We finally got rain, after 20 plus days of 90 degree plus weather. Despite watering the garden, it was looking fried by the heat, humidity and sun. The zucchini plants are starting to die off with little harvest already.
"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~
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.
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Last Day of July
Once infused, strained, and only a small bit of glycerin added, it's bottled up to use. The most easiest thing you can make for yourself. I have been using it for more than a year, and I have a travel bottle to take it on any sort of overnight trip as well.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Book Blanket {post #2}
An updated photo of my crocheted "book blanket" for this year.
We are 6 months into the year, and obviously (he he!) I am not even to a halfway point on this blanket. Sigh. I'm squeezing in reading time when I can. The blanket is about 67 inches long, if that helps give you an idea on the size it will be.
In the beginning of 2025, I dedicated a hand crocheted granny square for every book I read this year. The granny squares are crocheted with scrap balls of yarn, matched the best I can, to match the colors of the book cover of the finished book. The granny squares are then attached, one at a time (join as you go) with a unique stitching. We are absolutely loving how it's turning out.
You can read about the first post about this blanket HERE.
Book Blanket {post #2} © June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
This and That
. . .finished this ebook from the library. It was a random pick. I liked it. It's hard to see the yarn colors, due to having to make a collage photo with the ebook photo and my granny square, but I think it matches very well. There were recipes at the end of this book, and no, I will not be trying any of them.
Friday, April 4, 2025
Book Blanket Granny Squares
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
On the Hook
The latest granny square for my "book" blanket. I try to match the colors the best I can, and with what yarn I already have. I just have at join it to the blanket. The book is being passed on to one of the kids, so another book out the door and off the shelf.
On the Hook © March 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart
Monday, March 3, 2025
Happy Homemaker Monday {March 3, 2025}
I inquired about rental space in a store that sells locally make crafts (about a 35 minute drive or more). There is a wait list, the rental space charge is a whopping $6 per square foot, and a 20% payment to the owners on any of your sales. Sigh. I have given up on that route. Unless I be-friend an owner and strike a deal, it is impossible to continue to make and sell in rented store spaces anymore. At least in our area anyway.
Does anyone else get tired of businesses having only online bookings? We have been trying to get new tires on one of our vehicles, and one place won't take appointments, another is online only (very frustrating system according to my husband).
Not to mention, that once you book anything online, they message you a ton of reminder messages (very annoying).
We had a very busy weekend, so it's back to home updates, and regular work around here. Oh, and we visited the other nearest JoAnn Fabrics store. They had much more yarn, so I am restocked for baby blankets. I did hear one clerk tell someone that the fabric was a minimum of 1 yard per bolt.
Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.
(will link up when she posts later)
The weather in our neck of the woods . . .
23°F/windchill of 14°F this morning, but we may warm up to 57°F by midweek (then down to the 40's).
As I look outside my window . . .
The sun is about to come up soon.
Right now I am . . .
Brewing coffee.
Something fun to share . . .
Nothing today that I can think of.
Thinking and pondering . . .
-More hiking/walking opportunities in the area, as well day or overnight trips.
-garden plans
-still looking for inexpensive tulip bulbs (have not found any in stores just yet).
-I may try to squeeze in crocheting one more lap afghan before the weather turns to sunny spring warmth (after the baby blanket is done)
-looking for tall boot storage/travel bags that are 24 inches tall. I bought 21 inch ones, and they are not tall enough (to organize the closet and make travel easier too).
On my bedside table . . .
Same as last week.
On the menu . . .
-Crock pot meatballs with home canned sauce/squash, over quinoa and a side of asparagus
-something with chicken, brussel sprouts
-leftovers
-making us some no-bake protein bites (something nice to have on hand for a healthy snack)
Book I am reading . . .
I finished this book last night, so I'm on to the next book (did not have a photo this morning), and will be crocheting a granny square to match this book cover soon. Another book off the book shelf here at the homestead.
On the TV . . .
Nurse Jackie, DVD's borrowed from the library
1923, Netflix
On my to-do list . . .
-pay a few bills
-library returns
Happening this week . . .
Buying new tires for one of our vehicles, and we can cross off hair cuts (squeezed them in this past weekend).
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating . . .
I added a few more rounds on the blue and white baby blanket. Made a few more pacifier holders, have some on-the-go crochet things in a few bags like jar openers, pot holder set and a few more baby washcloths (I have projects for home and for when we have a drive to anywhere). The baby blanket is getting larger, so it's my at-home project.
My simple pleasure . . .
Homemade hot cocoa with organic peppermint syrup on a cold day.
Lesson I learned this past week. . .
(reading while waiting at the car wash last month)
Not a lesson from last week, but I learned that if I'm going on a drive or vacation of any sort, take more books than I think I'll read, and also download free books to my tablet before leaving the house (or whenever I have wifi). You never know when your husband wants to randomly drive thru the car wash, when the lines are a mile long (that time of year, ha ha!).
From the camera . . .
Prayers, Devotional, Bible Verse . . .
Prayers for all my blog followers with upcoming medical appointments, for those not well and for quick recovery, and for overall good health.
Happy Homemaker Monday {March 3, 2025} © March 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart
Friday, February 28, 2025
. . .from the handiwork journal {Feb 28, 2025}
The month of February typically is the month we tend to get the most snowfall. Now we are thawing out, and having some flooding. Heck, Wednesday we started out with everything frozen again, then snow showers, followed by a day of rain.
Yesterday we woke up to fog. The weather is all over the map right now. Just after dinner time last night, we had a rain shower.
Ribbit, Ribbit. 🐸 Sounds like Rip it, Rip it. It's where the term "frogging" a crochet project comes from. Ripping out stitches due to mistakes in previous rows.
I did more frogging this past week than I wish I had, ha ha! I worked on the blue and white baby blanket, but kept making mistakes. I am not sure if it was my husband talking to me, or if I was just having an "off" day. Ha. If fact, I had to rip out a few rounds last night (again) due to an extra stitch I had made in a previous row. I hope to get it finished soon.
Update on the "book" blanket granny squares.
. . . some embellished paperclips, to use up the last bit of some crochet thread.
I found a new pacifier holder pattern, and I love it. Funny story about finding it. I went on a search, so I could make one to gift with the pink baby blanket soon.
I can't exactly remember how I saw the one I liked. Maybe doing an image search? Once I found the one I wanted, I checked Ravelry. All of the finished ones were noted with a pamphlet or copy of Crochet World Magazine. After extensive searching, I somehow found a book that it was published in, and wa-la, our library had a copy.
My first crocheted pacifier holders - Pattern is from Crochet Crowd. As you can see at the clip, it is rounded, and slides back and forth on the clip. It's cute, but I was not really that happy with the final results. I also had a hard time getting it to lay flat, even after blocking it.
Last month, I was him-hawing about getting rid of a bag of misc. beads. I'm glad I did not. I used some jewelry supplies, jewelry tools, spare beads, and created a way to attach a row counter to my project bag (or project) for traveling. Talk about a happy gal. No purchases needed. The row counter actually came in a bag of odd assortments from a thrift store haul years ago.
. . . from the handiwork journal {Feb 28 2025} © February 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart
Monday, February 24, 2025
Happy Homemaker Monday {February 24, 2025}
Success this past week. I installed shelf liners on 3 shelves in one of the bathroom cabinets. I also completely cleaned out two large corner kitchen cupboards, purged any expired seasonings, vinegars, oils etc. Cleaned them, washed every lazy susan/turntable, lined the shelves, and re-organized.
I made a trip to town to buy liner to finish the remaining shelves. I also invested in two more turntables to make life more organized.
However, between putting the roll of shelf liner on the check out, and then paying for it, apparently it never made it home. The drive back is not short. The remaining shelves will be waiting until we retrieve the roll. We are stumped at how we never got that long roll back into the cart.
Anyway, I have also done inventory to see what I need for this year's canning season. I, apparently, have enough celery seed to can items for the next two years (ha ha! Whoops!). The kids moved in and out, but left behind their huge supply of spices and seasonings (which of most were the ones expired).
We also replaced our paper shredder, so thanks for all your suggestions.
A question for anyone who pickles eggs - do you have a fantastic recipe, or do you just re-use juice from your canned beets? Which vinegar is better if you make your own pickling liquid? I have only pickled eggs with one recipe, using a jalapeno, and other spices.
Today I will be joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.
I will link up when she posts. Today's post is a doozy of a long one. Sorry for that.
The weather in our neck of the woods . . .
We are finally warming up, and we may even reach 50°F! It's going to melt all of this snow and ice, so it will also be a muddy mess, but a happy temperature.
As I look outside my window . . .
It's still dark out, but last night during dinner we watched two woodpeckers enjoying our bird feeder on a tree.
Right now I am . . .
Making our daily snack plans. Sipping hot coffee.
Something fun to share (blog, video or tip). . .
Tip: Use a mandolin to shred cabbage on the thinnest setting vs. using a food processor for either slaw or other meals. It creates a much thinner cabbage, which makes a better slaw or cook faster for a meal.
Thinking and pondering . . .
On my bedside table . . .
-a few crochet hooks, notepad and pen
Listening to . . .
Nothing now, but maybe the radio during the day. The type depends on what I wish to listen to at the moment. Music anyway.
On the menu . . .
Focusing on the freezer and garden stash/pantry ingredients.
-pork chops with home canned BBQ sauce, quinoa and roasted beets
-cabbage wraps with Italian sausage (my own recipe, but uses meat from the freezer)
-stuffed bell peppers (made last summer with garden bell peppers), will side these with other smaller meals too
-summer vegetable spaghetti (uses frozen diced zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans from the garden, and a jar of home canned tomato sauce), with frozen homemade meatballs (made with oats and no bread crumbs)
-chickpea crust pizzas using home canned pizza sauce, and frozen bell peppers from the garden
Book I am reading. . .
A much different book, but reading no less.
On my TV . . .
Nurse Jackie Series 3, 4 and 5, DVD's borrowed from the library. However, if it doesn't get much better, we are abandoning the series and finding something new to watch.
On my to-do list . . .
-dishes, empty dishwasher
-laundry
-sweep and mop downstairs room
Happening this week . . .
Ha! It all depends on the weather. I am hoping to get into town to retrieve the roll of shelf liner we paid for and somehow didn't get.
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating . . .
My simple pleasure . . .
Reading.
Lessons learned the past week . . .
1. buy honey in glass jars, not plastic
2. keep tinctures in canning jars and not bottle droppers (two of my bottle droppers broke from the residue or whatever)
From the camera . . .
Prayers, Bible Verse, Devotional . . .
Happy Homemaker Monday {February 24, 2025} © February 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart