  Don't buy the kits at the big box store.  Spend the extra for better tools.  I haven't used my tools in a long time, but I realize with this project, I need to upgrade if I want to make more of these types of projects.

Grandma's beads are so beautiful in color, that I could not help myself to make something with them (before I departed with them).  I only have 3 colors of beads in the size to make the hoop earrings.

Here is the link to the pattern that inspired the hoop wired earrings:  Beaded Crochet Wire Earrings.  Keep in mind she does not give instructions for beginners, and to do some video watching (search YouTube) first before attempting.

I still have a lampshade made with styrofoam egg cartons and plastic beads.  It still works to this day, but my husband will not let me give it away.

My Grandma (Dad's side), also grew a garden, canned, raised chickens (eggs and meat), and sewed all of her clothes.  I think it was my Grandpa that made homemade cherry wine, that my Dad got into and tasted it without Grandma and Grandpa knowing.  Dad said it tasted horrible, ha ha!

I am gathering my information to post about the newest afghan pattern I am currently crocheting.  I hope to post that tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Random Chit Chat ~ Einkorn Berry Crisp

 


I haven't knitted in a long, long time.  I have only knitted a scarf, and most of the time dishcloths.  Socks are still on the bucket list, but I realized how sore my finger tip can get.  I found these at the Dollar Tree for $1.25!

I've been focusing meal planning on what needs rotated out of the freezer and pantry.  Other than fresh fruit on the menu.  You know like the canned ketchup, frozen blueberries, frozen bell peppers, frozen green onions - just anything put up last garden season. 

I use home canned ketchup, and frozen bell peppers in Four Beans and Sausage. A one meal in a crockpot recipe.


A random breakfast dish I layered with cooked sage sausage, cooked (from the freezer) garden bell peppers, and added green onions I froze last summer.  Oh, I chopped to jalapenos I froze last summer, and boy it was delicious.  I also freeze the cheese blocks that go into dishes like this (grated), so I checked that supply as well as butter.  If I have any extra cottage cheese or sour cream, I also add that to these.




 I got 6 cups of blueberries out of the freezer yesterday.  My husband was a very happy man.


Einkorn Berry Crisp!  I used monkfruit in place of sugar, but I do not add 1:1 ratio.  Monkfruit is much sweeter, so I can use a lot less of it in recipes.  I linked the online recipe, but I added extra cinnamon and some nutmeg.  So good!

Of course, cooking/baking results in stacks of dirty dishes.

'We finally replaced this light socket in our stairway.  Only took us about 14 years,  but the kids were too rough and ripped on the pull cord.  We are getting some smaller jobs done while we wait for warmer weather.

I started working on the clutter/tools etc. that landed in the downstairs hallway. Once trash picks up, I have a few things to toss out that landed in the hall (from the kitchen floor project).  They got buried under a stack of tablecloths (already put away), and tools.

The staple gun and staples finally made there way to their home, but golly, my husband needs to gather and put away tools, screwdrivers, screws, nails, and all sorts of stuff. We are waiting on a good weather day to get the garage cleaned up and re-organized as well.  We will have nice weather mid-week, but it will bring rain with it.

There is a few cut pieces of living room trim that need put away today, a few stray garden tools, and a few pairs of shoes.  It's getting there, slowly, but surely.  I have started yet another box for donation.





Thursday, February 9, 2023

Painting Barn Siding ~ Seeds Started and other Tidbits

 In the midst of moving everything from room to room, in order to get floors repaired, my cut barn siding boards were unburied.



I cleaned them up with vinegar water, and let them dry for a few days.  I had the brainy idea to paint words on them for a craft show addition.  These boards have been floating around the house for several years (like about 5 years now), so it was on the "get'r done' list.  

The power went out around 8am yesterday, and it never came back on until after noon.  I was lucky I had just brewed some coffee.  

There was an accident with poles down, wires hanging, and then a substation shut down for a while.

Luckily, my portable charger was charged, and I could not only charge my phone, but my neck lamp too.


Quite fitting of a saying for a time with the power outage, ha ha!  I had stencils for these.


All done, so the only thing to do was to read or crochet.  When power goes out, our water pump goes out.  I could not clean or cook.

Most likely the signs will be put into a storage box, and used for gift giving or donations for fundraisers.  I don't see a good craft show in sight for a few years.

My neck lamp is my favorite way to crochet with extra light, or when the power is out, but I also have these battery operated crochet hooks.  I just don't like the way they made the hook part.  You have less control over your yarn, can't catch the yarn or sometimes the yarn falls off the hook to easily.  Anyway....

Almost all of my garden seeds have been started and grow lights are on.


Extreme Clean Update

What went in the donation box:
-one toddler clothes hanger (they show up out of no where)
-two shirts
-one summer bathrobe
-one baking dish (no handles/edge so getting it out of the oven is a bit of a struggle)

We woke up to powering rain this morning.  It should slow down in a few hours.







Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Spring Blooms ~ The Great Purge

 

The daffodils are in bloom right now.  I decided not to can wild violet jelly this year, and concentrate on low sugar jams.  Our biker friend we hire now to mow, has already mowed anyway (and then there was snow).  I brought the daffodils in just before the snow arrived.

I decided, as I was cleaning out my hutch, that it was time to pass on the Wilton cake decorating books and cake pans.  An old neighbor, who used to babysit for us way back in the day (another town) is now considering buying them.  All the kids are moved out and the pans are for kids birthday cakes.  Oh, and this person actually decorates cakes and sells them from her home, so it will go to a good home and to good use.

Funny story, while in High School, I used one of the pans to bake a cake for Biology class.  It was a bacteria cell!  Ha ha!  My husband got a laugh out of that.  I'm sure I have a picture of it in one of my photo albums (somewhere).

I also used the same cake pan to make and decorate it for one of my sister's birthdays.  It was decorated like a pack of gum.  Yeah, I did a lot of cake decorating over the years.  I taught the kids the talent as well, but they have zero room to store it all.

I didn't finish cleaning out the pie safe, so today is the day.  I also need to clean two more kitchen chairs and put them back in the kitchen.

Daughter K visited and packed up her car.  I gave her one of my 3 crock pots.  Yes, that is right, I had 3 of them.  We used to entertain for my husband's side of the family, but now that his family is growing and buying houses, they started offering gatherings at their places.  It was time to let go of one.  

It will be a while before we have people over.  We still have a lot to do at the homestead.

It's another chilly day here today, but I'll be staying warm with all this work to do, ha ha!



Saturday, December 4, 2021

Random Tidbits

It's confirmed that one family member will raise the meat birds in the spring for extended family.  We will all chip in for how many we want.  We are thankful for that.

I finally finished the sleeves on the cardigan.  I am now finishing up the back panel and have one shoulder panel to do, then I can sew it up.





I'm tickled pink that my husband bought me this as an early Christmas present.  I can keep a few projects organized and not sitting all over in different project bags.

Question for those who buy faux fir balls for hats:  where is the best place, for the best price, for the best quality to buy online?  Neutral colors?  I don't want 4 inch ones either.  I am looking for the ones that are a bit smaller and less awkward looking.





I finally got around to getting some more homemade seasoned salt made.  It's great for a lot of recipes.


Friday, July 30, 2021

Organizing and more purging

Sprinkles arrived early yesterday morning, followed by thunder and lightning.  I decided to pull out all of my totes of items I sell at craft shows, take an inventory, write down what needs re-stocked, and price everything that wasn't.  I need to package the remaining items, and print labels for them, but now I need to replace my printer first.  

In the process I was looking for salt and pepper shakers a Tupperware dealer gifted me (mini one's) at show we did.  I did not find them.  They were for the camper and as of yet I have not found them.  Hm.

Either way, I filled yet another large box for donation.  I now need a storage container for all the camper bedding I am keeping to use for rag rugs.

In the process of looking for the salt and pepper shakers, I have found more areas to purge and re-organize.  


I also found this unfinished set of pot holders.  I didn't find the crocheted rug I was looking for.  Something in my foggy brain thinks I finished it and gave it to Daughter E for her hope chest last year.  I found an unfinished lapghan too.


Wednesday, March 3, 2021

. . .from the handiwork journal



 . . . progress on one sleeve of the cardigan.  My husband was right.  I may not get it done until summer.  I sort of lost my mojo on this project.  Too many "irons in the fire" right now.



. . .started another rag rug for one shower.  The rug is using up bedding I had in the closet, which also helps clear out the closet a bit.  The very center brown color is actually an old apron.


. . .got all the scrubbies finished for the order I received (new color to work with)

. . .cut netting for scrubbies (cut all of this color)



. . .got more recipe card holders finished and a set of fridge magnets.  I got them packaged for any future craft show.



. . .making a bit of progress with these ornaments.  I just have to paint on the faces and add hangers.